Search

Monitoring melanoma incidence time trends by tumour thickness is essential to understanding the evolution of melanoma occurrence and guiding prevention strategies. To assess long-term incidence trends, tumour thickness was extracted from pathology reports in the Cancer Registry of Norway (1983–2007) and the Norwegian Melanoma Registry (2008–2019), n = 45,635 patients. Across all anatomic sites, T1 (≤ 1 mm) incidence increased most (men annual percentage change [AAPC] = 4.6, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 4.2–5.0; women AAPC = 3.2, 95% CI 2.8–3.6); the increase was steep until 1989/90, followed by a plateau, and a further steep increase from 2004/05. Increased incidence was also observed for T2 (>1.0–2.0) melanoma (men AAPC = 2.8, 95% CI 2.4–3.2; women AAPC = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–1.9), and T3 (>2.0–4.0) in men (AAPC = 1.4, 95% CI 0.9–1.9). T4 (>4.0) melanoma followed a similar overall pattern (men AAPC = 1.3, 95% CI 0.9–1.7, head/neck, upper limbs, and trunk; women AAPC = 0.9, 95% CI 0.4–1.4, upper limbs and trunk). Men had the highest T3 and T4 incidence and the sex difference increased with age. Regarding birth cohorts, age-specific incidence increased in all T categories in the oldest age groups, while stabilizing in younger patients born after 1950. Overall, the steep increase in T1 melanoma was not accompanied by a decrease in thick melanoma.

Abstract Background Genital erosive lichen planus (GELP) is a genital subtype of lichen planus, a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology. In women, GELP is characterised by painful vulvo-vaginal mucosal erosions and scarring, often resulting in poor sexual health and reduced quality of life. Treatment options are limited and often with little effect. Apremilast, a phosphodiesterase 4-inhibitor, has been shown to have a positive effect on psoriasis and other inflammatory skin diseases. We aim to investigate the effect and safety of peroral apremilast in women with GELP in a randomised placebo-controlled double-blinded clinical trial. Methods We will recruit 42 adult women with characteristic clinical and/or histological features of moderate-to-severe GELP from a specialised vulva clinic in Oslo, Norway. The patients will be randomised 1:1 to either apremilast 30 mg BID (with an initial dose titration on days 1–6) or a placebo for 24 weeks. The concomitant use of topical corticosteroids will be allowed. The primary end point will be the mean GELP score, a clinical scoring system, at week 24 in the apremilast-treated patients versus the placebo-treated patients. The secondary end points will include the mean GELP score improvement from weeks 0 to 24, patient-reported use of topical steroids, the pain score on a visual analogue scale and the number of patients with GELP score improvements at weeks 16 and 24. The Physician Global Assessment , Patient Global Assessment and selected quality of life and sexual function assessments will be recorded at weeks 0, 16 and 24. The exploratory endpoints include description of immunohistochemical changes before and after apremilast therapy, assessed in vulvar or vaginal biopsies at weeks 0 and 24. Regular follow-ups for possible adverse events will be conducted. Discussion The study design is based on experience from studies on apremilast in other inflammatory skin diseases using equivalent apremilast doses for approved indications. The trial may provide evidence for the use of apremilast in women with this burdensome genital dermatosis. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0365666 . Registered on 4 September 2018.

Assembly, Integration, and Verification/Testing (AIV or AIT) is a standardized guideline for projects to ensure consistency throughout spacecraft development phases. The goal of establishing such a guideline is to assist in planning and executing a successful mission. While AIV campaigns can help reduce risk, they can also take years to complete and be prohibitively costly for smaller new space programs, such as university CubeSat teams. This manuscript outlines a strategic approach to the traditional space industry AIV campaign through demonstration with a 6U CubeSat mission. The HYPerspectral Smallsat for Ocean observation (HYPSO-1) mission was developed by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) SmallSatellite Laboratory in conjunction with NanoAvionics (the platform provider). The approach retains critical milestones of traditional AIV, outlines tailored testing procedures for the custom-built hyperspectral imager, and provides suggestions for faster development. A critical discussion of de-risking and design-driving decisions, such as imager configuration and machining custom parts, highlights the consequences that helped, or alternatively hindered, development timelines. This AIV approach has proven key for HYPSO-1’s success, defining further development within the lab (e.g., already with the second-generation, HYPSO-2), and can be scaled to other small spacecraft programs throughout the new space industry.

Rashes, ulcers and skin lesions are well suited for telemedicine. We have developed a smartphone app, the first of its kind in Norway, where a referring physician can write a short medical history and take clinical and dermatoscopic photographs with a smartphone, which is then sent to and evaluated by a dermatologist. In the period from June 1st, 2017, to September 1st, 2019, clinical information and photographs of rash and skin lesions from 171 patients were sent by 40 primary care and nursing home physicians via the smartphone app to four dermatologists for diagnosis and therapeutic advice. A wide range of dermatological conditions were diagnosed, most commonly chronic ulcers (17%), eczema (15%) and pigmented lesions (13%). Assessed later by a dermatologist, referral for regular consultations with a specialist was avoided in 119 patients (70%). Sixteen patients (9%) were recommended a regular consultation with a dermatologist; information for prioritization in the specialist healthcare service was then provided. In 36 patients (21%), further measures by the referring physician were recommended. Our experience indicates that many ordinary consultations on rash, ulcers and skin lesions in the specialist healthcare services can be avoided when using the smartphone app.

Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF), a variant of mycosis fungoides (MF) with distinct clinical features, is characterized by infiltration of malignant T cells in hair follicles. This raises the hypothesis that antigens in the hair follicle may contribute to the pathogenesis of FMF. T-cell receptor β gene (TRB) sequences as well as dendritic cell subsets in patients with FMF (n = 21) and control patients with MF (n = 20) were studied to explore this hypothesis. A recurrent usage of the TRB junctional genes TRBJ2-1 and TRBJ2-7 was found in patients with FMF compared with those with MF. These genes contribute to an amino acid motif in the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) of the T-cell receptor. This motif was previously found in T cells stimulated by lipids bound to CD1 on antigen-presenting cells. Additional immunohistochemical analysis revealed abundant CD1c- and CD1a- expressing dendritic cells in FMF. The combined findings support a role for lipid-antigen stimulation in FMF.

Abstract Background Overweight and atopic dermatitis (AD) are major health problems in most industrialised countries, but the relationship between overweight and AD in infants and young children is unclear. We investigated if weight-for-length at birth, in infancy and at two years, as well as early weight-gain velocity, are associated with the development of AD in early life. Methods Cohort study of infants (n = 642), all living in south-east Norway, hospitalized with acute bronchiolitis (n = 404) or recruited from the general population (n = 238), examined at mean age 5.1 months (enrolment) and at a two-year follow-up visit (n = 499; 78%) at mean age 24.6 months. Exposures were weight-for-length (g/cm) at birth, enrolment and two-year follow-up, and early weight-gain velocity (gram/month from birth to enrolment). Excessive weight-for-length was defined as weight-for-length >95th percentile of WHO child-growth standards. Data on weight-for-length at the three time points were obtained for 435, 428 and 473 children. AD was diagnosed according to the Hanifin & Rajka criteria or from a history of physician-diagnosed AD. We performed multivariate analyses with weight-for-length at birth, at enrolment and at the two-year follow-up visit and with early weight gain velocity for the endpoint AD at each visit. Results In adjusted analyses, excessive weight-for-length at enrolment was associated with concurrent AD (OR 3.03; 95% CI 1.23–7.50) and with AD at two years (OR 2.40; 1.11–5.17). In infants without AD, weight-for-length at enrolment increased the risk of AD at two years, with OR being 1.02 (95% CI 1.00–1.04) per increased gram/cm. AD at two years was not associated with concurrent excessive weight-for-length, nor was AD at any time associated with weight-for-length at birth or with early weight-gain velocity. Conclusions The results suggest that overweight in infancy may contribute to the development of AD in early life, highlighting the need for child health-care professionals to address potential overweight and atopic disease when advising infants’ caregivers. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00817466 , EudraCT number, 2009–012667-34.

Abstract is missing (Short communication)

Atopic eczema (AE) is associated with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization and skin barrier dysfunction, often measured by increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL). In the present study, the primary aim was to see whether S. aureus colonization in the vestibulum nasi and/or fauces was associated with increased TEWL in infants with healthy skin and infants with eczema. Secondarily, we aimed to investigate whether TEWL measurements on non-lesional skin on the lateral upper arm is equivalent to volar forearm in infants. In 167 of 240 infants, recruited from the general population, TEWL measurements on the lateral upper arm and volar forearm, using a DermaLab USB, fulfilled our environmental requirements. The mean of three TEWL measurements from each site was used for analysis. The infants were diagnosed with no eczema (n = 110), possible AE (n = 28) or AE (n = 29). DNA samples were analysed for mutations in the filaggrin gene (FLG). Bacterial cultures were reported positive with the identification of at least one culture with S. aureus from vestibulum nasi and/or fauces. S. aureus colonization, found in 89 infants (53%), was not associated with increased TEWL (i.e. TEWL in the upper quartile), neither on the lateral upper arm or volar forearm (p = 0.08 and p = 0.98, respectively), nor with AE (p = 0.10) or FLG mutation (p = 0.17). TEWL was significantly higher on both measuring sites in infants with AE compared to infants with possible AE and no eczema. FLG mutation was significantly associated with increased TEWL, with a 47% difference in TEWL. We conclude that S. aureus in vestibulum nasi and/or fauces was not associated with TEWL, whereas TEWL measurements on the lateral upper arm and volar forearm appear equally appropriate in infants.

Summary: Genital erosive lichen planus (GELP) is a chronic inflammatory disease, in women characterized by painful vulvar and vaginal erosions. To prepare for a clinical trial on photodynamic treatment (PDT), we applied hexyl 5-aminolevulinate hydrochloride (HAL) in clinically normal and affected mucosa in 12 women with GELP using two different doses (6.25 or 50mg/ml). Biopsies were taken after 30min and 3h. The biodistribution of HAL, measured as photoactive protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), was studied using non-invasive superficial fluorescence measurements and microscopic fluorescence photometry. More PpIX was detected after application of 12.5mg HAL than after 100mg, with large inter-individual variations. PpIX levels after 3h were overall higher than after 30min. PpIX fluorescence was not detected in skin distant to the genital area. In conclusion, 6.25mg/ml HAL applied for 3h seems adequate for HAL absorption and conversion to PpIX in submucosal inflammatory and epithelial cells and can be used in a PDT trial of GELP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: The study aimed to assess sexual distress and quality of life in women with moderate-to-severe genital erosive lichen planus (GELP)., Materials and Methods: Thirty-six women with GELP were recruited at the Oslo University Hospital in Norway. The diagnosis was confirmed by a dermatologist with experience in vulvovaginal disease and based on characteristic clinical changes in the vulva and/or vagina, and biopsy results if available. Clinical severity was measured using the GELP score with a score ≥5 required for inclusion. Sexual distress was measured using the revised Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS-R), and quality of life was measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Topical steroid treatment was allowed., Results: The mean FSDS-R score was 22.7 (range 0-45) with 27 women reporting high scores for sexual distress (FSDS-R score >15). The mean DLQI score was 8.8 (range 1-19) with 15 women reporting a moderate impact (DLQI score 6-10), and 12 women reporting a very large impact (DLQI score 11-20) of GELP on their quality of life. No clear correlations were found between disease severity assessed by GELP scores and FSDS-R or DLQI scores. Age was not correlated with FSDS-R or DLQI scores., Conclusions: These results demonstrate that a substantial number of women with GELP experience sexual distress and a reduced quality of life., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the ASCCP.)

Monitoring melanoma incidence time trends by tumour thickness is essential to understanding the evolution of melanoma occurrence and guiding prevention strategies. To assess long-term incidence trends, tumour thickness was extracted from pathology reports in the Cancer Registry of Norway (1983-2007) and the Norwegian Melanoma Registry (2008-2019), n = 45,635 patients. Across all anatomic sites, T1 (≤ 1 mm) incidence increased most (men annual percentage change [AAPC] = 4.6, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 4.2-5.0; women AAPC = 3.2, 95% CI 2.8-3.6); the increase was steep until 1989/90, followed by a plateau, and a further steep increase from 2004/05. Increased incidence was also observed for T2 (>1.0-2.0) melanoma (men AAPC = 2.8, 95% CI 2.4-3.2; women AAPC = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-1.9), and T3 (>2.0-4.0) in men (AAPC = 1.4, 95% CI 0.9-1.9). T4 (>4.0) melanoma followed a similar overall pattern (men AAPC = 1.3, 95% CI 0.9-1.7, head/neck, upper limbs, and trunk; women AAPC = 0.9, 95% CI 0.4-1.4, upper limbs and trunk). Men had the highest T3 and T4 incidence and the sex difference increased with age. Regarding birth cohorts, age-specific incidence increased in all T categories in the oldest age groups, while stabilizing in younger patients born after 1950. Overall, the steep increase in T1 melanoma was not accompanied by a decrease in thick melanoma.