Economische wetenschap als politieke muze : filosofische reflecties op de relevantie van economische wetenschap voor ecologisch beleid

The first part of this book - consisting of chapters 2, 3 and 4 - is a philosophical exploration of the characteristics of an economics that intends to be relevant for the problem of sustainability. In chapter 2, 1 will analyse economic and political theories as conceptual constructs referring to the economic and political sphere respectively. I will argue that such conceptual constructs inevitably are value-laden and that, hence, different conceptual constructs of the same sphere can exist. I will argue, moreover, that and why it is important to distinguish between the economic and the political sphere. I will derive the latter arguments from a confrontation between Buchanan's and Arendt's political theory.In chapter 3, 1 will discuss an economy as consisting of two dimensions, a symbolic or institutional one and an ecological one. Such interpretation will allow us to understand the ecological performance of an economy as the counterpart of its institutional organisation. I will further argue that, in order to get insights into the internal relationships between an economy and its ecological performance, we need insights into the institutional whole of an economy. And I will elaborate on what I mean by "an institutional whole". I will suggest that it is a matter of conceptually analysing different types of economic institutions and different hierarchies of institutions. Chapter 3 will thus offer us some substantive norms for an economics that aims at contributing successfully to the political objective of "sustainability".In chapter 4, 1 will derive four norms for the nature, rather than the content, of a politically successful economics. I will suggest that a politically successful economics should, to start with, be objective in the sense that it should aim at intersubjective consensus among economists. Objectivity as intersubjective consensus does, however, not imply neutrality. I will suggest, further, that economics should provide economic policy with insights, rather than instruments. This means that economics should aim at (non-neutral) description and explanation, not at (non-neutral) prescription and prediction. I will assert, finally, that economics should be rather impartial than partial. It should explain economic sources of political inequality and contribute to political freedom. Both Arendt's interpretation of politics as a deliberative democracy and Weber's and Neurath's philosophical reflections on the nature of the social sciences will function as the breeding ground for these norms.In the second part of this book, i.e., chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8, 1 will confront the norms developed concerning both the content and the nature of an ecologically successful economics with the writings of David Pearce and Daniel Bromley. Chapters 5 and 7 are a substantive reconstruction of Pearce's and Bromley's theoretical work respectively, Chapters 6 and 8 are an analysis of the nature of their economics. Chapters 5 and 7 will make clear to what extent their writings comply with the substantive norm 1 propose in chapter 3. Chapters 6 and 8 will illuminate to what extent their writings meet the four norms suggested , in chapter 4, for the nature of an ecologically successful economics.Part 1 and 11 will be closed by chapter 9, in which 1 will give an overview of the main conclusions of this research project.</p

Advanced Moisture and Temperature Sounder (AMTS) study

Retrieval of tropospheric humidity profiles from satellite-based upwelling radiances are shown to be improved by using physical methods for obtaining first-guess profiles as well as for inverting the radiative transfer equation by relaxation. The first guess is based on an empirically verified hypothesis, from theoretical considerations, that the brightness temperature corresponding to the radiance should be approximately equal to the actual temperatue at a channel-invariant optical depth provided that the surface and stratospheric contributions to the radiance are small. Even greater improvement of retrieved humidity profiles can be accomplished by increasing the number of channels used and by selecting their spectral location and bandpass to obtain sharper independent weighting functions. For example, the AMTS system, with high resolution water channels at 1650, 1700, 1839, 1850 and 1930 cm, is shown to be capable of reducing the retrieved water vapor errors in 200 mb thick layers by a factor of two or three relative to the HIRS-2 system errors. Expected AMTS errors in tropical layer water content are particularly low, less than 20% at all levels, and of the order of 10% or less in the middle troposphere

Barotropic instability of an initial value problem

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, 1985.Bibliography: leaf 191.by Godelieve Deblonde.M.S

Registration of HIV risk factors in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR): what do GPs in Flanders prefer?

There is an increase of HIV-diagnoses in Belgium among men who have sex with men. GPs take a key position in discussing sexuality with their patients. They have an overall picture of their patients health, including the health risks (e.g. smoking). Yet it is unclear whether GPs are aware of the (extent of) sexual risk behaviour and the sexual orientation of their patients before problems occur. However, at least the awareness of sexual risk behaviour and/or the sexual orientation of patients seems to be necessary for the prevention of HIV. This study explores the views of GPs in Flanders regarding the discussion and registration of HIV risk factors in primary care

Effect of drip irrigation and complementary nutrition with nitrogen on potato quality and yield

A small-plot field experiment started in 2016 studied effect of drip irrigation on potato tuber yield and starch levels in the tubers. Two potato varieties with different vegetation periods (Monika, Jolana) were exposed to four drip irrigation intensity levels. They were non-irrigated controls and irrigated tubers with 60 %, 65 % and 70 % usable soil water capacity levels. The other studied parameter was represented by the effect of nitrogen fertilisation with the nitrogen nutrient added to the irrigation water (fertigation) in the course of the vegetation period in contrast to one-off application of the whole nitrogen dose before the potato planting. All irrigated variants in comparison to the non-irrigated controls showed 30-60 % yield increase. The effect of fertigation on yields was statistically insignificant. Starch levels in the tubers were mostly affected by the variety. The irrigated variants in comparison to the non-irrigated controls showed higher starch levels in the harvested tubers but the differences were statistically insignificant.O

Melkeiwitten en witte bloedcellen van Lakenvelder koeien.

De Lakenvelder onderscheidt zich op de onderzochte kenmerken: melkeiwitvarianten en variatie van witte bloedcellen, van enkele andere zwartbonte rassen

Collecting and registering sexual health information in the context of HIV risk in the electronic medical record of general practitioners: a qualitative exploration of the preference of general practitioners in urban communities in Flanders (Belgium)

Background and aim: Current health-care delivery requires increasingly proactive and inter-professional work. Therefore, collecting patient information and knowledge management is of paramount importance. General practitioners (GPs) are well placed to lead these evolving models of care delivery. However, it is unclear how they are handling these changes. To gain an insight into this matter, the HIV epidemic was chosen as a test case. Methods: Data were collected and analysed from 13 semi-structured interviews with GPs, working in urban communities in Flanders. Findings: GPs use various types of patient information to estimate patients’ risk of HIV. The way in which sexual health information is collected and registered, depends on the type of information under discussion. General patient information and medical history data are often automatically collected and registered. Proactively collecting sexual health information is uncommon. Moreover, the registration of the latter is not obvious, mostly owing to insufficient space in the electronic medical record (EMR). Conclusions: GPs seem willing to systematically collect and register sexual health information, in particular about HIV-risk factors. They expressed a need for guidance together with practical adjustments of the EMR to adequately capture and share this information