Regulated Competition under Increasing Returns to Scale

This paper proposes a mechanism for the regulation of firms in the context of asymmetric information with the aim to induce firms to report its private information truthfully and to save information rents. Baron and Myerson (1982) have considered this problem and derived an optimal policy for regulating a monopolist with unknown costs. They show that it was possible to create a regulatory mechanism that induced the firm to report its private information truthfully. To secure this, a part of the mechanism is to pay the firm a subsidy. This article presents a regulatory mechanism which explores competition in the context of an industry characterized by increasing returns to scale. In contrast to the model in this article, the Baron and Myerson model doesn’t consider increasing returns to scale. In equilibrium each firm chooses to report truthfully without receiving any subsidy. However, the use of competition gives rise to an efficiency lost.

Niet-lineaire vibratie spectroscopiën van biomoleculaire systemen

Er is recent veel vooruitgang geboekt in de ontwikkeling van niet-lineaire vibratie spectroscopische methoden voor onderzoek van biologische macromoleculaire systemen(1,2,3,4). De niet lineaire vibratie spectroscopische technieken die in onze groep in gebruik en in ontwikkeling zijn, zijn CARS (coherente anti-Stokes Raman verstrooiing), stRg (gestimuleerde Raman verstrooiing), IR/V-SFG (infrarood-zichtbaar licht som frequentie generatie). Daarnaast wordt gebruik gemaakt van niet-lineaire optische eigenschappen van materie, zoals parametrische fluorescentie, verschil frequentie generatie en tweede harmonische generatie, om laser emissie met geschikte karakteristieken te genereren. Als standaard techniek zijn in de groep zeer geavanceerde Raman microspectrometers voor spontane Raman verstrooiing (spR) beschikbaar. Het doel van het onderzoek is om gevoelige methoden te ontwikkelen voor detectie van kleine aantallen molekulen, bijvoorbeeld aan oppevlakken en in biologische cellen. We richten ons op de vibratie selectieve technieken omdat: 1) vibraties niet alleen geschikt zijn voor detectie maar ook voor identificatie, 2) vibraties zijn gevoelig voor inter- en intramolekulaire interacties, 3) vibraties kunnen helpen bij het bepalen van de molekulaire orientatie of de relatieve orientatie van molekulen en 4) vibraties maken het mogelijk om zeer snelle dynamica in materie te bestuderen. In het bijzonder niet-lineaire optische technieken zijn interessant vanwege: a) spectrale scheiding tussen fluorescentie en signaal (bijvoorbeeld in CARS en IR/V-SFG), b) gecollimeerde signaal bundel maakt efficiente signaal collectie mogelijk, c) hoge signaal niveaus door gebruik te maken van gestimuleerde verstrooiings processen (CARS, stRg) en/of door resonantie (IR/V-SFG), d) efficiente belichting door gecollimeerde lichtbundels, waardoor combinaties met golfgeleiders mogelijk zijn (CARS, stRg en spR) en oppervlakte gevoeligheid ontstaat door evanescente veld excitatie of intrinsieke eigenschappen van c(2) (IR/V-SFG).\ud Na een korte inleiding worden in het vervolg resultaten gepresenteerd van polarisatiegevoelige multiplex CARS, golfgeleider Raman verstrooiing en een optisch parametrische oscillator. Deze vormt het hart van een IR/V-SFG spectrometer die in ontwikkeling is

ICS Bulletin, Number 4, 2015

Der vorliegende Band dokumentiert die Reden, die während der akademischen Feier anlässlich der Verleihung der Würde eines Dr. theol. honoris causa an Prof. Dr. Helmut Greve am 19. November 2007 in der Universität Hamburg gehalten wurden.This volume documents the speeches that were given during the academic celebration on the occasion of the award of the dignity of Dr. theol. honoris causa to Prof. Dr. Helmut Greve at the University of Hamburg on November 19, 2007

Early Induction of Cross-Reactive CD8+ T-Cell Responses in Tonsils After Live-Attenuated Influenza Vaccination in Children

Background Live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) was licensed for prophylaxis of children 2–17 years old in Europe in 2012 and is administered as a nasal spray. Live-attenuated influenza vaccine induces both mucosal and systemic antibodies and systemic T-cell responses. Tonsils are the lymph nodes serving the upper respiratory tract, acting as both induction and effector site for mucosal immunity. Methods Here, we have studied the early tonsillar T-cell responses induced in children after LAIV. Thirty-nine children were immunized with trivalent LAIV (containing A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B viruses) at days 3, 7, and 14 before tonsillectomy. Nonvaccinated controls were included for comparison. Tonsils and peripheral blood (pre- and postvaccination) were collected to study T-cell responses. Results Tonsillar and systemic T-cell responses differed between influenza strains, and both were found against H3N2 and B viruses, whereas only systemic responses were observed against A/H1N1. A significant increase in cross-reactive tonsillar CD8+ T cells recognizing conserved epitopes from a broad range of seasonal and pandemic viruses occurred at day 14. Tonsillar T cells showed significant cytokine responses (Th1, Th2, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor). Conclusions Our findings support the use of LAIV in children to elicit broadly cross-reactive T cells, which are not induced by traditional inactivated influenza vaccines and may provide protection to novel virus strains.publishedVersio

Targeting FcRn for immunomodulation: Benefits, risks, and practical considerations

The neonatal fragment crystallizable (Fc) receptor (FcRn) functions as a recycling mechanism to prevent degradation and extend the half-life of IgG and albumin in the circulation. Several FcRn inhibitors selectively targeting IgG recycling are now moving rapidly toward clinical practice in neurology and hematology. These molecules accelerate the destruction of IgG, reducing pathogenic IgG and IgG immune complexes, with no anticipated effects on IgA, IgM, IgE, complement, plasma cells, B cells, or other cells of the innate or adaptive immune systems. FcRn inhibitors have potential for future use in a much wider variety of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases. Given the imminent clinical use, potential for broader utility, and novel mechanism of action of FcRn inhibitors, here we review data from 4 main sources: (a) currently available activity, safety, and mechanism-of-action data from clinical trials of FcRn inhibitors; (b) other procedures and treatments that also remove IgG (plasma donation, plasma exchange, immunoadsorption); (c) diseases resulting in loss of IgG; and (d) primary immunodeficiencies with potential mechanistic similarities to those induced by FcRn inhibitors. These data have been evaluated to provide practical considerations for the assessment, monitoring, and reduction of any potential infection risk associated with FcRn inhibition, in addition to highlighting areas for future research

How do professionals perceive the governance of public–private partnerships? Evidence from Canada, the Netherlands and Denmark

In public–private partnerships (PPPs), the collaboration between public and private actors can be complicated. With partners coming from different institutional backgrounds and with different interests, governing these partnerships is important to ensure the projects' progress. There is, however, little knowledge about the perceptions of professionals regarding the governance of PPPs. This study aims to exlore professionals' viewpoints about governing PPPs, and to explain potential differences using four theoretical governance paradigms. Using Q methodology, the preferences of 119 public and private professionals in Canada, the Netherlands and Denmark are explored. Results show four different viewpoints regarding the governance of PPPs. Experience, country and the public–private distinction seem to influence these viewpoints. Knowledge of these differences can inform efforts to govern PPPs and contribute to more successful partnerships