Making their mark?:How protest sparks, surfs, and sustains media issue attention

Media attention is both an important outcome and a resource for protest groups. This paper examines media-movement dynamics using television news coverage of 1,277 protests in Belgium (2003-2019). We situate protest coverage in media issue attention cycles and scrutinize whether features of protest or rather media issue attention fluctuations are key for protest's agenda-setting effect. Our results show that while most protests fail to alter the attention cycle, a considerable share of protests is followed by a significant increase in media issue attention, especially when surfing issue attention already on the rise. Overall, media issue attention cycles rather than protest features affect protest's agenda-setting effect, suggesting that protest agenda-setting is more a matter of exploiting discursive opportunities than of forcing one's issue on the media agenda by signaling newsworthiness. These findings have serious implications for our understanding of protest group agency in news making and agenda-setting

Cost management and cross-functional communication through product architectures

Product architecture decisions regarding, for example, product modularity, component commonality, and design re-use, are important for balancing costs, responsiveness, quality, and other important business objectives. Firms are challenged with complex tradeoffs between competing design priorities, face the need to facilitate communication between functional silos, and want to learn from past experiences. In this paper, we present a qualitative approach for systematically evaluating the product architecture of a product family, comparing the original architecture objectives and actual experiences. The intended contribution of our research is threefold: (1) to present a framework that brings together a diverse set of product architecture-related decisions and business performance; (2) to provide a set of metrics that operationalise the variables in the framework, and (3) to provide a workshop protocol that is based on the framework and the metrics. This workshop aims to improve cross-functional communication about the product architecture of an existing product family, and it results in practical improvement actions for future architecture design projects. Experiences with this approach are reported in pilots with Philips Domestic Appliances and Personal Care, and Philips Consumer Electronics

Does recovery from submaximal exercise predict response to cardiac resynchronisation therapy?

BACKGROUND: Exercise parameters are not routinely incorporated in decision making for cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT). Submaximal exercise parameters better reflect daily functional capacity of heart failure patients than parameters measured at maximal exertion, and may therefore better predict response to CRT. We compared various exercise parameters, and sought to establish which best predict CRT response. METHODS: In 31 patients with chronic heart failure (61% male; age 68±7 years), submaximal and maximal cycling testing was performed before and 3 months after CRT. Submaximal oxygen onset (τVO(2) onset) and recovery kinetics (τVO(2) recovery), peak oxygen uptake (VO(2) peak) and oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) where measured. Response was defined as ≥15% relative reduction in end-systolic volume. RESULTS: After controlling for age, New York Heart Association and VO(2) peak, fast submaximal VO(2) kinetics were significantly associated with response to CRT, measured either during onset or recovery of submaximal exercise (area under the curve, AUC=0.719 for both; p<0.05). By contrast, VO(2) peak (AUC=0.632; p=0.199) and OUES (AUC=0.577; p=0.469) were not associated with response. Among patients with fast onset and recovery kinetics, below 60 s, a significantly higher percentage of responders was observed (91% and 92% vs 43% and 40%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Impaired VO(2) kinetics may serve as an objective marker of submaximal exercise capacity that is age-independently associated with non-response following CRT, whereas maximal exercise parameters are not. Assessment of VO(2) kinetics is feasible and easy to perform, but larger studies should confirm their clinical utility

alpha II-spectrin and beta II-spectrin do not affect TGF beta 1-induced myofibroblast differentiation

Mechanosensing of fibroblasts plays a key role in the development of fibrosis. So far, no effective treatments are available to treat this devastating disorder. Spectrins regulate cell morphology and are potential mechanosensors in a variety of non-erythroid cells, but little is known about the role of spectrins in fibroblasts. We investigate whether II- and II-spectrin are required for the phenotypic properties of adult human dermal (myo)fibroblasts. Knockdown of II- or II-spectrin in fibroblasts did not affect cell adhesion, cell size and YAP nuclear/cytosolic localization. We further investigated whether II- and II-spectrin play a role in the phenotypical switch from fibroblasts to myofibroblasts under the influence of the pro-fibrotic cytokine TGF1. Knockdown of spectrins did not affect myofibroblast formation, nor did we observe changes in the organization of SMA stress fibers. Focal adhesion assembly was unaffected by spectrin deficiency, as was collagen type I mRNA expression and protein deposition. Wound closure was unaffected as well, showing that important functional properties of myofibroblasts are unchanged without II- or II-spectrin. In fact, fibroblasts stimulated with TGF1 demonstrated significantly lower endogenous mRNA levels of II- and II-spectrin. Taken together, despite the diverse roles of spectrins in a variety of other cells, II- and II-spectrin do not regulate cell adhesion, cell size and YAP localization in human dermal fibroblasts and are not required for the dermal myofibroblast phenotypical switch

Lokaal middenveld & lokale besturen: focusgroepen : CSI Spotlightpaper 20

Dit rapport geeft de bevindingen weer van focusgroepen die in 5 kleinere gemeenten georganiseerd werden. In elke gemeente was er een bijeenkomst met mensen uit het lokale verenigingsleven en eentje met lokale bestuurders. Deze resultaten zijn niet per se representatief maar wel indicatief voor wat er gaande is bij het lokale middenveld in kleinere gemeenten. Het rapport gaat in op zeven deelaspecten van de gesprekken die in elke gemeente gevoerd werden. 1. Op zoek naar de nieuwe, jonge vrijwilliger? 2.De verzuiling voorbij? 3. De relatie tussen 'koepels' en 'afdelingen': andere werelden? 4. Het belang van de deelgemeenten 5. Het ontsluiten van etnisch-culturele diversiteit: "wij" en "zij"? 6. Lokaal bestuur en middenveld: een LAT-relatie? 7. Naar nieuwe impulsen? Vernieuwing en innovatieve praktijken

What are the perspectives of patients with hand and wrist conditions, chronic pain, and patients recovering from stroke on the use of patient and outcome information in everyday care?:A Mixed-Methods study

Purpose: To evaluate the patients’ perspectives on the use of patient- and outcome information tools in everyday care and to investigate which characteristics affect general understanding and perceived value of patient- and outcome information. Methods: This mixed-methods study included surveys and interviews on understanding, experience, decision-support, and perceived value in patients with hand and wrist conditions and chronic pain. We synthesized our quantitative and qualitative findings using a triangulation protocol and identified factors independently associated with general understanding and perceived value of patient- and outcome information using hierarchical logistic regression. Results: We included 3379 patients. The data triangulation indicated that patients understand the outcome information, they find it valuable, it supports decision-making, and it improves patient-clinician interaction. The following variables were independently associated with better general understanding: having more difficulty with questionnaires (standardized odds ratio 0.34 [95%-CI 031–0.38]), having a finger condition (0.72 [0.57–0.92]), longer follow-up (0.75 [0.61–0.91]), and undergoing surgical treatment (ref: non-surgical treatment, 1.33 [1.11–1.59]). For more general value, these were: having more difficulty with questionnaires (0.40 [0.36–0.44]), having a wrist condition (0.71 [0.54–0.92]), better hand function (1.12 [1.02–1.22]), and requiring help with questionnaires (1.65 [1.33–2.05]). Conclusion: Patients value the use of patient- and outcome information tools in daily care and find it easy to understand. The factors associated with understanding and value can be targeted to personalized and value-based healthcare. We recommend using outcome information to improve patient independence, empowerment, and involvement in decision-making.</p

Double CEBPA mutations, but not single CEBPA mutations, define a subgroup of acute myeloid leukemia with a distinctive gene expression profile that is uniquely associated with a favorable outcome

Mutations in CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (CEBPA) are seen in 5% to 14% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and have been associated with a favorable clinical outcome. Most AMLs with CEBPA mutations simultaneously carry 2 mutations (CEBPAdouble-mut), usually biallelic, whereas single heterozygous mutations (CEBPAsingle-mut) are less frequently seen. Using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and nucleotide sequencing, we identified among a cohort of 598 newly diagnosed AMLs a subset of 41 CEBPA mutant cases (28 CEBPAdouble-mut and 13 CEBPA single-mut cases) CEBPAdouble-mut associated with a unique gene expression profile as well as favorable overall and event-free survival, retained in multi-variable analysis that included cytoge-netic risk, FZT3-ITD and NPM1 mutation, white blood cell count, and age. In contrast, CEBPA single-mut AMLs did not express a discriminating signature and could not be distinguished from wild-type cases as regards clinical outcome. These results demonstrate significant underlying heterogeneity within CEBPA mutation-positive AML with prognostic relevance

What are the perspectives of patients with hand and wrist conditions, chronic pain, and patients recovering from stroke on the use of patient and outcome information in everyday care?:A Mixed-Methods study

Purpose: To evaluate the patients’ perspectives on the use of patient- and outcome information tools in everyday care and to investigate which characteristics affect general understanding and perceived value of patient- and outcome information. Methods: This mixed-methods study included surveys and interviews on understanding, experience, decision-support, and perceived value in patients with hand and wrist conditions and chronic pain. We synthesized our quantitative and qualitative findings using a triangulation protocol and identified factors independently associated with general understanding and perceived value of patient- and outcome information using hierarchical logistic regression. Results: We included 3379 patients. The data triangulation indicated that patients understand the outcome information, they find it valuable, it supports decision-making, and it improves patient-clinician interaction. The following variables were independently associated with better general understanding: having more difficulty with questionnaires (standardized odds ratio 0.34 [95%-CI 031–0.38]), having a finger condition (0.72 [0.57–0.92]), longer follow-up (0.75 [0.61–0.91]), and undergoing surgical treatment (ref: non-surgical treatment, 1.33 [1.11–1.59]). For more general value, these were: having more difficulty with questionnaires (0.40 [0.36–0.44]), having a wrist condition (0.71 [0.54–0.92]), better hand function (1.12 [1.02–1.22]), and requiring help with questionnaires (1.65 [1.33–2.05]). Conclusion: Patients value the use of patient- and outcome information tools in daily care and find it easy to understand. The factors associated with understanding and value can be targeted to personalized and value-based healthcare. We recommend using outcome information to improve patient independence, empowerment, and involvement in decision-making.</p