| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
- Andersson, Axel G, et al.
(författare)
-
High Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine-an Observational Study in Adults from Ronneby, Sweden.
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Environmental health perspectives. - 1552-9924. ; 131:8
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used, environmentally ubiquitous, and stable chemicals that have been associated with lower vaccine-induced antibody responses in children; however, data on adults are limited. The drinking water from one of the two waterworks in Ronneby, Sweden, was heavily contaminated for decades with PFAS from firefighting foams, primarily perfluorohexane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 offered a unique opportunity to investigate antibody responses to primary vaccination in adults who had been exposed to PFAS.Our objective was to evaluate associations between PFAS, across a wide range of exposure levels, and antibody responses in adults 5 wk and 6 months after a two-dose vaccination regime against SARS-CoV-2.Adults age 20-60 y from Ronneby (n=309, median PFOS serum level 47ng/mL, fifth to 95th percentile 4-213ng/mL) and a group with background exposure (n=47, median PFOS serum level 4ng/mL) received two doses of the Spikevax (Moderna) mRNA vaccine. The levels of seven PFAS were measured in serum before vaccination. Serum immunoglobulin G antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen (S-Abs) were measured before vaccination and at 5 wk (n=350) and 6 months (n=329) after the second vaccine dose. Linear regression analyses were fitted against current, historical, and prenatal exposure to PFAS, adjusting for sex, age, and smoking, excluding individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2-infection.PFAS exposure, regardless of how it was estimated, was not negatively associated with antibody levels 5 wk [current PFOS: -0.5% S-Abs/PFOS interquartile range (IQR); 95% confidence interval (CI): -8, 7] or 6 months (current PFOS: 3% S-Abs/PFOS IQR; 95% CI: -6, 12) after COVID-19 vaccination.Following a strict study protocol, rigorous study design, and few dropouts, we found no indication that PFAS exposure negatively affected antibody responses to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination for up to 6 months after vaccination. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11847.
|
|
| 3. |
- Bonander, Carl, 1988-, et al.
(författare)
-
Vaccination nudges : A study of pre-booked COVID-19 vaccinations in Sweden
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Social Science and Medicine. - : Elsevier. - 0277-9536 .- 1873-5347. ; 309, s. 1-11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A nudge changes people’s actions without removing their options or altering their incentives. During the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the Swedish Region of Uppsala sent letters with pre-booked appointments to inhabitants aged16–17 instead of opening up manual appointment booking. Using regional and municipal vaccination data, wedocument a higher vaccine uptake among 16- to 17-year-olds in Uppsala compared to untreated control regions(constructed using the synthetic control method as well as neighboring municipalities). The results highlight pre-booked appointments as a strategy for increasing vaccination rates in populations with low perceived risk.
|
|
| 4. |
- Bonander, Carl, 1988-, et al.
(författare)
-
When do default nudges work?
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Oxford Open Economics. - : Oxford University Press. - 2752-5074. ; 2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nudging is a burgeoning topic in science and in policy, but evidence on the effectiveness of nudges among differentially incentivized groups is lacking. This paper exploits regional variations in the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine in Sweden to examine the effect of a nudge on groups whose intrinsic incentives are different: 16- to 17-year-olds, for whom Covid-19 is not dangerous, and 50- to 59-year-olds, who face a substantial risk of death or severe disease. We find a significantly stronger response in the younger group compared with the older (11.7 vs 3.6 percentage point increase in our study period), consistent with the theory that nudges are more effective for choices that are not meaningful to the individual.
|
|
| 5. |
- Ekman, Mats, et al.
(författare)
-
The impact of earlier pub closing hours on emergency calls to the police during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Addiction Research and Theory. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1606-6359 .- 1476-7392. ; 32:2, s. 138-142
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- On 20 November 2020, the government of Sweden banned on-premise alcohol sales after 10:30 p.m. and then after 8 p.m. on December 24. This study aims to estimate the impact of earlier pub closing hours on emergency calls to the police. We use a quasi-experimental hybrid differences-in-differences design, drawing on data for emergency calls in Sweden. The primary outcome measure is the daily number of emergency calls to the police in Sweden 70 days before the intervention and 70 days after the intervention. The primary control series is the daily number of emergency calls to the police in Sweden during the preceding year, 70 days before the intervention and 70 days after the intervention. We fail to find an effect on daily emergency calls, or nighttime emergency calls to the police, from the restrictions on the sale of alcohol. There is, however, some evidence indicating that weekend emergency calls may have been affected, but that potential effect does not translate into an overall effect. While our study is limited in its focus, it contributes to using a wide range of time windows and a large geographical area (the whole of Sweden) to inform on displacement effects, as well as in considering a broader set of robustness checks. We suggest that our results and future work should be seen in light of our limitations and our contribution, respectively.
|
|
| 6. |
- Hajjari, Parisa, et al.
(författare)
-
Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG): comprehensive open-label trial in ten children
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Bmc Psychiatry. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-244X. ; 22:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in children with Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) has for many years been used on clinical indications, but the research evidence for its efficacy is insufficient. Methods Open-label prospective in-depth trial including ten children (median age 10.3 years) with PANS, who received IVIG treatment 2 g/kg monthly for three months. Primary outcomes were changes in symptom severity and impairment from baseline to first and second follow-up visits one month after first and one month after third treatment, using three investigator-rated scales: Paediatric Acute Neuropsychiatric Symptom (PANS) scale, Clinical Global Impression - Severity and Improvement (CGI-S and CGI-I) scales. Secondary outcomes reported here were changes in Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) scores, and side effects. Results All ten children received three treatments at one-month intervals according to study plan. From baseline to second follow-up marked reductions were seen in mean total PANS scale scores (p = .005), and CGI-S scores (p = .004). CGI-I ratings showed much to very much global improvement (mean CGI-I 1.8). Nine children had clinical response defined as > 30% reduction in PANS Scale scores. Improvements were also noted for CY-BOCS scores (p = .005), and in school attendance. Three children suffered moderate to severe temporary side effects after the first treatment, and the remaining seven had mild to moderate side effects. Side effects were much less severe after second and third treatments. Conclusions Considerable and pervasive improvements in symptoms and clinical impairments were seen in these ten children after three monthly IVIG treatments. Moderate to severe transient side effects occurred in three cases.
|
|
| 7. |
- Holm, Alexander, et al.
(författare)
-
Patients' perspective on prostatic artery embolization : A qualitative study
- 2021
-
Ingår i: SAGE Open Medicine. - : SAGE Open. - 2050-3121. ; 9, s. 1-6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The aim was to describe the patients' experience of undergoing prostatic artery embolization.Methods: A retrospective qualitative interview study was undertaken with 15 patients of mean age 73 years who had undergone prostatic artery embolization with a median duration of 210 min at two medium sized hospitals in Sweden. The reasons for conducting prostatic artery embolization were clean intermittent catheterization (n = 4), lower urinary tract symptoms (n = 10) or haematuria (n = 1). Data were collected through individual, semi-structured telephone interviews 1-12 months after treatment and analysed using qualitative content analysis.Results: Four categories with sub-categories were formulated to describe the results: a diverse experience; ability to control the situation; resumption of everyday activities and range of opinions regarding efficacy of outcomes. Overall, the patients described the procedure as painless, easy and interesting and reported that while the procedure can be stressful, a calm atmosphere contributed to achieving a good experience. Limitations on access to reliable information before, during and after the procedure were highlighted as a major issue. Practical ideas for improving patient comfort during the procedure were suggested. Improved communications between treatment staff and patients were also highlighted. Most patients could resume everyday activities, some felt tired and bruising caused unnecessary worry for a few. Regarding functional outcome, some patients described substantial improvement in urine flow while others were satisfied with regaining undisturbed night sleep. Those with less effect were considering transurethral resection of the prostate as a future option. Self-enrolment to the treatment and long median operation time may have influenced the results.Conclusions: From the patients' perspective, prostatic artery embolization is a well-tolerated method for treating benign prostate hyperplacia.
|
|
| 8. |
- Jakobsson, Håkan, 1977-
(författare)
-
Dutch experts in the early modern Swedish state : Employment strategies and knowledge building, 1560–1670
- 2021
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This dissertation investigates the role played by Dutch experts in various enterprises and organisations managed or administered by the early modern Swedish state. The work demonstrates how and why Dutch experts were introduced to Sweden, in what manner they were employed by the Swedish state and how their knowledge was utilised in state-controlled organisations. The overall results challenge the impression of an uncomplicated introduction, steered by the state. Instead, the research suggests that the development was multifaceted, where the role and function of state structures, international politics, networks, as well as concepts, including opportunism and pragmatism all played a part in the process which led to the employment of Dutch experts and use of Dutch knowledge. Underlying analytical tools used to demonstrate this include concepts such as collective knowledge, institutional memory, change agents, as well as strategies to minimise uncertainties and knowledge asymmetries in the recruitment process. The investigation consists of four empirical chapters. The first chapter focuses on some of the key Dutch individuals who settled in Sweden during the second half of the sixteenth century. It shows why a Dutch settlement took place, but also how a specific interest in Dutch trade expertise was developed by the Swedish political leadership. The chapter concludes with an analysis of how Dutch expertise was utilised to develop advanced long-distance trade. The second chapter follows the use of Dutch experts in the naval shipbuilding organisation in the first half of the seventeenth century. It shows how an almost complete reliance on Dutch experts and technical knowledge was established during this period. The chapter details how the Dutch introduction and utilisation evolved, when the naval organisation changed from being single-handedly steered by the king, to a situation where it was administered by an independent Admiralty Board. The third chapter investigates the use of Dutch experts in the foreign administration as well as in the administration and management of trade and commercial undertakings. It details how agents and diplomatic networks facilitated exchange and brought knowledge and experts to Sweden. The chapter also challenges an established notion that many of the trade enterprises that were established in Sweden up until the mid-1630s were failures. The results instead demonstrate how successive proposals to develop commercial ventures by Dutch experts created a necessary knowledge base in Swedish society, which in the long run led to the successful formation of advanced commercial enterprises. The final chapter focuses on the establishment of commercial fishing operations. It follows the introduction and growth of a Dutch model for how to develop advanced fishing, and explains why the model only led to a functioning enterprise towards the very end of the period of investigation.
|
|
| 9. |
- Jakobsson, Lotta, 1967, et al.
(författare)
-
ASSESSMENT OF PASSENGER SAFETY IN FUTURE CARS - IDENTIFYING THE REAL-WORLD NEEDS TOWARDS SAFETY SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
- 2023
-
Ingår i: 27th ESV Conference Proceedings.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Future cars will likely include further collision mitigation systems, seat positions and seating configurations compared to current cars, in addition to an increased degree of shared mobility solutions. At the same time the population is becoming older and the diversity in car passenger dimensions is growing. This calls for assessment tools and evaluation methods beyond the current standardized crash test methods. This paper summarizes the results of a Swedish research project on how to assess the protection of the heterogeneous population of passengers (i.e., nondrivers) in future car crashes, focusing on restraint interaction. With the overall purpose of further improving passenger protection, the specific aims were to achieve method developments based on the enhancement of tools (physical and virtual human substitutes) as well as to create knowledge on passenger protection needs. This comprehensive research project combined multiple competencies and international collaborations, and a large number of studies have been performed using different methods. The applied methods include real-world crash data analyses to identify scenarios and situations, crash testing and simulation, and additionally user-studies conducted in cars to evaluate sitting posture, beltfit, kinematics, comfort, experiences and attitudes. Furthermore, the project included studies on crash test dummies (ATDs) and Human Body Models (HBM). Moreover, adult morphed HBMs were developed in various sizes, ages and sexes, for investigating various protection principles. In novel studies, crash interventions strategies were applied to predicted residual crash configurations. User-studies provided evidence of self-selected passenger postures in real car settings and, thus, deviations from standardized ATD positions. The importance of body shape was highlighted in a beltfit user-study including older adults. Essential booster design parameters were identified for children in upright and reclined seat positions. Restraint principles were investigated for adults in reclined seat positions and with the seat in rearward positions, away from the frontal airbag and knee bolster, along with an evaluation of the capabilities of the assessment tools. The adult HBM morphed to various sizes, ages and sexes were validated for prediction of in-crash kinematics in different impact scenarios, and provided enhanced insights in passenger protection assessment compared to the three standardized sizes of ATDs. Simulations with PIPER6y, a child-sized HBM, emphasized the importance of vehiclebooster-user system interaction. The results from the research project provided input to safety system development, ATD/HBM design, assessment methods development, and a number of identified research challenges for future work. Specifically, there is a need to further explore car passenger interaction with the restraint system in terms of seat positions and variations in body sizes, shapes and postures. The inclusions of the heterogeneous population into more advanced tools such as HBMs are essential, acknowledging that when moving closer to “zero injuries”, the situations to address are more unique and specific. Although a large range of studies using different methods was conducted, many challenges still remain to cover the entire scope of passenger safety in future cars.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
