Multimedia-cases : naar een brug tussen theorie en praktijk

The project develops and investigates multimedia cases for the\ud professional development of prospective teachers in elementary science\ud education. In the Netherlands, prospective teachers receive their initial higher education at teacher education colleges. In a four year course of study they are prepared to teach all subjects in elementary schools in all grades. Student teaching is incorporated into the program from year one. Future teachers are also encouraged to take responsibility for their learning processes (self-directed learning). There is a quest for a better balance between theory and practice in the program. The aim of the study is to examine how multimedia cases can contribute to establish a meaningful bridge between theory and practice

Dubito ergo sum - onderzoek naar de invloed van postmodernisme op het pastoraat(Dutch)

Within the Dutch society there is, in recent years, an influence from postmodernism notable. This influence of a post modern way of life has also become more and more apparent within the churches who count themselves as being part of the ‘Reformed family group of churches’ (Dutch: De Gereformeerde Gezindte). In some respects this worldview influences the way of practising the faith, or so called: spirituality. What the consequences are of these changes in spirituality, form the subject of this research. For this research a qualitative approach was chosen to study literature of post-modern origin to arrive at the research viewpoint. What are the demands from postmodernism to come to a valid form of spirituality? With this research viewpoint the work of two influential Dutch theologians, F. G. Immink and R. R. Ganzevoort is evaluated. The outcome of this comparison is connected with a personal definition of pastoral counselling formulated from a salvation-historical understanding of the bible. Immink takes his viewpoint from the philosophical idea of External Realism. God is knowable and it is possible to have and maintain a relationship with the Divine. For Immink the most important choices are: a) attention to the relational character of faith, and b) the active influence of faith in daily living, authenticity. Gansevoort’s proposition is the social-scientific theory of Social-constructionism and his Practical Theology is based on a Narrative approach. He emphasises: a) a personal influence in shaping the way of believing, b) contextual determination of faith, and c) autonomy of the human being. The inference made from the choices found in the work of Immink and Ganzevoort and the personal definition of pastoral counselling produces ideas for a model for pastoral counselling. Important features here are: attention to the concept of authenticity, in the way of understanding the Bible, as well as the way the contents of the faith are communicated during counselling the experience of fellowship and communion, together with attention focussed on a personal approach and contribution, during pastoral counselling attention for pastoral workers regarding discipleship and being a spiritual guide Copyright 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Blijleven, D 2006, Dubito ergo sum - onderzoek naar de invloed van postmodernisme op het pastoraat(Dutch), MA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd Dissertation (MA (Research in Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007.Practical Theologyunrestricte

Current and future trends in public sector reform: The views of trade unions and consultants in ten European countries.

__Abstract__ While public sector reform has been a constant process, sometimes evolutionary and sometimes revolutionary, the financial crisis that started in 2008, along with the streamlining and efficiency aims of New Public Management paradigms that began to emerge in the 1980s, have increased the focus on current trends in reform in Europe and what this means for the future of the public sector. This report draws on a total of 59 interviews conducted in 10 countries with top public sector consultants and public sector trade unions to determine perceptions of current trends in the public sector in each of the countries, as well as the future of public sector reform. The interviews were conducted according to a standardised set of questions, although they were conducted in each country’s native language. Interviewees were asked background questions about their role in regard to the public sector, along with questions about the state of public administration in their country, specific public sector reform factors that had improved or deteriorated over the past five years, the effects of these reforms on their work and what trends they saw shaping the future of the public sector

An evolutionary economics approach to ecosystem dynamics

Biology and evolution lie at the heart of the ecosystem metaphor that is recurrently applied in the digital era. Although the evolution and analogy with evolutionary biology is acknowledged within the research domains of business ecosystems and digital ecosystems, several key definitions and self-organizing properties of ecosystems have not been fully explored. In addition, the diffusion process of radical innovations altering the structure of an ecosystem remains elusive. This paper addresses this deficiency through a cross-fertilization of multiple research domains, by introducing evolutionary economics concepts based on insights from biology. The research synthesis presented serves for the introduction of a novel perspective on ecosystem analysis. Practitioners will gain insight in how to apply concepts from evolutionary economics when determining their position in an ecosystem. Trade-offs can then be considered and balanced to positively impact firm performance as well as the ecosystem in which the firm operates

The impact of injury of the chorda tympani nerve during primary stapes surgery or cochlear implantation on taste function, quality of life and food preferences:A study protocol for a double-blind prospective prognostic association study

BACKGROUND: The chorda tympani nerve (CTN) is a mixed nerve, which carries sensory and parasympathetic fibres. The sensory component supplies the taste sensation of the anterior two-thirds of the ipsilateral side of the tongue. During middle ear surgery the CTN is exposed and frequently stretched or sacrificed, because it lacks a bony covering as it passes through the middle ear. Injury may cause hypogeusia, ageusia or altered taste sensation of the ipsilateral side of the tongue. To date, there is no consensus regarding which type of CTN injury (sacrificing or stretching), during middle ear surgery, leads to the least burden for the patient.METHODS: A double-blind prospective prognostic association study was designed in a single medical centre in the Netherlands to determine the effect of CTN injury on postoperative taste disturbance and quality of life. 154 patients, who will undergo primary stapes surgery or cochlear implantation will be included. The taste sensation, food preferences and quality of life of these patients will be evaluated preoperatively and at one week, six weeks and six months postoperatively using the Taste Strip Test, Electrogustometry, supplementary questionnaire on taste disturbance, Macronutrient and Taste Preference Ranking Task, Appetite, Hunger and Sensory Perception questionnaire and Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders to assess the association of these outcomes with CTN injury. Evaluation of olfactory function will only take place preoperatively and at one week postoperatively using the Sniffin' Sticks. The patient and outcome assessor are blinded to the presence or absence of CTN injury.DISCUSSION: This study is the first to validate and quantify the effect of chorda tympani nerve injury on taste function. The findings of this study may lead to evidence-based proof of the effect of chorda tympani injury on taste function with consequences for surgical strategies.TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register NL9791. Registered on 10 October 2021.</p

Visualization of conformational changes and membrane remodeling leading to genome delivery by viral class-II fusion machinery

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a human pathogen that delivers its genome to the host cell cytoplasm through endocytic low pH-activated membrane fusion mediated by class-II fusion proteins. Though structures of prefusion, icosahedral CHIKV are available, structural characterization of virion interaction with membranes has been limited. Here, we have used cryo-electron tomography to visualize CHIKV's complete membrane fusion pathway, identifying key intermediary glycoprotein conformations coupled to membrane remodeling events. Using sub-tomogram averaging, we elucidate features of the low pH-exposed virion, nucleocapsid and full-length E1-glycoprotein's post-fusion structure. Contrary to class-I fusion systems, CHIKV achieves membrane apposition by protrusion of extended E1-glycoprotein homotrimers into the target membrane. The fusion process also features a large hemifusion diaphragm that transitions to a wide pore for intact nucleocapsid delivery. Our analyses provide comprehensive ultrastructural insights into the class-II virus fusion system function and direct mechanistic characterization of the fundamental process of protein-mediated membrane fusion

Young Children's Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption and 5-Year Change in BMI:Lessons Learned from the Timing of Consumption

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are an already known risk factor for weight gain in childhood. To identify windows of opportunity for public health interventions, insight into the consumption behavior of SSBs is needed. We investigated whether total SSB consumption was related to body mass index (BMI) change and overweight and compared whether the timing of consumption over the day differed between low and high consumers. In the Dutch GECKO Drenthe birth cohort, a cohort embedded within the Groningen Expert Center for Kids with Obesity (GECKO), height and weight were measured by trained nurses at age 5/6 years (y) and 10/11 y (N = 1257). BMI was standardized for age and sex (BMI-z). In the food pattern questionnaire completed by parents at age 5/6 y, beverages were assessed for seven time segments (breakfast, morning, lunch at school, lunch at home, afternoon, dinner, and evening). Linear and logistic regression analyses were adjusted for potential confounders (sex, baseline BMI-z, parental BMI, parental education level, maternal age at birth, maternal smoking during pregnancy). The median daily SSB consumption frequency ranged from 1.9 times per day (1.5-2.0, 25th-75th percentile) in the lowest quartile to 4.9 times per day (4.6-5.5) in the highest quartile. In the highest compared to the lowest quartile of SSB consumption frequency, the confounder-adjusted odds ratio for overweight incidence was 3.12 (95% CI, 1.60-6.07). The difference in consumption between quartile 1 and quartile 4 occurred mainly during main meals and in the evening, e.g., at breakfast (31% vs. 98%, p < 0.001), lunch at home (32% vs. 98%, p < 0.001), and dinner (17% vs. 72%, p < 0.001). These drinking occasions characterizing high SSB consumers mostly occurred in the home environment, where parental influence on dietary behaviors is profound. Therefore, these results exposed a window of opportunity, leading to the advice for parents to offer their children sugar-free drinks to quench thirst with main meals