Intergenerational Mobility, Human Capital Transmission and the Earnings of Second-Generation Immigrants in Sweden

We compare the intergenerational earnings mobility of immigrants with natives in Sweden. We find an overall convergence in average earnings between immigrants and natives. This convergence hides a divergence in average earnings between groups of immigrants with different ethnic origins. We find that, on average, immigrants have a lower intergenerational earnings mobility, also (on average) within groups with similar ethnic backgrounds. Immigrants with a relatively low intergenerational earnings mobility increased their average earnings more in the second generation, thereby supporting the idea that low intergenerational earnings mobility can be interpreted as a high degree of intergenerational transmission of human capital.intergenerational income mobility; intergenerational earnings correlation; Becker-Tomes model; ethnic capital

Sexual orientation and occupational rank

This paper presents a study of differences in occupational rank between gay and heterosexual males as well as between lesbian and heterosexual females. We estimate different specifications of an ordered probit model on register data from Sweden. Our data consist of married heterosexual men and women and homosexual men and women living in civil unions. We find that homosexual men have a lower probability of working in a profession demanding a longer university education or a management profession than heterosexual men. In contrast, we find that homosexual women are more likely than heterosexual women to work in such professions.Sexual orientation, labour market, occupational rank

Ethnic Discrimination in the Market Place of Small Business Transfers

This paper presents the first field experiment regarding ethnic discrimination in the market place of small business transfers. We let two fictitious prospective buyers, one with a typical Swedish name and one with a typical Arab/Muslim name, respond to advertisements of small business transfers on the Internet in Sweden. We then recorded the number contacts achieved by each fictitious buyer with sellers. We found that sellers discriminated against the buyer with an Arab/Muslim name in the sense that the buyer with an Arab/Muslim name obtained fewer contacts with sellers than did the buyer with a Swedish name.Discrimination, self-employment, small business transfers, ethnic minorities, field experiment.

Are homosexuals discriminated against in the hiring process?

This paper presents the first field experiment on sexual orientation discrimination in the hiring process in the Swedish labor market. Job applications were sent to about 4,000 employers in 10 different occupations in Sweden. Gender and sexual orientation were randomly assigned to applications. The results show that sexual orientation discrimi-nation exists in the Swedish labor market. The discrimination against gays and lesbian varies across different occupations and appears only in the private sector. The results also seem to suggest a new dimension of traditional gender roles; the gay applicant was discriminated against in typical male-dominated occupations whereas the lesbian applicant was discriminated against in typical female-dominated occupations. Thus, the results suggest that gays to some extent face the same obstacles on the labor market as heterosexual women.Labor market discrimination; sexual orientation; field experiment

Impact of HPV in Oropharyngeal Cancer

The incidence of oropharyngeal cancers has increased in the western world and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been recognised as a risk factor in the last decades. During the same period the prevalence of HPV in oropharyngeal tumours has increased and HPV has been suggested responsible for the increase. The HPV-positive tumours are today recognized as a distinct subset of head and neck cancers with its own clinopathological and risk profile and have a significantly improved prognosis regardless of treatment strategy. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding human papillomavirus biology, oncogenic mechanisms, risk factors, and impact of treatment

Adipose Tissue Dysregulation and Reduced Insulin Sensitivity in Non-Obese Individuals with Enlarged Abdominal Adipose Cells

Background: Obesity contributes to Type 2 diabetes by promoting systemic insulin resistance. Obesity causes features of metabolic dysfunction in the adipose tissue that may contribute to later impairments of insulin action in skeletal muscle and liver; these include reduced insulin-stimulated glucose transport, reduced expression of GLUT4, altered expression of adipokines, and adipocyte hypertrophy. Animal studies have shown that expansion of adipose tissue alone is not sufficient to cause systemic insulin resistance in the absence of adipose tissue metabolic dysfunction. To determine if this holds true for humans, we studied the relationship between insulin resistance and markers of adipose tissue dysfunction in non-obese individuals. Method 32 non-obese first-degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients were recruited. Glucose tolerance was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test and insulin sensitivity was measured with the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. Blood samples were collected and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue biopsies obtained for gene/protein expression and adipocyte cell size measurements. Results: Our findings show that also in non-obese individuals low insulin sensitivity is associated with signs of adipose tissue metabolic dysfunction characterized by low expression of GLUT4, altered adipokine profile and enlarged adipocyte cell size. In this group, insulin sensitivity is positively correlated to GLUT4 mRNA (R = 0.49, p = 0.011) and protein (R = 0.51, p = 0.004) expression, as well as with circulating adiponectin levels (R = 0.46, 0 = 0.009). In addition, insulin sensitivity is inversely correlated to circulating RBP4 (R = −0.61, 0 = 0.003) and adipocyte cell size (R = −0.40, p = 0.022). Furthermore, these features are inter-correlated and also associated with other clinical features of the metabolic syndrome in the absence of obesity. No association could be found between the hypertrophy-associated adipocyte dysregulation and HIF-1alpha in this group of non-obese individuals. Conclusions: In conclusion, these findings support the concept that it is not obesity per se, but rather metabolic dysfunction of adipose tissue that is associated with systemic insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome

Enteral tube feeding of head and neck cancer patients undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy in the Nordic Countries : Survey of the Scandinavian Society for Head and Neck Oncology

Purpose We assessed current policies and perceptions of enteral tube feeding in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A web-based survey was used to compare the timing and method of tube feeding within and between the five Nordic countries, covering a population of 27 million. Methods From each of the 21 Nordic university hospitals, one oncologist and one otorhinolaryngology-head and neck (ORL-HN) surgeon responded to a survey. The respondents were asked whether tube insertion before the onset of CRT, or during CRT as required (prophylactic vs. reactive) was preferred. The use of a pretreatment nutritional screening tool and the choice of feeding route (nasogastric vs. gastrostomy tube) were assessed. In total, we analyzed responses from 21 oncologists and 21 ORL-HN surgeons. Results A tendency was observed towards decreasing the use of a PEG tube. Of the 21 university hospitals, only 2 (10%) reported using a prophylactic PEG tube in over half of HNC patients undergoing definitive CRT. The preferred method for reactive tube feeding was by a NG tube in 14 of 21 (67%), and by a PEG in 7 of 21 (33%). In general, both oncologists and ORL-HN surgeons were content with their current policy. Conclusions The practices for enteral tube feeding in HNC management vary within and between the Nordic countries. We suggest that unified protocols for tube feeding should be developed for this patient population.Peer reviewe

Impaired Preadipocyte Differentiation in Human Abdominal Obesity: Role of Wnt, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, and Inflammation

OBJECTIVE—We examined preadipocyte differentiation in obese and nonobese individuals and the effect of cytokines and wingless-type MMTV (mouse mammary tumor virus) integration site family, member 3A (Wnt3a) protein on preadipocyte differ-entiation and phenotype. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Abdominal subcuta-neous adipose tissue biopsies were obtained from a total of 51 donors with varying BMI. After isolation of the adipose and stromalvascular cells, inflammatory cells (CD14- and CD45-positive cells) were removed by immune magnetic separation. CD133-positive cells, containing early progenitor cells, were also isolated and quantified. The CD14- and CD45-negative preadipo-cytes were cultured with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-, inter-leukin (IL)-6, resistin, or Wnt3a with or without a differentiation cocktail

CCN5/WISP2 and metabolic diseases.

This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s12079-017-0437-zObesity and type 2 diabetes increase worldwide at an epidemic rate. It is expected that by the year 2030 around 500 million people will have diabetes; predominantly type 2 diabetes. The CCN family of proteins has become of interest in both metabolic and other common human diseases because of their effects on mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) proliferation and differentiation as well as being important regulators of fibrosis. We here review current knowledge of the WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2 (CCN5/WISP2). It has been shown to be an important regulator of both these processes through effects on both the canonical WNT and the TGFβ pathways. It is also under normal regulation by the adipogenic commitment factor BMP4, in contrast to conventional canonical WNT ligands, and allows MSCs to undergo normal adipose cell differentiation. CCN5/WISP2 is highly expressed in, and secreted by, MSCs and is an important regulator of MSCs growth. In a transgenic mouse model overexpressing CCN5/WISP2 in the adipose tissue, we have shown that it is secreted and circulating in the blood, the mice develop hypercellular white and brown adipose tissue, have increased lean body mass and enlarged hypercellular hearts. Obese transgenic mice had improved insulin sensitivity. Interestingly, the anti-fibrotic effect of CCN5/WISP2 is protective against heart failure by inhibition of the TGFβ pathway. Understanding how CCN5/WISP2 is regulated and signals is important and may be useful for developing new treatment strategies in obesity and metabolic diseases and it can also be a target in regenerative medicine.The studies in the authors’ laboratory are supported by grants from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA grant agreement (n° 608765), Henning and Johan Throne- Holst’s foundation for the promotion of scientific research, the Medical Research Council, Torsten Söderberg Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, EFSD, Swedish Diabetes Foundation, Swedish ALF funds, Edgar Sjölund Foundation, Wilhelm and Martina Lundgren’s Foundation, the Magnus Bergvall Foundation, Lisa and Johan Grönberg Foundation, Göteborgs Diabetesförening, Sigurd and Elsa Golje’s Foundation, and the EU’s FP7 program (n°607842)

Serum Visfatin and Fetuin-A Levels and Glycemic Control in Patients with Obese Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BackgroundVisfatin is an adipokine produced by visceral adipose tissue and has insulin-mimicking effects. Fetuin-A is a hepatic secretory protein that binds the insulin receptor and inhibits insulin action both in vivo and in vitro. The authors of the present study aimed to investigate the levels of serum visfatin and fetuin-A and their correlation with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and urine albumin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).MethodsA total of 40 obese patients with T2DM (11 males and 29 females; age, 54.47±10.83 years and 23 obese nondiabetic controls (8 males and 15 females; age, 53.04±11.33 years) were included in the study. Age, sex, and body mass index were similar in the 2 groups. Serum visfatin and fetuin-A levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. HbA1c and urine albumin levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography and nephelometric method, respectively.ResultsSerum levels of visfatin in patients with T2DM (4.03±2.44 ng/mL) were similar to the control group (3.65±3.02 ng/mL). Serum fetuin-A levels were significantly lower in patients with T2DM than the controls (298.75±78.86 and 430.73±94.46 µg/mL, respectively). HbA1c levels were significantly higher in the T2DM group compared with controls (7.33±1.32 and 5.44±0.84%, respectively). Correlations between visfatin, fetuin-A and HbA1c levels were not observed.ConclusionThe present study suggests fetuin-A may play a role in the pathogenesis of T2DM