The relationship between brain structure and function during novel grammar learning across development.

In this study, we explored the relationship between developmental differences in gray matter structure and grammar learning ability in 159 Dutch-speaking individuals (8 to 25 yr). The data were collected as part of a recent large-scale functional MRI study (Menks WM, Ekerdt C, Lemhöfer K, Kidd E, Fernández G, McQueen JM, Janzen G. Developmental changes in brain activation during novel grammar learning in 8-25-year-olds.

A genome-scale metabolic reconstruction provides insight into the metabolism of the thermophilic bacterium Rhodothermus marinus.

The thermophilic bacterium Rhodothermus marinus has mainly been studied for its thermostable enzymes. More recently, the potential of using the species as a cell factory and in biorefinery platforms has been explored, due to the elevated growth temperature, native production of compounds such as carotenoids and exopolysaccharides, the ability to grow on a wide range of carbon sources including polysaccharides, and available genetic tools. A comprehensive understanding of the metabolism of cell factories is important.

A mediastinal angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma radically resected with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and transection of the ascending aorta.

Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma (AFH) is a rare soft tissue tumour that rarely behaves malignant. We report a radical resection of a mediastinal angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, which grew invasively into the pulmonary artery wall, was adherent to the posterior aorta and close to the main stem of the left coronary artery. A transection of the aorta was performed using cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest for a safe and radical removal that resulted in symptom relief.

Differences in Anthropometric Parameters, Physical Fitness, and Kicking Speed in Young Football Players According to Performance Level, Playing Position, and Relative Age Effect: A Population-Based Study.

Oddsson, HR, Friðgeirsdóttir, KÝ, Hafliðadóttir, L, Einarsson, IÞ, Kristjánsdóttir, H, and Saavedra, JM. Differences in anthropometric parameters, physical fitness, and kicking speed in young football players according to performance level, playing position, and relative age effect: a population-based study. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The objectives of this study were to determine (a) the differences, both in male and female players, in anthropometric parameters, physical fitness, and kicking speed based on the players' level and position on the field; (b) whether there is a relative age effect based on the players' level, and (c) whether there is a relationship between the relative age effect and the anthropometric parameters, physical fitness, and kicking speed parameters.

Comparative analysis of sleep physiology using qualitative and quantitative criteria for insomnia symptoms.

Despite decades of research, defining insomnia remains challenging due to its complex and variable nature. Various diagnostic systems emphasize the chronic nature of insomnia and its impact on daily functioning, relying heavily on patient self-reporting due to limitations in objective measures like polysomnography (PSG). Discrepancies between subjective experiences and objective PSG results highlight the need for more nuanced approaches, such as electroencephalogram (EEG) spectral analysis, which reveals distinct patterns of high-frequency activity in individuals with insomnia.

Population Genetics of the Deep-sea Acorn Barnacle (Hoek, 1883) and the First Report of its Affiliation with a Hydrothermal Vent Field.

Confined by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the European continental shelf, the deep-sea acorn barnacle (Hoek, 1883) lives in the northeast Atlantic deep sea, where it has been frequently reported in high current areas. Cemented to a solid substrate during its entire adult life, the species can only disperse by means of planktotrophic nauplius larvae. This study reports on the occurrence, ecology and genetic connectivity of from four sites within the northeastern Iceland Basin and presents the first record of the species living affiliated with hydrothermal vent field on the Reykjanes Ridge axis.

Intracranial Extramedullary Hematopoiesis Simulating a Subdural Hematoma: A Case Report.

A 68-year-old patient came to the emergency department complaining of headaches and general weakness for the past month. The patient is known to have myeloproliferative disease. Non-contrast computer tomography showed a hyperdense extra-axial collection in bilateral frontoparietal regions, which was presumed to be bilateral subdural hematoma as the initial diagnosis.

Nurses' Attitudes Toward Family Importance in Nursing Care and Its Influencing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim: To know the nurses' attitudes toward family involvement in nursing care and factors that can influence it.

Design: A cross-sectional design study was carried out on 253 clinical nurses.

Methods: Data was collected from 253 clinical nurses using the Families' Importance in Nursing Care-Nurses' Attitudes Scale, the Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire (DCSQ) and the Iceland Health Care Practitioner Illness Beliefs Questionnaire.

The importance of microbiology reference laboratories and adequate funding for infectious disease surveillance.

Microbiology reference laboratories perform a crucial role within public health systems. This role was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Viewpoint, we emphasise the importance of microbiology reference laboratories and highlight the types of digital data and expertise they provide, which benefit national and international public health.

Peer Problems and Prosocial Behavior Among Icelandic Children and Adolescents with ADHD and/or Autism: Gender and Age Differences.

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders tend to have more social difficulties than typically developing children. The aim of the current study was to examine parent and teacher-reported effects of age and gender on social functioning in a large clinical sample of children and adolescents with ADHD, autism, or co-occurring ADHD and autism using a cross-sectional study design. This nationwide clinical sample included 2132 Icelandic children and adolescents (35% girls, 65% boys) aged 5-18 years referred for a neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessment (ADHD and/or autism) in Iceland.

Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization and therapeutic targets for bladder cancer.

Objective: To identify therapeutic protein targets for bladder cancer (BCa) using Mendelian randomization (MR) and assess potential adverse effects of these targets.

Methods: A proteome-wide MR study was conducted to determine causal relationships between plasma proteins and BCa risk. In the discovery stage, the plasma proteins (Exposure) were sourced from the R10 of Finnish database, Olink (619 samples across 2925 proteins) and SomaScan (828 samples across 7596 proteins), and Iceland database.

Global impact of ten-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on invasive pneumococcal disease in all ages (the PSERENADE project): a global surveillance analysis.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) that are ten-valent (PCV10) and 13-valent (PCV13) became available in 2010. We evaluated their global impact on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) incidence in all ages.

Methods: Serotype-specific IPD cases and population denominators were obtained directly from surveillance sites using PCV10 or PCV13 in their national immunisation programmes and with a primary series uptake of at least 50%.

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of pharmacological, psychological, and neurostimulatory interventions for ADHD in adults: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis.

Background: The comparative benefits and harms of available interventions for ADHD in adults remain unclear. We aimed to address these important knowledge gaps.

Methods: In this systematic review and component network meta-analysis (NMA), we searched multiple databases for published and unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for ADHD in adults from database inception to Sept 6, 2023.

Approaching Hypercalcemia in Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance: Insights from the iStopMM study.

Hypercalcemia in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) presents a clinical challenge since it may indicate progression to multiple myeloma (MM) but could also be due to a multitude of unrelated disorders. To inform the approach to this clinical challenge, we conducted a nested cohort study within the iStopMM screening study. Of the 75,422 Icelanders aged 40 years and above who underwent screening for MGUS, we included 2,546 with MGUS who were in active follow-up, including regular serum calcium measurements.

Factors Influencing Medication Adherence in Heart Failure Patients-A Survey among Cardiac Healthcare Providers.

Adhering to medication regimens is key behavior to alleviate symptoms and slow disease progression in heart failure (HF). This study explores cardiac healthcare providers' perceptions and experiences of factors influencing medication adherence (MA) in HF patients, with findings contributing to developing a HF-specific MA assessment scale. Using a cross-sectional, mixed methods design, we conducted an online survey with both closed and open-ended questions distributed to cardiac healthcare providers, working at the National University Hospital in Iceland.

The lost generation of Pemphigus populiglobuli (Hemiptera, Aphididae): exploring the taxonomy of the Svalbard aphids of genus Pemphigus.

Species identification within the aphid genus Pemphigus Hartig, 1839 poses challenges due to morphological similarities and host-plant associations. Aphids of this genus generally exhibit complex life cycles involving primary hosts (poplars) and secondary (mostly unrelated herbaceous) host-plants, with some species relying solely on root-feeding generation. An example is a representative of the genus Pemphigus, trophically associated with grass roots, found in the High Arctic Svalbard archipelago.

Predicted breeding values for relative scrapie susceptibility for genotyped and ungenotyped sheep.

Background: Scrapie is an infectious prion disease in sheep. Selective breeding for resistant genotypes of the prion protein gene (PRNP) is an effective way to prevent scrapie outbreaks. Genotyping all selection candidates in a population is expensive but existing pedigree records can help infer the probabilities of genotypes in relatives of genotyped animals.

The significance of free light-chain ratio in light-chain monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: a flow cytometry sub-study of the iStopMM screening study.

Light-chain (LC) monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a precursor of multiple myeloma (MM) and related conditions. LC-MGUS is characterized by free light-chain (FLC) levels outside defined reference intervals, indirectly indicating underlying plasma cell (PC) monoclonality. Next-generation flow cytometry (NGF) was used to evaluate clonal PC presence in bone marrow (BM) samples from individuals with LC-MGUS in the iStopMM study, aiming to assess the predictive value of the FLC ratio for clonal PC presence and its prognostic implications.

[Termination of pregnancy. Methods, results, and complications].

Introduction: Medical treatment for termination of pregnancy in the first trimester of pregnancy was first introduced in 2006 at Landspitali. This new method, which replaced surgery, slowly gained ground and now most abortions in Iceland are medically induced. It is therefore appropriate to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this method.

[Nordic nutrition recommendations 2023 on diet for health and environment estimated for children].

Nordic nutrition recommendations 2023 (NNR2023) advised for the first time certain amounts of foods from food-groups based on scientific data on healthy and environment-friendly diet. The food-based-dietary-guidelines are intended for adults and children above age two, but children's energy requirement and intake are lower than those of adults. In this review, reference amounts of food from different food-groups are calculated for children to align with the combination recommended for adults in NNR2023.