The effect of Chinese vaccine diplomacy during COVID-19 in the Philippines and Vietnam: A multiple case study from a soft power perspective

BackgroundVaccine diplomacy is a subset of global health diplomacy and refers to the use anddelivery of vaccines to achieve a country's global health goals and foreign policyobjectives. Countries have used vaccine diplomacy to increase their soft power duringthe COVID-19 pandemic. China, an emerging world power, was no exception in thistrend. By December 2022, China has dispatched 1,65 billion vaccines worldwide;approximately one-third of the Chinese vaccines have been sent to the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. China attempted to increase its softpower via vaccine diplomacy to appeal to its neighbours with which it has longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS). Using the soft powerperspective, our study examines the effectiveness of Chinese COVID-19 vaccinediplomacy in the Philippines and Vietnam, two primary claimants in the SCS.MethodsThrough a qualitative multiple case study research design, we determine theeffectiveness of Chinese vaccine diplomacy in the Philippines and Vietnam by usingfour indicators of soft power: public opinion, foreign policy, attractiveness, and businessand trade. Data collection consisted of a semi-systematic literature search of academicliterature and newspaper articles that were published before 13 June 2022. A thematicanalysis was conducted to analyse the data.ResultsAnalysing the effectiveness of Chinese vaccine diplomacy based on the four indicatorsof soft power, our results show that only the indicators of attractiveness in Vietnam andbusiness and trade in the Philippines have somewhat improved. In contrast, theindicators of public opinion and foreign policy showed neutral or negative results forChina.ConclusionsThis study concludes that Chinese vaccine diplomacy in the Philippines and Vietnamduring the COVID-19 pandemic was unsuccessful from a soft power perspective. Onereason is that China has undermined its soft power approach by simultaneously usinghard power tactics in Southeast Asia. Using vaccine diplomacy to increase soft poweris not always desirable from a global health perspective. Instead, countries sh

The effect of Chinese vaccine diplomacy during COVID-19 in the Philippines and Vietnam: A multiple case study from a soft power perspective

BackgroundVaccine diplomacy is a subset of global health diplomacy and refers to the use anddelivery of vaccines to achieve a country's global health goals and foreign policyobjectives. Countries have used vaccine diplomacy to increase their soft power duringthe COVID-19 pandemic. China, an emerging world power, was no exception in thistrend. By December 2022, China has dispatched 1,65 billion vaccines worldwide;approximately one-third of the Chinese vaccines have been sent to the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. China attempted to increase its softpower via vaccine diplomacy to appeal to its neighbours with which it has longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS). Using the soft powerperspective, our study examines the effectiveness of Chinese COVID-19 vaccinediplomacy in the Philippines and Vietnam, two primary claimants in the SCS.MethodsThrough a qualitative multiple case study research design, we determine theeffectiveness of Chinese vaccine diplomacy in the Philippines and Vietnam by usingfour indicators of soft power: public opinion, foreign policy, attractiveness, and businessand trade. Data collection consisted of a semi-systematic literature search of academicliterature and newspaper articles that were published before 13 June 2022. A thematicanalysis was conducted to analyse the data.ResultsAnalysing the effectiveness of Chinese vaccine diplomacy based on the four indicatorsof soft power, our results show that only the indicators of attractiveness in Vietnam andbusiness and trade in the Philippines have somewhat improved. In contrast, theindicators of public opinion and foreign policy showed neutral or negative results forChina.ConclusionsThis study concludes that Chinese vaccine diplomacy in the Philippines and Vietnamduring the COVID-19 pandemic was unsuccessful from a soft power perspective. Onereason is that China has undermined its soft power approach by simultaneously usinghard power tactics in Southeast Asia. Using vaccine diplomacy to increase soft poweris not always desirable from a global health perspective. Instead, countries sh

We'll stay in touch: Intuitive communication means for social connectedness

One of the dominant aspects in people’s well-being is social connectedness. Social connectedness refers to the subjective awareness of being in close interpersonal, meaningful, and positive social relationships and social contexts (Tilburg et al., 1998; Perlman & Paplau 1981). In our research project we studied whether new services and high-tech products can help to increase connectedness between families (i.e. small community). A multidisciplinary approach is adopted in which technical and Human Factors knowledge are combined. The technology approach is strongly based on rapid prototyping, extending, reusing, and integrating existing devices and services in a novel, innovative way. Human Factors knowledge aims at user-centred design and evaluation of a.o. user experiences.\ud When people are forced to leave their home environment for a period of time, the lack of social connectedness might become predominant. This might lead to feelings of loneliness and have a negative effect on wellbeing. The focus in this project is on spinal cord lesion patients in a rehabilitation clinic, and their family members at home. Spinal cord lesion patients have to stay in the rehabilitation clinic up to one year after their accident or illness.\ud The project consists of three phases:\ud 1. Inventory of technology possibilities and restrictions, and user requirements;\ud 2. Technical probe study; one technical device is tested\ud 3. Pilot study; an integrated combination of technological devices and services is teste

Association of histological features with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma recurrences:a population-based study of 1502 patients in the Netherlands

BACKGROUND: Recurrences remain an important problem in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Little has been described about histological characteristics of the primary laryngeal tumor that may be associated with recurrences. Identifying risk factors for recurrences might help in adapting treatment or follow-up. Using real-life population-based data, we aimed to identify histological features of the primary tumor associated with recurrences and overall survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Demographic, clinical and treatment information on all first primary invasive laryngeal tumors diagnosed in 2010–2014 (N = 3705) were extracted from the population-based nationwide Netherlands cancer registry (NCR) and linked to PALGA, the nationwide Dutch pathology registry, to obtain data on histological factors and recurrences. For a random 1502 patients histological information i.e., keratinization, perineural invasion (PNI+), vascular invasion (VI+), growth pattern, degree of differentiation, extracapsular spread (ECS+), cartilage- and bone invasion and extralaryngeal extension, was manually extracted from narrative pathology reports and analyzed for locoregional recurrence and overall survival using cox regression analysis. RESULTS: In total, 299 patients developed a locoregional recurrence and 555 patients died. Keratinization (HR = 0.96 (95%CI: 0.68–1.34) p = 0.79), two or three adverse characteristics (PNI+, VI+, non-cohesive growth) (HR = 1.38 (95% CI: 0.63–3.01) p = 0.42), and ECS+ (HR = 1.38 (95% CI: 0.48–4.02) p = 0.55) were not associated to recurrence. For death, also no significant association was found. CONCLUSION: In this population-based real-life dataset on laryngeal carcinoma in the Netherlands, histological factors were not associated with locoregional recurrences or overall survival, but future studies should investigate the role of these features in treatment decisions. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09533-0

Advances in Pathogenesis and Management of Pruritus in Cholestasis

Chronic pruritus is a burdensome feature of numerous hepatobiliary disorders such as primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, cholangiocarcinoma, inherited forms of cholestasis and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Bile salts, μ-opioids, serotonin, histamine and steroids have been controversially discussed in the pathogenesis of cholestatic pruritus. However, for these substances neither a correlation with itch severity nor a causative link has ever been established. Recent findings indicate that the potent neuronal activator lysophosphatidic acid and autotaxin, the enzyme forming lysophosphatidic acid, may play a key element in the pathogenesis of cholestatic pruritus. Serum activity of autotaxin correlated with itch intensity and response to antipruritic treatment in patients with cholestatic pruritus, but not other forms of pruritus. Autotaxin activity thereby represents the first biomarker for pruritus and had a positive predictive value of 70% in differentiating cholestatic pruritus from other forms of pruritus. Treatment options for patients with cholestatic pruritus include the anion exchange resin colestyramine, the PXR agonist rifampicin, the μ-opioid antagonist naltrexone, and the serotonin reuptake inhibitor sertraline. These drugs are recommended by evidence-based guidelines as a stepwise therapeutic approach. Patients unresponsive to these drugs should be referred to specialized centers to receive experimental approaches such as UVB phototherapy, albumin dialysis, plasmapheresis or nasobiliary drainage. This review discusses pruritogen candidates in cholestasis, gives novel insights into the neuronal signaling pathway of pruritus and summarizes evidence-based treatment options for patients suffering from pruritus in cholestasis

Myeloid cells promote interferon signaling-associated deterioration of the hematopoietic system

Innate and adaptive immune cells participate in the homeostatic regulation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Here, we interrogate the contribution of myeloid cells, the most abundant cell type in the mammalian bone marrow, in a clinically relevant mouse model of neutropenia. Long-term genetic depletion of neutrophils and eosinophils results in activation of multipotent progenitors but preservation of HSCs. Depletion of myeloid cells abrogates HSC expansion, loss of serial repopulation and lymphoid reconstitution capacity and remodeling of HSC niches, features previously associated with hematopoietic aging. This is associated with mitigation of interferon signaling in both HSCs and their niches via reduction of NK cell number and activation. These data implicate myeloid cells in the functional decline of hematopoiesis, associated with activation of interferon signaling via a putative neutrophil-NK cell axis. Innate immunity may thus come at the cost of system deterioration through enhanced chronic inflammatory signaling to stem cells and their niches

A Single-Cell Taxonomy Predicts Inflammatory Niche Remodeling to Drive Tissue Failure and Outcome in Human AML

Cancer initiation is orchestrated by an interplay between tumor-initiating cells and their stromal/immune environment. Here, by adapted single-cell RNA sequencing, we decipher the predicted signaling between tissue-resident hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) and their neoplastic counterparts with their native niches in the human bone marrow. LEPR + stromal cells are identified as central regulators of hematopoiesis through predicted interactions with all cells in the marrow. Inflammatory niche remodeling and the resulting deprivation of critical HSPC regulatory factors are predicted to repress high-output hematopoietic stem cell subsets in NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with relative resistance of clonal cells. Stromal gene signatures reflective of niche remodeling are associated with reduced relapse rates and favorable outcomes after chemotherapy across all genetic risk categories. Elucidation of the intercellular signaling defining human AML, thus, predicts that inflammatory remodeling of stem cell niches drives tissue repression and clonal selection but may pose a vulnerability for relapse-initiating cells in the context of chemotherapeutic treatment.</p