| 1. |
- Alm, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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The Diminishing Power of One? Welfare State Retrenchment and Rising Poverty of Single-Adult Households in Sweden 1988-2011
- 2020
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In: European Sociological Review. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0266-7215 .- 1468-2672. ; 36:2, s. 198-217
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, we analyse the sharp rise in poverty among working-age singles and single parents in Sweden. In a dual-earner society like Sweden, we show that the return of mass unemployment in combination with the retreat of a generous and inclusive welfare state have substantially increased the poverty risks of single-adult households, who cannot rely on the income buffering effect of the family. Whereas cutbacks to unemployment benefits have been detrimental for the relative income position of single-adult households, the poverty risks of couples with and without children are much less affected. Individual-level characteristics of the poor persons themselves provide little explanatory leverage for why trends in poverty diverge by family form. Our results raise a number of issues of relevance for the wider academic debate about the capacity of the welfare state to adequately respond to both old and new social risk groups.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Andringa, Wouter, et al.
(author)
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Women’s working hours : The interplay between gender role attitudes, motherhood, and public childcare support in 23 European countries
- 2015
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In: International journal of sociology and social policy. - 0144-333X .- 1758-6720. ; 35:9/10, s. 582-599
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show how the interplay between individual women’s gender role attitudes, having young children at home, as well as the country-context characterized by gender egalitarianism and public childcare support, relates to women’s working hours in 23 European countries. Design/methodology/approach – This study presents results of multilevel regression analyses of data from the European Social Survey (Round 2). These micro-level data on 23 European countries were combined with country-level measures on gender traditionalism and childcare expenditure. Findings – The authors found that the negative association between having young children at home and women’s working hours is stronger for women with traditional gender role attitudes compared to women with egalitarian attitudes. The gap in working hours between women with and without young children at home was smaller in countries in which the population holds egalitarian gender role attitudes and in countries with extensive public childcare support. Furthermore, it was found that the gap in employment hours between mothers with traditional or egalitarian attitudes was largest in countries with limited public childcare support. Social implications – Policy makers should take note that women’s employment decisions are not dependent on human capital and household-composition factors alone, but that gender role attitudes matter as well. The authors could not find evidence of the inequality in employment between women with different gender role attitudes being exacerbated in association with childcare support. Originality/value – The originality of this study lies in the combined (rather than separate) analysis of how countries’ social policies (childcare services) and countries’ attitudes (gender traditionalism) interact with individual gender role attitudes to shape cross-national variation in women’s working hours.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Asadi, Sahar, et al.
(author)
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ICT solutions supporting collaborative information acquisition, situation assessment and decision making in contemporary environmental management problems : the DIADEM approach
- 2011
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In: Proceedings of the 25th EnviroInfo Conference "Environmental Informatics". - Herzogenrath : Shaker Verlag. - 9783844004519 ; , s. 920-931
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents a framework of ICT solutions developed in the EU research project DIADEM that supports environmental management with an enhanced capacity to assess population exposure and health risks, to alert relevant groups and to organize efficient response. The emphasis is on advanced solutions which are economically feasible and maximally exploit the existing communication, computing and sensing resources. This approach enables efficient situation assessment in complex environmental management problems by exploiting relevant information obtained from citizens via the standard communication infrastructure as well as heterogeneous data acquired through dedicated sensing systems. This is achieved through a combination of (i) advanced approaches to gas detection and gas distribution modelling, (ii) a novel service-oriented approach supporting seamless integration of human-based and automated reasoning processes in large-scale collaborative sense making processes and (iii) solutions combining Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, Scenario-Based Reasoning and advanced human-machine interfaces. This paper presents the basic principles of the DIADEM solutions, explains how different techniques are combined to a coherent decision support system and briefly discusses evaluation principles and activities in the DIADEM project.
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| 6. |
- Bartova, Alzbeta, et al.
(author)
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Family Profiles : Risks, resources and inequalities
- 2023
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The rEUsilience project is concerned with labour market changes and how these changes affect the ability of families to balance income security and care. We consider families as agents who respond to these challenges to cushion potentially negative impacts. In the project, we try to understand what are the conditions that support family resilience. The specific questions for the rEUsilience project are: What challenges and difficulties are created or exacerbated for families by labour markets in the ‘new world of work’ and how do families try to overcome these? How do social policies contribute to familial resilience especially in terms of the extent to which they are inclusive, flexible and complementary? The concept of resilience is increasingly used in EU and national policy making. Yet, empirical foundation for monitoring social policies and their ability to strengthen family resilience is currently lacking. This deliverable builds a groundwork for development of tools for monitoring family resilience in the context of social policy. The first step we take is a construction of family profiles and analyse them on the distribution of risks, resources, and socio-economic outcomes.
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| 7. |
- Beekman, Madeleine, et al.
(author)
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Sexual selection in hermaphrodites, sperm and broadcast spawners, plants and fungi
- 2016
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In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8436 .- 1471-2970. ; 371:1706
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Darwin was the first to recognize that sexual selection is a strong evolutionary force. Exaggerated traits allow same-sex individuals to compete over access to mates and provide a mechanism by which mates are selected. It is relatively easy to appreciate how inter-and intrasexual selection work in organisms with the sensory capabilities to perceive physical or behavioural traits that signal mate quality or mate compatibility, and to assess the relative quality of competitors. It is therefore not surprising that most studies of sexual selection have focused on animals with separate sexes and obvious adaptations that function in the context of reproductive competition. Yet, many sexual organisms are both male and female at the same time, often lack sexual dimorphism and never come into direct contact at mating. How does sexual selection act in such species, and what can we learn from them? Here, we address these questions by exploring the potential for sexual selection in simultaneous hermaphrodites, sperm-and broadcast spawners, plants and fungi. Our reviewreveals a range of mechanisms of sexual selection, operating primarily after gametes have been released, which are common in many of these groups and also quite possibly in more familiar (internally fertilizing and sexually dimorphic) organisms. This article is part of the themed issue 'Weird sex: the underappreciated diversity of sexual reproduction'.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Bradshaw, Jonathan, et al.
(author)
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Poverty and the family in Europe
- 2021
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In: Research Handbook on the Sociology of the Family. - : Edward Elgar Publishing. - 9781788975537 - 9781788975544 ; , s. 400-416
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Daly, Mary, et al.
(author)
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Exploring Resilience with Families : National Report for Sweden
- 2023
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This report presents the analysis of the primary research conducted with a range of families in Swedenfor Work Package 4 (WP4) of the rEUsilience project. It outlines the methodological approach taken todata collection and analysis and presents the findings of the empirical work undertaken. The report’sunderpinning evidence was obtained through seven focus groups conducted with 38 members of familiesin different parts of Sweden between May and July 2023. The focus of the research was on family-relatedrisks and so the participants were chosen by virtue of potentially or actually experiencing risks or difficultsituations. The participants were drawn from families on a low income, lone-parent families and familieswith a migrant background. The evidence was analysed using thematic analysis. The study providesinsights into the obstacles facing families in responding to labour market risks when caring for children orother family members, as well as the resources and skills people mobilise to overcome the pressures theyface.The following are the main findings.•Families were found to be faced with a series of risks, with problems relating to income,employment and care intersecting together and with other background difficulties.•Insecurity in income and other aspects of life–such as housing and employment–emerged asan important defining feature of participants’ lives.•Income pressures threaded through various aspects of everyday life and needs. The costs ofchild-related expenses were identified as a primary budget item that was especially felt toincrease income pressures.•Matters relating to jobs and employment were the source of significant comment, especially inregard to the availability of work, discrimination, work-life balance and, in the case of policiesthat have job-search requirements, coping with rules and regulations.•As well as money, time was a scarce resource for some people. This led to emphasis on work-lifebalance as one of the challenges facing families–by which was meant especially time for familylife and child-related activities.•Children were prominent in people’s concerns and a strong sense of child-centredness wasevident. This was expressed in terms of a good life for children, with mention made of their rightto engage in leisure and other developmental activities as well as not to feel different or excludedbecause their parents cannot afford to give them what other children have or what is seen as thenorm.•Lone parents especially expressed a sense of being differentially treated and indicated that therewas a general lack of recognition of their particular challenges and needs.•The particular difficulties in the situation of immigrants also came out very strongly from theevidence. As well as being subject to a whole series of bureaucratic difficulties, they often feltlike ‘outsiders’.•Social pressure was a strong thread running across the focus groups. In this regard, people mademention of strong social norms in Sweden around being in paid work and optimum child-rearingpractices. It was clear that some did not feel included or were unable to be included because oftheir circumstances.•For this and other reasons, people bore the weight of considerable negative emotions as parents,such as anger and feelings of relative deprivation or fear (of the authorities). They often carrieda moral weight as well, such as feelings of guilt in relation to their children and feelings of notcontributing sufficiently.•When asked a series of questions about it, people mentioned a range of supports but theirsupport networks seemed fragile. Wider family was the most mentioned form of informalsupport but, generally, people’s support systems were not especially based on wider family andmost relied on support from one source which suggests some fragility in their support systems.•People showed considerable resourcefulness and even creativity in managing their situations. Itwas clear that they used a wide range of behaviours and skills, including cognitive skills andbehavioural and attitudinal change management. The latter often manifested in an attitude ofstoicism and determination.•Participants were critical of service availability, especially childcare services, health services andhousing provision. As well as matters of supply and hence availability, some found it difficult toaccess services because of timing, delays and bureaucracy. The system of public support wasperceived as having rigidities.•Participants had clear ideas about what measures would help to significantly improve theirsituation. In this regard, they prioritised better income support especially. In line with theperceived need for a better recognition by the state of the needs of families, people sought moreperson-oriented services as well as higher benefits to cover the cost of living. Those whosefamilies had specific needs, for example a health-related need, spoke in favour of extending the family contact service. Childcare services and housing were also identified as areas needingimprovement
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| 12. |
- de Vries, Arjen E., et al.
(author)
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Health Professionals Expectations Versus Experiences of Internet-Based Telemonitoring: Survey Among Heart Failure Clinics
- 2013
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In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. - : Journal of Medical Internet Research / Gunther Eysenbach. - 1438-8871. ; 15:1, s. 73-83
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Although telemonitoring is increasingly used in heart failure care, data on expectations, experiences, and organizational implications concerning telemonitoring are rarely addressed, and the optimal profile of patients who can benefit from telemonitoring has yet to be defined. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanObjective: To assess the actual status of use of telemonitoring and to describe the expectations, experiences, and organizational aspects involved in working with telemonitoring in heart failure in the Netherlands. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethods: In collaboration with the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), a 19-item survey was sent to all outpatient heart failure clinics in the Netherlands, addressed to cardiologists and heart failure nurses working in the clinics. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults: Of the 109 heart failure clinics who received a survey, 86 clinics responded (79%). In total, 31 out of 86 (36%) heart failure clinics were using telemonitoring and 12 heart failure clinics (14%) planned to use telemonitoring within one year. The number of heart failure patients receiving telemonitoring generally varied between 10 and 50; although in two clinics more than 75 patients used telemonitoring. The main goals for using telemonitoring are "monitoring physical condition", "monitoring signs of deterioration" (n=39, 91%), "monitoring treatment" (n=32, 74%), "adjusting medication" (n=24, 56%), and "educating patients" (n=33, 77%). Most patients using telemonitoring were in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes II (n=19, 61%) and III (n=27, 87%) and were offered the use of the telemonitoring system "as long as needed" or without a time limit. However, the expectations of the use of telemonitoring were not met after implementation. Eight of the 11 items about expectations versus experiences were significantly decreased (Pandlt;.001). Health care professionals experienced the most changes related to the use of telemonitoring in their work, in particular with respect to "keeping up with current development" (before 7.2, after 6.8, P=.15), "being innovative" (before 7.0, after 6.1, P=.003), and "better guideline adherence" (before 6.3, after 5.3, P=.005). Strikingly, 20 out of 31 heart failure clinics stated that they were considering using a different telemonitoring system than the system used at the time. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusions: One third of all heart failure clinics surveyed were using telemonitoring as part of their care without any transparent, predefined criteria of user requirements. Prior expectations of telemonitoring were not reflected in actual experiences, possibly leading to disappointment. (J Med Internet Res 2013;15(1):e4) doi:10.2196/jmir.2161
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| 13. |
- de Vries, Arjen E., et al.
(author)
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Perceived barriers of heart failure nurses and cardiologists in using clinical decision support systems in the treatment of heart failure patients
- 2013
-
In: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. - : BioMed Central. - 1472-6947. ; 13:54
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundClinical Decision Support Systems (CDSSs) can support guideline adherence in heart failure (HF) patients. However, the use of CDSSs is limited and barriers in working with CDSSs have been described as a major obstacle. It is unknown if barriers to CDSSs are present and differ between HF nurses and cardiologists. Therefore the aims of this study are; 1. Explore the type and number of perceived barriers of HF nurses and cardiologists to use a CDSS in the treatment of HF patients. 2. Explore possible differences in perceived barriers between two groups. 3. Assess the relevance and influence of knowledge management (KM) on Responsibility/Trust (R&T) and Barriers/Threats (B&T).MethodsA questionnaire was developed including; B&T, R&T, and KM. For analyses, descriptive techniques, 2-tailed Pearson correlation tests, and multiple regression analyses were performed.ResultsThe response- rate of 220 questionnaires was 74%. Barriers were found for cardiologists and HF nurses in all the constructs. Sixty-five percent did not want to be dependent on a CDSS. Nevertheless thirty-six percent of HF nurses and 50% of cardiologists stated that a CDSS can optimize HF medication. No relationship between constructs and age; gender; years of work experience; general computer experience and email/internet were observed. In the group of HF nurses a positive correlation (r .33, P<.01) between years of using the internet and R&T was found. In both groups KM was associated with the constructs B&T (B=.55, P=<.01) and R&T (B=.50, P=<.01).ConclusionsBoth cardiologists and HF-nurses perceived barriers in working with a CDSS in all of the examined constructs. KM has a strong positive correlation with perceived barriers, indicating that increasing knowledge about CDSSs can decrease their barriers.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Doctrinal, Laure, 1987-
(author)
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Old and Unequal? : An Institutional Analysis of Pension Systems' Driving Forces and Outcomes in Affluent OECD Countries
- 2023
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The growing privatization of old-age pension systems in many high-income countries in the late 20th century has raised serious concerns regarding their social sustainability. Compared to public pensions, private pensions tend to be associated with greater income inequality and less economic well-being. Yet, little is known regarding the role of pension privatization for trends in income inequality and economic well-being among the retired. This thesis comprises three empirical studies, which together aim at investigating the driving forces and the redistributive outcomes of pension privatization in a selection of high-income countries over the period 1980–2018.Study I assesses the role of partisan politics in shaping trends in pension privatization in seventeen high-income countries over the years 1980–2017. Results from time-series cross-sectional analyses reveal a negative association between left government historical legacy and trends in pension privatization. Contemporary left parties in government are associated with less privatization only in the context of a strong left-wing legacy. Thus, the findings show that partisan politics matter for pension policy also in times of welfare state restructuring.Study II asks to what extent the expansion of private pensions affects changes in income inequality among the retired. Decomposition analyses by income source of household incomes around 1986 and 2018 highlight an interesting paradox. While higher shares of private pensions in retirement incomes have had a substantial inequality-increasing effect, overall income inequality among the retired has not necessarily increased. Variations in the share and distribution of other income components, as well as in the distribution of private pensions, explain this paradox. This finding points to the relevance of considering the interplay of the different income sources to address income inequality in retirement, which implies to consider policies beyond the realm of pension policy.Study III analyzes the developments affecting economic independence among newly retired women and men in fifteen high-income OECD countries during the period 1986–2018. Results reveal the convergence in the proportion of newly retired women and men reaching economic independence. Results from time-series cross-sectional analyses show that trends in economic independence are not related to pension privatization among women, nor among men. Minimum public pensions are associated with increased economic independence of both newly retired women and men. Economic independence is also more common among newly retired cohorts of women with gainful work histories and parental leave duration in their prime working years.Taken together, the findings from the three studies highlight that partisan politics matter for changes in old-age pension systems, which in turn shape patterns of income inequality and economic independence among the retired. These findings contribute to nuance some of the expectations regarding the negative redistributive outcomes of increased pension privatization. Future research should further explore these dynamics, as some of the processes that came to compensate or outweigh private pensions’ redistributive outcomes are likely to even out in the years to come.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Ebbinghaus, Bernhard, et al.
(author)
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Poverty in old age
- 2019
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In: Routledge International Handbook of Poverty. - : Routledge. - 9780367178666 - 9780429058103 ; , s. 257-267
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)
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| 18. |
- Fisher, J., et al.
(author)
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Community, work, and family in times of COVID-19
- 2020
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In: Community, Work and Family. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1366-8803 .- 1469-3615. ; 23:3, s. 247-252
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- We are living in challenging and uncertain times. At the time this article was edited, there were already more than 2.4 million confirmed cases of the corona virus (COVID-19) (World Health Organization, 2020). Nearly every country across the globe is struggling to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus and limit its health, societal, and economic consequences. The full impact on community, work, family, and its intersections is not yet clear. As the Editorial Board of Community, Work & Family, we share a deep concern for the potential impact of this global health pandemic. We similarly stand in awe to all the communities, workers, and families doing their utmost to combat it.In this article, we do not attempt to provide definitive answers or even recommendations to address the problems we are witnessing. We do, however, feel the need to raise a collective voice about the significant potential for increased inequality. COVID-19 is not a great leveler. In all likelihood, COVID-19 will exacerbate existing inequalities, both in its immediate consequences resulting from the drastic measures taken to contain its spread, as well as its potential long-term consequences. These inequalities may take many forms. We highlight a number of them here as they relate to this journal’s focus on community, work, and family.
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| 19. |
- Greve, Bent, et al.
(author)
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How Have the Nordic Welfare States Responded to the Unexpected Increase in Inflation?
- 2023
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In: Social Policy and Society. - 1474-7464 .- 1475-3073. ; , s. 1-13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rising inflation in the Nordic societies has changed the living standards for many families. The situation differs not only between the four Nordic countries analysed, but even within each of the Nordic countries. The needs for intervention have varied. Several elements have been used to determine who is facing the most risks. This article shows how to combine automatic stabilisers with temporary policy interventions to deal with increased inflation in general or specific sub-elements (such as oil, natural gas). Focus is on the degree of and criteria for targeting. Possible distributional consequences of the adopted measures will be discussed. Lastly, the article considers whether the observed responses to the crisis have implications for the understanding of the Nordic welfare state model. The article investigates institutional, political and economic reasons for the variations in the interventions. The article concludes that in managing the crisis, the Nordic countries have adopted stronger targeting towards those considered to be in need, displaying some innovations in their social policy approach. Yet, one can trace a high degree of path-dependency, with the countries adhering to universalist principles, with an aim of redistributing resources.
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Hooftman, Danny A. P., et al.
(author)
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Introgression potential of downy mildew resistance from lettuce to Lactuca serriola and its relevance for plant fitness
- 2007
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In: Basic and Applied Ecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1439-1791 .- 1618-0089. ; 8:2, s. 135-146
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hybridization between plant species may cause ecological changes in species, enhancing their potential to become invasive. Increasing evidence suggests that the expanding distribution of Lactuca serriola could (partly) be caused by hybridization with its closest relative, the crop plant L. sativa (lettuce). Fitness advantages in hybrids may result from heterosis and epistasis but single added traits may enhance hybrid fitness as well. Here, we study the potential for introgression of an important crop trait, downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) resistance, into L. serriola hybrids. We monitored the abundance of B. lactucae on wild L. serriola in The Netherlands to test its impact potential. We found that B. lactucae is common in The Netherlands: B. lactucae occurred in 33 of the 35 surveyed populations of L. serriola. Subsequently, under regulated conditions, using two physiotypes of B. lactucae (BL-16 and BL-18), we recorded (i) quantitative conidiophore and (ii) haustoria development in seedlings. Furthermore, we explored its effects on plant fitness. Based on the (non-) occurrence of conidiophores, genomic segments from L. sativa that include Bremia resistance are present and expressing in these hybrids for at least two hybrid generations. However, haustoria density was lower in all hybrids, irrespective of physiotype or siring cultivar. We attributed this to heterosis. Furthermore, all plants shed infected leaves, but we observed no effects of infection on reproductive fitness. We therefore suggest that when L. serriola gains resistance to B. lactucae, the fitness effects are tow. The hypothesis that the gain of B. lactucae resistance is causally related to the recent spread of L. serriola has become less Likely. If hybridization is connected to this at all, it seems through heterosis. We conclude that it is important to study fitness impacts of introgressed traits along with other ecological factors. (c) 2006 Gesellschaft fur Okologie. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
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| 23. |
- Hoppener, JWM, et al.
(author)
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Role of islet amyloid in type 2 diabetes mellitus: consequence or cause?
- 2002
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In: Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. - 1872-8057. ; 197:1-2, s. 205-212
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is characterized metabolically by defects in both insulin secretion and insulin action, resulting in hyperglycemia. Histopathologically, DM2 is characterized by depositions of protein in the pancreatic islets. This 'islet amyloid' is present in > 90% of patients with DM2, as well as in monkeys and cats with DM2. The pathogenesis of DM2 is heterogeneous and multifactorial, although insulin resistance seems to be the predominant initiating factor for development of the disease. In the longer term, an insulin secretion defect is also revealed (referred to as 'beta-cell failure'), resulting in clinically manifest diabetes. Recent data, particularly from transgenic mouse studies, indicate that islet amyloidosis is a diabetogenic factor, which is both consequence (of insulin resistance) and cause (of beta-cell failure) of DM2. Available transgenic mouse models with islet amyloid formation in vivo will provide the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of novel anti-amyloidogenic therapies, for which promising results are emerging. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
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| 26. |
- Johansson, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Depression and the delay between symptom onset and hospitalization in heart failure patients.
- 2011
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In: European Journal of Heart Failure. - : Wiley. - 1388-9842 .- 1879-0844. ; 13:2, s. 214-219
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS: Heart failure (HF) patients frequently suffer from episodes of deterioration and may need medical treatment. An adequate reaction from the patient is needed to decrease the delay between the onset of deterioration and consulting a medical professional (i.e. consulting behaviour). The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether depressive symptoms are associated with the duration of the delay between the onset of symptoms of worsening HF and hospitalization, and to examine how consulting behaviour correlates to depressive symptoms and delay in HF patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on the time between the onset of symptoms of worsening HF and hospitalization, depressive symptoms, and self-care behaviour were collected in 958 HF patients (37% female; age 71 ± 11 years; New York Heart Association functional class II-IV), using validated questionnaires. The median delay time of the total sample was 72 h (ranging from 0 to 243 days). Patients with depressive symptoms delayed longer compared with those without depressive symptoms (120 vs. 54 h, P= 0.001). Patients with depressive symptoms had a 1.5 times higher risk for a delay of ≥72 h, independent of demographic and clinical variables (P= 0.008). Consulting behaviour did not correlate with depressive symptoms but was weakly associated with delay (r= -0.07, P= 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Heart failure patients with depressive symptoms have a significantly longer delay between HF deterioration and hospital admission. Interventions designed to improve the consulting behaviour in HF patients with depressive symptoms may have a limited effect on delay. Further research is needed to obtain more insight into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between delay and depression.
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| 27. |
- Kok, Gautam, et al.
(author)
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Treatment of ARS deficiencies with specific amino acids
- 2021
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In: Genetics in Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1098-3600. ; 23:11, s. 2202-2207
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: Recessive cytosolic aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) deficiencies are severe multiorgan diseases, with limited treatment options. By loading transfer RNAs (tRNAs) with their cognate amino acids, ARS are essential for protein translation. However, it remains unknown why ARS deficiencies lead to specific symptoms, especially early life and during infections. We set out to increase pathophysiological insight and improve therapeutic possibilities. Methods: In fibroblasts from patients with isoleucyl-RS (IARS), leucyl-RS (LARS), phenylalanyl-RS-beta-subunit (FARSB), and seryl-RS (SARS) deficiencies, we investigated aminoacylation activity, thermostability, and sensitivity to ARS-specific amino acid concentrations, and developed personalized treatments. Results: Aminoacylation activity was reduced in all patients, and further diminished at 38.5/40 °C (PLARS and PFARSB), consistent with infectious deteriorations. With lower cognate amino acid concentrations, patient fibroblast growth was severely affected. To prevent local and/or temporal deficiencies, we treated patients with corresponding amino acids (follow-up: 1/2–2 2/3rd years), and intensified treatment during infections. All patients showed beneficial treatment effects, most strikingly in growth (without tube feeding), head circumference, development, coping with infections, and oxygen dependency. Conclusion: For these four ARS deficiencies, we observed a common disease mechanism of episodic insufficient aminoacylation to meet translational demands and illustrate the power of amino acid supplementation for the expanding ARS patient group. Moreover, we provide a strategy for personalized preclinical functional evaluation.
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| 28. |
- Lerink, Bas J. W., et al.
(author)
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How much wood can we expect from European forests in the near future?
- 2023
-
In: Forestry (London). - : Oxford University Press. - 0015-752X .- 1464-3626. ; 96:4, s. 434-447
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The demand for wood in Europe is expected to increase in the coming decades. However, any theoretical maximum supply will be affected by sustainability constraints, the motivations of forest owners and regional factors, such as incentives, species and assortments. However, the influence of these factors on supply is changeable. In this study, we quantify what might be realistically available as additional wood supply from currently existing European forests, based on a combination of results of the forest resource model EFISCEN-Space and a literature review of national supply projections. Wood mobilization scenarios for 10 representative Model Regions in Europe that assume forest owners and managers in the simulated regions will adapt their behaviour to alternative behaviour as recorded from other regions were projected with the EFISCEN-Space model. The realistic additional potential based on the literature review is 90 million m(3) yr(-1). This potential should be attainable within 10-20 years. However, the simulations in the Model Regions found potentials to be lower in 7 out of 10 cases as compared with the country they are located in. On average, the model regions reached less than half of the potential as compared with the literature review. This suggests that the realistic additional potential at the European scale may well be lower if all mobilization barriers are taken into account in more detail, but also highlights the uncertainty surrounding these estimates. We conclude from the analyses that although there are large differences in potential between regions and the analysis method employed, there are no 'hotspots' where a large pool of accessible wood can be quickly mobilized using existing infrastructure for nearby industries. An increase in harvest would therefore only be possible with a large effort that spans the whole chain, from forest owners' behaviour to capacity building, financial incentives and matching resources to harvesting capacity. The additionally available wood can most likely only be mobilized against higher marginal costs and will thus only become available in times of higher stumpage prices. The largest potential lies in privately owned forests which often have a fragmented ownership but will most likely be able to supply more wood, though mostly from deciduous species. In the long term (more than 20 years), additional wood, compared with the amounts we found for short term, can only be made available through investments in afforestation, forest restoration, improved forest management and more efficient use of raw material and recycled material.
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Maldonado, Laurie C., et al.
(author)
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Family policies and single parent poverty in 18 OECD countries, 1978–2008
- 2015
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In: Community, Work and Family. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1366-8803 .- 1469-3615. ; 18:4, s. 395-415
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study examined to what extent family policies differently affect poverty among single-parent households and two-parent households. We distinguished between reconciliation policies (tested with parental leave and the proportion of unpaid leave) and financial support policies (tested with family allowances). We used data from the Luxembourg Income Study Database, covering 519,825 households in 18 OECD countries from 1978 to 2008, combined with data from the Comparative Family Policy Database. Single parents face higher poverty risks than coupled parents, and single mothers more so than single fathers. We found that employment reduces poverty, particularly for parents in professional occupations and for coupled parents who are dual earners. Longer parental leave, a smaller proportion of unpaid leave, and higher amounts of family allowances were associated with lower poverty among all households with children. Parental leave more effectively facilitated the employment of single mothers, thereby reducing their poverty more than among couples and single fathers. We found some evidence that family allowances reduced poverty most strongly among single fathers. An income decomposition showed that family allowances reduce poverty among two-parent households with up to 3 percentage points, and among single-parent households (mothers and fathers) up to 13 percentage points.
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| 32. |
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| 33. |
- Maldonado, Laurie C., et al.
(author)
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Single Parents in Context
- 2019
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In: Oxford Bibliographies in Sociology. - : Oxford University Press.
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- One of the most pressing challenges of single-parent families is the concern for their socioeconomic well-being. Single-parent families are more likely to be poor than two-parent families, and there is growing concern about the rising inequality among family types. Much research has focused on how children fare in single-parent families and whether or not they are at a disadvantage. However, concerns are not limited to children living in single-parent families, but also to single parents themselves. Single parenthood is strongly gendered: single parents are mostly mothers, and they therefore experience unequal opportunities and gender discrimination in the labor market. This bibliography addresses the key issues and debates related to single-parent families. Rather than promoting a single argument, it introduces the reader to a number of different perspectives, without taking a position on one perspective over the other. As the single-parent literature is broad and expanding rapidly, it is difficult to cover all aspects of single parenthood. Instead, this bibliography focuses on single-parent families in context. It covers how individual characteristics of single parents, such as their resources and education, shape aspects of their well-being. Yet the main focus is on how their well-being is also shaped by their socioeconomic and institutional context. How do employment and policy affect the lives of single parents and their children? The bibliography uses a comparative focus to examine the research on single-parent families across countries. Hence, it does not include all publications that address single parenthood, such as the social psychological aspects, but rather it examines the literature that best captures how single parents are doing in the context of the institutions and policies that surround them. This bibliography on “Single Parents in Context” is structured in six major sections. First, a broad overview of the literature is provided in the section on General Contributions This covers what can be considered Classics in the literature, and prior Research Overviews. The second section deals with aspects of the Socioeconomic Well-Being of single parents and their families, including Poverty, Child Well-Being, and Stigma. The next major sections (a substantial part of the bibliography) cover explanations for the often impaired well-being among single-parent families. These sections include resource-based, employment-based, and policy-based explanations. Resource-Based Explanations focus on individual characteristics of the single parents themselves, and include the debate regarding the important Diverging Destinies and Life-Course Perspective. Diverging Destinies suggests that single-parent families are increasingly common among those with lower socioeconomic resources, such as education. Life-Course Perspective discusses the dynamic process of single parenthood over the life course, such as transitions into and out of single parenthood. Employment-Based Explanations examine to what extent, and under which conditions, a job can be a means to improve single parents’ well-being. Employment is indeed important, because in some contexts single parents are employed but remain in poverty—considered the Working Poor. Additionally, single parents face particular challenges in terms of Work-Life Balance and negotiating the demands of work and family. Most importantly, this bibliography covers a wide range of policies and emphasizes various Policy-Based Explanations. Family Policy facilitates maternal employment and, increasingly, paternal care, as well as providing financial transfers to families with children. Active Labor Market Policy represents those policies that are often in the form of services, such as job placement and training. Such policy seeks to facilitate the employment of the inactive and unemployed. Redistributive Policy typically provides income transfers to help families financially sustain themselves. This is support from the social safety net in the form of cash assistance such as housing, food, and child benefit. Naturally, there is overlap between policy types, but family policy for families with children warrants a specific focus. There is also a focus on Child Support, which is a set of policies that regulates financial transfers among households of separated parents. This is followed by Policy Debates, a discussion that emphasizes the key debates around the design and implementation of policy for single-parent families. The final major section, Research Frontiers, lays out the frontiers in single-parent research. It highlights the potential major challenges and opportunities for research in years to come. These areas include Shared Parenting, Methodological Innovations, and Global Perspectives on what works for single parents and their families.
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| 34. |
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Müller, M, et al.
(author)
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Central sleep apnoea syndrome in chronic heart failure : an underestimated and treatable comorbidity.
- 2010
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In: Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation. - 1568-5888. ; 18:5, s. 260-3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chronic heart failure is a clinical syndrome with a high mortality and morbidity. Despite optimal therapy, five-year survival is still only 50%. Central sleep apnoea syndrome is seen in approximately 40% of patients with congestive heart failure. Sleep apnoea syndrome can be divided into two forms in these patients: obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and central sleep apnoea syndrome (CSAS, Cheyne-Stokes respiration), of which CSAS is the most common. CSAS is a form of sleep apnoea in congestive heart failure which is driven by changes in pCO(2). As a consequence of apnoea-hypopnoea an imbalance in myocardial oxygen delivery/consumption ratio will develop, sympathetic and other neurohormonal systems will be activated and right and left ventricular afterload will be increased. Sleep apnoea is associated with an increased mortality in patients with systolic heart failure. Treatment of sleep apnoea increases left ventricular ejection fraction and transplant-free survival. Because of its high prevalence, poor quality of life, poor outcome, and the beneficial effects of treatment, physicians treating patients with heart failure should be aware of central sleep apnoea. There are different treatment options, but the exact effects and indications of each option have not yet been fully determined. Further studies should be done to further investigate its prevalence, and to establish the most adequate therapy for the individual patient. (Neth Heart J 2010;18:260-3.).
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| 39. |
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
- Nelson, Kenneth, et al.
(author)
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Sweden : Adjoining the Guarantee Pension with NDC
- 2019
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper analyzes old-age incomes in Sweden from a pension policy perspective, focusing on both the economic position of elderly citizens and the redistributive effects of the pension system’s different parts. The empirical analyses show that each subsequent cohort that reaches retirement age faces higher relative poverty risks than previous cohorts. The relative decline in the value of the guaranteed minimum pension vis-à-vis the real income growth of wage earners brings to the forefront the issues of indexation of the guarantee and the ceiling on the means-tested housing benefits like the basic safety net for pensioners.
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| 42. |
- Nelson, Kenneth, et al.
(author)
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Sweden : Adjoining the Guarantee Pension with NDC
- 2020
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In: Progress and Challenges of Nonfinancial Defined Contribution Pension Schemes. - : World Bank. - 9781464814532 - 9781464814549 ; , s. 215-239
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
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| 43. |
- Nelson, Kenneth, et al.
(author)
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Towards a new consolidated framework for analysing benefit coverage
- 2021
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In: Journal of European Social Policy. - : SAGE Publications. - 0958-9287 .- 1461-7269. ; 31:3, s. 352-362
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The conceptualisation and measurement of benefit coverage is muddled with considerable confusion. In this forum contribution, we propose a new consolidated framework for the analysis of benefit coverage. Three sequential steps in measurement are suggested, involving the calculation of coverage rates, eligibility rates and take-up rates in social protection. Each step of the analysis focuses on particular aspects of programme legislation and implementation, and together the new framework will substantially improve the possibilities of research to inform policymaking. We provide an empirical illustration of our approach based on Swedish data, and highlight how our new consolidated framework for analysing benefit coverage provides a reorientation of the research agenda on benefit coverage.
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
- Nieuwenhuis, B, et al.
(author)
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Improving adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated transgene expression in retinal ganglion cells: comparison of five promoters
- 2023
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In: Gene therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-5462 .- 0969-7128. ; 30:6, s. 503-519
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) are an effective system for gene transfer. AAV serotype 2 (AAV2) is commonly used to deliver transgenes to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) via intravitreal injection. The AAV serotype however is not the only factor contributing to the effectiveness of gene therapies. Promoters influence the strength and cell-selectivity of transgene expression. This study compares five promoters designed to maximise AAV2 cargo space for gene delivery: chicken β-actin (CBA), cytomegalovirus (CMV), short CMV early enhancer/chicken β-actin/short β-globulin intron (sCAG), mouse phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), and human synapsin (SYN). The promoters driving enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) were examined in adult C57BL/6J mice eyes and tissues of the visual system. eGFP expression was strongest in the retina, optic nerves and brain when driven by the sCAG and SYN promoters. CBA, CMV, and PGK had moderate expression by comparison. The SYN promoter had almost exclusive transgene expression in RGCs. The PGK promoter had predominant expression in both RGCs and AII amacrine cells. The ubiquitous CBA, CMV, and sCAG promoters expressed eGFP in a variety of cell types across multiple retinal layers including Müller glia and astrocytes. We also found that these promoters could transduce human retina ex vivo, although expression was predominantly in glial cells due to low RGC viability. Taken together, this promoter comparison study contributes to optimising AAV-mediated transduction in the retina, and could be valuable for research in ocular disorders, particularly those with large or complex genetic cargos.
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| 46. |
- Nieuwenhuis, Bart P. S., et al.
(author)
-
Evolution of uni- and bifactorial sexual compatibility systems in fungi
- 2013
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In: Heredity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0018-067X .- 1365-2540. ; 111:6, s. 445-455
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mating systems, that is, whether organisms give rise to progeny by selfing, inbreeding or outcrossing, strongly affect important ecological and evolutionary processes. Large variations in mating systems exist in fungi, allowing the study of their origin and consequences. In fungi, sexual incompatibility is determined by molecular recognition mechanisms, controlled by a single mating-type locus in most unifactorial fungi. In Basidiomycete fungi, however, which include rusts, smuts and mushrooms, a system has evolved in which incompatibility is controlled by two unlinked loci. This bifactorial system probably evolved from a unifactorial system. Multiple independent transitions back to a unifactorial system occurred. It is still unclear what force drove evolution and maintenance of these contrasting inheritance patterns that determine mating compatibility. Here, we give an overview of the evolutionary factors that might have driven the evolution of bifactoriality from a unifactorial system and the transitions back to unifactoriality. Bifactoriality most likely evolved for selfing avoidance. Subsequently, multiallelism at mating-type loci evolved through negative frequency-dependent selection by increasing the chance to find a compatible mate. Unifactoriality then evolved back in some species, possibly because either selfing was favoured or for increasing the chance to find a compatible mate in species with few alleles. Owing to the existence of closely related unifactorial and bifactorial species and the increasing knowledge of the genetic systems of the different mechanisms, Basidiomycetes provide an excellent model for studying the different forces that shape breeding systems.
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| 47. |
- Nieuwenhuis, Bart P. S., et al.
(author)
-
On the asymmetry of mating in natural populations of the mushroom fungus Schizophyllum commune
- 2013
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In: Fungal Genetics and Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1087-1845 .- 1096-0937. ; 56, s. 25-32
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Before a mycelium of a mushroom-forming basidiomycete develops mushrooms, the monokaryotic mycelium needs to become fertilized. Although the mechanistic details of mating in mushrooms have been studied thoroughly in laboratory research, very little is known on mating patterns in nature. In this study, we performed fine-scale analyses of three populations of Schizophyllum commune from their natural substrate (i.e. dead beech branches). From the three branches, 24, 12, and 24 fruiting bodies were isolated and for each mushroom, the origins of its nuclei and cytoplasm were reconstructed using DNA markers. Nuclear genotypes were determined using sequencing data and mating types, and mitochondrial haplotypes using SNP markers. From these combined data we reconstructed colonization and mating patterns of the mycelia. On each branch, we found multiple dikaryons (3, 3, and 8, respectively); in two instances one nuclear haplotype was shared between two dikaryons and in two other cases a nuclear haplotype was shared between three dikaryons. Each dikaryon always had a single mitochondrial haplotype. These findings indicate that mating usually is not symmetrical and that a monokaryon is most likely fertilized by a small monokaryon, a spore or a dikaryon. Sharing of nuclear haplotype between different dikaryons resulted either from multiple fertilizations of a single monokaryon, if the dikaryons had identical mitochondrial haplotypes, or, if the dikaryons had different mitochondria] haplotypes, most likely from secondary matings between a monokaryon and a dikaryon (Buller phenomenon). We conclude that mating in S. commune between same-sized monokaryons with reciprocal migration, as generally described in textbooks, is rare in nature. We discuss the implications of non-symmetric mating for basidiomycete evolution.
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| 48. |
- Nieuwenhuis, Bart P. S., et al.
(author)
-
Repeated evolution of self-compatibility for reproductive assurance
- 2018
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sexual reproduction in eukaryotes requires the fusion of two compatible gametes of opposite sexes or mating types. To meet the challenge of finding a mating partner with compatible gametes, evolutionary mechanisms such as hermaphroditism and self-fertilization have repeatedly evolved. Here, by combining the insights from comparative genomics, computer simulations and experimental evolution in fission yeast, we shed light on the conditions promoting separate mating types or self-compatibility by mating-type switching. Analogous to multiple independent transitions between switchers and non-switchers in natural populations mediated by structural genomic changes, novel switching genotypes readily evolved under selection in the experimental populations. Detailed fitness measurements accompanied by computer simulations show the benefits and costs of switching during sexual and asexual reproduction, governing the occurrence of both strategies in nature. Our findings illuminate the trade-off between the benefits of reproductive assurance and its fitness costs under benign conditions facilitating the evolution of self-compatibility.
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| 49. |
- Nieuwenhuis, Bart P. S., et al.
(author)
-
The evolution of mating-type switching for reproductive assurance
- 2016
-
In: Bioessays. - : Wiley. - 0265-9247 .- 1521-1878. ; 38:11, s. 1141-1149
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alternative ways to ensure mate compatibility, such as hermaphroditism and the breakdown of self-incompatibility, evolved repeatedly when finding a mating partner is difficult. In a variety of microorganisms where compatibility is determined by mating-types, a highly regulated form of universal compatibility system called mating-type switching has evolved several times. This sophisticated system allows for the genetic adjustment of the mating type during asexual growth, and it most likely evolved for reproductive assurance of immotile species under low densities. In this review, we compare the switching strategy to other universal compatibility systems such as unisexual mating and homothallism. We identify the costs of switching, including genome instability, and mechanistic costs, as well as the benefits, mainly the maintenance of important mating-type functions. Given the potential benefits of mating-type switching, we speculate that switching is likely to have evolved many times independently, and may be more common in groups where genetic mating types regulate mate compatibility than assumed so far.
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| 50. |
- Nieuwenhuis, Bart P. S., et al.
(author)
-
The frequency of sex in fungi
- 2016
-
In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8436 .- 1471-2970. ; 371:1706
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fungi are a diverse group of organisms with a huge variation in reproductive strategy. While almost all species can reproduce sexually, many reproduce asexually most of the time. When sexual reproduction does occur, large variation exists in the amount of in- and out-breeding. While budding yeast is expected to outcross only once every 10 000 generations, other fungi are obligate outcrossers with well-mixed panmictic populations. In this review, we give an overview of the costs and benefits of sexual and asexual reproduction in fungi, and the mechanisms that evolved in fungi to reduce the costs of either mode. The proximate molecular mechanisms potentiating outcrossing and meiosis appear to be present in nearly all fungi, making them of little use for predicting outcrossing rates, but also suggesting the absence of true ancient asexual lineages. We review how population genetic methods can be used to estimate the frequency of sex in fungi and provide empirical data that support a mixed mode of reproduction in many species with rare to frequent sex in between rounds of mitotic reproduction. Finally, we highlight how these estimates might be affected by the fungus-specific mechanisms that evolved to reduce the costs of sexual and asexual reproduction. This article is part of the themed issue 'Weird sex: the underappreciated diversity of sexual reproduction'.
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