A facile and green synthesis of six-membered cyclic carbonates, the potential monomers for isocyanate-free polyurethanes and polycarbonates, was achieved by transesterification of diols with dimethyl carbonate catalyzed by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B, Novozym (R) 435, followed by thermal cyclization in a solvent-free medium. The difference in the chemospecificity of the lipase for the

High levels of spermatozoa DNA damage hinder fertility in vivo but not in vitro. It is a source of worry that following in vitro fertilization (IVF) spermatozoa DNA damage, if not repaired by the oocyte, might have a negative impact on the offspring. The aim of this study was to assess if a high spermatozoa DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) is associated with alterations in birthweight (BW) and/or ges

This paper analyses the effect on meal consumption away from home of a point-of-purchase healthy symbol. We base the analysis on a field experiment in a lunch restaurant. Our results suggest that meal consumption does not increase if the meal is labelled with a healthy symbol. Also, the mean nutritional content of meals consumed seems unaffected by the introduction of a healthy-labelled meal on th

This paper extends theories of retail branding and consumer experience of retail stores by bringing consumer culture theory into the field of retailing. Using ethnographic data collection methods (photo-diaries, participant observations, long interviews, artifact collections) we studied the grocery shopping habits and life at home among Swedish middle-class working women with children. The analysi

The clinical classification of hereditary sequence variants identified in disease-related genes directly affects clinical management of patients and their relatives. The International Society for Gastrointestinal Hereditary Tumours (InSiGHT) undertook a collaborative effort to develop, test and apply a standardized classification scheme to constitutional variants in the Lynch syndrome-associated g

This case study analyzes five Swedish printing houses' pricing with respect to their investments in new printing technology. The new printing technology made it possible for the printing houses to market new products and services to meet the demand for shorter delivery times and full service solutions. Although this demand was apparent, the printing houses' opportunities to capitalize on their inv

The G-protein coupled receptor associated protein β-arrestin-1 is crucial for the regulation of numerous biological processes involved in cancer progression, such as intracellular signaling and cell motility. The encoding gene ARRB1 is harbored in the same chromosomal region as the CCND1 gene (11q13). Amplification of CCND1, frequently encountered in breast cancer, often involves coamplification o

Aquaporin membrane protein channels mediate cellular water flow. Human aquaporin 5 (AQP5) is highly expressed in the respiratory system and secretory glands where it facilitates the osmotically-driven generation of pulmonary secretions, saliva, sweat and tears. Dysfunctional trafficking of AQP5 has been implicated in several human disease states, including Sjögren's syndrome, bronchitis and cystic

The high false negative rates for initial prostate biopsies refer a large number of the men for repeat biopsies each year. Therefore, biomarkers associated with high risk of the presence of malignancy in histologically benign biopsies could provide a tool to discriminate the patients who need repeat biopsy or intensive follow-up from those who do not. Here we examined the diagnostic applicability

Popular Abstract in English An increased risk of pre-cancer lesions of the cervix among HIV-infected women, and the positive impact of HIV treatment on its outcome has been reported globally. However there is paucity of information from west Africa with genetically distinct viral strains. Considering that HIV strains differ in the rate and pattern of HIV disease progression, a different outcome isBackground: The highest numbers of HIV-infected women are in sub- Saharan Africa, where the natural progression of HIV disease in the absence of treatment results in death before the onset of invasive cervical cancer. With improved access to treatment, several studies outside West Africa demonstrated an increased risk of pre-invasive cervical lesions among HIV-infected women and the positive impac

Stochastic differential equations driven by standard Brownian motion(s) or Lévy processes are by far the most popular models in mathematical finance, but are also frequently used in engineering and science. A key feature of the class of models is that the parameters are easy to interpret for anyone working with ordinary differential equations, making connections between statistics and other scient

We have calculated band structures for strained core-shell nanowires involving all combinations of AlN, GaN, and InN, as well as all combinations of AlP, GaP, AlAs, GaAs, InP, InAs, AlSb, GaSb, and InSb, as functions of core and shell radii. This gives 78 combinations, most of which have not been experimentally realized, and provides a quite complete overview of which interesting structures can be

Background Rye products have been demonstrated to lower the acute insulin demand, induce a low and prolonged blood glucose response (high Glycemic Profile, GP) and reduce subclinical inflammation. These products may therefore contribute to a lowered risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardio vascular disease. The objective of the present paper was to evaluate the mechanism for a reduced postprand

Background: Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) with post-hemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) is a major cause of neurodevelopmental impairment and mortality in preterm infants. The mechanisms leading to PHVD and brain damage remain largely unknown. The choroid plexus and the ependyma, which constitute an essential part of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), are the first structures to encounter th

Translational platelet function investigations performed in the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-treated population receiving clopidogrel have identified high platelet reactivity to ADP (HPR) as a major risk factor for both acute as well as long-term ischaemic event occurrence, including stent thrombosis. Recent studies have highlighted the relation of single nucleotide polymorphisms of ge

Few microscopical studies have been made on lipid storage in oat grains, with variable results as to the extent of lipid accumulation in the starchy endosperm. Grains of medium- and high-lipid oat (Avena sativa L.) were studied at two developmental stages and at maturity, by light microscopy using different staining methods, and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Discrete oil bodies

The article explores the relation between i) the attitudes of students towards digital pedagogical characters and ii) their learning style as separate versus connected thinkers, a learning style dimension which regards individual's approach towards the social dimensions of knowledge. Ninety 12-15 year old students participated in the study in which they were presented with a scenario-based multime

The paper presents a new thermochemical process for the production of isobutanol, which is an excellent biobased gasoline blendstock. The main feedstock for the process is glycerine, obtained as a byproduct in biodiesel production, being used together with methanol. The process was modeled in Aspen Plus. The process design is characterized by a high level of process integration, pinch analysis bei

Background: We recently reported (Curr Biol 22:683-688, 2012) that the eyes of giant and colossal squid can grow to three times the diameter of the eyes of any other animal, including large fishes and whales. As an explanation to this extreme absolute eye size, we developed a theory for visual performance in aquatic habitats, leading to the conclusion that the huge eyes of giant and colossal squid