| 1. |
- Fischer, Martin, et al.
(author)
-
Very Early-Life Risk Factors for Developing Dementia: Evidence From Full Population Registers
- 2023
-
In: Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. - 1079-5014 .- 1758-5368. ; 78:12, s. 2131-2140
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Very early-life conditions are recognized as critical for healthy brain development. This study assesses early-life risk factors for developing dementia. In the absence of historical medical birth records, we leverage an alternative full population approach using demographic characteristics obtained from administrative data to derive proxy indicators for birth complications and unfavorable birth outcomes. We use proxy variables to investigate the impact of early-life risk factors on dementia risk.Methods: We use administrative individual-level data for full cohorts born 1932-1950 in Sweden with multigenerational linkages. Records on hospitalization and mortality are used to identify dementia cases. We derive 3 birth risk factors based on demographic characteristics: advanced maternal age, narrow sibling spacing, and twin births, and apply survival analysis to evaluate long-term effects on dementia risk. We control for confounding using multiple indicators for socio-economic status (SES), including parental surnames, and by implementing a sibling design. As comparison exposure, we add low education from the 1970 Census.Results: The presence of at least 1 birth risk factor increases dementia risk (HR = 1.059; 95% CI: 1.034, 1.085). The occurrence of twin births poses a particularly heightened risk (HR = 1.166; 95% CI: 1.084, 1.255).Discussion: Improvements to the very early-life environment hold significant potential to mitigate dementia risk. A comparison to the influence of low education on dementia (the largest known modifiable risk factor) suggests that demographic birth characteristics are of relevant effect sizes. Our findings underscore the relevance of providing assistance for births experiencing complications and adverse health outcomes to reduce dementia cases.
|
|
| 2. |
- Nilsson, Martin, 1972-, et al.
(author)
-
Democracy and Security in the EU:s Eastern Neighborhood? : Assessing the ENP in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
- 2016
-
In: Democracy and Security. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1741-9166 .- 1555-5860. ; 12:1, s. 44-61
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article explores the European Union’s (EU) democratic and security objectives in the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) toward three post-Soviet states: Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. By discussing the ENP’s objectives, this study concludes the following: first, despite long-term ENP democracy promotion, there have been very limited democratic developments in the partner states between 2005 and 2014; second, security challenges remain in partner states in the breakaway regions in Transnistria in Moldova, Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, and Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk in Ukraine. Therefore, EU’s Kantian view of security through democracy has failed, and its ambition to create a ring of Eastern friends has not led to improved relations in the Eastern neighborhood. On the contrary, the EU’s push eastward has instead intensified insecurity in its partner states due to limited democratization.
|
|
| 3. |
- Nilsson, Martin, 1972-, et al.
(author)
-
Demokratins förutsättningar i Ukraina: EU, Ryssland och den nationella politiska elitens roll
- 2015
-
In: Nordisk Østforum. - Oslo : Universitetsforlaget Idunn. - 0801-7220 .- 1891-1773. ; 29:2, s. 191-219
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Based on a theoretical perspective linking international actors with domestic elites, this article explores how Ukraine’s process of democratization in the 2000s should be understood in terms of international pressure from the European Union (EU) and Russia squeezing the domestic elites into two alternative roadmaps for Ukraine. Ukraine, as a “swing-state” of democratic progress and problems, is assumed to have great impact on the regional democratic landscape. The contemporary hybrid nature of Ukraine’s political regime is a consequence of Ukraine being located geopolitically between the authoritarian Russia and the democratic member states of the EU, leading to competing political elites with alternative visions for the future of Ukraine.
|
|
| 4. |
- Silander, Daniel, 1972-, et al.
(author)
-
A Wider Europe : Does the European Neighborhood Policy Work?
- 2014
-
In: International Relations and Diplomacy. - 2328-2134. ; 2:5, s. 336-353
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article explores the European normative power of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). By analyzing EU democracy promotion for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, the author assesses EU normative capacity. Based on the analysis of EU democracy promotion and institutional impact in the six targeted states, the author argues that the EU has been a weak normative power in the region. Instead of building a “ring of friends” as argued by the EU Commission, in an enlarged democratic community, the EU has achieved poor democratic records in all six states, with Azerbaijan as the worst case and Georgia as the best. The result may call into question the idea of the EU as normative power and democracy promoter in European politics.
|
|
| 5. |
- Silander, Daniel, 1972-, et al.
(author)
-
China and Global Climate Change
- 2018
-
In: Climate Change, Policy and Security. - Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge. - 9781138481336 - 9781351060479 ; , s. 150-168
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Silander, Daniel, 1972-, et al.
(author)
-
Sustaining global democracy? : Exploring patterns of democratization in strategic swing states
- 2014
-
In: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Science Index, Economics and Management Engineering. ; , s. 509-
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- How may the international community sustain global democracy? This paper explores the patterns of democratization in strategic swing states around the world. Based on Larry Diamond’s conceptualization, swing states refer to those about 30 politically, economically and demographically major states that will have a disproportionate impact on the future of democracy in their regions. These swing states are among others Brazil, Colombia, China, India, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine. It is argued that the patterns of democratization in these swing states will have regional and global impact on the status of global democracy. This paper includes an overall analysis on level of democratization in these swing states, followed by an in-depth analysis of illustrative strategic swing states in different geographical regions.
|
|
| 9. |
- Welén, Karin, 1970, et al.
(author)
-
A Phase 2 Trial of the Effect of Antiandrogen Therapy on COVID-19 Outcome : No Evidence of Benefit, Supported by Epidemiology and In Vitro Data
- 2022
-
In: European Urology. - : Elsevier. - 0302-2838 .- 1873-7560. ; 81:3, s. 285-293
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Men are more severely affected by COVID-19. Testosterone may influence SARS-CoV-2 infection and the immune response.Objective: To clinically, epidemiologically, and experimentally evaluate the effect of antiandrogens on SARS-CoV-2 infection.Designs, settings, and participants: A randomized phase 2 clinical trial (COVIDENZA) enrolled 42 hospitalized COVID-19 patients before safety evaluation. We also conducted a population-based retrospective study of 7894 SARS-CoV-2–positive prostate cancer patients and an experimental study using an air-liquid interface three-dimensional culture model of primary lung cells.Intervention: In COVIDENZA, patients were randomized 2:1 to 5 d of enzalutamide or standard of care.Outcome measurements: The primary outcomes in COVIDENZA were the time to mechanical ventilation or discharge from hospital. The population-based study investigated risk of hospitalization, intensive care, and death from COVID-19 after androgen inhibition.Results and limitations: Enzalutamide-treated patients required longer hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] for discharge from hospital 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20–0.93) and the trial was terminated early. In the epidemiological study, no preventive effects were observed. The frail population of patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in combination with abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide had a higher risk of dying from COVID-19 (HR 2.51, 95% CI 1.52–4.16). In vitro data showed no effect of enzalutamide on virus replication. The epidemiological study has limitations that include residual confounders.Conclusions: The results do not support a therapeutic effect of enzalutamide or preventive effects of bicalutamide or ADT in COVID-19. Thus, these antiandrogens should not be used for hospitalized COVID-19 patients or as prevention for COVID-19. Further research on these therapeutics in this setting are not warranted.Patient summary: We studied whether inhibition of testosterone could diminish COVID-19 symptoms. We found no evidence of an effect in a clinical study or in epidemiological or experimental investigations. We conclude that androgen inhibition should not be used for prevention or treatment of COVID-19.
|
|
| 10. |
- Abou-Taouk, Abdallah, 1982, et al.
(author)
-
CFD study on a Stirling burner based on MILD combustion and diluted mixtures
- 2016
-
In: 17th International Stirling Engine Conferenc, 24-26 August 2016, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.. - 9781861354693 ; , s. 319-330
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The work presented in this paper presents comparison of results from the experimental facility in Chalmers University of Technology and 3D CFD combustion simulations based on both RANS and hybrid URANS/LES (SAS-SST model) turbulence models applied to the GasBox combustion chamber at atmospheric pressure. The combustion is modelled using the Eddy Dissipation Model coupled with Finite Rate Chemistry using different optimized global reaction mechanisms. The gas composition has been varied from pure methane gas to low energy content, such as landfill gas mixture consisting of 26.8% CH4, 32.2% CO2, 2.0% O2 and 39.0% N2 by volume. There is a good agreement between the quantities predicted with hybrid URANS/LES and the experimental data, in terms of flow and flame dynamics, averaged temperatures and the concentrations of some major species.
|
|
