Improving Knowledge in a Prison Without Walls Analysing the effectiveness of the Mine Risk Education Activities of [organisation X] in Syria

The extensive use of mines and explosives in Syria pose a threat on all the lives of the conflict-affected population. To ensure that the population has the necessary knowledge and skills to protect themselves from this existing threat, diverse humanitarian mine action organisations, including [organisation X], design and implement mine risk education (MRE) activities. However, the number of beneficiaries reached with MRE alone does not adequately reflect the impact of the activities. There is a lack of data whether these achievements enhance the well-being of the people in communities that are affected by explosive hazards, especially in the ongoing conflict in Syria. Using the work of [organisation X] as a single case study, the objective for this thesis is therefore to assess to what extent the MRE activities of [organisation X] have increased the knowledge of explosive hazards and influenced positive behavioural change among their beneficiaries. 8.267 surveys have been gathered between 2016 and 2018 that examine the beneficiaries in the north-west and south of Syria both before (pre) and after (post) the risk education on knowledge of explosive hazards and to a limited extent on practices. Overall, the findings of the pre and post survey show an increase in the knowledge among the beneficiaries as a direct causation of the MRE. This is affirmed by the applied paired-samples t-tests that suggest a significant difference between the levels of knowledge of the beneficiaries pre and post the risk education of [organisation X]. Based on the conceptual KAP framework and the assumption of a direct relationship between knowledge, attitudes and practices, the increased knowledge will most likely also lead to an increase in practices among the surveyed population. However, it should be emphasized that knowledge is only one component of positive behavioural change, meaning that challenges remain to ensure that the acquired knowledge is translated into the right practices. [Organisation X] is a humanitarian mine action organisation that actively operates in Syria. However, due to security concerns, the organisation is operating anonymously. For reasons of confidentiality, the name of [organisation X] is not mentioned in this thesis

Molecular Sizing using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Die Größe ist eine grundlegende Eigenschaft eines jeden Objektes, speziell von Molekülen. Sie ist direkt verbunden mit fundamentalen Phänomenen, wie z.B. der Diffusion, und zwar unabhängig von anderen Eigenschaften. Die Größe von Molekülen kann sich ändern, wenn sie mit anderen Molekülen wechselwirken (z. B. wenn sie Ionen binden), oder wenn die Temperatur, der pH-Wert oder die chemische Zusammensetzung des umgebenden Mediums sich ändert. Somit kann die Größe ein sehr sensitiver Reporter für den Zustand eines Moleküls sein. Daher findet die Größenbestimmung von Molekülen breite Anwendung in der Physik, der Chemie und der Biologie. In den meisten Fällen erfordern diese Anwendungen eine Größenbestimmung mit einer Genauigkeit von wenigen Angström. In dieser Arbeit untersuche ich die Größe von Molekülen bei pico- und nanomolaren Konzentrationen mittels hoch-genauer Fluoreszenz-Korrelations-Spektroskopie (FCS). Eine spezielle Abwandlung dieser Methode, die zwei-Focus FCS (2fFCS) erlaubt die Bestimmung des absoluten Diffusionskoeffizienten und somit auch der absoluten Größe eines Moleküls. Die Genauigkeit dieser Methodik wird unter anderen anhand weit verbreiteter globulärer Proteine bestimmt. Weiterhin wird die gemessene quantitative Beziehung zwischen dem molekularen Gewicht und dem gemessenen Diffusionskoeffizienten diskutiert. Ausgehend von der Fluoreszenz-Korrelations-Spektroskopie habe ich eine neue Methode entwickelt, die Rotations-Diffusions-Konstanten von Makromolekülen bestimmt. Diese Methode ist geeignet, um Rotations-Diffusions-Konstanten zwischen zehn und einhundert Nanosekunden zu bestimmen, also einem Bereich in dem Fluoreszenz-Anisotropie-Messungen nicht gut angewendet werden können. Mittels des gemessenen Rotations-Diffusions-Koeffizienten wurden die hydrodynamischen Radien einiger weitverbreiteter, globulärer Proteine bestimmt. Die erhaltenen Werte werden mit den Resultaten aus den Diffusionsmessungen verglichen

Temperature, genetic and hydroperiod effects on metamorphosis of brown frogs Rana arvalis and R-temporaria in the field

Time for metamorphosis and metamorph size of moor frogs Rana arvalis and common frogs R. temporaria were measured in 22 ponds for 18 years. Environmental data in these ponds were also measured. Metamorphosis of the frogs took place from the beginning of June to the beginning of August. When both species were found in one pond, the common frogs metamorphosed up to 20 days earlier than the moor frogs. Most variation in time for metamorphosis, among ponds and years, is explained by temperature effects, but a causal relationship was not established. Within a pond, metamorphosis was later in cold summers than in warm summers. Size at metamorphosis was affected by tadpole density; at high densities metamorphs were smaller. Size at metamorphosis was not related to time for metamorphosis. There was an effect of pond drying; if ponds were about to dry up, metamorphosis was accelerated by about 2.4 days. Tadpoles from ponds with a late metamorphosis in the field had tadpoles that metamorphosed early in a common garden experiment, suggesting counter gradient selection.Time for metamorphosis and metamorph size of moor frogs Rana arvalis and common frogs R. temporaria were measured in 22 ponds for 18 years. Environmental data in these ponds were also measured. Metamorphosis of the frogs took place from the beginning of June to the beginning of August. When both species were found in one pond, the common frogs metamorphosed up to 20 days earlier than the moor frogs. Most variation in time for metamorphosis, among ponds and years, is explained by temperature effects, but a causal relationship was not established. Within a pond, metamorphosis was later in cold summers than in warm summers. Size at metamorphosis was affected by tadpole density; at high densities metamorphs were smaller. Size at metamorphosis was not related to time for metamorphosis. There was an effect of pond drying; if ponds were about to dry up, metamorphosis was accelerated by about 2.4 days. Tadpoles from ponds with a late metamorphosis in the field had tadpoles that metamorphosed early in a common garden experiment, suggesting counter gradient selection.Time for metamorphosis and metamorph size of moor frogs Rana arvalis and common frogs R. temporaria were measured in 22 ponds for 18 years. Environmental data in these ponds were also measured. Metamorphosis of the frogs took place from the beginning of June to the beginning of August. When both species were found in one pond, the common frogs metamorphosed up to 20 days earlier than the moor frogs. Most variation in time for metamorphosis, among ponds and years, is explained by temperature effects, but a causal relationship was not established. Within a pond, metamorphosis was later in cold summers than in warm summers. Size at metamorphosis was affected by tadpole density; at high densities metamorphs were smaller. Size at metamorphosis was not related to time for metamorphosis. There was an effect of pond drying; if ponds were about to dry up, metamorphosis was accelerated by about 2.4 days. Tadpoles from ponds with a late metamorphosis in the field had tadpoles that metamorphosed early in a common garden experiment, suggesting counter gradient selection.A correction to this article is found in Journal of Zoology (2003)260(2)p.217-21

Small rodent population synchrony in western Sweden. Effects of landscape structure.

Small rodents were captured in two regions in western Sweden. One represents an agricultural landscape were captures were made in 19 small habitat islands and in two small forests. The other represents a forest region were captures were made in four sites in a continuous forest. The captures were made for seven years. There were no clear indications of cyclicity. Within both regions, wood mice captures were in synchrony among sites. For bank voles, this was only true in the forest region and for field voles in the agricultural region. Captures of field voles were too few for analysis in the forest region. Among species, captures were not synchronous in the agricultural region but captures of wood mice and bank voles were synchronous in the forest region. These results suggest a role of landscape structure for the population dynamics of these species, rather than differences in predator function

A broad vision on hand eczema:pathogenesis, epidemiology and patient care

Hand eczema is a prevalent skin disease, which can significantly impact several aspects of life in terms of daily activities, social activities, psychological well-being, work-related aspects, and quality of life. This thesis was divided into three parts, with a focus on the pathogenesis of hyperkeratotic hand eczema in the first part, followed by the prevalence, severity and risk factors for hand eczema in the second part. It was found that among the Dutch general population, the lifetime prevalence of hand eczema was 15.0% and the 1-year prevalence 7.3%. The prevalence of severe to very severe hand eczema at worst ever was 1.9%. It was found that the majority of subjects with hand eczema in the past year had chronic hand eczema. Several lifestyle factors, such as smoking, obesity and stress, were associated with hand eczema. The last part of this thesis included different aspects of patient care with some first promising results of the use of dupilumab (biologic) and the use of baricitinib (JAK inhibitor) as treatment for hand eczema. Besides focusing on the treatment, it is also important to focus on its impact on the patient according to patients with hand eczema. Lastly, a substantial proportion of subjects with hand eczema reported limited health literacy. This emphasizes the need for more awareness of limited health literacy among clinicians treating this patient population. The three parts together encompass very diverse aspects of hand eczema, resulting in a thesis with a broad vision on hand eczema, which is hopefully also what you, as reader of my thesis, will remember; keep a broad vision when counseling patients with hand eczema to cover all related aspects that are necessary to provide optimal personalized care

Effect of methyl groups on the thermal properties of polyesters from methyl substituted 1,4-butanediols and 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid

Results are reported on the effect of lateral methyl groups on the thermal properties of a series of polyesters prepared from diethyl 4,4-biphenyldicarboxylate and various methyl substituted 1,4-butanediols. The diols were 1,4-butanediol; 2-methyl-1,4-butanediol; 2,2-dimethyl-1,4-butanediol; 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-butanediol; 2,2,3-trimethyl-1,4-butanediol; and 2,2,3,3-tetramethyl-1,4-butanediol. Apart from the tetramethyl derivatve, the transition temperatures of the methyl substituted polyesters were lower with respect of the unsubstituted polyester. On the basis of polarized photomicrographs, a smectic A mesophase was found for the unsubstituted polyester, whereas a nematic mesophase was observed for the 2-methyl substituted polyster. The 2,2-dimethyl, 2,3-dimethyl, and the 2,2,3-trimethyl substituted polyesters showed no liquid crystalline behavior. The 2,2,3,3-tetramethyl derivative displayed a birefringent melt phase although the DSC measurements were not unambiguous. A copolyester based on diethyl 4,4-biphenyldicarboxylate, 1,4-butanediol, and 2,2,3,3-tetramethyl-1,4-butanediol showed a broad nematic mesophase. Further evidence for the nematic mesophase of this copolyester and the 2-methyl substituted polyester was provided by dynamic rheological experiments. Based on thermogravimetric analysis, it was concluded that the thermal stability was affected only when four methyl side groups were present in the spacer