ecoOcean - how to use a relatively simple game for stakeholder communication and dissemination

One of the major tasks within the SOCIOEC project is the investigation of the incentive structure and associated behavioral responses of fishers related to specific management measures. To analyze the incentives several methods will be used, including a novel approach using the game ecoOcean. EcoOcean is a graphical interface presenting a cellular based projection of an ocean with fish stocks, where up to four players/users (representing different stakeholders) can navigate their vessels and trawls. With simple modifications of the game mechanics, we will investigate the effect of, among others, changes in price, different gear technology or changes in total allowable catch on the behavior of stakeholders and students as a control group. The set up of a focused group like situation will allow the researchers to observe behaviour in a different context than a one-to-one interview. We plan to use this game table additionally to simulate management measures fishers propose for the future and to simulate results. This presentation will show the basic game design and exemplifies an experiment on changes in fuel prices.Keywords: Fisheries Games and Experiments: Applications for Education, Outreach and Science, Fisheries Economics, Special Topic

A multi-scale cortical wiring space links cellular architecture and functional dynamics in the human brain.

The vast net of fibres within and underneath the cortex is optimised to support the convergence of different levels of brain organisation. Here, we propose a novel coordinate system of the human cortex based on an advanced model of its connectivity. Our approach is inspired by seminal, but so far largely neglected models of cortico-cortical wiring established by postmortem anatomical studies and capitalises on cutting-edge in vivo neuroimaging and machine learning. The new model expands the currently prevailing diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tractography approach by incorporation of additional features of cortical microstructure and cortico-cortical proximity. Studying several datasets and different parcellation schemes, we could show that our coordinate system robustly recapitulates established sensory-limbic and anterior-posterior dimensions of brain organisation. A series of validation experiments showed that the new wiring space reflects cortical microcircuit features (including pyramidal neuron depth and glial expression) and allowed for competitive simulations of functional connectivity and dynamics based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and human intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) coherence. Our results advance our understanding of how cell-specific neurobiological gradients produce a hierarchical cortical wiring scheme that is concordant with increasing functional sophistication of human brain organisation. Our evaluations demonstrate the cortical wiring space bridges across scales of neural organisation and can be easily translated to single individuals

Ontwikkeling van een geïntegreerde kosten-baten analyse methode van multifunctioneel ruimtegebruik in de Noordzee en kustzone

De Noordzee is zowel een ecologisch als sociaal-economisch belangrijk gebied waarbij deze aspecten niet langer als aparte onderdelen kunnen worden beschouwd. Bij de inrichting en gebruik van de Noordzee en kustzone moet rekening worden gehouden met de verschillende belangen en factoren van de gebruikers en is een geïntegreerde aanpak nodig. Om beleidsbeslissingen met betrekking tot het ruimtelijk gebruik van de Noordzee te vereenvoudigen is het ministerie LNV in 2003 gestart met project “Noordzee en kust” (P418). In dit kader werken de leerstoelgroep Milieusysteemanalyse (MSA) van Wageningen Universiteit en Research Centre, Alterra Texel en het LEI samen. In 2003 is een geïntegreerde Kosten-Baten Analyse methode met betrekking tot multifunctioneel ruimtegebruik in het Nederlandse gedeelte van de Noordzee ontwikkeld. Deze methode zal worden verfijnd en getoetst in de resterende tijd van dit onderzoek (2004 tot en met 2006). Het raamwerk dat is ontwikkeld voor dit onderzoek bestaat uit vier onderdelen: i) de definiëring van functies, goederen, diensten en waarden, ii) belangenafweging en conflictanalyse iii) besluitvorming en iv) planning en uitvoeringsfase.In deze eerste fase is het systeem “de Noordzee” beschreven op basis van gebiedskenmerken en ecotopen. Verschillende gebieden in de Noordzee zijn onderzocht waarbij blijkt dat er nog leemtes in kennis zijn die kunnen worden aangevuld, zoals voor bijvoorbeeld de Zeeuwse banken en diepere gaten in de zuidelijke Noordzee. De systeembeschrijving dient als basis voor de eerste stap van het ontwikkelde raamwerk; de functie analyse. In deze eerste fase is ook alvast een eerste inventarisatie gemaakt van de ecologische en sociaal-economische functies van de Noordzee en kustzone. Sommige ecosysteem functies hebben vooral een economisch belang, zoals de visserij, olie-, gas-, en zandwinning, terwijl andere functies meer gerelateerd zijn aan een ecologisch belang zoals de regulatie (nutriënten huishouding) en habitat functies (kraamkamer) of het sociaal-culturele belang (kunst, esthetisch, geschiedenis etc.). Wanneer alle functies en belangen zo goed mogelijk in kaart gebracht zijn kan aan de hand daarvan een maatschappelijke discussie worden gestart om complexe problemen in de Noordzee en kustgebied aan te pakken, waarbij beleidsbeslissingen kunnen worden vereenvoudigd door een meer evenwichtige afweging van de kosten en baten die gepaard gaan met diverse scenario’s.Voor een goed beleid en beheer van de Noordzee en kustgebieden is een maatschappelijk gerichte aanpak nodig waarbij integratie op meerdere niveaus plaatsvindt, namelijk: i) integratie van ecologische, economische en sociale aspecten, ii) integratie tussen wetenschappers, beleidsmaker en burgers, iii) institutionele integratie (zowel verticale beleidsintegratie als horizontale beleidsintegratie (tussen verschillende sectoren)) en iv) een integratie over tijd en ruimte. Communicatie op alle niveaus is daarbij belangrijk om de wederzijdse afhankelijkheid tussen stakeholders zichtbaar te maken. Relevante stakeholders met een belang in de Noordzee zullen worden geïdentificeerd in de volgende fase (2004) van dit onderzoek. Deze groepen zullen worden geïnterviewd om hun ideeën, missies, doelstellingen en belangen te onderzoeken. Op die manier kunnen tegenstrijdige belangen/ conflicten en daarnaast mogelijkheden voor meervoudig ruimtegebruik worden geanalyseerd. Workshops zullen worden gebruikt om een idee te vormen hoe de “consensus building proces” zou moeten worden ontworpen om het beleid en beheer van de Noordzee te faciliteren. Dit project wordt afgerond met een case studie waarmee het ontwikkelde raamwerk zal worden getoetst

Connective Tissue Growth Factor Is Overexpressed in Explant Lung Tissue and Broncho-Alveolar Lavage in Transplant-Related Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is an important mediator in several fibrotic diseases, including lung fibrosis. We investigated CTGF-expression in chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) and pulmonary graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Materials and Methods: CTGF expression was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry in end-stage CLAD explant lung tissue (bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), n=20; restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), n=20), pulmonary GHVD (n=9). Unused donor lungs served as control group (n=20). Next, 60 matched lung transplant recipients (BOS, n=20; RAS, n=20; stable lung transplant recipients, n=20) were included for analysis of CTGF protein levels in plasma and broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid at 3 months post-transplant, 1 year post-transplant, at CLAD diagnosis or 2 years post-transplant in stable patients. Results: qPCR revealed an overall significant difference in the relative content of CTGF mRNA in BOS, RAS and pulmonary GVHD vs. controls (p=0.014). Immunohistochemistry showed a significant higher percentage and intensity of CTGF-positive respiratory epithelial cells in BOS, RAS and pulmonary GVHD patients vs. controls (p<0.0001). BAL CTGF protein levels were significantly higher at 3 months post-transplant in future RAS vs. stable or BOS (p=0.028). At CLAD diagnosis, BAL protein content was significantly increased in RAS patients vs. stable (p=0.0007) and BOS patients (p=0.042). CTGF plasma values were similar in BOS, RAS, and stable patients (p=0.74). Conclusions: Lung CTGF-expression is increased in end-stage CLAD and pulmonary GVHD; and higher CTGF-levels are present in BAL of RAS patients at CLAD diagnosis. Our results suggest a potential role for CTGF in CLAD, especially RAS, and pulmonary GVHD

Efficacy and Safety of Panitumumab in Patients With RAF/RAS-Wild-Type Glioblastoma: Results From the Drug Rediscovery Protocol

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of malignant primary high-grade brain tumors, predominantly glioblastomas, is poor despite intensive multimodality treatment options. In more than 50% of patients with glioblastomas, potentially targetable mutations are present, including rearrangements, altered splicing, and/or focal amplifications of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by signaling through the RAF/RAS pathway. We studied whether treatment with the clinically available anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody panitumumab provides clinical benefit for patients with RAF/RAS-wild-type (wt) glioblastomas in the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP). METHODS: Patients with progression of treatment refractory RAF/RASwt glioblastoma were included for treatment with panitumumab in DRUP when measurable according to RANO criteria. The primary endpoints of this study are clinical benefit (CB: defined as confirmed objective response [OR] or stable disease [SD] ≥ 16 weeks) and safety. Patients were enrolled using a Simon-like 2-stage model, with 8 patients in stage 1 and up to 24 patients in stage 2 if at least 1 in 8 patients had CB in stage 1. RESULTS: Between 03-2018 and 02-2022, 24 evaluable patients were treated. CB was observed in 5 patients (21%), including 2 patients with partial response (8.3%) and 3 patients with SD ≥ 16 weeks (12.5%). After median follow-up of 15 months, median progression-free survival and overall survival were 1.7 months (95% CI 1.6-2.1 months) and 4.5 months (95% CI 2.9-8.6 months), respectively. No unexpected toxicities were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Panitumumab treatment provides limited CB in patients with recurrent RAF/RASwt glioblastoma precluding further development of this therapeutic strategy

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation After Prior Lung Transplantation for Hereditary Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis: A Case Report

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare, diffuse lung disorder characterized by surfactant accumulation in the small airways due to defective clearance by alveolar macrophages, resulting in impaired gas exchange. Whole lung lavage is the current standard of care treatment for PAP. Lung transplantation is an accepted treatment option when whole lung lavage or other experimental treatment options are ineffective, or in case of extensive pulmonary fibrosis secondary to PAP. A disadvantage of lung transplantation is recurrence of PAP in the transplanted lungs, especially in hereditary PAP. The hereditary form of PAP is an ultra-rare condition caused by genetic mutations in genes encoding for the granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor, and intrinsically affects bone marrow derived-monocytes, which differentiate into macrophages in the lung. Consequently, these macrophages typically display disrupted GM-CSF receptor-signaling, causing defective surfactant clearance. Bone marrow/hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may potentially reverse the lung disease in hereditary PAP. In patients with hereditary PAP undergoing lung transplantation, post-lung transplant recurrence of PAP may theoretically be averted by subsequent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which results in a graft-versus-disease (PAP) effect, and thus could improve long-term outcome. We describe the successful long-term post-transplant outcome of a unique case of end-stage respiratory failure due to hereditary PAP-induced pulmonary fibrosis, successfully treated by bilateral lung transplantation and subsequent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Our report supports treatment with serial lung and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to improve quality of life and prolong survival, without PAP recurrence, in selected patients with end-stage hereditary PAP

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Social and economic consequences of 40 years of Dutch quota management

The Netherlands was one of the first nations to introduce ITQs in their fisheries to manage national yearly Total Allowable Catches (TACs). These ITQs have gradually developed from an individual quota system in 1976 to an ITQ system in the 1980s. In 1993 the system was reformed into a co-management system. In this paper it is argued that many of the usual negative socio-economic consequences of ITQs mentioned in the literature have been largely absent, due to the embeddedness of ITQs in co-management arrangements. However, cracks have appeared lately in this combined management system, allowing an identification of its vulnerabilities. These findings show that the social and economic structure of Dutch fisheries is changing from a rather cooperative to a more competitive and exclusive system, more like conventional ITQs

Maatschappelijke kostenbatenanalyse voor de visserij: Een verkenning naar een MKBA in een mariene omgeving

An SCBA is an important valuation instrument for big infrastructural projects. However, most of the investment projects for which an SCBA is performed are land-based projects. Performing an SCBA for projects in a marine environment involve other valuation issues. These are studied in this report based on the fisheries

Maatschappelijke kostenbatenanalyse voor de visserij: Een verkenning naar een MKBA in een mariene omgeving

An SCBA is an important valuation instrument for big infrastructural projects. However, most of the investment projects for which an SCBA is performed are land-based projects. Performing an SCBA for projects in a marine environment involve other valuation issues. These are studied in this report based on the fisheries.Valuation instrument, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,