Water- en zoutoverlast gezien in relatie tot de verbreding en verdieping van het kanaal van Gent naar Terneuzen

In verband met het toenemend aantal klachten over gewassenschade, op landbouwgronden grenzend aan het Kanaal van Gent naar Terneuzen welke schade te wijten zou zijn aan de gevolgen van wateroverlast of zout, is op verzoek van het Landbouwschap door de Commissie Waterbeheersing en Ontzilting een onderzoek ingesteld naar een mogelijk oorzakelijk verband tussen deze plaatselijk optredende wateroverlast en de uitgevoerde werkzaamheden in het kanaal

Nitrate concentrations in the Gulp catchment: some spatial and temporal considerations

in a chaik catchrnent in the Belgium-Dutch boundary region the median N03- concentration was 30 mg/l in 1991. Groundwater in wells, which are mostly located close to the villages, is more polluted than spring water of surface water from the Gulp brook. Median N03- concentrations were 39, 22 and 17 mgll, respectively. Since 1980 time- series of N03- from two gauging stations in the Gulp brook have showed a distinct seasonal pattern. in wet penods (winter), when the discharge is higher, the nitrate concentration also is higher (30-35 mg N03-A), whereas in dry penods the opposite occurs; i.e. lower discharge and nitrate concentrations (10-15 mg N03-A). The positive correlation between the discharge and the N03- concentrations cannot be explained by the contribution of overland flow and interflow (quick flow components) probably having higher N03- contents. Saturated groundwater modelling shows that water following different flow paths might be an explanation. In periods with high groundwater recharge, young groundwater in the upper chaik layer can bypass medium- aged and old groundwater in the lower chaik and greensands. Young groundwater is likely to have higher N03- concentrations than old groundwater. So, in penods with high groundwater recharge the stream flow of the Gulp brook might consist of more young groundwater with higher NO3- concentrations, whereas in periods with low recharge mainly old groundwater with lower NO3- concentrations feeds the Gulp

The rhythm of life: the perfect rhythm of morse code

Morse code is a unique exemplar of the inherent complexities of rhythm. Learning Morse code in wartime presented challenges to expedite skill acquisition. This thesis explored the strategies used to teach and learn Morse code in the second World War and investigated the resourceful techniques used by the WRANS in an empirical study. The first study investigated the teaching and learning strategies of wartime telegraphists to learn Morse code. Five WRANS described a series of techniques to learn Morse code, including rote learning and repetition, visualisation and pattern recognition, intoning and mnemonics, and music. Music provided effective training for the fundamental teaching and learning of Morse code by matching the rhythmical properties of Morse code to music. Music equipped Morse code operators with a unique approach to Morse code instruction. Learning Morse code with music was described as a way of making sense of the ‘rhythm’ and ‘shape’ of the Morse code letters and proved an invaluable aid to learning and teaching Morse code. The second study examined the effectiveness of learning Morse code with the aid of music. Novices formed two groups, Control Group (no music aid) and Music Group (with music aid). Results confirmed the effectiveness of music training in three Morse code letters, Q V, and A in two experiments, the first with known Morse code letters (Q V A) and the second with unknown letters. The Music Group accurately identified 90% of known and unknown Morse code letters compared to the Control Group who identified less then 50% of known and unknown Morse code letters. This thesis explored the transferable attributes of rhythm perception in music as a teaching and learning mechanism for Morse code. There is extensive research on the complex learning and retention of Morse code but the studies in this thesis have indicated that the ground-breaking wartime strategy of music and Morse code is a powerful duo. The investigation of learning and teaching strategies of the WRANS showed that musical rhythm influenced the skill acquisition of Morse code and the perceptual test suggests that current work in rhythm perception extends beyond music pedagogy and has further implications for all cognitive function

Using a runway paradigm to assess the relative strength of rats' motivations for enrichment objects

Laboratory animals should be provided with enrichment objects in their cages; however, it is first necessary to test whether the proposed enrichment objects provide benefits that increase the animals’ welfare. The two main paradigms currently used to assess proposed enrichment objects are the choice test, which is limited to determining relative frequency of choice, and consumer demand studies, which can indicate the strength of a preference but are complex to design. Here, we propose a third methodology: a runway paradigm, which can be used to assess the strength of an animal’s motivation for enrichment objects, is simpler to use than consumer demand studies, and is faster to complete than typical choice tests. Time spent with objects in a standard choice test was used to rank several enrichment objects in order to compare with the ranking found in our runway paradigm. The rats ran significantly more times, ran faster, and interacted longer with objects with which they had previously spent the most time. It was concluded that this simple methodology is suitable for measuring rats’ motivation to reach enrichment objects. This can be used to assess the preference for different types of enrichment objects or to measure reward system processes

Hard measures for soft stuff: citizenship indicators and educational policy under the Lisbon Strategy

How far is the European Union a vehicle for inclusion and empowerment of a new range of policy actors in education? This article explores the role of actors in policy formation through a case study. It examines European Union attempts since 2000 to develop indicators of ‘active citizenship’ and ‘education and training for active citizenship’. It is based on two main sources: policy documents on the development of indicators and benchmarks; and a case study of an exercise (2005-07) to develop such indicators, initiated by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture. It shows that policy actors have attempted to take advantage of the Open Method of Coordination, often seen as a neo-liberal control mechanism, to ensure that citizenship remains on the policy agenda

Sleep and epilepsy: A snapshot of knowledge and future research lines

Sleep and epilepsy have a reciprocal relationship, and have been recognized as bedfellows since antiquity. However, research on this topic has made a big step forward only in recent years. In this narrative review we summarize the most stimulating discoveries and insights reached by the “European school.” In particular, different aspects concerning the sleep–epilepsy interactions are analysed: (a) the effects of sleep on epilepsy; (b) the effects of epilepsy on sleep structure; (c) the relationship between epilepsy, sleep and epileptogenesis; (d) the impact of epileptic activity during sleep on cognition; (e) the relationship between epilepsy and the circadian rhythm; (f) the history and features of sleep hypermotor epilepsy and its differential diagnosis; (g) the relationship between epilepsy and sleep disorders