The potential of integrating E-participation in planning support systems

The increasing complexity of spatial planning issues and pressure from citizens to takepart in designing and deciding on spatial plans result in a need for improved methods to aidcommunication between governmental actors and citizens. These developments put high demands onparticipatory Planning Support Systems (PSS); instruments that can aid planners in doing theirplanning tasks. By using the accessibility of the internet, e-participation offers opportunities as a PSS.Although many advantages are attributed to participatory PSS, its use in the planning practice remainsmarginal until now. It is argued here that this is partly caused by the lack of empirical studies thatdemonstrate potential benefits and problems when applying PSS. This paper provides guidelines fororganizations that contemplate on using a participatory PSS. In order to do so, a framework isdeveloped, identifying obstacles that could block effective participation in a PSS. Three planningprocesses are evaluated to investigate the importance of these obstacles. It is demonstrated that,although e-participation has potential as PSS, the lack of political will blocks effective participationand a more profound link between the citizen input and the decision-making is neede

Omgaan met digitale nationale beleidskaarten

In dit werkdocument worden de resultaten besproken van een casestudy die onderdeel is van het project GeO3 - Omgaan met onzekerheid binnen Ruimtelijke Ordening. De directie Platteland van het ministerie van LNV heeft bij het publiceren van het meerjarenprogramma van Agenda Vitaal Platteland geen digitale viewer gepubliceerd omdat men bang was voor verkeerde interpretatie van de digitale kaarten. In dit project is gekeken naar methoden en cartografische oplossingen om voortaan zonder angst voor misinterpretaties digitale nationale beleidskaarten te kunnen verspreiden. De oplossing is gezocht in het opstellen van een handreiking, zodat kaarten ook daadwerkelijk weergeven wat er bedoeld is door de maker

The diagnosis and treatment of invasive aspergillosis in Dutch haematology units facing a rapidly increasing prevalence of azole-resistance

Patients with haematological malignancies are at risk for invasive fungal diseases (IFD). A survey was conducted in all Dutch academic haematology centres on their current diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutic approach towards IFD in the context of azole-resistance. In all 8 centres, a haematologist and microbiologist filled in the questionnaire that focused on different subgroups of haematology patients. Fungal prophylaxis during neutropaenia was directed against Candida and consisted of fluconazole and/or amphotericin B suspension. Mould-active prophylaxis was given to acute myeloid leukaemia patients during chemotherapy in 2 of 8 centres. All centres used azole prophylaxis in a subset of patients with graft-versus-host disease. A uniform approach towards the diagnosis and treatment of IFD and in particular azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus was lacking. In 2017, all centres agreed to implement a uniform diagnostic and treatment algorithm regarding invasive aspergillosis with a central role for comprehensive diagnostics and PCR-based detection of azole-resistance. This study (DB-MSG 002) will re-evaluate this algorithm when 280 patients have been treated. A heterogeneous approach towards antifungal prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment was apparent in the Netherlands. Facing triazole-resistance, consensus was reached on the implementation of a uniform diagnostic approach in all 8 centres

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Socio-technical PSS development to improve functionality and usability - Sketch planning using a Maptable

Planning Support Systems (PSS) for collaborative sketch planning have not become widely used in planning practice. Important reasons are inadequate functionality and usability. In this article we question if following a socio-technical method in PSS development could lead to PSS with better functionality and usability than following a traditional systems engineering method, as is sometimes suggested in literature. The former method involves close cooperation with users, whereas the latter does not. This article describes an empirical study of this question. The article describes the development, application and evaluation of two PSS for sketch planning, one developed by following the traditional systems engineering method and the other by following the socio-technical method. The PSS integrate drawing and sketching with basic geographic information system functionality and use an innovative hardware interface called Maptable. The evaluation results show that the traditionally developed PSS was immediately rejected by planning practitioners due to poor functionality and usability, whereas the PSS developed with a socio-technical approach was much more acceptable. Intense cooperation with users in agreement with the socio-technical method appeared to improve the analysis of planning tasks and user needs, leading to a PSS with a sophisticated and dedicated architecture. This PSS was considered more functional and usable than the traditionally developed PSS. In addition, the socio-technically developed PSS offers some benefits over conventional planning methods. In current state the PSS is suitable for use by professionals, and it is being further developed aiming to make it suitable for supporting collaborative planning with citizen

Inleiding tot de inrichting van het landelijk gebied

Deze publikatie is bedoeld als inleidende beschrijving van de landinrichting en de regelgeving die daarbij van belang is met de nadruk op achtergronden, voorbereiding en planvorming. Na de wordingsgeschiedenis van ons land wordt ingegaan op actuele ontwikkelingen bij de verschillende vormen van grondgebruik. Daarna komen de inrichtingsaspecten en de afstemming van functies aan de orde. Na een beschrijving van regelgeving en instrumentarium volgen tenslotte de organisatie van projecte