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This paper investigates the existence and mechanisms of segmentation in the welfare assimilation process of first-generation immigrants in the Netherlands. Using longitudinal administrative data (2007–2015) from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), we estimate the welfare utilization trajectories of migrants over the working-age life course vis-à-vis two reference groups representing different economic segments from the population, namely: average Dutch natives and Dutch natives with low education level. Empirical evidence shows a predominant trend of mainstream assimilation; however, two findings with more concerning implications should be highlighted. Welfare assimilation into the economically disadvantaged segment is found to concentrate among first-generation immigrants characterized by structural and human capital disadvantages, despite the notable extent of upward intragenerational mobility observed. In the worst-case scenario, there seems to be a lack of welfare assimilation to the comparison segments, raising concerns over the prospective emergence of marginalized ethnic groups at the bottom of the economic ladder. The implications of this finding are twofold. Firstly, automatic closing of the migrant-native gap over time should not be presumed in the absence of a level playing field for all regardless of their migration backgrounds. Secondly, systematic discrepancies observed between refugees and other types of migrants in terms of welfare assimilation patterns and determinants point to the need to have a clear distinction between immigration policy and refugee policy, which explicitly avoids bundling all migrants as one homogenous group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the urban morphology on greenhouse gas emission is one of the key issues on global climate change. Since the urban form is directly related to the spatial distribution of urban land use, it is necessary to investigate the relation between carbon emission and different land use categories. In this paper, the city of Eindhoven (230,000 inhabitants) was used as a case study. According to the main road network, the entire city is divided into 6754 irregular patterns. Agglomerative cluster analysis was conducted to classify the patterns into 14 valid land use categories based on their land use function and land cover composition namely: agriculture, transport, retail trade, green space (with 3 sub-categories), residential (with 7 sub-categories), and others. The random forest algorithm was applied to select the significant features and to measure the relation between land use and carbon emission. The results have shown the importance of various landscape metrics on the carbon emission in each land use category. The most significant landscape metric is selected to describe the impact of spatial attributes on carbon emission. The outcomes show the carbon emission distribution of each land use category in the city. The retail trade and residential land use categories contribute a large proportion of carbon emission, terrace houses produce more carbon emission than other residential building categories. The combination of mid-rise buildings and low-rise buildings has a higher probability to produce more carbon emission. The assessment results can provide important support for the low carbon city spatial planning. • Statistics of landscape metrics shows high reliability on land use classification. • Random forest and hierarchical clustering improve classification performance. • CO 2 emission in the residential area is significantly influenced by building layout. • Knowledge of the relation of land use and CO 2 emission supports fine scale plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is essential for most soil functions. Changes in land use from natural land to cropland disrupt long-established SOC balances and reduce SOC levels. The intensive use of chemical fertilisers in modern agriculture accelerates the rate of SOC depletion. Domestic organic residues (DOR) are a valuable source of SOC replenishment with high carbon content. However, there is still a lack of knowledge and data regarding whether and to what extent DOR can contribute to replenishing SOC. This paper aims to unpack the potential of DOR as a SOC source. Total SOC demand and annual SOC loss are defined and calculated. The carbon flow within different DOR management systems is investigated in three countries (China, Australia, and The Netherlands). The results show that the total SOC demand is too large to be fulfilled by DOR in a short time. However, DOR still has a high potential as a source of SOC as it can mitigate the annual SOC loss by up to 100%. Achieving this 100% mitigation requires a shift to more circular management of DOR, in particular, more composting, and direct land application instead of landfilling and incineration (Australia and China), or a higher rate of source separation of DOR (The Netherlands). These findings form the basis for future research on DOR recycling as a SOC source. [Display omitted] • Carbon in domestic organic residues is not enough to replenish carbon in soils. • More than half of domestic organic residues are not recycled to soils. • In China and Australia, landfill is the main cause of carbon loss in the system. • In the Netherlands, incineration causes the major carbon losses. • Transition to composting of organic residues could mitigate soil carbon loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual sensing techniques have gained traction in applications to the structural health monitoring of monopile-based offshore wind turbines, as the strain response below the mudline, which is a primary indicator of fatigue damage accumulation, is impractical to measure directly with physical instrumentation. The Gaussian process latent force model (GPLFM) is a generalized Bayesian virtual sensing technique which combines a physics-driven model of the structure with a data-driven model of latent variables of the system to extrapolate unmeasured strain states. In the GPLFM, unknown sources of excitation are modeled as a Gaussian process (GP) and endowed with a structured covariance relationship with response states, using properties of the GP covariance kernel as well as correlation information supplied by the mechanical model. It is shown that posterior inference of the latent inputs and states is performed by Gaussian process regression of measured accelerations, computed efficiently using Kalman filtering and Rauch–Tung–Striebel smoothing in an augmented state-space model. While the GPLFM has been previously demonstrated in numerical studies to improve upon other virtual sensing techniques in terms of accuracy, robustness, and numerical stability, this work provides one of the first cases of in-situ validation of the GPLFM. The predicted strain response by the GPLFM is compared to subsoil strain data collected from an operating offshore wind turbine in the Westermeerwind Park in the Netherlands. A number of test cases are conducted, where the performance of the GPLFM is evaluated for its sensitivity to varying operational and environmental conditions, to the instrumentation scheme of the turbine, and to the fidelity of the mechanical model. In particular, this paper discusses the capacity of the GPLFM to achieve relatively robust strain predictions under high model uncertainty in the soil-foundation system of the offshore wind turbine by attributing sources of model error to the estimated stochastic input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Migrant Suitcase is a metaphor to understand how social remittances are taken, brought back and transformed. Migrants bring with them different cultural norms, food and eating practices. In this paper I review the concept of social remittances in light of material culture, food and eating practices and examine the linkages between food, belonging, commensality and care and then provide empirical examples from the suitcases of Indian migrants. This paper is based on 30 in-depth interviews conducted among Indian migrants living in The Netherlands. The main themes from the data included food from home, cooking practices, food sharing and family relationships. Migrants' sense of belonging was intrinsically related to the food they brought from home and the memories it generates. The practices of cooking and sensorial experiences surrounding them demonstrate the place and home making processes. Commensality with co-ethnics led to a sense of community and stronger community bonds. Commensality with other non-Indian groups was perceived to be problematic. The exchanges of food, eating practices, and care create a sense of 'co-presence' in lives migrants and their transnational families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Deposit-refund schemes (DRS) are basically a combination of two instruments: a tax on the purchase of a certain product, and a subsidy on the separate collection of the same product in its after-use stage. They can be efficient policy instruments to encourage reuse and recycling. However, empirical studies on impact of DRS systems on recycling rates are hardly done. In this paper, we applied the Fullerton-Wu model, a partial equilibrium model, to simulate the impact of introducing mandatory DRS for small electric appliances and batteries in the Netherlands. For small electric appliances, a deposit-refund rate of €5 to €15 per appliance would lead to an increase in the recycling rate (recycled appliances as a percentage of total amount of appliances disposed of) from 60.7% to 64.7% and 76.4% respectively. For batteries, a DRS would increase the recycling rate from 86.9% to between 87.2 and 89.2% depending on the deposit tax level ranging from €5 to €20 per kg and the price elasticities assumed (low and high). Obviously, the performance of DRS in terms of additional recycling is stronger in cases where current recycling rates are relatively low. Moreover, the pre-existence of an infrastructure for separate collection would make small white goods an interesting candidate for this instrument. Highlights • Deposit-refund schemes (DRS) are effective in redirecting waste streams from final disposal. • Additional recycling with DRS is stronger when current recycling rates are low. • High price elasticities of new material increase the effectiveness of DRS. • The success of DRS depends on the pre-existence of an infrastructure for separate collection. • With a partial equilibrium model, the impacts of incentives on recycling behavior can be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of residential mobility on educational outcomes. By considering a large Dutch city with substantial internal residential mobility, we examine how residential mobility influences the decision of students to drop out of school. The paper exploits a rich administrative dataset with extensive information on educational, individual, family, housing and moving characteristics of students. It combines a matching design with a multivariate regression analysis, such that the evaluation draws on a well-comparable control group for the treated students. Accounting for individual, family, educational, neighborhood and housing characteristics, as well as for school and year fixed effects, we observe that residential mobility increases the probability of school dropout in the first few years after moving. The estimated effect changes, however, to a lower risk of early school leaving after an initial period, and then changes again to a higher risk after 6 years. This effect remains, regardless the level of education the students attended, or whether the student moves to a better or a worse neighborhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration and preservation of freshwater ecosystems is one of the prerequisites for a sustainable and fair future for all and therefore part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6). However, countries worldwide are facing a challenge to achieve this ambition by 2030. This paper focuses on the legal and governance challenges faced in the European context with regard to achieving water quality ambitions, using experiences from the Netherlands as a case study. Although many EU Member States (MS) are facing a challenge to meet the ambitions set by the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in 2027, literature on effectiveness of governance approaches in terms of actual water quality improvement, seems to be scarce. Based on interviews, a survey, expert panel discussions and literature we show that in the Netherlands, an important problem is that stakeholders, also within organisations, have different views on ambitions, achievements and necessary follow-up actions. This is problematic because for realising the water quality ambitions, cross-sectoral cooperation (e.g. from agriculture and spatial development) as well as strengthened interlinkages between these related policy fields is crucial. Moreover, there is a tendency to stick to the status quo. In order to increase effectiveness, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms for this lock-in will be necessary. This will enable the development of practical tools and instruments to support cross-sectoral and multi-level collaboration. The sectoral implementation of the WFD in the Netherlands was chosen by many other MS, resulting in similar cross-sectoral challenges as we found in the Netherlands. Insight into how other MS deal with lock-in situations is needed to develop pathways to achieving WFD ambitions. [Display omitted] • All over the EU, Member States are facing a challenge to preserve and restore water resources. • To date, research on the effectiveness of governance towards water quality improvement seems to be scarce. • Empirical research from the Netherlands show a need for cross-sectoral approaches to improve water quality. • Cross-sectoral approaches are only limitedly supported by legislation. • Despite awareness of the limitations, there is a lock-in situation: a tendency to stick to current practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular Economy Model (CEM) holds the promise to provide an economic benefit while not compromising environmental balance, growth, and competitiveness. The paper presents the proposal of Circular Economy Competitiveness Index (CECI) which measure the development of CEM implementation on country level in areas of social behaviours, business operations, resource management, and innovativeness. CECI combines a catastrophe progression method based on catastrophe theory and principial component analysis into composite index. The paper presents analysis of CECI state and dynamics in EU countries. The model supported with Eurostat data allow to classify the EU countries into four groups based on CEMI dynamic as well as analyse EU traditional regions' competitiveness in context of CE implementation. Additionally, correlation to Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) has been analysed. The paper presents a quantitative reference for evaluating CE competitiveness and offers relevant implications for EU countries' policymakers in relation to the factors determining that competitiveness. • The paper explores impact of Circular Economy implementation on countries' competitiveness. • Circular Economy Competitiveness Index (CECI) based on catastrophe progression method is proposed. • UK, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands are leading EU countries according to CECI, because they balanced energy and material consumption. • CECI can be useful indicator for government to stimulate economy transformation while not losing competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect of the relative financial position of buyers and sellers on house prices, distinguishing between income and wealth effects. Using administrative data from the Netherlands (2006–2010) that combine transaction data, house characteristics, and household characteristics of both buyers and sellers, the estimates indicate that a better financial position leads to higher prices for buyers and lower prices for sellers. It provides evidence that income and wealth influence housing market behavior of buyers and sellers. The results are consistent with theories that suggests that higher income and wealth lead to higher search and bargaining costs, implying that households with better financial positions invest less time and effort in search and bargaining leading to worse bargaining outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides insight into differences and similarities in the mindset and motivation of four dietary groups (young self-declared vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters) to support the development of strategies for a general transition to a less meat-based diet. The paper highlights the value of the identity concept for our understanding of both vegetarians and meat eaters. The analysis involves a comparison of the four dietary groups focusing on the strength and the profile of their food-related motivation and their reasons for and against frequent meat eating. To check for the generalizability of the results, the analyses were performed in two samples of adults (aged 18-35) in the Netherlands (native Dutch, n = 357, and second generation Chinese Dutch, n = 350). In both samples, the vegetarians had the same level of food-related motivation as the other groups, but a different motivational profile and distinctive, taste- and animal-welfare related reasons to justify their abstinence from eating meat. The low and medium meat-eaters often considered health a reason to eat meat as well as to moderate meat eating, plus they liked to vary their meals. In these aspects they were different from both the vegetarians and the high meat-eaters. The findings are relevant for (non) governmental organizations that aim to influence dietary choices, as well as for businesses that operate in the market of meat substitutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing interest in the use of insects as food, uptake of insect-based foods in Europe is low. Existing research into Western consumer acceptance of insects as food tends to emphasise the role of individual cognition in food choice at the expense of social or contextual factors, and typically frames consumer acceptance as a general issue, rather than relevant only for relatively few early adopters. This paper outlines empirical work, theoretically and methodologically informed by a critical appraisal of previous research, with consumers of insect-based convenience foods in the Netherlands. Reported initial motivations for trying insect foods are shown to be substantially different from factors - such as price, taste, availability, and 'fit' with established eating practices - which affect repeat consumption. Such factors are congruent with those affecting routine consumption of more conventional foods, indicating that insect foods should be analysed according to similar criteria and should be designed with more practical considerations in mind. Further, a reorientation of consumer acceptance research is proposed. Research should shift from attempts to forecast acceptance and engage with 'actual' examples of insect consumption; social, practical and contextual factors affecting food consumption should be emphasised; and - following work on the establishment of other novel foods - early adopters, rather than general populations, should receive greater analytic attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting societal needs drive and shape landscapes and the provision of their services. This paper presents a modelling approach to visualize the regional spatial and temporal dynamics in landscape service supply as a function of changing landscapes and societal demand. This changing demand can result from different policy targets. In this paper we conceptualise the system in which these dynamics take place by explicitly addressing (i) the multifunctional character of a landscape, (ii) the different spatial levels at which interactions between landscape service supply, demand, and land management occur, and (iii) trade-offs in service supply as a result of land management actions. Next, we translate the resulting conceptual framework into an operational model. As a demonstration, this model is applied to simulate changes in landscape service supply driven by regional policies in a rural region of the Netherlands. This application demonstrates potential trade-offs, which emerge in a spatially explicit way in the region over time. It illustrates the potential relevance of modelling landscape service dynamics for environmental management and decision making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The valley of the River Tjonger, situated in the Province of Friesland (the Netherlands), is rich in prehistoric organic remains. The fill of the valley, consisting of waterlogged sediments (peat, gyttja and sands), presents favourable conditions for the preservation of bone, antler and botanical remains. Numerous bones with chop and cut marks, in majority of aurochs (Bos primigenius), are known from several locations in the valley. The Late Mesolithic (ca. 8000–5500 BP) is especially well represented. In this paper we present a recently discovered small hunting and butchering wetland site dating to the Late Mesolithic. The site, named Balkweg, represents a single hunting and primary butchering event pertaining to a small female aurochs with a height at the withers of 134 cm. The morphology of the vertebrae and the phalanges as well as the Late Mesolithic date confirm the identification as an aurochs cow. Single event sites are underrepresented in the archaeological record due to their small size and poor visibility. The importance of aurochs hunting during the Mesolithic is discussed in this paper as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In many European countries, accommodating water has become the dominant paradigm in river management. In the Netherlands, extensive river restoration projects are being implemented, many of which draw serious opposition from the public. To investigate the causes of such opposition, a comprehensive study of public attitudes towards river restoration was conducted in three floodplains, both before and after river restoration. The study combined quantitative questionnaires (N=562) with open interviews (N=29). This paper describes how local residents perceive the effects of river restoration on landscape quality and how residents and protest groups use landscape quality in combination with other arguments to strategically frame river management policies. Results show that measurement of the perceived outcomes of nature restoration needs to be complemented by a more dynamic type of research, focusing on the social processes of the framing of restoration plans. Theoretically, the paper aims to contribute to the development of a rigorous research strategy to study framing processes in environmental management, using a mixed-methods approach. In general, local residents are supportive of river restoration projects. Although restoration may diminish feelings of attachment to an area, for most people this negative effect is compensated by the positive effects on scenic beauty and perceived protection from flooding. However, these positive effects may become contested because of the active framing of river restoration by protest groups. Residents use three distinct frames to give meaning to river restoration projects: (i) an attachment frame, focusing on cultural heritage and place attachment (ii) an attractive nature frame, focusing on nature as attractive living space and the intrinsic value of nature (iii) a rurality frame, focusing on rural values, agriculture and cultural heritage. Resistance to river restoration plans stems from the attachment and rurality frames. People using these frames challenge safety arguments for river restoration and highlight potential threats to sense of place and to agriculture. In the areas surveyed, the project initiator's focus on biodiversity and safety did not resonate very well among the local community, because of their diverging views on nature. Practical implications of the study include the need to incorporate public perception into river restoration projects and the potential for project initiators to form strategic alliances with local residents to promote ecological restoration in combination with river restoration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The dramatic decline in the presence of farmland birds during recent decades has provoked much attention in agri-environmental policy and ecological research. However, the still limited understanding of the socio-economical mechanisms that govern the decline in bird presence hampers the formulation of effective adjustments in land-use and farming practices that could support the return of birds to farmland, i.e. the required fine-tuning of management practices. As a consequence, the existing agri-environmental schemes that offer financial compensation to farmers for implementing generally simple and rather crude measures to stimulate the presence of birds have been limited in their effectiveness and subject to much debate. The objective of this paper is to provide a sociological appraisal of farmers’ experiences with meadow bird protection in a mainly dairy farming area in the Netherlands. The methodology combined visual map analysis, surveys, interviews with farmers and experts, and monitoring farmers’ discussions. The results allowed an assessment of (i) farmers’ views on historical changes in bird numbers in the area and the current distribution of bird nests, (ii) locally adjusted, fine-tuned management practices that were considered to be promising for protecting bird nests, (iii) the importance of farm management with ‘an eye for birds’, i.e. farmers and/or birdwatchers paying additional attention to the presence of nests and chicks before carrying out farming activities, and (iv) the views of key experts in the socio-institutional network in the case study area. The paper concludes that there are various promising options for fine-tuning farm management so it offers better bird protection, but it is expected that such measures will predominantly be adopted on less intensively managed farms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the northern part of the Netherlands (defined here as the area situated above the river Rhine), the Late Mesolithic is dated to the period between ca. 8100 and 6000 BP, and is characterised by the occurrence of trapeze shaped flint tips. Trapezes continue to be in use during the Swifterbant culture (ca. 6000–4800 BP), including the ceramic Mesolithic phase (Early Swifterbant) which is dated between 6000 and 5600 BP. During the Funnelbeaker culture or TRB (ca. 4800–4100 BP) transverse points dominate. With the onset of the Single Grave Culture (SGC) transverse points are no longer the ‘preferred weapon of choice’; they are replaced by surface-retouched (tanged) points. In this paper some of the basic premises of the typological development of trapezes (narrow to broad) and the chronological relevance of ‘subtypes’ (symmetric, asymmetric, right-angled and rhombic) are discussed based on analyses of trapezes from four excavated Mesolithic and Swifterbant sites. For comparison a random sample of TRB transverse points was included in several analyses as well. One of the main conclusions of this paper is that it is possible, based on analyses of metric and non-metric traits of trapeze shaped flint tips, to distinguish between true ‘Mesolithic’ trapezes, trapezes belonging to the (Neolithic) Swifterbant culture, and transverse points of the TRB. The outcomes of these analyses may help in obtaining a relative date for undated (surface) assemblages, and may furthermore lead to the positive identification of Swifterbant settlements in the higher (situated above the present-day sea level) Pleistocene areas in the northern and eastern part of the study area which are so far unknown. The results presented here will be put to the test in a forthcoming paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a case study on Early Medieval burial practices using AGNES, an intelligent search engine for Dutch archaeological grey literature. Traditionally, it is assumed that cremations phased out at the start of the Early Middle Ages, when the inhumation practice became more numerous. However, recent research (Lippok, 2020) shows that cremations might be more prevalent than previously assumed. Due to research efforts being concentrated on furnished inhumations, cremations and other types of burials have not received their share of research interest. It is suspected that unknown Early Medieval cremations may be found in grey literature research reports. The rapidly growing document collection requires more efficient methods to search through this big data, as manual searching is too time intensive. AGNES uses machine learning to allow searching on archaeological concepts (such as time periods and artefacts) in full texts, solving common problems with synonymy and polysemy. This paper describes a controlled search for Early Medieval cremations in the Netherlands, and a comparison of the new information uncovered from the reports to prior knowledge on the topic. The queries resulted in 2541 hits. Twenty-three Early Medieval cremations that were previously unknown to experts were uncovered, and 31 (of 77) known sites were identified. Forty-one possibly interesting documents were noted, where it was not clear from the report if Early Medieval cremations were present. 2446 documents were not relevant to the study for various reasons. The 23 new sites are an increase of 30% over the existing knowledge of experts. In the last 20 years only nine new sites featuring Early Medieval cremations were discovered, so being able to add another 23 is a major development. Adding previously unknown Early Medieval cremations to the dataset challenges the existing bias for inhumation graves, and supports striving towards viewing the Early Medieval burial repertoire as more heterogeneous and representative. This indicates that AGNES is useful for archaeological research, and the uncovered information can lead to a more cohesive view of the past. • We created an intelligent, entity-based search engine for archaeological texts. • The system uses Machine Learning to detect and find archaeological entities. • A case study found 23 new Early Medieval cremations using the system, a 30% increase. • The new cremations shows that they are more common than previously thought. • The results show the system outperforms string search on metadata records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Intensive agriculture, characterized by high inputs, has serious implications on the environment. Monitoring and evaluation of projects aiming at designing, testing and applying more sustainable practices require instruments to asses agronomic as well as environmental performance. Guidelines for Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) or Good Farming Practice (GFP) define sustainable practices but give limited insight into their environmental performance. Agri-environmental indicators (AEIs) provide information on environmental as well as agronomic performance, which allows them to serve as analytical instruments in research and provide thresholds for legislation purposes. Effective AEIs are quantifiable and scientifically sound, relevant, acceptable to target groups, easy to interpret and cost-effective. This paper discusses application of four AEIs for nitrogen (N) management in three Dutch research projects: ‘De Marke’, ‘Cows and Opportunities’ and ‘Farming with a future’. ‘De Marke’ applied Nitrogen Surplus and Groundwater Nitrate Concentration in the design and testing of environmentally sound dairy systems. ‘Cows and Opportunities’, testing and disseminating dairy systems designed at ‘De Marke’, mainly applied Nitrogen Surplus, while ‘Farming with a future’ used Nitrogen Surplus, Groundwater Nitrate Concentration and Residual Mineral Soil Nitrogen to support arable farmers in complying with Dutch legislation (MINAS). Nitrogen Surplus is quantifiable, appealing and easy to interpret, but lacks scientific soundness or a good relationship with groundwater quality. Nitrogen Use Efficiency is sensitive to changes in management, while Residual Mineral Soil Nitrogen is appealing and cheap, but has difficulties in scaling. Groundwater Nitrate Concentration lacks clear rules for sampling, is labor consuming, expensive and mainly used in combination with other indicators. AEIs enhanced improvements in N management by facilitating (i) definition of project goals, (ii) design of desired systems, (iii) evaluation of applied systems and (iv) improving effective communication. AEI applications in other countries show a similar pattern as found in The Netherlands. Limitations to AEI application relate to inconsistencies between different indicators, heterogeneity of soil characteristics and linkages of N, carbon and water management. AEIs should be applied in an integrated evaluation, at a scale that reflects the farm''s spatial variability. Simple AEIs like Nitrogen Surplus should be supported by other indicators and/or model calculations. The paper concludes that AEIs proved their value in design, implementation and testing of farming systems, but they should be used with care, always keeping in mind that indicators are simplifications of complex and variable processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper contributes to the debate on Europe's modern economic growth using the statistical concept of long-range dependence. Different regimes, defined as periods between two successive endogenously estimated structural shocks, matched episodes of pandemics and war. The most persistent shocks occurred at the time of the Black Death and the twentieth century's world wars. Our findings confirm that the Black Death often resulted in higher income levels but reject the view of a uniform long-term response to the Plague. In fact, we find a negative impact on incomes in non-Malthusian economies. In the North Sea Area (Britain and the Netherlands), the Plague was followed by positive trend growth in output per capita and population, heralding the onset of modern economic growth and the Great Divergence in Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to examine the knowledge of caffeine content of a variety of caffeinated beverages among Dutch university students. A pencil-and-paper survey was conducted among N = 800 Dutch students. Most participants (87.8%) reported consuming caffeinated beverages during the past 24 h. Their mean ± SD past 24-h caffeine intake from beverages was 144.2 ± 169.5 mg (2.2 ± 3.0 mg/kg bw). Most prevalent sources of caffeine were coffee beverages (50.8%) and tea (34.8%), followed by energy drink (9.2%), cola (4.7%), and chocolate milk (0.5%). Participants had poor knowledge on the relative caffeine content of caffeinated beverages. That is, they overestimated the caffeine content of energy drinks and cola, and underestimated the caffeine content of coffee beverages. If caffeine consumption is a concern, it is important to inform consumers about the caffeine content of all caffeine containing beverages, including coffee and tea. The current findings support previous research that the most effective way to reduce caffeine intake is to limit the consumption of coffee beverages and tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how the transition to a low-carbon society to mitigate climate change can be better supported by a diet change. As climate mitigation is not the focal goal of consumers who are buying or consuming food, the study highlighted the role of motivational and cognitive background factors, including possible spillover effects. Consumer samples in the Netherlands (n = 527) and the United States (n = 556) were asked to evaluate food-related and energy-related mitigation options in a design that included three food-related options with very different mitigation potentials (i.e. eating less meat, buying local and seasonal food, and buying organic food). They rated each option's effectiveness and their willingness to adopt it. The outstanding effectiveness of the less meat option (as established by climate experts) was recognized by merely 12% of the Dutch and 6% of the American sample. Many more participants gave fairly positive effectiveness ratings and this was correlated with belief in human causation of climate change, personal importance of climate change, and being a moderate meat eater. Willingness to adopt the less meat option increased with its perceived effectiveness and, controlling for that, it was significantly related to various motivationally relevant factors. The local food option appealed to consumer segments with overlapping but partly different motivational orientations. It was concluded that a transition to a low carbon society can significantly benefit from a special focus on the food-related options to involve more consumers and to improve mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prominent strands of discussion in the literature on governance for sustainable development debate how change can be induced to enhance sustainability, and how to evaluate the interventions aimed at prompting such change. Strikingly, there are few contributions about how prominent ideas of inducing change deal with multiple governance criteria for pursuing sustainable development. Moreover, the way ideas about inducing change relate to criteria of governance for sustainable development is not yet studied in an empirical context. This paper therefore comparatively analyses how three prominent modes of sustainable development governance – adaptive management, transition management and payments for environmental services – relate to a set of five prominent criteria reported in the literature, namely: equity, democracy, legitimacy, the handling of scale issues and the handling of uncertainty issues. It finds that the academic debates on these three modes address these criteria with varying attention and rather fragmented, while in the empirical setting of the Dutch fen landscape several aspects relating to the studied criteria were present and substantially influenced the functioning of the three modes of sustainable development. Together, the analysis of the literature debate and the empirical data are able to show that a narrow evaluation perspective may fail to diagnose and capture relevant struggles and complexities coming along with governance for sustainable development relevant issues. The study shows that in order to advance our understanding of governance for sustainable development, it is indeed important to include multiple criteria in studying these modes. Moreover, the study shows the importance of including empirical experiences which manifest when different modes for sustainable development are applied in real-world settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of convenience in food products and meal preparation has changed rapidly during the twentieth century. However, there is little investigation into the way attitudes towards this concept have changed, which curbs our understanding of the importance of, and need for, convenience today. This paper uses the magazine of the Dutch schools of domestic education to examine their stance on convenience in meal preparation during the 1910s and 1920s. Recipes and articles are quantitatively and qualitatively analysed to estimate the importance of convenience in food preparation and consumption. The results of this analysis show that there was a hierarchy of values with regard to food choice: convenience was definitely valued, but matters of frugality and nutrition generally dominated. This provides not just a nuanced image of the role of domestic education (demanding yet flexible), but it also gives insight into the mechanics of food choice, which may at least partly still apply today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manure separation technologies are essential for sustainable livestock operations in areas with high livestock density as these technologies result in better utilization of manure and reduced environmental impact. Technologies for manure separation have been well researched and are ready for use. Their use, however, has been limited to the Netherlands. This paper investigates the role of farm and farmer characteristics and farmers' attitudes toward technology-specific attributes in influencing the likelihood of the adoption of mechanical manure separation technology. The analysis used survey data collected from 111 Dutch dairy farmers in 2009. The results showed that the age and education level of the farmer and farm size are important variables explaining the likelihood of adoption. In addition to farm and farmer characteristics, farmers' attitudes toward the different attributes of manure separation technology significantly affect the likelihood of adoption. The study generates useful information for policy makers, technology developers and distributors in identifying the factors that impact decision-making behaviors of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 90s core sampling, particularly within Dutch and Belgian wetland research, has increasingly become important for detecting covered prehistoric hunter-gatherer sites, comprised mainly of scatters of lithic artifacts of variable size and find density. Several methodological studies (Tol et al., 2004; Verhagen et al., 2013) have tried to develop standard sampling protocols differentiating grid size, core diameter and sieving mesh width according to the expected site-types. These studies are all based on a statistical analysis of excavation data, using simulations. However, these theoretical models have never been fully tested against empirical data coming from augering projects. In this paper core sampling data from 11 cored sites, some of which were subsequently excavated, are used in view of developing a core sampling strategy which allows the detection of the broadest possible range of prehistoric sites. The study concludes that in most cases, augering within a 10 m grid with a 10 cm–12 cm core and sieving through 1 mm–2 mm meshes allows the detection of buried sites, eventually even small and low-density ones. In order to further increase the discovery chances a two-step gridding approach is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One problem with scholarly research into land reclamation has been the tendency to concentrate on two questions - how and why did it happen - leading to an over-emphasis on technological innovation and demographic and commercial pressures. This has obscured far more fascinating and significant questions - what were the social consequences of pre-industrial land reclamation? What kinds of societies emerged as a result of land reclamation? These questions are addressed through a comparative historical analysis of two cases of land reclamation in the medieval period: the peat lands of Holland (the Netherlands) and the Po Valley plains (Northern Italy). In the paper it is shown that medieval land reclamation led to the emergence of two very divergent societies, characterised by a number of different configurations in; (a) power and property structure, (b) modes of exploitation, (c) economic portfolios, and (d) commodity markets. In the final section, a further question is considered. To what extent were either of these societies inherently better configured to negate the potentially disastrous effects of land reclamation on the natural environment? In the conclusion it is argued that more 'equitable' and 'freer' pre-industrial societies were better placed to deal with the consequences of environmental degradation than those marked by polarisation and repression -- even when those polarised societies made recourse to capital investment in technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small, bowl-shaped pits characterized by a lower fill rich in charred organic material are among the most frequent features found on Mesolithic sites in the sand belt of NW Europe, in particular in the Netherlands and Belgium. Traditionally they are interpreted as "pit hearths" used for food processing and/or tar production. However, in 2015 the present authors suggested an alternative explanation according to which these features represent ant nests which collapsed after burning caused by forest (wild)fires. In a recent paper Huisman et al. (2019) present new micromorphological data which they believe supports the anthropogenic character of these features. Mesolithic man would have put top soil turves on the pit floors before igniting the hearth; after the firing the pits would have been deliberately filled with topsoil material. The current paper challenges these interpretations and concludes that the micromorphological data better fit the ant nest hypothesis. • Charcoal-rich pits are characteristic features in the Mesolithic of the NW European sand belt. • They are traditionally interpreted as cooking and/or tar-producing features. • This paper challenges the anthropogenic origin based on a re-interpretation of micromorphological data. • It suggests these features are the remains of collapsed ant dome nests. • The charcoal originates from the incomplete combustion of these nests during forest fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Flanders and the Netherlands greenhouse production systems produce economically important quantities of vegetables, fruit and ornamentals. Indoor environmental control has resulted in high primary energy use. Until now, the research on saving primary energy in greenhouse systems has been mainly based on analysis of energy balances. However, according to the thermodynamic theory, an analysis based on the concept of exergy (free energy) and energy can result in new insights and primary energy savings. Therefore in this paper, we analyse the exergy and energy of various processes, inputs and outputs of a general greenhouse system. Also a total system analysis is then performed by linking the exergy analysis with a dynamic greenhouse climate growth simulation model. The exergy analysis indicates that some processes (“Sources”) lie at the origin of several other processes, both destroying the exergy of primary energy inputs. The exergy destruction of these Sources is caused primarily by heat and vapour loss. Their impact can be compensated by exergy input from heating, solar radiation, or both. If the exergy destruction of these Sources is reduced, the necessary compensation can also be reduced. This can be accomplished through insulating the greenhouse and making the building more airtight. Other necessary Sources, namely transpiration and loss of CO2, have a low exergy destruction compared to the other Sources. They are therefore the best candidate for “pump” technologies (“vapour heat pump” and “CO2 pump”) designed to have a low primary energy use. The combination of these proposed technologies results in an exergy efficient greenhouse with the highest primary energy savings. It can be concluded that exergy analyses add additional information compared to only energy analyses and it supports the development of primary energy efficient greenhouse systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper investigates the long run historic development of the Amsterdam rental housing market (1550–1850). Using rent data on a large cross section of residential properties in Amsterdam we are able to develop an annual constant-quality rent index for the entire time period. Whereas nominal rents nearly tripled over the considered sample period, average Amsterdam house rents, in real terms, had approximately the same level in 1850 as they exhibited in 1550. Otherwise stated, nominal rents and goods prices rose at the same pace. Over these 301years, the real index moves between a minimum level of 45.6 and a maximum of 162.4. As concerns the relation between the housing market and the real economy, we find empirical evidence that fluctuations in rents and fluctuations in proxies of business cycle activity comove, both in nominal and in real terms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Dutch Minister of Health requested the Coordination point Assessment and Monitoring new drugs (CAM) to re-assess the overall risk of GHB. The present paper is a extended redraft of a state of art report used in the risk evaluation procedure. The prevalence of GHB use is low, but the relative proportion of GHB intoxications compared to other illicit drugs is high resulting in a substantial number of GHB related incidents. In recent years the number of GHB intoxications has increased because many inexperienced users seemed unaware of the potential adverse effects, like ‘passing out’ upon overdosing, a condition where the user is unconsciousness (or comatose) for several hours. The dependence potential of frequent GHB use is now judged by the CAM to be rather high, but users appear not well informed about this risk. In the Netherlands, last month prevalence of GHB use is relatively low (0.2%) and treatment demand is limited (524 of a total of 76,295 referrals to the addiction treatment services in 2010). So far, no public nuisance or criminality associated with GHB use has been reported. The CAM estimated the overall risk potential of GHB use as moderate to high. The Dutch Minister of Health endorsed this conclusion and decided to upgrade GHB to Schedule I (hard drugs) of the Dutch Opium Act. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we construct a detailed dataset of the national accounts of Holland (1347-1807). Using this dataset, we demonstrate that this economy was characterized by persistent economic growth caused by, depending on the period, structural change (share of industry and services in the economy increases), technological development, and factor substitution. During the entire period GDP per capita increased by on average 0.19% per year. This persistent growth, however, was highly unstable due largely to the importance of international services in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper we report the results of an experiment with automated landform delineation and classification from digital elevation models (DEMs) using object-based image analysis (OBIA). Archaeologists rely on accurate and detailed geomorphological maps to predict and interpret the location of archaeological sites. However, they have been using high-resolution DEMs primarily for visual interpretation and expert-judgement classification of landform. OBIA can perform these classifications much faster and in a more objective fashion. The method was tested on a study area in the south east of the Netherlands. It is concluded that OBIA is a suitable technique for quick and objective delineation of landform, but needs an improved conceptual framework adapted to the local situation and archaeological questions to better identify and interpret the derived landform objects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It has often been proposed that new cleavages have emerged within the middle class. In this paper, we examine the distinction between social and cultural specialists and technocrats, and investigate whether these new and old middle class fractions are differentiated by their patterns of intergenerational mobility. To what extent do these newly distinguished middle class fractions have specific external and internal intergenerational mobility patterns? And to what extent have mobility boundaries between them been rising over time? To answer these questions, we use 47 Dutch national population sample surveys with detailed occupation codes collected between 1970 and 2006 (N =60,978). Our analyses of internal and external homogeneity show that the middle class fractions each have characteristic mobility and immobility patterns and therefore a necessary condition is satisfied to declare them as separate classes. Furthermore, in the early periods, the social and cultural specialists were differentiated by a high level of immobility but in the later periods, the distance between the old and new middle classes has decreased significantly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The rates of post-depositional mixing by bioturbation have been investigated using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating in two sediment cores (BAL2 and BAL5), retrieved from a sandy tidal flat in the Danish part of the Wadden Sea. A high-resolution chronology, consisting of thirty-six OSL ages with ages ranging between 2 ± 4 and 410 ± 20 years, is presented. Slices of sediment (1–2 cm thick) have been dated at least every 5 cm, and from these data mixing depths of 20 cm and 22 cm (BAL5 and BAL2, respectively) are readily identified. Below the mixing zone there is a significant decrease in the apparent sedimentation rate at BAL5 (from 6.4 to 0.3 mm a−1) and an abrupt increase in OSL age at the other site, BAL2 (from ∼19 years–∼290 years). Apparent sedimentation rates in the upper ∼20 cm are more rapid than at greater depths, due to the age underestimation arising from the mixing processes. The significant change in sedimentation rates at BAL5 may indicate an offset in OSL age of up to 620 years. This paper uses a simple conceptual model for vertical mixing in which all the sediment excreted at the surface by lugworms is assumed to be completely reset before being re-incorporated in the sediment column. Using this approach, we conclude that the upward transport rate due to lugworms at BAL5 is 5–6 mm a−1, and that the net sedimentation rate is ∼0.3 mm a−1, whereas at BAL2 the upward transport rate is currently ∼16 mm a−1 and that the site is probably eroding. The situation below the mixing depth (22 cm) is however unclear because of a marked 300 year hiatus. This is the first time that OSL has been used to determine bioturbation rates and our data clearly show the potential of such measurements to provide retrospective field estimates of this important environmental parameter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Earlier research has indicated a negative relationship between ethnic diversity and trust. Whereas previous analyses have been carried out at the country, city or neighbourhood level, this paper adds to the literature by analyzing the impact of ethnic diversity on generalized trust in others and out-group trust in the primary school context. The question of the impact of ethnic diversity in school on the trust of schoolchildren is addressed by drawing on a unique survey of children with immigrant and native Danish backgrounds, respectively, in the last three grades of primary school in Denmark. The survey design holds several qualities strengthening the potential for drawing inference about the impact of ethnic diversity in school on trust. The results of the analysis do not confirm the negative relationship between ethnic diversity and trust found in earlier research. In the primary school setting, ethnic diversity does not affect generalized trust and even has a positive impact on out-group trust of native Danish pupils (i.e., their trust in immigrants). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Intensive livestock production is of major importance to the economies of many countries but is also connected with a number of environmental effects, including airborne emissions. Currently emission standards are becoming increasingly stringent in European countries and the livestock industry is challenged to comply with them. One of the available techniques for emission reduction is the application of air scrubbing for end-of-pipe treatment of animal house exhaust air. In this paper, international and national Netherlands'' emission regulations and targets are summarised for ammonia, odour and particulate matter (PM). Secondly, specific regulations on end-of-pipe air treatment technology are discussed in more detail. Finally the role of air scrubbing techniques in relation to Best Available Technique (BAT) is discussed. Currently air treatment systems are not considered as BATs in European Union (EU) legislation because of economic (high running costs), ecologic (high energy consumption, chemical use, discharge water), and technical reasons (unstable performance of bioscrubbers). Although we think that this rebuff is appropriate for bioscrubbers, it might be advisable to reconsider the status of acid scrubbers with regard to BAT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires member states to take measures to ensure that bodies of water will be in good chemical and ecological condition by 2015. Important measures to achieve this goal include reducing emissions of nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P2O5) from manure and mineral fertilizers into the environment. In regions with a high livestock density, this measure is expected to affect agricultural production and income. To quantify these effects, an environmental economic model is required that can assess alternatives capable of reducing N and P2O5 potential emissions to water. In this paper, we develop a model that is capable of analysing changes in potential emissions to water of N and P2O5 and apply it to the Netherlands, a country with large nutrient emissions. Compared to a 2015 reference scenario based on current efforts to reduce nutrient emissions, we found that the WFD measures will increase regional transport and export of manure and reduce the number of animals in the Netherlands. Fodder adjustments (defined as lower N and P2O5 input in purchased fodder) to decrease nutrient excretion in manure were a less attractive option than amongst others export, transportation of manure to another region, land use changes or reduction of the number of livestock. Compared to the reference scenario in 2015, total agricultural income will decrease by about €81.5 million per year (about €49/ha per year), although the effects will differ among parts of the Netherlands and agricultural sectors. The average predicted decrease in N emissions from agricultural sites, vulnerable to leaching into bodies of water will be almost 20% or approximately 14.7kgN/ha per year. The reduction in N emissions to air from animal sheds, manure storage systems, application of animal manure and mineral fertilisers to the crops and grazing animals equals 6.5% or 5kg ammonia (NH3) per hectare. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Within the European Union there has been a push to provide European governments and the European Central Bank with the statistics they need for monitoring the owner-occupied sector. This paper reports on the results of a project to develop a house price index for the Netherlands. From January 2008, Kadaster, the Dutch land registry office, and Statistics Netherlands began jointly publishing house price index numbers for the whole country and for some specific dwelling types and regions. A number of special institutional features of the situation in the Netherlands contributed to the choice of index construction method. The indexes are computed using the Sale Price Appraisal Ratio (SPAR) method, which utilizes the ratios of transaction prices and previous appraisal values. We describe the SPAR method, compare it with repeat sales methods and assess the reliability of the official Dutch appraisal values. Empirical results for January 1995–March 2009 are presented. The SPAR method performs well compared to repeat sales, and the results reported will be of interest to other countries that have, or could instigate, institutional arrangements similar to those in the Netherlands. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cerastoderma edule and Mya arenaria are two common bivalve species in European waters. Longevity and maximum size are much greater in the latter species. Because comparison of species life-history strategies states that a long life span (i.e. high annual survival) generally goes with lower fecundity, we hypothesise that reproductive output would be lower in M. arenaria than in C. edule. In the present paper, we studied the reproductive strategies of these two species in an intertidal and a subtidal area of the western Dutch Wadden Sea, by following seasonal changes in absolute and relative weights of somatic and gonadal tissues in these bivalves. Starting of spawning was similar in the two species, around May, except for intertidal M. arenaria, which initiated spawning in August. Individual energy investment in reproduction was similar for the two species but, unlike M. arenaria, C. edule spawned completely, releasing all energy of gonadal mass in the form of gametes. Mya arenaria used the gonad not only for reproduction but also for storage. In the intertidal area, we found a trade-off between longevity and reproduction, i.e. maximum reproductive output (expressed as a proportion of body mass) was higher in C. edule than in M. arenaria. However, since body size is larger and life span longer in M. arenaria than in C. edule, mean lifetime reproductive output per individual must be higher in the first than in the latter. Based on the differences in reproductive strategies of these two species, we hypothesise that the negative effects of warming climate on bivalve population dynamics in the Wadden Sea will be stronger in C. edule than in M. arenaria. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports a study on the effectivity and efficiency of trial trenching strategies for site discovery within the context of Dutch archaeological heritage management. It discusses the principles of site discovery by means of trial trenching, and suggests the optimal strategies for trial trenching survey, based on the results of simulations. Effective and efficient strategies for discovering different groups of archaeological sites are given, according to their presumed size, shape and feature density. The recommended strategies will be included in the Quality Norm for Dutch archaeology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Today's acknowledgement of the multifunctionality of agriculture (MFA) implies the production of new knowledge to integrate different functions at farm level (primary production, environmental protection, food safety, etc.). At the same time, agricultural sectors of European countries have recently faced changes in the organisation of their R&D activities, including a trend of commercialisation and privatisation of advisory services for farmers. To assess the consequences of these changes on support for innovations related to MFA, this paper explores the potential of combining two analytical frameworks: an institutional economic approach (IEA) and a sociological network approach (SNA). This potential is illustrated by a historical analysis of advisory services in France and the Netherlands from 1945 until now. This analysis stresses the importance of collective procedures for the accumulation of technical knowledge in agriculture. It also shows that these procedures could not be analysed from a strictly technical perspective. They are the expression of institutional arrangements involving social groups of farmers and the state, and are grounded in national contexts. A historical perspective also enables us to understand better why the privatisation of extension services cannot meet the requirements of support for farm innovations in the MFA context. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent investigations have indicated that environmental and conservation policies frequently fail to reach anticipated aims, which raises concern over the cost-effectiveness of governmental policy-related expenditure. The limited effectiveness of policies is often attributed to methodological aspects of policy implementation. However, an alternative reason can be the limited internalization of policies, so that these are only implemented to a minimum level to attain benefits or avoid penalties. It is postulated that increased internalization of policies can considerably improve their effectiveness and that suitable institutional arrangements exist to support such increases in internalization. In this paper, we review the available literature on internalization and its institutional aspects, and propose a framework, based on self-determination theory, for evaluation of potential internalization by farm managers that are expected to implement policies. This method was applied to a small case study for dairy farmers in the nationally important landscape of the Northern Friesian Woodlands, The Netherlands. The results showed that organic farmers were internally motivated for nature conservation and had strong institutional links. They were more likely to internalize the goals of environmental policy schemes than conventional farmers who focused predominantly on financial rewards. We suggest that policy developers promote internalization of policies by tuning policy instruments to the specificities of farmers'' motivations to preserve farmers'' nature and to focus on institutional support to help internalization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Landscape character can be defined as the presence, variety and arrangement of landscape features, which give a landscape a specific identity and make it stand out from surrounding landscapes. Landscape character contributes to the esthetical and perceptional value of an area, which is important for the development of non-production functions in the countryside as demanded by society. In this paper we present a new methodology for landscape character assessment using the pattern of landscape features as stored in a GIS to delineate, characterize and evaluate landscapes using a region growing algorithm. We have applied this methodology in a case study area in the north of the Netherlands and compared the results with a series of expert classifications of the study area. The results of the region growing algorithms were good and interpretable in relation to the underlying data. The resemblance between the expert classification and the classification based on the region growing results varied between 34% and 100% for the different landscape types. The differences between the two data sets can be explained in terms of input data and knowledge about the study area. The classification of the region growing algorithm was more consistent than the expert classification throughout the study area. The presented methodology for landscape character assessment is proposed as support for spatial planning processes and policy development for landscape conservation by providing a quantitative tool to analyze landscape patterns, to discriminate between the various landscapes in a study area and by elucidating features that are important for the identity of a region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In spatial planning and environmental management, maps are found very helpful in many situations, but in other situations they may also deepen conflicts or be ignored. This paper addresses the question what explains such phenomena, with particular emphasis on, and reference to, collaborative policymaking settings in the Netherlands. We have elaborated the concept of ‘frames’ and ‘framing’ to structure and analyze the function of maps in the context of deliberative policymaking. With help of discourse analysis, a method adopted from the policy sciences, we have observed ongoing multi-actor processes and focused on discussions around maps in several case studies. From the observations of both the maps themselves and the discussions and actions with the maps, we have interpreted the meaning and frames represented ‘in’ the map images, as well as the various perspectives of actors ‘on’ the collaborative use of the map. We have conceptualized three fundamentally different perspectives or frames on the function of maps in the decision-making process. The cross-frame debate over maps is illustrated with the recollection of one particular map-making example. We conclude that the conflicts observed in a number of case studies can be adequately explained with help of the three identified frames, and provide some recommendations for the profession of mapping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In preparing a decision about the legal status of khat in the Netherlands, the Dutch Minister of Health requested CAM (Coordination point Assessment and Monitoring new drugs) to assess the overall risk of khat in the Netherlands. The present paper is a redraft of a report which formed the scientific basis of the risk evaluation procedure (October 2007). This report reviews the scientific data about khat available in the international literature. In addition, the report contains some information specific for the Netherlands (prevalence, availability of khat and public order aspects). The main psychoactive compounds in khat leaves are cathine and cathinone, which are some 2- to 10-fold less active than amphetamine. Acute health problems are rarely seen, and are usually related with malnutrition, social and financial problems. Khat has a low addictive potential. Chronic toxicity of khat is modest when used in low amounts, whereas at high levels, khat use is associated with adverse effects, like hypertension, heart rhythm disorders, insomnia and loss of appetite. In addition, khat users show a higher prevalence of cancers in the digestive tract. At population level, khat does not lead to specific health risks in the Netherlands, as its use is confined to East-African immigrants. A relationship between khat use and psychiatric disorders has been suggested, but the reports are contradictory, and such studies are presumably heavily confounded by posttraumatic and social stress. In the Netherlands (and other countries), khat use occasionally leads to minor disturbance of civil order in the public domain (loud talking, spitting), but is not related to criminal activities. Following the assessment, CAM estimated the overall risk potential of khat use in the Netherlands as very low. A similar conclusion may be drawn for countries with a comparable prevalence of khat use and khat related public order disturbance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper examines cultural frame-switching among bicultural participants at the level of associated meanings. Bicultural participants of Greek descent who live in the Netherlands were randomly primed with either Greek or Dutch cultural symbols and language. A monocultural Dutch group in the Netherlands and a monocultural Greek group in Greece, were involved as control groups. Structural equation modeling indicated that the Greek participants in Greece and the bicultural participants primed with Greek culture had a similar pattern of associations. This pattern differed from that of the Dutch participants and the participants primed with Dutch culture. Thus, the two different monocultural association patterns were replicated among bicultural individuals. The findings show that meanings are affected by cultural frame-switching, and provide further support for the dynamic constructivist approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper summarizes some of the aeroacoustic research undertaken in Europe in 2005. It is compiled from information provided by the Aearocoustics Specialists’ Committee (ASC) of the Confederation of European Aerospace Societies (CEAS). The committee comprises representation from the Aerospace Societies of France (AAAF), Germany (DGLR), Italy (AIDAA) the Netherlands (NVvL), Spain (AIAE), Sweden (SVFW) and the United Kingdom (RaeS) together with members from Greece, Ireland, Poland and Portugal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Netherlands Vaccine Institute (NVI) developed the micro-carrier technology for large-scale production of IPV in the late 1960s and has used this technology successfully to produce IPV as well as DTP-IPV for the national immunization program in the Netherlands. As a public sector organization, and as one of the Millennium Development Goals, NVI has supported over the years access to vaccine technology like DTP and Hib for vaccine manufacturers in developing countries. In line with this role as a resource institute, NVI has recently been approached by a number of vaccine manufacturers, predominantly from developing countries, for transfer of IPV technology to meet the anticipated increase in demand for IPV following OPV cessation. Since WHO encourages new manufacturers to use the attenuated Sabin virus instead of wild polio strains in the production of IPV, NVI decided to respond positively to this WHO policy. The existing NVI experience in large-scale production of IPV and OPV using Vero cell based micro-carrier technology and its experience with experimental Sabin-IPV is an attractive start for the development of Sabin-IPV. This paper discusses the approach followed and the experience already gained in the project, as well as factors critical to its success. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper summarizes some highlights of aeroacoustics research in Europe in 2002, compiled from information provided to the Aeroacoustics Specialists Committee (ASC) of the Confederation of European Aerospace Societies (CEAS). The CEAS comprises the national Aerospace Societies of France (AAAF), Germany (DGLR), Italy (AIDAA), The Netherlands (NVvL), Spain (AIAE), Sweden (FTF), Switzerland (SVFW) and the United Kingdom (RAeS). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]