The Molecular Genetic Architecture of Self-Employment

Economic variables such as income, education, and occupation are known to affect mortality and morbidity, such as cardiovascular disease, and have also been shown to be partly heritable. However, very little is known about which genes influence economic variables, although these genes may have both a direct and an indirect effect on health. We report results from the first large-scale collaboration that studies the molecular genetic architecture of an economic variable-entrepreneurship-that was operationalized using self-employment, a widely-available proxy. Our results suggest that common SNPs when considered jointly explain about half of the narrow-sense heritability of self-employment estimated in twin data (σg2/σP2= 25%, h2= 55%). However, a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies across sixteen studies comprising 50,627 participants did not identify genome-wide significant SNPs. 58 SNPs with p<10-5were tested in a replication sample (n = 3,271), but none replicated. Furthermore, a gene-based test shows that none of the genes that were previously suggested in the literature to influence entrepreneurship reveal significant associations. Finally, SNP-based genetic scores that use results from the meta-analysis capture less than 0.2% of the variance in self-employment in an independent sample (p≥0.039). Our results are consistent with a highly polygenic molecular genetic architecture of self-employment, with many genetic variants of small effect. Although self-employment is a multi-faceted, heavily environmentally influenced, and biologically distal trait, our results are similar to those for other genetically complex and biologically more proximate outcomes, such as height, intelligence, personality, and several diseases

Genetic variants associated with subjective well-being, depressive symptoms, and neuroticism identified through genome-wide analyses

Very few genetic variants have been associated with depression and neuroticism, likely because of limitations on sample size in previous studies. Subjective well-being, a phenotype that is genetically correlated with both of these traits, has not yet been studied with genome-wide data. We conducted genome-wide association studies of three phenotypes: subjective well-being (n = 298,420), depressive symptoms (n = 161,460), and neuroticism (n = 170,911). We identify 3 variants associated with subjective well-being, 2 variants associated with depressive symptoms, and 11 variants associated with neuroticism, including 2 inversion polymorphisms. The two loci associated with depressive symptoms replicate in an independent depression sample. Joint analyses that exploit the high genetic correlations between the phenotypes (|ρ^| ≈ 0.8) strengthen the overall credibility of the findings and allow us to identify additional variants. Across our phenotypes, loci regulating expression in central nervous system and adrenal or pancreas tissues are strongly enriched for association.</p

The Molecular Genetic Architecture of Self-Employment

Peer reviewe

Comparing welfare effects of different regulation schemes: an application to the electricity distribution industry

Abstract We compare the welfare effects of different regulation schemes of electricity distribution utilities. The regulation schemes are price cap regulation, cost of service regulation, menu of cost-contingent contracts and simple menus of contracts. In our calculations we utilize the benchmarking information of firm specific costs. The firm specific cost information of Finnish electricity distribution utilities is obtained by using various Stochastic Frontier models. Our basic result is that welfare can be improved by changing the cost of service regulation scheme to the menu of contracts regulation. Welfare also increases in the case of price cap regulation. There is however, a significant difference among regulation regimes on how this improved welfare is distributed to consumers and producers

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Abstract Stochastic frontier modeling has proceeded rapidly recently. Heterogeneity modeling internalized into frontier estimation has opened up new promising possibilities. In this paper we study different ways of considering heterogeneity in stochastic frontier models. It is possible to take heterogeneity into account by including those effects in the mean and/or variance of the distribution of inefficiency (observed heterogeneity) or by randomizing some parameters of the stochastic frontier model (unobserved heterogeneity). We compare the advantages of heterogeneity including models over the conventional random effects models for measuring the cost efficiency of electricity distribution utilities. Our results indicate that in all heterogeneity accounting models mean inefficiency decreases significantly compared to the basic random effects model. According to our results randomizing some of the parameters seems to help to capture the unobserved heterogeneity and hence this kind of firm specific heterogeneity does not appear as inefficiency in our estimation results. Notable is that the model which accounts observed heterogeneity and the models which account unobserved heterogeneity produce clearly different rank orders

User values of smart home energy management system:sensory ethnography in VSD empirical investigation

Abstract Ubiquitous computing continues to transform our lives, including our homes and leisure activities. Smart home energy management system (SHEMS) are one example of such a technology. It connects homes to a smart grid and may increase the use of renewable energy by directing the demand to off-peak hours and reducing the overall energy demand. User values of such a technology may be critical in the acquisition, adoption and assimilation of the technology. This research fills the gap of understanding user values of SHEMS users. We studied new, potential and experienced users of SHEMS and their values. Sensory ethnography interview method was applied in the value sensitive design empirical investigation to elicit key user values of SHEMS in 28 families. The users relate to SHEMS values such as economic gains, environmental sustainability, comfort and security. Some SHEMS users’ values such as stimulation, creativity, and autonomy, can be in conflict with the values of other family members, and with those which are currently built in the SHEMS technologies. The recognized values of SHEMS stakeholders act as an input for the design of smart grid and smart home services and products. In addition, the research contributes to the theory-building of smart home technology user research

Self-employment and psychometric measure of risk aversion:a replication and extension

Abstract We examine whether the psychometric feature, called fear of uncertainty, predicts self-employment choice by individuals. Using the most recent Northern Finland birth cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) data from 2012, we find no clear evidence of such an effect. We also explore whether this effect might have changed due to increase of females in labour market, endogenous adaptation in risk preferences or because of the self-employment experience itself affects risk preferences. These effects are not significant, either

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Abstract To examine the relationship between early health status and financial decisions in adulthood, we link information on birth weight in 1966 from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort to data from the Finnish Central Securities Depository over the period of 1995–2010. We find that persons predisposed to poor health status in early childhood (indicated by low birth weight) avoid participating in the stock market in adulthood, with a 10% increase in birth weight associated with a 1.9% increase in probability of participation. The link between birth weight and stock market participation is partially channeled by poor early health status being associated with higher risk aversion. Early health status is not significantly related to risk taking in terms of the stock portfolio’s composition

Materiality and embodiment in collaborative knowledge processes:knowledge creation for a virtual power plant

Abstract Introduction: The study introduces a theoretical framework for examining knowledge creation and results of an empirical examination, based on hermeneutic phenomenological approach, emphasising the dialogical, embodied nature of human beings, who act and interact in their material environment. Method: Ethnographic approach, focusing especially on the interactive events, is used to examine the process of knowledge creation in a multi-disciplinary research community, developing scientific knowledge for a virtual power plant. Analysis. Video materials, observational data, field diary and documents were analysed in different stages, focusing on the content of the discussions, modality of interaction and the phenomena of knowledge use, sharing and creation in the process. Results: The analysis of the videotaped discussions in relation with the data from the longer knowledge creation process of a virtual power plant suggests that to create interdisciplinary knowledge, there has to be means and tools to move flexibly from ideation and verbal discussions to more detailed means of sharing, using and creating scientific knowledge. Conclusions: Examining knowledge creation as a dialogical, hermeneutic process enables us to see, how the problems faced can be understood and solved by acknowledging the embodied nature of the human beings, their limits and possibilities

Do people adapt to climate change?:evidence from the industrialized countries

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to explore the link between mortality and climate change. The focus is in particular on individuals’ adaptation to temperature changes. The authors analyze the relationship between climatic change (measured by temperature rate) and mortality in 23 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries during 1970–2010. Design/methodology/approach: This study performs the adaptation regression model in the level form as a dynamic panel fixed effects model. The authors use a non-linear threshold estimation approach to examine the extreme temperature changes effect on the temperature–mortality relation. More specifically, the study explores whether the large increases/decreases in temperature rates affect mortality rates more than the modest changes. Findings: This study indicates that the temperature–mortality relation is significant in early part of the sample period (before 1990) but insignificant during the second part (after 1990). After including controlling factors, as well as nation and year fixed effects, the authors provide evidence that people do adapt to the most of the temperature-related mortalities. Also, this study provides evidence of the non-linear relationship between national temperatures and mortality rates. It is observed that only after 5 per cent increase in the annual temperature, the relation between temperature and overall mortality is significant. Originality/value: Most studies cover only one specific country, hence making it difficult to generalize across countries. Therefore, the authors argue that the best estimation of the health effects of temperature change can be found by modeling the past relationships between temperature and mortality across countries for a relatively long period. To the authors’ knowledge, previous studies have not systemically tested the adaptation effect across countries