Abstract Intellectual property rights and quality improvement

This paper explores why theories about the effects of intellectual property rights (IPR) pro-tection on foreign direct investment (FDI) and innovation have reached mixed conclusions. In our model, Northern Þrms innovate to improve the quality of existing products and may later shift pro-duction to the South through FDI. Southern Þrms may then imitate the products of multinationals. We Þnd that imitation increases FDI and innovation, the opposite of existing models in which in-novators develop new varieties. Hence, stronger IPR protection, by reducing imitation, may shift the composition of innovation away from improvements in existing products toward development of new products

Stratified analyses refine association between TLR7 rare variants and severe COVID-19

Summary: Despite extensive global research into genetic predisposition for severe COVID-19, knowledge on the role of rare host genetic variants and their relation to other risk factors remains limited. Here, 52 genes with prior etiological evidence were sequenced in 1,772 severe COVID-19 cases and 5,347 population-based controls from Spain/Italy. Rare deleterious TLR7 variants were present in 2.4% of young (<60 years) cases with no reported clinical risk factors (n = 378), compared to 0.24% of controls (odds ratio [OR] = 12.3, p = 1.27 × 10−10). Incorporation of the results of either functional assays or protein modeling led to a pronounced increase in effect size (ORmax = 46.5, p = 1.74 × 10−15). Association signals for the X-chromosomal gene TLR7 were also detected in the female-only subgroup, suggesting the existence of additional mechanisms beyond X-linked recessive inheritance in males. Additionally, supporting evidence was generated for a contribution to severe COVID-19 of the previously implicated genes IFNAR2, IFIH1, and TBK1. Our results refine the genetic contribution of rare TLR7 variants to severe COVID-19 and strengthen evidence for the etiological relevance of genes in the interferon signaling pathway