315 results on '"Vermeir P"'
Search Results
2. Evolution of dietary patterns in Flanders: an ecological trend study on best-selling cookbook recipes (2008–2018) and their correlation with household purchases
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Proesmans, Viktor Lowie Juliaan, Matthys, Christophe, Vermeir, Iris, and Geuens, Maggie
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- 2024
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3. Evolution of dietary patterns in Flanders: an ecological trend study on best-selling cookbook recipes (2008–2018) and their correlation with household purchases
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Viktor Lowie Juliaan Proesmans, Christophe Matthys, Iris Vermeir, and Maggie Geuens
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Cookbooks ,Diet ,Vegetarian ,Nutritive value ,Public health ,Dietary trends ,Nutrition. Foods and food supply ,TX341-641 ,Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases ,RC620-627 - Abstract
Abstract Background With rising obesity rates in Western societies, analyzing changes in dietary patterns is paramount. While nutritional surveys have been informative, traditional cookbooks have historically shed light on national cuisines and its changes. Despite the growing popularity of online platforms for food information, cookbooks might still reflect prevalent dietary trends and the diets people follow. This study examined (1) the changes in nutritional content and food group usage in the best-selling cookbooks from 2008 to 2018, and (2) the correlation between the food groups in these cookbooks and dietary patterns (inferred from household purchases) over the same timeframe. Methods An exploratory ecological study was conducted on 20 main course recipes of each of the five best-selling cookbooks in Flanders annually between 2008 and 2018. Trends in macronutrients and food group usage in these recipes were analyzed using generalized linear models. Additionally, these trends were compared to household purchase data in Flanders using correlation matrices. Results Our results reveal a rising trend towards the use of plant-based ingredients and meat alternatives in cookbooks over the period 2008–2018. There was an increase in the usage of vegetables, nuts & seeds, and cheese. Conversely, there was a decline in the usage of meat, sugar & sweeteners, alcohol, and dairy (all p-values
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- 2024
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4. Die Integration von digitalen Assistenten birgt viele Chancen
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Vermeir, Maxime
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- 2024
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5. Education on medically unexplained symptoms: a systematic review with a focus on cultural diversity and migrants
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Mariman, An, Vermeir, Peter, Csabai, Marta, Weiland, Anne, Stegers-Jager, Karen, Vermeir, Ruben, and Vogelaers, Dirk
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- 2023
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6. Correction: Evolution of dietary patterns in Flanders: an ecological trend study on best-selling cookbook recipes (2008–2018) and their correlation with household purchases
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Viktor Lowie Juliaan Proesmans, Christophe Matthys, Iris Vermeir, and Maggie Geuens
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Nutrition. Foods and food supply ,TX341-641 ,Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases ,RC620-627 - Published
- 2024
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7. MS2Query: reliable and scalable MS2 mass spectra-based analogue search
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de Jonge, Niek F., Louwen, Joris J. R., Chekmeneva, Elena, Camuzeaux, Stephane, Vermeir, Femke J., Jansen, Robert S., Huber, Florian, and van der Hooft, Justin J. J.
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- 2023
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8. Unpacking the Support Practices of Educational Advisors: Congruency, Loyalty, Legitimacy, and Urgency
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Vermeir, Karen and Kelchtermans, Geert
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Using educational advisors to facilitate the implementation of innovations in schools is a widespread, yet still relatively little studied and understood strategy in reform policies. This article reports on an exploratory, multiple case study on the support provided by external advisors to secondary schools in Flanders (Belgium) on the implementation of a new policy on inclusive education. We found that the form and content of support practices were constituted and determined by four thematic elements: congruency, legitimacy, loyalty, and urgency. Striving for congruency between the agendas of several parties appeared to be an important theme in the interpretations, negotiations, and appreciation of support practices. Furthermore, support practices were found to be constituted by the advisors' loyalty towards the organisations they worked with. The acquisition of legitimacy as an advisor, necessary for receiving a clear mandate from the school teams, was a third factor. A final key factor in external support practices was the sense of urgency around the agenda of the external support, felt by members of the school team.
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- 2022
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9. Education on medically unexplained symptoms: a systematic review with a focus on cultural diversity and migrants
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An Mariman, Peter Vermeir, Marta Csabai, Anne Weiland, Karen Stegers-Jager, Ruben Vermeir, and Dirk Vogelaers
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Medical unexplained symptoms (MUS) ,Somatoform disorder ,Functional syndrome ,Diversity ,Migrants ,Ethnicity ,Medicine - Abstract
Key messages Current dominantly biomedical thinking hampers adequate management. A continuum of education and training focusing on a biopsychical approach is largely lacking and should be enhanced. Increasing competencies in intercultural communication in the different levels of health care is needed to address the additional complexity of MUS management in a context of increasing diversity. In view of the high prevalence of MUS and the obvious gaps detected, research and dedication of health care resources should be intensified.
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- 2023
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10. LA80: A Lexical Database of 10 Bantu A80 Languages
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Tessa Y. Vermeir, Marc Allassonnière-Tang, and Guillaume Segerer
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lexical database ,north-western bantu languages ,corpus analysis ,typology ,lexical reconstructions ,History of scholarship and learning. The humanities ,AZ20-999 ,Language and Literature - Abstract
In this paper, we present LA80, a database containing lexical data of 10 Bantu A80 languages (Bekwel, Gyeli, Kol, Koonzime, Kwasio, Makaa, Mpiemo, Njyem, Shiwa and Sso). Data from existing fieldwork datasets have been compiled and formatted. We standardised French translations, corrected spelling mistakes, and merged overlapping data points, resulting in a database with 5,588 concepts. Furthermore, for a subset of 557 concepts available in at least six of the 10 languages, we did additional reformatting by separating prefixes from stems, something that is not done systematically in the source data. The LA80 database can be used for comparative linguistic analyses and diachronic reconstructions.
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- 2024
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11. MS2Query: reliable and scalable MS2 mass spectra-based analogue search
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Niek F. de Jonge, Joris J. R. Louwen, Elena Chekmeneva, Stephane Camuzeaux, Femke J. Vermeir, Robert S. Jansen, Florian Huber, and Justin J. J. van der Hooft
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Science - Abstract
The authors develop a machine learning approach to find structurally related chemicals in mass spectral libraries. Their method boosts the annotation rate and aids in assessing novelty in metabolomics datasets.
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- 2023
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12. The grid based approach, a fast local evaluation technique for line planning
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Vermeir, Evert, Durán-Micco, Javier, and Vansteenwegen, Pieter
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- 2022
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13. Thorough Validation of Optimized Size Exclusion Chromatography-Total Organic Carbon Analysis for Natural Organic Matter in Fresh Waters
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Elien Laforce, Karlien Dejaeger, Marjolein Vanoppen, Emile Cornelissen, Jeriffa De Clercq, and Pieter Vermeir
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chromatographic fractionation ,method validation ,precision ,trueness ,recovery ,sample preservation ,Organic chemistry ,QD241-441 - Abstract
Size exclusion chromatography with total organic carbon detection (HPSEC-TOC) is a widely employed technique for characterizing aquatic natural organic matter (NOM) into high, medium, and low molecular weight fractions. This study validates the suitability of HPSEC-TOC for a simplified yet efficient routine analysis of freshwater and its application within drinking water treatment plants. The investigation highlights key procedural considerations for optimal results and shows the importance of sample preservation by refrigeration with a maximum storage duration of two weeks. Prior to analysis, the removal of inorganic carbon is essential, which is achieved without altering the NOM composition through sample acidification to pH 6 and subsequent N2-purging. The chromatographic separation employs a preparative TSK HW-50S column to achieve a limit of detection of 19.0 µgC dm−3 with an injection volume of 1350 mm−3. The method demonstrates linearity up to 10,000 µgC dm−3. Precision, trueness and recovery assessments are conducted using certified reference materials, model compounds, and real water samples. The relative measurement uncertainty in routine analysis ranges from 3.22% to 5.17%, while the measurement uncertainty on the bias is 8.73%. Overall, the HPSEC-TOC represents a reliable tool for NOM fractions analysis in both treated and untreated ground and surface water.
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- 2024
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14. Call for emergency action to restore dietary diversity and protect global food systems in times of COVID-19 and beyond: Results from a cross-sectional study in 38 countries
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Maha Hoteit, Reem Hoteit, Ayoub Aljawaldeh, Kathleen Van Royen, Sara Pabian, Paulien Decorte, Isabelle Cuykx, Lauranna Teunissen, Charlotte De Backer, Ina Bergheim, Raphaela Staltner, Amanda Devine, Ros Sambell, Ruth Wallace, Sabika Salem Allehdan, Tariq Abdulkarim Alalwan, Mariam Ahamad Al-Mannai, Gaëlle Ouvrein, Karolien Poels, Heidi Vandebosch, Katrien Maldoy, Christophe Matthys, Tim Smits, Jules Vrinten, Ann DeSmet, Nelleke Teughels, Maggie Geuens, Iris Vermeir, Viktor Proesmans, Liselot Hudders, Marcia Dutra De Barcellos, Cristina Ostermann, Ana Luiza Brock, Cynthia Favieiro, Rafaela Trizotto, Isadora Stangherlin, Anthonieta Looman Mafra, Marco Antônio Correa Varella, Jaroslava Varella Valentova, Maryanne L. Fisher, Melanie MacEacheron, Katherine White, Rishad Habib, David S. Dobson, Berta Schnettler, Ligia Orellana, Edgardo Miranda-Zapata, Angela Wen-Yu Chang, Wen Jiao, Matthew Tingchi Liu, Klaus G. Grunert, Rikke Nyland Christensen, Lucia Reisch, Meike Janssen, Victoria Abril-Ulloa, Lorena Encalada, Iman Kamel, Annukka Vainio, Mari Niva, Laura Salmivaara, Johanna Mäkelä, Kaisa Torkkeli, Robert Mai, Pamela Kerschke Risch, Efthymios Altsitsiadis, Angelos Stamos, Andreas Antronikidis, Maeve Henchion, Sinead McCarthy, Mary McCarthy, Alessandra Micalizzi, Peter J. Schulz, Manuela Farinosi, Hidenori Komatsu, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Hiromi Kubota, Reema Tayyem, Narmeen J. Al-Awwad, Nahla Al-Bayyari, Mohammed O. Ibrahim, Fadwa Hammouh, Somaia Dashti, Basma Dashti, Dhuha Alkharaif, Amani Alshatti, Maryam Al Mazedi, Rania Mansour, Elissa Naim, Hussein Mortada, Yareni Yunuen Gutierrez Gomez, Kelly Geyskens, Caroline Goukens, Rajshri Roy, Victoria Egli, Lisa Te Morenga, Mostafa Waly, Radwan Qasrawi, Motasem Hamdan, Rania Abu Sier, Diala Abu Al Halawa, Hazem Agha, María Reyna Liria Domínguez, Lita Palomares, Grazyna Wasowicz, Hiba Bawadi, Manal Othman, Jaafar Pakari, Allam Abu Farha, Rasha Abu-El-Ruz, Dacinia Crina Petrescu, Ruxandra Malina Petrescu Mag, Felix Arion, Stefan Cristian Vesa, Majid M. Alkhalaf, Khlood Bookari, Jamila Arrish, Zackaria Rahim, Roy Kheng, Yandisa Ngqangashe, Zandile June-Rose Mchiza, Marcela Gonzalez-Gross, Lisset Pantoja-Arévalo, Eva Gesteiro, Yolanda Ríos, Peter Yiga, Patrick Ogwok, Denis Ocen, Michael Bamuwamye, Haleama Al Sabbah, Zainab Taha, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Ayesha Aldhaheri, Elisa Pineda, Marisa Miraldo, Dawn Liu Holford, and Hilde Van den Bulck
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COVID-19 ,Pandemics ,Food consumption pattern ,Dietary diversity ,Food consumption score ,Food-related behaviors ,Science (General) ,Q1-390 ,Social sciences (General) ,H1-99 - Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the fragility of the global food system, sending shockwaves across countries' societies and economy. This has presented formidable challenges to sustaining a healthy and resilient lifestyle. The objective of this study is to examine the food consumption patterns and assess diet diversity indicators, primarily focusing on the food consumption score (FCS), among households in 38 countries both before and during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 37 207 participants (mean age: 36.70 ± 14.79, with 77 % women) was conducted in 38 countries through an online survey administered between April and June 2020. The study utilized a pre-tested food frequency questionnaire to explore food consumption patterns both before and during the COVID-19 periods. Additionally, the study computed Food Consumption Score (FCS) as a proxy indicator for assessing the dietary diversity of households. Findings: This quantification of global, regional and national dietary diversity across 38 countries showed an increment in the consumption of all food groups but a drop in the intake of vegetables and in the dietary diversity. The household's food consumption scores indicating dietary diversity varied across regions. It decreased in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, including Lebanon (p
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- 2023
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15. Volatile properties: A Modest Proposal revisited
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Katleen Vermeir and Ronny Heiremans
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Financialization ,value ,art ,blockchain ,distribution ,governance ,Finance ,HG1-9999 - Abstract
In our 2018 film, A Modest Proposal, we proposed to financialize the assets of public museums, their collections, and buildings, and distribute the generated values for the benefit of the producers of those values: the artist community. Reality seems to have caught up with our proposal. In the wake of the pandemic, public museums started to sell NFTs of their master pieces. But this did not inspire any new form of mutualization. In this text, we question whether blockchain infrastructures can be considered a public good. The individualistic logics that pervade the crypto sphere consider human relations in transactional terms and the enforcement of property rights as the only valuable governance principle, defining property as the basis for representation in many of the Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). The trust placed in automated processes might lead to ‘governance by algorithms’, making the ‘Leviathan’, the sovereign machine, a frightening possibility. Other blockchain infrastructures may offer more inclusive alternatives. Distributed Cooperative Organizations (DisCOs) acknowledge the need for the individual to sustain her/himself and yet also create a solidarity economy by the mutual distribution of collectively generated values among all contributors. We focus on the above questions on property, public goods and governance using our home in Brussels, which we have defined as an artwork and framing device. It is the ‘house as artwork’ that helps us evaluate how these concepts play out in an accelerating world in which blockchain and other technologies might equally generate emancipation or new enclosures.
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- 2023
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16. Food writings in a postmodern society: a discourse analysis of influencer and celebrity chef cookbooks in Belgium
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Viktor L. J. Proesmans, Iris Vermeir, Nelleke Teughels, and Maggie Geuens
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cookbook ,influencer ,celebrity chef ,diet ,food writings ,food media ,Communication. Mass media ,P87-96 - Abstract
IntroductionThe landscape of food writings has undergone a significant transformation, shifting from traditional informational cookbooks to hybrid edutaining cookbooks authored by celebrity chefs and influencers. To gain a better understanding of this evolution, we conducted a discourse analysis to examine the proclamations made by cookbooks authored by celebrity chefs and influencers and their alignment with our society.MethodsWe conducted a critical discourse analysis on 18 best-selling cookbooks published in Flanders (Belgium) between 2008 and 2018. Applying Fairclough's three-dimensional framework, we conducted text, process, and social analyses to delve into the content and context of the cookbooks.ResultsOur analysis reveals that modern cookbooks not only provide information but also aim to inspire and entertain readers. They adopt a personal discourse that emphasizes shared values and authenticity. Celebrity chefs focus on traditional aspects, such as family, tradition, and the joy of cooking, while influencers offer lifestyle advice centered on postmodern values, including moral choice, achievement, fulfillment, and personal responsibility. Additionally, influencers take an anti-establishment stance by criticizing “conventional science” and processed food, reflecting the growing societal distrust toward food science and the food industry.DiscussionThe shift from traditional informational cookbooks to hybrid edutaining cookbooks authored by media icons such as celebrity chefs and influencers is apparent based on our analysis. These contemporary cookbooks not only provide recipes but also serve as outlets for inspiration and entertainment. Furthermore, the discourse found in modern cookbooks reflects the prevailing societal trends of our postmodern and individualistic era.
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- 2023
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17. Short notice/ Call for participation: Collateral Councils – Collaterale Raden - Conseils collatéraux of the Low Countries (1531-2031)
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Christel Annemieke Romein, Hans Cools, Marie-Charlotte le Bailly, Monique Weis, Nicolas Ruys, René Vermeir, and Vincenzo De Meulenaere
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Collateral Councils ,Collaterale Raden ,Conseils collatéraux ,1531-2031 ,History of Law ,KJ2-1040 - Abstract
A collaborative workgroup aims to bring together scholars and researchers from the four countries that share a common past as the Habsburg Low Countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and (Northern/North-Eastern) France. The workgroup focuses on the 500th anniversary of the so-called “Collateral Councils” in 2031. The multinational workgroup aims to stimulate and publish hitherto unpublished and novel research in a special issue in the Journal for Digital Legal History (Open Access, peer-reviewed, with ongoing publications).
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- 2023
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18. Increasing calcium scarcity along Afrotropical forest succession
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Bauters, Marijn, Janssens, Ivan A., Wasner, Daniel, Doetterl, Sebastian, Vermeir, Pieter, Griepentrog, Marco, Drake, Travis W., Six, Johan, Barthel, Matti, Baumgartner, Simon, Van Oost, Kristof, Makelele, Isaac A., Ewango, Corneille, Verheyen, Kris, and Boeckx, Pascal
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- 2022
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19. Medical educators' experiences on medically unexplained symptoms and intercultural communication—an expert focus group study
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Sallay, Viola, Martos, Tamás, Lucza, Lilla, Weiland, Anne, Stegers‐Jager, Karen M., Vermeir, Peter, Mariman, An Noelle Margareta, and Csabai, Márta
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- 2022
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20. Medical educators' experiences on medically unexplained symptoms and intercultural communication—an expert focus group study
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Viola Sallay, Tamás Martos, Lilla Lucza, Anne Weiland, Karen M. Stegers‐Jager, Peter Vermeir, An Noelle Margareta Mariman, and Márta Csabai
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Medically unexplained symptoms ,Focus group study ,Qualitative analysis ,Medical specialists ,Medical education ,Training development ,Special aspects of education ,LC8-6691 ,Medicine - Abstract
Abstract Background Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are highly prevalent and remain challenging in healthcare and medical education, along with the increase in the importance of intercultural issues regarding MUS. However, less is known about the challenges of professionally addressing patients with MUS in the interprofessional and intercultural contexts. Thus, the present study aims to provide the first exploration of the experiences of medical specialists regarding treating MUS in intercultural contexts and inputs for training development on the intercultural aspects of MUS. Methods Three focus groups (total n = 13) consisting of medical specialists from a Hungarian university who were teaching at the medical faculty in intercultural settings and also worked for the university health services were interviewed. The topics covered the participants' personal experiences on addressing MUS and the challenges of intercultural communication and the intercultural educational context. Thematic analysis was used to yield a qualitative account of the interviews as guided by the research questions. Results Representing the different aspects of medical specialists, the study identified three main themes in the experiences of medical specialists, namely, 1) the need to adapt to the personal world of patients and search for common frames to understand MUS, 2) the need to discover methods for adapting to cultural differences and 3) the need to enhance the interprofessional coordination of knowledge and practices. Conclusions The results are in line with the distinct conclusions of previous studies. Moreover, an integrated educational program on the intercultural aspects of MUS may address the main themes separately and, subsequently, support their integration. Therefore, the study discusses the manner in which an integrated educational program on the intercultural aspects of MUS may address the needs recognized in these aspects.
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- 2022
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21. Effects of Genotype, Nitrogen, and Sulfur Complex Fertilization on the Nutritional and Technological Characteristics of Buckwheat Flour.
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Gao, Licheng, Haesaert, Geert, Van Bockstaele, Filip, Vermeir, Pieter, and Eeckhout, Mia
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- 2024
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22. The Impact of 10 Unmalted Alternative Adjuncts on Wort Characteristics
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David Laureys, Jeroen Baillière, Pieter Vermeir, Dana Vanderputten, and Jessika De Clippeleer
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adjunct ,pseudocereal ,cereal ,mashing ,wort ,brewing ,Chemical technology ,TP1-1185 - Abstract
Consumers are more than ever in search of novel and exciting beer choices, and brewers are, therefore, continuously experimenting to adapt their product portfolio. One interesting way to naturally incorporate novel flavors and tastes is by using alternative adjuncts, but this is not always an easy and straightforward process. In this study, a 40% unmalted alternative adjunct (einkorn, emmer, spelt, khorasan, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, sorghum, teff, and tritordeum) or reference (barley malt, unmalted barley, and unmalted wheat) was added to 60% barley malt, after which three different laboratory mashing processes (Congress mash, Congress mash with pre-gelatinization of the adjunct, and Evans mash) were performed, and their behavior during mashing and the resulting wort characteristics were investigated in detail. Overall, the extraction process of all 10 unmalted alternative adjuncts was not complete for all three laboratory mashing processes, whereby Congress mashing resulted in the highest extract and fastest filtration, whereas Evans mashing resulted in the lowest extract and slowest filtration. Pre-gelatinization of the unmalted was generally only beneficial for adjuncts with high onset starch gelatinization temperatures. This process also inactivated endogenous enzymes in the unmalted adjuncts, which had an adverse effect on the mashing process.
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- 2023
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23. 'Playing by the Book': Determinants of Children's Preference for Replicating and Originating Play
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Van de Sompel, Dieneke and Vermeir, Iris
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Play is children's most important daily behavior and when children play, they do so in multiple ways. With two studies, this paper explores how children perceive a continuum of two play types, namely replicating play (in which models, guidelines, and examples are used to reach an intended result) and originating play (in which children create something from the mind, think freely about how they will play, are less restricted by given models, etc.). Study 1 (N = 56, M[subscript age] = 9) quantitatively shows that both play types occur and tests if children also describe the play types as we define them. Results show that children who play originating (vs. replicating) believe they follow less (vs. more) rules and do their own thing more (vs. less), which verifies the definitions of both types of play. Study 2 includes 16 in-depth semi-structured interviews (M[subscript age] = 10) and shows which determinants children identify as triggers for engaging in play that has more replicating or more originating elements.
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- 2020
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24. Innovative Practice as Interpretative Negotiation. A Case-Study on the Kamishibai in Kindergarten
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Vermeir, Karen and Kelchtermans, Geert
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Much research on educational innovations treats them as purposeful endeavours, initiated with a clear goal for improvement of practice and eventually evaluating the fidelity of their implementation as well as effectiveness. However, innovative practices in schools can have many sources and their implementation often takes a surprising and unanticipated course. In this article, we present a case study reconstructing the dynamics of an innovation that was initiated by an individual Kindergarten teacher--the introduction of an educational artefact: the kamishibai--but eventually made its way into the school as a whole. Using interviews and observations, the study demonstrates the central role of interpretative negotiation in the implementation processes of educational innovations. It disentangles the interplay of individual and collective sense-making, characteristics of the innovative artefact as well as local policy decisions. The study reveals how the meaning and the possible use of educational artefacts change and develop over time in response to changes in the organisational context.
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- 2020
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25. Vertical profiles of leaf photosynthesis and leaf traits and soil nutrients in two tropical rainforests in French Guiana before and after a 3-year nitrogen and phosphorus addition experiment
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L. T. Verryckt, S. Vicca, L. Van Langenhove, C. Stahl, D. Asensio, I. Urbina, R. Ogaya, J. Llusià, O. Grau, G. Peguero, A. Gargallo-Garriga, E. A. Courtois, O. Margalef, M. Portillo-Estrada, P. Ciais, M. Obersteiner, L. Fuchslueger, L. F. Lugli, P.-R. Fernandez-Garberí, H. Vallicrosa, M. Verlinden, C. Ranits, P. Vermeir, S. Coste, E. Verbruggen, L. Bréchet, J. Sardans, J. Chave, J. Peñuelas, and I. A. Janssens
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Environmental sciences ,GE1-350 ,Geology ,QE1-996.5 - Abstract
Terrestrial biosphere models typically use the biochemical model of Farquhar, von Caemmerer, and Berry (1980) to simulate photosynthesis, which requires accurate values of photosynthetic capacity of different biomes. However, data on tropical forests are sparse and highly variable due to the high species diversity, and it is still highly uncertain how these tropical forests respond to nutrient limitation in terms of C uptake. Tropical forests often grow on soils low in phosphorus (P) and are, in general, assumed to be P rather than nitrogen (N) limited. However, the relevance of P as a control of photosynthetic capacity is still debated. Here, we provide a comprehensive dataset of vertical profiles of photosynthetic capacity and important leaf traits, including leaf N and P concentrations, from two 3-year, large-scale nutrient addition experiments conducted in two tropical rainforests in French Guiana. These data present a unique source of information to further improve model representations of the roles of N, P, and other leaf nutrients in photosynthesis in tropical forests. To further facilitate the use of our data in syntheses and model studies, we provide an elaborate list of ancillary data, including important soil properties and nutrients, along with the leaf data. As environmental drivers are key to improve our understanding of carbon (C) and nutrient cycle interactions, this comprehensive dataset will aid to further enhance our understanding of how nutrient availability interacts with C uptake in tropical forests. The data are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5638236 (Verryckt, 2021).
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- 2022
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26. Variation in potential feeding value of triticale forage among plant fraction, maturity stage, growing season and genotype
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Anneleen De Zutter, Sofie Landschoot, Pieter Vermeir, Chris Van Waes, Hilde Muylle, Isabel Roldán-Ruiz, Laid Douidah, Johan De Boever, and Geert Haesaert
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NIRS ,Feeding value ,Digestibility ,Triticale ,Forage ,Stem ,Science (General) ,Q1-390 ,Social sciences (General) ,H1-99 - Abstract
Cereal forages, such as triticale forage, progressively gain interest as alternative crop for maize. The main study objective was to investigate the variation in potential feeding value of triticale forage among maturity stage, growing season and genotype, using total plant and stem fractions. Therefore, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was evaluated as fast screening tool. The prediction ability was good (ratio of prediction to deviation, RPD ≥3.0) for total plant residual moisture, starch, sugars and for stem crude ash (CAsh) and neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom); suitable for screening (2.0 ≤ RPD
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- 2023
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27. Innovative Rhizosphere-Based Enrichment under P-Limitation Selects for Bacterial Isolates with High-Performance P-Solubilizing Traits
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Noémie De Zutter, Maarten Ameye, Pieter Vermeir, Jan Verwaeren, Leen De Gelder, and Kris Audenaert
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biostimulants ,maize ,phosphate solubilizing bacteria ,plant growth promotion ,rhizosphere competence ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
ABSTRACT The use of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) as inoculants for the rhizosphere is a well-known strategy to mitigate P-deficiency in plants. However, despite the multiple modes of action to render P available for plants, PSB often fail to deliver in the field as their selection is often based on a single P-solubilizing trait assessed in vitro. Anticipating these shortcomings, we screened 250 isolates originating from rhizosphere-based enriched consortia for the main in vitro P-solubilizing traits, and subsequently grouped the isolates through trait-based HCPC (hierarchical clustering on principal components). Representative isolates of each cluster were tested in an in planta experiment to compare their in vitro P-solubilizing traits with their in planta performance under conditions of P-deprivation. Our data convincingly show that bacterial consortia capable to mitigate P-deficiency in planta were enriched in bacterial isolates that had multiple P-solubilizing traits in vitro and that had the capacity to mitigate plant P-stress in planta under P-deprived conditions. Furthermore, although it was assumed that bacteria that looked promising in vitro would also have a positive effect in planta, our data show that this was not always the case. Opposite, lack of performance in vitro did not automatically result in a lack of performance in planta. These results corroborate the strength of the previously described in planta-based enrichment and selection technique for the isolation of highly efficient rhizosphere competent PSB. IMPORTANCE With the growing awareness on the ecological impact of chemical phosphate fertilizers, research concerning the use of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) as a sustainable alternative for, or addition to these fertilizers is of paramount importance. In previous research, we successfully implemented a plant-based enrichment technique for PSB, which simultaneously selected for the rhizosphere competence and phosphate solubilizing characteristics of bacterial suspensions. Current research follows up on our previous findings, whereas we screened 250 rhizobacteria for their P-solubilizing traits and were able to substantiate the results obtained from the enriched suspensions at a single-isolate level. With this research, we aim for a paradigm shift toward the plant-based selection of PSB, which is a more holistic approach compared to the plate-based methods. We emphasize the strength of the previously described plant-based enrichment and selection technique for the isolation of highly efficient and diverse PSB.
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- 2022
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28. Sex disparities in food consumption patterns, dietary diversity and determinants of self-reported body weight changes before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 10 Arab countries
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Reema Tayyem, Mohammed O. Ibrahim, Hussein Mortada, Majid AlKhalaf, Khlood Bookari, Haleama Al Sabbah, Radwan Qasrawi, Iman Kamel, Somaia Dashti, Sabika Allehdan, Hiba Bawadi, Mostafa Waly, Haya Abuhijleh, Fadwa Hammouh, Narmeen Al-Awwad, Nahla Al-Bayyari, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Diala Abu Al-Halawa, Manal Othman, The Regional CORONA COOKING Survey Group, Maha Hoteit, Charlotte De Backer, Lauranna Teunissen, Kathleen Van Royen, Isabelle Cuykx, Paulien Decorte, Gaëlle Ouvrein, Karolien Poels, Heidi Vandebosch, Katrien Maldoy, Sara Pabian, Christophe Matthys, Tim Smits, Jules Vrinten, Ann DeSmet, Nelleke Teughels, Maggie Geuens, Iris Vermeir, Viktor Proesmans, Liselot Hudders, Mariam Al-Mannai, Tariq Alalwan, Elissa Naim, Rania Mansour, Nour Yazbeck, Hazem Agha, Rania Abu Seir, Jamila Arrish, Ghadir Fallata, Omar Alhumaidan, Shihana Alakeel, Norah AlBuayjan, Sarah Alkhunein, Budur Binobaydan, Aeshah Alshaya, and Ayesha Aldhaheri
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COVID-19 pandemic ,dietary diversity ,Arab countries ,sex ,body mass index ,overweight ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic along with its confinement period boosted lifestyle modifications and impacted women and men differently which exacerbated existing gender inequalities. The main objective of this paper is to assess the gender-based differentials in food consumption patterns, dietary diversity and the determinants favoring weight change before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic among Arab men and women from 10 Arab countries.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted based on a convenience sample of 12,447 households' family members (mean age: 33.2 ± 12.9; 50.1% females) and information from participants aged 18 years and above was collected about periods before and during the pandemic.ResultsFindings showed that, during the COVID-19 period, the dietary diversity, declined by 1.9% among females compared to males (0.4%) (p < 0.001) and by 1.5% among overweight participants (p < 0.001) compared to their counterparts.ConclusionsTo conclude, gender-sensitive strategies and policies to address weight gain and dietary diversity during emergent shocks and pandemics are urgently needed in the region.
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- 2022
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29. Shifts in the rhizobiome during consecutive in planta enrichment for phosphate‐solubilizing bacteria differentially affect maize P status
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Noémie De Zutter, Maarten Ameye, Jane Debode, Caroline De Tender, Sarah Ommeslag, Jan Verwaeren, Pieter Vermeir, Kris Audenaert, and Leen De Gelder
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Biotechnology ,TP248.13-248.65 - Abstract
Summary Phosphorus (P) is despite its omnipresence in soils often unavailable for plants. Rhizobacteria able to solubilize P are therefore crucial to avoid P deficiency. Selection for phosphate‐solubilizing bacteria (PSB) is frequently done in vitro; however, rhizosphere competence is herein overlooked. Therefore, we developed an in planta enrichment concept enabling simultaneous microbial selection for P‐solubilization and rhizosphere competence. We used an ecologically relevant combination of iron‐ and aluminium phosphate to select for PSB in maize (Zea mays L.). In each consecutive enrichment, plant roots were inoculated with rhizobacterial suspensions from plants that had grown in substrate with insoluble P. To assess the plants’ P statuses, non‐destructive multispectral imaging was used for quantifying anthocyanins, a proxy for maize’s P status. After the third consecutive enrichment, plants supplied with insoluble P and inoculated with rhizobacterial suspensions showed a P status similar to plants supplied with soluble P. A parallel metabarcoding approach uncovered that the improved P status in the third enrichment coincided with a shift in the rhizobiome towards bacteria with plant growth‐promoting and P‐solubilizing capacities. Finally, further consecutive enrichment led to a functional relapse hallmarked by plants with a low P status and a second shift in the rhizobiome at the level of Azospirillaceae and Rhizobiaceae.
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- 2021
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30. A Modest Proposal (in a Black Box)
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Katleen Vermeir and Ronny Heiremans
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Finance ,HG1-9999 - Published
- 2023
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31. Neurobehavioural and cognitive effects of prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds in three year old children
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Griet Vermeir, Adrian Covaci, Nik Van Larebeke, Greet Schoeters, Vera Nelen, Gudrun Koppen, and Mineke Viaene
- Subjects
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) ,P,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) ,Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) ,Dioxin-like substances ,Cord blood ,Mental development ,Pediatrics ,RJ1-570 - Abstract
Abstract Background We report data of a Belgian observational prospective cohort study regarding cognitive and behavioural development until the age of 36 months in relation to internal exposure to organochlorine pollutants [sum of polychlorinated biphenyls (sum PCB), dioxin-like activity, PCB118, PCB170, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and p,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE)] measured in cord blood. Methods Participants were recruited as part of an Flemish Environmental Health Survey (2002–2006). Two hundred and six mother-child pairs were recruited. Hundred twenty five toddlers [Reynell Taal Ontwikkelings Schalen (language development, RTOS), Snijders-Oomen Niet-verbale intelligentietest (non-verbal intelligence, SON), Bayley Scales, milestones, Infant Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ), gender specific play behaviour, Neurobehavioral Evaluation System (NES)-attentional task] and their mothers [Home Observation Measurement of the Environment (HOME), Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), general questionnaires] were tested. Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS program. Much attention was paid to confounding factors. Results In the first years of development, higher organochlorine pollutants were associated with less active children (delayed crawling: sum PCB*HCB (p
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- 2021
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32. Consumer evaluation of food quality and the role of environmental cues. A comprehensive cross-country study
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Dacinia Crina Petrescu, Iris Vermeir, Philippe Burny, and Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag
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M31 ,L15 ,Business ,HF5001-6182 - Abstract
Widely explored in literature, yet it is unclear which food quality cues consumers find most relevant. The increasing consumers’ concern for sustainability aspects in their food buying decisions warrants special attention to environmental-social aspects as food quality indicators. Consequently, this study explores consumer evaluation of food quality and highlights the role of environmental-social cues in food quality evaluation. A cross-national perspective was adopted, using a sample of 761 consumers from Belgium and Romania. Exploratory factor analysis reveals six factors that contained food quality cues perceived as similar by consumers. The first factor, named “Environmental-Social”, comprises cues related to environmental protection and social equity. Regression analyses indicate a set of variables that can predict the perceived relevance of environmental-social cues in food quality evaluation. The present study contributes to understanding of consumer food quality evaluation by extending the analysis to a large number (59) of food quality cues. From a practical stance, the study can guide managers’ efforts to enhance environmentally sustainable behavior based on the relevance of environmental-social cues in consumers’ food quality evaluation.
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- 2022
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33. Food Media and Dietary Behavior in a Belgian Adult Sample: How Obtaining Information From Food Media Sources Associates With Dietary Behavior
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Viktor Lowie Juliaan Proesmans, Iris Vermeir, Charlotte de Backer, and Maggie Geuens
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media ,nutrition ,public health ,dietary preferences ,influencer ,celebrity chef ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
Objective: We aim to relate Flemish adults’ main food information sources (e.g., celebrity chefs, experts) with their dietary behavior.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey among 1115 Flemish adults who regularly cook, measured the food information sources the respondents used to obtain recipes, their dietary intake and dietary restrictions. Ordinal and logistic regression were used to investigate the relation between food media, dietary intake and dietary restrictions.Results: Celebrity chefs were mentioned most often (37%) as main food information source, followed by family and acquaintances (21%) and lifestyle gurus (12%). Using lifestyle gurus as a source of dietary information is associated with more dietary restrictions and a higher intake frequency of plant-based food groups, whereas using celebrity chefs or experts is associated with a different (but less unequivocal vegetarian or healthy) dietary intake.Conclusion: Media icons like lifestyle gurus and celebrity chefs appear to be among people’s main sources of food information. There is a significant association between using them as a source of food information and dietary behavior. Further research on the influence of media on diet is required.
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- 2022
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34. Beliefs and Actions Towards an Environmental Ethical Life: The Christianity-Environment Nexus Reflected in a Cross-National Analysis
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Petrescu-Mag, Ruxandra Malina, Ana, Adrian, Vermeir, Iris, and Petrescu, Dacinia Crina
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- 2020
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35. Dietary Diversity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Disparities, Challenges, and Mitigation Measures
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Maha Hoteit, Hussein Mortada, Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh, Rania Mansour, Batoul Yazbeck, Majid AlKhalaf, Khlood Bookari, Reema Tayyem, Narmeen J. Al-Awwad, Haleama Al Sabbah, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Radwan Qasrawi, Rania Abu Seir, Iman Kamel, Somaia Dashti, Sabika Allehdan, Mariam Al-Mannai, Hiba Bawadi, Mostafa Waly, The Regional CORONA COOKING Survey Group, Charlotte De Backer, Kathleen Van Royen, Lauranna Teunissen, Isabelle Cuykx, Paulien Decorte, Gaëlle Ouvrein, Karolien Poels, Heidi Vandebosch, Katrien Maldoy, Sara Pabian, Christophe Matthys, Tim Smits, Jules Vrinten, Ann DeSmet, Nelleke Teughels, Maggie Geuens, Iris Vermeir, Viktor Proesmans, Liselot Hudders, Tariq Abdulkarim Alalwan, Nahla Al-Bayyari, Mohammed O. Ibrahim, Fadwa Hammouh, Basma Dashti, Dhuha Alkharaif, Amani Alshatti, Maryam Al Mazedi, Elissa Naim, Carla Ibrahim, Motasem Hamdan, Diala Abu Al Halawa, Hazem Agha, Manal Othman, Jaafar Pakari, Allam Abu Farha, Rasha Abu-El-Ruz, Jamila Arrish, Zainab Taha, and Ayesha Aldhaheri
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COVID-19 pandemic ,dietary diversity ,Eastern Mediterranean region ,food consumption score ,mitigation measures ,Nutrition. Foods and food supply ,TX341-641 - Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the Eastern Mediterranean Region's food system's fragility posing severe challenges to maintaining healthy sustainable lifestyle. The aim of this cross-sectional study (N = 13,527 household's family members, mean age: 30.3 ±11.6, 80% women) is to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food consumption patterns and household's dietary diversity in 10 Eastern Mediterranean countries. A food frequency questionnaire was used to investigate the consumption patterns along with the calculation of the Food Consumption Score (FCS), a proxy indicator of dietary diversity. Data collected on cooking attitudes, shopping and food stock explore the community mitigation measures. In the overall population, before and during the pandemic, most food groups were consumed less or equal to 4 times per week. As evident from our findings and considering that the pandemic may be better, but it's not over, small to moderate changes in food consumption patterns in relatively short time periods can become permanent and lead to substantial poor dietary diversity over time. While it is a priority to mitigate the immediate impact, one area of great concern is the long-term effects of this pandemic on dietary patterns and dietary diversity in Eastern Mediterranean households. To conclude, the COVID-19 crisis revealed the region's unpreparedness to deal with a pandemic. While the aggressive containment strategy was essential for most countries to help prevent the spread, it came at a high nutritional cost, driving poor dietary diversity.
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- 2022
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36. Gamified Web-Delivered Attentional Bias Modification Training for Adults With Chronic Pain: Protocol for a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
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Julie F Vermeir, Melanie J White, Daniel Johnson, Geert Crombez, and Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem
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Medicine ,Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics ,R858-859.7 - Abstract
BackgroundTo date, research has found variable success in using attentional bias modification training (ABMT) procedures in pain samples. Several factors could contribute to these mixed findings, including boredom and low motivation. Indeed, training paradigms are repetitive, which can lead to disengagement and high dropout rates. A potential approach to overcoming some of these barriers is to attempt to increase motivation and engagement through gamification (ie, the use of game elements) of this procedure. To date, research has yet to explore the gamified format of ABMT for chronic pain and its potential for the transfer of benefits. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a gamified web-delivered ABMT intervention in a sample of adults with chronic pain via a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. MethodsA total of 120 adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain, recruited from clinical (hospital outpatient waiting list) and nonclinical (wider community) settings, will be included in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to complete 6 web-based sessions of dot-probe nongamified sham control ABMT, nongamified standard ABMT, or gamified ABMT across a period of 3 weeks. Active ABMT conditions will aim to train attention away from pain-relevant words. Participant outcomes will be assessed at pretraining, during training, immediately after training, and at the 1-month follow-up. Primary outcomes include pain intensity, pain interference, and behavioral and self-reported engagement. Secondary outcomes include attentional bias for pain, anxiety, depression, interpretation bias for pain, and perceived improvement. ResultsThe ethical aspects of this research project have been approved by the human research ethics committees of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (HREC/2020/QRBW/61743) and Queensland University of Technology (2000000395). Study recruitment commenced in August 2021 and is ongoing. Data collection and analysis are expected to be concluded by October 2022 and January 2023, respectively. ConclusionsThis trial will be the first to evaluate the effects of gamification techniques in a pain ABMT intervention. The findings will provide important information on the potential therapeutic benefits of gamified pain ABMT programs, shed light on the motivational influences of certain game elements in the context of pain, and advance our understanding of chronic pain. Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000803998; https://anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12620000803998.aspx International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/32359
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- 2022
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37. Comparison of Quantitative Mineralogy and Sequential Leaching for Characterization of Ni in Workplace Dust Collected at a Stainless Steel Operation
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Michelle Kelvin, Steven Verpaele, Matthew Leybourne, Daniel Layton-Matthews, and Pieter Vermeir
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Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Published
- 2022
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38. Barriers to Full Participation in the Open Science Life Cycle among Early Career Researchers
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Natasha J. Gownaris, Koen Vermeir, Martin-Immanuel Bittner, Lasith Gunawardena, Sandeep Kaur-Ghumaan, Robert Lepenies, Godswill Ntsomboh Ntsefong, and Ibrahim Sidi Zakari
- Subjects
barriers ,early career researcher ,open data ,open publishing ,open science ,reproducibility ,Science (General) ,Q1-390 - Abstract
Open science (OS) is currently dominated by a small subset of practices that occur late in the scientific process. Early career researchers (ECRs) will play a key role in transitioning the scientific community to more widespread use of OS from pre-registration to publication, but they also face unique challenges in adopting these practices. Here, we discuss these challenges across the OS life cycle. Our essay relies on the published literature, an informal survey of 32 ECRs from 14 countries, and discussions among members of the Global Working Group on Open Science (Global Young Academy and National Young Academies). We break the OS life cycle into four stages—study design and tracking (pre-registration, open processes), data collection (citizen science, open hardware, open software, open data), publication (open access publishing, open peer review, open data), and outreach (open educational resources, citizen science)—and map potential barriers at each stage. The most frequently discussed barriers across the OS life cycle were a lack of awareness and training, prohibitively high time commitments, and restrictions and/or a lack of incentives by supervisors. We found that OS practices are highly fragmented and that awareness is particularly low for OS practices that occur during the study design and tracking stage, possibly creating ‘path-dependencies’ that reduce the likelihood of OS practices at later stages. We note that, because ECRs face unique barriers to adopting OS, there is a need for specifically targeted policies such as mandatory training at the graduate level and promotion incentives.
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- 2022
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39. Aerobes and phototrophs as microbial organic fertilizers: Exploring mineralization, fertilization and plant protection features.
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Eva Wambacq, Abbas Alloul, Oliver Grunert, Jasper Carrette, Pieter Vermeir, Janne Spanoghe, Myrsini Sakarika, Siegfried E Vlaeminck, and Geert Haesaert
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Organic fertilizers and especially microbial biomass, also known as microbial fertilizer, can enable a paradigm shift to the conventional fertilizer-to-food chain, particularly when produced on secondary resources. Microbial fertilizers are already common practice (e.g. Bloom® and Synagro); yet microbial fertilizer blends to align the nutrient release profile to the plant's needs are, thus far, unexplored. Moreover, most research only focuses on direct fertilization effects without considering added value properties, such as disease prevention. This study has explored three promising types of microbial fertilizers, namely dried biomass from a consortium of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, a microalga (Arthrospira platensis) and a purple non-sulfur bacterium (Rhodobacter sphaeroides). Mineralization and nitrification experiments showed that the nitrogen mineralization profile can be tuned to the plant's needs by blending microbial fertilizers, without having toxic ammonium peaks. In a pot trial with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), the performance of microbial fertilizers was similar to the reference organic fertilizer, with cumulative dry matter yields of 5.6-6.7 g per pot. This was confirmed in a pot trial with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), showing an average total plant length of 90-99 cm after a growing period of 62 days for the reference organic fertilizer and the microbial fertilizers. Moreover, tomato plants artificially infected with powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici), a devastating disease for the horticultural industry, showed reduced disease symptoms when A. platensis was present in the growing medium. These findings strengthen the application potential of this novel class of organic fertilizers in the bioeconomy, with a promising match between nutrient mineralization and plant requirements as well as added value in crop protection.
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- 2022
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40. Neurobehavioural and cognitive effects of prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds in three year old children
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Vermeir, Griet, Covaci, Adrian, Van Larebeke, Nik, Schoeters, Greet, Nelen, Vera, Koppen, Gudrun, and Viaene, Mineke
- Published
- 2021
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41. Characterizing and Extending Answer Set Semantics using Possibility Theory
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Bauters, Kim, Schockaert, Steven, De Cock, Martine, and Vermeir, Dirk
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Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence ,Computer Science - Logic in Computer Science ,D.1.6 ,F.1.3 - Abstract
Answer Set Programming (ASP) is a popular framework for modeling combinatorial problems. However, ASP cannot easily be used for reasoning about uncertain information. Possibilistic ASP (PASP) is an extension of ASP that combines possibilistic logic and ASP. In PASP a weight is associated with each rule, where this weight is interpreted as the certainty with which the conclusion can be established when the body is known to hold. As such, it allows us to model and reason about uncertain information in an intuitive way. In this paper we present new semantics for PASP, in which rules are interpreted as constraints on possibility distributions. Special models of these constraints are then identified as possibilistic answer sets. In addition, since ASP is a special case of PASP in which all the rules are entirely certain, we obtain a new characterization of ASP in terms of constraints on possibility distributions. This allows us to uncover a new form of disjunction, called weak disjunction, that has not been previously considered in the literature. In addition to introducing and motivating the semantics of weak disjunction, we also pinpoint its computational complexity. In particular, while the complexity of most reasoning tasks coincides with standard disjunctive ASP, we find that brave reasoning for programs with weak disjunctions is easier., Comment: 39 pages and 16 pages appendix with proofs. This article has been accepted for publication in Theory and Practice of Logic Programming, Copyright Cambridge University Press
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- 2013
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42. Possibilistic Answer Set Programming Revisited
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Bauters, Kim, Schockaert, Steven, De Cock, Martine, and Vermeir, Dirk
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Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence - Abstract
Possibilistic answer set programming (PASP) extends answer set programming (ASP) by attaching to each rule a degree of certainty. While such an extension is important from an application point of view, existing semantics are not well-motivated, and do not always yield intuitive results. To develop a more suitable semantics, we first introduce a characterization of answer sets of classical ASP programs in terms of possibilistic logic where an ASP program specifies a set of constraints on possibility distributions. This characterization is then naturally generalized to define answer sets of PASP programs. We furthermore provide a syntactic counterpart, leading to a possibilistic generalization of the well-known Gelfond-Lifschitz reduct, and we show how our framework can readily be implemented using standard ASP solvers., Comment: Appears in Proceedings of the Twenty-Sixth Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence (UAI2010)
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- 2012
43. Expressiveness of Communication in Answer Set Programming
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Bauters, Kim, Janssen, Jeroen, Schockaert, Steven, Vermeir, Dirk, and De Cock, Martine
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Computer Science - Logic in Computer Science ,Computer Science - Programming Languages ,D.1.6 ,F.1.3 - Abstract
Answer set programming (ASP) is a form of declarative programming that allows to succinctly formulate and efficiently solve complex problems. An intuitive extension of this formalism is communicating ASP, in which multiple ASP programs collaborate to solve the problem at hand. However, the expressiveness of communicating ASP has not been thoroughly studied. In this paper, we present a systematic study of the additional expressiveness offered by allowing ASP programs to communicate. First, we consider a simple form of communication where programs are only allowed to ask questions to each other. For the most part, we deliberately only consider simple programs, i.e. programs for which computing the answer sets is in P. We find that the problem of deciding whether a literal is in some answer set of a communicating ASP program using simple communication is NP-hard. In other words: we move up a step in the polynomial hierarchy due to the ability of these simple ASP programs to communicate and collaborate. Second, we modify the communication mechanism to also allow us to focus on a sequence of communicating programs, where each program in the sequence may successively remove some of the remaining models. This mimics a network of leaders, where the first leader has the first say and may remove models that he or she finds unsatisfactory. Using this particular communication mechanism allows us to capture the entire polynomial hierarchy. This means, in particular, that communicating ASP could be used to solve problems that are above the second level of the polynomial hierarchy, such as some forms of abductive reasoning as well as PSPACE-complete problems such as STRIPS planning., Comment: 35 pages. This article has been accepted for publication in Theory and Practice of Logic Programming, Copyright Cambridge University Press
- Published
- 2011
44. Reducing Fuzzy Answer Set Programming to Model Finding in Fuzzy Logics
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Janssen, Jeroen, Schockaert, Steven, Vermeir, Dirk, and De Cock, Martine
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Computer Science - Programming Languages ,Computer Science - Logic in Computer Science ,68N17 - Abstract
In recent years answer set programming has been extended to deal with multi-valued predicates. The resulting formalisms allows for the modeling of continuous problems as elegantly as ASP allows for the modeling of discrete problems, by combining the stable model semantics underlying ASP with fuzzy logics. However, contrary to the case of classical ASP where many efficient solvers have been constructed, to date there is no efficient fuzzy answer set programming solver. A well-known technique for classical ASP consists of translating an ASP program $P$ to a propositional theory whose models exactly correspond to the answer sets of $P$. In this paper, we show how this idea can be extended to fuzzy ASP, paving the way to implement efficient fuzzy ASP solvers that can take advantage of existing fuzzy logic reasoners. To appear in Theory and Practice of Logic Programming (TPLP).
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- 2011
45. From Biogas and Hydrogen to Microbial Protein Through Co-Cultivation of Methane and Hydrogen Oxidizing Bacteria
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Frederiek-Maarten Kerckhof, Myrsini Sakarika, Marie Van Giel, Maarten Muys, Pieter Vermeir, Jo De Vrieze, Siegfried E. Vlaeminck, Korneel Rabaey, and Nico Boon
- Subjects
single-cell protein (SCP) ,methanotroph communities ,hydrogenotroph ,hydrogen oxidizing bacteria ,synthetic community ,sustainable protein ,Biotechnology ,TP248.13-248.65 - Abstract
Increasing efforts are directed towards the development of sustainable alternative protein sources among which microbial protein (MP) is one of the most promising. Especially when waste streams are used as substrates, the case for MP could become environmentally favorable. The risks of using organic waste streams for MP production–the presence of pathogens or toxicants–can be mitigated by their anaerobic digestion and subsequent aerobic assimilation of the (filter-sterilized) biogas. Even though methane and hydrogen oxidizing bacteria (MOB and HOB) have been intensively studied for MP production, the potential benefits of their co-cultivation remain elusive. Here, we isolated a diverse group of novel HOB (that were capable of autotrophic metabolism), and co-cultured them with a defined set of MOB, which could be grown on a mixture of biogas and H2/O2. The combination of MOB and HOB, apart from the CH4 and CO2 contained in biogas, can also enable the valorization of the CO2 that results from the oxidation of methane by the MOB. Different MOB and HOB combinations were grown in serum vials to identify the best-performing ones. We observed synergistic effects on growth for several combinations, and in all combinations a co-culture consisting out of both HOB and MOB could be maintained during five days of cultivation. Relative to the axenic growth, five out of the ten co-cultures exhibited 1.1–3.8 times higher protein concentration and two combinations presented 2.4–6.1 times higher essential amino acid content. The MP produced in this study generally contained lower amounts of the essential amino acids histidine, lysine and threonine, compared to tofu and fishmeal. The most promising combination in terms of protein concentration and essential amino acid profile was Methyloparacoccus murrelli LMG 27482 with Cupriavidus necator LMG 1201. Microbial protein from M. murrelli and C. necator requires 27–67% less quantity than chicken, whole egg and tofu, while it only requires 15% more quantity than the amino acid-dense soybean to cover the needs of an average adult. In conclusion, while limitations still exist, the co-cultivation of MOB and HOB creates an alternative route for MP production leveraging safe and sustainably-produced gaseous substrates.
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- 2021
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46. Open Answer Set Programming with Guarded Programs
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Heymans, Stijn, Van Nieuwenborgh, Davy, and Vermeir, Dirk
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Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence ,I.2.3 ,I.2.4 - Abstract
Open answer set programming (OASP) is an extension of answer set programming where one may ground a program with an arbitrary superset of the program's constants. We define a fixed point logic (FPL) extension of Clark's completion such that open answer sets correspond to models of FPL formulas and identify a syntactic subclass of programs, called (loosely) guarded programs. Whereas reasoning with general programs in OASP is undecidable, the FPL translation of (loosely) guarded programs falls in the decidable (loosely) guarded fixed point logic (mu(L)GF). Moreover, we reduce normal closed ASP to loosely guarded OASP, enabling for the first time, a characterization of an answer set semantics by muLGF formulas. We further extend the open answer set semantics for programs with generalized literals. Such generalized programs (gPs) have interesting properties, e.g., the ability to express infinity axioms. We restrict the syntax of gPs such that both rules and generalized literals are guarded. Via a translation to guarded fixed point logic, we deduce 2-exptime-completeness of satisfiability checking in such guarded gPs (GgPs). Bound GgPs are restricted GgPs with exptime-complete satisfiability checking, but still sufficiently expressive to optimally simulate computation tree logic (CTL). We translate Datalog lite programs to GgPs, establishing equivalence of GgPs under an open answer set semantics, alternation-free muGF, and Datalog lite., Comment: 51 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in ACM's TOCL
- Published
- 2006
47. Communication satisfaction and job satisfaction among critical care nurses and their impact on burnout and intention to leave: A questionnaire study
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Vermeir, P., Blot, S., Degroote, S., Vandijck, D., Mariman, A., Vanacker, T., Peleman, R., Verhaeghe, R., and Vogelaers, D.
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- 2018
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48. An Exact Solution Approach for the Bus Line Planning Problem with Integrated Passenger Routing
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Evert Vermeir, Wouter Engelen, Johan Philips, and Pieter Vansteenwegen
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Transportation engineering ,TA1001-1280 ,Transportation and communications ,HE1-9990 - Abstract
The bus line planning problem or transit network design problem with integrated passenger routing is a challenging combinatorial problem. Although well-known benchmark instances for this problem have been available for decades, the state of the art lacks optimal solutions for these instances. The branch and bound algorithm, presented in this paper, introduces three novel concepts to determine these optimal solutions: (1) a new line pool generation method based on dominance, (2) the introduction of essential links, i.e., links which can be determined beforehand and must be present in the optimal solution, and (3) a new network representation based on adding only extra edges. Next to presenting the newly obtained optimal solutions, each of the abovementioned concepts is examined in isolation in the experiments, and it is shown that they contribute significantly to the success of the algorithm.
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- 2021
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49. Preferred Answer Sets for Ordered Logic Programs
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Van Nieuwenborgh, Davy and Vermeir, Dirk
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Computer Science - Logic in Computer Science ,Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence - Abstract
We extend answer set semantics to deal with inconsistent programs (containing classical negation), by finding a ``best'' answer set. Within the context of inconsistent programs, it is natural to have a partial order on rules, representing a preference for satisfying certain rules, possibly at the cost of violating less important ones. We show that such a rule order induces a natural order on extended answer sets, the minimal elements of which we call preferred answer sets. We characterize the expressiveness of the resulting semantics and show that it can simulate negation as failure, disjunction and some other formalisms such as logic programs with ordered disjunction. The approach is shown to be useful in several application areas, e.g. repairing database, where minimal repairs correspond to preferred answer sets. To appear in Theory and Practice of Logic Programming (TPLP)., Comment: To appear in Theory and Practice of Logic Programming (TPLP)
- Published
- 2004
50. Artifacts as Authoritative Actors in Educational Reform
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März, Virginie, Kelchtermans, Geert, and Vermeir, Karen
- Abstract
Educational reforms are often translated in and implemented through artifacts. Although research has frequently treated artifacts as merely functional, more recent work acknowledges the complex relationship between material artifacts and human/organizational behavior. This article aims at disentangling this relationship in order to deepen our understanding of the role of artifacts within processes of educational change. In particular, we study the implementation of a data-transfer instrument developed to stimulate care continuity between primary and secondary schools. In order to understand an artifact's authority and to unravel its role in processes of innovation, we turned to organizational routines and neo-institutional theory. Drawing on data from an artifact analysis and semi-structured interviews, this article reports how this artifact not only transfers data, but also changed the discursive interactions (routines) in the school team around care. From an institutional perspective, implementing the artifact can be viewed as an answer to institutional forces that are pressurizing organizations to conform to particular ideas of what care and care continuity should ideally look like. The use of the artifact contributed to the schools' organizational legitimacy by serving their symbolic needs and it enabled them to position themselves towards stakeholders, parents and other schools as a truly legitimate school.
- Published
- 2017
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