Error estimation on extracorporeal trajectory determination from body scans.

This study explores the magnitude of two sources of error that are introduced when extracorporeal bullet trajectories are based on post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) and/or surface scanning of a body. The first source of error is caused by an altered gravitational pull on soft tissue, which is introduced when a body is scanned in another position than it had when hit. The second source of error is introduced when scanned images are translated into a virtual representation of the victim's body. To study the combined magnitude of these errors, virtual shooting trajectories with known vertical angles through five "victims" (live test persons) were simulated. The positions of the simulated wounds on the bodies were marked, with the victims in upright positions. Next, the victims were scanned in supine position, using 3D surface scanning, similar to a body's position when scanned during a PMCT. Seven experts, used to working with 3D data, were asked to determine the bullet trajectories based on the virtual representations of the bodies. The errors between the known and determined trajectories were analysed and discussed. The results of this study give a feel for the magnitude of the introduced errors and can be used to reconstruct actual shooting incidents using PMCT data

Comparison and interpretation of impressed marks left by a firearm on cartridge cases - Towards an operational implementation of a likelihood ratio based technique.

Firearm examination is subject to increased scrutiny regarding its foundational validity and inherent subjective nature. The increased use of automatic comparison systems may help to reduce subjectivity. In this paper, we present the performance and limits of an automatic comparison system that assigns a weight to the forensic findings for the comparisons between firing pin marks, breechface marks, or a combination of the two. This weight is expressed by a likelihood ratio (LR) based on 3D topographical measurements coupled with a bi-dimensional statistical model. As the performance of such systems may depend on the reference databases used to inform the model, we investigated the impact of the brand of ammunition and the number of samples. We show that reference databases used to calculate LRs should ideally consist of the same type of ammunition as is seen in the case under investigation and that 7 specimens fired by the same firearm are enough to obtain rates of misleading evidence of a similar magnitude compared to those obtained when far more specimens (60) are used. Additionally, the automatic system was used to assess the outcomes of 7 cases with known same-source or different-source ground truths. These cases were also examined by 8 qualified firearm examiners. In all cases, the experts' appraisals were in line with the ground truth. The automatic system showed some limitations in cases were the data were not sufficient to calculate a robust LR, but also that it can assist and enhance the examiners in their decision process

Ganzen, voer voor discussie

Discussies over het welzijn van wilde dieren gaan er vaak heftig aan toe. Denk aan de discussies over wintersterfte van grote grazers in de Oostvaardersplassen, de aanpak van de ganzenproblematiek, de orka Morgan en recent nog de bultrug Johannes. Emoties kunnen hierbij hoog oplopen en natuurbeherende organisaties krijgen dan ongezouten kritiek. In dit artikel kijken we naar de ganzendiscussie van de afgelopen jaren zoals die werd gevoerd in de media en op internet. We laten zien welke argumenten, emoties en ethische visies daarin een rol spelen. Dit levert aanknopingspunten op om beter te kunnen voorspellen en begrijpen wanneer maatschappelijke conflicten ontstaan en hoe daar door terreinbeheerders mee kan worden omgegaan

The glucocorticoid receptor in brown adipocytes is dispensable for control of energy homeostasis

Aberrant activity of the glucocorticoid (GC)/glucocorticoid receptor (GR) endocrine system has been linked to obesity-related metabolic dysfunction. Traditionally, the GC/GR axis has been believed to play a crucial role in adipose tissue formation and function in both, white (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). While recent studies have challenged this notion for WAT, the contribution of GC/GR signaling to BAT-dependent energy homeostasis remained unknown. Here, we have generated and characterized a BAT-specific GR-knockout mouse (GRBATKO), for the first time allowing to genetically interrogate the metabolic impact of BAT-GR. The HPA axis in GRBATKO mice was intact, as was the ability of mice to adapt to cold. BAT-GR was dispensable for the adaptation to fasting–feeding cycles and the development of diet-induced obesity. In obesity, glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and food intake remained unchanged, aligning with the absence of changes in thermogenic gene expression. Together, we demonstrate that the GR in UCP1-positive BAT adipocytes plays a negligible role in systemic metabolism and BAT function, thereby opposing a long-standing paradigm in the field

Maatschappelijke initiatieven voor natuur en biodiversiteit : een schets van de reikwijdte en ecologische effecten en potenties van maatschappelijke initiatieven voor natuur in feiten en cijfers

Voor de Balans van de Leefomgeving willen we weten welke feiten en cijfers bekend zijn over maatschappelijke activiteiten, initiatieven en functiecombinaties voor natuur en biodiversiteit en wat de bijdrage hiervan is om de biodiversiteit te verbeteren. In dit onderzoek hebben we gegevens verzameld in de beschikbare literatuur en online bronnen. Uit de verzamelde feiten en cijfers blijkt dat het merendeel van de burgers betrokken zijn bij natuur en dat op onderdelen de betrokkenheid van burgers maar ook van bedrijven toeneemt. De meeste groene burgerinitiatieven zijn gericht op beleefbaar groen maar soms worden ook belangrijke natuurwaarden gerealiseerd die aansluiten bij internationale biodiversiteitsdoelstellingen. Burgers spelen daarnaast een zeer belangrijke rol bij het in kaart brengen van gegevens over planten- en diersoorten. Uit de verzamelde feiten en cijfers blijkt ook dat bij alle huidige vormen van bodemgebruik er mogelijkheden en initiatieven zijn voor natuurcombinaties of voor het vergroten van de biodiversiteit.---For the Assessment of the Dutch Human Environment we want to review what is known about social activities, initiatives and combination of functions for nature and biodiversity and what they contribute to enhancing biodiversity. In this study we collected data from the available literature and websites. These facts and figures show that most people are involved with nature in one way or another and that the involvement of individuals and businesses in some activities is even increasing. Most green citizens' initiatives are focused on amenity green space, but sometimes important natural values that support international biodiversity targets are also created. In addition, citizens play a vital role in monitoring plant and animal species. These facts and figures show also that in all current forms of land use there are possibilities and initiatives for nature combinations or for increasing biodiversity

Advancing co-production for transformative change by synthesizing guidance from case studies on the sustainable management and governance of natural resources.

Co-production has become paramount for scientists, practitioners and social groups of Indigenous peoples and local communities of rural and urban areas to deliver transformative changes that enhance sustainability. Coproduction should result in knowledge that is credible, legitimate and usable to enable sustainable outcomes effectively. However, this is not always the case due to challenges related to differences between scientific and Indigenous and local knowledge, as well as inherent power imbalances. The literature emphasises that these challenges are often triggered by rigid scientific theories and postures, dominant practices, and time-money limitations that co-production projects involve. This happens despite the adoption of guidelines recommended in the literature. We investigate the role of these challenges and guidelines in the generation of credible, legitimate, usable, and effective knowledge. We analyse this role in 13 co-production cases focused on sustainable transformative changes linked with the management and governance of natural resources across the globe. Despite challenges varying between groups and contexts, credibility, usability, and effectiveness are promoted simultaneously, especially when co-production empowers social actors via legitimate processes. Scientists and practitioners do so, through creative and flexible reshaping of existing knowledge and worldviews with a focus on common goals that link sustainability and livelihoods. They conceptualise a mutual understanding of knowledge and that is deemed trustworthy feasible to use in their socioecological context. Our findings complement existing scholarship on co-production, exploring the credibility of situated knowledge and its practical effectiveness together with its commonly addressed legitimacy and usability. A focus on the practices of different actors, including dynamics that are external to co-production, and changes in the scientific and social status quo, are needed to advance co-production effectiveness

Local therapy of cancer with free IL-2

This is a position paper about the therapeutic effects of locally applied free IL-2 in the treatment of cancer. Local therapy: IL-2 therapy of cancer was originally introduced as a systemic therapy. This therapy led to about 20% objective responses. Systemic therapy however was very toxic due to the vascular leakage syndrome. Nevertheless, this treatment was a break-through in cancer immunotherapy and stimulated some interesting questions: Supposing that the mechanism of IL-2 treatment is both proliferation and tumoricidal activity of the tumor infiltrating cells, then locally applied IL-2 should result in a much higher local IL-2 concentration than systemic IL-2 application. Consequently a greater beneficial effect could be expected after local IL-2 application (peritumoral = juxtatumoral, intratumoral, intra-arterial, intracavitary, or intratracheal = inhalation). Free IL-2: Many groups have tried to prepare a more effective IL-2 formulation than free IL-2. Examples are slow release systems, insertion of the IL-2 gene into a tumor cell causing prolonged IL-2 release. However, logistically free IL-2 is much easier to apply; hence we concentrated in this review and in most of our experiments on the use of free IL-2. Local therapy with free IL-2 may be effective against transplanted tumors in experimental animals, and against various spontaneous carcinomas, sarcomas, and melanoma in veterinary and human cancer patients. It may induce rejection of very large, metastasized tumor loads, for instance advanced clinical tumors. The effects of even a single IL-2 application may be impressive. Not each tumor or tumor type is sensitive to local IL-2 application. For instance transplanted EL4 lymphoma or TLX9 lymphoma were not sensitive in our hands. Also the extent of sensitivity differs: In Bovine Ocular Squamous Cell Carcinoma (BOSCC) often a complete regression is obtained, whereas with the Bovine Vulval Papilloma and Carcinoma Complex (BVPCC) mainly stable disease is attained. Analysis of the results of local IL-2 therapy in 288 cases of cancer in human patients shows that there were 27% Complete Regressions (CR), 23% Partial Regressions (PR), 18% Stable Disease (SD), and 32% Progressive Disease (PD). In all tumors analyzed, local IL-2 therapy was more effective than systemic IL-2 treatment. Intratumoral IL-2 applications are more effective than peritumoral application or application at a distant site. Tumor regression induced by intratumoral IL-2 application may be a fast process (requiring about a week) in the case of a highly vascular tumor since IL-2 induces vascular leakage/edema and consequently massive tumor necrosis. The latter then stimulates an immune response. In less vascular tumors or less vascular tumor sites, regression may require 9–20 months; this regression is mainly caused by a cytotoxic leukocyte reaction. Hence the disadvantageous vascular leakage syndrome complicating systemic treatment is however advantageous in local treatment, since local edema may initiate tumor necrosis. Thus the therapeutic effect of local IL-2 treatment is not primarily based on tumor immunity, but tumor immunity seems to be useful as a secondary component of the IL-2 induced local processes. If local IL-2 is combined with surgery, radiotherapy or local chemotherapy the therapeutic effect is usually greater than with either therapy alone. Hence local free IL-2 application can be recommended as an addition to standard treatment protocols. Local treatment with free IL-2 is straightforward and can readily be applied even during surgical interventions. Local IL-2 treatment is usually without serious side effects and besides minor complaints it is generally well supported. Only small quantities of IL-2 are required. Hence the therapy is relatively cheap. A single IL-2 application of 4.5 million U IL-2 costs about 70 Euros. Thus combined local treatment may offer an alternative in those circumstances when more expensive forms of treatment are not available, for instance in resource poor countries

Draagvlak in de energieke samenleving: van acceptatie naar betrokkenheid en legitimatie

Alhoewel het maatschappelijk draagvlak voor het natuurbeleid nog steeds groot is onder de Nederlandse bevolking, zijn hierin recentelijk ook barsten ontstaan. Dit blijkt uit een quick scan naar het draagvlak onder burgers, gebaseerd op de meest recente cijfers over betrokkenheid bij natuurbeheer, enquêtes onder de bevolking en een discourse analyse van discussies in de (sociale) media. Het begrip draagvlak zelf blijkt daarbij steeds meer gepolitiseerd, waarbij verwijzingen naar (het ontbreken van) draagvlak strategisch worden gebruikt in maatschappelijke discussies. We betogen dat de traditionele beleidsvisie op draagvlak als “acceptatie van beleid” niet meer past in de huidige netwerksamenleving en verbreedt dient te worden naar acceptatie en betrokkenheid, waarbij ook ruimte bestaat voor innovatieve coalities van betrokken burgers en bedrijven