Sustained elevation of kynurenic Acid in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with herpes simplex virus type 1 encephalitis.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 encephalitis (HSE) is a viral infectious disease with commonly occurring neurodegeneration and neurological/cognitive long-term sequelae. Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is a neuroactive tryptophan metabolite, which is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during viral infection as a result of immune activation. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of endogenous brain KYNA for the long-term outcome of the disease.

A common variant at 8q24.21 is associated with renal cell cancer.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents between 80 and 90% of kidney cancers. Previous genome-wide association studies of RCC have identified five variants conferring risk of the disease. Here we report the results from a discovery RCC genome-wide association study and replication analysis, including a total of 2,411 patients and 71,497 controls.

Ghrelin increases food intake, swimming activity and growth in juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta).

Several key functions of ghrelin are well conserved through vertebrate phylogeny. However, some of ghrelin's effects are contradictory and among teleosts only a limited number of species have been used in functional studies on food intake and foraging-related behaviors. Here we investigated the long-term effects of ghrelin on food intake, growth, swimming activity and aggressive contest behavior in one year old wild brown trout (Salmo trutta) using intraperitoneal implants.

Comparisons of Analysis Methods for Proof-of-Concept Trials.

Drug development struggles with high costs and time consuming processes. Hence, a need for new strategies has been accentuated by many stakeholders in drug development. This study proposes the use of pharmacometric models to rationalize drug development.

Potential impacts of the Alberta fetal alcohol spectrum disorder service networks on secondary disabilities: a cost-benefit analysis.

Objectives: To estimate the break-even effectiveness of the Alberta Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Service Networks in reducing occurrences of secondary disabilities associated with FASD.

Methods: The secondary disabilities addressed within this study include crime, homelessness, mental health problems, and school disruption (for children) or unemployment (for adults). We used a cost-benefit analysis approach where benefits of the service networks were the cost difference between the two approaches: having the 12 service networks and having no service network in place, across Alberta.

Functional results after orthotopic bladder substitution: a prospective multicentre study comparing four types of neobladder.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate enterocystometry, voiding pattern and urine leakage of four types of orthotopic bladder substitute.

Material And Methods: At eight urological departments, 78 consecutive men were studied: 66 with an ileal neobladder [30 Studer pouches (S), 24 Hautmann pouches (H) and 12 T-pouches (T)] and 12 with a right colonic [Goldwasser type (G)] neobladder. Enterocystometry, determination of residual urine, micturition protocol and 24 h pad weight test were performed 6 and 12 months postoperatively.

Direct measurement and modulation of single-molecule coordinative bonding forces in a transition metal complex.

Coordination chemistry has been a consistently active branch of chemistry since Werner's seminal theory of coordination compounds inaugurated in 1893, with the central focus on transition metal complexes. However, control and measurement of metal-ligand interactions at the single-molecule level remain a daunting challenge. Here we demonstrate an interdisciplinary and systematic approach that enables measurement and modulation of the coordinative bonding forces in a transition metal complex.

Anti-tobacco policy in schools: upcoming preventive strategy or prevention myth? A review of 31 studies.

Objective: To summarise the evidence on effectiveness of school anti-tobacco policies (exposure) in preventing tobacco use (outcome) among high school students.

Data Sources: The search was conducted between 1 September and 30 November 2011 on six electronic databases with keywords: 'policy', 'ban', 'restriction' and 'environment' in combination with 'adolescent' or 'student', 'school' and 'smoking' in titles, abstracts or keywords. Restrictions were made to articles published in English.

Consumption of fish products across the lifespan and prostate cancer risk.

Objective: To examine whether fish and fish oil consumption across the lifespan is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.

Design: The study was nested among 2268 men aged 67-96 years in the AGES-Reykjavik cohort study. In 2002 to 2006, dietary habits were assessed, for early life, midlife and later life using a validated food frequency questionnaire.

Kidney function following partial or radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: a population-based study.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to compare kidney function in a population-based cohort of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients after partial (PN) or radical nephrectomy (RN).

Material And Methods: Forty-four consecutive RCC patients who had undergone PN in Iceland between 2000 and 2010 were compared with 44 controls matched for tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) stage who had undergone RN during the same period. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and survival were calculated, and predictors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) were evaluated with multivariate analysis.

Magmatic origin of giant 'Kiruna-type' apatite-iron-oxide ores in central Sweden.

Iron is the most important metal for modern industry and Sweden is by far the largest iron-producer in Europe, yet the genesis of Sweden's main iron-source, the 'Kiruna-type' apatite-iron-oxide ores, remains enigmatic. We show that magnetites from the largest central Swedish 'Kiruna-type' deposit at Grängesberg have δ(18)O values between -0.4 and +3.

The role of ghrelin in energy balance regulation in fish.

Knowledge about the endocrine regulation of energy balance in fish is of interest for basic as well as aquaculture research. Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that was first identified in fish 10 years ago and has important roles in the control of food intake and metabolism. Both ghrelin and its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), have been found in numerous fish species.

Differences in survival from prostate cancer in Denmark, Iceland and Sweden.

Introduction: Register-based studies have shown large survival differences among prostate cancer patients in the Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to determine the background of such differences in Denmark, Iceland and Sweden.

Material And Methods: Patients with prostate cancer were identified through population-based cancer registers in the three countries.

Warfarin dose prediction in children using pharmacometric bridging--comparison with published pharmacogenetic dosing algorithms.

Purpose: Numerous studies have investigated causes of warfarin dose variability in adults, whereas studies in children are limited both in numbers and size. Mechanism-based population modelling provides an opportunity to condense and propagate prior knowledge from one population to another. The main objectives with this study were to evaluate the predictive performance of a theoretically bridged adult warfarin model in children, and to compare accuracy in dose prediction relative to published warfarin algorithms for children.

[Small renal cell carcinomas and synchronous metastases].

Objective: The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rising in part due to small tumors (≤4cm) detected incidentally with abdominal imaging. Survival for small RCCs has been regarded as favorable and guidelines recommend partial rather than total nephrecteomy. We studied the frequency of synchronous metastasis in patients with small RCCs in Iceland.

Effect of radiotherapy on expression of hyaluronan and EGFR and presence of mast cells in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is a common form of cancer, and despite improvements in treatment during the last decades, survival rates have not significantly increased. There is therefore a need to better understand how these tumours and the adjacent tissues react to radiotherapy, the most common type of treatment for this group of tumours. In order to improve this understanding, the expression of hyaluronan (HA) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the presence of mast cells were mapped before and after radiotherapy using immunohistochemistry.

Common variant at 16p11.2 conferring risk of psychosis.

Epidemiological and genetic data support the notion that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder share genetic risk factors. In our previous genome-wide association study, meta-analysis and follow-up (totaling as many as 18 206 cases and 42 536 controls), we identified four loci showing genome-wide significant association with schizophrenia. Here we consider a mixed schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (psychosis) phenotype (addition of 7469 bipolar disorder cases, 1535 schizophrenia cases, 333 other psychosis cases, 808 unaffected family members and 46 160 controls).

Degradation and leaching of fluroxypyr after application to railway tracks.

Fluroxypyr is an auxin-type herbicide used for postemergent control of broad-leaved weeds in agriculture and in nonagricultural environments such as railways. The overall aim of this study was to assess the potential environmental impact from fluroxypyr application to railway tracks and to elucidate some of the factors that control its environmental fate. In laboratory studies, we examined the degradation of fluroxypyr and the formation of its metabolites fluroxypyr-methoxypyridine (F-MP) and fluroxypyr-pyridinol (F-P) in soil from two Swedish railways.

A 5-year follow-up study of brain cortical and subcortical abnormalities in a schizophrenia cohort.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging studies have demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia have thinner cortex in prefrontal and temporal brain regions, and enlarged lateral ventricles, compared to healthy subjects. Longitudinal studies have shown progressive brain tissue loss and ventricular dilatation among patients, predominantly in the early phase of the illness. Evidence for progression in more chronic phases of schizophrenia is less established.

A study based on whole-genome sequencing yields a rare variant at 8q24 associated with prostate cancer.

In Western countries, prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer of men and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in men. Several genome-wide association studies have yielded numerous common variants conferring risk of prostate cancer. Here, we analyzed 32.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and age at onset of schizophrenia: no consistent evidence for an association in the Nordic population.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is an enzyme involved in metabolic pathways of importance for nucleotide synthesis and methylation of DNA, membranes, proteins and lipids. The MTHFR gene includes a common polymorphism (rs1801133 or C677T), which is associated with enzyme activity. The T-allele of the C677T polymorphism has been associated with earlier age at onset of schizophrenia in a Scandinavian population, although no association was found in replication attempts in other populations.

A conceptual framework identifying sources of risk to patient safety in primary care.

The potential risks to patient safety in a primary care setting are different than the risks to patient safety in an acute care setting. The main differences arise from the organisational structures of primary care delivery and the greater involvement of patients in their care. To account for these differences, we present the Patient Safety in Primary Care Framework to conceptualise the sources of risk to patient safety.