Group Life Insurance: Its Legal Aspects

Background: Female representation on boards is an ongoing debate. The European Parliament voted in November 2013 in favour of a proposal that it should be at least 40 percent women on company boards by 2020. Jens Spendrup, president of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, was interviewed on Swedish Radio in February 2014 and stated that there are not enough qualified women to recruit to the company boards. The listed companies in Sweden only have 22 percent of women in their company boards and given Jens Spendrup’s statement should they have difficulty reaching up to 40 percent by 2020. Nevertheless, the state-owned companies has shown that it is possible with a female representation of 50 percent. The question then is what the private companies are doing wrong? Aim: The study aims to investigate the recruitment process within listed companies and state-owned companies in Sweden to see if it affects the representation of women on corporate boards. This study intends to explain why female representation is so low in the private sector relative to the state sector. Methodology: The study is qualitative in nature where empirical data is primarily collected through interviews with representatives that have insight in the recruitment process in each sector. Theory and empirical data were alternately collected which implies an iterative approach. Conclusion: We have distinguished organizational differences in the recruitment process, which is crucial for female representation. Time and resources have been identified as key parameters and age as well as experience affects the selection of candidates. We also discovered that normative regulations do not work in the private sector and therefor there is a need for a mandatory regulation.Bakgrund: Den kvinnliga representationen i bolagsstyrelser är en aktuell debatt. Europaparlamentet röstade i november 2013 ja till ett förslag att det ska vara minst 40 procent kvinnor i bolagsstyrelser senast år 2020. Jens Spendrup, ordförande i Svenskt Näringsliv, uttalade sig i Sveriges Radio i februari 2014 om att det inte finns tillräckligt med kompetenta kvinnor att rekrytera till bolagsstyrelser, vilket blev väldigt uppmärksammat i media. Som synes pågår debatten både nationellt och internationellt. Börsbolagen i Sverige har 22 procent kvinnor i sina bolagsstyrelser och med tanke på Jens Spendrups uttalande borde de ha svårt att nå 40 procent till år 2020. Dock har de statligt helägda bolagen visat att det är möjligt och har en kvinnlig representation på 50 procent. Frågan är då vad de privata bolagen gör för fel? Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka rekryteringsprocessen inom börsbolag och statligt helägda bolag i Sverige för att se om den påverkar den kvinnliga representationen i bolagsstyrelserna. Denna studie ämnar att förklara varför kvinnlig representation är så låg inom den privata sektorn i förhållande till den statliga sektorn. Metod: Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär där empirin främst är insamlad genom intervjuer med representanter som har insyn i rekryteringsprocessen inom respektive sektor. Teori och empiri insamlades växelvis vilket innebär en iterativ ansats. Slutsats: Vi har i studien urskilt organisatoriska skillnader i rekryteringsprocessen vilket är avgörande för den kvinnliga representationen. Tid och resurser har identifierats som viktiga parametrar samt att ålder och erfarenhet spelar en viktig roll vid urvalet av kandidater. Vi konstaterar även att normativa regelverk inte fungerar på privat sektor och därmed finns behov av tvingande regelverk

148. Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be seen as graphene sheets rolled to form cylinders. CNTs may be categorised as single- (SWCNT) or multi-walled (MWCNT). Due to the small size, the number of particles as well as the surface area per mass unit is extremely high. CNTs are highly diverse, differing with respect to e.g., diameter, length, chiral angles, chemical functionalisation, purity, stiffness and bulk density. Today, CNTs are utilised primarily for the reinforcement of composite polymers, but there is considerable potential for other applications. The rapidly growing production and use of CNTs increases the risk for occupational exposure. Since CNTs in bulk form are of very low density and much dust is produced during their handling, exposure by inhalation appears to represent the greatest potential risk in the work place. However, most work place measurements involved sampling periods that are too short, varying sampling techniques and non-specific analytical methods. CNTs may be absorbed via inhalation and ingestion. Systemic uptake via the skin has not been demonstrated. Human toxicity data on CNTs are lacking and interpretation of animal studies is often problematic since the physical properties and chemical composition are diverse, impurities may be present and data are sometimes omitted. Because of the physical similarities between asbestos and CNTs, it can be suspected that the latter may also cause lung fibrosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer following inhalation. Intraperitoneal and intrascrotal administration of CNTs causes mesothelioma in animals, but no inhalation carcinogenicity studies have been conducted. Thus, it is too early conclude whether CNTs cause mesothelioma and lung cancer in humans. Both SWCNTs and MWCNTs cause inflammation and fibrosis in the lungs of relevant animal types and for MWCNTs these effects are also seen in the pleura. For instance, minimal histiocytosis and mild granulomatous inflammation in the lungs and lung-draining lymph nodes have been observed in rats exposed for 13 weeks to 0.1 mg/m3 MWCNTs (lowest observed adverse effect level, LOAEL), with more pronounced inflammation in both mice and rats at higher doses. Thus, inflammatory responses in the lungs may be considered as the critical effect. However, the LOAEL of CNTs should be interpreted cautiously, since their toxicity is likely to vary widely, depending on the structure and physicochemical properties, as well as the contribution from non-carbon components. It is also uncertain which dose metric (e.g., mass, number or surface area per air volume unit) is most appropriate. Some studies indicate that longer straight CNTs evoke more pronounced biological effects than shorter or tangled fibres

Late-adolescent risk factors for suicide and self-harm in middle-aged men: explorative prospective population-based study

BackgroundRecent reports show alarmingly high rates of suicide in middle-aged men, yet there are few long-term prospective studies that focus on suicidal behaviour in men in this age group.AimsTo prospectively explore associations of potential risk factors at age 18 with suicide and self-harm in middle-aged men.MethodA population-based Swedish longitudinal cohort study of male conscripts with no history of self-harm at enlistment in 1968–1989 (n= 987 583). Conscription examinations included measures of cognitive performance, stress resilience, psychiatric diagnoses, body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. Suicides and self-harm at age 45–65 years were identified in the National Hospital Register and Swedish Cause of Death Register. Risks were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsLow stress resilience (cause-specific hazard ratio CHR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.95–2.74), low cognitive ability (CHR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.71–2.37) as well as psychiatric disorders and low cardiovascular fitness in late adolescence were associated with increased risk for suicide in middle-aged men. Similar risk estimates were obtained for self-harm. In addition, high and low BMI as well as low muscle strength were associated with increased risk of self-harm. Associations also remained significant after exclusion of men with self-harm before age 45.ConclusionsThis prospective study provides life-course perspective support that psychological and physical characteristics in late adolescence may have long-lasting consequences for suicidal behaviour in middle-aged men, a very large population at heightened risk of suicide

Планування ЗЕД на підприємствах малого та середнього бізнесу

Pheochromocytomas (PCC) and abdominal paragangliomas (PGL) display a highly diverse genetic background and recent gene expression profiling studies have shown that PCC and PGL (together PPGL) alter either kinase signaling pathways or the pseudo-hypoxia response pathway dependent of the genetic composition. Recurrent mutations in the Harvey rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (HRAS) have recently been verified in sporadic PPGLs. In order to further establish the HRAS mutation frequency and to characterize the associated expression profiles of HRAS mutated tumors, 156 PPGLs for exon 2 and 3 hotspot mutations in the HRAS gene was screened, and compared with microarray-based gene expression profiles for 93 of the cases. The activating HRAS mutations G13R, Q61R, and Q61K were found in 10/142 PCC (7.0%) and a Q61L mutation was revealed in 1/14 PGL (7.1%). All HRAS mutated cases included in the mRNA expression profiling grouped in Cluster 2, and 21 transcripts were identified as altered when comparing the mutated tumors with 91 HRAS wild-type PPGL. Somatic HRAS mutations were not revealed in cases with known PPGL susceptibility gene mutations and all HRAS mutated cases were benign. The HRAS mutation prevalence of all PPGL published up to date is 5.2% (49/950), and 8.8% (48/548) among cases without a known PPGL susceptibility gene mutation. The findings support a role of HRAS mutations as a somatic driver event in benign PPGL without other known susceptibility gene mutations. HRAS mutated PPGL cluster together with NF1- and RET-mutated tumors associated with activation of kinase-signaling pathways.Funding Agencies|Swedish Cancer Foundation; StratCan; Swedish Research Council; Cancer Research Foundations of Radiumhemmet; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm County Council</p

FUSIONS Definitional Framework for Food Waste

none21To develop reliable food waste estimates, which can be accurately repeated over time, it is necessary to produce data within a robust methodological framework. This must comprise a consistent definition of food waste and its components, and consistent system boundaries for the food supply chain. The absence of a framework for defining food waste to date has led to the production of datasets that are not always comparable or transparent as to which fractions are included. A common definitional framework will support policy-makers at both EU and Member State level, and stakeholders across the food supply chain, by enabling them to accurately track the rate of food waste reduction, and the effectiveness of their waste prevention strategies. The development of this framework for defining food waste signals a key step towards improving our understanding of the food waste challenge in Europe and its consistent use will help measure progress towards both resource efficiency and food security goals.openKarin Östergren; Jenny Gustavsson; Hilke Bos-Brouwers; Toine Timmermans; Ole-Jørgen Hansen; Hanne Møller; Gina Anderson; Clementine O’Connor; Han Soethoudt; Tom Quested; Sophie Easteal; Alessandro Politano; Cecilia Bellettato; Massimo Canali; Luca Falasconi; Silvia Gaiani; Matteo Vittuari; Felicitas Schneider; Graham Moates; Keith Waldron; Barbara RedlingshöferKarin Östergren; Jenny Gustavsson; Hilke Bos-Brouwers; Toine Timmermans; Ole-Jørgen Hansen; Hanne Møller; Gina Anderson; Clementine O’Connor; Han Soethoudt; Tom Quested; Sophie Easteal; Alessandro Politano; Cecilia Bellettato; Massimo Canali; Luca Falasconi; Silvia Gaiani; Matteo Vittuari; Felicitas Schneider; Graham Moates; Keith Waldron; Barbara Redlingshöfe

Sustainable Diets: another hurdle or a better food future?,

The notion of sustainable diets has emerged forcibly onto the food policy agenda in recent years, but has also met resistance. The article reviews the case for sustainable diets. It counterbalances the current dominant policy emphasis on raising food output as the best route to a sustainable food future. The article suggests that a process of democratic experimentation is underway. Some official guidelines have emerged alongside a mix of civil society and academic formulations. More coherence of data, principles and purpose is needed at the global and regional policy-making levels for these to become effective in the common task of reducing the food system’s negative impact on health, environment and economies