The handbook for standardized field and laboratory measurements in terrestrial climate change experiments and observational studies (ClimEx)

Climate change is a world-wide threat to biodiversity and ecosystem structure, functioning and services. To understand the underlying drivers and mechanisms, and to predict the consequences for nature and people, we urgently need better understanding of the direction and magnitude of climate change impacts across the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. An increasing number of climate change studies are creating new opportunities for meaningful and high-quality generalizations and improved process understanding. However, significant challenges exist related to data availability and/or compatibility across studies, compromising opportunities for data re-use, synthesis and upscaling. Many of these challenges relate to a lack of an established 'best practice' for measuring key impacts and responses. This restrains our current understanding of complex processes and mechanisms in terrestrial ecosystems related to climate change. To overcome these challenges, we collected best-practice methods emerging from major ecological research networks and experiments, as synthesized by 115 experts from across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Our handbook contains guidance on the selection of response variables for different purposes, protocols for standardized measurements of 66 such response variables and advice on data management. Specifically, we recommend a minimum subset of variables that should be collected in all climate change studies to allow data re-use and synthesis, and give guidance on additional variables critical for different types of synthesis and upscaling. The goal of this community effort is to facilitate awareness of the importance and broader application of standardized methods to promote data re-use, availability, compatibility and transparency. We envision improved research practices that will increase returns on investments in individual research projects, facilitate second-order research outputs and create opportunities for collaboration across scientific communities. Ultimately, this should significantly improve the quality and impact of the science, which is required to fulfil society's needs in a changing world.Peer reviewe

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

The handbook for standardized field and laboratory measurements in terrestrial climate change experiments and observational studies (ClimEx)

1. Climate change is a world‐wide threat to biodiversity and ecosystem structure, functioning and services. To understand the underlying drivers and mechanisms, and to predict the consequences for nature and people, we urgently need better understanding of the direction and magnitude of climate change impacts across the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. An increasing number of climate change studies are creating new opportunities for meaningful and high‐quality generalizations and improved process understanding. However, significant challenges exist related to data availability and/or compatibility across studies, compromising opportunities for data re‐use, synthesis and upscaling. Many of these challenges relate to a lack of an established ‘best practice’ for measuring key impacts and responses. This restrains our current understanding of complex processes and mechanisms in terrestrial ecosystems related to climate change. 2. To overcome these challenges, we collected best‐practice methods emerging from major ecological research networks and experiments, as synthesized by 115 experts from across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Our handbook contains guidance on the selection of response variables for different purposes, protocols for standardized measurements of 66 such response variables and advice on data management. Specifically, we recommend a minimum subset of variables that should be collected in all climate change studies to allow data re‐use and synthesis, and give guidance on additional variables critical for different types of synthesis and upscaling. The goal of this community effort is to facilitate awareness of the importance and broader application of standardized methods to promote data re‐use, availability, compatibility and transparency. We envision improved research practices that will increase returns on investments in individual research projects, facilitate second‐order research outputs and create opportunities for collaboration across scientific communities. Ultimately, this should significantly improve the quality and impact of the science, which is required to fulfil society's needs in a changing world

ICT Inclusief: Train de trainer voor het aanleren van ICT-vaardigheden aan personen met een verstandelijke beperking

In scholen voor buitengewoon onderwijs type 2 en in dagcentra voor volwassenen met een verstandelijke beperking blijkt het gebruik van de computer moeizaam ingang te vinden. Het probleem ligt niet zozeer bij het erkennen van de waarde van ICT voor deze doelgroep, wel bij de toegankelijkheid van het medium. Uit expertinterviews met leerkrachten en begeleiders blijkt dat zij zichzelf te weinig ICT-competent voelen om met personen met een verstandelijke beperking met de computer aan de slag te gaan. Bovendien blijkt het aanleren van ICT-vaardigheden aan de doelgroep maatwerk te zijn. De onderzoeksgroep Inclusie en ICT van Thomas More Kempen ontwikkelde een competentieprofiel en een negenstappenplan voor begeleiders en leerkrachten.status: accepte

Genotype/phenotype correlation of the G85E mutation in a large cohort of cystic fibrosis patients

In this European study, the phenotype in 68 patients, homozygous or compound heterozygous for the G85E mutation, was investigated. Each index case was compared with two cystic fibrosis (CF) patients from the same clinic, matched for age and sex: one with pancreatic sufficiency (PS) and one with pancreatic insufficiency (PI). When comparing 31 G85E/F508del and F508del/F508del patients, there were no differences in median age at diagnosis, mean sweat chloride value, most recent weight for height, most recent forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted, prevalence of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonisation and typical CF complications. However, PI was less frequent in the G85E/F508del group. Comparison of 55 G85E patients (with second mutation known and not classified as mild) with PS controls (n=44) showed that the G85E patients had a significantly higher sweat chloride, more often failure to thrive at diagnosis, higher prevalence of PI, worse current weight for height, higher prevalence of chronic P. aeruginosa colonisation and liver cirrhosis. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that G85E cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator failed to mature on a M470 as well as on a V470 background. Therefore, G85E is a class II mutation. Although there is variability in its clinical presentation, G85E mutation results in a severe phenotype.status: publishe

type III IFN-lambda mRNA expression in sputum of adult and school-aged asthmatics

BACKGROUND: The increased susceptibility of asthmatics to rhinovirus infection has recently been related to deficient IFN-lambda 1 (IL-29) and IFN-lambda 2/3 (IL-28) production by bronchial epithelial cells and macrophages. OBJECTIVES: Here, we studied IFN-lambda mRNA expression in the airways of stable asthmatics in comparison with healthy subjects and in relation to asthma symptoms, non-invasive parameters of airway inflammation and lung function parameters. METHODS: Airway cells were obtained by sputum induction, in 14 healthy and 35 asthmatic adults and 12 asthmatic school-aged children. IFN-lambda was studied at the mRNA level by quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Asthmatic adults have increased sputum IL-28 mRNA but similar IL-29 mRNA expression in comparison with healthy subjects. In asthmatics, both sputum IL-28 and IL-29 mRNA expression correlate with the sputum CD3 gamma mRNA expression (reflecting infiltrated T cells). IL-28 (but not IL-29) mRNA levels correlate with the relative and absolute number of eosinophils present in the sputum sample. Sputum IL-29 mRNA (but not IL-28) correlates negatively with asthma symptoms in steroid-naive patients and is significantly higher in steroid-treated than in steroid-naive patients. Finally, both IL-28 and IL-29 mRNA levels are higher in asthmatic children than in asthmatic adults. CONCLUSION: Our results show that asthmatic subjects have substantial type III IFN-lambda mRNA levels in the airways. Our data furthermore suggest that IL-29 could have an immunoprotective role in the lower airways.status: publishe

Symptom fluctuations and daily physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study

Objectives: To compare the activity pattern of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) with healthy sedentary subjects and examine the relationship between the different parameters of performed activity (registered by an accelerometer device) and symptom severity and fluctuation (registered by questionnaires) in patients with CFS. Design: Case-control study. Participants were asked to wear an accelerometer device on the nondominant hand for 6 consecutive days. Every morning, afternoon, and evening patients scored the intensity of their pain, fatigue, and concentration difficulties on a visual analog scale. Setting: Patients were recruited from a specialized chronic fatigue clinic in the university hospital, where all subjects were invited for 2 appointments (for questionnaire and accelerometer adjustments). In between, activity data were collected in the subject's normal home environment. Participants: Female patients (n=67) with CFS and female age-matched healthy sedentary controls. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Accelerometry (average activity counts, peak activity counts, ratio peak/average, minutes spent per activity category) and symptom severity (intensity of pain, fatigue, and concentration difficulties). Results: Patients with CFS were less active, spent more time sedentary, and less time lightly active (P.05), peak activity, and the staggering of activities (ratio peak/average) on 1 day were not different between groups (P>.05). Negative correlations (-.242 varying to -.307) were observed for sedentary activity and the ratio with symptom severity and variation on the same and the next day. Light, moderate, and vigorous, as well as the average activity and the peak activity, were positively correlated (.242 varying to .421) with symptom severity and variation. Conclusions: The more patients with CFS are sedentary and the better activity is dispersed, the fewer symptoms and variations they experience on the same and next day. Inversely, more symptoms and variability is experienced when patients were more active that day or the previous day. The direction of these relations cannot be determined in a cross-sectional study and requires further study