Complications following subcutaneous mastectomy with Immediate Breast Reconstruction

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among Norwegian women, and one of the surgical treatments involves subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction. A master thesis published in 2017 reported that 56% of the breasts that underwent this type of surgery at UNN Tromsø, developed one or more postoperative complications. Based on the complication rate and new research on the field, changes were made in the surgical technique. The purpose of this study is to investigate if changes made in the surgical technique at UNN Tromsø has led to a reduction in postoperative complications. The changes include implementation of vertical incision, hydrodissection and prepectoral breast reconstruction. Materials and method: The study was conducted as a retrospective observational study for quality assurance at the Department of Urology, Breast and Endocrine- and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UNN Tromsø. All patients having undergone subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate reconstruction during 2017-2021 were included. Results: A total of 87 patients (138 breast) were included in the study. The postoperative complication rate was reduced from 56% in the previous thesis to 32% in this study. Breasts operated without the HD technique had a significantly higher rate of skin flap necrosis (p = 0.004). Vertical incision was the most frequent used incision and was used in 50% of the breasts. No significant difference in complication rates were found when comparing prepectoral and subpectoral reconstruction. Reoperation was needed in 42% of the breasts because of complications and 31% of the breast needed one or more additional surgeries to obtain a cosmetic favorable result. Conclusion: A reduction in postoperative complications was found after the changes were made in the surgical technique. Vertical incision was used most frequent, and breasts operated without the HD technique had a significantly higher rate of skin flap necrosis, indicating that HD and vertical incision may have had a contributing factor to the reduction

Tørrfisk - mer enn et produkt? : en studie av tørrfiskmarkedet i Italia : merkevare, merkeverdi og merkevaresamfunn

I denne forskningsoppgaven har vi jobbet ut i fra følgende problemstilling: Kan tørrfisk betraktes som en merkevare og hvilke kjennetegn kan et merkevaresamfunn for tørrfisk ha? Vi hadde i tillegg noen forskningsspørsmål for å avgrense forskningen. Gjennom å få klarhet i om tørrfisk fra Loften kan betraktes som en merkevare, gjøre rede for hvilke merkeverdier man kan knytte til tørrfisk, og ved å utrede hvordan et merkevaresamfunn for tørrfisk kan være bygd opp, viser vi hva som kan kjennetegne et merkevaresamfunn for tørrfisk. Vi valgte å ta utgangspunkt i relevant teori for å kunne presentere en forståelse av hva en merkevare, merkeverdi og merkevaresamfunn. For å kunne svare på våre forskningsspørsmål og problemstilling intervjuet vi fire personer som alle har viktige roller innen tørrfisknæringen. Intervjuene ble gjennomført ved å bruke halvstrukturerte intervjuer. Dette ble valgt ettersom vi ønsket å ha en så åpen dialog med våre informanter som mulig. Analysen ble således bygget på relevant teori, generell informasjon om tørrfisknæringen samt dataene vi hentet fra våre informanter. Undersøkelsen vår viser at tørrfisk kan betraktes som et merkevareliggende produkt på bakgrunn av historien, kulturen og tradisjonene man assosierer tørrfisk med. Opprinnelsesmerket ”Tørrfisk fra Lofoten” kan gjøre tørrfisk fra Lofoten til en merkevare ved å gi den en identitet. Videre kom vi frem til at tørrfisk kan knyttes til merkeverdiene merkelojalitet og merkeassosiasjoner. Til slutt påviste vi ut at det eksisterer et merkevaresamfunn for tørrfisk i Veneto regionen i Italia. Dette kan vi si ut i fra de italienske forbrukernes bevissthet, tradisjoner, og moralske ansvarlighet. Forbrukerne har lik bevissthet om de kulturelle forholdene rundt råstoffet, matgleden og en lik oppfatning om hvilke betydning tradisjonene for tørrfisk har. Man kan derimot ikke si at det eksisterer en merkevaresamfunn for tørrfisk fra Lofoten. Dette merkevaresamfunnet er delvis geografisk bundet og tilgangen på informasjon har ingen innvirking på eksistensen av merkevaresamfunnet. Ut i fra disse funnene utarbeidet vi et eget perspektiv som er basert på de eksisterende merkevareperspektivene. Dette perspektivet viser at merkevaresamfunnet er dannet av en sosial samling av tørrfiskkonsumenter og deres relasjoner til det merkevarelignende produktet tørrfisk fra Lofoten, markedsførere, tradisjoner og aktiviteter, og til sist andre konsumenter

How to start a Focus Group: Using cartoons in adult focus groups to discuss consumers feedback expectations in food service settings.

This article tests a novel method for starting focus groups quickly while ensuring that respondents understand the topic of interest for the study. To kick start the focus groups, a cartoon style illustration was developed. The cartoons depicted various food service experience from start to finish. Respondents first task was to indicate when it was natural for them to give feedback on the food service experience. The results show that the cartoons allowed respondents to quickly understand the topic, which in turn gave them confidence to contribute with relevant information from the start. In addition, respondents used the framework of the illustrations to keep the discussion focused on the topic throughout. We generally find that it is getting harder to find people who are willing to commit to 2 h focus groups after work. For us to find participants who are willing to take part, we are having to be much more time conscious, this method allows for shorter groups without losing valuable information. The method has a potential when it comes to testing food products as well as in the development of dishes for gastronomic experiences. It may also be a good tool to use in sensory focus groups. The use of comics to start off the focus group worked well in the context of a non-sensitive topic, in this case food service experiences. Further research could explore using this method for more sensitive topics.publishedVersio

Barnehagens arbeid med bærekraft i måltider

Tidlig i studieåret skjønte jeg at jeg ville fokusere på bærekraft på et eller annet vis i mitt bachelorprosjekt. Til slutt falt valget på at temaet for oppgaven skulle være “Bærekraftige måltider i barnehagen”. Grunnen til dette er at jeg selv vet hvor mange gode samtaler og stunder som ligger i måltidene i barnehagen. Her har man tid til å roe ned, prate sammen og lære av hverandre. På bakgrunn av dette ble jeg nysgjerrig på om barnehager griper denne stunden til å snakke med barna om bærekraft, om de selv ser hva som er bærekraft i måltidene og hvilket fokus dette har i planleggingen og gjennomføringen av måltidene. «Måltidene har ikke bare en ernæringsmessig verdi, men utgjør en helhetlig ramme med tanke på å utvikle barnas sosiale kompetanse, kulturforståelse og kunnskaper og holdninger til mat og drikke.» (Meld. St. 19, (2015-2016), 2016, s.41). Ut fra refleksjonene jeg har gjort meg om temaet jeg ønsket å skrive om og disse to utdragene fra Rammeplanen og Stortingsmeldingen “Tid for lek og læring - bedre innhold i barnehagen” har jeg kommet frem til min problemstilling: Hvilket fokus har barnehager på bærekraft i mat - og måltidsituasjoner?publishedVersio

The assessment of qualitative olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review of tools and their content validity

Background: There is a lack of overview of the tools used to assess qualitative olfactory dysfunction, including parosmia and phantosmia, following COVID-19 illness. This could have an impact on the diagnosis and treatment offered to patients. Additionally, the formulations of symptoms are inconsistent and often unclear, and consensus around the wording of questions and responses is needed. Aim of study: The aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of tools used to assess qualitative olfactory dysfunction after COVID-19, in addition to addressing the content validity (i.e., item and response formulations) of these tools. Methods: MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched 5th of August 2022 and updated on the 25th of April 2023 to identify studies that assess qualitative olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. Primary outcomes were the tool used (i.e., questionnaire or objective test) and item and response formulations. Secondary outcomes included psychometric properties, study design, and demographic variables. Results: The assessment of qualitative olfactory dysfunction is characterized by heterogeneity, inconsistency, and lack of validated tools to determine the presence and degree of symptoms. Several tools with overlapping and distinct features were identified in this review, of which some were thorough and detailed, while others were merely assessing the presence of symptoms as a binary measure. Item and response formulations are also inconsistent and often used interchangeably, which may lead to confusion, incorrect diagnoses, and inappropriate methods for solving the problem. Conclusions: There is an unmet need for a reliable and validated tool for assessing qualitative olfactory dysfunction, preferably one that also captures quantitative olfactory issues (i.e., loss of smell), to ensure time-effective and specific assessment of the ability to smell. A consensus around the formulation of items and response options is also important to increase the understanding of the problem, both for clinicians, researchers, and the patient, and ultimately to provide the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.publishedVersio

Tolkning av avtaler på formuerettens område

Avhandlingen tar for seg utvalgt høyesterettspraksis fra perioden 2000 til 2020, med siktemål om å fastlegge hva som er gjeldende avtalerettslig tolkningslære

Protein purification and gene isolation of chlamysin, a cold-active lysozyme-like enzyme with antibacterial activity

AbstractAn antibacterial ∼11 kDa protein designated chlamysin was isolated from viscera of the marine bivalve Chlamys islandica. Chlamysin inhibited the growth of all Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria tested. The isolated protein was highly efficient in hydrolyzing Micrococcus luteus cells only at low pH (4.5–6.2) and at low temperature (4–35°C). No significant loss of enzyme activity was observed after 30 days storage at room temperature or after heating to 70°C for 15 min, suggesting relatively high protein structure stability. Sequence-analyzed fragments of the protein revealed data which guided the isolation of the cDNA gene, encoding a 137 amino acid chlamysin precursor in scallops. The deduced protein contains a high portion of cysteine, serine and histidine residues and has a predicted isoelectric point below 7. The chlamysin protein was found to have sequence homology to an isopeptidase and to a recently published bivalve lysozyme

The assessment of qualitative olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review of tools and their content validity

BackgroundThere is a lack of overview of the tools used to assess qualitative olfactory dysfunction, including parosmia and phantosmia, following COVID-19 illness. This could have an impact on the diagnosis and treatment offered to patients. Additionally, the formulations of symptoms are inconsistent and often unclear, and consensus around the wording of questions and responses is needed.Aim of studyThe aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of tools used to assess qualitative olfactory dysfunction after COVID-19, in addition to addressing the content validity (i.e., item and response formulations) of these tools.MethodsMEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched 5th of August 2022 and updated on the 25th of April 2023 to identify studies that assess qualitative olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. Primary outcomes were the tool used (i.e., questionnaire or objective test) and item and response formulations. Secondary outcomes included psychometric properties, study design, and demographic variables.ResultsThe assessment of qualitative olfactory dysfunction is characterized by heterogeneity, inconsistency, and lack of validated tools to determine the presence and degree of symptoms. Several tools with overlapping and distinct features were identified in this review, of which some were thorough and detailed, while others were merely assessing the presence of symptoms as a binary measure. Item and response formulations are also inconsistent and often used interchangeably, which may lead to confusion, incorrect diagnoses, and inappropriate methods for solving the problem.ConclusionsThere is an unmet need for a reliable and validated tool for assessing qualitative olfactory dysfunction, preferably one that also captures quantitative olfactory issues (i.e., loss of smell), to ensure time-effective and specific assessment of the ability to smell. A consensus around the formulation of items and response options is also important to increase the understanding of the problem, both for clinicians, researchers, and the patient, and ultimately to provide the appropriate diagnosis and treatment.Registration and protocolThe URL is https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=351621. A preregistered protocol was submitted and accepted (12.09.22) in the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) with the registration number CRD42022351621

NUDT16 and ITPA play a dual protective role in maintaining chromosome stability and cell growth by eliminating dIDP/IDP and dITP/ITP from nucleotide pools in mammals

Mammalian inosine triphosphatase encoded by ITPA gene hydrolyzes ITP and dITP to monophosphates, avoiding their deleterious effects. Itpa− mice exhibited perinatal lethality, and significantly higher levels of inosine in cellular RNA and deoxyinosine in nuclear DNA were detected in Itpa− embryos than in wild-type embryos. Therefore, we examined the effects of ITPA deficiency on mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Itpa− primary MEFs lacking ITP-hydrolyzing activity exhibited a prolonged doubling time, increased chromosome abnormalities and accumulation of single-strand breaks in nuclear DNA, compared with primary MEFs prepared from wild-type embryos. However, immortalized Itpa− MEFs had neither of these phenotypes and had a significantly higher ITP/IDP-hydrolyzing activity than Itpa− embryos or primary MEFs. Mammalian NUDT16 proteins exhibit strong dIDP/IDP-hydrolyzing activity and similarly low levels of Nudt16 mRNA and protein were detected in primary MEFs derived from both wild-type and Itpa− embryos. However, immortalized Itpa− MEFs expressed significantly higher levels of Nudt16 than the wild type. Moreover, introduction of silencing RNAs against Nudt16 into immortalized Itpa− MEFs reproduced ITPA-deficient phenotypes. We thus conclude that NUDT16 and ITPA play a dual protective role for eliminating dIDP/IDP and dITP/ITP from nucleotide pools in mammals