scholarly journals NIMble innovation - a networked model for public antibiotic trials

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Glover ◽  
Andrew Singer ◽  
Adam Roberts ◽  
Claas Kirchhelle

Antibiotic research and development (R&D) is at an inflection point. Faced with ongoing problems with commercial innovation, we argue for a networked public approach to sustainably moving promising compounds through clinical trials. We propose a global public infrastructure of institutes tasked with 1) conducting all trial stages up to market authorization, including small-scale compound production; 2) negotiating licensing agreements for global production and distribution by industry partners; 3) using public purchasing agreements or subscription models to ensure commercially viable drug production at equitable prices. We invite stakeholders to consider our Networked Institute Model’s (NIM) benefits for unblocking the antibiotic pipeline.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 2263
Author(s):  
Mahmood Ebadian ◽  
Shahab Sokhansanj ◽  
David Lee ◽  
Alyssa Klein ◽  
Lawrence Townley-Smith

In this study, an inter-continental agricultural pellet supply chain is modeled, and the production cost and price of agricultural pellets are estimated and compared against the recent cost and price of wood pellets in the global marketplace. The inter-continental supply chain is verified and validated using an integration of an interactive mapping application and a simulation platform. The integrated model is applied to a case study in which agricultural pellets are produced in six locations in Canada and shipped and discharged at the three major ports in Western Europe. The cost of agricultural pellets in the six locations is estimated to be in the range of EUR 92–95/tonne (CAD 138–142/tonne), which is comparable with the recent cost of wood pellets produced in small-scale pellet plants (EUR 99–109/tonne). The average agricultural pellet price shipped from the six plants to the three ports in Western Europe is estimated to be in a range of EUR 183–204 (CAD 274–305/tonne), 29–42% more expensive that the average recent price of wood pellets (EUR 143/tonne) at the same ports. There are several potential areas in the agricultural pellet supply chains that can reduce the pellet production and distribution costs in the mid and long terms, making them affordable supplement to the existing wood pellet markets. Potential economic activities generated by the production of pellets in farm communities can be significant. The generated annual revenue in the biomass logistics system in all six locations is estimated to be about CAD 21.80 million. In addition, the logistics equipment fleet needs 176 local operators with a potential annual income of CAD 2.18 million.


2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Walsh ◽  
Josie Douglas

Improvement in Aboriginal people’s livelihoods and economic opportunities has been a major aim of increased research and development on bush foods over the past decade. But worldwide the development of trade in non-timber forest products from natural populations has raised questions about the ecological sustainability of harvest. Trade-offs and tensions between commercialisation and cultural values have also been found. We investigated the sustainability of the small-scale commercial harvest and trade in native plant products sourced from central Australian rangelands (including Solanum centrale J.M. Black, Acacia Mill. spp.). We used semi-structured interviews with traders and Aboriginal harvesters, participant observation of trading and harvesting trips, and analysis of species and trader records. An expert Aboriginal reference group guided the project. We found no evidence of either taxa being vulnerable to over-harvest. S. centrale production is enhanced by harvesting when it co-occurs with patch-burning. Extreme fluctuations in productivity of both taxa, due to inter-annual rainfall variability, have a much greater impact on supply than harvest effects. Landscape-scale degradation (including cattle grazing and wildfire) affected ecological sustainability according to participants. By contrast, we found that sustainability of bush food trade is more strongly impacted by social and economic factors. The relationship-based links between harvesters and traders are critical to monetary trade. Harvesters and traders identified access to productive lands and narrow economic margins between costs and returns as issues for the future sustainability of harvest and trade. Harvesters and the reference group emphasised that sustaining bush harvest relies on future generations having necessary knowledge and skills; these are extremely vulnerable to loss. Aboriginal people derive multiple livelihood benefits from harvest and trade. Aboriginal custodians and harvester groups involved in recent trade are more likely to benefit from research and development investment to inter-generational knowledge and skill transfer than from investments in plant breeding and commercial horticultural development. In an inductive comparison, our study found there to be strong alignment between key findings about the strategies used by harvesters and traders in bush produce and the ‘desert system’..


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26
Author(s):  
Lamhot P. Manalu

Cocoa is commodities third largest foreign exchange earner after oil palm and rubber. In 2012 production totaled 833 310 tonnes of cocoa with an average growth of 1.56%. There are two major challenges in the development of the national cocoa industry, the increase in quantity (production and productivity) and quality. To support these efforts the role of research and development is needed to ensure that the procedures adopted are appropriate and fit. This study aims to study the role of research and development and other supporting factors in addressing the problems of the national cocoa. The study is in the form of survey respondents which are R&D institutes, universities and cocoa processing industry. The results show that there is a problem of national cocoa industry in all aspects, here the cultivation aspect is the biggest problem. The next aspects are mentoring, institutional, business scale, quality, policy, processing of intermediate products and processing of downstream products. The study also shows that there is still a lot of research results that can not be utilized by the cocoa industry, the rest has to be applied even if but only for a small scale so that the less significant. In the small and medium scale of cocoa enterprises, the equipment used is generally low capacity so inefficient. ABSTRAKKakao merupakan komoditas perkebunan penghasil devisa terbesar ketiga setelah kelapa sawit dan karet. Pada tahun 2012 produksi kakao tercatat sebesar 833.310 ton dengan rata-rata pertumbuhan sebesar 1,56%. Ada dua tantangan utama dalam pengembangan industri kakao nasional yaitu peningkatan kuantitas (produksi dan produktifitas) dan kualitas. Untuk mendukung usaha tersebut peran riset dan pengembangan (risetbang) sangat dibutuhkan untuk memastikan prosedur yang diterapkan sudah tepat dan sesuai.Studi ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari peran risetbang serta faktor pendukung lainnya dalam menjawab permasalahan kakao nasional. Studi ini berupa hasil survey terhadap responden (pelaku risetbang kakao) yaitu lembaga penelitian dan pengembangan, universitas serta industri pengolahan kakao. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa permasalahan industri kakao nasional terdapat pada semua aspek, dimana aspek budidaya merupakan permasalahan terbesar. Aspek berikutnya adalah penyuluhan, kelembagaan, skala usaha, mutu, kebijakan, pengolahan produk antara dan pengolahan produk hilir. Studi juga menunjukkan bahwa masih banyak hasil riset yang tidak dapat dimanfaatkan oleh industri kakao skala besar, sisanya walaupun telah bersifat aplikatif tetapi hanya untuk skala kecil sehingga kurang signifikan. Pada industri usaha skala kecil dan menengah umumnya peralatan yang digunakan berkapasitas rendah sehingga tidak efisien.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Elfrida Rif’atul Chusniah ◽  
Rini Setianingsih

Penelitian ini adalah penelitian yang bertujuan untuk mengembangkan komik matematika berbasis kontekstual untuk materi lingkaran yang berkualitas baik berdasarkan tiga kriteria, yaitu valid, praktis, dan efektif. Rancangan penelitian ini adalah Research and Development (R&D). Prosedur-prosedur pengembangan yang digunakan meliputi empat langkah: (1) melakukan perencanaan produk yang akandikembangkan, (2) mengembangkan produk awal, (3) validasi dan revisi produk, (4) uji coba lapangan skala kecil dan revisi. Uji coba komik dilakukan secara terbatas oleh 10 siswa kelas VIII SMP. Teknik pengumpulan data yang diterapkan dalam penelitian ini adalah angket, sedangkan instrumen penelitian yangdigunakan meliputi lembar validasi, angket penggunaan media, dan angket respon siswa. Data penelitian dianalisis dengan deskriptif kualitatif. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa komik matematika dinyatakan valid dengan skor kevalidan 4 oleh ahli media dan 3,9 oleh ahli materi dari skor maksimum 5 sehingga dikategorikan valid, komik matematika dinyatakan praktis dengan hasil analisis persentase kepraktisan 76,28 % dan komik matematika dinyatakan efektif degan hasil analisis persentase keefektifan 79,4%, sehingga dikategorikan efektif. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut maka media komik ini memiliki kualitas yang baik sehingga dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai satu upaya atau alternatif media dalam proses pembelajaran sebagai upaya peningkatan kualitas pendidikan dan menciptakan suasana yang menyenangkan bagi siswa.Kata Kunci: media pembelajaran, komik matematika, lingkaranThis research is a research that aims to develop contextual based mathematical comics for good quality circle material based on three criteria, namely valid, practical, and effective. The design of this research is Research and Development (R&D). The development procedures used include four steps: (1) conducting product planning to be developed, (2) developing initial products, (3) product validation and revision, (4) small-scale field trials and revisions. Comic trials are limited to 10 students in grade VIII SMP. Data collection techniques applied in this study were questionnaires, while the research instruments used included validation sheets, media use questionnaires, and student response questionnaires. The research data were analyzed by descriptive qualitative. The results of this study indicate that mathematics comics are declared valid with a validity score of 4 by media experts and 3.9 by material experts from a maximum score of 5 so that they are categorized valid, mathematical comics are declared practical with the results of a practicality percentage analysis of 76.28% and mathematical comics are declared effective with the result of the analysis of the effectiveness percentage is 79.4%, so it is categorized as effective. Based on these results, this comic media has good quality so that it can be used as an alternative media used by teachers in the teaching and learning process in an effort to improve the quality of education and create a pleasant atmosphere for students.Keywords: learning media, mathematical comics, circles


2007 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 574-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver M Jones

INTRODUCTION The internal anal sphincter (IAS) is an important structure that is responsible for the majority of resting tone of the sphincter complex. It has a central role in continence and damage to the muscle has serious implications. Injury is most frequently from obstetric trauma though iatrogenic injury from proctological surgery is also common. This review expands on how developments in understanding of the pharmacology of IAS might identify drug treatments as alternatives for proctological conditions such as anal fissure, avoiding the risk of sphincter injury. It also examines the role of pharmacology in treatment of those patients with established incontinence. RESULTS Much of the basic physiology and pharmacology of the IAS has been established through in vitro analysis, particularly in the superfusion organ bath. Further analysis has been undertaken using animal models such the pig. Clinical trials have established the efficacy of a number of agents for reducing IAS tone including glyceryl trinitrate and botulinum toxin. These drugs are probably safer, but less effective, than surgery for sphincter spasm, as is seen in anal fissure, though surgery alone or in combination with drug treatment may be appropriate for some patients. In vitro analysis and small-scale clinical trials suggest that phenylephrine and methoxamine may have a role in treating patients with incontinence primarily attributable to inadequate IAS function. CONCLUSIONS The pharmacology of IAS has been extensively studied in the laboratory, both in vitro and in animal models. In a short time, this laboratory work has been applied to clinical problems after testing in clinical trials. It is likely, however, that the best drugs and the optimal targets for manipulation have not yet been identified.


2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Binith Cheeran ◽  
Leonardo Cohen ◽  
Bruce Dobkin ◽  
Gary Ford ◽  
...  

Background. Major advances during the past 50 years highlight the immense potential for restoration of function after neural injury, even in the damaged adult human brain. Yet, the translation of these advances into clinically useful treatments is painstakingly slow. Objective. Here, we consider why the traditional model of a “translational research pipeline” that transforms basic science into novel clinical practice has failed to improve rehabilitation practice for people after stroke. Results. We find that (1) most treatments trialed in vitro and in animal models have not yet resulted in obviously useful functional gains in patients; (2) most clinical trials of restorative treatments after stroke have been limited to small-scale studies; (3) patient recruitment for larger clinical trials is difficult; (4) the determinants of patient outcomes and what patients want remain complex and ill-defined, so that basic scientists have no clear view of the clinical importance of the problems that they are addressing; (5) research in academic neuroscience centers is poorly integrated with practice in front-line hospitals and the community, where the majority of patients are treated; and (6) partnership with both industry stakeholders and patient pressure groups is poorly developed, at least in the United Kingdom where research in the translational restorative neurosciences in stroke depends on public sector research funds and private charities. Conclusions. We argue that interaction between patients, front-line clinicians, and clinical and basic scientists is essential so that they can explore their different priorities, skills, and concerns. These interactions can be facilitated by funding research consortia that include basic and clinical scientists, clinicians and patient/carer representatives with funds targeted at those impairments that are major determinants of patient and carer outcomes. Consortia would be instrumental in developing a lexicon of common methods, standardized outcome measures, data sharing and long-term goals. Interactions of this sort would create a research-friendly, rather than only target-led, culture in front-line stroke rehabilitation services.


Author(s):  
Jim Cassidy ◽  
Donald Bissett ◽  
Roy A. J. Spence OBE ◽  
Miranda Payne ◽  
Gareth Morris-Stiff

Describes 4 areas of research and development in oncology. Discusses design of clinical trials for chemotherapy agents, newer modalities of radiotherapy including targeted and intra-operative therapy. Explians rationale for combined modality therapy


2017 ◽  
Vol 234 (1) ◽  
pp. T125-T140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Kolkhof ◽  
Lars Bärfacker

The cDNA of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) was cloned 30 years ago, in 1987. At that time, spirolactone, the first generation of synthetic steroid-based MR antagonists (MRAs), which was identified in preclinical in vivo models, had already been in clinical use for 30 years. Subsequent decades of research and development by Searle & Co., Ciba-Geigy, Roussel Uclaf and Schering AG toward identifying a second generation of much more specific steroidal MRAs were all based on the initial 17-spirolactone construct. The salient example is eplerenone, first described in 1987, coincidentally with the cloning of MR cDNA. Its launch on the market in 2003 paralleled intensive drug discovery programs for a new generation of non-steroidal MRAs. Now, 30 years after the cDNA cloning of MR and 60 years of clinical use of steroidal MRAs, novel non-steroidal MRAs such as apararenone, esaxerenone and finerenone are in late-stage clinical trials in patients with heart failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension and liver disease. Finerenone has already been studied in over 2000 patients with heart failure plus chronic kidney disease and/or diabetes, and in patients with diabetic kidney disease, in five phase II clinical trials. Here, we reflect on the history of the various generations of MRAs and review characteristics of the most important steroidal and non-steroidal MRAs.


1991 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles T. Bryson ◽  
Edward M. Croom

Annual wormwood has been cultivated on a small scale for production of the artemisinin class of antimalarial drugs in sufficient quantities for preclinical and clinical trials. Large scale cultivation will require a reliable, efficient crop production system. Production systems using 32 herbicides alone or in combinations were evaluated in growth chamber, greenhouse, and field experiments at Stoneville, MS from 1985 through 1988. The herbicide treatments that provided the best weed control were (A) metolachlor at 2.2 kg ai ha-1preemergence (PRE), (B) chloramben at 2.2 kg ai ha-1(PRE), or (C) trifluralin at 0.6 kg ai ha-1preplant soil incorporated (PPI) followed by fluazifop at 0.2 + 0.2 kg ai ha-1postemergence broadcast (POST) and acifluorfen at 0.6 kg ai ha-1(POST). These herbicide production systems provided excellent weed control (≥85%) and minimal crop injury (≤10%) with no effect on crop height or weight at harvest. Production of artemisinin was not reduced by herbicide treatments A, B, and C in 1987 and treatments B and C in 1988 when compared with the hand-weeded plots.


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