Flemish Regions Research Articles

Micro-geographic distribution of Y-chromosomal variation in the central-western European region Brabant

One of the future issues in the forensic application of the haploid Y-chromosome (Y-chr) is surveying the distribution of the Y-chr variation on a micro-geographical scale. Studies on such a scale require observing Y-chr variation on a high resolution, high sampling efforts and reliable genealogical data of all DNA-donors. In the current study we optimised this framework by surveying the micro-geographical distribution of the Y-chr variation in the central-western European region named Brabant. The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries containing three contemporary Belgian provinces and one Dutch province (Noord-Brabant). 477 males from five a priori defined regions within Brabant were selected based on their genealogical ancestry (known pedigree at least before 1800). The Y-haplotypes were determined based on 37 Y-STR loci and the finest possible level of substructuring was defined according to the latest published Y-chr phylogenetic tree. In total, eight Y-haplogroups and 32 different subhaplogroups were observed, whereby 70% of all participants belonged to only four subhaplogroups: R1b1b2a1 (R-U106), R1b1b2a2* (R-P312*), R1b1b2a2g (R-U152) and I1* (I-M253*). Significant micro-geographical differentiation within Brabant was detected between the Dutch (Noord-Brabant) vs. the Flemish regions based on the differences in (sub)haplogroup frequencies but not based on Y-STR variation within the main subhaplogroups. A clear gradient was found with higher frequencies of R1b1b2 (R-M269) chromosomes in the northern vs. southern regions, mainly related to a trend in the frequency of R1b1b2a1 (R-U106).

PEGASE, AN INTEGRATED RIVER/BASIN MODEL DEDICATED TO SURFACE WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT: APPLICATION TO COCAINE

The scientists of the Aquapôle of the University of Liège have been involved in environmental modeling for more than 20 years. Among other, its current R&D unit focuses on the compartment of surface water, and – for modeling processes – is specialized on the water quality. One of its environmental models, called PEGASE (Planification Et Gestion de l’ASsainissement des Eaux), French acronym for “Planning and management of water purification” is devoted to the modeling of the environmental state of surface water, at different scales from small watersheds (10 km2) and basins up to entire transnational Districts (more than 100.000 km2). The software is used operationally by several administrations (Agencies and Ministries) mainly through Europe (France and Benelux, Germany …), and several calculations have also been performed at international District levels for international commissions (Scheldt, Meuse, Moselle …).Recently, the PEGASE model has been adapted to describe the cocaine’s behavior (using a stable metabolite of the cocaine in the environment: the benzoylecgonine) in waste water, waste water treatment plants (WWTP) and surface water. The cocaine is newly described in the model as an additional micropollutant (Pegase already treats numerous heavy metals), thanks to the implementation of new state variable equations and their specific parameterizations. At a first stage, only the urban sources (releases associated to the consumption by inhabitants) were considered as the industrial releases and the soil loads are assumed to be negligible. Simulations of benzoylecgonine have been done in the Walloon and Flemish regions, where many measurements from the COWAT project were available.These first results are showing a good agreement between calculated and measured values. This ability of the model to simulate the fate of the cocaine derivatives in surface waters should be continued and extended to other metabolites.

The importance of forest type when incorporating forest edge deposition in the evaluation of critical load exceedance

This paper provides an assessment of the effect of incorporating edge deposition in the evaluation of critical load exceedance in forests, taking into account pollutant type, meteorological conditions, edge orientation, and forest type. In particular we have calculated critical load exceedance in five Flemish regions differing in forest fragmentation extent and/or share of coniferous forest.

From environment and health data to policy-making: the case of DDE in Belgium

One of the key challenges in environment and health research is the measurement and interpretation of this complex relation, whereas one of the key challenges in environment and health policy-making is the translation of environment and health data to policy measures. In this paper, we describe a process in which these two challenges are integrated: the interpretation of human biomonitoring results for policy-making. We present work of the Flemish Centre for Health and Environment, working directly for the Flemish government. The Centre investigates the relation between environmental pollution and human health by measuring pollutants and health effects in (over 4000) Flemish inhabitants. A major challenge concerns the translation of these human biomonitoring data to policy measures. For this purpose, medical, environmental and social experts and policy representatives cooperatively developed an action plan. Part of this action plan is expert and stakeholder consultation. In 2006, a first pilot on measurements of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) (a metabolite of DDT) was concluded: with respect to two Flemish regions, the results were further investigated and discussed as a basis for policy measures. We present the results of this pilot, the policy response and the conclusions about the process of translating environment and health data to policy-making.

Changing Patterns of Familial Sociability: Family Members as Witnesses to (Re)marriage in Nineteenth-Century Flanders

Based on research in three Flemish communities, the author concluded that during the course of the second part of the nineteenth century, there was an increasing trend toward choosing family members as witnesses to the marriage ceremony (of first marriages). This was interpreted as an aspect of the "familiarization" of marriage. It might also, however refer to changing family contexts and social networks, to switching roles of parents and youth, to shifting intergenerational power, and to new family situations of solidarity and conflict. In this follow-up study, the author demonstrates that the former conclusions also hold true for other Flemish regions, for all social groups, and for remarriages. It also appears that marrying people increasingly selected brothers and brothers-in-law as witnesses, rather than descending or ascending kin. These observations support the thesis of the increasing familiarization of family relations during the course of the nineteenth century.

Comparison of CALUX-TEQ values with PCB and PCDD/F measurements in human serum of the Flanders Environmental and Health Study (FLEHS)

In 1999, a campaign of the Flemish Ministry of Health, Belgium was set up to assess pollutant concentrations and related health effect biomarkers in humans living in two regions of Flanders. The study was called the ‘Flemish Environment and Health Study’ (FLEHS). Concentrations of selected organochiorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDD) and flirans (PCDF) were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in 47 pooled human serum samples originating from 200 individual women between 50 and 65 years living in two Flemish regions. The CALUX® (Chemical-Activated Luciferase gene eXpression) bioassay was assessed on the same pools. The correlation between CALUX-TEQ and total TEQ (sum of PCDD/PCDF, non- and mono- ortho PCBs) varied from 0.43 to 0.73 for the rural and urban region, respectively. The mean value for the total TBQ (75 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat) was two times higher than the mean TEQ value determined with the CALUX bioassay (36 pg TEQ/g fat). This shows that the assessment of dioxin-like exposure by these two measurements was different. However, regional differences in concentrations were observed for neither total TEQs, nor CALUX-TEQs. It was concluded that the CALUX® can be an alternative screening tool for biomonitoring purposes, especially when the objective is to compare different groups of people (e.g. living in different regions).

Aménagement du territoire en Régions wallonne et flamande

In Belgium, town and country development is set under the exclusive competence of the Regions. This paper shows the characteristics and perspectives of Land Planning in the Walloon and Flemish Regions. A brief historical survey of town and country planning in both regions is followed by an outline of the most important instruments to pursue a spatial policy. A third part presents the main features of the respective plans and schemes of orientation as framework of the territorial policy for the medium range.

Regional inequities in health expectancy in Belgium

Mortality differs substantially between the Flemish and Walloon regions in Belgium. The question remains as to whether the health status of both populations varies in a similar way. The difference in healthy life expectancy, an indicator of population health, between the Flemish and Walloon regions was therefore assessed. In 1989–1990 a cross-sectional survey in the general population was performed in which 2640 persons were selected by a multistage random process. Perceived health status was determined through a validated question: “On the whole, how would you describe your health for the moment? Would you say it is very good/good/fair/rather bad/bad?” The prevalence of “being in good health (very good to fair)” was combined with mortality data (Sullivan method) to estimate the healthy life expectancy (HLE), and the following results were found. Among males, life expectancy (LE) and HLE at age 15 was 58.9 years and 56.5 years in the Flemish region, compared with 56.6 and 50.2 years in the Walloon region. At age 65, LE and HLE in the Flemish region was 14.3 and 13.3 years, and only 13.2 and 9.2 years in the Wallon region. Women at age 15 had an LE and HLE in the Flemish region of 65.2 years and 61.3 years, compared to 63.9 and 58.1 years in the Walloon region. At age 65, both the LE and the HLE in the Flemish region were higher, with LE at 18.5 versus 17.7 years, and HLE at 16.0 versus 14.3 years. Similar results were obtained when the criteria of “being in good health” were restricted to those indicating their health to be very good or good. In conclusion, the data indicate that the population in the Walloon region not only has a shorter life but apparently also has a shorter healthy life. Research is needed to explain what proportion of these differences can be attributed to differences in the prevalence of diseases, cultural differences and socio-economic differences.

Environmental impact assessment in Belgium

Two decades after the introduction of environmental impact assessment (EIA) legislation in the United States, Belgium's three constituent regions, the Walloon, Flemish, and Brussels regions, have implemented EIA legislation only partially. Although the European Community's Council directive (85/337/EEC) of June 27, 1985 required national EIA legislation for the 12 member states by July 1988, Belgium did not prepare itself adequately to implement the council directive in time. This is the result of the federalization process in Belgium, which disturbed and paralyzed the policy-making and decision-making process for several years. An example of the heterogeneous, incoherent, and complex Belgian environmental legislation is the permit procedure. The new EIA procedure might improve the decision-making process that precedes the granting of permissions. In the future, no permits can be granted without studying the accompanying environmental impact statement (EIS).

Organizations Alike and Unlike: International and Interinstitutional Studies in the Sociology of Organizations.

Part 1: Introduction. 1. Towards A Comparative Sociology of Organizations Cornelis J Lammers and David J Hickson. Part 2: Salient Issues. Summary. 2. Grounds for Comparative Organization Theory: Quicksands or Hard Core? David J Hickson, Charles J McMillan, Koya Azumi and Dezso Horvath. 3. For A Study of The Societal Effect: Universality and Specificity in Organization Reseach Marc Maurice. 4. Organizations and the Social Order: A Pluralist Approach Jacques van Doorn. 5. Managerial Incentive Systems and Organizational Theory David Granick. 6. Hierarchical Power Distance in Forty Countries Gert Hofstede. Part 3: Comparing Organizations in Varying Institutional Settings. Summary. 7. Internal Belief Systems and Ideologies About the Organizational Structure of Church and Industry Fred H Goldner. 8. Continuities in the Study of Organizations: Churches and Local Government C R Hinings. 9. Contextual Variables and Bureaucratic Types of Israeli Service Organizations Bilha F Mannheim and Nathan Moskovits. 10. Organizational Control: A Comparison of Authority Systems in US and Nigerian Organizations W Richard Scott, Sanford M Dornbusch and Emmanuel A Utande. 11. Organizational Control: A Review of Studies Employing the Control Graph Method Arnold S Tannenbaum and Robert A Cooke. Part 4: Comparing Organizations in Varying Societal Settings. Summary. 12. Culture and Organizational Structure and Process: A Comparative Study of Local Government Administrative Bureaucracies in the Walloon and Flemish Regions of Belgium Michael Aiken and Samuel B Bacharach. 13. Organization and Managerial Roles in British and West German Companies: An Examination of the Culture-Free Thesis John Child and Alfred Kieser. 14. Cultural Context As A Determinant of Organizational Rationality: A Comparison of the Tobacco Industries in Britain and France Peter Clark. 15. Structural Differences Between Swedish and US Hospitals Egon Jonsson and Duncan Neuhauser. 16. Kidney Units: Culture, Structure and Technology Olgierd Kuty. 17. Convergence In Organizational Practices: An Empirical Study of Industrial Enterprises in Developing Countries Anant R Negandhi. 18. Organizational Role Commitment in the Catholic Church in Spain and the USA Richard A Schoenherr and Jose Perez Vilarino. 19. Profession, Autonomy and Time Perspective: A Comparative Study of the Rise of the Air Force Weapon G Teitler. Part 5: Conclusions. 20. Methodological Convergences? Cornelis J Lammers and David J Hickson. 21. Are Organizations Culture-Bound? Cornelis J Lammers and David J Hickson 22. A Cross-National and Cross-Institutional Typology of Organizations Cornelis J Lammers and David J Hickson. Name Index. Subject Index.