Little One

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De ukjente farer. Risikovurdering i en nanoverden. : Myndighetenes håndtering av nanoteknologi i lys av Becks risikosamfunnsteori

I denne oppgaven har jeg sett på nanoteknologi som er en relativt ny teknologi, og som er på full fart inn i hverdagslivene våre. Mange har en positiv forventning til at teknologien skal kunne revolusjonere livene våre i fremtiden. Samtidig er det definitivt knyttet både usikkerhet og risiko til bruken. Jeg har i denne oppgaven vært interessert i å belyse hvordan myndighetene ønsker å kontrollere bruk av nanoteknologi. Samtidig har jeg sett på hvordan de håndterer risiko knyttet til nanoprodukter på markedet i dag. Målet med oppgaven har vært å se hvordan statlige aktører ivaretar sikkerhet i forhold til risiko som oppstår som følge av innføring av ny teknologi. Dette har jeg gjort ved å bruke STS som rammeverk og plassert Ulrich Beck sin teori om risikosamfunnet innenfor denne rammen. Både Beck og STS-feltet ser på vitenskap som sosiale og aktive prosesser. Bruno Latour og Beck har samme oppfatning av at vi lever i en hybrid verden. Nanoteknologi kan være et godt eksempel på dette, hvor man kan se på nanoteknologi som atomsløyd. Ut fra at mennesker i dag kan manipulere atomer, utviskes skillene mellom natur og kultur, og politikk og vitenskap. Videre har jeg knyttet Becks risikosamfunnsteori, om at vi går fra å være et industrielt samfunn som produserer og fordeler velferdsgoder, til å være et risikosamfunn hvor man har fått en rekke nye konflikter og problemer som er knyttet til fordeling og produksjon av risiko. Beck ser på risiko som sosialt konstruert, og jeg har dermed vært interessert i å se hvordan myndighetsaktørene forstår risiko. Ved hjelp av de tre hypotesene ”Risiko myndighetsaktørene identifiserer i forhold til bruk av nanoteknologi, er blitt en drivkraft for deres handlinger og vurderinger”, ”Dagens samfunn er blitt laboratoriet for de nanoproduktene som til nå har kommet på markedet her i Norge” og ”Forventningen om fremtidig katastrofe (risiko) pålegger myndighetsaktørene å initiere forebyggende tiltak” har jeg analysert og diskutert om man kan si at vi lever i et risikosamfunn etter Becks termer

Anxiety and Depression as Risk Factors in Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: The HUNT Study

Background: The roles of both anxiety and depression as risk factors for frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have not been previously investigated together. Objective: To study anxiety and depression as independent risk factors for FTD and AD. Methods: Eighty-four patients with FTD and 556 patients with AD were compared with 117 cognitively healthy (CH), elderly individuals. Both cases and controls were participants in the second Health Study of Nord-Trøndelag (HUNT2) from 1995 to 1997, in which depression and anxiety were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: Significant associations were found between anxiety and FTD and between depression and AD. A significantly increased risk of developing FTD was observed in patients who had reported anxiety on the HADS (p = 0.017) (odds ratio [OR]: 2.947, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.209–7.158) and a significantly increased risk of developing AD was observed in patients who had reported depression on the HADS (p = 0.016) (OR: 4.389, 95% CI: 1.311–14.690). Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that anxiety and depression may play different roles as risk factors for FTD and AD

People's interest in brain health testing: Findings from an international, online cross-sectional survey

Brain health entails mental wellbeing and cognitive health in the absence of brain disorders. The past decade has seen an explosion of tests, cognitive and biological, to predict various brain conditions, such as Alzheimer's Disease. In line with these current developments, we investigated people's willingness and reasons to—or not to—take a hypothetical brain health test to learn about risk of developing a brain disease, in a cross-sectional multilanguage online survey. The survey was part of the Global Brain Health Survey, open to the public from 4th June 2019 to 31st August 2020. Respondents were largely recruited via European brain councils and research organizations. 27,590 people responded aged 18 years or older and were predominantly women (71%), middle-aged or older (>40 years; 83%), and highly educated (69%). Responses were analyzed to explore the relationship between demographic variables and responses. Results: We found high public interest in brain health testing: over 91% would definitely or probably take a brain health test and 86% would do so even if it gave information about a disease that cannot be treated or prevented. The main reason for taking a test was the ability to respond if one was found to be at risk of brain disease, such as changing lifestyle, seeking counseling or starting treatment. Higher interest in brain health testing was found in men, respondents with lower education levels and those with poor self-reported cognitive health. Conclusion: High public interest in brain health and brain health testing in certain segments of society, coupled with an increase of commercial tests entering the market, is likely to put pressure on public health systems to inform the public about brain health testing in years to come.publishedVersio

A risk assessment approach to improve the resilience of a seaport system using Bayesian networks

Over the years, many efforts have been focused on developing methods to design seaport systems, yet disruption still occur because of various human, technical and random natural events. Much of the available data to design these systems are highly uncertain and difficult to obtain due to the number of events with vague and imprecise parameters that need to be modelled. A systematic approach that handles both quantitative and qualitative data, as well as means of updating existing information when new knowledge becomes available is required. Resilience, which is the ability of complex systems to recover quickly after severe disruptions, has been recognised as an important characteristic of maritime operations. This paper presents a modelling approach that employs Bayesian belief networks to model various influencing variables in a seaport system. The use of Bayesian belief networks allows the influencing variables to be represented in a hierarchical structure for collaborative design and modelling of the system. Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is utilised to evaluate the relative influence of each influencing variable. It is envisaged that the proposed methodology could provide safety analysts with a flexible tool to implement strategies that would contribute to the resilience of maritime systems

Examining if being overweight really confers protection against dementia: Sixty-four year follow-up of participants in the Glasgow University alumni cohort study

BACKGROUND: Recent large-scale studies suggest that obesity and overweight may confer protection against future dementia. This observation could, however, be generated by reverse causality. That is, weight loss in the incipient phase of dementia ascribed to diminished self-care, including sub-optimal nutrition, would have the effect of generating such an inverse association. One approach to circumventing this problem would be to measure weight in a population which is young enough to be free of the symptoms of dementia which is then followed up for dementia occurrence over many decades. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, body mass index, and other potential risk factors, were measured in 9547 male university undergraduates (mean age 20.5 years) in 1948-68 who were then linked to national mortality registers. RESULTS: Of 2537 deaths over a mean of 50.6 years follow up, 140 were ascribed to dementia. There was no association between overweight and future dementia deaths (age-adjusted hazard ratio; 95 % confidence interval: 0.93; 0.49, 1.79). CONCLUSION: In this cohort study of former university students, being overweight in youth did not confer protection against later dementia death

Relationship Between Mental Health and the Education Level in Elderly People: Mediation of Leisure Attitude.

The present study intends to explore the influence of education on the mental health of retired people and the mediating role of a leisure attitude in this relationship. The sample was simple random, and a confidentiality agreement was established. The sample was composed of 403 Portuguese participants (37.2% male; 62.8% female). The participants completed the MHI and the LAS. The hypothesized mediation model showed that a leisure attitude mediated the association between education and well-being. In addition, higher levels of distress were found in participants with higher levels of education. Our results suggest that old-aged people with high education and a more positive leisure attitude have a better psychological adjustment concerning well-being. Also, a higher level of education can lead to a better perception of aging changes (physical, life, profession)

Tailoring psychosocial risk assessment in the oil and gas industry by exploring specific and common psychosocial risks

Background: Psychosocial risk management [Psychosocial Risk Management Approach (PRIMA)] has, through the years, been applied in several organizations in various industries and countries globally. PRIMA principles have also been translated into international frameworks, such as PRIMA-EF (European framework) and the World Health Organization Healthy Workplace Framework. Over the past 10 years, an oil and gas company has put efforts into adopting and implementing international frameworks and standards for psychosocial risk management. More specifically, the company uses a PRIMA. Methods: This study explores available quantitative and qualitative risk data collected through the PRIMA method over the past 8 years in order to explore specific and common psychosocial risks in the petroleum industry. Results: The analyses showed a significant correlation between job resources and symptoms of work-related stress, there was a significant correlation between job demands and symptoms of work-related stress, and there were differences in psychosocial risk factors and symptoms of work-related stress onshore and offshore. The study also offers recommendations on how the results can further be utilized in building a robust system for managing psychosocial risks in the industry. Conclusion: The results from the analyses have provided meaningful and important information about the company-specific psychosocial risk factors and their impact on health and well-being