Bed level motions and sheet flow processes in the swash zone: Observations with a new conductivity-based concentration measuring technique (CCM+)

Detailed measurements of bed level motions and sheet flow processes in the lower swash are presented. The measurements are obtained during a large-scale wave flume experiment focusing on swash zone sediment transport induced by bichromatic waves. A new instrument (CCM+) provides detailed phase-averaged measurements of sheet flow concentrations, particle velocities, and bed level evolution during a complete swash cycle. The bed at the lower swash location shows a clear pattern of rapid erosion during the early uprush and progressive accretion during the middle backwash phase. Sheet flow occurs during the early uprush and mid and late backwash phases. Sheet flow sediment fluxes during these instances are highest in the pick-up layer. Sediment entrainment from the pick-up layer occurs not only during instances of high horizontal shear velocities but also in occurrence of wave–backwash interactions. As opposed to oscillatory sheet flow, the pivot point elevation of the sheet flow layer is time-varying during a swash event. Moreover, the upper sheet flow layer concentrations do not mirror the concentrations in the pick-up layer. Both differences suggest that in the lower swash zone the dynamics of the upper sheet flow layer are not only controlled by vertical sediment exchange (such as in oscillatory sheet flows) but are strongly affected by horizontal advection processes induced by the non-uniformity of the flow

Thirty years of heart transplantation at the University Medical Centre Utrecht.

PURPOSE: To analyse patient demographics, indications, survival and donor characteristics for heart transplantation (HTx) during the past 30 years at the University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMCU). METHODS: Data have been prospectively collected for all patients who underwent HTx at the UMCU from 1985 until 2015. Patients who were included underwent orthotopic HTx at an age >14 years. RESULTS: In total, 489 hearts have been transplanted since 1985; 120 patients (25%) had left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation prior to HTx. A shift from ischaemic heart disease to dilated cardiomyopathy has been seen as the leading indication for HTx since the year 2000. Median age at HTx was 49 years (range 16-68). Median waiting time and donor age have also increased from 40 to 513 days and from 27 to 44 years respectively (range 11-65). Donor cause of death is now primarily stroke, in contrast to head and brain injury in earlier years. Estimated median survival is 15.4 years (95% confidence interval 14.2-16.6) There is better survival throughout these years. CONCLUSION: Over the past 30 years, patient and donor demographics and underlying diseases have shifted substantially. Furthermore, the increase in waiting time due to lack of available donor hearts has led to a rise in the use of LVADs as bridge to transplant. Importantly, an improvement in survival rates is found over time which could be explained by better immunosuppressive therapy and improvements in follow-up care

Bias in interview judgments of stigmatized applicants: a dual process approach

The abundance of research on interview discrimination has resulted in the conventional wisdom that stigmatizing applicant characteristics elicit biased interview judgments. Although this finding is robust across a wide variety of stigmatized groups, and despite the social importance of this effect, currently we lack understanding of the processes driving these biased decisions. The present dissertation contributes to the literature on personnel selection by investigating the mechanisms that drive bias in the job interviewer’s decision-making process. This dissertation starts by presenting an overview of the current understanding of interview bias, and highlights the challenges that need to be addressed by future research. Next, building on research from social- and cognitive psychology, a dual-process framework of interview bias is presented. Propositions from this framework will guide the present dissertation and will be investigated in several empirical studies. The introduction concludes with an overview of the chapters and empirical studies of this dissertation

Highlighting tensions in recruitment and selection research and practice

In this article we highlight five tensions that exist in recruitment and selection (R&S) research and practice today and that are centered around the 'efficiency press' and so called 'research-practice' gap. Identified tensions are desires for (1) innovation and efficiency, (2) customization and consistency, (3) transparency and effectiveness, (4) wide-reach and coherence, and (5) diversity and standardization. Each tension is illustrated with findings from the five studies of this Special Issue that were presented at the third meeting of the European Network of Selection Researchers (August 2014), and supplemented with empirical data on the research-practice gap in R&S (period 2009-2013). We consider how we might move forward in addressing the 'efficiency press' in research as well as managing these tensions in practice

Application of knowledge network analysis to identify knowledge sharing bottlenecks at an engineering firm

The knowledge of an organization’s employees is a valuable asset. Therefore organizations should ensure that their employees share their knowledge among each other. Knowledge exchanges between employees can be modelled as a network of relationships. To study these networks we have developed the Knowledge Network Analysis technique, which is based on Social Network Analysis and supports visual as well as quantitative analysis of knowledge networks. The goal of this technique is to identify bottlenecks in knowledge sharing in a particular knowledge area. In this paper we present the results of the application of Knowledge Network Analysis in an explorative case study. The goal of the case study is to explore the usefulness of Knowledge Network Analysis in identifying knowledge sharing bottlenecks. The case study results in a deeper understanding of how to translate the characteristics of the knowledge network and the employees in this network to the context of the case study organization. Moreover, the case study results have also been used to formulate recommendations to improve knowledge sharing at the case study organization

Whole-genome expression Profiling in skin reveals sYK as a Key regulator of inflammation in experimental epidermolysis Bullosa acquisita

Because of the morbidity and limited therapeutic options of autoimmune diseases, there is a high, and thus far, unmet medical need for development of novel treatments. Pemphigoid diseases, such as epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA), are prototypical autoimmune diseases that are caused by autoantibodies targeting structural proteins of the skin, leading to inflammation, mediated by myeloid cells. To identify novel treatment targets, we performed cutaneous genome-wide mRNA expression profiling in 190 out-bred mice after EBA induction. Comparison of genome-wide mRNA expression profiles in diseased and healthy mice, and construction of a co-expression network identified Sykb (spleen tyrosine kinase, SYK) as a major hub gene. Aligned, pharmacological SYK inhibition protected mice from experimental EBA. Using lineage-specific SYK-deficient mice, we identified SYK expression on myeloid cells to be required to induce EBA. Within the predicted co-expression network, interactions of Sykb with several partners (e.g., Tlr13, Jdp2, and Nfkbid) were validated by curated databases. Additionally, novel gene interaction partners of SYK were experimentally validated. Collectively, our results identify SYK expression in myeloid cells as a requirement to promote inflammation in autoantibody-driven pathologies. This should encourage exploitation of SYK and SYK-regulated genes as potential therapeutic targets for EBA and potentially other autoantibody-mediated diseases