The Labor Market Returns to Cognitive and Noncognitive Ability: Evidence from the Swedish Enlistment

We use data from the military enlistment for a large representative sample of Swedish men to assess the importance of cognitive and noncognitive ability for labor market outcomes. The measure of noncognitive ability is based on a personal interview conducted by a psychologist. Unlike survey-based measures of noncognitive ability, this measure is a substantially stronger predictor of labor market outcomes than cognitive ability. In particular, we find strong evidence that men who fare badly in the labor market in the sense of long-term unemployment or low annual earnings lack noncognitive but not cognitive ability. We point to a technological explanation for this result. Noncognitive ability is an important determinant of productivity irrespective of occupation or ability level, though it seems to be of particular importance for workers in a managerial position. In contrast, cognitive ability is valuable only for men in qualified occupations. As a result, noncognitive ability is more important for men at the verge of being priced out of the labor market.Personality; Noncognitive ability; Cognitive ability; Intelligence; Human capital

Investering i spannmålstorkning och lagring på gårdsnivå

The current situation for Swedish grain farmers facing a situation with decreasing profitability makes it necessary for the farmers to find ways of increasing the margins in their grain growing. Decreasing profitabilities along with Lantmännens closing of grain elevators contribute to the necessity for farmers to invest in grain storing and drying at the farm. By investing in capacity for drying and storage of grain on the farm it is possible to recieve a higher price on the grain sold due to the possibility to sell when the price is higher compared to the harvesting season. An investment in grain drying and storage with a relatively low investment cost that recently has appeared on the Swedish market is the grain stir drying system. This study contains a comparison of an investment in a grain stir drying system where the grain is dried and stored in the same silo and a conventional drying and storage system. The comparisons are made for two sizes of farms, 200 and 400 acres, in the three regions Svealands slättbygder (Ss), Götalands norra slättbygder (Gns) and Götalands södra slättbygder (Gss). On the farms quality grain is grown for marketing purposes along with oil-seed. In order to optimize the economic result of the farm when an investment is conducted in any of the drying and storage systems integer programming techniques have been used. The results from the optimizations have been analyzed in order to draw conclusion on which of the investments that is the most profitable given certain conditions. This study also aims to answer questions about the impact of variations in moisture contents on the economic result of investing in the different systems. The impact of the total acreage available and how the optimal cropping plan is affected by investments in different types of systems are also subjects for analyses. The results of the study show that an investment in the grain stir drying system generates, given certain conditions, the best economic result. However an investment in a grain stir drying system also yields larger variations in the economic results compared to the conventional system. The fact that larger silos results in a reduced capital cost per kg stored grain makes it easier to achieve profitability in an investment when the available acreage is larger. The impact of the moisture contents on the economic result is most pronounced when investing in a grain stir drying system. The explanation is mainly existing limitations on the maximum moisture content allowed using the system. The optimal cropping plan remains about the same for all the investment alternatives in all of the geographical areas. Winter-wheat, spring-barley and oil-seeds are the most profitable crops and that is why these are solely grown. However there is a difference in the acreage allocation when different investments are made.Den rådande situationen för svensk spannmålsodling med vikande lönsamhet pga. ökade priser på insatsvaror och sjunkande avräkningspriser gör att lantbrukare måste söka olika vägar att öka marginalerna i växtodlingen. Denna utveckling i kombination med Lantmännens strukturrationalisering med nedläggning av spannmålsanläggningar bidrar till att en investering i torknings- och lagringskapacitet på den egna gården blir nödvändig för många lantbrukare. Genom att investera i torkning och lagring på gården kan ett högre avräkningspris erhållas genom att spannmålen förhoppningsvis kan säljas vid en tidpunkt då priset är mer fördelaktigt än vid skörd. Silotorken är ett exempel på en investering i torkning och lagring med relativt låga kapitalkostnader som nyligen etablerat sig på den svenska marknaden. Denna studie består av en jämförelse av investeringar i silotorksystem, där spannmålen torkas och lagras i samma silo, och konventionella tork- och lagringsanläggningar. Genomförda jämförelser behandlar två gårdsstorlekar, 200 och 400 hektar, i de tre geografiska områdena Svealands slättbygder (Ss), Götalands norra slättbygder (Gns) och Götalands södra slättbygder (Gss). Växtodlingen på gårdarna innefattar kvalitetsspannmål och oljeväxter. I studien har linjär heltalsprogrammering använts för att beräkna ekonomiskt optimala odlingssystem för gårdarna vid en investering i de olika anläggningarna. De genomförda optimeringarna har sedan jämförts i syfte att kunna dra slutsatser om vilken investering som är mest lönsam under de i studien givna förutsättningarna. Studien syftar också till att besvara frågor rörande skördevattenhaltens inverkan på resultatet av en investering, arealunderlagets betydelse vid en investering samt hur det optimala odlingssystemet påverkas av de olika investeringarna. Resultaten av studien visar att en investering i silotorkar ger det bästa resultatet. En investering i silotorkar innebär större variation i det ekonomiska resultatet mellan åren jämfört med det konventionella alternativet. Det faktum att stora anläggningar ger en lägre kapitalkostnad per kilogram lagrad spannmål gör att det vid ett större arealunderlag är lättare att få lönsamhet i en investering. Skördevattenhaltens betydelse är störst vid investering i silotork pga. begränsningar i den maximalt tillåtna skördevattenhalten vid torkning och lagring i silotorken. Den optimala grödfördelningen är likartad för alla investeringsalternativ i samtliga undersökta geografiska områden. Höstvete, vårkorn och oljeväxter är de mest lönsamma grödorna och endast dessa odlas. Arealfördelningen mellan dessa grödor skiljer sig dock beroende på vilket investeringsalternativ som väljs

Treatment with p33 Curtails Morbidity and Mortality in a Histone-Induced Murine Shock Model.

Collateral damage caused by extracellular histones has an immediate impact on morbidity and mortality in many disease models. A significant increase in the levels of extracellular histones is seen in critically ill patients with trauma and sepsis. We showed that histones are released from necrotic cells in patients with invasive skin infections. Under in vitro conditions, endogenous p33, an endothelial surface protein also known as the gC1q receptor, interacts with histones released from damaged endothelial cells. Functional analyses have revealed that recombinantly expressed p33 completely neutralizes the harmful features of histones, i.e. hemolysis of erythrocytes, lysis of endothelial cells and platelet aggregation. We also noted that mice treated with a sublethal dose of histones developed severe signs of hemolysis, thrombocytopenia and lung tissue damage already 10 min after inoculation. These complications were fully counteracted when p33 was administered together with the histones. Moreover, application of p33 significantly improved survival in mice receiving an otherwise lethal dose of histones. Together, our data suggest that treatment with p33 is a promising therapeutic approach in severe infectious diseases. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

High genetic diversity among Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains from Sierra Leone

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Among tuberculosis (TB) high incidence regions, Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly affected with approx. 1.6 million new cases every year. Besides this dramatic situation, data on the diversity of <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>complex (MTBC) strains causing this epidemic in this area are only sparsely available. Here we analyzed the population structure of strains from Sierra Leone with a special focus on the prevalence of <it>M. africanum</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 97 strains isolated from smear positive cases registered for re-treatment in the Western Area and Kenema districts in years 2003/2004 were investigated by susceptibility testing (first line drugs) and molecular typing (IS<it>6110 </it>fingerprinting, spoligotyping, and MIRU-VNTR typing).</p> <p>Among the strains analyzed, 32 were resistant to isoniazid, and 11 were multidrug resistant (at least resistant to isoniazid and rifampin). The population diversity was high with two previously described <it>M. africanum </it>lineages (West African-1, n = 6; West African-2, n = 17) and seven <it>M. tuberculosis </it>lineages (Haarlem, n = 14; LAM, n = 15; EAI, n = 4; Beijing, n = 4; S-type, n = 4, X-type, n = 1; Cameroon, n = 4). Furthermore, two new <it>M. tuberculosis </it>genotypes Sierra Leone-1 (n = 7) and -2 (n = 10) were found. Strain classification according to a 7 bp deletion in pks1/15 revealed that the majority of <it>M. tuberculosis </it>strains belonged to the Euro American lineage (66 out of 74).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Resistance rates in Sierra Leone have reached an alarming level. The population structure of MTBC strains shows an intriguing diversity raising the question of possible consequences for TB epidemic and for the introduction of new diagnostic tests or treatment strategies in West Africa.</p

Passive Tomographic Study on Velocity Changes in Underground Mines Using Tabular Mesh Grids

AbstractDouble difference tomographic inversion on measurements of travelling time and location are performed to analyze the velocity structure within rock mass in underground mining. Residuals of each iteration are estimated to evaluate the conversion of computation. Average wave propagation velocities in tabular areas are assessed to compare the velocity change affected by mainshocks. It is summarized that velocity increases before mainshocks and then reduces with temporal evolution after them. Possible explanations include static stress buildup that enhances the wave propagation before mainshocks and static stress reduction that weakens the waveform propagation. Additionally, wave propagation is attenuated by the dynamic-shaking induced fractures and ruptures within rock masses. Velocity change is shown to be of importance in assessing the stress redistribution and stability of rock masses. It is found that P-wave velocity increased by 1% ~5% before the occurrence of mainshocks. After the mainshocks, the velocity turned into decreasing and eventually dropped to a level that was even lower than the average level before the mainshocks. It can be inferred that stress increased and formed a stress concentration region before the mainshocks. The occurrence of mainshocks caused damage and stress relaxation in the rock mass, leading to a significant velocity decrease

Outcome of a psychosocial health promotion intervention aimed at improving physical health and reducing alcohol use in patients with schizophrenia and psychotic disorders (MINT)

Background: Life expectancy is reduced by 19 years in men and 17 in women with psychosis in Sweden, largely due to cardiovascular disease. Aim: Assess whether a psychosocial health promotion intervention improves cardiometabolic risk factors, quality of life, and severity of illness in patients with psychotic disorders more than treatment as usual. Methods: A pragmatic intervention trial testing a manual-based multi-component health promotion intervention targeting patients with psychosis. The Swedish intervention was adapted from IMPaCT therapy, a health-promotion program based on motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy, designed to be incorporated into routine care. The intervention group consisted of 119 patients and a control group of 570 patients from specialized psychosis departments. Outcome variables were assessed 6 months before intervention during the run-in period, again at the start of intervention, and 12 months after the intervention began. The control group received treatment as usual. Results: The intervention had no significant effect on any of the outcome variables. However, BMI, waist circumference, systolic BP, heart rate, HbA1c, general health, and Clinical Global Impressions Scale score improved significantly during the run-in period before the start of the active intervention (observer effect). The multi-component design meant that treatment effects could only be calculated for the intervention as a whole. Conclusion: The results of the intervention are similar to those of the U.K. IMPaCT study, in which the modular health-promotion intervention had little effect on cardiovascular risk indicators. However, in the current study, the run-in period had a positive effect on cardiometabolic risk factors

Associations between the 17q21 region and allergic rhinitis in 5 birth cohorts

Non peer reviewe

Cholinergic white matter pathways along the Alzheimer's disease continuum

Nemy et al. investigate cholinergic white matter projections along the Alzheimer's disease continuum. They show that alterations are already present in individuals with subjective cognitive decline, preceding the more widespread alterations seen in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia. Previous studies have shown that the cholinergic nucleus basalis of Meynert and its white matter projections are affected in Alzheimer's disease dementia and mild cognitive impairment. However, it is still unknown whether these alterations can be found in individuals with subjective cognitive decline, and whether they are more pronounced than changes found in conventional brain volumetric measurements. To address these questions, we investigated microstructural alterations of two major cholinergic pathways in individuals along the Alzheimer's disease continuum using an in vivo model of the human cholinergic system based on neuroimaging. We included 402 participants (52 Alzheimer's disease, 66 mild cognitive impairment, 172 subjective cognitive decline and 112 healthy controls) from the Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Study. We modelled the cholinergic white matter pathways with an enhanced diffusion neuroimaging pipeline that included probabilistic fibre-tracking methods and prior anatomical knowledge. The integrity of the cholinergic white matter pathways was compared between stages of the Alzheimer's disease continuum, in the whole cohort and in a CSF amyloid-beta stratified subsample. The discriminative power of the integrity of the pathways was compared to the conventional volumetric measures of hippocampus and nucleus basalis of Meynert, using a receiver operating characteristics analysis. A multivariate model was used to investigate the role of these pathways in relation to cognitive performance. We found that the integrity of the cholinergic white matter pathways was significantly reduced in all stages of the Alzheimer's disease continuum, including individuals with subjective cognitive decline. The differences involved posterior cholinergic white matter in the subjective cognitive decline stage and extended to anterior frontal white matter in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia stages. Both cholinergic pathways and conventional volumetric measures showed higher predictive power in the more advanced stages of the disease, i.e. mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia. In contrast, the integrity of cholinergic pathways was more informative in distinguishing subjective cognitive decline from healthy controls, as compared with the volumetric measures. The multivariate model revealed a moderate contribution of the cholinergic white matter pathways but not of volumetric measures towards memory tests in the subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment stages. In conclusion, we demonstrated that cholinergic white matter pathways are altered already in subjective cognitive decline individuals, preceding the more widespread alterations found in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. The integrity of the cholinergic pathways identified the early stages of Alzheimer's disease better than conventional volumetric measures such as hippocampal volume or volume of cholinergic nucleus basalis of Meynert