Culpability and Modern Crime

Criminal law has developed to prohibit new forms of intrusion on the autonomy and mental processes of others. Examples include modern understandings of fraud, extortion, and bribery, which pivot on the concepts of deception, coercion, and improper influence. Sometimes core offenses develop to include similar concepts, such as when reforms in the law of sexual assault make consent almost exclusively material. Many of these projects are laudable. But progressive programs in substantive criminal law can raise difficult problems of culpability. Modern iterations of criminal offenses often draw lines using concepts involving relative mental states among persons whose conduct is embedded within socially welcome activities. With such offenses, legal institutions struggle in borderline cases to locate sufficient fault to satisfy the demands of justification for punishment. This Article demonstrates this problem through exploration of the law of each of these offenses in modern form. To address the problem, the Article turns to criminal law theory, finding a connection between culpability and the principle of notice in criminal law. Rather than its absence serving to exculpate, notice can profitably be understood to inculpate. To manage the problem of culpability in modern crime, the Article concludes, legal institutions should attend more explicitly — in both criminalization and adjudication — to the questions whether the actor was aware of the normative wrongfulness of her conduct and, if not, whether punishment is justified on a negligence level of fault. This orientation is especially advisable when further expansive moves in American criminal justice are now difficult to justify

The impact of gonadotropin receptor polymorphisms on human reproductive function

To date, approximately 15% of all couples worldwide suffer from infertility. The management include controlledovarian hyper-stimulation of the women with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and semen analysis of the men,prior to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and transfer of the fertilized embryo to the uterine cavity. Approximately 250 000IVF cycles are performed worldwide each year, and as a result more than 5 million babies have been born sincethe technique was developed in 1978. It has been shown that common genetic variations, called single-nucleotidepolymorphisms (SNPs), affect the reproductive ability of both men and women, and also the outcome of the IVFtreatment. Especially the gene encoding the receptor to which FSH binds, the FSHR gene, has been investigated,since FSH is an essential hormone in both female and male repoductive function. However, since conflictingresults have been produced from previous studies, no firm conclusions can be drawn. Therefore, the aims of thisthesis were to investigate the impact of the FSHR SNPs T307A and N680S on male reproductive function in acohort of homogenous Swedish men (n=313) from the general population, study the connection between theFSHR N680S and the LHCGR N312S SNPs in relation to outcomes after IVF in unselected women (n=617)attending an IVF clinic and explore the activity of the different FSHR and LHCGR variants in vitro. The FSHRgenotypes of the men and FSHR/LHCGR genotypes of the women were associated with clinical parameters, andin the case of the women also associated with outcomes after IVF. The activity of the different receptor variantswere investigated in vitro in granulosa cells from women undergoing IVF and in monkey kidney cells, by means ofthe level of the produced downstream signaling molecule cAMP, measured by ELISA, in response to FSHtreatment. Swedish men from the general population that were homozygous for the FSHR T307/N680 genotypedisplayed a lower serum FSH concentration, as well as higher estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin andtestosterone concentrations, and also higher sperm counts and larger testicles. Women undergoing IVF gotpregnant to a higher extent (four-fold in IVF cycle 1 and two-fold in IVF cycle 2 and 3) if they were homozygous forthe combination of FSHR S680/LHCGR S312. In vitro results indicated that the FSHR S680/LHCGR N312 variantwas superior in terms of cAMP production. In conclusion, the results from this thesis show favourable reproductivehormonal status and sperm parameters of men with the FSHR T307/N680 genotype, while women homozygousfor the FSHR S680/LHCGR S312 combination more often got pregnant after IVF. In vitro results corroborated theobserved higher pregnancy rate for women with the FSHR S680/LHCGR S312 genotype, in terms of a highercAMP level in response to FSH treatment for this receptor combination. A gender difference may explain why thesame pattern was not observed in men, since several differences in the hormonal regulation between the femaleand male reproductive system exist. In general, this knowledge may be utilized in the development ofindividualized treatments of infertile men and women

Does the CEO manipulate earnings prior to routine departure? – An empirical study about earnings management prior to routine CEO departure on Swedish firms listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm

Title: Does the CEO manipulate earnings prior to routine departure? – An empirical study about earnings management prior to routine CEO departure on Swedish firms listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Seminar Date: 2015-05-25 Course: FEKN90: Degree project, Master of Science in Business and Economics (30 University credit points) Authors: Biljana Colevska and Ida Lindgren Advisor: Per Magnus Andersson Key words: Routine CEO departure, earnings management, discretionary accruals, research and development expenditures, Swedish public market Purpose: The aim of the study is to empirically describe and analyze whether and if so why CEOs on Swedish public firms, listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm, use earnings management prior to routine CEO departures. Theoretical perspective: This study is based on prior research that examines the relationship between routine CEO departures and the use of earnings management and literature on earnings management. Furthermore, the theories used in this thesis are based on the agency theory, the stakeholder and shareholder theory, compensation, corporate governance and ownership structure. Methodology: A quantitative study is made with a deductive approach by running a cross sectional regression to measure the use of discretionary accruals and a panel data regression on the explanatory variables. Furthermore, a panel data regression is used to measure the use of research and development expenses prior to a routine CEO departure. Empirical foundations: The analysis includes companies listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm with a routine CEO departure between the period 2007 to 2014. Conclusion: Real earnings management occurs prior to routine CEO departures, while there tends to be less use of accruals management. A negative significant relationship is found between board independence, institutional ownership, market capitalization and earnings management. A positive significant relationship is found between the market book ratio and earnings management

Open Government Data in an e-service Context - Managerial and Conceptual Challenges

Open government data (OGD) includes different data sets that are launched by government organizations in order to stimulate third-party development of e.g. apps for mobile devices. At the same time a government organization is expected to provide useful public e-services. Government organizations of today tend to treat OGD and e-services separately, so is the e-government community. The aim of this paper is to address challenges related to the work with OGD within an e-service context from: (1) a managerial, and (2) a conceptual perspective. A qualitative case study of the Swedish Transport Administration and their work with OGD and e-services as an empirical base in this paper. This paper illustrates, using a set of analytic categories generated from previous studies, that there are several challenges related to the managerial and conceptual work and perspectives concerning OGD. There are also different patterns present when managing e-services and OGD (bottom-up vs. top-down)

Understanding Citizen Actions in Public Encounters:Towards a Multi-Channel Process Model

This paper presents ongoing research that is part of a larger engaged research project which aims to investigate what public services are suitable for digitalization. The aim of our paper is twofold. First, we explore and describe citizens' core actions in their interaction with public organizations during application for public benefits. We develop a generic process model for how this interaction can be captured empirically. The model is based on a review of previous studies from e.g., channel choice, multi-channel management, and service management, and provides a holistic view of the core actions in public service delivery as seen from the perspective of the citizen. Second, we add a channel behavior dimension to this model to create a service blueprint template that can be used to capture and analyze citizens' multichannel behavior related to benefit application. Hereby we contribute to the digital government field with a research methodology for investigation of citizens' continuous channel behavior during public service encounters

Exploring Citizens’ Channel Behavior in Benefit Application:Empirical Examples from Norwegian Welfare Services

After more than a decade of intense digitalization of public service delivery in Scandinavia, scholars and public organizations wonder why many citizens still prefer to use traditional communication channels to interact with government. In this paper, we explore citizens' channel behavior when applying for public benefits from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV). We break down the application process into separate actions to answer the research question: what causes citizens to use multiple channels in the benefit application process? Based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with frontline workers at NAV, we describe the process citizens undergo when they apply for benefits from NAV, the actions citizens perform, and the problems they experience, which cause them to contact NAV. Frontline workers are interviewed as these are knowledgeable experts on the application process who can give an aggregate account of the various problems citizens encounter. We contribute with empirical descriptions of how two benefit application processes play out in different ways and cause different channel behaviors. Analyses of this kind are important to supply new knowledge for the ongoing digitalization of public welfare service provision to enhance citizens' ability to successfully co-produce the service. Further, we offer contributions to research practice by illustrating how citizens' interaction with public organizations can be studied and analyzed holistically, using a process model for breaking the interaction down into partsFundig: The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV)</p

Developing public e-services for several stakeholders - A multifaceted view of the needs for an e-service

This paper discusses how several stakeholders in a public e-service development project consider a future e-service and expected changes in administrative processes and working routines. Our findings indicate a much more multifaceted view than the common win-win situation, with increased quality for citizens and increased efficiency for agencies, which is rhetorically put forth as an effect of public e-service implementation. We have studied a development project resulting in an e-service for handling student anonymity when marking written exams in higher education. In this case we have identified five distinct stakeholder groups related to this e-service; students, teachers, course administrators, exam guards, and the university at an agency level. All of them having certain expectations and fears about the new situation. By presenting this diversity in opinions we add further understanding to the notion of e-services as being more or less beneficial for certain stakeholders

Bovine tuberculosis : routes of infection between humans and cattle in rural parts of East Africa

Tuberculosis is one of many infectious diseases in the world and is responsible for a large number of human deaths each year. The cause is Mycobacterium ssp included in the tuberculosis-complex, there among Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Infection with M. bovis causes bovine tuberculosis in cattle which in 90 % has a pulmonary location. Humans are infected mainly by milk from infected cows but also by close contact with coughing animals or by eating raw meat. Humans generally develop so called extrapulmonary tuberculosis due to the alimentary route of infection. In Ethiopia 16 % of all reported cases of tuberculosis, both pulmonary and extrapulmonary, is known to be caused by M. bovis. In the same region, 34 % of human tuberculosis cases reported is of extrapulmonary type. The prevalence of M. bovis in cattle in east Africa is low, though 67-88 % of the villages have at least one test-positive individual. The prevalence is elevated with increased trade with cattle and contact with wild animals. Though, it is thought to maintain at a low level due to unfavorable environment for the bacteria where altitude may play a part. The domestic breed zebu is also thought to be more resistant of the infection compared with other breeds. The main factor known to increase the risk of infection in humans is the lack of knowledge of primarily food hygiene. Of the people in rural areas, 40 % practice a way of living that exposes them for the disease. Other factors contributing to an augmented risk of bovine tuberculosis in humans is other immunosuppressive infections, where HIV and M. tuberculosis are known to make people more susceptible.Tuberkulos är en av de infektionssjukdomar som ansvarar för störst andel humana dödsfall i världen varje år. Sjukdomen orsakas av Mycobacterium ssp ur tuberkuloskomplexet där bland annat Mycobacterium bovis och Mycobacterium tuberculosis är inkluderade. Infektion med M. bovis orsakar bovin tuberkulos hos nötkreatur som i 90 % av fallen är lokaliserad till lungorna. Den största infektionskällan för människor är kontaminerad mjölk men även rått kött och nära kontakt med sjuka djur medför en risk. Människor utvecklar framförallt så kallad extrapulmonär tuberkulos på grund av infektionsvägen. Av alla rapporterade tuberkulosfall i Etiopien orsakas 16 % av M. bovis. I samma område är 34 % av de humana fallen av tuberkulos av extrapulmonär typ. Prevalensen av M. bovis på boskap i Östafrika är låg, men 67-88 % av byarna har minst en testpositiv individ. Prevelansen ökar med ökad handel av boskap samt vid nära kontakt mellan tamboskap och vilda djur. Att prevalensen ändå är låg skulle kunna förklaras med en ofördelaktig miljö för bakterien där altituden även verkar ha betydelse. Den inhemska rasen zebu verkar också inneha en ökad motståndskraft mot infektionen. Den största orsaken till spridning av bovin tuberkulos till människa är bristen på kunskap och information där livsmedelshygienen spelar en viktig roll. På landsbygden lever 40 % på ett sätt som utsätter dem för en risk för infektion. Andra faktorer som medför en ökad risk är samtida immunosupprimerande infektioner där HIV och M. tuberculosis medför en ökad känslighet

Påverkan av insulin vid oocytmognad in vitro under tidig embryoutveckling hos nöt : delvis utvärderat med hjälp av en ny fluorescensfärgning

Fertility is of central interest in the dairy production but has during the last decades declined. Increased milk yield has resulted in high pressure on the metabolism of the dairy cows that are supposed to manage the transition from dry cows to lactating cows within a few weeks around the parturition. Much indicate that metabolism and fertility are closely linked, with insulin playing a substantial part. There are many studies suggesting that the main part of gestation loss can be found during the early embryo development, a period which can be studied in vitro. The aim of this study was to test the effect of insulin during maturation in vitro and to evaluate two different fluorescent stainings on oocytes and embryos; a nuclear stain and a staining of apoptotic cells through the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-method. Bovine cumulus-oocyte-complexes (n=991) were aspirated from abattoir-derived ovaries. The oocytes were matured in vitro under different insulin-conditions (Z: 0 μg/ml L: 0.1 μg/ml H: 10 μg/ml). After maturation, oocytes were either removed for staining or fertilized and cultured in vitro to day eight after fertilization. All blastocysts were morphologically assessed at day seven and eight. Cumulus-oocyte-complexes removed before fertilization and day eight blastocysts were later stained with TUNEL- and nuclear stain for evaluation. Statistical analysis was executed on arc sinus squareroot transformed values. The effect of treatments were analysed by ANOVA. 132 matured oocytes and 230 day eight blastocysts from eight batches were analysed. There was no significant difference between the treatments regarding oocytes cleaved 44h post fertilization (Z:0.85±0.02 L: 0.85±0.02 H: 0.89±0.03, p>0.05). Insulin tended to impair the fraction of blastocysts developed on day seven from cleaved oocytes (Z: 0.22±0.02 L: 0.17±0.02 H: 0.14±0.02, p=0.05). There was a tendency for insulin treated groups to have more of the earlier development stages and also less blastocysts of high quality grades when morphologically assessed at day eight compared to control group. The difference was significant when comparing treated groups together versus the control group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in apoptotic cells in the blastocysts (Z: 0.021±0.003 L: 0.026±0.003 H: 0.028±0.003) nor in apoptotic cells in the outer two layers of the cumulus-complexes (Z: 0.052±0.025 L: 0.039±0.016 H: 0.077±0.044). In this study, insulin during oocyte maturation in vitro impaired the blastocyst development both regarding fraction, stage and grade at day seven and eight. The TUNEL-kit evaluated did not work satisfactory for staining of embryos and cumulus-oocyte-complexes with multiple cell-layers. The nuclear staining tested however, seem to be a good candidate for staining of blastocysts and cumulus-oocyte-complexes with a limited amount of cell-layers. The stain is easy to use and further did not bleach after several weeks of storage.Fertiliteten är essentiell i mjölkproduktionen men har under de sista decennierna minskat. Den ökade mjölkproduktionen sätter hög press på mjölkkons metabolism då hon förväntas ställa om från sinko till högmjölkande ko på ett fåtal veckor kring kalvning. Mycket pekar på att anledningen till den nedsatta fertiliteten hos mjölkkorna härör från metabolismen, där insulin har en betydande roll. Många studier visar också på hur majoriteten av dräktighetsförlusterna sker under den tidiga embryoutvecklingen, vilket är en period som kan simuleras in vitro, det vill säga i laboratoriemiljö. Syftet med denna studie var att testa insulinets påverkan på mognad av äggceller in vitro samt att utvärdera en metod för infärgning av kärnor och en annan metod för apoptotiska celler i äggceller och tidiga embryon. Äggceller omgivna av stödceller (n=991) från nötkreatur samlades från äggstockar hämtade från slakteri. Äggcellerna fick mogna i tre olika insulinkoncentrationer in vitro (Z: 0 μg/ml L: 0,1 μg/ml H: 10 μg/ml). Efter mognad in vitro, avlägsnades antingen äggcellerna för färgning eller fick fortsätta in vitro produktionen genom befruktning och odling upp till dag åtta efter befruktningen. Äggcellkomplex som avlägnats före befruktningen samt blastocyster (tidiga embryon) från dag åtta färgades därefter med en kärnfärgning och en TUNEL-färgning för att detektera apoptos. Statistisk analys av resultaten utfördes av ANOVA, med arc sinus kvadratrot-transformerade värden. Mognade äggcellskomplex (n=132) och blastocyster (n=230) från åtta omgångar ingick i studien. Det var ingen signifikant skillnad mellan de olika grupperna avseende äggceller som delat sig 44 timmar efter befruktningen (Z:0,85±0,02 L: 0,85±0,02 H: 0,89±0,03, p>0,05). Insulin tenderade att ha en negativ effekt på blastocystutvecklingen, med signifikanta värden vid dag sju-blastocyster räknat från antalet äggceller som delat sig 44 timmar efter befruktningen (Z: 0,22±0,02 L: 0,17±0,02 H: 0,14±0,02, p=0,05). Det fanns en tendens att insulin även bromsade utvecklingen och försämrade kvaliteten av bildade blastocyster: Denna skillnad var signifikant vid jämförelse mellan insulin-behandlade grupper mot kontrollgruppen (p<0,05). Ingen skillnad kunde ses på andelen apoptotiska celler i blastocyster (Z: 0,021±0,003 L: 0,026±0,003 H: 0,028±0,003) eller i apoptotiska celler i de yttersta två lagren av cumuluskomplexen (Z: 0,052±0,025 L: 0,039±0,016 H: 0,077±0,044). Denna studie visar hur insulin under äggcellens mognad in vitro påverkar embryoutvecklingen negativt, något som överensstämmer med tidigare studier. Tidigare studier har dock till viss del visat motsatta resultat avseende den negativa effekt av insulin som kunde ses på utvecklingsstadie och kvalitet i denna studie. TUNEL-färgningen som utvärderades i studien hade inte tillräckliga egenskaper för användning på embryon och äggcellskomplex, däremot visade kärnfärgningen goda egenskaper vilken gör den tillfredsställande i användning på embryon och äggcellskomplex