70015 research outputs found
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Cash for Votes: Evidence from India
No full textWe examine consumption patterns around the time of elections to investigate vote-buying. Specifically, we combine data from state assembly elections in India with household-level consumer expenditure and employment surveys (conducted by NSSO) over the period 2004-12. Exploiting a difference-in-difference methodology, we estimate the positive effect elections have on reported consumption expenditures. We observe larger effects in swing areas but null effects for the poor. The total wage payments for the same period cannot justify the consumption spikes. Our results shed light on the mechanisms behind strategic vote-buying
Early industrialization and fertility patterns in historical China
No full textThis paper employs the demographic shocks between 1851 and 1880 as the instrumental variable to analyze the causal link between early industrialization and fertility patterns using a unique historical dataset. Our findings present a significantly negative relationship between early industrialization and the number of children but no significant causal link between early industrialization and the timing of the first birth in 19th and early 20th century China. While this indicates that early industrialization could reduce fertility, it also suggests that, in traditional Chinese society, this reduction does not happen through the timing of the first birth being delayed due to late marriage but rather through couples using intra-marital birth control methods. Finally, we find that the opportunity cost of childcare for women and the quality–quantity trade-off are two main channels linking early industrialization to fewer children
Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 triggers activation of immune evasion machinery similar to the one operated by cancer cells
Get PDFIn the last 2 years, there has been an increasing concern that SARS-CoV-2 infection may represent a marker of undiagnosed cancers. A potential connection between COVID-19/long COVID and malignant transformation/cancer progression was reported in a number of studies. It is, however, unclear if the virus itself can cause malignant transformation or if it has a potential to support malignant processes in human body. We analyzed nasopharyngeal swabs collected from individuals infected with Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 and conducted in vitro studies using BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Here we report that Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 and its spike protein induce activation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) transcription complex in infected cells. This effect is achieved through conversion of cellular 2-oxoglutarate into 2-hydroxy-glutarate, which most likely blocks the activity of HIF-1α prolyl hydroxylation. As such, it leads to activation of HIF-1, which triggers production of transforming growth factor–β type 1 (TGF-β). TGF-β induces expression of immune checkpoint proteins, such as galectin-9, programmed death-ligand 1, and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase, an enzyme, which is involved in production of immunosuppressive amino acid called L-kynurenine. These immune checkpoint pathways were capable of suppressing both helper and cytotoxic activities of T lymphocytes and, as such, could potentially support malignant processes in infected tissues
A Systematic Literature Review on Cyber Security and Privacy Risks in MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Service) Systems
Get PDFMobility as a Service (MaaS) is anticipated to revolutionize transport by integrating conventional public transport with on-demand and shared services. This innovation promises enhanced convenience, flexibility, and sustainability in urban mobility, drawing interest from both researchers and industry. However, those systems heavily rely on the collection and sharing of personal data among various stakeholders, introducing security and privacy risks. To understand the scale and scope of cyber security and privacy concerns and risks associated with MaaS, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) covering 87 relevant research papers published between 2017 and April 2025. Our review represents the most comprehensive examination focusing on cyber security and privacy issues of MaaS systems. Our findings reveal three themes discussed within the MaaS literature: (i) cyber security and privacy risks inherent to MaaS systems, alongside proposed solutions to mitigate such risks; (ii) users’ concerns about these risks and how they affect MaaS adoption; and (iii) laws and policies that govern cyber security and privacy aspects of MaaS systems and solutions. As such, our research serves to not only inform MaaS service providers and users but also advise policymakers and legislators on the potential risks involved and the regulatory measures required to address them
Increased efficacy of PARP inhibitors against cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant ovarian cancer cells mediated via ATR and ATM inhibition
Get PDFPARP inhibitors (PARPi) are approved for the treatment of platinum-based therapy-responsive ovarian cancer. However, this severely restricts their therapeutic potential, since there is only limited knowledge on the efficacy of PARPi in platinum drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Here, we studied three approved PARPi, niraparib, olaparib, and rucaparib in three ovarian cancer cell lines and their cisplatin-resistant sublines. Complex response profiles demonstrated that cisplatin resistance was not consistently associated with cross-resistance to PARPi. The combination of PARPi with inhibitors of relevant DNA damage response kinases which are potentially involved in PARPi resistance, such as ATR, ATM, CHK1, and WEE1 again resulted in complex activity patterns, but also identified ATR and ATM as the most promising targets for increasing PARPi activity. Cell adhesion-mediated resistance via collagen I is known to mediate cisplatin resistance. Here, we show that collagen I can also mediate PARPi resistance, which can also be tackled by ATR and ATM inhibition in cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell lines. In conclusion, our findings revealed complex, cell line-specific PARPi response profiles. This complexity is in line with other studies investigating drug-resistant cancer cell lines and with the complex evolutionary processes in tumors from cancer patients. Notably, cisplatin resistance was not directly correlated with PARPi resistance, and ATM and ATR inhibitors can increase PARPi activity against cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant ovarian cancer cells. Moreover, we demonstrated for the first time that cell adhesion-mediated resistance can contribute to PARPi resistance, which can also be alleviated by ATR and ATM
Identification of potential managed aquifer recharge sites in hyper-arid environment using GIS and analytical hierarchy process
Get PDFUtilizing aquifers as groundwater storage reservoirs is an effective strategy for water management in water scare regions. The success of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) relies on the assessment and modeling of site-specific hydrogeological characteristics, including groundwater salinity, transmissivity, storativity, slope, soil properties, proximity to water recharge networks and road accessibility, etc. This study employs a GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation technique, integrating both ground and remote sensing datasets. The results indicate that a significant portion of the total land area, approximately 7,414.11 km2 (64%), can potentially be utilized for MAR practices, while the remaining 36% is restricted due to various constraints, such as built-up areas, roads, agricultural lands and nationally protected areas for conservation. The available 64% of land is further categorized into subclasses ranging from highly suitable to least suitable areas. Most of the highly and moderately suitable regions are located in the northern central parts of the country where seasonal surplus treated wastewater and desalinated water may be used to recharge groundwater. Furthermore, MAR technology can also be used to tackle saltwater intrusion in the coastal areas by injecting seasonal surplus desalinated and treated wastewater. These findings suggest that MAR technology has a high potential to facilitate aquifer water storage and recovery in the country, which can contribute to sustainable water resources
AI as research partner: key implications of using AI for data visualisation in qualitative research
Get PDFArtificial intelligence (AI) can partner in a research process in multiple ways, including data visualisation in qualitative research. It can empower the researchers to (re)present data in more effective and artistically appealing manners. In this paper, we recount our interactive experiment of employing an AI-powered tool to generate a picture of a small segment of qualitative data. We then discuss three key implications from our engagement with AI: research ethical considerations, new forms of human and non-human research partnership, and importantly, roles and agency of researchers and AI in this partnership
Recruitment and retention of social workers as research participants: lessons from a randomized controlled trial
No full textSocial work research in the UK has significant challenges in building research capacity due to a lack of funding, austerity policies, and the quality of research training within social work degrees. As a result, the workforce has limited understanding of the value and relevance of research to practice. Indeed, previous studies report a substantial lack of social workers as research participants. Although healthcare research includes a wealth of literature providing guidance on recruitment and retention of participants, these suggestions are not automatically applicable to social work research due to the distinct nature of the sector and the differential understanding and valuation of research. Based on the authors’ experiences from a randomized controlled trial, for which they recruited 614 social workers, this article is the first to offer recommendations for the recruitment and retention of social workers as research participants. The authors describe valuable lessons for future research, including advice on meaningful stakeholder involvement, social media strategies, and emphasizing the value of participation for the advancement of the field and the personal experience of the social worker. The authors conclude with a summary list of actionable recommendations that will improve the research involvement of the social work workforce
How to Harness Education Fellows to Optimise Clinical Placement Capacity
Get PDFThere is a global need to increase our medical workforce to meet the demands of changing population demography and increased complex comorbidity. Recruitment to medicine, nursing and other healthcare professions must significantly increase [1]; however, clinical placement saturation is becoming a rate‐limiting step to substantial increase in student numbers. This article will consider how clinical placement providers can deploy education fellows (EFs) to innovatively create capacity whilst enhancing undergraduate clinical placement quality. Clinical teaching fellows are increasingly becoming pivotal players in supporting delivery of undergraduate clinical education and promoting student experience. Unlike clinical teaching fellows, EFs do not have clinical commitments and can reliably coordinate, create and deliver diverse undergraduate learning, mentoring and assessment activity, alleviating senior clinical staff of competing educational responsibilities. We propose that integrated EF‐led innovation can facilitate more consistent, high‐quality placement learning whilst growing placement capacity, without compromising patient care. This article focuses on educational interventions within hospital clinical placements for students from a range of healthcare disciplines including medicine, nursing and allied healthcare professions. The change in workforce requirements and consequent need for a greater undergraduate capacity should catalyse wider discussion around the structure of healthcare education and philosophies of placement development. The authors' experience is in medical education; however, the principles are widely applicable to all healthcare professions for whom experiential placement learning is a necessary training component. Reimagining and restructuring of placement experiences will support healthcare faculty, universities and regulators in supporting sustainable health workforce expansion and equitable healthcare access for all
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