The Ba'athist blackout? Selective goods provision and political violence in the Syrian civil war

Many authoritarian regimes selectively provide critical segments of the population with privileged access to goods and services, expecting political support in return. This article is interested in the effects of this regime strategy: Is violent opposition less likely to occur in subnational regions bound to the ruling elite through such patron–client networks? For its empirical analysis, the article makes use of crowdsourcing data on the number and geospatial distribution of fatalities in the Syrian civil war from March 2011 to November 2012. In terms of selective goods provision, the focus is on the electricity sector. Satellite images of the earth at night are used to proxy spatial variations in the public distribution of electricity in times of power shortages. These data are complemented with information from the last Syrian population census of 2004. Estimations from fixed effect logit models lend support to the hypothesis that the risk of violence has been lower in subdistricts that have been favored by the ruling regime in terms of preferential access to material goods. This hypothesis is further corroborated with qualitative evidence from Syrian localities

Ciprofloxacin enhances the stimulation of matrix metalloproteinase 3 expression by interleukin-1beta in human tendon-derived cells

To determine whether the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin, which can cause tendon pain and rupture in a proportion of treated patients, affects the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in human tendon-derived cells in culture. Cell cultures were derived from 6 separate tendon explants, and were incubated in 6-well culture plates for 2 periods of 48 hours each, with ciprofloxacin (or DMSO in controls) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), alone and in combination. Samples of supernatant medium from the second 48-hour incubation were assayed for MMPs 1, 2, and 3 by Western blotting. RNA was extracted from the cells and assayed for MMP messenger RNA (mRNA) by semiquantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, with normalization for GAPDH mRNA. Unstimulated tendon cells expressed low or undetectable levels of MMP-1 and MMP-3, and substantial levels of MMP-2. IL-1ß induced a substantial output of both MMP-1 and MMP-3 into cell supernatants, reflecting increases (typically 100-fold) in MMP mRNA, but had only minor effects on MMP-2 expression. Ciprofloxacin had no detectable effect on MMP output in unstimulated cells. Preincubation with ciprofloxacin potentiated IL-1ß–stimulated MMP-3 output, reflecting a similar effect on MMP-3 mRNA expression. Ciprofloxacin also potentiated IL-1ß–stimulated MMP-1 mRNA expression, but did not potentiate the output of MMP-1, and had no significant effects on MMP-2 mRNA expression or output. Ciprofloxacin can selectively enhance MMP expression in tendon-derived cells. Such effects might compromise tendon microstructure and integrity

Women, business and the law 2020

Women, Business and the Law 2020, the sixth edition in a series, analyzes laws and regulations affecting women’s economic inclusion in 190 economies. The Women, Business and the Law Index, composed by eight indicators structured around women’s interactions with the law as they begin, progress through and end their careers, aligns different areas of the law with the economic decisions women make at various stages of their lives. The indicators are: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. The report updates all indicators as of September 1, 2019, and builds evidence around the linkages between legal gender equality and women’s economic inclusion. By examining the economic decisions women make as they go through different stages of their working lives and the pace of reforms over the past 2 years, Women, Business and the Law makes an important contribution to research and policy discussions about the state of women’s economic opportunities and empowerment. While celebrating the progress made, the data and analysis emphasize the work still to be done to ensure economic empowerment for all.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Women, business and the law 2021

Women, Business and the Law 2021 is the seventh in a series of annual studies measuring the laws and regulations that affect women’s economic opportunity in 190 economies. The project presents eight indicators structured around women’s interactions with the law as they move through their lives and careers: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. This year’s report updates all indicators as of October 1, 2020 and builds evidence of the links between legal gender equality and women’s economic inclusion. By examining the economic decisions women make throughout their working lives, as well as the pace of reform over the past 50 years, Women, Business and the Law 2021 makes an important contribution to research and policy discussions about the state of women’s economic empowerment. Prepared during a global pandemic that threatens progress toward gender equality, this edition also includes important findings on government responses to COVID-19 and pilot research related to childcare and women’s access to justice.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio