OBJECTIVE Recent studies indicate that persistent organohalogen pollutants (POPs) may contribute to sex ratio changes in offspring of exposed populations. Our aim in the present study was to investigate whether exposure to 2,2 ,4,4 ,5,5 -hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (p,p -DDE) affects sperm Y:X chromosome distribution. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We obtained semen ...

BACKGROUND Lactase non-persistent (LNP) individuals may be lactose intolerant and therefore on a more restricted diet concerning milk and milk products compared to lactase persistent (LP) individuals. This may have an impact on body fat mass. OBJECTIVE This study examines if LP and LNP children and adolescents, defined by genotyping for the LCT-13910 C > T polymorphism, differ from each other...

We present a microfluidic electroporation device with a comb electrode layout fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane (PMDS) and glass. Characterization experiments with HeLa cells and fluorescent dextran show efficient delivery (∼95%) with low toxicity (cell viability ∼85%) as well as rapid pore closure after electroporation. The activity of delivered molecules is also verified by silencing RNA (si...

Background: Mayer - Rokitansky - Kuster - Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is characterized by congenital aplasia of the uterus and the upper part of the vagina in women showing normal development of secondary sexual characteristics and a normal 46, XX karyotype. Congenital anomaly of the female genital tract, estimated to occur in approximately 1 in every 5,000 females. It is caused by a failure of deve...

Imbibition of liquids into porous media has significant importance to many processes. For example one application is the propellant management device (PMD), or liquid acquisition device (LAD), located within spacecraft tanks [1, 7]. The PMDs are designed to ensure gas free delivery of propellant during all mission accelerations. This is done by using a porous medium, a metallic mesh, which prev...

BACKGROUND An equivocal literature exists regarding the relation between persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) and endometriosis in women, with differences attributed to methodologies. OBJECTIVES We assessed the association between POPs and the odds of an endometriosis diagnosis and the consistency of findings by biological medium and study cohort. METHODS Using a matched cohort desig...

We report a rare case of prostatic carcinoma associated with cystic degeneration. Cystic masses within the prostate are known. Benign cystic masses are more common and include congenital cysts of mullerian duct or mesonephric duct origin. Acquired cysts can be either retention cysts, parasitic or malignant in nature. Cysts accompanying prostatic carcinoma are moreover rare. The acute retention ...

of stones from the gall bladder.3 There are several clinical implications. The long contiguous course of the cystic duct and common hepatic duct could explain why surgeons sometimes inadvertently leave a long remnant of cystic duct, which is reputedly a cause of the postcholecystectomy syndrome.4 Furthermore, the migration of stones from the gall bladder into the contiguous segment may explain ...