Utrecht University Research Articles

Associations between the fast-food environment and diabetes prevalence in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study

Diabetes is a major health concern and is influenced by lifestyle, which can be affected by the neighbourhood environment. Specifically, a fast-food environment can influence eating behaviours and thus diabetes prevalence. Therefore, our aim was to assess the relationship between fast-food environment and diabetes prevalence for urban and rural environments in the Netherlands, using multiple indicators and buffer sizes. In this cross-sectional study, data on a nationwide sample of adults older than 19 years in the Netherlands were taken from the 2012 Dutch national health survey (from Public Health Monitor), in which participants were surveyed on topics related to health and lifestyle behaviour. Fast-food outlet exposures were determined within street-network buffers of 100 m, 400 m, 1000 m, and 1500 m around residential addresses. For each of these buffers, three indicators were calculated: presence (yes or no) of fast-food outlets, fast-food outlet density, and ratio. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess associations of these indicators with diabetes, adjusting for potential confounders and stratifying into urban and rural areas. 387 195 adults were surveyed, 284 793 of whom were included in the study. 22 951 (8%) reported having diabetes. Fast-food outlet exposures were positively associated with diabetes prevalence. We did not observe large differences between urban and rural areas. The effect estimates were small for all indicators. For example, in the 400 m buffer in the urban environment, the odds ratio (OR) for having diabetes among people with a fast-food outlet present compared with those without, was 1·006 (95% CI 1·003-1·009) using the presence indicator. The presence indicator showed higher effect estimates and the most consistent results across buffer sizes (ranging from OR 1·005 [95% CI 1·000-1·010] with the 1000 m buffer to 1·016 [1·005-1·028] with the 1500 m buffer in urban areas and from 1·002 [0·998-1·005] with the 1500 m buffer to 1·009 [1·006-1·018] with the 100 m buffer in rural areas) compared with the density and ratio indicators. The results confirm the evidence that the fast-food outlet environment is a diabetes risk factor. All data included were at the individual level and the variability was ensured by the spatial distribution and number of participants. In this study, we only accounted for residential exposure because we were unable to account for exposure outside the residential environment. The findings of this study encourage local governments to consider the potential adverse effects of fast-food exposures and aim at minimising unhealthy food access. Global Geo Health Data Centre, Utrecht University, Netherlands.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments Erin La Cour (bio) and Anna Poletti (bio) This collection was conceived in what Nancy K. Miller refers to in her contribution as "BCP," before the coronavirus pandemic. We had initially planned to bring together artists and scholars in an in-person workshop in June 2020 to explore and discuss the future of graphic medicine. As the pandemic unfolded, we made the decision with the Biography team to push ahead with the collection despite the loss of the opportunity to workshop our collective thinking in person, as we had planned, at the biannual meeting of the International Auto/Biography Association, which was to have been held in Turku, Finland, hosted by SELMA, the Centre for the Study of Storytelling, Experientiality, and Memory. We would like to acknowledge the support offered by the conference team, and to register here our gratitude and our sadness that—like so many other things indefinitely delayed by the pandemic—the promise of hospitality was curtailed. Regardless, their enthusiasm and support for this collection was vital. Though it became clear that we would not be gathering in person in Turku, our contributors all remained deeply committed to, and excited by, this project. Despite the extremely challenging personal and professional circumstances faced by each of us during the first year of the pandemic, this project has been kept alive by their enthusiasm, creativity, and generosity. This has been matched by the commitment, support, and enthusiasm of the team at Biography: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly and the University of Hawai'i Press. We are very thankful for the willingness of our contributors and the publishing team to continue to make this project a priority in a demanding and unpredictable environment that has underscored the importance of personal storytelling about illness, and the challenges such storytelling must overcome. [End Page vii] Erin La Cour Erin La Cour is Assistant Professor of English Literature and Visual Culture at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her research focuses on the mediality, intermediality, and affect of comics in several sociohistorical cultural milieux. She is the coeditor of Key Terms in Comics Studies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) and cofounder and codirector of the research consortium Amsterdam Comics. She is also a Comenius Fellow of the Netherlands Initiative for Education Research (NRO), for which she conducted the project "Opening a Dialogue about Mental Health through Comics and Creative Writing." Anna Poletti Anna Poletti is Associate Professor of English at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Their research focus is contemporary life writing, with particular interests in youth cultures, ephemera (both digital and analogue), and the role of mediation and materiality in autobiography. Anna is an editor of the New Directions in Life Narrative monograph series for Bloomsbury Academic. Their most recent book is Stories of the Self: Life Writing After the Book (New York UP, 2020). Copyright © 2022 George and Marguerite Simson Biographical Research Center

Visualizing the Knowledge Domain of Academic Mobility Research from 2010 to 2020: A Bibliometric Analysis Using CiteSpace

Academic mobility, given its importance in the dissemination of knowledge and globalization of research collaboration, has received growing attention over the past decades. Based on a bibliometric analysis of the literature on academic mobility (119) from 343 journal articles in Web of Science over the period of 2010 to 2020 with the use of CiteSpace, this paper outlines the research intellectual map, such as the most active contemporary institutions, journals, and popular regions/countries; dissects the network of categories and summarizes the emerging trends and future research opportunities for academic mobility. The results of the study are: (1) England is the most productive region followed by China and Netherlands in terms of publication; (2) Utrecht University, The Polytechnic University of Valencia, and Russian Academy of Science are the most productive institutions; (3) The publications are mainly in the subject categories of Education, Business and Economics, and Geography; (4) Gender, scientific practice, brain drain are the main keywords for discussion; and (5) Louise Ackers is the most influential author in this field and International Migration Journal is the most frequently cited journal over the past decade. Our paper contributes to the relevant body of literature by systematizing the literature on academic mobilities through CiteSpace, a visualized analytical tool for undertaking bibliometric analysis, providing valuable references for researchers and practitioners who want to further explore this knowledge area.

Fragments of Jerome's Epistolae (Mainz: Peter Schoeffer, 1470) in the Utrecht University Library

Utrecht University Library possesses a partially complete print on vellum of the first volume of Jerome’s Epistolae, printed in 1470 by Peter Schoeffer in Mainz. The University Library also holds several fragments of the 1470 Epistolae, both detached and in situ, and printed on vellum as well. Several descriptions state that these fragments come from a second volume of the same provenance as the first, but this note shows that this is physically impossible. The provenance of the fragments, most of which come from books owned by Hubert van Buchell (1513-1599), is explored, as well as the importance of fragmentology for early print studies.

Plastics recycling rocketed forward

In 2021, plastics recycling got a whole new vibe. At least that’s the way Bert Weckhuysen , an inorganic chemist at Utrecht University, puts it. The scientific community has known for years that recycling plastics is an important but difficult problem that has progressed slowly toward solutions. In the past year, however, “there is really a surge—almost everyone is jumping on things,” Weckhuysen says. Chemists are studying many aspects of the plastics recycling problem. They are researching ways to break down plastics with catalysts, studying mechanical recycling, and rethinking how plastics are made in the first place. Plastics have entered a stage of circular thinking, Weckhuysen says, in which scientists design the polymers with a focus on what will happen to the materials after their initial use. One way researchers designed plastics with reuse in mind was to make plastics out of polymers that can be chemically broken down into

Lepra Bubalorum, a Potential Reservoir of Mycobacterium leprae.

In 1926, a mycobacterial skin disease was observed in water buffaloes by researchers in Indonesia. The disease was designated as skin tuberculosis, though it was hypothesized that it might be a form of leprosy or a leprosy-like disease. In a follow-up study (Ph.D. thesis Lobel, 1934, Utrecht University, Netherlands) a similar nodular skin disease was described in Indonesian water buffaloes and named “lepra bubalorum” or “nodular leprosy.” Two decades later Kraneveld and Roza (1954) reported that, so far, the diagnosis lepra bubalorum had been made in 146 cases in Indonesia. After a final series of research reports by Indonesian veterinarians in 1961, no subsequent cases were published. Based on information from these reports, it can be concluded that, even though evidence of nerve involvement in buffaloes was not reported, similarities exist between lepra bubalorum and Hansen’s disease (leprosy), i.e., nodular skin lesions with a chronic course and microscopically granulomatous reactions with AFB in globi in vacuoles. This raises the question as to whether these historical cases might indeed have been caused by Mycobacterium leprae, Mycobacterium lepromatosis or another representative of the M. leprae complex. The future use of state-of-the-art molecular techniques may answer this question and may also help to answer the question whether water buffaloes should be considered as a potential natural reservoir of the causative pathogen of Hansen’s disease.

Interventions for Reducing Sedentary Behavior in People With Stroke

Interventions for Reducing Sedentary Behavior in People With Stroke

Galenus van Pergamum – arts, filosoof, retoricus

This article discusses a new course on Galen and ancient medicine (Galen: Physician, Philosopher, Rhetorician) developed by the Classics department of the Gemeentelijk Gymnasium Hilversum and the Galen research group of Utrecht University in the period of 2017-2021. First, the motivation behind this joint venture is explained in terms of the neglect so far suffered by Galen in Dutch secondary education, the suitability of his writings for students of Greek, particularly those of the fifth form, and its potential as a vehicle for interdisciplinary teaching. Next, the contents and structure of the course, in combination with some suggestions for its use are expounded. Finally, the course is evaluated in light of the experiences of and evaluations by teachers and students who have worked with the course.

COVID-19 Lockdown Effects on Academic Functioning, Mood, and Health Correlates: Data from Dutch Pharmacy Students, PhD Candidates and Postdocs

Mixed results have been published on the impact of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its associated lockdown periods on academic functioning, mood, and health correlates such as alcohol consumption. Whereas a number of students report an impaired academic performance and increased alcohol intake during lockdown periods, other students report no change or an improvement in academic functioning and a reduced alcohol consumption. This data descriptor article describes the dataset of a study investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academic functioning. To investigate this, an online survey was conducted among Dutch pharmacy students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers (postdocs) of Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey assessed possible changes in self-reported academic functioning, mood and health correlates such as alcohol consumption, perceived immune functioning and sleep quality. Retrospective assessments were made for four periods, including (1) the year 2019 (the period before COVID-19), (2) the first lockdown period (15 March–11 May 2020), (3) summer 2020 (no lockdown) and (4) the second lockdown (November 2020–April 2021). This article describes the content of the survey and corresponding dataset. The survey had a response rate of 24.3% and was completed by 345 participants.

Adolescents' Alcohol Use: Does the Type of Leisure Activity Matter? A Cross-National Study.

The main objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between structured, unstructured, and family leisure activities on the frequency of adolescent alcohol intake across three different countries (Spain, Peru, and The Netherlands). The self-control of adolescents was also investigated as a moderator in the relationship between leisure activities and alcohol consumption. Methodology: This research involved 4608 adolescents aged between 12 and 17 from three countries (Spain, Peru, and The Netherlands). In Spain and Peru, data was collected through a self-report questionnaire which was part of the Your Life project. In The Netherlands, a self-questionnaire was used, collected by the University of Utrecht. A multiple logistic regression was performed for each country. Results: The results showed that participation in unstructured leisure activities increased the likelihood of drinking more frequently and more heavily in all three countries. Structured leisure activities, in general, did not have a significant predictive effect on alcohol consumption in any of the countries. Family leisure activities reduced the risk of engaging in yearly alcohol use and yearly binge drinking among adolescents, especially in The Netherlands and Spain. The protective effect of family leisure and unstructured leisure risk on yearly alcohol use applied especially to Dutch adolescents with a low level of self-control. Discussion: The article emphasizes the need for parents to engage in leisure activities with their child; participation in unstructured activities is not to be encouraged.

PSXV-20 Pilot Study: How does horse and rider vital signs respond to participation in an equine assisted psychotherapy and learning outpatient collegiate substance use recovery program?

Abstract While research supporting the psychological benefits of equine assisted psychotherapy and learning (EAPL) is expanding, little is known about the physiological impact this therapy has on the human and horse. The physical activity for younger adults may hold promise where other therapies have failed, but can this form of exercise therapy be physically demanding on the participant? Therefore, the objective of this study was to measure physiological responses of horse and human for those participating in an EAPL outpatient collegiate recovery program for substance use disorder (SUD). This pilot study assessed humans (n = 4) and horses (n = 5) participating in a collegiate recovery community EAPL SUD program. The six-week program included riding and ground activities for 1 hr/wk. Vital signs (heart and respiratory rates and pain rating) were recorded weekly at the beginning and end of each session. Human pain rating used the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale and equines used the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-FAP). T-tests were performed comparing measurements at the beginning and end of each session (P = 0.05). Pearson Correlations were used to determine relationships between human and horse vital signs. While no changes were seen in human heart rate, a significant decrease in respiratory rates and pain scores was found by the end of the session (Table 1). Horse heart and respiratory rates and EQUUS-FAP scores increased. A moderate correlation was determined for human and horse respiration rates (r=0.65, P = 0.00). Correlations became weaker when evaluating the other vital signs (Heart Rates: r=0.54, P = 0.00; Pain Rating Scores: r=0.27, P = 0.17). While relationships between horse and human vital signs were limited, it is important to note the differences in how the two physiologically respond to EAPL suggesting further research beyond this pilot study may be needed to investigate the physical demand of EAPL on the horse.

Spatially distributed assessment and forecast of soil erosion losses as a basis for optimization the use of erosion-hazardous agricultural lands


 
 
 The article is devoted to the problem of sustainable use of agricultural lands in conditions of active manifestation of water soil erosion, which is typical for all natural zones of Ukraine, but to the greatest extent – for the Forest-Steppe and Steppe zone. The aim of the article is a spatially distributed quantitative assessment and forecast of soil erosion losses and the development on this basis of recommendations to optimize the use of agricultural land on the example of the Pidhayetskyi district of the Ternopil region. The area is located within the Western region of Ukraine with a fairly high intensity of water erosion, where in accordance with the long-term climate forecast a further increase in erosion hazard of land is expected. A quantitative assessment of soil erosion losses for the basic period (1961–1990) and forecast periods (2031–2050 and 2081–2100) was carried out using a spatially distributed physical-statistical GIS-model of soil erosion-sedimentation developed at the Department of Physical Geography, Nature Management and Geoinformation Technologies of Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University. Spatial realization of the model performed using the analytical capabilities of the Software for Environmental Modeling PCRaster (University of Utrecht, Netherlands). The forecast of the changes in the hydrometeorological conditions of water soil erosion was made using the forecast of monthly average air temperatures and monthly average precipitation, developed at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute. It established that most of the arable land (about 52 %) of Pidhayetskyi district is erosively dangerous. Due to the projected increase in summer rainfall in the middle and at the end of this century, further intensification of soil erosion is expected, especially in 2031–2050, when soil losses on arable land will increase to 16.9 t/ha/year, and only due to rainstorm erosion. Soil losses by meltwater will be insignificant. Based on the calculations, it was concluded that it is impossible to protect the agricultural lands of the region from erosional degradation without withdrawal from the arable land about 8.15 thousand hectares (28) of the most erosion-hazardous lands (with annual soil losses exceeding 20 tons per a hectare), changing the structure of sown areas and introduction a soil-protective adaptive-landscape farming system over a significant area.
 
 

Individuals have unique but simple antibody profiles

The human immune system is thought to have the capacity to make billions of different antibodies. Despite the vast potential for variations, the set of antibodies circulating at any given time is actually quite simple , a new study reports ( Cell Syst. 2021, DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.08.008 ). Albert J. R. Heck of Utrecht University and coworkers used mass spectrometry to monitor individual profiles of the antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) from immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibodies circulating in human plasma. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to recognize and neutralize invaders like bacteria and viruses. IgG antibodies represent about 75% of the serum antibodies in humans and are associated with the so-called adaptive immune response, which is tailored to specific pathogens encountered; IgG1 is the most abundant subclass. The researchers measured the mass and chromatographic retention times of Fabs from samples collected at multiple time points from two healthy people and

First person – Anne Janssen

ABSTRACT First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Anne Janssen is first author on ‘ Direct observation of aggregate-triggered selective autophagy in human cells’, published in JCS. Anne conducted the research described in this article while a PhD student in Lukas Kapitein's lab at Division of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands. She is now a FEBS long-term fellow in the lab of Delphine Larrieu at Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge, UK, where she is currently interested in the nuclear envelope and how problems in maintaining nuclear integrity can cause human disease.

Monitoring Aqueous Phase Reactions by Operando ATR‐IR Spectroscopy at High Temperature and Pressure: A Biomass Conversion Showcase

AbstractInvited for this month's cover is the group of Bert M. Weckhuysen at the Utrecht University (The Netherlands). The cover picture shows an attenuated Total Reflection Infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐IR) probe monitoring a chemical reaction in the liquid phase, particularly water, at demanding conditions. The light penetrates few microns deep in proximity of the ATR‐IR probe and thus any IR‐active entity in that range is probed. This research systematically addresses the challenges associated with acquiring operando ATR‐IR spectra for liquid/aqueous phase reactions, which is essential for better understanding of chemical reactions in the liquid phase. Read the full text of their Full Paper at 10.1002/cmtd.202100041.

Editor Profile: Albert Heck.

In this special interview series, we profile members of The FEBS Journal editorial board to highlight their research and perspectives on the journal and more. Albert Heck is Professor of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Utrecht University, Scientific Director of the Netherlands Proteomics Center, and Head of the Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics group in Utrecht University since September 1998. He has served as Editorial Board Member of The FEBS Journal since 2020.

Die lewensbeskouing van D.F. Malan (1874–1959) soos weerspieël in openbare standpunte

The world view of D.F. Malan as reflected in his public stance. D.F. Malan was born in 1874 and grew up on a farm near Riebeeck-Wes in the Western Cape. He died in 1959 in Stellenbosch. Malan started his career as a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church. Before that he regarded himself as a student in Theology with a vocation. In 1905 he became a Doctor in Theology at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. He entered politics in June 1915 by becoming the first editor of the new Dutch-Afrikaans newspaper, De Burger, and at the same time, the leader of the National Party (founded in 1914) in the Cape Province. Malan had a career in politics for almost 40 years. He retired as the Prime Minister of South Africa in 1954. In his time Malan concentrated especially on unity among the Afrikaners in culture and politics, the cooperation between Afrikaans- and English-speaking citizens, and the well-being of all the people in South Africa. As a reformed Christian in every sphere of life, Malan believed in God-given principles and a timely application of this by believers. This worldview of his became known through his preaching, speeches, articles and commentaries on matters. His worldview influenced his approach to politics and the cultural aspect of his existence. The purpose of this article is to explain this view by using primary sources. The main figure in this article was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church with a noticeable influence in the affairs of the church, and he was also a South African politician on national level. These aspects influenced the history of the church, as well as the political or general history of South Africa. It also made an imprint on church political concepts and ethical considerations that had to come to grips with Malan leaving the church ministry for politics, as well as the ethics of policies like apartheid and the political unity of an officially bilingual Union of South Africa. For Malan, his worldview determined his aims in politics, namely the cultural unity among Afrikaners, while they and their English-speaking counterparts form a successful state, and the relationship between all South Africans.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The interdisciplinary implications of this article involved the subjects of church history, general history and a political ethics approach.

O-095 Is the process to retract fabricated randomised clinical trials in reproductive medicine working sufficiently?

Abstract Study question How do journal editors and publishers respond on randomised clinical trials in reproductive medicine that have been identified as fabricated? Summary answer Despite clear proof of fabrication, only a small minority of fabricated RCTs is retracted within 12 months. What is known already Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are recognised as scientific investigations that have the least potential for bias and are therefore widely used to direct clinical practice. The validity of data in RCTs matters to the accountability of medical practice and the wellbeing of patients. Detection of integrity problems and subsequent action is therefore of imminent importance. Across all fields of medicine, it takes on average 4 years for papers labelled with research misconduct to be retracted. While this is partially explained by the time needed to detect the misconduct, the process of investigation and retraction is also slow and bureaucratic. Study design, size, duration We studied the articles of 4 authors who have published 52 clearly fabricated RCTs in obstetrics/gynaecology. Data fabrication was clear from duplicate baseline and outcome tables in studies on different interventions done in different patients in different periods. The duplications could be from the author themselves, or from other articles. Our findings were published in the public domain for 3 of the 4 authors, with an article on the fourth author being submitted. Participants/materials, setting, methods After detection of the fabrication, we approached authors and their institutes for an explanation. As a satisfying explanation was not given, we notified the editors of the involved 14 journals in February 2020. The universities where two of the authors were awarded a PhD were informed in August 2020. Here we compare the journals’ response to Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)-guidelines, we report the percentage of retracted papers and other responses of editors and publishers. Main results and the role of chance Two articles had already been retracted prior to our notification. Twelve months after we had notified the editors, 4/50 (8%) (1 journal) of the articles had been retracted, 3 (6%) (2 journals) were formally investigating with notification on their website, 6/50 (8%) (3 journals) were informally investigating (without visible notification), 3/50 (6%) (1 journal) had made an expression concern and stated “caution that clinical practice or guidelines should not be based on this report” without formal retraction, and one (2%) had investigated original data and cleared it (although numerous data were identical to a study published 10 years earlier). For the other 33 articles (11 journals) no visible action had been taken. None of the journals provided feedback to the whistle-blower as required by COPE. The University of Utrecht and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel had not taken any action against the awarded fraudulent PhDs. Among the reactions of editors were the statements “I have been in the business long enough; It exists in all specialties and in every country”, “we receive 80 submissions a week, I am too busy to respond on this” and “we did still not get an answer about the result of the investigation by the local court”. Limitations, reasons for caution This was a sample of four authors who had published 52 articles. There might be investigations ongoing that are not visible for the outside world. Wider implications of the findings Retraction of fabricated studies is seldom happening, and a majority of journals is not following COPE. This not only puts patients at risk, but it also lets whistle-blowers down and it jeopardises the trustworthiness of research. COPE-regulations consider the interests of authors and publishers, but not the interests of patients. Trial registration number Not applicable

Next Generation Immunotherapies – Emerging Strategies for Immune Modulation against Cancer, Infections, and Beyond

Next Generation Immunotherapies – Emerging Strategies for Immune Modulation against Cancer, Infections, and Beyond

Students' Mathematical Thinking in Column Calculation and Algorithms

This study aims to investigate primary school students’ mathematical thinking in column calculation and algorithms. The method used in this research is qualitative descriptive. The participants of this research were twelve Indonesian primary school students at grade 3 and 4 in Ciparay, Bandung, West Java. They worked to solve calculation and algorithm questions developed from TAL TEAM book Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht University, The Netherlands that were classified based on the strategies used. After analyzing their written works, interviews were organized to acquire further information about their mathematical thinking. The study found that students’ strategies in dealing with calculation algorithm consist of three strategies. The first strategy is the splitting strategy from units to tens column and then the interim results are combined. The second strategy is the splitting strategy used from tens to unit column and the interim results are added vertically digit-by-digit. The third strategy is the transition from splitting strategy from units to tens column consists primarily of using abbreviated column calculation for the interim results in each column. In addition, several students made common mistakes due to misconception about algorithm and arithmetical problems. Implication of this research for teaching and learning calculation and algorithms were described elaborately.