LOGIC: Towards green methanol from CO2 - Methanol synthesis from CO2
Tim van Schagen is a PhD student in the Department Sustainable Process Technology
Kersten from the Faculty of Science & Technology
The thesis investigates a novel reactor concept for methanol synthesis from CO2
This LOGIC reactor integrates a reaction zone
heat integration zone and condenser section in a single pressure vessel
thereby bypassing the inherent equilibrium limitations of the reaction and allowing a near-100% yield of methanol over the reactor
Because of the temperature gradient in the reactor
the internal recycle is fully driven by free convection
Chapter 1 gives an overview of the research landscape of methanol synthesis and shows that methanol production from CO2 is already a century old
Chapter 2 discusses the experimental results obtained with the LOGIC 2.0 set-up and proves that the reactor concept works
The free convection flow works as expected
heat integration is demonstrated and space-time yields comparable to other CO2 to methanol processes are achieved
In chapter 3 a hot-wire flow sensor is successfully developed
characterized and modeled that is used in the space-constrained reactor
Chapter 4 investigates the performance of the LOGIC reactor in more detail by constructing a steady-state flowsheeting model
This model is then validated against experimental data and used to calculate the energy balance over the reactor
sensitivity analyses are performed and the feasible operating window of the set-up is determined
dynamic CFD model is developed and used to investigate the dynamics of the reactor
It is shown that the set-up is very promising for intermittent operation (with green hydrogen)
Chapter 6 investigates the fluid flow and heat transfer in the reactor in more detail with a 2D CFD model and it is determined that the flow inside the reactor is chaotic and highly complex
Engineering heat transfer correlations are also developed from the CFD results
The thesis ends with a conclusion and outlook
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HEED THE WARNING: The now-retired detective Arno van Leeuwen
at sportcomplex De Toekomst (The Future) in Duivendrecht
De Toekomst is AFC Ajax’s training facility
serving as the heart of the club’s youth development program
This is where detectives van Leeuwen and Schagen did much of their work
dedicating themselves to warning young Ajax players about the dangers of involvement in criminal activities
As former members of the Amsterdam police force
they use their experience to give talks to the youth players
The soccer star was constantly handling messages - about his role on the most famous team in the Netherlands
his place on the Dutch national squad and the endorsement deals that earned him a small fortune
Promes was texting from a burner phone about his secret life off the field
and one of the country’s most famous athletes was finalizing the import of a cocaine shipment arriving at a Belgian port
“My boys are on their way to Antwerp,” wrote Promes
His phone records were later obtained by Dutch law enforcement and used to convict him of drug trafficking in an Amsterdam court this year
Promes paid intermediaries - his “soldiers,” as he called them - to secure 2,850 pounds of cocaine that had arrived from Latin America
hidden in a shipping container packed with bags of salt
Other traffickers seemed puzzled by Promes’s involvement
“Is he definitely that footballer?” one asked in a separate text
The intersection of sports and organized crime has raised alarms among major law enforcement agencies worldwide
Both the FBI and Interpol have established specialized sports units to investigate corrupt sports officials
criminal investors laundering money through teams and gamblers attempting to fix matches
But when investigators began surveilling Promes
they encountered a different kind of target: an elite athlete seemingly obsessed with a life of crime
Investigators said Promes’s success on the field only fueled his desire for power on the streets of Amsterdam
“Do you make more money playing football or doing business?” - apparently referring to drug trafficking
This account of Promes’s fall into criminality is drawn from hundreds of pages of court documents
as well as interviews with police and soccer officials
Promes did not respond to requests for comment
and his lawyer and family members declined to be interviewed
Promes was sentenced to six years in prison
he had left the country to play for Spartak Moscow in Russia’s premier league
where he became a top scorer and remained beyond the reach of Dutch authorities
where he was briefly detained after Dutch authorities filed an extradition request
Promes announced another twist in the story: while fighting extradition
he would play professional soccer for United F.C.
Promes’s legion of fans in the Netherlands have been stunned by the star’s fall from grace
whose annual salary at Ajax was more than $3 million
risk everything by getting involved in drug trafficking
two veteran officers - Arno van Leeuwen and Bob Schagen - were not as shocked
the officers had been quietly meeting with Promes as his star rose in professional soccer
Van Leeuwen and Schagen have spent years investigating the connections between sports and crime in the Netherlands
Struggling players can also be vulnerable; last month
who had dropped to a second-division Scottish team
was arrested near Glasgow and charged with importing $800,000 worth of marijuana from Thailand
Promes was viewed by those around him as a wealthy investor
someone fascinated with “gangsters” whose money could bankroll drug deals
With the surge in cocaine shipments arriving at Dutch ports
low-level criminal groups in the Netherlands have expanded their operations into large-scale drug trafficking
the amount of cocaine arriving at the Dutch port of Rotterdam - the largest in Europe - rose from 20.8 tons to 55.1 tons
according to the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA)
The nearby Belgian port of Antwerp experienced a similar surge
driven by growing collaboration between Latin American traffickers and European organized crime groups
Dutch police now collaborate with players and security officials at soccer clubs to warn of dangerous associations before athletes fall into criminal behavior
whom Van Leeuwen and Schagen once tried to steer away from organized crime
Promes had been crafting an alter ego through his rap songs
seemingly wanting his fans to believe he led a double life
he alluded to his proximity to crime and violence
performing alongside men who would later be convicted of murder and kidnapping
“We do not fear bullets,” Promes rapped in one song
his references to drug trafficking became more explicit
must be unwrapped,” he rapped on his track "Wicked Man."
It was easy for many to dismiss Promes's lyrics as mere bravado
he was graceful and tireless - a naturally gifted forward known for his speed and ball control
Promes emerged from an immigrant household
Promes was born in the Osdorp neighborhood of east Amsterdam
a community of modest homes where many newcomers to the Netherlands settled
Promes played soccer on the streets of his neighborhood
where even securing a spot in a game required toughness
“You had to fight for your place,” Promes recalled in a 2020 Ajax promotional interview
“If you wanted to play football on the square
soccer had already begun offering him a path to a better life
He was recruited to several of the country’s top youth academies
but his career was hindered by disciplinary problems
Promes was expelled from Ajax’s youth team
He later reflected in another Ajax interview that one reason was that he "made lots of the wrong kind of friends and was generally in a tornado."
Among his alleged contacts was Piet Wortel
a Dutch-Surinamese man whom police have long suspected of involvement in cocaine trafficking
Investigators believe Promes and Wortel collaborated in smuggling cocaine
Van Leeuwen and Schagen were lifelong Ajax fans
the two officers reached out to a contact at Ajax
Dutch police had long collaborated with the country’s soccer clubs to address hooliganism and prevent violence at games
But the officers wanted to deepen their relationship with Ajax
They proposed holding meetings with young players - especially those who had caught the attention of the police - to offer them guidance and counsel
Their suggestion led to regular sessions and eventually became a formal assignment for Van Leeuwen and Schagen
after the Dutch police endorsed the initiative
“We saw that these young players were vulnerable,” Van Leeuwen said
“These are guys who grew up in the same neighborhoods as criminals
It’s hard to distance yourself from your childhood friends.”
European soccer had become a multi-billion-dollar industry
As players became increasingly valuable assets
Ajax did not respond to requests for comment
but police officials noted that this kind of liaison relationship is common at European clubs
Van Leeuwen and Schagen flagged early warning signs to Ajax officials
identifying players who loaned team vehicles to childhood friends with criminal records - one such vehicle was later found with a bullet hole in the driver’s seat
the detectives reported players who unknowingly assisted criminals in laundering money by selling luxury watches for cash
Van Leeuwen and Schagen heard from a colleague about a young Ajax player who had been in the passenger seat during a routine traffic stop
The driver was suspected of having ties to organized crime
a prolific forward for both club and country
his goal against England had helped the Netherlands reach the UEFA Nations League final
“Quincy Promes: from ballboy to top scorer.”
Although the traffic stop didn’t lead to any charges
Van Leeuwen and Schagen felt it was important to caution Promes about his associations
that this type of advice could be misinterpreted
especially within the Surinamese community
where routine traffic stops like the one involving Promes were sometimes seen as racial profiling
Promes later expressed his frustration with law enforcement in his music
“Cars no lease,” he rapped in a mix of Dutch and English
the officers said their first meeting with Promes in the Ajax front office went well
We want to give you some awareness for your career,’” Van Leeuwen recalled
Promes came across as innocent and perhaps naive
he solemnly admitted that he had very few friends
Promes was stopped again with the same suspect
Van Leeuwen and Schagen requested another meeting
Is there something you don’t understand?’” Van Leeuwen said
saying it was hard to cut ties with people he had known for so long
I can’t say goodbye to my friends,” he told the officers
By the time Van Leeuwen and Schagen met with Promes in 2019
he was already involved in cocaine trafficking
though the two officers were unaware of it at the time
the officers realized that Promes had been hinting at his alter ego
he would raise his hand over his face to form a mask
and he even launched a clothing line called Mask QP
How Promes got involved in the drug trade remains unclear
Dutch police received intelligence in 2020 that Promes had invested at least $200,000 in a drug deal as early as April 2018
This led to wiretaps and undercover surveillance in an operation they dubbed "Porto." Promes
an encrypted messaging service that was hacked by Belgian police in 2020
providing a treasure trove of intelligence to law enforcement across Europe
Dutch police learned about Promes's involvement in a cocaine shipment that arrived at the port of Antwerp
Promes sent a message indicating his desire to stay involved in the operation: “I suggest we measure tomorrow afternoon.”
Prosecutors later revealed in court that Promes played a “directing and coordinating role” in the trafficking
Dutch police learned from a wiretapped phone conversation that Promes had stabbed his cousin in the knee during a party in Amsterdam
and Promes was heard on the wiretap saying
Promes was still on Ajax's roster when he was arrested for the assault in December 2020
Reporters questioned Ajax officials about how they could justify keeping him on the team
“He told me he didn’t do anything,” Ajax manager Erik ten Hag
Promes was convicted of the assault in June 2023
Promes continued to represent Ajax in the 2020-2021 UEFA Champions League
It’s unclear when Ajax or the Dutch national team became aware of his involvement in drug trafficking
National team officials declined to comment
the lawyer representing Promes's cousin in the assault case
said he asked the Dutch prosecutor when a decision would be made to prosecute Promes for drug trafficking
He was told it would happen "after the European championships."
A Dutch prosecutor’s office spokesperson later explained that Promes’s arrest was delayed because of a league match
“It is not uncommon to take into account the schedule of the person to be arrested
it is preferred over arresting them in the workplace in the presence of all their colleagues,” said spokesperson Franklin Wattimena
Promes was transferred to Spartak Moscow for a fee of 8.5 million euros
He continued playing for Spartak even after being sentenced to 18 months in prison for stabbing his cousin
Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the Netherlands
Promes posted photos of himself at elite Moscow parties and began posting soccer-related images with Russian captions
He also flaunted a new diamond necklace with the word "Mask."
Promes was convicted in absentia on drug trafficking charges linked to the 2020 cocaine shipment
The court expressed its dismay that Promes
still engaged in criminal activity to boost his wealth and prestige
"This makes it even more objectionable that the suspect tries to increase his wealth (and possibly also prestige in certain circles) through involvement in large international drug transports,” the court noted in its verdict
Some of Promes’s former teammates were stunned by his downfall
“The Quincy Promes that you people read about is not the Quincy Promes that I know,” said Memphis Depay
Dutch authorities announced that Promes had been arrested in Dubai at their request and that they were seeking his extradition
and it remains unclear why he was not placed under house arrest
Dutch officials have yet to provide an update on their extradition request
Despite the Interpol red notice issued in his name
Promes resumed posting photos of his life on Instagram
including shots of himself against the Dubai skyline and videos of him playing soccer and tennis
Emirati authorities did not respond to requests for comment
Promes’s professional soccer career appeared to be over
Spartak Moscow announced it had terminated his contract “due to personal reasons that prevented him from returning to Russia.”
posted a cryptic video on its Instagram account
showing a silhouetted man lacing up his cleats with the caption
“His arrival adds significant firepower to United FC’s squad as we prepare for an exciting season ahead.”
Poll results are published every Monday in The Guam Daily Post
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A fog machine and a storage room at the Otter firehall helped firefighter Nathan Van Schagen teach people about how to improve their chances of getting out of a fire
you'll notice the visibility is better," he explained
Firefighters teach people to get on the ground because they have a better chance of being able to navigate their way to safety.&nbsp;When Van Schagen stood about eight feet away from others in the smoke room
he could not be seen at all.&nbsp;He noted that conditions in a burning building&nbsp;are worse than in a simulated smoke room due to the addition of heat and fire
which is why fire departments spend time trying to educate the public about fire safety
"[There's]&nbsp;the formation of a thermal layer in a real fire where the heat and the soot and smoke will rise up and of course
create an unsafe environment for the individual in the fire," he explained
Groups went in and out of the hall's smoke room throughout the evening Tuesday as they took part in the various activities of the Township firehall open houses
including spraying pressurized fire hoses at targets
and more.&nbsp;Underlying&nbsp;the temporary tattoos
and other swag given out was the message about fire safety shared through various means
As well the open houses are a&nbsp;chance for the public to see and meet local fire crews when they are not busy at an emergency scene
Open houses were held Tuesday at the halls in Otter
and Walnut Grove hall open houses are Wednesday
BC Ambulance Service members and&nbsp;RCMP attended some of the open houses
The Aikema family enjoyed touring the Murrayville hall on Tuesday evening
"My favourite part was going in the fire trucks and seeing all the cool tools they use," said Kaylee Aikema
who would seriously consider becoming a firefighter when she grows up
enjoyed being able to hop into the police car
He&nbsp;knew just what he wanted to do when he grew up – "I wanna be a police."
Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our <a href="/community-guidelines">Community Guidelines</a>
A nearly 400-year-old letter that documents the mythologized 'purchase' of the island of Manhattan from the Indigenous peoples who inhabited it is on view now through July 14, at the <a href="https://www.nyhistory.org/">New-York Historical Society</a>.&nbsp;
Written by Dutch government official Pieter Schagen
the letter notes “our people…have purchased the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 60 guilders.” A 19th century historian converted the 60 guilders into dollars
which gave rise to the popular belief that the Dutch bought Manhattan for $24
on loan from the Dutch National Archives in the Hague
is the only record that exists of that 'purchase' which was later followed by similar transactions by which Europeans took control of the continent of North America from its Native inhabitants
leaders of the Lenape people have issued a public reflection on the land transfer including this excerpt:
we look at that historical letter with no wampum or treaty attached
saying the island of Manahahtáanung was purchased for 60 guilders
who could have known that a Dutch colonizer’s written words and 60 guilders would bring 400 years of devastation
and generational trauma for your Lenape people
Russell Shorto, an expert on Dutch New York and author of the book&nbsp;The Island at the Center of the World, has brought the letter to New York as part of a special exhibit he has curated - <a href="https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-news/rare-new-amsterdam-map-helps-reveal-life-new-york-new-york">New York Before New York: The Castello Plan of New Amsterdam</a> - on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the Dutch founding of a colony that would give rise to New York City.&nbsp;
“Assembling the artifacts from four centuries ago was a delight
but working with the Lenape chiefs has been the most rewarding part of the experience,” he said
“I think many Americans are unaware that the ancestors of the people who once hunted and fished on Manhattan Island are still with us
The Lenape have experienced four centuries of suffering and displacement
The purpose of the exhibit is to explore the roots of New York City
We can no longer ignore the fact that the city’s remarkable history was built on a foundation of pain.”
and enslaved Africans experienced the world illustrated in the Castello Plan
a map depicting New Amsterdam at the peak of its settlement circa 1660
For Sale &amp; Wanted Presidential signed books
Bookplate Collections and Accumulations Wanted
As we continue with our Contentful featured week
it's time to get acquainted with some of the people behind this API-first CMS
We have already touched on <a href="/contentful-the-api-first-content-management-system/" target="_blank">Contentful's uses and beneficial features</a>, along with its <a href="/beyond-the-browser-how-the-fabric-is-changing/" target="_blank">response to emerging trends</a>
let's take a look behind the platform's digital curtain
Chris Schagen joined Contentful in October 2014 as a marketing consultant
and then became a part of the management team as a Chief Marketing Officer
With Contentful original DNA being predominantly technology
Chris built the marketing and customer success organisation
and reworked and repositioned the messaging with a focus on the developer audience
Chris was the founder and CEO of digital agency Quan Digital
and also a co-founder of a gaming company Wooga
as well as speech recognition company Mundwerk
KI: Can you tell us a little bit about your role at Contentful
CS: I’m the Chief Marketing Officer at Contentful
and next to the typical marketing tasks I am responsible for evangelizing our developer audience
our marketing does not stop with the sign-up event: rather
it encompasses the whole user experience within our apps in terms of onboarding and helping our users complete their goals
The number one metric we optimize for is user happiness
KI: Can you briefly explain what Contentful is
CS: Contentful is an API-first content management system that makes is really simple for developers to manage and deliver content to any kind of device
We are achieving this by doing a couple of things very different from your traditional CMS of old
(a) The content in Contentful is stored free from presentation
because presentation on one platform (think HTML tags) is most often “pollution” on other platforms
making the life of front-end developers harder
(b) Content is captured in a structured “chunk” kind of way
as opposed to page-centric unstructured “blobs” of content
so that developers can access the content in a meaningful programmatic way
(c) Contentful is designed from the ground up to deliver the content via an API
That way the system plays nicely with mobile apps
and lots of new technologies that equally prefer an API endpoint to access data
Contentful is a cloud service that scales seamlessly and delivery really quickly – even in challenging mobile networking environments
KI: There seems to be a big focus on delivering content in isolation
allowing developers to design their websites and apps around their content
CS: Presentation-free content is what mobile app developers usually cry for when they are trying to retroactively sanitize the existing HTML invested content – not an easy thing to do
But seriously: when you look what content strategist propagate with COPE – create once
publish everywhere – content that is free from presentation is one of the cornerstones of making this happen
this separation is in a way just another form of decoupling
That trend has been prevalent across the board in web development
web developers kept the style sheets right inside the HTML code
While this decoupling comes with a lot of developer benefits
It definitely takes some adjusting for editors who are used to WYSIWIG their work and are now told to please not do this anymore
Has Contentful adapted much to accommodate any of those changes
with most mobile sites – if existing – looking rather terrible
and mobile app penetration was a fraction of what we see today
and even innovative platform adopters like YouTube only had 10% of non-browser based content consumption
back then there was no crucial need for Contentful
except for only a small group of early adopters
in 2015 we are seeing customer uptake moving beyond early adopters to an “early majority”
Another thing that we are experiencing is how purchasing is changing
you would expect a huge RFP with vendors and their partners filling out long form checklists and benchmarks
we see a lot of companies adopting agile development methodologies
and somehow this also translates into agile vendor selection
where the ability to get a product shipped in a short period of time and developers having an ever larger share of voice in decision making – or better influencing
KI: Can you tell us what's in store for Contentful in the coming months
Is there anything planned to happen before the end of 2015 that our audience should know about
being a cloud service means that we are liberated from a major release cycle
where every major release causes tons of hassle and updating frenzy for customer and partners
we roll out many incremental and subtle releases
often quickly delivering features based on our customers’ or prospects’ wishes
we are currently focusing a lot on improving the editor experience
and will roll out major improvements in the next month
are going to enhance the querying capabilities of our API
as well implement a much more sophisticated audit trail and permission system
if you had just three short sentences to sum up why an enterprising company should opt for Contentful over any other competitor
the question is twofold: Why should I choose an API CMS is the first place
And if I know that an API CMS is the right thing for me
amongst the existing API CMS on the market Contentful is by a large margin the most established and proven choice
with billions of API requests every month and mission-critical operations by some of the world's largest brands relying on Contentful
we put a lot of effort in developer support – from great docs to lots of SDKs and librarie
to example apps that you can use as a starting template to build your own app
To find out more about <a href="https://www.contentful.com/" target="_blank">Contentful, visit their website</a>
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Two suspects were arrested for two separate suspicious deaths in Rijswijk and Schagen on Monday
A suspect in the same street was arrested later that evening
Nothing has been shared about the suspect’s identity in this case
This came a day after a body was found in Schagen
Police were called to a home on the Scholeksterlaan in Schagen at around noon on Sunday afternoon
The caller stated that a man had become unwell
Emergency services tried to resuscitate the man at the scene
This led to the police starting an investigation into the death and arresting a 35-year-old man from Schagen
which means that he is only allowed to have contact with his lawyer
His role in the death is being investigated
<a href="/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14552-4/metrics" data-track="click" data-track-action="view metrics" data-track-label="link" rel="nofollow">Metrics details</a>
Coinciding with the rising non-communicable disease (NCD) prevalence worldwide is the increasing frequency and severity of natural hazards
Protecting populations with NCDs against natural hazards is ever more pressing given their increased risk of morbidity and mortality in disaster contexts
This investigation examined Hurricane Maria’s impacts across ten lower SES municipalities in Puerto Rico with varying community characteristics and hurricane impacts to understand experiences of supporting individuals with NCD management in the six-month period following the hurricane
We conducted 40 qualitative interviews with mayors
and municipal employees from 10 municipalities in Puerto Rico
we deductively and inductively coded interview transcripts and undertook thematic analysis to characterize community-level hurricane impact and consequences for NCD management
and to identify convergent and divergent themes
including healthcare facilities and roadways
complicated the provision of timely health care for NCDs
and pharmaceutical/medical supply chain continuity
Lengthy power outages at both healthcare facilities and private residences were barriers to healthcare service delivery
and storage of prescription medications with refrigeration
and led to a widespread mental health crisis
Cascading failures such as fuel shortages further compounded these challenges
The consequences of these impacts included the reported exacerbation of health conditions and loss of life among NCD patients
Study findings identify contributors to morbidity and mortality among individuals with NCDs following Hurricane Maria
With the growing frequency of catastrophic disasters from natural hazards
the experiences of communities that endured these impacts offer important lessons regarding policies and practices to better support community disaster resilience and address the evolving preparedness needs of NCD patients
SES refers to the class or standing of an individual or group
and is frequently estimated using proxy measures of income
Individuals of lower SES are more likely to be vulnerable to disaster impacts and face additional barriers to recovery than their higher SES counterparts
Ye and Aldrich (2019) found that SES was negatively associated with mortality following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami
asserting that lower SES residents were more likely to reside in lower quality structures
have less access to disaster-related information and preparedness trainings
and experience barriers to evacuation and response
Kendig (2012) noted that precarious economic circumstances contributed to barriers in obtaining preparedness supplies
and residence in a high-risk area for disaster impacts
this investigation sought to examine Hurricane Maria’s impacts in ten lower SES municipalities in Puerto Rico with varying characteristics to understand the nature of these impacts and community experiences of supporting individuals with NCD management in these post-hurricane contexts
As the frequency and severity of disasters from natural hazards increases
understanding the experiences of managing NCDs in the months following catastrophic disasters can provide important guidance to improve community and health system resilience and preparedness for future disasters
and duration of effects have on determining health outcomes following disasters
In order to construct a participant selection frame, we created a municipal database that included categorical community attribute variables based on data sources found in Table <a data-track="click" data-track-label="link" data-track-action="table anchor" href="/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14552-4#Tab1">1</a> (the term ‘community’ will be used interchangeably with ‘municipality’)
Attribute values were categorized to facilitate a selection process that ensured communities with a broad diversity of attribute values were ultimately selected
Categorization of attributes was also intended to support the interpretation of study findings by outlining the range of values that were typical in the context of Puerto Rico
It should be noted that these stakeholder groups were sampled due to their broad knowledge and familiarity with the experiences and challenges of residents in their communities following the hurricane given their role managing/responding to the disaster or otherwise supporting residents
responses represent a second-hand account of the experiences of individuals with NCDs (referred to throughout as “experiences of individuals with NCDs”)
as well as participants’ first-hand accounts of their efforts to support individuals with NCDs and the challenges they faced
Study participants were recruited by initially contacting the municipal mayor’s office to introduce the study and request an interview with the mayor
Additional participants were identified through referral by the mayor or other respondents
Interviews were scheduled by phone to take place in the local community in a private location
We conducted interviews in 10 Puerto Rican municipalities with diverse characteristics. As seen in Table <a data-track="click" data-track-label="link" data-track-action="table anchor" href="/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14552-4#Tab2">2</a>
selected communities varied widely in terms of their attributes pre-hurricane (baseline) and post-hurricane reported impacts (described more below)
Approximately 4 interviews were conducted per community
Participants were recruited from the following stakeholder categories: municipal mayors (n = 9); first responders (n = 9); faith leaders (n = 5); community leaders (n = 9); and municipal employees (n = 8)
participants were asked to identify the biggest threats to health and safety and the most vulnerable populations
as well as to self-rate their community’s resilience and identify strategies that most contributed to resilience (results related to resilience reported elsewhere)
The interview guide was translated into Spanish adequate to Puerto Rico and pilot tested with one participant from our prior study
Interviews lasted approximately one hour each
and were conducted over a 17-day period in November of 2019 by a three-person bilingual research team with substantial qualitative research experience
Interviews were conducted in private locations in municipal buildings
All participants provided informed consent
and all research protocols were approved by the [UNIVERSITY] Institutional Review Board
All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed in Spanish
a codebook was created according to a priori areas of inquiry
including related to disaster preparedness and response effort coordination
the identification of vulnerable populations
and the biggest threats to health and safety
Spanish language transcripts were uploaded to QSR Nvivo version 12 qualitative data analysis software
with resultant coding compared to ensure concordance or identify needed code book modifications by combining
The remaining 35 interview transcripts were coded by a primary coder and then all coding was reviewed by a secondary coder
after which any discrepancies were discussed and resolved
output by code was produced and reviewed to identify topics related to community-level impact and consequences for populations with NCDs
and to identify both common and divergent themes across interviews
We then thematically organized results by participant-reported impacts related to NCDs
Findings from the thematic analysis were summarized
and illustrative transcript segments were identified and translated to English
communities throughout Puerto Rico reported experiencing a number of challenges to supporting individuals in the management and treatment of NCDs
Many of these challenges stemmed from the magnitude of destruction of facilities
which created barriers to healthcare service delivery
and a lengthy restoration of public services
The results of this study will be presented in two overarching areas of hurricane impact: infrastructure damages and electrical power outages (See Table <a data-track="click" data-track-label="link" data-track-action="table anchor" href="/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14552-4#Tab4">4</a>)
and will illustrate a post-hurricane context in which NCD management and treatment was strained by numerous factors in those two areas: 1) Damages to infrastructure
which complicated the provision of timely health care
and pharmaceutical/medical supply chain continuity; and 2) Lengthy power outages at both healthcare facilities and private residences
which were barriers to healthcare service delivery
and storage of prescription medications using refrigeration
and led to a widespread mental health crises
results will also illustrate how cascading failures such as fuel shortages exacerbated these impacts across the board
resulting in additional challenges to the transport of patients to care or pharmaceutical/medical supplies to communities
and the powering of contingency electrical generators for sustained water supply
the consequences of these impacts will also be discussed
in particular the loss of life that resulted from these circumstances
Direct participant responses are also included to illustrate findings
including damages to medical facilities and roadways
were significant factors that led to delays in medical care for NCDs
Respondents identified types of facilities that sustained damage
damage to roofs of hospitals resulted in the decision to limit the scope of services and hours of operation:
patients with NCDs needed to travel greater distances to locate operational services
but a number of communities described how this was impeded by inaccessible roadways due to debris
Both individuals living in more remote areas as well as those who lived in town centers
experienced lengthier times for roadways around their residence to be cleared
Two communities with low hospital access pre-hurricane perceived the inaccessibility of health services post-hurricane as one of the biggest threats to health and well-being
While blockages from debris were reported in all communities
respondents in coastal municipalities reported flooding that took approximately 7–14 days to clear
with town centers being cleared earlier and outlying neighborhoods cleared later
Inland municipalities with mountainous terrain reported landslides that contributed to longer road blockages
Blocked roads were specifically identified as critical barriers to accessing healthcare for individuals with NCDs who needed regular services and treatments for management of their health conditions
Accessing dialysis treatment post-hurricane for patients with chronic kidney disease was of particular concern for study respondents
with seven communities mentioning dialysis treatment interruption as one of the biggest threats to health post-hurricane
The barriers to accessing healthcare services from blocked roadways were compounded by limited communication to locate available services and coordinate care
Telecommunication service outages made it difficult for emergency managers
and patients to communicate with each other to assess needs
coordinate care for individuals who lived remotely or had persistent roadway blockages from the storm
and call ahead to verify whether services were operational in neighboring communities
Fuel shortages were discussed as further complicating emergency medical transport of patients to receive services
the discovery that medical facilities were closed led patients to travel to other communities in search of care
thus creating unpredictable shifts in service utilization patterns
One community discussed how patients had been diverted to their local dialysis center due to closures of other locations
and accommodating the increased patient load strained the center’s resources
Difficulties accessing healthcare services were cited as contributors to mortality among patients with NCDs
including cases where patients died in hospital parking lots or police stations due to severe respiratory distress
or died while in route searching for an operational medical facility or emergency medical care
Most communities that described challenges in accessing dialysis for patients in the aftermath of the hurricane also reported deaths of dialysis patients in their community due to treatment delays
Participants from municipalities with low or very low baseline dialysis access emphasized that they knew of many deaths among dialysis patients due to not receiving dialysis
Respondents from all communities highlighted interruptions to prescription medications and oxygen supplies as contributors to inadequate management of NCDs following Hurricane Maria
respondents from 4 communities perceived prescription medication shortages as one of the biggest post-hurricane health threats
In addition to interruptions in the supply chain due to road blockages and difficulty transporting medications to local communities
damages to pharmacies or closures were also identified as contributors to medication shortages
Participants from six communities reported that pharmacy services had to be temporarily suspended or offices closed entirely due to the damage
study participants from six communities reported shortages in oxygen supply
Respondents from six communities indicated that people had died in their communities due to shortages in medications to treat NCDs
all communities reporting oxygen tank shortages also indicated that deaths had occurred in their community because of these shortages
Further complicating the issue of prescription medications
respondents from seven communities identified power outages as a barrier to storing refrigerated medications
especially insulin for diabetes management
5 reported power outages lasting longer than 6 months
and while the other 2 communities regained electricity in the urban center relatively quickly
they still reported extended outages in rural areas
with some rural neighborhoods not regaining electricity until up to a year post-hurricane
These seven communities also described how fuel shortages created additional challenges for refrigerating medications
due to the need for diesel fuel to power generators
Widespread power outages were described as a major barrier to healthcare service delivery
the use of medical equipment in patient homes
and contributed to water supply interruptions with implications for dialysis service delivery
To provide context to the extent of power outages among communities sampled for this study
seven communities reported being without electricity for longer than 6 months
Six of these communities mentioned the lack of electricity as one of the biggest post-hurricane threats to health and safety
...they were sick and where were they going to go
Study participants identified individuals who relied on the use of medical equipment in their homes as a population that was particularly vulnerable post-hurricane following power outages
Eight communities indicated that the extended power outages contributed to inoperability of ventilators or other medical equipment for patients with NCDs and complex medical conditions
all with power outages lasting 6 months or longer
identified the inability to power medical equipment as one of the biggest threats to health and safety
Compounding the challenges related to power outages
three communities identified barriers to providing patient care due to problems with backup electrical generators for medical facilities
These problems ranged from generator failures immediately post-hurricane to sporadic/periodic health facility closures due to generator failures
restoration of a failed hospital generator did not occur until almost one-week post-hurricane:
Another municipality described the inability to power the local clinic for 24-hour service delivery due to the limited capacity of an old generator:
One community described how the electrical generator for a refuge was inoperable
introducing a major barrier to individuals who needed electrical supply to operate life-sustaining medical equipment (Community 6)
Respondents from all 10 communities described diesel fuel shortages that began a couple weeks post-hurricane
which introduced another impediment to patient care since electrical generators that sustained the operation of water pumps and powered hospitals
Respondents described the additional complexity of balancing competing priorities for disaster response activities with limited supply
such as fueling emergency medical transport vehicles
had an impact on the operational status of medical facilities
Study participants described delays ranging from one week to one month to receive diesel fuel in their communities due to blocked roadways
shortages of fuel were reported by all 10 communities as creating challenges for powering medical equipment in patient homes
and strict rationing made it hard to obtain gasoline
Respondents from three communities mentioned the lack of electricity as a barrier to water supply delivery
indirectly affecting healthcare service delivery
A total of 5 communities reported being without tap water for more than 3 months
with variability between urban and rural areas
One community described shortages in the bottled water supply
Another municipality described the challenges that water supply interruptions created for the nearby dialysis center
Participant responses indicated that some individuals had pre-existing mental health disorders that were exacerbated post-hurricane
while other individuals experienced mental health crises as a result of the hurricane’s severe consequences and the lengthy recovery period that followed
study participants characterized the increases in mental health crises as being widespread
but particularly concerning among residents of communities with lengthy power outages
Three communities described cases where the hurricane’s impact
especially multiple simultaneous losses and extended electrical outages
contributed to residents’ decisions to commit suicide
Eight communities reported that difficulty operating ventilators or medical equipment due to a lack of electricity or fuel for generators contributed to deaths in their community
These deaths that resulted from the inability to operate medical equipment were mostly described as deaths that occurred in residents’ homes
This study sought to understand how communities in Puerto Rico experienced the impacts of Hurricane Maria
and how these impacts and cascading failures in infrastructure and key resource sectors may have affected the management of NCDs
The communities selected for this study represented a great degree of heterogeneity in terms of underlying context and post-hurricane circumstances
helping to better understand the breadth of impacts
which experienced disproportionate excess mortality following the hurricane
There were a number of populations that were characterized by study participants as being at highest risk for excess morbidity and mortality post-disaster
and they were identified by participants based on their: a) specific health conditions
including individuals with chronic kidney disease
and mental health disorders; b) requirements for NCD management/treatment
such as continual or regular use of electricity-dependent medical equipment
and/or other treatments; and additional factors that compounded risk
such as c) advanced age; and d) limited mobility
The vulnerability of these high-risk groups was influenced by damages to healthcare and community infrastructure
and lengthy interruptions to public services
Both of these types of impacts presented challenges to adequate management of NCDs
with persistent impacts of road blockages and power outages being major impediments to patient transport
and operation of life-saving medical equipment
A majority of study communities identified barriers to dialysis as one of the biggest threats to health post-hurricane
either due to dialysis unavailability from center closures or center inaccessibility from impassable roadways
These findings are consistent with other studies that have documented the vulnerability of dialysis patients following disasters due to missed dialysis sessions
including as a result of transportation-related barriers; however
this study identified considerable variation in the length of time that roadways were blocked based on types of impacts that varied by terrain
highlighting the importance of considering these factors during preparedness for natural hazards of this magnitude
guidelines for dialysis patients on how to prepare for natural hazards vary widely
Most publicly available guidelines would under-prepare patients in contexts of catastrophic disasters similar to those seen following Hurricane Maria
Current guidance would fall short of protecting patients experiencing severe damage to infrastructure and extended power outages
some guidance relies on infrastructure and resources that are less likely to be available following severe events
such as reliance on telecommunications to coordinate care and verify service availability or the designation of primary and secondary dialysis centers without consideration of actual post-disaster roadway access conditions or other impacts
Guidelines for dialysis patients should be expanded to include information on how to prepare for scenarios following catastrophic disasters
including expanded options for local dialysis treatment that addresses transportation-related
and damage to dialysis centers that are likely to occur
and the implications of long-term power outages for individuals with NCDs
including considerations of fuel supply sufficiency to power generators and mental health consequences
have not been adequately described in the literature
This finding is particularly relevant to individuals with NCDs living in communities throughout the U.S
with aging infrastructure and electrical grids
In the case of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
but not for the possibilities of experiencing power and telecommunication outages that persisted for months at a time
combined with shortages of diesel fuel and few alternatives to refrigerate medications
given the experiences following Hurricane Maria
guidelines should be expanded to recommend that patients anticipate the possibility of longer service
and prepare accordingly for the possibility of catastrophic events
including how to handle medication or oxygen shortages for preparedness at the household level
While this study does not facilitate an assessment of causal relationships between disaster impact and mortality
findings do provide insight into the factors surrounding morbidity and mortality of individuals with NCDs
as well as contributors to health care system and public service impacts that negatively affected NCD management
The experiences following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico offer important lessons regarding the potential impacts of catastrophic disasters on NCD treatment and management
and are useful for improving community and health system resilience and preparedness for future disasters
There were a number of populations that were identified by study participants as being most vulnerable to morbidity and mortality post-hurricane
in particular individuals with NCDs that required lifesaving medical equipment
These high-risk groups should be prioritized for future disaster preparedness planning
especially when multiple risk factors are present and there are additional financial barriers to adequate preparedness
The vulnerability of individuals with NCDs was influenced by the type and duration of cascading hurricane impacts
Catastrophic disasters introduce additional preparedness considerations for individuals with NCDs
Preparedness guidelines for individuals with NCDs should be expanded to consider these possible impacts as a result of catastrophic disasters
especially with the demonstrated increase both in the intensity of natural hazards and the proportion of the U.S
When disaster impacts could involve considerable infrastructure damage that would limit travel to healthcare services or prevent communication with providers
preparedness plans and contingencies should anticipate the need for in-place primary and NCD care
including in local community and home-based settings
Community disaster preparedness plans should integrate local medical systems that support home-based care to enhance the timeliness and effectiveness of care for NCD patients
compromised treatment and management of NCDs due to the extended duration of interruptions to services and resource availability highlight the need for preparedness approaches that anticipate these longer periods
and specialized care units such as dialysis centers should consider planning for a network collaboration between different units and standards for equipment
Disaster preparedness guidelines for individuals with NCDs should be expanded to apply lessons learned from Hurricane Maria in order to protect populations with NCDs from excess morbidity and mortality in future disasters
The datasets generated and analyzed in this current study are not publicly available to protect participant privacy
but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request
George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
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Kidney patient Care in Disasters: emergency Planning for patients and Dialysis facilities
Medication adherence in older clinic patients with hypertension after Hurricane Katrina: implications for clinical practice and disaster management
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Rethinking infrastructure in an era of unprecedented weather events
Pou and the Hurricane — implications for patient care during disasters
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The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
The funder had no role in the study’s design
Department of Prevention and Community Health
EA designed the study and instruments; collected
and interpreted data; and drafted the manuscript
AC analyzed and interpreted data; translated illustrative quotes; and drafted the manuscript
CRVS analyzed and interpreted data and drafted the manuscript
MJ contributed to study instrumentation; collected
and analyzed data; and revised the manuscript
CERD contributed to study design and instrumentation; and revised the manuscript
MIR recruited participants; collected and transcribed data; and revised the manuscript
CSB contributed to study design and instrumentation; and revised the manuscript
All authors read and approved the final manuscript
All study protocols were reviewed and approved by the George Washington University Committee on Human Research (FWA00005645) - Institutional Review Board (IRB)
All participants provided informed consent prior to participation
and all study procedures were performed in accordance with IRB guidelines for the protection of human subjects and ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki
The authors declare that they have no competing interests
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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They made it inside Europe’s top 10 in 2022
so is it possible that the upwards trajectory of the Netherlands’ men’s team in recent years can add another top 10 position at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025
While the Netherlands' women's team are well-known for their exploits; a World or European Championship medal every year from 2015 to 2019 and three top-five Olympic Games finishes in a row (2016
But they are making giant steps towards it
Since their debut on the continental scene (2020
the ‘Oranje’ have looked right at home on the men’s international scene
despite their lack of competition experience
further confirming their strength with a 12th place-ranking at the EHF EURO 2024
is thanks to their globally-recognised talented playing duo of centre back Luc Steins and right back Kay Smits
combined with legendary player and now coach
Paris Saint-Germain player Steins was named as the All-Star centre back of the EHF EURO 2022
for his performances with the cub in 2021 and 2022
22) and EHF Champions League (2023) winner with German side SC Magdeburg
Smits – who played alongside Steins at Limburg Lions in the Netherlands at the beginning of their careers – will return to national team action after missing the EHF EURO 2024 due to issues relating to an inflamed heart muscle
But it is a well-known problem in team sports that having key individuals does not always bring success – the collective is what is important
along with the humble nature of his squad – including that of Steins and Smits – has found that right mix of individual brilliance
combined with hard work towards the team itself
This is exemplified by the longevity of the squad
a number of whom have more than 100 appearances in orange
They did not qualify directly two years ago for the world championship
having lost their qualification play-off against Portugal
but were awarded a wild card by the IHF due to their impressive performance on the continental level
And it was fitting that Schagen – on his birthday – scored their first men’s world championship goal for 62 years, when they beat Argentina (29:19) <a href="https://www.ihf.info/media-center/news/birthday-cake-and-62-year-wait-netherlands-men-win-world-championship">to record a historic first-ever win at an IHF Men's World Championship in their opener in Krakow</a>
They followed it up with a win against 2025 group opponents North Macedonia (34:24) and a tight 26:27 loss to Norway
Their main round campaign featured two losses (26:33 vs Germany
but it was not enough to secure a last eight spot
Swedish playing legend Staffan Olsson took over the reigns of the team in August 2022 and has a strong track record
having been coach at both club level (with Hammarby
from 2005-2011 and PSG as assistant from 2015-18) and guiding the country of his birth
to Olympic Games silver in a period stretching from 2008-2016)
one of the top right backs in the history of the sport
representing Sweden as a player in 357 games
winning four European titles plus the IHF Men’s World Championship twice
“My hopes are that we can show that we have developed
that we will get even closer to the top teams and that we will be more mentally and physically prepared for a long and tough tournament,” said Olsson to ihf.info ahead of their trip to Croatia
“Our first goal is to make it to the main round and then we'll see what our conditions look like.”
Like fellow preliminary group opponents in Croatia
Ollson’s side had to come from behind in their two-legged European qualification play-off against Greece
but a strong first half in Eindhoven in the second leg ensured a 16:10 half-time break
and with the teams equal in the second period
the Dutch took a 31:25 win and 58:56 overall win
“Making it to a final tournament is still very nice
because we weren’t there for many years before and it is nice and important that our young talents can show themselves on a big stage,” said Netherlands’ captain Bobby Schagen to ihf.info
We've been in Scandinavia a lot in the past and it's nice to play in Croatia as well
a country with a great handball history and handball culture
but it is clear that we are not a favourite for a medal
“Our goal should be to make it to the main round and from there see what is possible towards the quarter-finals
We are a very close team that works together a lot
I think that also shows in the way we play handball; we fight and compete for each other and also try to entertain the public by showing fast
the Dutch – without Luc Steins – played two 2026 European Qualification matches
high-scoring win at home against the Ukrainians secured their first qualification points
Their final preparation will see the Netherlands travel to Switzerland at the beginning of January (4 to 7) for a training camp
They then return home to the High Performance Centre in Papendal on the outskirts of Arnhem in eastern Netherlands before heading to Croatia
“We look at this tournament match-by-match,” added Jeroen Bijl
“We are positive and looking forward to a great tournament
Qualification for CRO/DEN/NOR 2025: European Qualification - phase 2 (58:56 against Greece)
Group at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025: Group D (Guinea
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2006 aboard the cruise ship Legend II near the Galapagos Islands
a woman whose life revolved around her children and family
They all recognize that whatever success any of them had was due to her advocacy and support
Her departure leaves a hole that will never be&nbsp;filled
and raised in nearby Glen Rock where she attended Central School and Glen Rock High School
She then went to Juniata College in Huntingdon
where she met her future husband whom she began dating in 1970
Wendy graduated with a degree in Sociology and a teaching certificate in secondary&nbsp;education
1975 at First Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood
She worked at CSC in Philadelphia and supported her husband during his last&nbsp;three years in medical school
They lived in Philadelphia until May 1978 when “they loaded up the truck and moved to” Syracuse
It was a traumatic birth and a near death experience for Wendy.&nbsp;Wendy spent her first Mother’s Day in the&nbsp;medical&nbsp;intensive&nbsp;care&nbsp;unit&nbsp;with a surprise visit from Julia in a newborn nursery crib
Wendy recovered after some months and was a devoted and attentive mother
The Klags moved to Baltimore in 1984 and made the commitment to stay in 1987.&nbsp;Stephen Andrew was born in Johns Hopkins Hospital on July 18
followed by Sarah Elizabeth on December 12,&nbsp;1990
selfless volunteer in local elementary and middle schools
she appreciated the opportunity to attend aerobics classes.&nbsp;When her children were old enough to attend school
she afforded other women the same opportunity by baby sitting at the Parkville Recreation&nbsp;Council
a trait that she passed on to her children and shared with her husband.&nbsp;She also was a fan of professional sports and had a depth of knowledge that amazed her&nbsp;family
The defining hallmarks of her life were selflessness and devotion to her family and friends
She took great pride in the accomplishments of her children and husband
they recognized her as the glue that held them together and the anchor that kept them&nbsp;centered
New Jersey; two brothers Donald Schagen of Newport
A funeral mass for Wendy Klag was held August 23 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in&nbsp;Baltimore
Anyone wishing to send their condolences to the Klag family may send them by email to <a title="deanklag@jhsph.edu" href="mailto:deanklag@jhsph.edu">deanklag@jhsph.edu</a>
gifts in Wendy's memory should be directed to the Wendy Klag Fund at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Gifts may be sent to the School at the address&nbsp;below
Wendy Klag FundJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health615 N
<a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University </a>
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It's not Syngenta's first new greenhouse in Enkhuizen
Until now the internationally operating breeding company did not have a greenhouse that allows for a specific application of CO2 dosing
the technique is optimized because the greenhouse is newly built
Technical installation in the corridor that separates the seed production area ('hidden' behind the pipes) and the seed quality tests area of the greenhouse
we have total control over the greenhouse climate
and it offers many logistical improvements," says Pim Neefjes
he enthusiastically showed a greenhouse part with many cauliflower crops
the greenhouse has been operational for more than a year
modern techniques were optimized in the greenhouse (which covers 6300 square meters)
we can see the crops that were planted in December 2023
The second year of cultivation is underway
basic seeds were bred in another greenhouse at the same property
"I estimate that there are about twenty hectares of greenhouse," says Pim
The breeding of the basic seeds has been moved from one of those greenhouses to the Jan Schagen greenhouse
have a catch-up meeting at the automated sowing line
ClimateThis new greenhouse is named in tribute to a colleague who passed away in 2022 and who was closely involved in its creation from an early stage onwards
This greenhouse is significantly taller than the former one
It may sound somewhat odd but the former greenhouse provided fewer opportunities to optimize the climate for crops that need cold than this brand-new greenhose
there are crops that indeed need a lot of warmth
Next to the seed quality testing greenhouses
there is an area for sowing with a modern sowing line and two climate cells
One of these is for crops that normally grow under rather moderate conditions and a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius
The other one is for fruit and vegetables that need a higher humidity and a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius
A high percentage of usable plantsAfter one or two days in the climate cell
we immediately heard the sound of high-pressure misting
which was not present in the former greenhouse
Pim explains that this new greenhouse department is all about determining the percentages of 'usable plants.' Syngenta demands a minimum of 90% usable plants
customers know what they can expect from a certain batch
This percentage is more than just a germination percentage
which they can also determine in Enkhuizen
Determining seed quality is still a manual process
"Our specialists have a lot of knowledge and are currently not using digital imaging techniques to determine seed quality
A team of thirteen people is fortunate to work in the new greenhouse
"They now have to do way less cart and tray dragging." Possibly
Optimal traceability is guaranteed through sowing with barcodes for each tray and batch
Future-proofThe greenhouse for seed quality tests is equipped with HPS lighting
which is remarkable in those times in which there's a lot of talk about LED lighting
it turns out there is a logical explanation for this
HPS lamps were chosen because the transition from the old to the new facilities should not impact test results
Other lighting could indeed influence the germination test results
Syngenta is developing a plan for switching to LED in the long term
it will also be possible to add lighting in the seed production section
This will allow for running two cycles and an accelerated breeding process
He emphasizes that the newest greenhouse is an inspiring example of further innovation
"We make efforts to ensure this site is and remains future-proof." While cycling
this is the fastest way of transport on this large site because on a large site
Jan Willem explains: "This building will be blown up
and we will make it larger and higher; in this way
Syngenta is developing a climate transition plan for the entire site in Enkhuizen
Future-proof breeding also includes a climate transition plan
"We are developing a climate transition plan for the entire site in Enkhuizen," says Hanneke Verhelst
Head of Business Sustainability Syngenta Benelux
"This also involves a more sustainable way of heating." The warmer parts of the greenhouse are still heated with gas
The climate transition plan is also concerned with greener electricity supply
2,000 solar panels are being installed on the site in Enkhuizen.The newest greenhouse in the complex is this Jan Schagen greenhouse
For more information:Syngenta<a href="http://www.syngenta.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.syngenta.com</a> 
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Ohio &#8212; Esports are competitive video games played as a team
The Ohio High School Athletic Association partners with Esports Ohio
to support and promote its annual state tournament in Apr
There are currently 294 schools that have teams affiliated with Esports Ohio
This is Centerville High School’s (CHS’) first year as a club
Because we do not have the capability to game at the school
we traveled to VYRAL gaming compound in Kettering for our matches
VYRAL was incredibly supportive and so very helpful
Those who qualified (including CHS) traveled to the regional tournament (University of Cincinnati
CHS then went on to the state tournament (University of Akron) in Apr
Collin Giffin was named 1st Team All-Ohio for Super Smash Brothers
and Wonho Lee was named 2nd Team All-Ohio for Valorant
Evan Sabol and Maddie Van Schagen) won second at state this season—very exciting
I love that the esports community is so inclusive
Esports Ohio and my students were extremely understanding and helpful
When students know a teacher cares about something they care about
Esports Ohio uses gaming as a positive educational and developmental change agent for students
The opportunity for these students to be a part of a team and represent their school is an exciting honor
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The court in Alkmaar convicted two men for their involvement in a <a href="https://nltimes.nl/2025/02/04/suspect-plotted-neighbors-rape-tricking-sex-app-users-face-4-years-jail">bizarre game </a>that almost led to a neighbor being raped in a very violent way
The court sentenced the brain behind the plan
This is aligned with the demand set by the Public Prosecution Service (OM)
assumed the identity of his neighbor on a sex chat site and invited the person he was chatting with to fulfill her rape fantasies
he "carefully staged everything in a cunning manner"
"the victim of a very serious sexual crime.”
He did not know that the person he was speaking to was a man
was using a profile picture of his neighbor and gave A
rang the neighbor's doorbell on February 15 last year
He forced his way into her home and tried to violently rape the woman
She was able to flee from her home after a struggle that lasted several minutes
to 11 days in prison and 240 hours of community service
He had already served 11 days in pre-trial detention
The community service is 90 hours higher than the recommendation by the OM
but the last mentioned could have noticed straight away that something was wrong
partly due to the woman’s attempts to keep him out of the door
was out of breath and weakened his hold on her
The woman's victim impact statement during the trial two weeks ago showed that the events had had "a profound and lasting impact" on her and her family
also used the identity of three other women on the chat site
including his wife and his friend's daughters
Another chat partner of his had already been to the same neighbor's house in January last year
The Schagen man worked as a babysitter for at least 11 families nationwide
He offered his services via Martkplaats from 2019 and charged significantly lower rates than others
he wore the uniform once during training to become an enforcer and was never employed by the police
investigators have viewed 60 percent of the pornographic images on the man’s data carriers
The police have identified at least one victim for whom the man had been a babysitter
The child’s mother has filed charges against the man
The police have not yet determined whether the man also abused other children in his care
The police are still working on identifying several children in child pornographic images on the man’s phone
They’re also still determining whether the man made those images himself
the current estimate is that there are over 21,000 photos and over 3,000 videos of child pornography on the man’s devices
said at the hearing that his client is wrongly portrayed as a large-scale child abuser
the authorities are marking innocent images as child pornography
He specifically mentioned a photo of a hand rubbing a diaper
A second suspect is also in custody in this investigation
The 38-year-old man from Alkmaar allegedly received images of child sex abuse from the babysitter
The OM considers it “very possible” that the Schagen man also shared child pornography with other people
The Schagen man will be admitted to the Pieter Baan Center at the end of October for a psychological and psychiatric assessment
The next hearing is scheduled for November 6
This past winter was warmer than average for the ninth time in a row
The meteorological winter ended on Monday with an average temperature in De Bilt of 5.8 degrees Celsius
This made it the sixth warmest winter since temperature measurements began
extremely cold winters are becoming impossible
the average winter temperature was 2.1 degrees
This was followed by the extremely cold winter of 1979
The new IPCC climate report shows that the winters in our country are becoming wetter and warmer
Only short-lasting cold periods with snow and ice
One warm period does not necessarily indicate climate change
it can be seen that the Netherlands is getting warmer
Meteorological institute KNMI has calculated the average temperatures over 30 years
the average temperature was about 9.4 degrees
this average has risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius to 10.5 degrees on average
On Monday afternoon, the UN climate panel IPCC released a new report showing that climate change is already leading to "widespread disturbances in nature." Vulnerable people and ecosystems are hit the hardest. In northern Europe, the panel sees particular problems arising for coastal countries like the Netherlands. The <a href="https://nltimes.nl/2022/02/28/rising-seas-major-threat-european-coastal-towns-according-ipcc">risks of flooding are increasing.</a>
climate change does not mean cold winners will never occur again
there were cold winters but no extremely cold winters
Independent journalism at the University of Twente
Johan van Schagen gained inroads into Argentina through his love of basketball
He now hopes to make a slam dunk as the new President of the ITC Student Association Board (SAB)
Van Schagen became interested in the economic sociology of food after reading the book Exploring the Tomato by Mark Harvey
The 27-year-old hopes to turn his masters program into a PhD
‘This year I will be defining my topic around food
I hope to narrow my focus and find funding for a comprehensive subject that will include logistics
and social impact.’ Van Schagen has two Masters in Sciences both from the UT: one in Mechanical Engineering and another in Philosophy of Science
‘I now realize that I am not so interested in the production environment
but more comfortable looking at systemic and logical approaches to urban problems.’
Van Schagen admits there are numerous challenges he and his other nine board members face
‘ITC is going through many transitions,’ he said
we also are effected by the financial crisis
ITC students are particularly fragile as many students depend on scholarships and public funding
We have to help implement any cutbacks and higher costs as smoothly as possible and communicate them well to the ITC community.’
‘But I think we have a unique opportunity to learn from one another,’ he continued
a pillar of academic excellence that can help shape the UT’s image in the world.’
there is now a new ITC faculty counsel at the UT
The SAB facilitates the social life at ITC
offering information to students about associations for sports
‘But we also want to pick up on trends,’ said Van Schagen
‘by encouraging students to create start-up companies
‘I was 3-1/2 months in Ghana and it was my first time away from home
I was involved in a project that wanted non-academics with informal knowledge to participate in research projects in Ghana’s health care sector
I was definitely out of my comfort zone which was a positive experience for me.’
‘I traveled to China with 32 other students on a three-week investigative journey for the UT’s Student Association for Mechanical Engineering,’ he continued
There you see growth happening right before your eyes.’
I spent five months in Argentina working on the design and procurement of pumpkin processing machinery
That’s where my basketball skills helped as I immediately integrated into the local team
Argentina felt more comfortable to me because it’s an immigrant nation
That’s when I realized I could settle outside of Holland for a longer period of time and be pretty happy.’
Coaxing him back from his memories of foreign lands
I asked Van Schagen what his goal was as SAB President
‘Most ITC students are here for 1-1/2 years and their work load is intense
So we are all restrained by little spare time
we want ITC graduates to leave as inspired and positive alumni.’
UT-atletiekvereniging Kronos loopt als titelverdediger van het algemeen klassement warm voor de alternatieve Batavierenrace
De ambities zijn wat minder hooggespannen dan de vorige jaren
maar de hoop is er op een klassieke Bata-atmosfeer
Ondanks de kritiek van universiteiten zet de Europese Commissie het plan door: Horizon Europe moet ook ingezet kunnen worden voor militaire toepassingen (dual use)
Vooral bedrijven moeten daarvan profiteren
Vanaf september 2026 gaan studenten in het hoger onderwijs 2.694 euro collegegeld per jaar betalen
Dat is een stijging van bijna honderd euro
Reden daarvoor is de relatief hoge inflatie van afgelopen jaar
Eerder deze week lag een groot deel van Enschede plat door een grote stroomstoring
Bij de UT hangt een heleboel af van stroom
van hooggevoelige onderzoeksinstallaties die wekenlange metingen doen tot grote dataverwerking
a large part of Enschede was down due to a major power outage
from highly sensitive research installations that take measurements for weeks to large data processing
What happens in the event of a power failure
With the magazine ROOTS we want to connect students and companies
We do this by bringing stories of starters on the labor market
They talk about living and working in the region
companies come into the spotlight of students and students get an idea of the life that awaits them and what opportunities there are in the region
In honour of <a href="https://mobilityweek.eu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Mobility Week</a> (16-22 September)
an awareness-raising campaign on sustainable urban mobility by the European Commission
we've decided to show you some of Luxembourg's choicest cycling routes
Naturally Caroline &amp; Chris – our guides for this series – relied wholly on public transport for the places where they didn't have enough pedal power to get them to and from the start/end points
The first of three guides in this series was aired on Monday, for which we sent C&amp;C  on a bipedal <a href="https://today.rtl.lu/luxembourg-insider/guides/a/2231681.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adventure from Schieren to Kirchberg</a>
That's not bad for a couple of hours of leisurely pedaling
While the country as a whole has an abundance of natural beauty to offer, fans of the built environment will be hard pressed to find a better city cycling destination in Luxembourg than the City itself.
For this second guide, C&amp;C strapped on their helmets and headed down to the park in Merl to start their ride. From there they went to the old town, Gare, Grund, Clausen, Pfaffenthal, and a whole host of places inbetween.
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The police have seen a lot at the Schueberfouer over the years, from petty offences like theft to brawls that got out of hand. So far, <a href="https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/1955174.html" target="_blank">the 2022 editio</a>n has been relatively uneventful
At the Schueberfouer, the police have many missions, including looking for lost objects, investigating thefts, registering kids for <a href="https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/1952891.html" target="_blank">the "lost children" service</a>
our colleague Nina Schagen from RTL.lu got a firsthand peek at what an evening at the Fouer is like for the police
When thinking about the police at the Schueberfouer
the Fouer-Kommissariat ("Fouer Police Station") at the funfair's entrance comes to mind almost immediately
But the police are also present on the site itself in the form of security patrols that regularly check the site and the surrounding area
different officers participate in these patrols
officers from the dog unit can be a part of them
in the context of international cooperation
As for the surrounding areas of the Glacis
one particular location of interest is the nearby park
The officers checked two individuals who were walking through the park but did not find anything out of the ordinary
The two pedestrians were thus allowed to resume their walk
the Schueberfouer 2022 has been rather uneventful
"You can see that people are thrilled to be out and about," Beffort said
There have been isolated cases of people causing some problems
then the people are satisfied and vice-versa," Beffort noted
adding that the stall owners also share the same goals
the police have other responsabilities as well
these include objects that people find and bring to the police
people who want to register their kids with the "lost children" service
and being alert at all times so that officers can respond swiftly if an intervention is required
some 800 children have been registered with the "lost children" service
Weber explains that people who come to the Schueberfouer with children
may register their children ahead of time through the police's E-Kommissariat on police.lu
<a href="https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/1952891.html" target="_blank">Read also: Registration for "lost children" service opens</a>
people can submit their contact details and when they arrive at the Schueberfouer
they can collect a sticker with all the details at the police station near the entrance
it is much easier to find the parent(s) or legal guardian and reunite them
the police have noticed that some people appear to have missed the memo that the Fouer is no longer open until 2am on weekends this year
"some people manage to have a lot of drinks until 1am
officers approach visitors and remind them that the Fouer is about to close
at which point "nearly everybody accepts to leave"
but "we just explain it to them a second time
Visitors also appear to be satisfied with the security at the Schueberfouer
with one person commenting that they are pleased to see police patrolling the entire site rather than just the entrance
They say that the strong police presence allows them to visit the Fouer without fear
The bodies of a woman and two men were retrieved from the Crocodile River near Mbombela
after six people were flung from the back of a bakkie
The accident occurred on the N4 between Alkmaar and Schagen yesterday afternoon
The three survivors were transported to hospital by Emer-G-Med
Emer-G-Med’s Martin Jeffrey says two survivors were in a critical condition and one in a moderate condition
Lowvelder is at the accident scene on the N4 near Schagen. The westbound is partially closed. <a title="lowvelder" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lowvelder?refer=embed">#lowvelder</a> <a title="accident" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/accident?refer=embed">#accident</a> <a title="mbombela" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mbombela?refer=embed">#mbombela</a> 
He says they reacted to the scene at about 15:30
lost control when a tyre burst on the bridge near Schagen
<a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/lowvelder/news-headlines/local-news/2025/04/13/mbombela-three-killed-as-six-passengers-flung-from-back-of-bakkie-into-crocodile-river/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-target="_blank">Lowvelder</a> is aware of unconfirmed reports of a seventh occupant
who is said to have been swept away by the river
The spokesperson of the Department of Community Safety
says an investigation into the accident is already underway
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Read original story on <a href='https://www.citizen.co.za/lowvelder/news-headlines/local-news/2025/04/13/mbombela-three-killed-as-six-passengers-flung-from-back-of-bakkie-into-crocodile-river/' target='_blank' title='3 killed as 6 passengers flung from back of bakkie into Crocodile River near Mbombela' rel='follow' >www.citizen.co.za</a>
After announcing the <a href="https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/article/andrew-mcconnell-close-moon-under-water-open-chinese-restaurant">closure of Moon Under Water</a> last month, there are more changes afoot in the McConnell empire. Perry Schagen will take over from Ben Pigott as head chef at <a href="https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/directory/restaurant/supernormal">Supernormal</a>
Formerly executive chef at The Graham Hotel in Port Melbourne
Schagen left his post in December last year
“I decided I’d take my time and have a bit of a look around
and wait for the perfect position to come up,” he says
travel spots and more – curated by those who know
Schagen is also an alumni of <a href="https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/directory/restaurant/circa-prince">Circa</a>, where he briefly worked under McConnell, and <a href="https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/directory/taxi-kitchen">Taxi</a>
where he learned the ropes in Asian flavours
“[At Taxi] we had five sushi chefs on the roster,” he says
and getting a bit more of an understanding of what they do.”
While the chef hopes to have some influence on the Supernormal menu in the long term
he’s taking an if-it-ain’t-broke approach in the meantime
“The brief for me was just to continue the success of Supernormal and keep going as we are,” he says
“I don’t think there’s a lot that needs to be changed.”
Meanwhile the Flinders Lane hotspot has embraced winter by reintroducing lunchtime ramen
swapping out last year’s pork broth for a chicken base
which is served on weekdays from 11am to 3pm
Pigott is taking some well-earned time off, after three years at <a href="https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/directory/restaurant/cafe/bar/cumulus-inc">Cumulus</a> and Supernormal
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