The Effect of a Reduction in Phosphate Application on Soil Phosphate Pools

Excessive use of manure and fertilisers in western Europe has led to high phosphorus (P) contents in many agricultural soils leading to environmental P losses by overland flow, subsurface drainage and leaching to groundwater. To stop phosphate build up in the soil and leaching to surface and ground waters, the Dutch government is gradually reducing allowable phosphate application on grassland from 130 kg/ha per year in 2005 to 90 kg/ha per year in 2015. This will lead to a reduction of the phosphate surplus from 40 in 2005 to 0 kg/ha per year. To investigate the impact of reductions in application rates on soil phosphate, leaching and grass production, a field experiment was started in 1997 on four dairy farms on two sandy soils, a peat and a clay soil

Increase in national intravenous thrombolysis rates for ischaemic stroke between 2005 and 2012: Is bigger better?

Background: Intravenous thrombolytic therapy after ischaemic stroke significantly reduces mortality and morbidity. Actual thrombolysis rates are disappointingly low in many western countries. It has been suggested that higher patient volume is related to shorter door-to-needle-time (DNT) and increased thrombolysis rates. We address a twofold research question: a) What are trends in national thrombolysis rates and door-to-needle times in the Netherlands between 2005-2012? and b) Is there a relationship between stroke patient volume per hospital, thrombolysis rates and DNT? Methods: We used data from the Stroke Knowledge Network Netherlands dataset. Information on volume, intravenous thrombolysis rates, and admission characteristics per hospital is acquired through yearly surveys, in up to 65 hospitals between January 2005 and December 2012. We used linear regression to determine a possible relationship between hospital stroke admission volume, hospital thrombolysis rates and mean hospital DNT, adjusted for patient characteristics. Results: Information on 121.887 stroke admissions was available, ranging from 7.393 admissions in 2005 to 24.067 admissions in 2012. Mean national thrombolysis rate increased from 6.4 % in 2005 to 14.6 % in 2012. Patient characteristics (mean age, gender, type of stroke) remained stable. Mean DNT decreased from 72.7 min in 2005 to 41.4 min in 2012. Volume of stroke admissions was not an independent predictor for mean thrombolysis rate nor for mean DNT. Conclusion: Intravenous thrombolysis rates in the Netherlands more than doubled between 2005 and 2012, in parallel with a large decline in mean DNT. We found no convincing evidence for a relationship between stroke patient volume per hospital and thrombolysis rate or DNT

Carbohydrate metabolism in twin pregnancy

Carbohydrate metabolism was evaluated in 26 women with a twin pregnancy and 26 women with a singleton pregnancy. The groups were similar in respect of age, parity and gestational age. Each woman had an oral glucose tolerance test. Nosignificant differences in venous blood sugar values or insulin responses were found between singleton and twin pregnancies

Next frontiers in cleaner synthesis: 3D printed graphene-supported CeZrLa mixed-oxide nanocatalyst for CO2 utilisation and direct propylene carbonate production

A rapidly-growing 3D printing technology is innovatively employed for the manufacture of a new class of heterogenous catalysts for the conversion of CO2 into industrially relevant chemicals such as cyclic carbonates. For the first time, directly printed graphene-based 3D structured nanocatalysts have been developed combining the exceptional properties of graphene and active CeZrLa mixed-oxide nanoparticles. It constitutes a significant advance on previous attempts at 3D printing graphene inks in that it does not merely explore the printability itself, but enhances the efficiency of industrially relevant reactions, such as CO2 utilisation for direct propylene carbonate (PC) production in the absence of organic solvents. In comparison to the starting powder, 3D printed GO-supported CeZeLa catalysts showed improved activity with higher conversion and no noticeable change in selectivity. This can be attributed to the spatially uniform distribution of nanoparticles over the 2D and 3D surfaces, and the larger surface area and pore volume of the printed structures. 3D printed GO-supported CeZeLa catalysts compared to unsupported 3D printed samples exhibited higher selectivity and yield owing to the great number of new weak acid sites appearing in the supported sample, as observed by NH3-TPD analysis. In addition, the catalyst's facile separation from the product has the capacity to massively reduce materials and operating costs resulting in increased sustainability. It convincingly shows the potential of these printing technologies in revolutionising the way catalysts and catalytic reactors are designed in the general quest for clean technologies and greener chemistry

Fatty fish and supplements are the greatest modifiable contributors to the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in a multiethnic population

Objective: Because vitamin D synthesis is lower in a heavily pigmented skin than in a lighter skin, the relative contribution of determinants to the vitamin D concentration might differ between ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the relative contribution of vitamin D consumption and exposure to sunlight to the vitamin D concentration in a multiethnic population. Design: Cross-sectional study. Patients A total of 613 adults aged 18-65 years from a random sample from general practices in the Netherlands (52 degrees N, 2003-05), stratified according to gender and ethnic group. Measurements Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], PTH, ethnic group, sunlight exposure, consumption of foods and supplements rich in vitamin D. Results The prevalence (95% confidence interval) of vitamin D deficiency [serum 25(OH)D < 25 nmol/l] was higher in Turkish (41.3%; 32.5-50.1), Moroccan (36.5%; 26.9-46.1), Surinam South Asian (51.4%; 41.9-60.9), Surinam Creole (45.3%; 34.0-56.6), sub-Saharan African (19.3%; 9.1-29.5) and other adults (29.1%; 17.1-41.1) compared to the indigenous Dutch (5.9%; 1.3-10.5). Modifiable, significant determinants (standardized regression coefficients) for serum 25(OH)D concentration were: consumption of fatty fish (0.160), use of vitamin D supplements (0.142), area of uncovered skin (highest category 0.136; middle category 0.028), use of tanning bed (0.103), consumption of margarine (0.093) and preference for sun (0.089). We found no significant modification of ethnic group on the effect of sunlight determinants. Conclusion: Of the modifiable determinants, fatty fish and supplements are the greatest contributors to the serum 25(OH)D concentration in a multiethnic population.(aut. ref.

3D printed catalytic reactors for aerobic selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol into benzaldehyde in continuous multiphase flow

In this work, novel, patterned monolithic reactors were devised to explore more efficient routes for reactant conversion in order to investigate their potential to replace the packed bed and batch reactors conventionally employed in chemical industries. Well-defined bimetallic formulations were developed to substitute platinum group metals and critical raw materials such as palladium and cobalt, at least in part, by less active, but more sustainable and cost-effective metals such as earth-abundant iron. FePd and FeCo based monoliths were 3D printed and stacked in a continuous flow tubular reactor for testing the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) into benzaldehyde (BZ) under mild conditions (80–100 °C and atmospheric pressure). The novel monolithic reactors were evaluated against current state-of-the-art reactor technologies, conventional packed bed and batch reactors. The FeCo- and FePd-Al2O3-supported monolithic catalyst beds showed higher conversion and TOF than their packed bed counterparts under the same operating conditions, revealing the impact of the novel design on both regular geometry and composition. What is of particular interest in the catalytic measurements shown is that the combined stacking of two monoliths in a flow reactor, Al2O3-supported Fe and GO-supported FePd catalysts, can significantly improve the performance with an increase in TOF of up to 90% in comparison to their FePd analogues. Mathematical modelling was used to obtain additional insights into the physical and chemical processes governing the rate of BA conversion. It was found that due to the flow regime inside the microchannels, an axial dispersion model was appropriate, which allowed for mapping the concentration profiles of the reactants and products within the respective monolith geometries

To what extent is climate change adaptation a novel challenge for agricultural modellers?

Modelling is key to adapting agriculture to climate change (CC), facilitating evaluation of the impacts and efficacy of adaptation measures, and the design of optimal strategies. Although there are many challenges to modelling agricultural CC adaptation, it is unclear whether these are novel or, whether adaptation merely adds new motivations to old challenges. Here, qualitative analysis of modellers’ views revealed three categories of challenge: Content, Use, and Capacity. Triangulation of findings with reviews of agricultural modelling and Climate Change Risk Assessment was then used to highlight challenges specific to modelling adaptation. These were refined through literature review, focussing attention on how the progressive nature of CC affects the role and impact of modelling. Specific challenges identified were: Scope of adaptations modelled, Information on future adaptation, Collaboration to tackle novel challenges, Optimisation under progressive change with thresholds, and Responsibility given the sensitivity of future outcomes to initial choices under progressive change

Evaluation of measurement properties of health-related quality of life instruments for burns: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is a key outcome in the evaluation of burn treatment. Health-related quality of life instruments with robust measurement properties are required to provide high-quality evidence to improve patient care. The aim of this review was to critically appraise the measurement properties of HRQL instruments used in burns. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Google scholar to reveal articles on the development and/or validation of HRQL instruments in burns. Measurement properties were assessed using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments methodology. A modified Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation analysis was used to assess risk of bias (prospero ID, CRD42016048065). RESULTS: Forty-three articles covering 15 HRQL instruments (12 disease-specific and 3 generic instruments) were included. Methodological quality and evidence on measurement properties varied widely. None of the instruments provided enough evidence on their measurement properties to be highly recommended for routine use; however, two instruments had somewhat more favorable measurement properties. The Burn-Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B) is easy to use, widely accessible, and demonstrated sufficient evidence for most measurement properties. The Brisbane Burn Scar Impact Profiles were the only instruments with high-quality evidence for content validity. CONCLUSION: The Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (burn-specific HRQL) and the Brisbane Burn Scar Impact Profile (burn scar HRQL) instruments have the best measurement properties. There is only weak evidence on the measurement properties of generic HRQL instruments in burn patients. Results of this study form important input to reach consensus on a universally used instrument to assess HRQL in burn patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review, level III

Effect verwarmen en koelen strooiselbed vleeskuikens

Het verwarmen en koelen van een strooiselvloer bij vleeskuikens maakt een betere temperatuurregulatie mogelijk en kan de ammoniakemissie tergdringen. Door opslag en terugwinning van warmte treedt ook een besparing van het energieverbruik op