A Psychological Network Approach to Attitudes and Preventive Behaviors During Pandemics: A COVID-19 Study in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands

Preventive behaviors are crucial to prevent the spread of the coronavirus causing COVID-19. We adopted a complex psychological systems approach to obtain a descriptive account of the network of attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19. A survey study (N = 1,022) was conducted with subsamples from the United Kingdom (n = 502) and the Netherlands (n = 520). The results highlight the importance of people’s support for, and perceived efficacy of, the measures and preventive behaviors. This also applies to the perceived norm of family and friends adopting these behaviors. The networks in both countries were largely similar but also showed notable differences. The interplay of psychological factors in the networks is also highlighted, resulting in our appeal to policy makers to take complexity and mutual dependence of psychological factors into account. Future research should study the effects of interventions aimed at these factors, including effects on the network, to make causal inferences

Bestrijding van de volwassen taxuskever (Otiorhynchus sulcatus): Middelenonderzoek

Taxuskevers vormen al jaren een belangrijke plaag in veel boomkwekerijgewassen. Met name de vraat van de larven aan de wortels zorgt voor problemen. Om de plaag goed te kunnen beheersen wordt aangeraden om zowel de kevers als de larven te bestrijden. Voor de bestrijding van de larven zijn meerdere mogelijkheden (aaltjes, BIO1020, Exemptor), maar voor de bestrijding van de volwassen kevers is alleen Steward beschikbaar (in vaste planten alleen in bedekte teelt, in boomkwekerij zowel in bedekte als onbedekte teelt). Om de kans op resistentieontwikkeling te beperken is het van belang om meerdere middelen beschikbaar te hebben. Het doel van de bestrijding van volwassen taxuskevers is om zo min mogelijk larven te krijgen in de herfst. In dit onderzoek werden hiervoor de volgende subdoelen geformuleerd: 1. Het vinden van een nieuw gewasbeschermingsmiddel tegen de volwassen taxuskever . 2. Het ontwikkelen van een snellere bestrijding (voor dat eileg begint) van de volwassen taxuskever

Multiple-Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis for Streptococcus pneumoniae: Comparison with PFGE and MLST

In the era of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, surveillance of pneumococcal disease and carriage remains of utmost importance as important changes may occur in the population. To monitor these alterations reliable genotyping methods are required for large-scale applications. We introduced a high throughput multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and compared this method with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The MLVA described here is based on 8 BOX loci that are amplified in two multiplex PCRs. The labeled PCR products are sized on an automated DNA sequencer to accurately determine the number of tandem repeats. The composite of the number of repeats of the BOX loci makes up a numerical profile that is used for identification and clustering. In this study, MLVA was performed on 263 carriage isolates that were previously characterized by MLST and PFGE. MLVA, MLST and PFGE (cut-off of 80%) yielded 164, 120, and 87 types, respectively. The three typing methods had Simpson's diversity indices of 98.5% or higher. Congruence between MLST and MLVA was high. The Wallace of MLVA to MLST was 0.874, meaning that if two strains had the same MLVA type they had an 88% chance of having the same MLST type. Furthermore, the Wallace of MLVA to clonal complex of MLST was even higher: 99.5%. For some isolates belonging to a single MLST clonal complex although displaying different serotypes, MLVA was more discriminatory, generating groups according to serotype or serogroup. Overall, MLVA is a promising genotyping method that is easy to perform and a relatively cheap alternative to PFGE and MLST. In the companion paper published simultaneously in this issue we applied the MLVA to assess the pneumococcal population structure of isolates causing invasive disease in the Netherlands before the introduction of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine

Bodem Vitaal! : naar het begrijpen en sturen van bodemvitaliteit

Bodemvitaliteit is essentieel voor duurzame landbouw en natuurontwikkeling. De enorme rijkdom aan biodiversiteit en de aantallen organismen bepalen de bodemvitaliteit. Er is dus kennis nodig om te weten te komen welke organismen van de geweldige complexe biodiversiteit in de bodem verantwoordelijk zijn voor bodemweerbaarheid. Bodem Vitaal! stelt zich tot doel fundamentale instrumenten te ontwikkelen voor het ontrafelen van bodemweerbaarheid en voor het sturen van bodemvitaliteit

Understanding a national increase in COVID-19 vaccination intention, the Netherlands, November 2020-March 2021

The intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine increased from 48% (November 2020) to 75% (March 2021) as national campaigning in the Netherlands commenced. Using a mixed method approach we identified six vaccination beliefs and two contextual factors informing this increase. Analysis of a national survey confirmed that shifting intentions were a function of shifting beliefs: people with stronger intention to vaccinate were most motivated by protecting others and reopening society; those reluctant were most concerned about side effects

Population Structure of Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae in the Netherlands in the Pre-Vaccination Era Assessed by MLVA and Capsular Sequence Typing

The introduction of nationwide pneumococcal vaccination may lead to serotype replacement and the emergence of new variants that have expanded their genetic repertoire through recombination. To monitor alterations in the pneumococcal population structure, we have developed and utilized Capsular Sequence Typing (CST) in addition to Multiple-Locus Variable number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA)

The post-vaccine microevolution of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae

The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine (PCV7) has affected the genetic population of Streptococcus pneumoniae in pediatric carriage. Little is known however about pneumococcal population genomics in adult invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) under vaccine pressure. We sequenced and serotyped 349 strains of S. pneumoniae isolated from IPD patients in Nijmegen between 2001 and 2011. Introduction of PCV7 in the Dutch National Immunization Program in 2006 preluded substantial alterations in the IPD population structure caused by serotype replacement. No evidence could be found for vaccine induced capsular switches. We observed that after a temporary bottleneck in gene diversity after the introduction of PCV7, the accessory gene pool re-expanded mainly by genes already circulating pre-PCV7. In the post-vaccine genomic population a number of genes changed frequency, certain genes became overrepresented in vaccine serotypes, while others shifted towards non-vaccine serotypes. Whether these dynamics in the invasive pneumococcal population have truly contributed to invasiveness and manifestations of disease remains to be further elucidated. We suggest the use of whole genome sequencing for surveillance of pneumococcal population dynamics that could give a prospect on the course of disease, facilitating effective prevention and management of IPD

Leveraging analytics to produce compelling and profitable film content

Producing compelling film content profitably is a top priority to the long-term prosperity of the film industry. Advances in digital technologies, increasing availabilities of granular big data, rapid diffusion of analytic techniques, and intensified competition from user generated content and original content produced by Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) platforms have created unparalleled needs and opportunities for film producers to leverage analytics in content production. Built upon the theories of value creation and film production, this article proposes a conceptual framework of key analytic techniques that film producers may engage throughout the production process, such as script analytics, talent analytics, and audience analytics. The article further synthesizes the state-of-the-art research on and applications of these analytics, discuss the prospect of leveraging analytics in film production, and suggest fruitful avenues for future research with important managerial implications