Cutaneous nerve biopsy in patients with symptoms of small fiber neuropathy: a retrospective study.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate to what extent small fiber tests were abnormal in an unselected retrospective patient material with symptoms suggesting that small fiber neuropathy (SFN) could be present, and to evaluate possible gender differences.

Methods: Nerve conduction studies (NCS), skin biopsy for determination of intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) and quantitative sensory testing (QST) were performed. -scores were calculated from reference materials to adjust for the effects of age and gender/height.

Machine Learning Models for Predicting Disability and Pain Following Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery.

Importance: Lumber disc herniation surgery can reduce pain and disability. However, a sizable minority of individuals experience minimal benefit, necessitating the development of accurate prediction models.

Objective: To develop and validate prediction models for disability and pain 12 months after lumbar disc herniation surgery.

Improved electrochemical detection of levofloxacin in diverse aquatic samples using 3D flower-like Co@CaPO nanospheres.

The misuse of antibiotics has become a concerning environmental issue, posing a significant threat to public health. Levofloxacin (LFX), a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is particularly worrisome due to its detrimental impact on human health and the ecosystem. Therefore, the selective and accurate identification of LFX is of utmost importance.

Lost in the loop - a qualitative study on patient experiences of care in standardized cancer patient pathways.

Background: The Norwegian health authorities introduced standardized cancer patient pathways (CPPs) in 2015, aiming to reduce practice variations across hospitals and regions, and improve the continuity, coordination and overall quality of the health care service provided to cancer patients. There has been few studies investigating this change, and that have looked into the organisational and economic benefits of standardized pathways, however the element of care and the patient perspective has been especially neglected. This study explored the care element in cancer patient pathways through an in-depth study of patient experiences.

From juniors to seniors: changes in training characteristics and aerobic power in 17 world-class cross-country skiers.

To compare training characteristics and aerobic power (VO) between the most successful junior and senior seasons of world-class cross-country (XC) skiers and to identify differences between sexes and among sprint and distance skiers. Retrospective analysis was conducted on self-reported training and VO tests of ten male and seven female world-class XC-skiers, collectively holding 38 Olympic medals. Training was categorized by form (endurance, strength, speed, other) and mode (specific, unspecific) and was divided into low- (LIT), moderate- (MIT), and high-intensity training (HIT).

Health-Related Quality of Life in FKRP-Related Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R9.

Background: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9 (LGMDR9) is a chronic progressive hereditary muscle disease, related to the Fukutin Related Protein (FKRP) gene, that may cause major disabilities, cardiomyopathy, and ventilatory failure. Knowledge of how LGMDR9 affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is relevant in treatment and care.

Objective: To investigate HRQoL in the Norwegian LGMDR9 population over 14 months and relation to fatigue and sleep quality.

Childhood trauma and outcome trajectories in patients with longstanding eating disorders across 17 years.

Background: A large proportion of patients with eating disorders (ED) report experiences of childhood trauma. Latent trajectory analysis in ED samples reveals the complexities in course and outcome and can explore the long-term impact of adverse experiences in childhood.

Method: A total of 84 patients with longstanding ED were included.

Lifestyle risk factors of self-reported fibromyalgia in the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) study.

Background: While the aetiology of fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) remains unknown, lifestyle factors have been linked to the disorder. However, there are few studies on the association between lifestyle factors and FM, thus we examine the risk of self-reported fibromyalgia given selected lifestyle factors.

Methods: We used data from 75,485 participants in the Norwegian Women and Cancer study.

Improving traffic-related air pollution estimates by modelling minor road traffic volumes.

Accurately estimating annual average daily traffic (AADT) on minor roads is essential for assessing traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) exposure, particularly in areas where most people live. Our study assessed the direct and indirect external validity of three methods used to estimate AADT on minor roads in Melbourne, Australia. We estimated the minor road AADT using a fixed-value approach (assuming 600 vehicles/day) and linear and negative binomial (NB) models.

Insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing in FKRP-related limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9. The Norwegian LGMDR9 cohort study (2020).

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9 (LGMDR9) is a progressive and disabling genetic muscle disease. Sleep is relevant in the patient care as it impacts on health, functioning, and well-being. LGMDR9 may potentially affect sleep by physical or emotional symptoms, myalgia, or sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) through cardiorespiratory involvement.

Using mobile health to encourage physical activity in individuals with intellectual disability: a pilot mixed methods feasibility study.

Background: Many individuals with intellectual disability (ID) have a sedentary lifestyle. Few interventions aimed at increasing their level of physical activity (PA) have shown lasting effects.

Aim: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a pilot intervention study using innovative mobile health (mHealth) support systems to encourage PA in individuals with ID.

Norwegian radiologists' expectations of artificial intelligence in mammographic screening - A cross-sectional survey.

Purpose: To explore Norwegian breast radiologists' expectations of adding artificial intelligence (AI) in the interpretation procedure of screening mammograms.

Methods: All breast radiologists involved in interpretation of screening mammograms in BreastScreen Norway during 2021 and 2022 (n = 98) were invited to take part in this anonymous cross-sectional survey about use of AI in mammographic screening. The questionnaire included background information of the respondents, their expectations, considerations of biases, and ethical and social implications of implementing AI in screen reading.

Rehabilitation models that support transitions from hospital to home for people with acquired brain injury (ABI): a scoping review.

Background: Research shows a lack of continuity in service provision during the transition from hospital to home for people with acquired brain injuries (ABI). There is a need to gather and synthesize knowledge about services that can support strategies for more standardized referral and services supporting this critical transition phase for patients with ABI. We aimed to identify how rehabilitation models that support the transition phase from hospital to home for these patients are described in the research literature and to discuss the content of these models.

Characteristics of urban neighbourhood environments and cognitive age in mid-age and older adults.

In this cross-sectional study, we examined the extent to which features of the neighbourhood natural, built, and socio-economic environments were related to cognitive age in adults (N = 3418, M = 61 years) in Australia. Machine learning estimated an individual's cognitive age from assessments of processing speed, verbal memory, premorbid intelligence. A 'cognitive age gap' was calculated by subtracting chronological age from predicted cognitive age and was used as a marker of cognitive age.

Polymorphism in epigenetic regulating genes in relation to periodontitis, number of teeth, and levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and glycated hemoglobin: The Tromsø Study 2015-2016.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between periodontitis and four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in epigenetic regulation of DNA, and between these same SNPs and tooth loss, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.

Methods: We included participants with periodontal examination (n = 3633, aged: 40-93 years) from the Tromsø Study seventh survey (2015-2016), Norway. Periodontitis was defined according to the 2017 AAP/EFP classification system as no periodontitis, grades A, B, or C.

Deep phenotyping of pubertal development in Norwegian children: the Bergen Growth Study 2.

Background: The Bergen Growth Study 2 (BGS2) aims to characterise somatic and endocrine changes in healthy Norwegian children using a novel methodology.

Subjects And Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 1285 children aged 6-16 years was examined in 2016 using novel objective ultrasound assessments of breast developmental stages and testicular volume in addition to the traditional Tanner pubertal stages. Blood samples allowed for measurements of pubertal hormones, endocrine disruptive chemicals, and genetic analyses.

17β-estradiol promotes extracellular vesicle release and selective miRNA loading in ERα-positive breast cancer.

The causes and consequences of abnormal biogenesis of extracellular vesicles (EVs) are not yet well understood in malignancies, including in breast cancers (BCs). Given the hormonal signaling dependence of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BC, we hypothesized that 17β-estradiol (estrogen) might influence EV production and microRNA (miRNA) loading. We report that physiological doses of 17β-estradiol promote EV secretion specifically from ER+ BC cells via inhibition of miR-149-5p, hindering its regulatory activity on SP1, a transcription factor that regulates the EV biogenesis factor nSMase2.

Terror leaves adolescents behind: Identifying risk and protective factors for high-school completion among survivors of terrorism.

Terror exposure increases the risk of somatic and psychological health problems in survivors. Yet, knowledge of how such exposure affects survivors' ability to stay in school is lacking. This study examined whether exposure to the 2011 Utøya terrorist attack in Norway impacted survivors' ability to complete high school.

Facilitating a safe and caring atmosphere in everyday life in forensic mental health wards - a qualitative study.

Purpose: To explore healthcare professionals' experiences with facilitating a safe and caring atmosphere in patients' everyday lives in forensic mental health wards.

Methods: This qualitative study employed interviews with 16 healthcare professionals working shifts in two forensic mental healthcare wards in Norway. Data were analysed using phenomenological hermeneutic analysis.

Survival after cancer-related venous thrombosis: the Scandinavian Thrombosis and Cancer Study.

Patients with cancer have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), and this combination is reported to result in poorer survival compared with cancer alone. This study aimed to investigate the impact of VTE on the survival of patients with cancer in a general population. The Scandinavian Thrombosis and Cancer (STAC) cohort, a population-based cohort including 144 952 participants without previous VTE or cancer, was used.

Internet Use for Obtaining Medicine Information: Cross-sectional Survey.

Background: The internet is increasingly being used as a source of medicine-related information. People want information to facilitate decision-making and self-management, and they tend to prefer the internet for ease of access. However, it is widely acknowledged that the quality of web-based information varies.

Rational design of NdO decorated functionalized carbon nanofiber composite for selective electrochemical detection of carbendazim fungicides in vegetables, water, and soil samples.

Abuse of carbendazim (CBZ) leaves excessive pesticide residues on agricultural products, which endangers human health because of the residues' high concentrations. Hence, a composite consisting of functionalized carbon nanofibers (f-CNF) with neodymium oxide (NdO) was fabricated to monitor CBZ at trace levels. The NdO/f-CNF composite-modified electrode displays higher electro-oxidation ability towards CBZ than NdO and f-CNF-modified electrodes.

Epidemiology and natural history in 101 subjects with FKRP-related limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9. The Norwegian LGMDR9 cohort study (2020).

We aimed to investigate the epidemiology and natural history of FKRP-related limb-girdle muscular dystrophy R9 (LGMDR9) in Norway. We identified 153 genetically confirmed subjects making the overall prevalence 2.84/100,000, the highest reported figure worldwide.