Integration of gamification in a traffic education platform for children

[EN] Children are highly represented in injuries and fatalities caused by road accidents. The major reasons are children’s lack of ability to scan the environment, inconsistent behaviour, distraction in traffic situations, ability to estimate speed and distance, and less developed hazard perception skills. Therefore, traffic education for children is very important. This study will look at a platform about traffic education for children including gamification elements. Gamification is a relatively new concept which has gathered a lot of attention over the last few years with its application in many diverse fields. Gamification is defined as the application of game mechanics to non-game activities in order to change behaviour. The education community has discovered the power it has to increase students’ performance and engagement. The current study focuses on educating school going children on traffic safety in Flanders (Belgium). We expect the platform to be effective in increasing traffic knowledge, situation awareness, risk detection and risk management among children and a positive change in (predictors of) behaviours of children who will be using the platform. To investigate the effect of the platform, a pretest-posttest design with an intervention group and a control group will be used. Data will be collected and analyzed in the spring of 2018 and results, limitations and policy recommendations will be provided during the conference in June 2018.http://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/HEAD/HEAD18Riaz, MS.; Cuenen, A.; Janssens, D.; Brijs, K.; Wets, G. (2018). Integration of gamification in a traffic education platform for children. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1189-1197. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.8174OCS1189119

Flow cytometry, a powerful novel tool to rapidly assess bacterial viability in metal working fluids : proof-of-principle

Metalworking fluids (MWF) are water-or oil-based liquids to cool and lubricate tools, work pieces and machines, inhibit corrosion and remove swarf. One of the major problems in the MWF industry is bacterial growth as bacterial enzymes can cause MWF degradation. In addition, bacteria can form biofilms which hamper the functioning of machines. Last but not least, some bacterial by-products are toxic (e.g. endotoxins) and present potential health risks for metalworking machine operators via the formation of aerosols. Therefore, a novel fast yet accurate analytical method to evaluate and predict the antibacterial capacity of MWF would be an important asset. As such a tool is currently lacking, the present study aimed to develop a protocol based on flow cytometry (FCM) to assess the antibacterial potential of newly developed MWF independent of bacterial growth. Results of this novel method were compared to a biochallenge test currently used in MWF industry and also to traditional plate counts. Our results represent a proof-of-principle that FCM can reliably predict the antibacterial capacity of MWF already within one day of incubation with Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis, being substantially faster than the current growth-based methods

The Belgian trial with azithromycin for acute COPD exacerbations requiring hospitalization: an investigator-initiated study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Long-term use of macrolide antibiotics is effective to prevent exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As risks and side effects of long-term intervention outweigh the benefits in the general COPD population, the optimal dose, duration of treatment, and target population are yet to be defined. Hospitalization for an acute exacerbation (AE) of COPD may offer a targeted risk group and an obvious risk period for studying macrolide interventions. Methods/design: Patients with COPD, hospitalized for an AE, who have a smoking history of > 10 pack-years and had > 1 exacerbation in the previous year will be enrolled in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (NCT02135354). On top of a standardized treatment of systemic corticosteroids and antibiotics, subjects will be randomized to receive either azithromycin or placebo during 3 months, at an uploading dose of 500 mg once a day for 3 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 250 mg once every 2 days. The primary endpoint is the time-to-treatment failure during the treatment phase (ie, from the moment of randomization until the end of intervention). Treatment failure is a novel composite endpoint defined as either death, the admission to intensive care or the requirement of additional systemic steroids or new antibiotics for respiratory reasons, or the diagnosis of a new AE after discharge. Discussion: We investigate whether azithromycin initiated at the onset of a severe exacerbation, with a limited duration and at a low dose, might be effective and safe in the highest risk period during and immediately after the acute event. If proven effective and safe, this targeted approach may improve the treatment of severe AEs and redirect the preventive use of azithromycin in COPD to a temporary intervention in the subgroup with the highest unmet needs

Small heat-shock protein HSPB1 mutants stabilize microtubules in Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy

Mutations in the small heat shock protein HSPB1 (HSP27) are causative for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathy. We previously showed that a subset of these mutations displays higher chaperone activity and enhanced affinity to client proteins. We hypothesized that this excessive binding property might cause the HSPB1 mutant proteins to disturb the function of proteins essential for the maintenance or survival of peripheral neurons. In the present work, we explored this hypothesis further and compared the protein complexes formed by wild-type and mutant HSPB1. Tubulin came out as the most striking differential interacting protein, with hyperactive mutants binding more strongly to both tubulin and microtubules. This anomalous binding leads to a stabilization of the microtubule network in a microtubule-associated protein-like manner as reflected by resistance to cold depolymerization, faster network recovery after nocodazole treatment, and decreased rescue and catastrophe rates of individual microtubules. In a transgenic mouse model for mutant HSPB1 that recapitulates all features of CMT, we could confirm the enhanced interaction of mutant HSPB1 with tubulin. Increased stability of the microtubule network was also clear in neurons isolated from these mice. Since neuronal cells are particularly vulnerable to disturbances in microtubule dynamics, this mechanism might explain the neuron-specific CMT phenotype caused by HSPB1 mutations

Fewer local representatives in Brussels? Scenarios and impact

The number of municipal councillors and aldermen in the Brussels-Capital Region is relatively high, and increases at each election. In the debates on the functioning of the political institutions of the Region the idea to reduce the number of local representatives is regularly raised. This contribution explores the possible implications of such a reduction. Three scenarios are examined: a reduction by 10 %, by 20 % and by 30 %. For each of these scenarios, the consequences for the ideological diversity in the municipal councils, the workload for the representatives and the aldermen, the formation of coalitions, the gender balances and the position of the Dutch speaking elected representatives are simulated. For the smaller groups, the Dutch speaking representatives and the gender balances the effects are clearly negative.Le nombre de conseillers communaux et d’échevins dans la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale est relativement élevé et augmente à chaque élection. Au cours des débats sur le fonctionnement des institutions politiques de la Région, l’idée de réduire le nombre de mandataires locaux est régulièrement mise sur la table. La présente contribution étudie les implications possibles d’une telle diminution. Trois scénarios sont envisagés : une diminution de 10 %, de 20 % et de 30 %. Pour chacun de ces scénarios, une simulation a été faite de ses effets sur le pluralisme dans les conseils communaux, sur la charge de travail des conseillers et échevins, sur la formation de coalitions, sur les équilibres de genres et sur la position des élus néerlandophones. Pour les petits groupes, pour les néerlandophones et pour l’égalité des genres, les effets seraient clairement négatifs.Het aantal gemeenteraadsleden en schepenen in het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest is relatief hoog, en stijgt bij elke verkiezing. In de debatten over het functioneren van de politieke instellingen van het Gewest wordt regelmatig het idee geopperd om het aantal lokale mandatarissen te verminderen. Deze bijdrage onderzoekt welke de mogelijke implicaties van een dergelijke vermindering zouden zijn. Drie scenario’s worden bekeken: een vermindering met 10 %, met 20 % en met 30 %. Voor elk van die scenario’s wordt gesimuleerd welke de gevolgen zijn voor de ideologische diversiteit in de gemeenteraden, de werklast voor de raadsleden en schepenen, de coalitievorming, de genderevenwichten en de positie van de Nederlandstalige verkozenen. Voor kleine fracties, voor de Nederlandstaligen en voor de genderevenwichten zouden de effecten duidelijk negatief zijn