Empirical research on Polycentric Governance: Critical gaps and a framework for studying long-term change

Polycentric governance (PG) describes governance systems characterized by multiple, interdependent centers of decision making, offering an alternative to centralized governance models. PG is often assumed to be effective at helping policy actors address complex collective action problems, but a burgeoning empirical literature on PG shows that it is not a panacea – PG is associated with both positive and negative governance outcomes. In this article, we ask: what do we know about why PG performs well in some cases but not in others? We start with a systematic review, synthesizing findings that provide empirical support for positive and negative features that are theorized to accompany PG. Our review reveals a critical gap in relation to our understanding of polycentric governance: the existing empirical literature largely fails to address change and evolution over time in PG systems, undermining our understanding of why PG works – or does not– across different contexts and over time. To fill this gap, we propose a “Context – Operations – Outcomes – Feedbacks” (COOF) framework that draws explicit attention to the interplay between context, operational arrangements, outcomes, and identifies feedback pathways and adjustment mechanisms that drive dynamic change and evolution over time

Relationen mellan intellektuellt kapital, prestationsmätning och värdeskapande

Sammanfattning Bakgrund och problematisering I takt med den ökade globaliseringen har fenomenet intellektuellt kapital blivit en betydelsefull faktor för att ett företag ska bli konkurrenskraftigt. Detta har resulterat i att mätning av det intellektuella kapitalet blivit av stor vikt. Hur relationen mellan intellektuellt kapital, prestationsmätning och värdeskapande och hör ihop och påverkar varandra är något som undersökts i tidigare studier. Majoriteten av dessa har emellertid utförts genom statistiska undersökningar baserade på enkätundersökningar. Med detta i åtanke ville uppsatsgruppen komplettera genom att utföra en kvalitativ undersökning med personliga intervjuer och hur individer med chefspositioner uppfattar relationen mellan begreppen. Syfte och problemformulering Studiens syfte är att undersöka vad värdeskapande innebär för individer med chefspositioner samt göra en jämförelse om hur de uppfattar relationen mellan intellektuellt kapital, prestationsmätning och värdeskapande. Detta mynnar sedan ut frågeställningen: “Hur bidrar intellektuellt kapital och prestationsmätning till värdeskapande i organisationer?”. Metod För att uppfylla syftet och frågeställningen har uppsatsgruppen använt sig av både primär och sekundärdata. Primärdata består av personliga intervjuer som har utförts inom tre stora företag. Fokus på en specifik bransch har inte riktats, men för att syftet skulle uppfyllas erfordrades intervjuer med respondenter från större företag med flertalet funktioner samt att respondenterna besitter kunskap inom ämnet. Sekundärdata har fokuserat på att undersöka tidigare forskning om ämnet för att källorna ska vara av relevant information. Slutsats Slutligen kom uppsatsgruppen fram till två slutsatser. Till att börja med är chefernas uppfattning kring begreppens relation vilket har blivit snarlika. Men även att det finns variation beroende på vilken position de besitter. Den första slutsatsen som går att utläsa är att i slutändan ansåg respondenterna att värde var något som skapades för kunden. De intellektuella kapitalen som var i fokus var framförallt humankapital och processkapital för uppnå detta. Den andra slutsatsen fokuserar istället på styrinstrumentet och detta för att säkerställa att resurser används på ett välfungerande sätt vilket resulterar i konkurrenskraftighet för företaget

Activity of everolimus (RAD001) in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma: a phase I study

The mammalian target of rapamycin plays an important role in multiple myeloma. The allosteric mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus has long been approved for immunosuppression and has shown activity in certain cancers. This investigator-initiated phase I trial explored the use of everolimus in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma patients who had received two or more lines of prior treatment. Following a dose-escalation design, it called for a fixed dose of oral everolimus. Blood drug levels were monitored and the biological activity of everolimus was evaluated in bone marrow. Seventeen patients were enrolled (age range, 52 to 76 years). All had been previously treated with stem cell transplantation and proteasome inhibitors and almost all with immunomodulatory drugs. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed and the intended final daily dose of 10 mg was reached. Only one severe adverse event was assessed as possibly related to the study drug, namely atypical pneumonia. Remarkably few infections were observed. Although the trial was mainly designed to evaluate feasibility, anti-myeloma activity, defined as clinical benefit, was documented in ten of 15 evaluable patients at every dose level including eight patients with stable disease, one patient with minor remission and one with partial remission. However, the median time to progression was 90 days (range, 13 to 278 days). The biomarker study documented on-target activity of everolimus in malignant plasma cells as well as the microenvironment. The observed responses are promising and allow further studies to be considered, including those testing combination strategies addressing escape pathways

Activity of everolimus (RAD001) in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma: a phase I study

The mammalian target of rapamycin plays an important role in multiple myeloma. The allosteric mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus has long been approved for immunosuppression and has shown activity in certain cancers. This investigator-initiated phase I trial explored the use of everolimus in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma patients who had received two or more lines of prior treatment. Following a dose-escalation design, it called for a fixed dose of oral everolimus. Blood drug levels were monitored and the biological activity of everolimus was evaluated in bone marrow. Seventeen patients were enrolled (age range, 52 to 76 years). All had been previously treated with stem cell transplantation and proteasome inhibitors and almost all with immunomodulatory drugs. No dose-limiting toxicity was observed and the intended final daily dose of 10 mg was reached. Only one severe adverse event was assessed as possibly related to the study drug, namely atypical pneumonia. Remarkably few infections were observed. Although the trial was mainly designed to evaluate feasibility, anti-myeloma activity, defined as clinical benefit, was documented in ten of 15 evaluable patients at every dose level including eight patients with stable disease, one patient with minor remission and one with partial remission. However, the median time to progression was 90 days (range, 13 to 278 days). The biomarker study documented on-target activity of everolimus in malignant plasma cells as well as the microenvironment. The observed responses are promising and allow further studies to be considered, including those testing combination strategies addressing escape pathways

Graph model for multiple scattering in lithium niobate on insulator integrated photonic networks

We present a graph-based model for multiple scattering of light in integrated lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) networks, which describes an open network of single-mode integrated waveguides with tunable scattering at the network nodes. We first validate the model at small scale with experimental LNOI resonator devices and show consistent agreement between simulated and measured spectral data. Then, the model is used to demonstrate a novel platform for on-chip multiple scattering in large-scale optical networks up to few hundred nodes, with tunable scattering behaviour and tailored disorder. Combining our simple graph-based model with material properties of LNOI, this platform creates new opportunities to control randomness in large optical networks

Stepwise Fabrication and Optimization of Coplanar Waveguide Resonator Hybrid Devices

From the background of microwave-optomechanical experiments involving carbon nanotubes, the optimization of superconducting coplanar waveguide resonator devices is discussed. Two devices, one with unmodified geometry compared to previous work and one integrating several improvements, are lithographically built up step-by-step. After each step, the low-temperature GHz transmission properties are retested. This allows to identify the impact of the fabrication and the geometry modification on the device properties. In addition, simplified circuit geometries are modeled numerically, confirming the experimental results and providing further insights for optimization

Удаление сернистых соединений из дизельных топлив с использованием металлосодержащих ионных жидкостей

Данная статья посвящена проблеме удаления сернистых соединений из дизельных топлив. Представлены характеристики полученных экстракционных систем на основе ионных жидкостей и солей металлов (СuBr[2], CoBr[2], NiBr[2]). Показана возможность использования комплексов ионных жидкостей с солями металлов в качестве экстрагентов для удаления серы из дизельного топлива

Dual checkpoint blockade of CD47 and LILRB1 enhances CD20 antibody-dependent phagocytosis of lymphoma cells by macrophages

Antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) by macrophages, an important effector function of tumor targeting antibodies, is hampered by ‘Don´t Eat Me!’ signals such as CD47 expressed by cancer cells. Yet, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I expression may also impair ADCP by engaging leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B (LILRB) member 1 (LILRB1) or LILRB2. Analysis of different lymphoma cell lines revealed that the ratio of CD20 to HLA class I cell surface molecules determined the sensitivity to ADCP by the combination of rituximab and an Fc-silent variant of the CD47 antibody magrolimab (CD47-IgGσ). To boost ADCP, Fc-silent antibodies against LILRB1 and LILRB2 were generated (LILRB1-IgGσ and LILRB2-IgGσ, respectively). While LILRB2-IgGσ was not effective, LILRB1-IgGσ significantly enhanced ADCP of lymphoma cell lines when combined with both rituximab and CD47-IgGσ. LILRB1-IgGσ promoted serial engulfment of lymphoma cells and potentiated ADCP by non-polarized M0 as well as polarized M1 and M2 macrophages, but required CD47 co-blockade and the presence of the CD20 antibody. Importantly, complementing rituximab and CD47-IgGσ, LILRB1-IgGσ increased ADCP of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or lymphoma cells isolated from patients. Thus, dual checkpoint blockade of CD47 and LILRB1 may be promising to improve antibody therapy of CLL and lymphomas through enhancing ADCP by macrophages