[Novel Innovation: Can Artificial Intelligence make Rehabilitation more Efficient?].

Demand for Vocational Rehabilitation in Iceland has been steadily rising in recent years where the presence of young patients has increased proportionally the most. It is essential that public spending is efficient without compromising the treatment quality. It is worth exploring if a solution for increasing the efficiency in this healthcare section is to use Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for pancreatic duct stones: an observational study.

Introduction: Previous studies suggest that fragmentation of pancreatic duct stones (PDS) using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is associated with pain relief. However, the treatment may not be effective in certain subgroups.

Aim: To evaluate predictors of pain relief after ESWL in patients with chronic pancreatitis and PDS.

Differential expression of CK20, β-catenin, and MUC2/5AC/6 in Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer type X.

Background: Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer comprises Lynch syndrome and familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX). Differences in genetics, demographics and histopathology have been extensively studied. The purpose of this study is to characterize their immunoprofile of markers other than MMR proteins.

Comprehensive population-wide analysis of Lynch syndrome in Iceland reveals founder mutations in MSH6 and PMS2.

Lynch syndrome, caused by germline mutations in the mismatch repair genes, is associated with increased cancer risk. Here using a large whole-genome sequencing data bank, cancer registry and colorectal tumour bank we determine the prevalence of Lynch syndrome, associated cancer risks and pathogenicity of several variants in the Icelandic population. We use colorectal cancer samples from 1,182 patients diagnosed between 2000-2009.

Determinants of outcome of vocational rehabilitation.

Background: Information regarding the determinants of successful vocational rehabilitation (VR) is scarce.

Objective: Investigate whether sex, duration, quality of life and financial circumstances influence the success of VR.

Methods: The study group consisted of 519 participants (293 women, 56%), who finished VR in the period 2000-2014.

SERT and NET polymorphisms, temperament and antidepressant response.

Background: The genetic variations in norepinephrine transporter (NET) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes have been associated with personality traits, several psychiatric disorders and the efficacy of antidepressant treatment.

Aims: We investigated the separate effects and possible interactions between NET T-182C (rs2242446) and SERT 5-HTTLPR (rs4795541) polymorphisms on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) treatment response and temperamental traits assessed by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in a clinical sample of subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: Our sample of 97 patients with major depression completed the 107-item TCI temperament questionnaire (version IX) at the initial assessment of the study and after 6 weeks of follow-up.

Serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and norepinephrine transporter (NET) gene polymorphisms: susceptibility and treatment response of electroconvulsive therapy in treatment resistant depression.

Serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and norepinephrine transporter (NET182C) polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility and treatment response in major depressive disorder (MDD). Thus, we examined association between these polymorphisms and susceptibility to treatment resistant depression, and treatment response in severe MDD patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In total, 119 Finnish patients with treatment resistant depression and 395 healthy volunteer blood donors were genotyped.

Long leukocyte telomere length at diagnosis is a risk factor for dementia progression in idiopathic parkinsonism.

Telomere length (TL) is regarded as a marker of cellular aging due to the gradual shortening by each cell division, but is influenced by a number of factors including oxidative stress and inflammation. Parkinson's disease and atypical forms of parkinsonism occur mainly in the elderly, with oxidative stress and inflammation in afflicted cells. In this study the relationship between blood TL and prognosis of 168 patients with idiopathic parkinsonism (136 Parkinson's disease [PD], 17 Progressive Supranuclear Palsy [PSP], and 15 Multiple System Atrophy [MSA]) and 30 controls was investigated.

Is 5-HTTLPR linked to the response of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in MDD?

The role of a functional polymorphism in the transcriptional control region of serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR, SERTPR) has been studied intensively in major depression and in the response to selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs) in major depression. The findings have been contradictory, although majority of the studies indicate that the short allele is associated with poor response to SSRIs in major depression. In the present study, we evaluated the association of 5-HTTLPR with treatment response to SSRI medication in Finnish Caucasian MDD patients.

Mutation in the PYK2-binding domain of PITPNM3 causes autosomal dominant cone dystrophy (CORD5) in two Swedish families.

Autosomal dominant cone dystrophy (CORD5) (MIM 600977) is a rare disease predominantly affecting cone photoreceptors. Here we refine the CORD5 locus previously mapped to 17p13 from 27 to 14.3 cM and identified a missense mutation, Q626H in the phosphatidylinositol transfer (PIT) membrane-associated protein (PITPNM3) (MIM 608921) in two Swedish families.

Homozygosity mapping of familial glioma in Northern Sweden.

About 5% of glioma cases are familial. Most glioma families are not ascribed to the well-known glioma predisposing syndromes. One segregation analysis has supported an autosomal recessive gene in glioma families, which could be studied by homozygosity mapping.

The CTLA4 region as a general autoimmunity factor: an extended pedigree provides evidence for synergy with the HLA locus in the etiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease.

We have identified a large family in the northern part of Sweden with multiple cases of autoimmune diseases, namely type 1 diabetes (T1D), Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). The family members affected by any of these diseases share a region of 2.4 Mb that comprises among others the CTLA4 gene.

The additive pulmonary vasodilatory effects of inhaled prostacyclin and inhaled milrinone in postcardiac surgical patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Unlabelled: Selective pulmonary vasodilation is an advantageous therapeutic strategy for cardiac surgical patients with increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and right ventricular failure. We hypothesized that milrinone, an adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-selective phosphodiesterase enzyme (PDE) inhibitor may, when nebulized and inhaled, cause selective pulmonary vasodilation and potentiate the vasodilation by inhaled prostacyclin (iPGI(2)). Consequently, we investigated the hemodynamic effects of inhaled milrinone or the combination iPGI(2) + inhaled milrinone in cardiac surgical patients with postoperative mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) >25 mm Hg and PVR >200 dynes.

Reconstituted phosphatidylserine synthase from Escherichia coli is activated by anionic phospholipids and micelle-forming amphiphiles.

The activity of phosphatidylserine (PS) synthase (CDP-1, 2-diacyl-sn-glycerol: l-serine O-phosphatidyltransferase, EC 2.7.8.

[Higher order multiple births in Iceland 1982-1998.].

Objective: To investigate the incidence of higher order multiple pregnancies in Iceland during the last 17 years.

Background: The incidence of higher order multiple births has been rising in many countries during the last 10-20 years. This increase is mostly due to more successful treatment of infertility.

Organophosphorus anticholinesterases do not mediate analgesia through inhibition of enkephalin degradation.

The effect on enkephalin degradation of the four highly potent organophosphorus anticholinesterases, soman, sarin, tabun and DFP was studied in synaptosomal fractions of rat brain striata. None of the agents effected any of the enkephalin degrading enzymes, the puromycin sensitive aminopeptidase, the p-hydroxymercurybenzoate (p-HMB) sensitive dipeptidyl aminopeptidase or the phosphoramidon sensitive enkephalinase. Furthermore, no peptidase function of acetylcholinesterase was found, when Leu-enkephalin was used as substrate at low concentrations (27 nM).

A comparative study of spondylolisthesis in operations on adolescents and adults.

Forty-five patients with spondylolisthesis have been reviewed, all operated with the same surgical procedure: dorso-lateral bilateral fusion. A comparative study was made between two age groups-adolescents (n=22) and adults (n=23). Preoperative symptoms, clinical signs and X-rays of the patients were analysed and compared with postoperative results.