Scriptiebank overzicht

Few fields in human life benefit from what we call ‘climate change’. The consequences of climate change become apparent and are obstructing–sometimes taking–our lives. This is reason enough to anticipate them and implement mitigation and adaptation strategies through policymaking. However, climate model outputs are plagued with uncertainty; this fact evokes controversy about how they should be interpreted, communicated, and used in decision-making. What do these models tell us and should we base any policy decisions on their outcomes if these are highly uncertain? To warrant our trust in the model outcomes regarding decision-making, the sources of and reasons for the uncertainty should be well-understood.
In this thesis, I investigate the emergence of uncertainty in climate model projections. More precisely, I examine what elements throughout the modelling process are the reason for the uncertainty in the outcomes and how this should be interpreted. Is trust in the outcomes warranted? I evaluate this question as a philosopher of science, conducting a philosophical analysis of the climate modelling process and the concepts related to it.
I cast light on the question by analysing climate modelling in three main ways: through a conceptual analysis of ‘model’, ‘climate’, and ‘system’, through an analysis of the experience of ‘climate’, and from a technical perspective by examining the construction of single-model components, coupled global earth system models, and model ensembles.
When considering how the climate is experienced, I find that it is not clear how it could be experienced since it is a scientifically constructed concept. On the other hand, knowledge of this scientific concept may influence our interpretation of weather phenomena. Furthermore, there are many phases in the model-building process; each phase introduces errors and therefore uncertainty that is carried along to the subsequent phases. Observational data is used to estimate some free values in the model. Choosing which values to align with the data on the one hand and with the physical theory on the other hand requires expert opinion. It is a matter of debate whether the outcomes are trustworthy when they result from alignment with observational data, at the expense of adequate representation of the physical processes. The choices made form a source of subjective uncertainty, while the technical constraints of the chosen approach introduce errors. The concept of ‘adequacy-for-purpose’ means that a model is never adequate relative to the entire climate system, but more apt to answer some questions and less apt to answer others.
Overall, there are three important elements to remember: first, a climate model is built to gain insight into climate phenomena that are highly uncertain. Although the model includes uncertainty too, it reduces the uncertainty in the climate phenomena per se. Secondly, climate models are never ‘true’, but can be adequate for their intended purpose. Using climate model outcomes for answering questions they were not built for will result in meaningless responses. Lastly, including more models and more plausible scenarios will result in more different outcomes; if these outcomes are, on average, closer to the ‘truth’, this should not be a problem. Converging outcomes does not necessarily mean they are more correct. Obtaining more correct average answers, by evaluating more models and more scenarios, is a good practice.

This policy report thesis explores the evolution of Anticipatory Action since its inception, tracing the roots from early pilot projects led by the German Red Cross in 2013 to the current usage across multiple countries. The research delves into the complexities of this approach, examining how it has been implemented, the lessons learned, and the potential for scaling up this initiative to ensure they become integral components of national disaster risk management frameworks.

The research identifies key trends in AA plans, highlighting the shift from small-scale pilot projects to more sustainable and widespread implementations. However, it also uncovers continuous challenges, including funding limitations, coordination issues among stakeholders, and the technical complexities linked with accurate forecasting.

In recent years, interest in the use of ecological materials in the production of fibre-reinforced composites has increased enormously. This study investigates if the mechanical properties of different types of flax fibre cloth could act as a substitute for carbon fibre in composite materials. The study focuses on nine different flax fibre cloths, each with different weight classes and different patterns, combined with bio-epoxy resin to create fiber reinforced composites. The study compares the mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and elongation of these flax-based composites. The results indicate that flax fibre composites achieve similar strengths to carbon fibres composites, but due to the fact that they require more layers resulting in greater thickness and weight, their applications are limited, especially in weight-sensitive areas. Unidirectional (UD) flax fibres exhibit the highest tensile strength of all flax fibres tested. In addition, the research shows that the importance of the proper fibre-epoxy ratio is huge, variations in epoxy content will affect the mechanical properties enormously. Bio-epoxy resin, which contains up to 34% biodegradable material, is a good substitute for traditional epoxies. The only difference of bio epoxy is the fact that it is more ductile. Overall, the research highlights the potential applications of flax fibre as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibres, like carbon or glass fibre.

Het traditionele lineaire model in de bouwsector heeft een aanzienlijke ecologische impact door grondstoffenontginning en afvalproductie. Hergebruik van bouwmaterialen kan deze impact verminderen, maar de kosten-effectiviteit is twijfelachtig. Deze masterproef onderzoekt welke materialen rendabel kunnen worden hergebruikt door een een kosten-batenanalyse uit te voeren op de materialen van de lbSN-woning van BLAF architecten. De woning wordt gedemonteerd en heropgebouwd bij de Verbeke Foundation. De analyse vergelijkt de kosten van demontage en verwerking met de prijzen van nieuwe materialen en die op de hergebruikmarkt. De nodige gegevens hiervoor werden verzameld door literatuur en gesprekken met betrokkenen

Purpose - This thesis determines how to preserve and adapt built heritage while simultaneously adding density to the urban fabric of historic cities. Densifying already-existing houses could be an effective alternative for urban sprawl, which is unsustainable and puts cultural heritage at risk by causing heritage assets to become fragmented and deteriorated. The main goal is to investigate the current strategies used to densify townhouses from the 19th century in Zuidwijk, Antwerp.

Methodology - By creating a database on the historic and current situation of these 19th-century townhouses in Zuidwijk, tendencies regarding their residential use and densification are analysed. Additionally, a qualitative categorization of various adaption strategies for the same townhouses is created by examining building permits that are accessible through archived and on-site research.

Findings - This study shows that Zuidwijk is experiencing a trend of single-family townhouses being adapted into multiple-family residences. This adaptation can occur through a variety of strategies. Selecting the appropriate typology for a given building is crucial within the adaptation process, as it determines the potential of the existing townhouse and the objectives to be achieved through the adaptation. This thesis aims to serve as a basis for conducting more in-depth research into the phenomenon of adapting historic residences into multiple-family units, exploring its range of opportunities.

Research limitations - Identified research limitations include a small case study sample, mainly analysed without on-site visits and assessed from an architectural and heritage perspective. Further research and more detailed data regarding criteria such as policy and sustainability, should be considered in the future.

While the potential threat of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) to marine ecosystems is gain- ing attention, research often utilizes unrealistically high exposure levels. This study bridges that gap by investigating the effects of environmentally relevant MNP concentrations on the saltwater microalgae Rhodomonas salina. It further explores the role of Extracellular Poly- meric Substances (EPS) in mitigating these effects. Microalgae were exposed to a range of PET and aged-PET concentrations (10, 100, 1000, and 10000 particles/mL) to account for potential changes in polymer properties and additive release due to aging. Kaolin served as a control for non-plastic particle effects. Although the study’s findings on algal growth didn’t show a clear trend, they did reveal some intriguing patterns in EPS quantity and com- position. Notably, at the low MNP concentrations used, there were no significant changes in total EPS amount. However, the Protein-to-Carbohydrate (P/C) ratio within the EPS dis- played distinct responses depending on the exposure type. While the P/C-ratio remained stable for PET exposures, it significantly increased for aged-PET and kaolin at higher con- centrations. Interestingly, kaolin exposure resulted in more and larger aggregates, whereas higher concentrations of PET and aged-PET led to fewer and smaller ones. Furthermore, at the highest exposure (10000 particles/mL), all treatments displayed a shift in aggregate composition, with a higher proportion of algal cells relative to EPS. These findings signifi- cantly improve risk assessment of MNPs under current marine pollution conditions. They also highlight the critical role of algal EPS in the aggregation of both microalgae and MNPs, ultimately influencing their environmental fate.

In de huidige bedrijfswereld wordt de integratie van milieuverantwoordelijkheid met bedrijfsresultaten steeds belangrijker. Een van de grootste uitdagingen hierbij is het gebrek
aan transparantie en kwaliteit van broeikasgasdata (BKG) in Environmental, Social, and
Governance (ESG) rapporten. Dit probleem belemmert een nauwkeurige beoordeling van
de milieu-impact van bedrijven en vermindert het vertrouwen van stakeholders. In deze
studie wordt een procesgerichte benadering voorgesteld om de kwaliteit en transparantie
van BKG-data in ESG-rapporten te verbeteren. We ontwikkelen een methode die gebruik
maakt van Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) en proces mining technieken om
BKG-data op een gedetailleerd en gestandaardiseerd niveau te integreren en te visualiseren. Deze aanpak maakt gebruik van een BPMN-extensie om nauwkeurige en verifieerbare data te verkrijgen en te rapporteren. De bevindingen laten zien dat de integratie van
BPMN en proces mining gedetailleerde inzichten kan bieden in de emissiehotspots binnen
bedrijfsprocessen. Dit kan bedrijven in staat stellen om gerichte emissiereductie KPI’s
vast te leggen en de algehele datakwaliteit en transparantie van hun ESG-rapportering te
verbeteren. Deze studie is een fundamentele stap richting een verbeterde standaard voor
ESG-rapportering die kan leiden tot betere vergelijkbaarheid en verhoogd vertrouwen
onder belanghebbenden.

Anthropogenic activities across various land uses (e.g. roadsides, industrial areas,
agricultural zones) have introduced xenobiotics, substances not natural to the
ecosystem, in the environment, affecting soil physiochemical characteristics and soil
bacterial communities. To adapt to this changing environment, bacteria have evolved
to withstand these harsh conditions. Insertion sequences (IS) can form composite
transposons that recruit and carry along passenger genes, including those involved in
the degradation of organic pollutants. However, studies examining IS elements
abundance and its cargo in bacterial communities within their natural context is limited.
The purpose of this thesis is to improve our knowledge of the role of the IS element
IS6100 in genetic adaptation within soil bacterial communities. This research focused
on two parts, the first part on Pakistani soil samples that determined how bacterial
community structure and abundance of IS6100 associates with land uses, spatial, and
environmental factors. Land use and location exerted significant influence on alpha
and beta diversity in soil ecosystems, notably with agricultural soil demonstrating
higher diversity due to increased disturbance. While environmental factors such as Cu,
total nitrogen, As, Cd, and total carbon contribute to soil bacterial community variability,
their impact is relatively small compared to land use in shaping soil bacterial
composition. Nevertheless, 86% unexplained variability suggests the presence of
additional important factors that were not measured in our study. IS6100 is
widespread, with no differences in abundance across various geographic Pakistani
samples with differing land use. While effects of environmental factors including
community diversity was low, some toxic contaminants like DiPCB and TriPCB
exhibited a negative correlation with IS6100 abundance. The second part examined
contaminated soils in Belgium, assessing IS6100 abundance by qPCR. Moreover, a
new long-range PCR (LR-PCR) method was applied to amplify the cargo of IS6100
associated CTs for functional analysis by nanopore sequencing. IS6100 was present
across all samples, with significant variations in relative abundance between soils.
Particularly, soil samples continuously exposed to pesticides exhibited elevated
IS6100 abundances compared to those with less clear contaminants. Regarding cargo
genes identification, clear bands in the AGE for every sample suggested that the LR
PCR IS6100 cargo genes were successfully and reproducibly amplified. The amplicons
were successfully sequenced by nanopore sequencing for future functional analysis.

Data analytics has been a major part in American football to allow for evaluation of both player and team performances, with a significant amount of data being readily available. Here, a more in-depth analysis in the area of pass rushing and pass blocking will be done by using K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) machine learning models to find a more precise metric of determining pressure created by the pass rush. Additionally, KNN would be used to predict the motion of a pass rusher, which would then be used to predict pressure created in that new location, allowing for the creation of an entirely new metric, by comparing the true pressure with the predicted one. An extensive analysis with these new metrics would then be conducted, giving American football players and coaches new insights into player and team performances, which can be used to improve the quality of the game, by the means of performance, while at the same time creating new ways of focusing on the safety of the Quarterback. Finally, a dashboard was build on an HTML-based webpage, visualizing the new metrics for a better understanding of its concepts.

In de studie wordt de milieu-impact van keramische gevelstenen onderzocht. Hierbij wordt aandacht besteed aan de huidige recuperatiepraktijk door gesprekken aan te gaan met specialisten in het vakgebied. Op deze manier wordt relevante informatie verzameld die bewijst dat hergebruik een waardevolle strategie is in de schakeling naar een circulaire toekomst.

Biedt het Belgisch algemeen bestuursrecht afdoende waarborgen teneinde een transparante aanwending van algoritmische systemen in de overheidsbesluitvorming te kunnen waarborgen?

Onderzoek naar een alternatieve steunvoorziening in een beha. Dit door middel van parametrisch ontwerpen en borduren op textiel. De verificatie werd gedaan aan de hand van gebruikstesten.

In deze scriptie wordt een evaluatiemethode onderzocht om de duurzaamheid van circulaire bouwoplossingen te kwantificeren. Daarna wordt deze evaluatiemethode toegepast op een case studie, namelijk de circulaire pilootwoning in Berchem van het CBBW project. De milieu-impact en kost van circulaire JUUNOO wanden wordt vergeleken met vaak gebruikte binnenwanden in de Belgische bouwsector.

Een experimenteel (4x4, between subjects) onderzoek naar de impact van voedselgerelateerde inhouden van sociale media influencers op de eetgewoonten van Vlaamse 12-18-jarige adolescenten.

Met Virtual Reality heb ik in een experiment een 360-graden video getoond over de vluchtelingencrisis. In mijn onderzoek wilde ik nagaan of de VR-ervaring een positievere invloed had op proefpersonen hun donatie-intentie dan traditionele media.

In deze scriptie worden verbanden gezocht tussen (interne) creativiteit bij personen en de merkbekendheid van dienstverlenende bedrijven. Verder wordt ook concreet bestudeerd hoe deze creativiteit de merkbekendheid van deze bedrijven kan boosten en op welke manieren creativiteit bij werknemers kan worden gestimuleerd.

De opkomst van digitale munten zou een bedreiging kunnen zijn voor financiële instellingen. In praktijk blijkt de onderliggende blockchaintechnologie net een troef te zijn voor de sector om zichzelf te heruitvinden. De sector blijkt zelfs voorloper te zijn om blockchain te omarmen en bevestigt dit in concrete cases.

Hoe zorg je ervoor dat zelflerende algorithems ook echt slimmer worden en efficienter functioneren. Deze master-thesis beschrijft een theoretisch en praktisch onderzoek hoe je dit zou kunnen doen en waar je op moet letten zodat algorithmes kunnen leren van eerdere ervaringen.

Verbeteren en verhogen van de efficiëntie bij de huidige breekplaat voor zoutwatertoepassingen. Uitgebreid met een statistisch model dat voorspellingen maakt op basis van data science.

Het voorspellen van de werkloosheidsperiode van mensen die juist in de werkloosheid vallen. Op deze manier kan een meer efficiënte en effectievere begeleiding mogelijk worden, waardoor de werkloosheidsperiode hopelijk wordt ingekort.

Digitale computers zijn in staat om informatie sneller en op grotere schaal te verwerken dan mensen. Tijdens de Amerikaanse verkiezingen in 2012 speelde de analyse van persoonsinformatie een belangrijke rol voor het modelleren van kiezersgedrag. Dankzij deze modellen waren partijen in staat om zwevende kiezers te identificeren. Dit werk richt zich op een vergelijkbaar doel waarbij we publieke informatie van het sociale netwerk Twitter verzamelden over gebruikers in Vlaanderen.

Patenting embryonic stem cells -influence of recent jurisprudence on (Belgian) stem cell research Debaere, M1; Iserentant, D1,2; Pappaert, K3 ; Paemen, L3  1Ghent University, 2VIB, 3De Clercq & Partners Abstract: In October 2011, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that procedures relating to human embryonic stem cells or human embryonic stem cell lines are excluded from patentability if they required the destruction of a human embryo. This EU ruling consequently has affected the practice of the European Patent Office and has caused a lot of confusion in the scientific community.

 
Dioxines? Niet op mijn bord!
 
Wie herinnert zich de dioxinecrisis van 1999 niet? Tonnen kippen en zuivelproducten werden toen preventief vernietigd omdat dioxines in de voedselketen waren terechtgekomen. Maar weet je ook wat dioxines zijn en waarom iedereen er schrik van had? Dioxines zijn chemische verbindingen die extreem giftig zijn voor zowel dieren als mensen, zelfs bij zeer lage dosissen.

 
Elvis = Madonna !
Wat heeft “the King” gemeen met “the Queen of pop”? En waarom hebben Technotronic en The Rolling Stones dit ook terwijl uw lokale band het hopeloos mankeert? Het antwoord, naast geld waarschijnlijk, is muzikaal succes en nummer 1 hits. Maar waarom zij net slagen waar zovelen oorverdovend falen .... Is er een geheim ingredient of hitformule?
 
De zoektocht naar een geheime hitformule, of beter de 'muzikale gelijkheid' en hieruitvolgend de eventuele voorspelbaarheid van hits, begint natuurlijk bij de muziek, veel muziek.