The Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor (MITF) and Its Role in the Structure and Function of the Eye.

Background/objectives: The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor () has been found to play an important role in eye development, structure, and function. The gene is responsible for controlling cellular processes in a range of cell types, contributing to multiple eye development processes. In this review, we survey what is now known about the impact of on eye structure and function in retinal disorders.

Child Fatalities in Tractor-Related Accidents in Rural Iceland, 1918-2024: A Historical Analysis.

Children on farms face high risks of work- and non-work-related fatalities, with tractors being a significant contributor. This study examines children's involvement in fatal tractor-related accidents within agriculture in Iceland from 1918 to 2024, explores adult reflections on childhood tractor-driving experiences, and analyses Members of Parliament's arguments against setting a minimum age for off-road tractor driving. The data are based on parliamentary debates on tractor-related legislation, fatal tractor-related accidents documented in newspaper archives and supplementary sources, and narrative interviews with former summer children who stayed at farms during their childhoods.

The Role of BAG3 Protein Interactions in Cardiomyopathies.

Bcl-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) plays an important function in cellular protein quality control (PQC) maintaining proteome stability. Mutations in the gene result in cardiomyopathies. Due to its roles in cardiomyopathies and the complexity of BAG3-protein interactions, it is important to understand these protein interactions given the importance of the multifunctional cochaperone BAG3 in cardiomyocytes, using an in vitro cardiomyocyte model.

Association Between Early-Life and Premorbid Measurements of Body Composition and Risk of Motor Neuron Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study in the UK Biobank.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between developmental and premorbid body composition measurements and the risk of motor neuron disease (MND).

Methods: We performed a cohort study in the UK Biobank to assess the association of developmental body metrics and premorbid body composition measures (using 28 measurements and 7 patterns of body composition) with the risk of MND. Among participants with longitudinal measures, we compared the changes in body composition over time between individuals who later developed MND and those who remained free of MND.

Predictors of treatment outcomes for Hepatitis C infection in a nationwide elimination program in Iceland: The treatment as prevention for Hepatitis C (TraP HepC) study.

Background: Limited data exists about treatment outcomes in nationwide hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination programs where injection drug use (IDU) is the main mode of transmission. In 2016 Iceland initiated the HCV elimination program known as Treatment as Prevention for Hepatitis C (TraP HepC). Factors associated with HCV cure in this population are examined.

National school food standards in England: a cross-sectional study to explore compliance in secondary schools and impact on pupil nutritional intake.

Background: Many countries have introduced school food standards to improve the dietary intakes of school-aged children. England has school food standards (SFS) legislation in place but little is known about how well secondary schools comply with this. We aimed to assess compliance with the SFS legislation in English secondary schools and explore the impact of the SFS on pupils' nutritional intake.

Birth satisfaction and symptoms of childbirth related PTSD among women in Iceland: A population-based study.

Background: Given its complexity, childbirth can elicit both positive and negative psychological reactions and, in some cases, women may experience symptoms of childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). Several risk factors for CB-PTSD have been identified previously, including history of mental health issues and childbirth related complications. The aim of our study was to explore the role of satisfaction with care in CB-PTSD symptoms.

Declining invasive and rising in situ melanoma incidence trends in Iceland: A nationwide cohort study.

Background: Melanoma is increasing worldwide, with incidence rates of invasive melanoma and melanoma in situ (MIS) varying by country.

Objective: To provide updated invasive melanoma and MIS incidence and mortality trends in Iceland and explore differences among sex and rurality.

Methods: In this whole-population study using the Icelandic Cancer Registry, patients diagnosed with invasive melanoma or MIS between 1957 and 2021 were included.

A preliminary estimate of the environmental burden of disease associated with exposure to pyrethroid insecticides and ADHD in Europe based on human biomonitoring.

Human biomonitoring (HBM) data indicate that exposure to pyrethroids is widespread in Europe, with significantly higher exposure observed in children compared to adults. Epidemiological, toxicological, and mechanistic studies raise concerns for potential human health effects, particularly, behavioral effects such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children at low levels of exposure. Based on an exposure-response function from a single European study and on available quality-assured and harmonized HBM data collected in France, Germany, Iceland, Switzerland, and Israel, a preliminary estimate of the environmental burden of disease for ADHD associated with pyrethroid exposure was made for individuals aged 0-19 years.

Retrospective validation of automatic sleep analysis with grey areas model for human-in-the-loop scoring approach.

State-of-the-art automatic sleep staging methods have demonstrated comparable reliability and superior time efficiency to manual sleep staging. However, fully automatic black-box solutions are difficult to adapt into clinical workflow due to the lack of transparency in decision-making processes. Transparency would be crucial for interaction between automatic methods and the work of sleep experts, i.

Between Scylla and Charybdis: Fixed-ratio avoidance response effort and unavoidable shock extinction in humans.

Avoidance of potential threat may become maladaptive when it is indiscriminate and resistant to change. Here, we investigated the resistance to change of high and low avoidance response effort when avoidance extinction involved unavoidable presentations of the aversive event (shock) in humans. Following fear conditioning, participants prevented upcoming shock delivery by responding on high (i.

Comparison of utility and organizational impact of reusable and single-use rhinolaryngoscopes in a tertiary otorhinolaryngology department.

Background: Flexible rhinolaryngoscopes are an important tool in otolaryngology. In recent years, single-use rhinolaryngoscopes (SURLs), which have been developed as an alternative to reusable scopes (RRLs), offer various advantages including less risk of contamination and elimination of the need for cleaning and reprocessing between procedures. This study aimed to compare procedure efficiency, organizational impact, and economic impact between SURLs and RRLs used for elective procedures conducted outside the otorhinolaryngology department in the hospital environment.

Epidemiology and Outcomes Associated with New Persistent Opioid Use after Transabdominal Surgery.

Background: Overall, 3% to 12% of opioid-naive patients develop persistent opioid use after surgery. It is still unclear whether persistent opioid use after transabdominal surgery is associated with adverse surgical outcomes. We aimed to assess if new persistent opioid use after transabdominal surgery is associated with increased long-term mortality and readmission rates.

Posttrial Experiences in Sustainment of a Scaled Model of the Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach (SAIA-SCALE) in the Absence of External Funding in Manica Province, Mozambique.

Background: Following the conclusion of a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial of the Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach (SAIA) to optimize the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission cascade in Manica Province, Mozambique, we conducted a natural experiment to test the sustainability of the delivery model with limited financial inputs.

Methods: District nurse supervisors were encouraged to continue to facilitate SAIA cycles in subordinate health facilities and provided phone credit and tablet access to upload implementation data. No additional resources (eg, funds for transport, refreshments, or supplies) were provided.

Biological Characteristics of the Glacier Lantern Fish (Myctophidae) in Icelandic Waters and the Irminger Sea During Summer.

Myctophids are one of the most diverse and abundant fish families in the mesopelagic zone, making them a key component in the marine pelagic community. In the North Atlantic, (glacier lantern fish) is considered the most abundant myctophid north of 35° N, yet some regions within its extensive range lack information on its basic biological parameters. We investigated the growth and described the distribution of in Icelandic waters, including the southern continental shelf, Iceland Basin, and Irminger Sea.

Design of experiments optimization of N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan synthesis using N,N-diisopropylethylamine base.

This study presents a novel synthesis method of N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC) by using a non-nucleophilic base and optimizing the solvent system for enhanced scalability, while addressing critical factors such as viscosity management and stirring efficiency. The study objectives also included achieving high N,N,N-trimethylation without O-methylation while minimizing reagent use. Eight bases, three solvent systems, and varying levels of dilution were explored to mitigate viscosity challenges and gas evolution.

The Influence of Facial Injury during the First World War on the Development of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Britain and Germany.

In the First World War (WW1), different types of injuries became both political and economic factors for the main belligerent countries. This work illustrates the special role facial injuries played during and after the war and the profound impact they had on the field of Plastic Surgery in Britain and Germany.This is a historical work based on primary and secondary sources.

A partial loss-of-function variant in STAT6 protects against type 2 asthma.

Background: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) is central to type 2 (T2) inflammation, and common noncoding variants at the STAT6 locus associate with various T2 inflammatory traits, including diseases, and its pathway is widely targeted in asthma treatment.

Objective: We sought to test the association of a rare missense variant in STAT6, p.L406P, with T2 inflammatory traits, including the risk of asthma and allergic diseases, and to characterize its functional consequences in cell culture.

Examining ingested microplastics in fish: Considerations on filter pore size, analysis time, and material costs to design cost-effective projects.

In recent years the microplastics research community has called for methods harmonization and standardized metrics of reporting microplastic attributes. While alignment of research practices is essential in obtaining robust microplastic data, resource managers need to balance how the cost and effort of methodologies compare to data output. The intention of this study is to compare two recommended methods for isolating anthropogenic microparticles in fish gastrointestinal tracts.