Eerste ontwerp format voor de beschrijving van virtuele klas scenario’s – Memo:Deliverable D2.2

Deze deliverable beschrijft een eerste ontwerp van een format voor de beschrijving van virtuele klas scenario's

Preserving soil quality under irrigation in the Senegal River Valley

Soil quality under irrigation in the Senegal River Valley may become affected by salinization (Delta) and alkalinization (Middle Valley) processes. The salinity status of 158 irrigated rice fields in the Delta was measured with an electromagnetic conductivity meter. Double-cropped fields (two rice crops per year on the same field) were least saline (average horizontal reading: 0.6 dS/m), followed by single-cropped drained fields (1.6 dS/m), single-cropped non-drained fields (2.5 dS/m), non-cropped sites outside irrigation schemes (4.7 dS/m) and abandoned fields (5.7 dS/m). Results illustrated that when cultivating rice in the delta, the ponded water on the soil surface blocks capillary rise of salt from the water table. In the valley, the difference in the total amount of carbonates in 1:50 soil extracts between cultivated and non-cultivated sites was used as an indicator for alkalinization risk in 27 irrigation schemes. Highest rates of carbonate accumulation (0.65 meq HCO3-/(kg soil) per cropping season) and, therefore, greatest soil degradation risk were observed in schemes without drainage, compared to 0.10 meq HCO3-/(kg soil) per cropping season in schemes with good irrigation and drainage facilities. Plot and scheme level recommendations that may preserve soil quality under irrigation are presented

Virtuele klas:praktijkcases en groeimodellen: Deliverable 2.1

Deze deliverable beschrijft de drie scenario's voor online samenwerkend leren in de virtuele klas die in het BISON project worden uitgewerkt en de ontwerpgerichte aanpak die daarbij wordt gevolgd

BISON ontwerpgerichte evaluatie:criteria, indicatoren en instrumenten

Deze deliverable van het BISON project beschrijft de criteria en instrumenten die gebruikt zijn in de (formatieve) evaluatie van drie scenario's voor samenwerkend leren in de virtuele klas

Effects of organically and conventionally produced feed on biomarkers of health in a chicken model

Consumers expect organic products to be healthier. However, limited research has been performed to study the effect of organic food on health. The present study aimed to identify biomarkers of health to enable future studies in human subjects. A feeding experiment was performed in two generations of three groups of chickens differing in immune responsiveness, which were fed identically composed feeds from either organic or conventional produce. The animals of the second generation were exposed to an immune challenge and sacrificed at 13 weeks of age. Feed and ingredients were analysed on macro- and micronutrients, i.e. vitamins, minerals, trace elements, heavy metals and microbes. The chickens were studied by general health and immune parameters, metabolomics, genomics and post-mortem evaluation. The organic and conventional feeds were comparable with respect to metabolisable energy. On average, the conventionally produced feeds had a 10 % higher protein content and some differences in micronutrients were observed. Although animals on both feeds were healthy, differences between the groups were found. The random control group of chickens fed conventional feed showed overall a higher weight gain during life span than the group on organic feed, although feed intake was mostly comparable. The animals on organic feed showed an enhanced immune reactivity, a stronger reaction to the immune challenge as well as a slightly stronger ‘catch-up growth’ after the challenge. Biomarkers for future research were identified in the parameters feed intake, body weight and growth rate, and in immunological, physiological and metabolic parameters, several of these differing most pronounced after the challeng

Tuning dissipation dilution in 2D material resonators by MEMS-induced tension

Resonators based on two-dimensional (2D) materials have exceptional properties for application as nanomechanical sensors, which allows them to operate at high frequencies with high sensitivity. However, their performance as nanomechanical sensors is currently limited by their low quality ($Q$)-factor. Here, we make use of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) to apply pure in-plane mechanical strain, enhancing both their resonance frequency and Q-factor. In contrast to earlier work, the 2D material resonators are fabricated on the MEMS actuators without any wet processing steps, using a dry-transfer method. A platinum clamp, that is deposited by electron beam-induced deposition, is shown to be effective in fixing the 2D membrane to the MEMS and preventing slippage. By in-plane straining the membranes in a purely mechanical fashion, we increase the tensile energy, thereby diluting dissipation. This way, we show how dissipation dilution can increase the $Q$-factor of 2D material resonators by 91\%. The presented MEMS actuated dissipation dilution method does not only pave the way towards higher $Q$-factors in resonators based on 2D materials, but also provides a route toward studies of the intrinsic loss mechanisms of 2D materials in the monolayer limit.Comment: 20 pages, 15 figure

Nodule Organogenesis and Symbiotic Mutants of the Model Legume \u3ci\u3eLotus japonicus\u3c/i\u3e

A detailed microscopical analysis of the morphological features that distinguish different developmental stages of nodule organogenesis in wild-type Lotus japonicus ecotype Gifu B-129-S9 plants was performed, to provide the necessary framework for the evaluation of altered phenotypes of L. japonicus symbiotic mutants. Subsequently, chemical ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis of L. japonicus was carried out. The analysis of approximately 3,000 M1 plants and their progeny yielded 20 stable L. japonicus symbiotic variants, consisting of at least 14 different symbiosis- associated loci or complementation groups. Moreover, a mutation affecting L. japonicus root development was identified that also conferred a hypernodulation response when a line carrying the corresponding allele (LjEMS102) was inoculated with rhizobia. The phenotype of the LjEMS102 line was characterized by the presence of nodule structures covering almost the entire root length (Nod++), and by a concomitant inhibition of both root and stem growth. A mutation in a single nuclear gene was shown to be responsible for both root and symbiotic phenotypes observed in the L. japonicus LjEMS102 line, suggesting that (a) common mechanism(s) regulating root development and nodule formation exists in legumes

A synbiotic-containing amino acid-based formula improves gut microbiota in non-IgE-mediated allergic infants

BACKGROUND: Prebiotics and probiotics (synbiotics) can modify gut microbiota and have potential in allergy management when combined with amino acid-based formula (AAF) for infants with cow's milk allergy (CMA). METHODS: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of an AAF including synbiotic blend on percentages of bifidobacteria and Eubacterium rectale/Clostridium coccoides group (ER/CC) in feces from infants with suspected non-IgE-mediated CMA. Feces from age matched healthy breastfed infants were used as reference (HBR) for primary outcomes. CMA subjects were randomized and received test or control formula for 8 weeks. Test formula was a hypoallergenic, nutritionally complete AAF including a prebiotic blend of fructo-oligosaccharides and the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve M-16V. Control formula was AAF without synbiotics. RESULTS: Thirty-five (test) and 36 (control) subjects were randomized; HBR included 51 infants. At week 8, median percentage of bifidobacteria was higher in test group vs control group (35.4 vs. 9.7%, respectively P<0.001), whereas ER/CC was lower (9.5 vs. 24.2%, respectively; P<0.001). HBR levels of bifidobacteria and ER/CC were 55 and 6.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: AAF including specific synbiotics, which results in levels of bifidobacteria and ER/CC approximating levels in HBR group, improves the fecal microbiota of infants with suspected non-IgE-mediated CMA