Self-Governance in the Commons - A study of social control in Swedish recreational lobster fisheries

Most of the natural resources we rely on for our existence on this planet could in one way or another be a subject to overexploitation through tragedy of the commons. Tragedy of the commons occurs when rational individuals all acting in their own self-interest creates a situation that is suboptimal for everyone involved (Hardin, 1968). For long privatization or government control over a common were seen as the only two options to avoid this tragedy. Through empirical studies Elinor Ostrom described a third alternative based on local self-governance where individuals themselves managed to collaborate around a scarce resource and create long-term sustainability (Ostrom, 1999). In this study the appropriateness of a self-governance system in small coastal societies and in the city of Gothenburg was assessed through a case study of recreational lobster fishers. Further on some factors to get acceptance for regulations in a common were highlighted. One of these factors was the development of social norms regarding regulations in lobster fishing. The norm development seemed to have followed a perceived crisis in the fishery. This visible decline of the stock made the fishers realize the importance of the regulations and thus internalizing them, creating a norm. Another important factor is that the stationary nature of the lobster. Lobsters live most of their life within the same area this can be expected to increase the incentives for fishers to treat the resource sustainably since a growth in the local stock will likely benefit the same fishers in the years to come. Based on the existence of social punishment for violators in the small coastal communities, it can be assumed that the social control in Grundsund and on Stora Kornö is much greater than in Gothenburg. Social control is one very important factor for the success of a self-governance system; therefore it could be assumed to be easier to implement a self-governance system in the small coastal societies of Grundsund and Stora Kornö than in the city of Gothenburg.Self-Governance in the Commons Many of our most precious natural resources are commons meaning that they are not owned privately nor completely controlled by the state. In 1968 Garret Hardin described in a soon famous article how these resources would be overexploited if not privatized or fully controlled by the government, he called this phenomenon “the tragedy of the commons”. In the 1990s Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom described a third way to govern the commons through collaboration between the resource users themselves in a system based on local self-governance. In self-governance the resource users themselves establish and enforce regulations to protect a common resource. To find out whether a self-governance system would be suitable in Swedish fisheries a case study of the recreational lobster fishery in Sweden was conducted. Fishers from the small coastal towns Stora Kornö and Grundsund as well as the from the city of Gothenburg were asked to answer questions about why they follow established regulations and what they would do if they caught another fisher with illegal harvest. Through the interviews it became clear that it was not socially acceptable to harvest illegal lobster. This social norm seemed to have developed as a response to a decline in the lobster stock. The fishers in the small coastal communities would to a much greater extent use social punishment (e.g. ostracism, spreading the word etc.) if someone violated the regulations than the fishers in Gothenburg. The stronger social control in the small coastal towns indicated that they already have a structure that could facilitate a self-governance system. This points to the fundamental conclusion that it would be easier to implement a self-governance system in contexts where the feeling of local connection and common social norms are strong

Essays on wage determinants in the long and the short run

This thesis consists of three independent chapters, each of which studies the processes behind the determination of workers’ wages. The first chapter takes a long run perspective; it investigates the labour market consequences of advances in automation technology in the late 20th century, with an emphasis on how this technology affected earnings of workers in different occupations, as well as the career choices and opportunities for social mobility of their children. The remaining chapters have a shorter run perspective: the second chapter studies how individual and parental wealth affect job search behaviour and earnings; and the third chapter studies wages over the career-cycle in a particular setting where both earnings and performance can be directly measured: the market for professional footballers. Intergenerational Occupational Mobility and Routine-biased Technological Change: This chapter analyses intergenerational occupational mobility in the presence of routine-biased technological change (RBTC). During the recent era of job polarization, fathers in cognitive jobs became relatively more likely to have sons with cognitive jobs, while the rise in low–skilled manual jobs was mainly accounted for by children of routine workers. These facts, among others, are rationalized in a general equilibrium, overlapping generations model where both financial resources and learning ability are transferred from parents to their children. Education choices are endogenous, and the cost of education depends on the cognitive wage rate – hence both parents’ income and the economy-wide cognitive wage premium affect the education decision. The model is calibrated to the US economy and successfully captures key empirical patterns. Despite depressing routine wages, altruistic preferences meant that routine workers born 1950-1965 saw welfare gains due to RBTC, although they would have preferred a slower adoption. Intergenerational Transfers, Wealth, and Job Search Behaviour: This chapter, which is co-authored with Ludo Visschers, analyzes the effects of individual wealth and parental wealth on job search behaviour. Making use of the quasi-random timing of the 2008 economic stimulus payments in the US, we confirm a finding from the previous literature: an increase in liquid wealth tends to lower job finding rates and increase reemployment wages, especially for lower wage and younger individuals. We also investigate how this finding may generalize to parental wealth. Using data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, as well as its follow-up child and young adult survey, we find that parental inter-vivos transfers depend on both the (adult) child’s employment status and the income of the parents. This finding suggests that individuals from wealthier background may be better insured against negative labour market shocks such as a job loss. Motivated by this, we estimate the effect of parental income on job search behaviour. In the cross-section, we find that the correlation between parental income and job search behaviour is different from the exogenous wealth shock: richer parents tend to be associated with higher job finding rates as well as higher reemployment wages, even after controlling for a rich set of characteristics. However, when estimating the effect of a job loss of a mother on the job search behaviour of her (adult) children we do find a positive effect on the job finding hazard and a negative effect on the occupational rank of the new job. This effect is stronger for individuals with deceased or absent fathers. We argue that these results motivate further investigation into intergenerational insurance and job search. The Age-wage-productivity puzzle: A Contribution from Professional Football This chapter, which is co-authored with Rachel Scarfe, Carl Singleton and Adesola Sunmoni, concerns the evolution of wages and productivity over a worker’s career. There is a positive relationship between age and wages in most labour markets and occupations. However, the effects of age on productivity are often unclear. We use panel data on the productivity and salaries of all the elite professional footballers in North America to estimate age-productivity and age-wage profiles. We find stark differences between these profiles; while the productivity of professional footballers peaks at the age of 26, wages continue to increase throughout most of their careers. This discrepancy has been observed in other labour markets, and poses the question: why are older workers seemingly overpaid relative to their contemporaneous productivity? The richness of our dataset allows us to consider a number of possible mechanisms that could be responsible. However, we fail to solve the age-wage-productivity puzzle that we have identified in this market

The age-wage-productivity puzzle:Evidence from the careers of top earners

There is an inverted u-shaped relationship between age and wages in most labour markets, but the effects of age on productivity are often unclear. We use panel data in a market of high earners, professional footballers (soccer players) in North America, to estimate age-productivity and age-wage profiles. We find stark differences; wages increase for several years after productivity has peaked, before dropping sharply at the end of a career. This poses the question: why are middle-aged workers seemingly overpaid? We investigate a range of possible mechanisms that could be responsible, only finding evidence that tentatively supports a talent discovery theory

Att göra Lean till en organisations DNA - En studie av två svenska tjänsteverksamheters Lean-implementering

Lean implementeras idag i allt större utsträckning inom tjänstesektorn vilket ökat efterfrågan på kunskap i detta sammahang. Inom forskningen efterfrågas det hur tjänsteföretag i verkligheten använder sig av Lean, hur de går tillväga och vilka effekter det medför. Samtidigt visar tidigare forskning att många Lean-implementeringar i verkligheten misslyckas, till följd av att Lean förstås och anammas på ett felaktigt sätt. Bland annat så likställs Lean ofta med en uppsättning effektiviserings- och standardiseringsverktyg snarare än en styrmodell och filosofi som påverkar och påverkas utav organisationens människor och kultur. Uppsatsens problem är således att undersöka hur företag i tjänstesektorn i praktiken implementerar och arbetar med Lean via olika verktyg och principer men också i förhållande till organisationskulturen. Detta genom att fokusera på Leans ”mjuka värden” och hur Lean utvecklats och anammats av de studerade företagens anställda. Genom detta ämnar uppsatsen svara till forskningens behov av mer empiriska exempel samt utgöra ett hjälpmedel för framtida tjänsteorganisationer som vill implementera Lean

Immunophenotype in orofacial granulomatosis with and without Crohn's disease

Objectives: The aim of this investigation was to characterise and compare the inflammatory infiltrates in patients with orofacial granulomatosis solely (OFG-S) and OFG with coexisting Crohn's disease (OFG+CD). Study Design: Biopsy specimens with granulomas were obtained from patients with OFG-S (n=11) and OFG+CD (n=11) and immunostained with antibodies against CD1a, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD11c, CD20, CD68 and mast cell tryptase, followed by quantitative analysis. Results: Analyses of the connective tissue revealed a significantly higher number of CD3- expressing T cells and CD11c-expressing dendritic cells in the connective tissue of patients with OFG-S compared to patients with OFG+CD. Mast cells displayed a high level of activation, although no significant difference was detected when comparing the two groups. Conclusions: The results show a different composition of the inflammatory infiltrate in patients with OFG-S compared to patients with OFG+CD. The present observations support that partly divergent immune mechanisms are involved in these two different subcategories of OFG

Do high wage footballers play for high wage teams? The case of Major League Soccer

Intuition and sports knowledge suggest that the most talented professional footballers play for the best teams, i.e., positive assortative matching based on productivity. We consider Major League Soccer between 2007 and 2017. We estimate a wage equation, finding that player and team fixed wage premiums are negatively correlated. This is a puzzle, especially because our estimates of players' wage premiums do correlate strongly with measures of their performance on the pitch, and there is evidence of positive teammate sorting. However, the estimated wage premiums of MLS teams are highly and negatively correlated with their success in the league and their home game attendances. This is consistent with an explanation whereby part of an MLS team's success comes from its ability to bargain down the price that it pays for talent

Altered expression of autoimmune regulator in infant down syndrome thymus, a possible contributor to an autoimmune phenotype.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the pageDown syndrome (DS), caused by trisomy of chromosome 21, is associated with immunological dysfunctions such as increased frequency of infections and autoimmune diseases. Patients with DS share clinical features, such as autoimmune manifestations and specific autoantibodies, with patients affected by autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1. Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, located on chromosome 21, which regulates the expression of tissue-restricted Ags (TRAs) in thymic epithelial cells. We investigated the expression of AIRE and TRAs in DS and control thymic tissue using quantitative PCR. AIRE mRNA levels were elevated in thymic tissue from DS patients, and trends toward increased expression of the AIRE-controlled genes INSULIN and CHRNA1 were found. Immunohistochemical stainings showed altered cell composition and architecture of the thymic medulla in DS individuals with increased frequencies of AIRE-positive medullary epithelial cells and CD11c-positive dendritic cells as well as enlarged Hassall's corpuscles. In addition, we evaluated the proteomic profile of thymic exosomes in DS individuals and controls. DS exosomes carried a broader protein pool and also a larger pool of unique TRAs compared with control exosomes. In conclusion, the increased AIRE gene dose in DS could contribute to an autoimmune phenotype through multiple AIRE-mediated effects on homeostasis and function of thymic epithelial cells that affect thymic selection processes.Swedish Research Council 80409601 Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation Region Vastra Gotaland ALFGBG-771712 Arbetsmarknadens Forsakringsaktiebolag 100258 IngaBritt and Arne Lundbergs Research Foundation AnnMari and Per Ahlqvists Foundation Gothenburg Medical Society Wilhelm and Martina Lundgrens Research Foundatio

Probiotic Treatment Decreases the Number of CD14-Expressing Cells in Porcine Milk Which Correlates with Several Intestinal Immune Parameters in the Piglets

Modulating the mucosal immune system of neonates by probiotic treatment of their mothers is a promising approach which can only be investigated through the use of animal models. Here, we used sows and their piglets to investigate the impact of a bacterial treatment on the sow’s milk and on the neonate piglet intestinal immune system. In previous experiments, feed supplementation of sows with the probiotic Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 during pregnancy and lactation had been shown to affect intestinal microbiota and cytokine expression of the offspring during the suckling and weaning periods. We therefore investigated the composition of the milk from treated sows in comparison to samples from a control group. In treated sows, the amount of lactose increased, and the somatic cell numbers were reduced. In all milk samples, the percentage of cells expressing membranous CD14 (mCD14) was greater than the fractions of immune cells, indicating expression of mCD14 on mammary epithelial cells. However, in the milk of E. faecium-treated sows, mCD14+ cells were reduced. Furthermore, the number of CD14+ milk cells was positively correlated with the percentages of B cells and activated T cells in the ileal MLN of the piglets. This study provides evidence for the expression of mCD14 by the porcine mammary epithelium, and suggests an immunological effect of mCD14+ milk cells on the piglets’ intestinal immune system. Our study further suggests that mCD14+ mammary epithelial cell populations can be modulated by probiotic feed supplementation of the sow.Peer Reviewe

Activation of natural regulatory T cells by IgG Fc-derived peptide Tregitopes

We have identified at least 2 highly promiscuous major histocompatibility complex class II T-cell epitopes in the Fc fragment of IgG that are capable of specifically activating CD4+CD25HiFoxP3+ natural regulatory T cells (nTRegs). Coincubation of these regulatory T-cell epitopes or “Tregitopes” and antigens with peripheral blood mononuclear cells led to a suppression of effector cytokine secretion, reduced proliferation of effector T cells, and caused an increase in cell surface markers associated with TRegs such as FoxP3. In vivo administration of the murine homologue of the Fc region Tregitope resulted in suppression of immune response to a known immunogen. These data suggest that one mechanism for the immunosuppressive activity of IgG, such as with IVIG, may be related to the activity of regulatory T cells. In this model, regulatory T-cell epitopes in IgG activate a subset of nTRegs that tips the resulting immune response toward tolerance rather than immunogenicity

Bovine milk derived skimmed milk powder and whey protein concentrate modulates Citrobacter rodentium shedding in the mouse intestinal tract

Skimmed milk powder (SMP) and whey protein concentrate (WPC) were manufactured from fresh milk collected from cows producing high or low Immunoglobulin (Ig) A levels in their milk. In addition commercial products were purchased for use as diluent or control treatments. A murine enteric disease model (Citrobacter rodentium) was used to assess whether delivery of selected bioactive molecules (IgA, IgG, Lactoferrin (Lf)) or formulation delivery matrix (SMP, WPC) affected faecal shedding of bacteria in C. rodentium infected mice. In trial one, faecal pellets collected from mice fed SMP containing IgA (0.007–0.35 mg/mL), IgG (0.28–0.58 mg/mL) and Lf (0.03–0.1 mg/mL) contained fewer C. rodentium (cfu) compared to control mice fed water (day 8, p < 0.04, analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Fisher’s unprotected least significant difference (ULSD)). In trial two, WPC containing IgA (0.35–1.66 mg/mL), IgG (0.58–2.36 mg/mL) and Lf (0.02–0.45 mg/mL) did not affect C. rodentium shedding, but SMP again reduced faecal C. rodentium levels (day 12, p < 0.04, ANOVA followed by Fisher’s ULSD). No C. rodentium was detected in sham phosphate-buffered saline inoculated mice. Mice fed a commercial WPC shed significantly greater numbers of C. rodentium over 4 consecutive days (Fishers ULSD test), compared to control mice fed water. These data indicate that SMP, but not WPC, modulates faecal shedding in C. rodentium-infected mice and may impact progression of C. rodentium infection independently of selected bioactive concentration. This suggests that food matrix can impact biological effects of foods