Consumer protection and the incentive to become informed

We discuss the impact of consumer protection policies on consumer incentives to become informed of the best deals available in the market. In a market with costly consumer search, we find that imposing a cap on suppliers' prices reduces the incentive to engage in search, with the result that prices paid by consumers (both informed and uninformed) may rise. In a related model where consumers have the ability to refuse to receive marketing, we find that this ability softens price competition and can make all consumers worse off.Consumer protection; search; price caps; advertising

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the sero-epidemiological association between Epstein Barr virus and multiple sclerosis

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Oxidative stress, malaria, sickle cell disease, and innate immunity

This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (grant 094847).Peer reviewedPostprin

Patterns of Price Competition and the Structure of Consumer Choice

We explore patterns of price competition in an oligopoly where consumers vary in the set of suppliers they consider for their purchase. In the case of "nested reach" we find equilibria, unlike those in existing models, in which price competition is segmented: small firms offer only low prices and large firms only offer high prices. We characterize equilibria in the three-firm case using correlation measures of interaction between pairs of firms. We show how entry, merger and market expansion can affect patterns of price competition in novel ways

Patterns of Price Competition and the Structure of Consumer Choice

We explore patterns of price competition in an oligopoly where consumers vary in the set of suppliers they consider for their purchase. In the case of "nested reach" we find equilibria, unlike those in existing models, in which price competition is segmented: small firms offer only low prices and large firms only offer high prices. We characterize equilibria in the three-firm case using correlation measures of interaction between pairs of firms. We show how entry, merger and market expansion can affect patterns of price competition in novel ways

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the sero-epidemiological association between Epstein-Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Cynthia Fraser for helping run the literature search, Dr Neil Basu for providing advice on search terms for rheumatoid arthritis and to Xueli Jia, Katie Bannister and Kubra Boza for their help with foreign language papers. The authors would also like to thank the University of Aberdeen librarians at the Foresterhill medical library for their help in locating articles used for this systematic review and meta-analysis.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The epidemiology of infectious mononucleosis in Northern Scotland : a decreasing incidence and winter peak

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Season of infectious mononucleosis as a risk factor for multiple sclerosis : a UK primary care case-control study

This study is based in part on data from the Full Feature General Practice Research Database obtained under licence from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. However, the interpretation and conclusions contained in this study are those of the authors alone. Access to the GPRD database was funded through the Medical Research Council’s licence agreement with MHRA. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. We acknowledge the data management support of the Grampian Data Safe Haven (DaSH) and the associated financial support of NHS Research Scotland through NHS Grampian investment in the Grampian DaSH.Peer reviewedPostprintPostprintPostprin

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the sero-epidemiological association between Epstein-Barr virus and systemic lupus erythematosus

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Xueli Jia and Canan Spengler for translating Chinese and Turkish papers, respectively. Funding The Health Services Research Unit is funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate.Peer reviewedPublisher PD