220 research outputs found
Monitoring Variations in Thermal Curing of Nanoparticle Coatings through Confocal Raman Microscopy and Principal Component Analysis
No full textFor paper coatings with organic nanoparticles of poly(styrene-co-maleimide), dispersive Raman spectroscopy and confocal Raman microscopy are applied for qualitative and quantitative analyses of the lateral distribution of chemical moieties as a function of different coating grades (degree of imidization) and thermal curing temperatures (120-250 degrees C). Raman mapping with band intensity ratios, single band intensities, and average spectral intensities illustrates that surface locations with imide moieties are sensitive to the thermal curing temperature due to the reactivity of an amount of ammonolyzed (nonimidized) maleic anhydride, whereas the styrene moieties are not sensitive to the thermal curing. A maximum in imide functionalities at the surface occurs after curing at 135-150 degrees C depending on the coating grade. The surface coverage of the coating moieties is complementary to the cellulose components, but local variations in specific Raman bands for the latter suggest interactions due to hydrogen bonding. Principal component analysis with two parameters allows for a good quantification of the imide content and surface coverage.Samyn, P (reprint author), Univ Hasselt, Inst Mat Res IMO IMOMEC, Appl & Analyt Chem, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
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The case of innovative breast cancer drug reimbursement
No full textCurrent research into patient advocacy focuses on attempts of patient groups to mobilise resources and to influence researchers, pharmaceutical companies and policy-makers. This paper adopts a ‘framing political opportunities’ approach to draw attention to other kinds of advocacy strategies. In a case study of breast cancer patient advocacy of Herceptin reimbursement, it is shown how patient groups tried to gain access to policy-making by means of three different opportunity-framing strategies. Articulation aims at creating awareness through public-agenda building. Negotiation aims at frame alignment between interdependent stakeholders by arranging meetings. Politicisation is a strategy to influence the agendas of political arenas. Patient organisations succeeded in creating awareness and support, which had a considerable impact on other stakeholders. These impacts in turn aided the politicisation of the issue. However, the final impact on reimbursement procedures was only partially achieved due to depoliticising counterstrategies based on persistent ideas buttressing a particular division of responsibilities in the organisation of healthcare. According to these ideas cost control in healthcare is a medical responsibility, not a political one
Positioning of systemic intermediaries in sustainability transitions : Between storylines and speech acts
No full textHow do systemic intermediaries obtain legitimate roles for themselves in innovation systems and transition processes? This is still an understudied question in the study of systemic intermediaries. We start from the observation that roles, or positions, are not given, but emerge in interactions as a negotiated set of rights and obligations. Inspired by positioning theory, which has its roots in symbolic interactionism, we analyse how positions are invoked in the actors’ various actions and statements (‘speech acts’) and how they draw from the mutually constructed narratives (‘storylines’) that enable and constrain the range of possible positions. We analyse, over time, the positioning of three Dutch systemic intermediaries in agriculture, energy production, and healthcare. We conclude that systemic intermediaries move together with the promise of the field and, as a consequence, have to reposition themselves. In different phases, they both profit and suffer from the dilemma between initiating and sustaining innovative systemic changes.</p
Learning to shield - Policy learning in socio-technical transitions
No full textThe dynamics of protection in the context of socio-technical niches have remained under-researched. In this paper we conceptualise the process of policy learning in the context of transitions. We show that a variety of actors inside and outside a technological niche have to learn about the implications and effects of regulations aimed at protection of niches. We analyse this process of policy learning in two cases: high-need drugs and electric vehicles. We conclude that both regulators and the regulated need to learn about the width and depth of protection measures, their duration, the specific set of tools used, and their legitimisation. A crucial issue of implementing protective regulation is the question on what level of aggregation protection measures need to be applied. Learning is often part of the negotiation process between the protector and the protected, but in many cases learning only takes place after policies have been implemented
The impact of patient advocacy: the case of innovative breast cancer drug reimbursement
No full textAbstract Current research into patient advocacy focuses on attempts of patient groups to mobilise resources and to influence researchers, pharmaceutical companies and policy-makers. This paper adopts a 'framing political opportunities' approach to draw attention to other kinds of advocacy strategies. In a case study of breast cancer patient advocacy of Herceptin reimbursement, it is shown how patient groups tried to gain access to policy-making by means of three different opportunity-framing strategies. Articulation aims at creating awareness through public-agenda building. Negotiation aims at frame alignment between interdependent stakeholders by arranging meetings. Politicisation is a strategy to influence the agendas of political arenas. Patient organisations succeeded in creating awareness and support, which had a considerable impact on other stakeholders. These impacts in turn aided the politicisation of the issue. However, the final impact on reimbursement procedures was only partially achieved due to depoliticising counterstrategies based on persistent ideas buttressing a particular division of responsibilities in the organisation of healthcare. According to these ideas cost control in healthcare is a medical responsibility, not a political one
Expert perspectives on the introduction of Triple Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (TACTs) in Southeast Asia: a Delphi study
No full textBACKGROUND: Triple Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (TACTs) are being developed as a response to artemisinin and partner drug resistance in Southeast Asia. However, the desirability, timing and practical feasibility of introducing TACTs in Southeast Asia is subject to debate. This study systematically assesses perspectives of malaria experts towards the introduction of TACTs as first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Southeast Asia. METHODS: A two-round Delphi study was conducted. In the first round, 53 malaria experts answered open-ended questions on what they consider the most important advantages, disadvantages, and implementation barriers for introducing TACTs in Southeast Asia. In the second round, the expert panel rated the relevance of each statement on a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Malaria experts identified 15 advantages, 15 disadvantages and 13 implementation barriers for introducing TACTs in Southeast Asia in the first round of data collection. In the second round, consensus was reached on 13 advantages (8 perceived as relevant, 5 as not-relevant), 12 disadvantages (10 relevant, 2 not-relevant), and 13 implementation barriers (all relevant). Advantages attributed highest relevance related to the clinical and epidemiological rationale of introducing TACTs. Disadvantages attributed highest relevance related to increased side-effects, unavailability of fixed-dose TACTs, and potential cost increases. Implementation barriers attributed highest relevance related to obtaining timely regulatory approval, timely availability of fixed-dose TACTs, and generating global policy support for introducing TACTs. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides a structured oversight of malaria experts’ perceptions on the major advantages, disadvantages and implementation challenges for introducing TACTs in Southeast Asia, over current practices of rotating ACTs when treatment failure is observed. The findings can benefit strategic decision making in the battle against drug-resistant malaria. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13212-x
Industry strategies on theranostics: Need for structural alignment
No full textTheranostics is said to change the way patients will manage their disease. Such a change assumes that diagnostics and therapeutics become increasingly linked based on genetic information. Companies that adhere to this vision have different strategies to address theranostics. The resulting industry dynamics are studied using findings from our own research on theranostics strategies expressed in companies' annual reports and two other major studies on pharmacogenomics. We put forward that, for structurally taking up theranostics, there is limited structural alignment between (bio)pharmaceutical companies, and specialised firms in diagnostics and pharmacogenomics. Also, regulatory authorities should take a more anticipatory stance towards diagnostic and pharmacogenomics companies
Innovation system formation in international development cooperation: The role of intermediaries in urban sanitation
No full textThe transformation of urban basic service sectors towards more sustainability is one of the ‘grand challenges’ for public policy, globally. A particular urgent problem is the provision of sanitation in cities in low-income countries. The globally dominant centralised sewerage approach has proven incapable to reach many of the urban poor. Recently, an increasing number of actors in international development cooperation has started to develop alternative safely managed non-grid approaches. We approach their efforts as an emerging ‘global innovation system’ and investigate how its development can be supported by systemic intermediaries. We analyse the activities of the ‘Sustainable Sanitation Alliance’, an international network that coordinates activities in the sanitation sector and thereby supports this innovation system. The findings show how demand ing it is to fulfil an intermediary role in a global innovation system, because of the need to consider system processes at different scales, in each phase of system building
Increased phagocytosis of sialylated <i>C. jejuni</i> by BM-MΦ.
No full text<p>(A) BM-MΦ or (C) BM-DC were incubated with CFSE-labelled wt or Cst-II mutant GB11 for 60 min at 37°C (open histograms) or 4°C (filled histograms). Phagocytosis of <i>C. jejuni</i> by F4/80+ cells or CD11c<sup>+</sup> cells was quantified as fold increase in fluorescence intensity using background fluorescence of 4°C, NaN<sub>3</sub> cultured cells as a reference. Phagocytosis of sialylated wt GB11 and unsialylated GB11 for 0, 15, 30 and 60 min shows that sialylation increases <i>C. jejuni</i> phagocytosis by BM-MΦ (B) but not DM-DC (D). One representative experiment out of 3 is shown (B and D; means ± sd of triplicates). * p<0.05; t-test.</p
Both sialylated and non-sialylated <i>C. jejuni</i> are scavenged by macrophages in the splenic marginal zone.
No full text<p>Mice were injected with CFSE-labelled GB2 wt (A and C) or Cst-II mutant (B) bacteria and spleens were isolated after 1 h. Spleen sections were stained for sialoadhesin (A and B) or CD209b (C and D) and counterstained for B220 (purple). Insets show colocalisation of GB2 wt and ko bacteria with sialoadhesin and CD209b positive macrophages.</p
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