Exploration of alternative models to calculate wheather effects on nitrate concentration : Comparison of the models ONZAT, HYDRUS-1D and SWAP

Het Landelijk Meetnet effecten Mestbeleid (LMM) meet sinds 1992 de nitraatconcentraties in het bovenste grondwater om de effecten van overheidsbeleid op de concentraties in beeld te brengen. De hoogte van de gemeten nitraatconcentraties is afhankelijk van het weer, vooral van de hoeveelheid neerslag in de voorafgaande jaren. Na een aantal regenrijke jaren is de nitraatconcentratie door verdunning bijvoorbeeld meestal lager dan normaal. Het RIVM verwerkt deze weerseffecten in de meetresultaten, zodat de effecten van het beleid nauwkeuriger zichtbaar zijn. Dit wordt gedaan met een rekenmodel. SWAP-model geschikter voor indexcontratie Tot op heden gebruikt het RIVM voor de berekening van de indexconcentraties het zelf ontwikkelde model ONZAT, een model dat berekent in welke mate stoffen door de bodem naar en in het bovenste grondwater worden getransporteerd. ONZAT wordt echter niet meer verder ontwikkeld of onderhouden. Hierdoor ontstond de behoefte bij het RIVM om over te stappen op een algemener gebruikt model. Na vergelijking van enkele modellen komt het zogeheten SWAP-model (Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Plant) als het meest geschikt naar voren als vervanging voor ONZAT. De migratie van het ONZAT-model naar SWAP blijkt geen significant effect te hebben op de weerscorrectie van de nitraatmetingen, ondanks de verschillen tussen de modellen.The Minerals Policy Monitoring Programme (LMM) has measured the nitrate concentrations in the upper groundwater since 1992 in order to show the effects of the national minerals policies on concentrations. However, these nitrate concentrations are also subject to weather influences, especially the precipitation excess in previous years. After a couple of years with high precipitation excess the measured nitrate concentration usually is lower than normal due to dilution. RIVM accounts for these weather influences on measurement so that policy effects on trends in water quality become more distinct. This is done by using a hydrological process model. SWAP model more suitable for index concentration RIVM still uses the ONZAT model, developed by RIVM, for the calculations of the index concentration. However, ONZAT, a model to calculate transport of substances through the soil towards and through groundwater, is no longer updated or maintained. Therefore, RIVM considered it desirable to select and use another, more generally applied process model for the computation of index concentrations. The model comparisons showed that SWAP (Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Plant) was the most suitable successor for ONZAT to calculate index concentrations. The migration of the ONZAT model to SWAP does not have a significant effect on the weather corrections of the nitrate measurements, notwithstanding the differences between these models.Ministerie van I&

New methodological perspectives on the valuation of ecosystem services: toward a dynamic-integrated valuation approach.

The main objective of this paper is to present what is considered as methodological perspectives in the field of valuation of ecosystem services. The contributions presented here are based on the general assumption that if, on the one hand, we can recognize the inadequacy of the isolated use of the valuation methods, on the other we assume that efforts to refine and expand the scope of ecosystem services valuation should consider the progress already made, not ignoring altogether methods already used. Based on the stance that there should be a joining of efforts to improve the accuracy of ecosystem services valuation and starting from the assumption that the complexity and uncertainty surrounding ecosystem services require a trans-disciplinary analysis, the contribution beckons an approach referred to here as dynamic-integrated. It is dynamic because it considers the trajectory of ecosystem services over time in terms of its main drivers of change (land use dynamic, for example), and integrated in that it takes into account not just the economic values but other dimensions of ecosystem services values

Mapping nitrate leaching to upper groundwater in the sandy regions of The Netherlands, using conceptual knowledge

The European Community asks its Member States to provide a comprehensive and coherent overview of their groundwater chemical status. It is stated that simple conceptual models are necessary to allow assessments of the risks of failing to meet quality objectives. In The Netherlands two monitoring networks (one for agriculture and one for nature) are operational, providing results which can be used for an overview. Two regression models, based upon simple conceptual models, link measured nitrate concentrations to data from remote sensing images of land use, national forest inventory, national cattle inventory, fertiliser use statistics, atmospheric N deposition, soil maps and weather monitoring. The models are used to draw a nitrate leaching map and to estimate the size of the area exceeding the EU limit value in the early 1990s. The 95% confidence interval for the fraction nature and agricultural areas where the EU limit value for nitrate (50 mg/l) was exceeded amounted to 0.77–0.85 while the lower 97.5% confidence limit for the fraction agricultural area where the EU limit value was exceeded amounted to 0.94. Although the two conceptual models can be regarded as simple, the use of the models to give an overview was experienced as complex

From Business Model to Business Modelling: Modularity and Manipulation

The concept of modularity has gained considerable traction in technology studies as a way to conceive, describe and innovate complex systems, such as product design or organizational structures. In the recent literature, technological modularity has often been intertwined with business model innovation, and scholarship has started investigating how modularity in technology affects changes in business models, both at the cognitive and activity system levels. Yet we still lack a theoretical definition of what modularity is in the business model domain. Business model innovation also encompasses different possibilities of modeling businesses, which are not clearly understood nor classified. We ask when, how and if modularity theory can be extended to business models in order to enable effective and efficient modeling. We distinguish theoretically between modularity for technology and for business models, and investigate the key processes of modularization and manipulation. We introduce the basic operations of business modeling via modular operators adapted from the technological modularity domain, using iconic examples to develop an analogical reasoning between modularity in technology and in business models. Finally, we discuss opportunities for using modularity theory to foster the understanding of business models and modeling, and develop a challenging research agenda for future investigations

Financial outcomes of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors:A longitudinal population-based registry study

Background: The patterns and determinants of long-term income among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, and the differences compared with peers, have not yet been fully explored. This study investigated the long-term effects of cancer on the income of AYA cancer survivors. Methods: The Netherlands Cancer Registry identified all AYA cancer patients (aged 18-39 years) diagnosed in 2013 and alive 5 years postdiagnosis. Clinical data of the selected AYA patients were linked to individual, administrative real-world labor market data of Statistics Netherlands. The control group consisted of a random sample of individuals of the same age, sex, and migration background without cancer. Data on 2434 AYA cancer patients and 9736 controls were collected annually from 2011 until 2019. Changes in income level were measured and compared with the control group using difference-in-difference regression models. Results: AYA cancer survivors experience, on average, an 8.5% decrease in annual earnings, relative to the control population. The effects are statistically significant and permanent (P < .01). Younger AYAs (those aged 18-25 years 15.5% income reduction), married cancer survivors (12.3%), females (11.6%), those diagnosed with stage IV disease (38.1%), and central nervous system (15.7%) cancer patients experienced the largest decline in income, on average, relative to controls, all else constant. Conclusion: Although dependent on the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, a cancer diagnosis at AYA age has significant implications on the income of cancer patients. Awareness of vulnerable groups and the development of policies to mitigate the financial impact of cancer are critical

O Ciberespaço e a mutação da realidade: o caso dos EUA

Understanding the way regional landscapes operate, evolve, and change is a key area of research for ecosystem science. It is also essential to support the placebased management approach being advocated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other management agencies. We developed a spatially explicit, process-based model of the 2352 km2 Patuxent River watershed in Maryland to integrate data and knowledge over several spatial, temporal, and complexity scales, and to serve as an aid to regional management. In particular, the model addresses the effects of both the magnitude and spatial patterns of human settlements and agricultural practices on hydrology, plant productivity, and nutrient cycling in the landscape. The spatial resolution is variable, with a maximum of 200 X 200 m to allow adequate depiction of the pattern of ecosystems and human settlement on the landscape. The temporal resolution is different for various components of the model, ranging from hourly time steps in the hydrologic sector to yearly time steps in the economic land-use transition module. We used a modular, multiscale approach to calibrate and test the model. Model results show good agreement with data for several components of the model at several scales. A range of scenarios with the calibrated model shows the implications of past and alternative future land-use patterns and policies. We analyzed 18 scenarios including: (1) historical land-use in 1650, 1850, 1950, 1972, 1990, and 1997; (2) a buildout scenario based on fully developing all the land currently zoned for development; (3) four future development patterns based on an empirical economic land-use conversion model; (4) agricultural best management practices that lower fertilizer application; (5) four replacement scenarios of land-use change to analyze the relative contributions of agriculture and urban land uses; and (6) two clustering scenarios with significantly more and less clustered residential development than the current pattern. Results indicate the complex nature of the landscape response and the need for spatially explicit modeling

Stigmatisering binnen de ggz:Onderzoek onder cliënten en hulpverleners

Achtergrond: Mensen met ernstige psychische aandoeningen ervaren naast belemmeringen in het sociaal en maatschappelijk functioneren ook de negatieve gevolgen van vooroordelen en stigmatisering. Ook binnen de ggz, inclusief verslavingszorg, komt stigmatisering voor. Doel: Beschrijven van het vóórkomen en de uitingsvormen van stigmatisering door hulpverleners, vanuit het perspectief van cliënten en hulpverleners. Methode: Digitale enquêtes onder leden van het panel Psychisch Gezien (n = 628) en onder hulpverleners (n = 471). Resultaten: Meer dan de helft (54%) van de panelleden had in de afgelopen twee jaar te maken gehad met stigmatisering door ggz-hulpverleners. Zij ervoeren dit vooral door een afstandelijke houding (22%) en door het taalgebruik van hulpverleners (20%). Twee vijfde (40%) van de hulpverleners gaf aan dat stigmatisering regelmatig of vaak voorkwam bij het eigen team. Zowel cliënten als hulpverleners benadrukten het belang van normalisering van psychische problemen, terughoudend gebruik van psychiatrische labels en herstelgericht werken om stigma te verminderen. Conclusie: Stigmatisering door ggz-hulpverleners komt op veel manieren tot uiting, waardoor het een complex en niet-eenduidig probleem is. Hoewel er geen ‘one-size-fits-all’-oplossing is, is normalisering van psychische problemen een belangrijk aanknopingspunt