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Blurring the moral limits of data markets: biometrics, emotion and data dividends
Get PDFThis paper considers what liberal philosopher Michael Sandel coins the ‘moral limits of markets’ in relation to the idea of paying people for data about their biometrics and emotions. With Sandel arguing that certain aspects of human life (such as our bodies and body parts) should be beyond monetisation and exchange, others argue that emerging technologies such as Personal Information Management Systems can enable a fairer, paid, data exchange between the individual and the organisation, even regarding highly personal data about our bodies and emotions. With the field of data ethics rarely addressing questions of payment, this paper explores normative questions about data dividends. It does so by conducting a UK-wide, demographically representative online survey to quantitatively assess adults’ views on being paid for personal data about their biometrics and emotions via a Personal Information Management System, producing a data dividend, a premise which sees personal data through the prism of markets and property. The paper finds diverse attitudes based on socio-demographic characteristics, the type of personal data sold, and the type of organisation sold to. It argues that (a) Sandel’s argument regarding the moral limits of markets has value in protecting fundamental freedoms of those in society who are arguably least able to (such as the poor); but (b) that contexts of use, in particular, blur moral limits regarding fundamental freedoms and markets
Social Return on Investment of Nature-Based Activities for Adults with Mental Wellbeing Challenges
Get PDFIncreased time spent in nature can enhance physical health and mental wellbeing. The UK Government's '25 Year Environment Plan' recommends extending the health benefits of contact with nature to a wider group of people, including those with mental health challenges. This study investigated whether nature-based interventions (NBIs) for people with mild mental health challenges could generate a positive social return on investment (SROI). Between May 2017 and January 2019, 120 participants at six outdoor sites in Wales participated in a 6 to 12-week NBI, which consisted of a weekly 2- to 4-h session. Quantitative data were collected from baseline and follow-up questionnaires identifying participant demographics and measuring mental wellbeing, physical activity, self-efficacy, and social trust. Wellbeing valuation generated a range of social value ratios by applying the Housing Association Charitable Trust (HACT) Social Value Calculator (SVC 4.0) and HACT Mental Health Social Value Calculator (MHSVC 1.0). Seventy-four participants (62%) completed follow-up questionnaires at 6 months. SROI ratios were calculated using the SVC for physical activity, self-efficacy, and social trust. The MHSVC generated social value ratios for mental wellbeing. The base case results revealed a positive social value ratio for participants, ranging from British Pound Sterling (GBP) 2.57 to GBP 4.67 for every GBP 1 invested, indicating favourable outcomes in terms of value generated.</p
Persistency of Window Dressing Practices in the U.S. Repo Markets after the GFC: The Unexplored Role of the Deposit Insurance Premium
Get PDFWe investigate whether the regulatory improvements made in the aftermath of the global financial crisis (GFC) have been effective in limiting bank downward window dressing by means of repos in the U.S. Using hand-collected data of U.S. bank holding companies (BHCs) over the period 2011Q2-2016Q1, we find that a strict application of the Basel III regulation wipes out incentives to engage in window dressing to bolster the level of leverage Tier 1 ratio at quarter-end. We also uncover an unexplored channel that induces banks to window dress. Specifically, we show that the persistency of window dressing is related to the computation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation assessment base, which motivates banks to engage in window dressing to reduce the deposit insurance premium. Our findings call for greater emphasis on supervision of banks’ window dressing practices
Gambling problems among United Kingdom Armed Forces veterans: Associations with gambling motivation and posttraumatic stress disorder
Get PDFMilitary service, mental health, and gambling activities and motivations as predictors of problem gambling in a sample of UK AF veterans. Age-and-gender matched veterans (n = 1,037) and non-veterans (n = 1,148) completed an online survey of problem gambling, gambling motivation, mental health (depression and anxiety), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Past year problem gambling rates were higher in veterans compared to non-veterans. Veteran status predicted increased problem gambling risk. The relationship between problem gambling and gambling to cope with distress was significantly stronger among veterans. Veterans experiencing PTSD and complex PTSD (C-PTSD) were at increased risk of problem gambling. Overall, the present, findings contribute further international evidence that veterans are a population vulnerable to problem gambling. Veterans with PTSD or C-PTSD are most at-risk and may engage in problematic gambling to escape/avoid distress. Routine screening for gambling problems should be undertaken with current and former military personnel, and further research is needed on the interplay between gambling motivation and veterans’ mental health
Selective Killing of BRCA2-Deficient Ovarian Cancer Cells via MRE11 Blockade
Get PDFThe MRE11 nuclease is essential during DNA damage recognition, homologous recombination, and replication. BRCA2 plays important roles during homologous recombination and replication. Here, we show that effecting an MRE11 blockade using a prototypical inhibitor (Mirin) induces synthetic lethality (SL) in BRCA2-deficient ovarian cancer cells, HeLa cells, and 3D spheroids compared to BRCA2-proficient controls. Increased cytotoxicity was associated with double-strand break accumulation, S-phase cell cycle arrest, and increased apoptosis. An in silico analysis revealed Mirin docking onto the active site of MRE11. While Mirin sensitises DT40 MRE11+/− cells to the Top1 poison SN-38, it does not sensitise nuclease-dead MRE11 cells to this compound confirming that Mirin specifically inhibits Mre11 nuclease activity. MRE11 knockdown reduced cell viability in BRCA2-deficient PEO1 cells but not in BRCA2-proficient PEO4 cells. In a Mirin-resistant model, we show the downregulation of 53BP1 and DNA repair upregulation, leading to resistance, including in in vivo xenograft models. In a clinical cohort of human ovarian tumours, low levels of BRCA2 expression with high levels of MRE11 co-expression were linked with worse progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.005) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.001). We conclude that MRE11 is an attractive SL target, and the pharmaceutical development of MRE11 inhibitors for precision oncology therapeutics may be of clinical benefit
Impacts of artificial light at night on the early life history of two ecosystem engineers
Get PDFSessile marine invertebrates play a vital role as ecosystem engineers and in benthic-pelagic coupling. Most benthic fauna develop through larval stages and the importance of natural light cycles for larval biology and ecology is long-established. Natural light-dark cycles regulate two of the largest ocean-scale processes that are fundamental to larvae's life cycle: the timing of broadcast spawning for successful fertilization and diel vertical migration for foraging and predator avoidance. Given the reliance on light and the ecological role of larvae, surprisingly little is known about the impacts of artificial light at night (ALAN) on the early life history of habitat-forming species. We quantified ALAN impacts on larval performance (survival, growth, development) of two cosmopolitan ecosystem engineers in temperate marine ecosystems, the mussel Mytilus edulis and the barnacle Austrominius modestus. Higher ALAN irradiance reduced survival in both species (57% and 13%, respectively). ALAN effects on development and growth were small overall, and different between species, time-points and parentage. Our results show that ALAN adversely affects larval survival and reiterates the importance of paternal influence on offspring performance. ALAN impacts on the early life stages of ecosystem engineering species have implications not only for population viability but also the ecological communities that these species support. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'. </p
Development of an item pool for a patient reported outcome measure of resilience for people living with dementia
Get PDFBackground and objectives Policies to support people living with dementia increasingly focus on strengthsbased approaches, highlighting the importance of building resilience. This research responds to the lack of a suitableresilience measure for people with dementia. It develops a pool of items to inform a new measure of resilience for thispopulation.Methods A conceptual model and associated data informed the item generation of the draft resilience measure.Regular meetings with professionals (n=7) discussed response-scale formatting, content and face validity, leadingto refinement and item reduction. Cognitive interviews with people living with dementia (n=11) then examinedthe face and content validity of items and the suitability of response-scale formatting. These two phases informedsubsequent revision and further item reduction of the resilience measure.Results The first item generation exercise led to 140 items. These were independently assessed by the professionalsand this refinement reduced the measure to 63 items across 7 domains of the conceptual model (psychologicalstrengths; practical approaches for adapting to life with dementia; continuing with hobbies, interests and activities;strong relationships with family and friends; peer support and education; participating in community activities; therole of professional support services). Cognitive interviews explored the 63 items with people living with dementia.Detailed feedback led to items removed due to difficulty with (a) understanding (N=7); (b) answering (n=11); (c) lowpreference for that item (n=6); and (d) presence of a preferred item within a cluster of similar questions (n=4). Itemswere amended to enhance clarity/conciseness (n=19) leading to a final 37-item pool.Conclusion Established methods for measurement development included the expertise of people with dementiaand led to the generation of a set of items for a new resilience measure that were understandable and acceptableto this target population. This 37-item pool reflects the conceptual understanding of resilience in dementia as beingderived across individual, community and societal level resources
Good perceived sleep quality protects against the raised risk of respiratory infection during sleep restriction in young adults
Get PDFStudy ObjectivesProspectively examine the association between sleep restriction, perceived sleep quality (PSQ) and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI).MethodsIn 1,318 military recruits (68% males) self-reported sleep was assessed at the beginning and end of a 12-week training course. Sleep restriction was defined as an individualized reduction in sleep duration of ≥2 hours/night compared with civilian life. URTIs were retrieved from medical records.ResultsOn commencing training, approximately half of recruits were sleep restricted (52%; 2.1 ± 1.6 h); despite the sleep debt, 58% of recruits with sleep restriction reported good PSQ. Regression adjusted for covariates showed that recruits commencing training with sleep restriction were more likely to suffer URTI during the course (OR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.29–6.69, P = 0.011). Moderation analysis showed this finding was driven by poor PSQ (B = -1.12, SE 0.50, P = 0.023), as no significant association between sleep restriction and URTI was observed in recruits reporting good PSQ, despite a similar magnitude of sleep restriction during training. Associations remained in the population completing training, accounting for loss to follow-up. Recruits reporting poor PSQ when healthy at the start and end of training were more susceptible to URTI (OR = 3.16, 95% CI 1.31–7.61, P = 0.010, vs good PSQ).ConclusionGood perceived sleep quality was associated with protection against the raised risk of respiratory infection during sleep restriction. Studies should determine whether improvements in sleep quality arising from behavioral sleep interventions translate to reduced respiratory infection during sleep restriction