Prioriteitstelling onderzoeksvragen weidevogels

In september 2008 heeft het secretariaat van de Kenniskring aan Alterra verzocht om samen met een aantal leden van de kenniskring een beknopt overzicht te maken van de huidige kennis op het gebied van het Weidevogelonderzoek. Specifiek gewenste acties waren: het opstellen van een overzicht van de bestaande kennis, het organiseren van een bijeenkomst met deskundigen op het gebied van ecologisch weidevogelonderzoek en het opstellen van een notitie met onderzoeksonderwerpen en prioriteiten

An analysis of external finance availability on SMEs’ decision making:a case study of the emerging market of Poland.

This article explores an understanding of the entrepreneurial behavior of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Poland, one of the emerging markets of the European Union, during the recent period of economic slowdown. It considers the role of accessibility to external financial resources in shaping decisions undertaken by such enterprises. The hypothesis is that, in a period of economic slowdown, SMEs that have difficulty in accessing external sources of financing adopt different strategies than those that have free access to those resources. The findings indicate that access to the external sources of financing is a statistically significant factor determining decisions of SMEs in relation to employment reduction, price reductions on goods/services, suspension of previously planned investments, and an increase in the level of salaries. Consequently, the study is important as it considers factors that impact the success and survival of SMEs in the emerging market; it is also unique, as it investigates these aspects in the recent period of the global economic downturn. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Functional performance of mobile versus fixed bearing total knee prostheses: a randomised controlled trial

PURPOSE: The primary goal of this study was to assess the difference in active flexion between patients with a mobile versus a fixed bearing, cruciate retaining, and total knee arthroplasty. The study was designed as a randomised controlled multi-centre trial. METHODS: Participants were assigned to interventions by using block-stratified, random allocation. Outcome parameters were active flexion, passive flexion, and Knee Society Score (KSS). Outcome parameters were assessed preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively by an independent nurse. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients from one centre were included, 46 in each group. Active flexion was comparable for the two groups, 99.9° for the mobile bearing group and 101° for the fixed bearing group with a baseline controlled difference of 1.0 (95% CI −3.9 to 5.8, n.s.). The Clinical KSS was comparable between the two bearing groups (Mobile 90.0 vs. fixed 92.4, n.s.). The functional KSS showed a difference that was attributable to the stair climbing subscore, which showed a difference in favour of the fixed bearing design between preoperative and 3 months (7.3 point difference; 95% CI 2.3–12.5; P = 0.005) as well as 12 months (4.8 point difference; 95% CI 0.1–9.6; P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: There were no short-term differences in active flexion between fixed bearing and mobile bearing total knee arthroplasty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I