APC Loss Prevents Doxorubicin-Induced Cell Death by Increasing Drug Efflux and a Chemoresistant Cell Population in Breast Cancer.

Chemoresistance is a major health concern affecting cancer patients. Resistance is multifactorial, with one mechanism being the increased expression of ABC transporters (such as MDR1 and MRP1), which are drug efflux transporters capable of preventing intracellular accumulation of drugs and cell death. Our lab showed that the loss of caused an intrinsic resistance to doxorubicin (DOX), potentially through an enhanced tumor-initiating cell (TIC) population and the increased activation of STAT3 mediating the expression of MDR1 in the absence of WNT being activated.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging of proximal and distal hamstrings cross sectional area in individuals with history of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Background: Ultrasound (US) imaging is used by physical therapists for diagnosis and assessment of musculoskeletal injury and follow-up.

Purpose: The aim was to identify long-term effects of graft harvesting on hamstrings muscle mass among athletes who had undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods: Twenty-eight participants (ages 18-55) were recruited: 18 with history of ACLR using semitendinosus (ST) autograft and 10 healthy controls.

[Physique of children and adolescents in Northern Iceland then and now].

Introduction: In the first half of the 20th century, Icelandic doctors and teachers began documenting the health of school children, believing that physical measurements were important to monitoring physical development. The measurements could also be used for comparison in other areas and for reasearch. At the Reginonal Archives of Skagafjordur, rare data about the physique of children in Saudarkrokur in 1912-1953, measured by Jon Th.

Family-based lifestyle interventions: What makes them successful? A systematic literature review.

Nearly one in five young people in the United States has obesity, putting one-fifth of America's children at higher risk of having chronic health conditions and of having obesity into adulthood. Family-based lifestyle interventions (FBLI) have been proposed as effective mechanisms to improve the health through health education and the adoption of healthier behaviors. The aim of this review is to identify and summarize effective intervention activities and lessons learned that organizations can adopt when planning health promotion interventions for families, and to assess the effect of family-based lifestyle interventions on BMI z-score.

Injury Pattern in Icelandic Elite Male Handball Players.

Objective: To examine the incidence, type, location, and severity of injuries in Icelandic elite male handball players and compare across factors like physical characteristics and playing position.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: The latter part of the preseason and the competitive season of Icelandic male handball.

Using Pressure Massage for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a Novel Treatment Versus an Eccentric Exercise Protocol.

Background: Eccentric exercises are the only conservative treatment that has shown good clinical results in studies of Achilles tendinopathy (AT), but success rates vary, indicating the need for alternative treatments. Soft tissue treatments are widely used for AT, but strong scientific evidence is lacking to support those treatments.

Purpose/hypotheses: This study aimed to determine whether pressure massage to the calf muscles is a useful treatment for AT and to compare this treatment versus an eccentric exercise protocol.

Characteristics of functional movement screening testing in elite handball players: Indicative data from the 9.

Objectives: To test 9 + screening batterie's intra-rater reliability, to provide indicative data of elite handball players, and to analyze difference between age, playing positions and level of play.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting: Icelandic elite male handball players.

Effects of an Education and Prevention Course for University Music Students on Their Body Awareness and Attitude Toward Health and Prevention.

Background: Studies show a high cumulative prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among musicians. Increased emphasis is needed on studying the effectiveness of education and prevention courses in music schools.

Objectives: To investigate the effects on music students of an education and prevention course on body awareness and their attitude toward health and prevention.

APC loss in breast cancer leads to doxorubicin resistance via STAT3 activation.

Resistance to chemotherapy is one of the leading causes of death from breast cancer. We recently established that loss of (APC) in the Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus - Polyoma middle T (MMTV-PyMT) transgenic mouse model results in resistance to cisplatin or doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Herein, we aim to establish the mechanism that is responsible for APC-mediated chemotherapeutic resistance.

Effects of Sex and Fatigue on Biomechanical Measures During the Drop-Jump Task in Children.

Background: Female athletes have a higher rate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury than males from adolescence and into maturity, which is suggested to result from sex-specific changes in dynamic movement patterns with maturation. Few studies have studied movement strategies and response to fatigue in children.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of fatigue on biomechanical variables associated with increased risk for ACL injury during a drop-jump (DJ) performance in children.

Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders among icelandic music students: differences between students playing classical vs rhythmic music.

Most research studies investigating the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders affecting musicians and music students have focused on classical music, while less is known about their prevalence in other music genres. The purpose of this study was to document cumulative and point prevalence of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) among music students in Iceland and, specifically, to identify differences between those studying classical vs rhythmic music. We hypothesized that students of classical music would report more frequent and more severe musculoskeletal disorders than students involved in rhythmic music, as classical instruments and composition typically require more demanding, sustained postures during practice and performance.

Pelvic floor muscle function before and after first childbirth.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Pregnancy and vaginal delivery are considered to be the main risk factors for development of pelvic floor dysfunction. We hypothesize that; 1) pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength and endurance is significantly reduced by first delivery in general, and 2) changes in PFM strength and endurance are influenced by mode of delivery.

Methods: Prospective repeated measures observational study.

Test-retest intra-rater reliability of vaginal measurement of pelvic floor muscle strength using Myomed 932.

Objectives: To investigate test-retest intra-rater reliability of measurements of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength using Myomed 932 (Enraf-Nonius, Delft, the Netherlands).

Design: Test-retest intra-rater reliability test with a 2-7 day interval.

Setting: Physiotherapy outpatient clinic in association with the Department of Physiotherapy, University of Iceland.

Prevention of hamstring strains in elite soccer: an intervention study.

The purpose was to test the effect of eccentric strength training and flexibility training on the incidence of hamstring strains in soccer. Hamstring strains and player exposure were registered prospectively during four consecutive soccer seasons (1999-2002) for 17-30 elite soccer teams from Iceland and Norway. The first two seasons were used as baseline, while intervention programs consisting of warm-up stretching, flexibility and/or eccentric strength training were introduced during the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

[Congenital deficiency of coagulation factor VII in an Icelandic family.].

Congenital deficiency of coagulation factor VII is a rare autosomal and usually recessive genetic bleeding disorder which has been discovered in an Icelandic family. The propositus is a male who experienced intermittent painful inflammation of his ankle joints at the age of 9-10 and later also in his knees, elbow, shoulder, and wrist. Smaller joints were spared, serologies for rheumatoid disease were negative.

Defective prevention of immune precipitation in autoimmune diseases is independent of C4A*Q0.

Increased prevalence of C4 null alleles is a common feature of autoimmune diseases. We have shown previously that complement-dependent prevention of immune precipitation (PIP) is defective in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and correlated this defect with C4A*Q0 and low levels of the C4A isotype. To further clarify the role of C4A in the aetiology of SLE, we now extend our studies to other diseases which have been associated with C4A*Q0.

No effect of a video-based awareness program on the rate of soccer injuries.

Background: The injury rate in soccer is high, and effective injury prevention methods are needed.

Purpose: To test the effect of a video-based awareness program on the incidence of acute injuries in soccer.

Study Design: Randomized control trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Mechanisms of head injuries in elite football.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe, using video analysis, the mechanisms of head injuries and of incidents with a high risk of head injury in elite football.

Methods: Videotapes and injury information were collected prospectively for 313 of the 409 matches played in the Norwegian (2000 season) and Icelandic (1999 and 2000 season) professional leagues. Video recordings of incidents where a player appeared to be hit in the head and the match was consequently interrupted by the referee were analysed and cross referenced with reports of acute time loss injuries from the team medical staff.

A 10-week randomized trial comparing eccentric vs. concentric hamstring strength training in well-trained soccer players.

Purpose: To compare the effects of a 10-week training program with two different exercises -- traditional hamstring curl (HC) and Nordic hamstrings (NH), a partner exercise focusing the eccentric phase -- on muscle strength among male soccer players.

Methods: Subjects were 21 well-trained players who were randomized to NH training (n = 11) or HC training (n = 10). The programs were similar, with a gradual increase in the number of repetitions from two sets of six reps to three sets of eight to 12 reps over 4 weeks, and then increasing load during the final 6 weeks of training.

A prospective video-based analysis of injury situations in elite male football: football incident analysis.

Background: The mechanisms for football injuries are largely unknown.

Aim: To describe the characteristics of injury situations in elite male football using a video-based method called football incident analysis.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Physical fitness, injuries, and team performance in soccer.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between physical fitness and team success in soccer, and to test for differences in physical fitness between different player positions.

Methods: Participants were 306 male soccer players from 17 teams in the two highest divisions in Iceland. Just before the start of the 1999 soccer season, the following variables were tested: height and weight, body composition, flexibility, leg extension power, jump height, and peak O2 uptake.

Video analysis of the mechanisms for ankle injuries in football.

Background: Although ankle sprains are frequent in football, little is known about their mechanisms.

Purpose: To describe the injury mechanisms for ankle injuries in male elite football.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Risk factors for injuries in football.

Background: The injury risk in football is high, but little is known about causes of injury.

Purpose: To identify risk factors for football injuries using a multivariate model.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.