Value pricing in the chemical industry:most powerful lever to profitability

The chemical industry in Europe is working hard on the improvement of their profitability base. But while innovation and complexity management are heavily discussed by the industry’s top managers, the most powerful lever to increase profitability is being ignored by many – value pricing. Arthur D. Little, jointly with Warwick Business School, conducted a pricing survey with the participation of managers from all chemical industry segments in which measures for profitability increases were investigated. Although a price increase of 1 % can lever the profit (EBIT) by 8 %, many companies focus on much weaker levers like reducing variable costs and sales volumes. In this article we look into the possible benefits of value pricing, the effective BASF approach and the problems posed by a customer management focussing on the perceived strategic importance of customers rather than their contribution margins

„App or Net“ - Internetbasierte Strategien der Informationsrecherche als Grundlage onkologischer Therapieentscheidungen

Hintergrund: Die hochdynamische Entwicklung der Onkologie mit einem kaum mehr überschaubaren wissenschaftlichen Output erfordert für die klinische Praxis der evidenzbasierten Medizin neue digitale Formen der Informationsgenerierung und des diagnostischen und therapeutischen Entscheidungsmanagements. Internetbasierte Recherchemethoden und digitale Applikationen (Apps) auf portablen Hardware-Formaten, wie Smartphones oder Tablets, bieten mögliche Optionen für die Generation der digital natives, die vorrangigen Probleme des Zeitmanagements, der Beherrschung des Informationsvolumens und der Informationsqualität zu lösen. Zielsetzung: Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, eine onkologische App anhand objektiver und subjektiver Assessmentkriterien mit etablierten Internetquellen zu vergleichen. Mittels einer Analyse der präferierten Strategien der internetbasierten Informationsrecherche angehender Ärzt*innen sollte die digitale Wissenschaftskompetenz evaluiert werden. Methode: In dieser monozentrischen prospektiven Studie der Universitätsklinik Köln (UKK) wurden 94 Medizinstudierenden im letzten Studienjahr sechs standardisierte onkologische Fallvignetten des multidisziplinären Tumorboards (MDT) der UKK vorgelegt, für die randomisiert zur Hälfte mit der onkologischen App Easy Oncology®, zur anderen Hälfte mit einer frei wählbaren Internetrecherche Therapieempfehlungen abzugeben waren. Neben Zeitaufwand und Treffsicherheit wurde die subjektive Evaluation der Empfehlung mittels numerischer Rating-Skalen dokumentiert. Ergebnisse: Studierende verwendeten bei freier Internetrecherche im Schnitt 1,39 Quellen (SD = .43), wobei sie überwiegend Gebrauch von einer ihnen vertrauten Lernplattform (Amboss®) und der S3-Leitlinie machten. Die Informationsrecherche in der App war signifikant schneller als eine Recherche im Internet. Die Treffsicherheit der Therapieentscheidungen sank mit steigender Komplexität der klinischen Kasuistiken, wobei sich im Vergleich die App überlegen zeigte. Bei Verwendung der App wurden die Fallvignetten als weniger schwierig eingestuft, die Studierenden fühlten sich in ihrer Therapieempfehlung sicherer und sie empfanden die App als signifikant hilfreicher und vertrauten ihr eher. Die präferierte Strategie der Informationsgenerierung war vorrangig von den Lernkonventionen der Studierenden und ihnen aus dem Medizinstudium vertrauten Informationsquellen bestimmt. Die Anzahl der verwendeten Internetquellen korrelierte nicht mit der Schwierigkeitseinschätzung der Fallkonstellation und war nicht davon beeinflusst, bei Unsicherheit Therapieempfehlungen durch weitere Quellen zu verifizieren. Objektive Kriterien von Bearbeitungszeit und Treffsicherheit waren von einem häufig inkongruenten subjektiven Bewertungsprozess begleitet. Schlussfolgerung: Bei der Implementierung der App Easy Oncology® zeigte sich ihr Potential als schnelle und effektive Informationsquelle mit hoher subjektiver Zufriedenheit. Zur Qualitätssicherung ist die Entwicklung eines Zertifizierungs- oder ggf. Akkreditierungsprozesses für professionelle internetbasierte Informationsquellen ebenso zu fordern wie eine Stärkung der digitalen Wissenschaftskompetenz von jungen und angehenden Ärzt*innen

Objektive Scores bei Ersatz des vorderen Kreuzbandes mit Patellar-Sehne oder Semitendinosus-Gracilis-Sehne

Es wurden zwei Techniken des Ersatzes des vorderen Kreuzbandes des Kniegelenks verglichen: die VKB-Plastik mit dem mittleren Drittel der Patellar-Sehne (BTB-Ersatz) oder mit der Semitendinosus-Gracilis-Sehne doppelt oder vierfach gelegt verwendet. Verglichen wurden Stabilität des Kniegelenkes und sportlichen Aktivität der Patienten im Verlauf des ersten postoperativen Jahres bei beiden Techniken. Untersucht wurden 110 Patienten. Alle Patienten wurden sechs Wochen, drei Monate, sechs Monate und zwölf Monate nach der Operation untersucht. Erhoben wurden jeweils der KT-1000-Score und der Tegner-Activity-Scale-Score (TAS). Der KT-1000-Scores zeigten jederzeit postoperativ bei allen Patienten ein stabiles Kniegelenk. In beiden Gruppen steigerte sich der Score der TAS und war bei der Abschlussuntersuchung annähernd so gut wie vor der Verletzung. In dieser Studie zeigten also beide Techniken im Verlauf des ersten Jahres gute bis sehr gute Ergebnisse. Keine war überlegen

First total synthesis and structural confirmation of C13-Butylrubber Oligomers

The first total synthesis of an important C13 butylrubber oligomer is reported. The structure of the oligomer, which is an important and potentially toxic extractable and leachable component of elastomeric closures, is confirmed by synthesis for the first time. The method described is scalable, making large quantities of the oligomer available for the first time for AMES toxicity studies. The challenging synthesis commences with isophorone and the key steps of the synthesis involve the development of highly novel dithoacetal chemistry, cuprate addition and Tebbe olefination

Withanolides and related steroids

Since the isolation of the first withanolides in the mid-1960s, over 600 new members of this group of compounds have been described, with most from genera of the plant family Solanaceae. The basic structure of withaferin A, a C28 ergostane with a modified side chain forming a δ-lactone between carbons 22 and 26, was considered for many years the basic template for the withanolides. Nowadays, a considerable number of related structures are also considered part of the withanolide class; among them are those containing γ-lactones in the side chain that have come to be at least as common as the δ-lactones. The reduced versions (γ and δ-lactols) are also known. Further structural variations include modified skeletons (including C27 compounds), aromatic rings and additional rings, which may coexist in a single plant species. Seasonal and geographical variations have also been described in the concentration levels and types of withanolides that may occur, especially in the Jaborosa and Salpichroa genera, and biogenetic relationships among those withanolides may be inferred from the structural variations detected. Withania is the parent genus of the withanolides and a special section is devoted to the new structures isolated from species in this genus. Following this, all other new structures are grouped by structural types. Many withanolides have shown a variety of interesting biological activities ranging from antitumor, cytotoxic and potential cancer chemopreventive effects, to feeding deterrence for several insects as well as selective phytotoxicity towards monocotyledoneous and dicotyledoneous species. Trypanocidal, leishmanicidal, antibacterial, and antifungal activities have also been reported. A comprehensive description of the different activities and their significance has been included in this chapter. The final section is devoted to chemotaxonomic implications of withanolide distribution within the Solanaceae. Overall, this chapter covers the advances in the chemistry and biology of withanolides over the last 16 years.Fil: Misico, Rosana Isabel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a la Química Orgánica (i); ArgentinaFil: Nicotra, V.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Oberti, Juan Carlos María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Barboza, Gloria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Gil, Roberto Ricardo. University Of Carnegie Mellon; Estados UnidosFil: Burton, Gerardo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a la Química Orgánica (i); Argentin

Effect of some antibiotic compounds in Gossypium on the post‐embryonic development of spotted bollworm (Earias vittella)

The antibiotic activity of some compounds, and of plant extracts, was bioassayed by incorporating them in a wheat germ diet developed for rearing cotton spotted bollworm (Earias vittella F.). Acetone extract of square powder caused maximum mortality followed by gossypol, tannic acid, other tannins and anthocyanins. Hexane extract of bolls did not affect larval survival. Rutin, anthocyanins and ether fractions of the ethanol extract decreased % pupation of larvae while in diets containing gossypol and tannic acid, none of the larvae could reach pupal stage. Some of the larvae were unable to spin the silken cocoons when reared on diets containing gossypol, tannins, anthocyanins and rutin. Tannins and anthocyanins increased the developmental period of insects. All the compounds or solvent extracts except hexane extract of bolls decreased pupal weight. It is suggested that gossypol, tannins, anthocyanins and other secondary substances present in cotton squares and bolls could be utilized as a source of biochemical resistance against E. vittella

Cellular uptake and lysosomal delivery of galactocerebrosidase tagged with the HIV Tat protein transduction domain

A number of studies have shown that a short peptide, the protein transduction domain (PTD) derived from the HIV-1 Tat protein (Tat-PTD) improved cellular uptake in vitro and distribution in vivo of recombinant proteins bearing such PTDs when administered systemically. To investigate the effects of Tat-PTD addition on the subcellular localization of the lysosomal enzyme galactocerebrosidase (GALC, EC 3.2.2.46) and with a view towards designing improved therapeutic strategies for Krabbe disease (globoid cell leukodystrophy), mouse GALC was tagged C-terminally with the Tat-PTD. Compared with unmodified GALC, GALC bearing a Tat-PTD, a myc epitope and 6 consecutive His residues [GALC-TMH (Tat-PTD, a myc epitope and 6 consecutive His residues)] was found to be secreted more efficiently. Also, GALC-TMH was found to be taken up by cells both via mannose-6-phosphate receptor (M6PR)-mediated endocytosis as well as by M6PR-independent mechanisms. GALC-TMH displayed increased M6PR-independent uptake in fibroblasts derived from twitcher mice (a murine model of globoid cell leukodystrophy) and in neurons derived from the mouse brain cortex compared with GALC lacking a Tat-PTD. Immunocytochemical analyses revealed that Tat-modified GALC protein co-localized in part with the lysosome-associated membrane protein-1. Complete correction of galactosylceramide accumulation was achieved in twitcher mouse fibroblasts lacking GALC activity following addition of GALC-TMH. Therefore, GALC-TMH not only maintained the features of the native GALC protein including enzymatic function, intracellular transport and location, but also displayed more efficient cellular uptake. © 2007 The Authors

Distortion of trichome morphology by the hairless mutation of tomato affects leaf surface chemistry

Trichomes are specialized epidermal structures that function as physical and chemical deterrents against arthropod herbivores. Aerial tissues of cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) are populated by several morphologically distinct trichome types, the most abundant of which is the type VI glandular trichome that produces various specialized metabolites. Here, the effect of the hairless (hl) mutation on trichome density and morphology, chemical composition, and resistance to a natural insect herbivore of tomato was investigated. The results show that the major effect of hl on pubescence results from structural distortion (bending and swelling) of all trichome types in aerial tissues. Leaf surface extracts and isolated type VI glands from hl plants contained wild-type levels of monoterpenes, glycoalkaloids, and acyl sugars, but were deficient in sesquiterpene and polyphenolic compounds implicated in anti-insect defence. No-choice bioassays showed that hl plants are compromised in resistance to the specialist herbivore Manduca sexta. These results establish a link between the morphology and chemical composition of glandular trichomes in cultivated tomato, and show that hl-mediated changes in these leaf surface traits correlate with decreased resistance to insect herbivory