Signatures of positive selection after the introduction of genomic selection in the Finnish Ayrshire population.

The Finnish Ayrshire (FAY) belongs to the Nordic Red breeds and is characterized by high milk yield, high milk components, good fertility, and functional conformation. The FAY breeding program is based on genomic selection. Despite the benefits of selection on breeding values, autozygosity in the genome may increase due to selection, and increased autozygosity may cause inbreeding depression in selected traits.

Estimating inbreeding rate and effective population size in the Finnish Ayrshire population in the era of genomic selection.

Genomic selection has been applied in dairy cattle breeding over the last decade. Using genomic information may speed up genetic gain as breeding values can be predicted reasonably accurately directly after birth. However, genetic diversity may decrease if the inbreeding rate per generation increases and the effective population size decreases.

Identification of runs of homozygosity affecting female fertility and milk production traits in Finnish Ayrshire cattle.

Inbreeding gives rise to continuous lengths of homozygous genotypes called runs of homozygosity (ROH) that occur when identical haplotypes are inherited from both parents. ROHs are enriched for deleterious recessive alleles and can therefore be linked to inbreeding depression, defined as decreased phenotypic performance of the animals. However, not all ROHs within a region are expected to have harmful effects on the trait of interest.

Estimation of intrachromosomal inbreeding depression on female fertility using runs of homozygosity in Finnish Ayrshire cattle.

Inbreeding increases homozygosity, which in turn increases the frequency of harmful recessive alleles, resulting in inbreeding depression. Inbreeding depression on fertility reduces the profitability of dairy farming by decreasing the lifetime milk production of cows and by increasing insemination and veterinary costs. Continuous homozygous segments, called runs of homozygosity (ROH), are currently considered to provide an effective measure of genomic inbreeding.

Comparable indicators of therapeutic misconception between epilepsy or Parkinson's disease patients between those with clinical trial experience and trial non-participants.

Purpose: Study design, personal persuasions, and experiences can influence willingness to participate in clinical trials (CTs). A study assessed differences between Parkinson's disease (PD) or epilepsy patients having participated in CTs and non-participants in knowledge of and attitudes toward CTs. Also considered were factors in willingness to take part and how CT participants experienced the informed consent process.

Clinical features of Parkinson's disease patients are associated with therapeutic misconception and willingness to participate in clinical trials.

Background: Clinical trials (CTs) are the "gold standard" to ensure the development of new effective treatments in medicine. A study was conducted to assess knowledge of, and attitudes toward, clinical trials among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), along with factors that motivate them to participate.

Methods: A 50-item questionnaire on the views of patients with PD about CTs was developed.

Estimation of inbreeding depression on female fertility in the Finnish Ayrshire population.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data enable the estimation of inbreeding at the genome level. In this study, we estimated inbreeding levels for 19,075 Finnish Ayrshire cows genotyped with a low-density SNP panel (8K). The genotypes were imputed to 50K density, and after quality control, 39,144 SNPs remained for the analysis.

Sleeping difficulties and health-related quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Various sleep-related symptoms occur in Parkinson's disease (PD). Their occurrence with health-related quality of life (HRQL), comorbid sleep disorders, and other comorbidities was studied.

Methods: Altogether, 1447 randomly selected patients with Parkinson's disease, aged 43-89 years, participated in a questionnaire study.

[Update on Current Care Guideline: Parkinson's disease].

The treatment of Parkinson's disease may be initiated with dopamine agonist or MAO-B-inhibitor for people under 60-65 years of age. For older patients, the treatment may also be started with levodopa. If there are motor complications, such as on-off-symptoms, apomorphin injections can be beneficial in addition to other medications.

Parkinson's disease and insomnia.

There is a broad spectrum of sleep disturbances observed in Parkinson's disease (PD). The prevalence of symptoms of insomnia and chronic inability to sleep and their association with other sleep disorders were studied. Altogether 1447 randomly selected Parkinson patients, aged 43-89 years, participated in a questionnaire study.

Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.

Aims: Various sleep-related complications are common in Parkinson's disease (PD). The prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and its association with other symptoms were studied.

Methods: Altogether, 1,447 Parkinson patients, aged 43-89, participated in a questionnaire study.

Parkinson's disease and narcolepsy-like symptoms.

Objective: Various sleep-related problems, for example, insomnia and symptoms of rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD), are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We studied the prevalence of symptoms of narcolepsy (NARC), hallucinations, and RBD and their association with other symptoms.

Methods: Altogether, 1447 randomly selected patients with PD, aged 43-89 years, participated in a questionnaire study.

Education-corrected CERAD identifies MCI and dementia in Parkinson's disease.

Objectives: This study examined whether controlling for educational background in the CERAD cognitive screening battery would affect the likelihood of patients with Parkinson's disease to fulfill criteria for mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and dementia (PDD).

Materials & Methods: One-hundred seventeen patients with PD were studied. Cognitive impairment was determined as two subtest scores falling below either the standard cutoff scores or education-corrected cutoff scores.

Parasomnias and isolated sleep symptoms in Parkinson's disease: a questionnaire study on 661 patients.

Background: Sleep disorders are among the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Method: The prevalence of parasomnias and their association with other symptoms were studied in a questionnaire study among 1447 randomly selected Parkinson patients, aged 43 to 89 years. The response rate was 59.

Impulse control disorders are associated with multiple psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Impulse control disorders can have serious adverse consequences to the life of a patient with Parkinson's disease. Although impulse control disorders are common, a possible psychiatric comorbidity has not been fully characterized.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the psychiatric symptoms exhibited by Parkinson's disease patients with impulse control disorders.

Sand filters for removal of microbes and nutrients from wastewater during a one-year pilot study in a cold temperate climate.

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are recognised as potential threats to groundwater or other water environments subject to discharged effluents. In this study, the microbiological and nutrient removal properties of three different pilot-scale sand filters (SFs) were followed over a one-year period. Moreover, a separate phosphorus removal unit was tested for six months.

Microbial reduction in wastewater treatment using Fe(3+) and Al(3+) coagulants and PAA disinfectant.

Wastewater is an important source of pathogenic enteric microorganisms in surface water and a major contaminating agent of drinking water. Although primary and secondary wastewater treatments reduce the numbers of microorganisms in wastewater, significant numbers of microbes can still be present in the effluent. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of tertiary treatment for municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using PIX (FeCl3) or PAX (AlCl3) coagulants and peracetic acid (PAA) the disinfectant to reduce microbial load in effluent.

CERAD test performance and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Objectives: Many patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and dementia (PDD). The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neurocognitive test battery was originally developed to identify early Alzheimer's disease, but it has become a widely used screening instrument also for other types of dementia. The aim of the study was to examine differences in CERAD test performances between cognitively intact and impaired PD patients.

Apathy is associated with activities of daily living ability in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms and impairment in performing activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are strong predictors of the overall caregiver burden and they increase the risk for nursing home admission of the patients. The purpose of the present study was to assess the association of neuropsychiatric symptoms and ADL functions in PD.

Methods: A total of 73 community-dwelling PD patients were studied.

Effects of dopamine agonist dose and gender on the prognosis of impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that Parkinson's disease patients have an increased risk of impulse control disorders, and that the disorders frequently co-exist with depressive symptoms. There have been no previous large-scale prospective studies investigating predictive and prognostic factors of these disorders.

Methods: A population of 290 Parkinson's disease patients was studied at baseline and approximately 15 months later.

Parallel appearance of compulsive behaviors and artistic creativity in Parkinson's disease.

A 55-year-old male with idiopathic Parkinson's disease developed three behavioral changes under combination therapy with selegiline, cabergoline and levodopa. Co-existent behaviors included severe pathological gambling, punding and novel skills in writing poetry (published poetry books). Brain [(18)F]fluorodopa PET imaging showed decreased tracer uptake in the striatum contralateral to the predominant motor symptoms, consistent with the clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

Increased medial orbitofrontal [18F]fluorodopa uptake in Parkinsonian impulse control disorders.

Background: Impulse control disorders (ICDs) occur frequently in PD patients.

Methods: To investigate the possible involvement of the mesostriatal and mesolimbic monoaminergic function in ICDs associated with PD, we examined patients with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) ICDs using the brain [(18) F]fluorodopa PET.

Results: Patients with ICDs (e.

Impulse control disorders and depression in Finnish patients with Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Impulse control disorders occur frequently in patients with Parkinson's disease. However, the frequencies have been investigated mainly in patients from secondary or tertiary care centers, and thus, the prevalence rates in general community are not known.

Objective: Our objective was to study the prevalence rates of impulse control disorders and related factors in a large, non-selected sample of Parkinson's disease patients.

Staff members' understandings about communication with individuals who have multiple learning disabilities: a case of Finnish OIVA communication training.

Background: Often communication training has been directed at the communication practices of staff members working with people with multiple learning disabilities. To date, the thinking habits of staff members, which also influence interactions, have not been addressed. We identified the issues staff members perceived as important for their development as communication partners after participating in a communication training program.