De nationale Werkgroep Grondwater 2009. En een vooruitblik naar 2010

In rapport staat onderaan de pagina's een foute vermelding: "RIVM Rapport 60762600130014"De nationale Werkgroep Grondwater gaat in 2010 meer verbanden leggen tussen beleidsvelden waarin kennis- of beleidsvragen over grondwater spelen. De werkgroep richt zich sinds 2003 op een goede implementatie van het grondwatergedeelte van de Europese Kaderrichtlijn Water (KRW). In 2010 wil zij zich meer dan voorheen gaan richten op relaties tussen de KRW-implementatie en ontwikkelingen in beleidsvelden zoals Natura2000, het Deltaplan en het Convenant Bodem. Hierbij spelen niet alleen kennisvragen maar juist ook beleidsvragen en vragen van meer strategische aard. Dit briefrapport geeft een overzicht van de werkzaamheden van de nationale Werkgroep Grondwater in 2009 en biedt een vooruitblik van haar werkzaamheden in 2010 en verder. In deze werkgroep werken de ministeries, provincies, waterschappen, gemeente en onderzoeksinstituten samen aan de implementatie van het grondwatergedeelte van de Kaderrichtlijn Water en de Grondwater Dochterrichtlijn. Dit overzicht kan dienen als naslagwerk voor diegenen die in 2009 betrokken zijn geweest bij de Werkgroep Grondwater en als introductie voor diegenen die in 2010 aan de slag gaan met activiteiten die aan de onderwerpen van de werkgroep raken.VRO

The rise of new classical economics

vrije Universiteit amsterda

Agricultural extension - generic challenges and the ingredients for solutions

Is agricultural extension in developing countries up to the task of providing the information, ideas, and organization needed to meet food needs? What role should governments play in implementing or facilitating extension services? Roughly 80 percent of the world's extension is publicly funded and delivered by civil servants, providing a range of services to the farming population, commercial producers, and disadvantaged target groups. Budgetary constraints and concerns about performance create pressure to show the payoff on investment in extension and to explore alternatives to publicly providing it. The authors analyze the challenges facing policymakers who must decide what role governments should play in implementing or facilitating extension services. Focusing on developing country experience, they identify generic challenges that make it difficult to organize extension: a) The magnitude of the task. b) Dependence on wider policy and other agency functions. c) Problems in identifying the cause and effect needed to enable accountability and to get political support and funding. d) Liability for public service functions beyond the transfer of agricultural knowledge and information. e) Fiscal sustainability. f) Inadequate interaction with knowledge generators. The authors show how various extension approaches were developed in attempts to overcome the challenges of extension: 1) Improving extension management. 2) Decentralizing. 3) Focusing on single commodities. 4) Providing free-for-service public extension services. 5) Establishing institutional pluralism. 6) Empowering people by using participatory approaches. 7) Using appropriate media. Each of the approaches has weaknesses and strengths, and in their analysis the authors identify the ingredients that show promise. Rural people know when something is relevant and effective. The aspects of agricultural extension services that tend to be inherently low cost and build reciprocal, mutually trusting relationships are those most likely to produce commitment, accountability, political support, fiscal sustainability, and the kinds of effective interaction that generate knowledge.ICT Policy and Strategies,Decentralization,Enterprise Development&Reform,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,Agricultural Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,ICT Policy and Strategies,Agricultural Research

Unilateral versus bilateral upper limb training after stroke: The upper limb training after stroke clinical trial

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website at the link below. Copyright © 2013 American Heart Association, Inc.Background and Purpose — Unilateral and bilateral training protocols for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke represent conceptually contrasting approaches with the same ultimate goal. In a randomized controlled trial, we compared the merits of modified constraint-induced movement therapy, modified bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing, and a dose-matched conventional treatment. Modified constraint-induced movement therapy and modified bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing targeted wrist and finger extensors, given their importance for functional recovery. We hypothesized that modified constraint-induced movement therapy and modified bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing are superior to dose-matched conventional treatment. Methods — Sixty patients, between 1 to 6 months after stroke, were randomized over 3 intervention groups. The primary outcome measure was the Action Research Arm test, which was conducted before, directly after, and 6 weeks after intervention. Results — Although all groups demonstrated significant improvement on the Action Research Arm test after intervention, which persisted at 6 weeks follow-up, no significant differences in change scores on the Action Research Arm test were found between groups postintervention and at follow-up. Conclusions — Modified constraint-induced movement therapy and modified bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing are not superior to dose-matched conventional treatment or each other in improving upper limb motor function 1 to 6 months after stroke. Clinical Trial Registration — URL: http://www.trialregister.nl. Unique identifier: NTR1665