Whole genome sequencing of m. Tuberculosis strains in kazakhstan reveal genomic variants in genes coding pe/ppe protein family specific for mdr/xdr isolates

Worldwide in 2016, around 10.4 million people were diagnosed with TB among which 1.7 million died [1]. Despite the progress in decreasing the global incidence of drug-susceptible TB, multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis in the past decade led to decreased efficiency of chemotherapy. However, the rate of drug-resistant TB increases annually, especially multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) [1]

New Directions in Natural Resource Management

Summaries The article offers theoretical insights from Actor?Network Theory (ANT) as to how natural resource management (NRM) perspectives might be enhanced. ANT asks us to abolish the conventional sociological practice of studying phenomena in terms of predefined categories and principles, as they hinder our analysis of how the stakeholders involved construct resource management processes and the way these constructions are used. In this analytical process, any (uncertain) outcome of NRM is regarded as an effect of the interplay amongst the different stakes in the resource and the way stakeholders continuously mobilise social and material resources in order to achieve their goals. Only by analysing how certain outcomes have been achieved can we develop our understanding of the dynamics and uncertainties involved in NRM. The article uses empirical examples from coastal management scenarios to illustrate these theoretical points

Radar target simulator with complex-valued delay line modeling based on standard radar components

With increasing radar activities in the automotive, industrial and private sector, there is a need to test radar sensors in their environment. A radar target simulator can help testing radar systems repeatably. In this paper, the authors present a concept of low-cost hardware for radar target simulation. The theoretical foundations are derived and analyzed. An implementation of a demonstrator operating in the 24&thinsp;GHz ISM band is shown for which the dynamical range simulation was implemented in a FPGA with fast sampling ADCs and DACs. By using a FIR filtering approach a fine discretization of the range could be reached which will furthermore allow an inherent and automatic Doppler simulation by moving the target.</p

Vissen bij wisselend tij : een notitie over de (cumulatieve) sociaaleconomische effecten van ontwikkelingen die invloed hebben op de Nederlandse kottervisserij

Naar aanleiding van het rapport ‘Wind op zee’ (Mol et al. 2019) is de vraag gesteld of en hoe de huidige ontwikkelingen, waar de visserijsector mee te maken heeft (Brexit, aanlandplicht en het intrekken van de pulsontheffingen), invloed hebben op de economische waarde voor de visserij in de windparkgebieden en hoe deze ontwikkelingen elkaar beïnvloeden. In deze notitie worden deze interacties kwalitatief omschreven. Daarnaast worden aanbevelingen gedaan om tot een kwantitatieve berekening van de economische gevolgen te komen door middel van het bepalen van scenario’s en het bouwen van een model

Hoe lang kunnen we nog vissen?

Jaar in jaar uit berichten kranten over overbevissing. The Washington Post voorspelde dat de oceanen al in 2050 leeggevist zullen zijn. Aan de andere kant staan de haring en de schol er goed voor. Zes vragen aan visserijdeskundigen van binnen en buiten Wageningen UR

In Vitro Evaluation of Spider Silk Meshes as a Potential Biomaterial for Bladder Reconstruction

Reconstruction of the bladder by means of both natural and synthetic materials remains a challenge due to severe adverse effects such as mechanical failure. Here we investigate the application of spider major ampullate gland-derived dragline silk from the Nephila edulis spider, a natural biomaterial with outstanding mechanical properties and a slow degradation rate, as a potential scaffold for bladder reconstruction by studying the cellular response of primary bladder cells to this biomaterial. We demonstrate that spider silk without any additional biological coating supports adhesion and growth of primary human urothelial cells (HUCs), which are multipotent bladder cells able to differentiate into the various epithelial layers of the bladder. HUCs cultured on spider silk did not show significant changes in the expression of various epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and fibrosis associated genes, and demonstrated only slight reduction in the expression of adhesion and cellular differentiation genes. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis showed that most of the silk-exposed HUCs maintain an undifferentiated immunophenotype. These results demonstrate that spider silk from the Nephila edulis spider supports adhesion, survival and growth of HUCs without significantly altering their cellular properties making this type of material a suitable candidate for being tested in pre-clinical models for bladder reconstruction

Mosseltransitie en natuurherstel : sociaal-economische draagkracht en ontwikkelingen Nederlandse mosselsector, 2008-2017

With the signing of the mussel covenant, traditional bottom seed fishing has been partially replaced by the production of mussel seed in mussel seed capture installations (mosselzaadinvanginstallaties, MZIs) between 2008 and 2016. This study describes the developments in the mussel sector over this period and analyses the current economic situation of the sector and the economic consequences of the agreements in the covenant about the reduction in bottom seed fishing and the development of the MZI

Stromal SPOCK1 supports invasive pancreatic cancer growth

This research was supported by a KWF Dutch Cancer Society Research Project Grant to MFB and HWL (UVA 2012-5607 and UVA 2013- 5932), and continuous AMC Foundation support

Test des neuen PARIO-Gerätes zur automatisierten Schlämmkornanalyse auf Basis der ISP-Methode

Die Partikelgrößenverteilung ("particle size distribution", PSD) kennzeichnet eine der wichtigsten physikalischen Eigenschaften von Böden. Das Referenzverfahren zur Bestimmung des PSD beruht auf der durch Gravitation bedingten Sedimentation von Partikeln in einer anfänglich homogenen Suspension. Herkömmliche Methoden messen manuell (i) den Auftrieb eines schwimmenden Körpers in der Suspension zu verschiedenen Zeiten (Aräometer-Methode) oder (ii) die Feststoffmasse in extrahierten Suspensionsvolumina zu vorgegebenen Zeiten (Pipett-Methode). Beide Verfahren führen zu einer Störung des Sedimentationsprozesses und liefern nur wenige diskrete Daten der PSD. Durner et al. (2017) haben kürzlich eine neue automatisierte Methode zur Bestimmung der Partikelgrößenverteilung von Böden und Sedimenten aus Gravitationssedimentation enwickelt. Das "Integrale Suspensiondruckverfahren" (ISP) schätzt kontinuierliche Partikelgrößenverteilungen aus Sedimentationsexperimenten, indem die zeitliche Entwicklung des Suspensionsdrucks bei einer bestimmten Meßtiefe in einem Sedimentationszylinder aufgezeichnet wird. Das Verfahren erfordert keine manuelle Interaktion nach dem Start und somit keine spezialisierte Ausbildung des Laborpersonals und vermeidet jegliche Störung des Sedimentationsprozesses. Die Technik zur Durchführung dieser Experimente wurde von der Firma UMS AG, München, entwickelt und steht als Instrument mit der Bezeichnung PARIO zur Verfügung, das von der METER Group AG gehandelt wird. In diesem Vortrag wird die grundlegende Funktionsweise von PARIO aufgezeigt und Schlüsselkomponenten und Parameter der Technologie erläutert