Metformin is a widely used antidiabetic drug associated with the rare side effect of lactic acidosis which has been proposed to be linked to drug-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Using respirometry, the aim of this study was to evaluate mitochondrial toxicity of metformin to human blood cells in relation to that of phenformin, a biguanide analogue withdrawn in most countries due to a high incide

We present high-precision relative radial velocities of the very low mass star VB 10 that were obtained over a time span of 0.61 years as part of an ongoing search for planets around stars at the end of the main sequence. The radial velocities were measured from high-resolution near-infrared spectra obtained using the CRIRES instrument on the Very Large Telescope with an ammonia gas cell. The typi

Background: The association of dyslipidaemia with incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) has not been well studied in people with different glucose categories. Methods: Data from six population-based prospective studies in Finland and Sweden, with 4818 men and 4269 women aged 25-89 years who were free of CHD and without a prior history of diabetes at baseline, were jointly analysed. Multivariat

Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) progression is increasingly used as a surrogate for vascular risk. This use is supported by data from a few clinical trials investigating statins, but established criteria of surrogacy are only partially fulfilled. To provide a valid basis for the use of IMT progression as a study end point, we are performing a 3-step meta-analysis project based on individual p

Conceptually, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener et al. in J Pers Assess 49(1):71–75, 1985) emphasizes evaluations comparing actual and expected life circumstances. Contrastingly we developed the Harmony in Life Scale (HILS) emphasiz-ing psychological balance and flexibility in life. Study 1 (476 participants) developed the HILS. In Study 2 participants (N = 787, T1; N = 545, T2) answe

Background Adjustment of cardiac dimensions by measures of body size appears intuitively convincing and in patients with aortic stenosis, aortic valve area (AVA) is commonly adjusted by body surface area (BSA). However, there is little evidence to support such an approach. Objective To identify the adequate measure of body size for the adjustment of aortic stenosis severity. Methods Parameters of

Calorespirometry is the simultaneous measurement of heat and gas exchange from biological systems. Such measurements can be used to assess fundamental properties of many different types of systems from small ecosystems to isolated tissues. Techniques for calorespirometric measurements on terrestrial (non-aquatic) samples are described. Methods and models for evaluation of carbon conversion efficie

The delivery of emulsified silicone oil to hydrophilic silica surfaces by mixtures of cationic polysaccharides and SDS has been studied by in situ null ellipsometry, dynamic light scattering, and turbidity measurements. The emulsion contained silicone oil droplets with a hydrodynamic radius of 18 rim, stabilized by anionic and nonionic surfactants. The investigated polysaccharides were cat-guar an

C1q is the central pattern-recognition molecule in the classical pathway of the complement system and is known to have a key role in the crossroads between adaptive and innate immunity. Hereditary C1q deficiency is a rare genetic condition strongly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. However, the clinical symptoms may vary. For long, t

While cognitive ability is inversely associated with risk for schizophrenia (SZ), the association is less clear with other nonaffective psychoses (ONAP) and bipolar illness (BPI). Using national Swedish hospital registry data, we examined the prospective relationship between school achievement (SA) and development of SZ, ONAP, and BPI in 1800643 adolescents born 1972-1990. We used Cox proportional

Minute electronic (bio) devices will likely play an increasingly important role in everyday life and beyond, as overall device size often limits device functionality and applicability, a factor especially critical for brain implants. Recent progress in micro-and nanoelectronics has enabled the production of nanoscale electronic components; however, overall device size is often defined by technical

Global climate models simulate the Earth's climate impressively at scales of continents and greater. At these scales, large-scale dynamics and physics largely define the climate. At spatial scales relevant to policy makers, and to impacts and adaptation, many other processes may affect regional and local climate and perhaps trigger teleconnections that provide significant feedbacks on the global c

The authors thank Bob Webb (the editor) and an anonymous referee for their helpful comments and suggestions. We are also grateful to Hossein Asgharian, Charlotte Christiansen, Bent Jesper Christensen, Karl Frauendorfer, Pascal Gantenbein, Björn Hansson, Heino Bohn Nielson, Anders Rahbek, Paul Söderlind, Klaus Spremann, and seminar participants at Lund University and the University of St. Gallen, a