The Use of Value Capture for Transport Projects in China: Opportunities and Challenges

Value capture (VC) could be a useful tool to address the huge demand for public transport infrastructure funding in China. This research identifies the opportunities and challenges faced by VC implementation in China and explains how local governments and local transit agencies dealt with the regulatory barriers. The findings of this research offer insights including: (1) macro environment, regulatory framework, and supportive policy environment provide opportunities to adopt VC projects, while the risk of acquiring land vale cannot be isolated from the global political and economic situations; (2) the regulatory challenges of land transactions and lack of property tax system restrict the application of VC; (3) evidence from the case study of Shenzhen demonstrates that local government may creatively deal with the regulatory challenges to do VC and benefit local community; (4) institutional capacity is vital to implement VC. The analysis of Shenzhen experience can provide a reference for other Chinese cities to implement VC.fals

Bioconjugation of supramolecular metallacages to integrin ligands for targeted delivery of cisplatin

Cisplatin occupies a crucial role in the treatment of various malignant tumours. However, its efficacy and applicability are heavily restricted by severe systemic toxicities and drug resistance. Our study exploits the active targeting of supramolecular metallacages to enhance the activity of cisplatin in cancer cells while reducing its toxicity. Thus, Pd2L4 cages (L = ligand) have been conjugated to four integrin ligands with different binding affinity and selectivity. Cage formation and encapsulation of cisplatin was proven by NMR spectroscopy. Upon encapsulation, cisplatin showed increased cytotoxicity in vitro, in melanoma A375 cells overexpressing αvβ3 integrins. Moreover, ex vivo studies in tissue slices indicated reduced toxicity towards healthy liver and kidney tissues for cage-encapsulated cisplatin. Analysis of metal content by ICP-MS demonstrated that encapsulated drug is less accumulated in these organs compared to the ‘free’ one

Is there a good governance model for the delivery of contemporary transport policy and practice? An examination of Melbourne and Perth

Land use and transport integration (LUTI) is a contemporary planning policy and practice that supports sustainable transport. Attempts to implement LUTI have raised questions about the appropriate organisational structure and the role of governance to deliver this policy. This paper presents the discussions from two public fora held in 2008 in Melbourne and Perth, Australia. Their purpose was to examine the governance arrangements for land use and transport integration. It is concluded that integration of land use and transport agencies does not mean that land use transport integration will be achieved in practice. Rather than simple organisational re-structuring, a focus on networked governance, together with strong regulation, is conducive to inclusive policy development and the implementation of land use and transport integration policies

Delivering infrastructure and land use - transport integration policy: Examining good governance issues in Melbourne and Perth

Governance is a difficult topic to address in the often controversial area of transport and planning. Good governance allows issues associated with balancing different interests, objectives and pressures, to be addressed and solved - but its absence is a major barrier to this occurring. The Australasian Centre for the Governance and Management of Urban Transport, an independent research centre, held two forums in 2008 to discuss infrastructure governance in Melbourne, and transport and land use integration in Perth, Australia. The forums were structured to enable practitioners from a range of agencies and individuals from the community to share their experience and viewpoints on good governance. Issues presented were interrogated collectively during breakout group discussions affording participants a chance to also express their positions and to raise issues. The diversity of attendees permitted a wide range of views on governance. This paper examines the key differences which distinguished the perceptions and practice of good governance in Melbourne and Perth and identifies socio-political reasons why these differences exist.Analysis of the discussions from the forums in Melbourne and Perth reinforced the hypothesis that different governance frameworks were in use in each of these two cities. While transparency, communication structures and resource constraints remained consistent issues in both cities, the emergent differences raised questions about how and if institutional structures and procedures facilitated and mediated the implementation of policy