Herstructurering industrieel erfgoed in plattelandsgebieden

Het onderzoek van de afstudeergroep [email protected] is een poging tot aanvulling en verdieping van onderzoek van DAAD. Het architectenbureau verricht research naar een reeks industriële erfgoederen (in plattelandsgebieden) met de bedoeling een nieuwe ontwerpmethodiek te formuleren. Het bureau probeert op deze wijze de structurele leegstand van industriepanden tegen te gaan. De nieuwe ontwerpmethodiek moet het (financieel) aantrekkelijker moeten maken om de oude silo’s te herstructureren, en daarmee de dikwijls gebiedseigen panden behouden van sloop. DAAD heeft daartoe een aantal vragen opgesteld die als weegfactor kunnen dienen voor de verlenging van de levensduur van het erfgoed

Urogenital tract anomalies in children with congenital anorectal malformation

The term 'imperforate anus' covers a variety of congenital anorectal malformations ranging in severity from anal stenosis to cloacal exstrophy. The clinical picture of the anorectal malformation has been known for thousands of years, during which many attempts have been made to find an effective treatment. In the days of Assurbanipal, king of Assyria from 668 to 627 B.C., the library of Ninive contained a cuneiform tablet with a text about a child born without an anus (Scharli 1978, van Putten 1969). The ancient Greek, Roman and Arabic physicians were familiar with the imperforate anus as well. They considered it a 'lusus naturae', the treatment of which was beyond their abilities. Paul of Aegina, a Byzantine physician (A.D. 625-690), performed the first recorded treatment of a child with imperforate anus by making a blind plunge with a bistoury into the perineum as far as the rectum and maintaining the opening by frequent dilatation. The next thousand years this blind method remained the only treatment for the malformation. Whenever a child survived this operation, complications such as perforations, infections, development of fistula, and stenosis of the newly made opening often occurred. Ever since the 18th century new ideas were suggested and new methods of treatment introduced. An extensive study of the embryology, pathology, and treatment of congenital malformations of anus and rectum was published in 1860 by Bodenhamer. He described nine 'species' of malformation, mainly on the basis of anatomical variations found in abductions. Bodenhamer described some anomalies of the urogenital tract and warned against possible damage of the bladder or urethra caused by surgical treatment of the anorectal malformation (Bodenhamer 1860). Various classification systems for the congenital anorectal malformations have been proposed. In general a distinction is made into 'high', or supralevator, and 'low', or infralevator, anorectal malformations, a distinction based on the position of the 'blind-ending' anorectum relative to the pelvic floor. High and low malformations are treated in different ways. Ever since Bodenhamer, numerous theories about the pathogenesis of imperforate anus have been developed. At present the congenital anorectal malformations are considered to be caused by impaired development of the cloacal plate and its surrounding structures (van der Putte and Neeteson 1984). Although in the past the literature mainly focussed on the study and the treatment of the congenital anorectal malformation itself, in the last few decades attention has also been paid to associated anomalies in other organ systems. Combinations of anomalies are described as V A(C)TER(L) association (V = vascular or vertebral, A = anorectal, C = cardiac, TE = tracheoesophageal, R = renal, and L = limb abnormalities (Quan and Smith 1973, Kaufman 1973, Barnes and Smith 1978), caudal regression syndrome (Duhamel 1961), caudal mesodermal pattern of anomalies (Kallen and Winberg 197 4 ), or axial mesodermal dysplasia syndrome (Russel et al. 1981). Of the anomalies that may present in combination with the congenital anorectal malformation, those of the urogenital tract occur most frequently (Moore and Lawrence 1952, Hasse 1976, Hoekstra et al. 1983)

Doppler colour flow imaging of fetal intracerebral arteries relative to fetal behavioural states in normal pregnancy

In 14 normally developing term fetuses, the relationship between the blood flow velocity waveforms at cerebral arterial level (internal carotid artery, anterior, middle and posterior cerebral artery) and fetal behavioural states was studied using Doppler colour flow imaging. Behavioural state dependent changes in absolute flow velocities occurred in all vessels, except for the middle cerebral artery. These changes suggest preferential blood flow to the left heart resulting in increased flow to the cerebrum during fetal behavioural state 2F (active sleep) when compared with fetal behavioural state 1F (quiet sleep). The middle cerebral artery supplies the neocerebrum. This developing part of the cerebrum does not seem to take part in the regulation of fetal behaviour. In the internal carotid artery, an inverse relationship between peak systolic velocity and fetal heart rate could be established, which can be explained by a shorter rapid filling phase at raised fetal heart rate according to the Frank-Starling Law

Combining agro-ecological functions in grass-clover mixtures

Grass-clover mixtures show many benefits for sustainable agriculture. In the Netherlands, organic farmers often work together in a so-called partner farm concept, with the aim to close nutrient cycles on a regional level. In this system, arable farms grow one-year grass-clover leys, as fodder for a livestock farm, in exchange for, e.g., manure. This practice could also be used in the transition of conventional farms towards a more circular regenerative and nature inclusive agriculture. In the current experiment we assessed the effect of a range of grass (Lolium perenne: Lp, Lolium multiflorum: Lm) and clover (Trifolium pratense: Tp and Trifolium repens: Tr) monocultures and mixtures on both below- and aboveground parameters in light of benefits for livestock and arable farms, and biodiversity. The grass monocultures showed good weed suppression, high root density, and especially Lp had a positive effect on soil structure. Clover, on the other hand, showed high herbage dry matter yield (particularly Tp) and Nitrogen (N) yield, and Tr showed high digestibility. Moreover, clover had a positive effect on the soil mineral N, and earthworm abundance tended to be higher in the clover monocultures. When (some of) the four species were combined in grass-clover mixtures, they combined the positive effects of the species and often even outperformed the (best) monocultures. We concluded that grass-clover mixtures increased agro-ecological functions

Effect of prior laser microstructural refinement on the formation of amorphous layer in an Al86Co7.6Ce6.4 alloy

Laser surface melting (LSM) pre-treatment was conducted before large area electron beam (LAEB) treatment in an attempt to eliminate the cracking of the amorphous layer. In our previous work, LAEB treatment successfully generated an amorphous layer on a cast polycrystalline Al-Co-Ce glass forming alloy. However, cracking was found and was associated with large and brittle Al8Co2Ce phase in the bulk material. Results show that prior LSM treatment in this present work can effectively refine the microstructure of as-cast material, decreasing the particle size and particle spacing of Al8Co2Ce phase. This decrease in the microstructural length scale greatly reduced the results of cracking of the amorphous layer. The LAEB pulse number required for the homogenisation and amorphisation of treated layer was also decreased for the laser pre-treated sample compared to as-cast material