New records of Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycota) for The Netherlands

Laboulbeniales are obligate ectoparasitic ascomycetes occurring on Arthropoda, mostly insects. Since the 1950s almost no research on Laboulbeniales has been done in The Netherlands. This study presents a preliminary list of Laboulbeniales found on insects collected in De Kaaistoep. Thirteen species of Laboulbeniales were found on fourteen different insect hosts, nine of which are new to The Netherlands. One dipteran host is new to the entomofauna of The Netherlands

Prevalence of psychoactive substances in Dutch and Belgian traffic

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of psychoactive substances in general traffic in The Netherlands and Belgium. Method: Randomly selected car drivers and drivers of small vans in six police regions in The Netherlands and five police regions in Belgium were included between January 2007 and August 2009. Blood and oral fluid samples were analyzed for 23 substances, including ethanol (alcohol), by means of ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry or gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. Samples were weighted according to the distribution of traffic over eight 6-hour periods. Substance groups were categorized in five mutually exclusive classes: single alcohol use, single illicit drug use, single medicinal drugs use, multiple drug use (including drugs from two or more separate substance groups but excluding alcohol), and drug use (either single or multiple) in combination with alcohol. Results: In total, 7,771 drivers (4,822 in The Netherlands and 2,949 in Belgium) were included in the study. In Belgium, the prevalence of single alcohol (6.4%) and single medicinal drugs (3.0%) was much higher than in The Netherlands (2.2% and 0.6%, respectively), whereas the single illicit drugs were more common in Dutch traffic (2.2%) than in Belgian traffic (0.6%). Compared with the estimated prevalence of psychoactive substances in the general driving public in Europe, the prevalence in Belgium (10.7%) was greater than the European average (7.4%), and the prevalence in The Netherlands was below the European average (5.5%). Conclusions: The observed prevalence of psychoactive substances varies largely between The Netherlands and Belgium. Probable reasons for the differences are the higher level of alcohol enforcement in The Netherlands and nonresponse bias in the Belgian study (for illicit drugs in particular). Furthermore, cultural differences and variances in prescription policy could also be influential

Differences in triage and medical confidentiality between prisons of Belgium and the Netherlands

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe the opinions of prison doctors, and to compare the primary health care in prisons between Belgium and the Netherlands. Methods: Structured interviews, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, were conducted with prison doctors in Dutch-speaking prisons in Flanders/Belgium and in the Netherlands. Two investigators analysed the content of the interviews and discussed each individual interview. Results: In total 37 interviews were conducted in 28 prisons (14 in each country). In Belgium, 14 of 17 prison doctors, compared to 1 of 12 in the Netherlands, experienced higher time pressure during their consultations in prison, compared to their private medical work (P < 0.001). In the Netherlands, compared to Belgium, there is more access to psychiatric support (14/14 vs 11/22, P = 0.002), psychological care (13/13 vs 7/22, P < 0.001), and interpreter facilities (15/22 vs 0/14, P < 0.001). Prison doctors in both countries agree that the possibility for a strictly personal encounter with the patient - without the presence of other medical staff - can be very useful (21/22 in Belgium vs 15/15 in the Netherlands). In Belgium, individual consultations with the detainee are not possible. Conclusions: Compared to the situation in the Netherlands, the medical work of prison doctors in Belgium is characterized by time pressure and lack of psychiatric and psychological support. The absence of interpreter facilities in Belgium handicaps the quality of the primary health care in prisons. In addition, the lack of private encounters with a doctor in Belgian prisons violates the patient rights of the detainee

The demand for higher education in the Netherlands 1950-'99

This paper investigates the role of economic factors in the university enrollment decision for the post-war period in the Netherlands. We include those factors standing at the heart of the idea that education is an investment. Collecting student enrollment data for eight subject categories results in a large data set, as a cross-section dimension is added to the time-series. The econometric results suggest that students are not responsive to tuition fees, but financial support (the sum of loans and grants), the college premium on future labour market earnings, and the alternative wage are important in the enrollment decision.

Breaking boundaries for biodiversity : expanding the policy agenda to halt biodiversity loss

Our assessment from the perspective of the Netherlands, a country in the temperate zone, showed a slightly positive picture, in line with the overall results for this zone. The loss of biodiversity in the Netherlands has been slowed down, but the European target – halting the loss of biodiversity – could not be met. The picture in the Netherlands is less positive if the average low quality of the remaining Dutch biodiversity is taken into account. If the impacts on biodiversity abroad of imports into the Netherlands are also included, we conclude that the Netherlands is not succeeding in slowing down the loss of biodiversity

Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the "good life"

For the first time since the 1950s the Netherlands is experiencing an emigration wave. A large-scale survey on the determinants of emigration has shown that most Dutch emigrants are in search of the good life: space, nature, peace and quiet and friendly people. Two years after having stated their intention to emigrate, 24 percent had actually left the Netherlands.

The Chinese economy, seen from Japan and the Netherlands

This paper assesses the consequences of the rapid Chinese economic development for Japan and the Netherlands. China has become the most important supplier of import goods for Japan and the fourth most important one for the Netherlands. With two-thirds of Dutch imports from China being re-exported, the emergence of China has enhanced the role of the Netherlands as European distribution centre. As for exports, China is now a major market for Japan, but not for the Netherlands. This is in line with gravity models of foreign trade. The same holds for differences in foreign direct investment (FDI), with Japan the biggest investor in China and the Netherlands a minor one. The emergence of China has increased purchasing power of Japanese and Dutch households, while its effects on labour markets and income distribution are relatively modest. In spite of differences between Japan and the Netherlands, the consequences for economic policy of the increasing role of China are very similar.