The economics of knowledge interaction and the changing role of universities

This Handbook brings together 49 international specialists to address an issue of increasing importance for the world’s post-industrial economies; innovation as it relates to services. Contemporary economies have two fundamental characteristics. Firstly, they are service economies in as much as services account for more than 70 per cent of the wealth and jobs in most developed countries. Secondly, they are innovation economies as recent decades have seen an unprecedented development of scientific, technological, organisational and social innovations. This Handbook expertly links these two major characteristics in order to investigate the role of innovation in services, an issue that until now has been inadequately explored and one that poses many theoretical and operational challenges. This comprehensive volume encompasses the views of eminent scholars from a range of disciplines including economics, management, sociology and geography, and draws on a number of different analytical and methodological perspectives. With its multi-disciplinary approach this Handbook will be an invaluable reference source for academics and students in the fields of economics, management and the geography of services and innovation. Public authorities and managers in the service sector will also find this book fascinating

Complete response to anti-PD-1 nivolumab in massive skin metastasis from melanoma: Efficacy and tolerability in an elderly patient

The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors anti-PD-1/PD-L1 has delivered new and effective treatment options with proven clinical benefits for patients affected by metastatic melanoma. The 30-40% of treated patients experience an objective tumour regression, with a significantly prolonged survival and an improved quality of life. Here, we report a case of a 75-year-old Caucasian woman affected by a massive cutaneous metastasis from a BRAF wild-type melanoma who experienced multiple relapses after surgery and repeated electrochemotherapy treatments. A poor response was observed after systemic therapy with ipilimumab, whereas a marked reduction in the lesion size was obtained during the treatment with nivolumab, with an objectively complete response after 6 months. Therapy was well tolerated, without immune-related side effects. During treatment, LDH levels decreased up to the standard values. Our experience confirms the good efficacy and the safety of anti-PD-1 nivolumab for the treatment of relapsed or refractory massive skin lesions, also in elderly patients