Photoinhibition of photosynthesis in higher plants:From photosystem II paricticle to intact leaf

In this thesis several aspects of photoinhibition have been studied. Photoinhibition of PS II was studied, both on a basic (biophysical and biochemical) level and on a more integrated (eco)physiological level. The results of the different approaches were integrated and discussed with respect to the mechanism of photoinhibition of the leaf under light stress. Depending on the questions raised, isolated PS II particles, thylakoids, chloroplasts, protoplasts and intact leaves of field lettuce (Valerianella locusta) and/or spinach (Spinacia oleracea) have been used. ...ZieL Summar

Collaborative Strategy Translation: A Critical Exploration

It is a well known fact that modern organisations face an almost constant need to re-evaluate their strategy, processes, and systems [Davenport 1994, Drucker 1988, Hammer 1990]. Organisations have to adapt to new external demands from their markets, while satisfying internal demands with respect to operating more efficiently and cost-effectively. At the same time, new technological advantages create opportunities for organisations to achieve these goals by supporting new types of organisational forms and processes. Over the last decade, a considerable number of re-engineering approaches have been presented (see e.g. [Meel 1994] for an overview). These approaches in general fall into one of two categories: those that take an existing organisational situation explicitly into account as the basis for the re-design effort [see e.g. Davenport 1993] and those that design new processes and structures from scratch [see e.g. Hammer 1990]

Women trafficking networks:Structure and stages of women trafficking in five Dutch small-scale networks

In this study, we investigated the relation between the different stages of women trafficking (i.e. recruitment, entrance, accommodation, labor, and finance) and the structure of five criminal networks involved in women trafficking in the Netherlands (Ns ranging from 6 to 15). On the one hand, it could be argued that for efficiency and avoidance of being detected by law enforcement agencies, the network structure might align with the different stages, resulting in a cell-structured network with collaboration between actors within rather than across stages. On the other hand, criminal actors might prefer to collaborate and rely on a few others, whom they trust in order to circumvent the lack of formal opportunities to enforce collaboration and agreements, resulting in a core-periphery network with actors also collaborating across stages. Results indicate that three of the five networks were characterized by a core-periphery structure, whereas the two other networks exhibit a mixture of both a cell-structured and core-periphery network. Furthermore, using an Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM), we found that actors were likely to form ties with each other in the stages of recruitment, accommodation, and exploitation, but not in the stages of transport and finance.</p

Compliance of general practitioners with a guideline-based decision support system for ordering blood tests

BACKGROUND: Guidelines are viewed as a mechanism for disseminating a rapidly increasing body of knowledge. We determined the compliance of Dutch general practitioners with the recommendations for blood test ordering as defined in the guidelines of the Dutch College of General Practitioners. METHODS: We performed an audit of guideline compliance over a 12-month period (March 1996 through February 1997). In an observational study, a guideline-based decision support system for blood test ordering, BloodLink, was integrated with the electronic patient records of 31 general practitioners practicing in 23 practices (16 solo). BloodLink followed the guidelines of the Dutch College of General Practitioners. We determined compliance by comparing the recommendations for test ordering with the test(s) actually ordered. Compliance was expressed as the percentage of order forms that followed the recommendations for test ordering. RESULTS: Of 12 668 orders generated, 9091 (71%) used the decision-support software rather than the paper order forms. Twelve indications accounted for >80% of the 7346 order forms that selected a testing indication in BloodLink. The most frequently used indication for test ordering was "vague complaints" (2209 order forms; 30.1%). Of the 7346 order forms, 39% were compliant. The most frequent type of noncompliance was the addition of tests. Six of the 12 tests most frequently added to the order forms were supported by revisions of guidelines that occurred within 3 years after the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: In general practice, noncompliance with guidelines is predominantly caused by adding tests. We conclude that noncompliance with a guideline seems to be partly caused by practitioners applying new medical insight before it is incorporated in a revision of that guideline