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Following popular protests at home and the fall of the government, Ukraine reversed course andjoined Georgia and Moldova in signing Association Agreements in June 2014. This article hastwo main aims. First, using a gravity model of trade, it estimates the effects of deep and shallowfree trade agreements for the EaP (Eastern Partnership) states with Russia and the EU respectively.Second, by relating the outcomes of the first estimation to the quality of in stitutions, proxied withthe level of democracy and the level of corruption in the selected countries, the paper estimates theeffect on exports of changes in the quality of institutions. The main results show that the EaP coun-tries gain significantly from free trade agreements with the EU but little if anything from free tradeagreements with Russia, and that improvements in the quality of institutions in EaP countries haveplayed an important role in fostering exports. ; The authors acknowledge the support and collaboration of Project ECO2014-58991-C3-2-R funded by theSpanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and of Project 'Production Networks and Economic Integration' fundedby Fundación Caja Castellón-Bancaja.

Norway has a long-standing tradition in twin research, but the data collected in several population-based twin studies were not coordinated centrally or easily accessible to the scientific community. In 2009, the Norwegian Twin Registry was established at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) in Oslo with the purpose of creating a single research resource for Norwegian twin data. As of today, the Norwegian Twin Registry contains 47,989 twins covering birth years 1895–1960 and 1967–1979; 31,440 of these twins consented to participate in health-related research. In addition, DNA from approximately 4,800 of the twins is banked at the NIPH biobank and new studies are continually adding new data to the registry. The value of the Norwegian twin data is greatly enhanced by the linkage opportunities offered by Norway's many nationwide registries, spanning a broad array of medical, demographic, and socioeconomic information.

Abstract

Aims
Alcohol consumption has been linked to colorectal cancer (CRC) and also to the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL-C). HDL-C has been associated with the incidence of CRC. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between self-reported alcohol consumption, HDL-C and incidence of CRC, separately for the two sites.


Methods
Altogether, 250,010 participants in Norwegian surveys have been followed-up for an average of 18 years with respect to a first-time outcome of colon or rectal cancer. During follow-up, 3023 and 1439 colon and rectal cancers were registered.


Results
For men, the HR per 1 drink per day was 1.05 with 95% confidence interval (0.98–1.12) for colon and 1.08 (1.02–1.15) for rectal cancer. The corresponding figures for women were 1.03 (0.97–1.10) and 1.05 (1.00–1.10). There was a positive association between alcohol consumption and HDL-C. HDL-C was inversely associated with colon cancer in men (0.74 (0.62–0.89) per 1 mmol/l) and positively associated with rectal cancer, although not statistically significant (1.15 (0.92–1.44). A robust regression that assigned weights to each observation and exclusion of weights ≤ 0.1 increased the HRs per 1 drink per day and decreased the HR per 1 mmol/l for colon cancer. The associations with rectal cancer remained unchanged.


Conclusion
Our results support a positive association between alcohol consumption and colon and rectal cancer, most pronounced for rectal cancer. Considering the positive relation between alcohol consumption and HDL-C, the inverse association between HDL-C and colon cancer in men remains unsettled.

Abstract
Purpose
Prior research has shown that the majority of those bereaved by suicide express a need for mental health care services. However, there is a lack of knowledge about these individuals' use of primary health care. The objective of our study was to estimate the association between suicide bereavement and general practitioner (GP) consultations for mental health reasons.

Methods
A population-wide, register-based cohort study identifying 25,580 individuals bereaved by suicide. Estimations of increases in consultation rate were modeled through individual fixed-effects linear analyses adjusted for age and time-period.

Results
Overall, 35% of those bereaved by suicide had a GP consultation for mental health reasons during the first 1–2 months, and 53% after two years. In the month immediately after bereavement by suicide, there was a large increase in the consultation rate with a GP for mental health reasons. In the months that followed, the consultation rate gradually decreased. One year after bereavement, the consultation rate stabilized at a somewhat higher level than before the death. The increase in consultation rate was evident across all kinship groups, and the increase was greatest for partners and smallest for siblings. Women had more contact with the GP before the suicide and a greater increase in contact than men.

Conclusion
Our findings suggest that many of those bereaved by suicide seek assistance from primary health care, and that some are in need of prolonged follow-up from the GP. Health governments should be aware of this and seek to strengthen the GPs knowledge of the needs and challenges associated with this patient group. Measures should also be taken to remove barriers to contact the health care system, especially for men and bereaved siblings.

AbstractWork incapacity is a major public health challenge and an economic burden to both society and individuals. Understanding the underlying causes is becoming ever more relevant as many countries face an aging workforce. We examined stability and change in genetic and environmental factors influencing work incapacity from age 18 until retirement, and sex differences in these effects. The large population-based sample comprised information from 28,759 twins followed for up to 23 years combined with high-quality national registry data. We measured work incapacity as the total proportion of potential workdays lost due to sickness absence, rehabilitation and disability benefits. Structural equation modeling with twin data indicated moderate genetic influences on work incapacity throughout life in both men and women, with a high degree of genetic stability from young to old adulthood. Environmental influences were mainly age-specific. Our results indicate that largely the same genetic factors influence individual differences in work incapacity throughout young, middle and older adulthood, despite major differences in degree of work incapacity and probable underlying medical causes.

Almost half of the European Union (EU)'s population is exposed to road traffic noise above levels that constitute a health risk. Associations between road traffic noise and impaired sleep in adults have consistently been reported. Less is known about effects of noise on children's sleep. The aim of this study was to examine the association between nocturnal road traffic noise exposure and children's parental-reported sleep duration and sleep problems. The present cross-sectional study used data from The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Parental report of children's sleep duration and sleep problems at age 7 was linked to modelled levels of residential night-time road traffic noise. The study population included 2665 children from Oslo, Norway. No association was found between road traffic noise and sleep duration in the total study population (odds ratio (OR): 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): [0.94, 1.17]), but a statistically significant association was observed in girls (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: [1.04, 1.41]). For sleep problems, the associations were similar (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: [0.85, 2.16]) in girls. The ORs are presented for an increase of 10 dB. The findings suggest there is an association between road traffic noise and sleep for girls, underlining the importance of protecting children against excessive noise levels.

Almost half of the European Union (EU)'s population is exposed to road traffic noise above levels that constitute a health risk. Associations between road traffic noise and impaired sleep in adults have consistently been reported. Less is known about effects of noise on children's sleep. The aim of this study was to examine the association between nocturnal road traffic noise exposure and children's parental-reported sleep duration and sleep problems. The present cross-sectional study used data from The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Parental report of children's sleep duration and sleep problems at age 7 was linked to modelled levels of residential night-time road traffic noise. The study population included 2665 children from Oslo, Norway. No association was found between road traffic noise and sleep duration in the total study population (odds ratio (OR): 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): [0.94, 1.17]), but a statistically significant association was observed in girls (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: [1.04, 1.41]). For sleep problems, the associations were similar (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: [0.85, 2.16]) in girls. The ORs are presented for an increase of 10 dB. The findings suggest there is an association between road traffic noise and sleep for girls, underlining the importance of protecting children against excessive noise levels.

Almost half of the European Union (EU)'s population is exposed to road traffic noise above levels that constitute a health risk. Associations between road traffic noise and impaired sleep in adults have consistently been reported. Less is known about effects of noise on children's sleep. The aim of this study was to examine the association between nocturnal road traffic noise exposure and children's parental-reported sleep duration and sleep problems. The present cross-sectional study used data from The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Parental report of children's sleep duration and sleep problems at age 7 was linked to modelled levels of residential night-time road traffic noise. The study population included 2665 children from Oslo, Norway. No association was found between road traffic noise and sleep duration in the total study population (odds ratio (OR): 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): [0.94, 1.17]), but a statistically significant association was observed in girls (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: [1.04, 1.41]). For sleep problems, the associations were similar (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: [0.85, 2.16]) in girls. The ORs are presented for an increase of 10 dB. The findings suggest there is an association between road traffic noise and sleep for girls, underlining the importance of protecting children against excessive noise levels. ; publishedVersion