Search

This paper explores some of the reasons why Lope de Vega’s La discreta enamorada (LDE) has been problematic for critics, actors, and stage directors. It utilizes an actantial model, based partially on those of Souriau, Greimas, and Todorov, to explain LDE’s various actants and dramatic functions. It also studies sundry mises-en-scène of LDE at the USA Chamizal National Memorial, the Almagro Corral de Comedias, the New York Repertorio Español, and, as the zarzuela Doña Francisquita, the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse. LDE, although farcical, should be read and staged as a “middle” Lopean comedy: between Plautine jocularity and Terentian sobriety.

The incentives of pharmaceutical companies to innovate and how competition affects these incentives has been topical in recent years: for the general public, as evidenced by a patent race at an unprecedented pace during the ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; and more specifically for competition authorities, as demonstrated for example by the role innovation played in the assessment of the Bayer/Monsanto (2018), Dow/DuPont (2017), and the Novartis/GSK (2015) mergers. This article contributes to the innovation debate, notably in the pharmaceutical industry, by giving an overview on firm and market-level incentives to carry out research and development (R&D). Understanding these innovation incentives is relevant for a proper competition assessment where the effect of a particular conduct or structural change on these incentives is considered, but also more generally in the context of public policy or regulatory questions. We review the fundamental elements driving innovation incentives and tentatively relate these to the development of new drugs for neurodegenerative diseases (NDD), in particular Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Health Economics, Pharmaceutical Products, Innovation, R&D, Information Asymmetry, Coase Conjecture, Replacement Effect, Patent Race, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease

Traditional internal coating systems relied on phenolic, novolac, epoxy or blended resin systems. These tended to provide good barrier properties in the environments they were developed for, but as with all materials, there were limitations. One of those limitations that had to be overcome during the development and application process was that during the curing process, they can tend to shrink, so greater surface preparation processes must be followed to ensure that the system adhesion far outweighs the residual stress in the coating system. In sweet applications, this residual stress offers little to no effect on a properly applied coating system provided its design parameters are not exceeded. In the presence of higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, there can be a negative effect on the adhesion of most of these resin type coating systems allowing the residual stress to play a role in blistering and disbondment. A new and novel resin system has been developed that does not shrink during the curing process and can be applied as a primer-less system. Coatings developed with this new resin, benzoxazine, allows the coating system to maintain good adhesion and barrier properties in H2S concentrations two to three times greater than the current leading H2S resistant coating systems on the market today. This paper is the second in a series on the development of this product into a coating solution. Further laboratory refinement will be discussed leading to the next phase of the roll-out which will be field trials.