Conflict lies at the core of urban sustainability transitions and the indispensable structural changes that accompany them. In this chapter we examine the RESILIO project, a multi-actor collaboration in Amsterdam aiming to transition towards a 'climate proof' city through smart water retention systems on urban roofs. The focus is on the conflict that emerged during discussions about controlling the smart valves on the rooftops which are designed to prevent urban flooding. Using a discourse analytical framework, the study analyses participant interactions, conflicting positions, and discursive strategies employed by the partners involved in the initiative. Participants utilised several discursive strategies, including identity, stake, and accountability management, to manage their positions in the conflict and influence the discourse. The study highlights the challenges of addressing conflict that involves redefining accountability and responsibility between public and private actors in the collaborative setting of transition initiatives. By doing so the findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how conflict can shape learning processes and foster sustainable urban transitions.
Plasmid-mediated dissemination of antibiotic resistance among fecal Enterobacteriaceae in natural ecosystems may contribute to the persistence of antibiotic resistance genes in anthropogenically impacted environments. Plasmid transfer frequencies measured under laboratory conditions might lead to overestimation of plasmid transfer potential in natural ecosystems. This study assessed differences in the conjugative transfer of an IncP-1 (pKJK5) plasmid to three natural Escherichia coli strains carrying extended-spectrum beta-lactamases, by filter mating. Matings were performed under optimal laboratory conditions (rich LB medium and 37°C) and environmentally relevant temperatures (25, 15 and 9°C) or nutrient regimes mimicking environmental conditions and limitations (synthetic wastewater and soil extract). Under optimal nutrient conditions and temperature, two recipients yielded high transfer frequencies (5 × 10–1) while the conjugation frequency of the third strain was 1000-fold lower. Decreasing mating temperatures to psychrophilic ranges led to lower transfer frequencies, albeit all three strains conjugated under all the tested temperatures. Low nutritive media caused significant decreases in transconjugants (−3 logs for synthetic wastewater; −6 logs for soil extract), where only one of the strains was able to produce detectable transconjugants. Collectively, this study highlights that despite less-than-optimal conditions, fecal organisms may transfer plasmids in the environment, but the transfer of pKJK5 between microorganisms is limited mainly by low nutrient conditions.
MULTIFILE
Urban open space has a huge impact on human health, well-being and urban ecosystems. One of the open spaces where the environmental and ecological challenges of cities manifest the most is the urban riverfront, often characterised by fragmented land use, lack of accessibility, heavy riverside vehicular traffic, and extreme degradation of river hydrology and ecology. More often than not, the current spatial design of the riverfront hinders rather than supports the delivery of ecosystem services and, in consequence, its potential to improve the health and well-being of urban inhabitants is diminished. Hence, the design of riverside open spaces is crucial. Urban and landscape design in those spaces requires instruments that can aid designers, planners, decision-makers and stakeholders in devising spatial interventions that integrate complex environmental and ecological goals in high quality public space design. By recognising the multiple environmental and ecological benefits of green space and water in the city, the project “I surf” applies a set of four design instruments, namely the Connector, the Sponge, the Integrator, and the Scaler. I surf is a three-phased project that tests, validates and updates these instruments through a design-driven research methodology involving two design workshops and expert meetings addressing three different riverside urban spaces in Amsterdam: in the Ij waterfront, along River Amstel, and on a site located on the canal network. The project concludes with an updated and transferrable instrument set available for urban and landscape design applications in Amsterdam and in other Dutch cities crossed by rivers.
Het huidige lectorenplatform ‘Voedsel, Voeding & Gezondheid’ draagt, in actieve verbinding met de Centers of Expertise (CoE’s) Groen en Healthy Ageing, op dit thema bij aan onderzoekagenda’s van de topsectoren Agri & Food, Tuinbouw & Uitgangsmaterialen, Life Sciences & Health. Dit lectorenplatform bundelt de krachten van meerdere kennisinstellingen om impact te genereren op het gebied van gezonde voeding. De in het begin gekozen insteek op ‘Voedsel’ en ‘Gezondheid’ is in de loop van de tijd verbreed naar ‘Voeding’. In de huidige platformperiode is verbinding gemaakt met lectoren en practoren die zich richten op voedsel/voeding/lifestyle. Dit willen we met deze aanvraag in de komende jaren bestendigen. Ook gaan we verdere verbindingen leggen zoals met het CoE Preventie in Zorg en Welzijn en andere lectorenplatformen. Gelegde contacten met universitaire groepen zullen gericht aangehaald worden. Het samenwerkingsplatform werkt aan het versterken en zichtbaar maken van de rol van het hbo in het toepasbaar maken van ontwikkelde kennis voor de behoefte van en voor burger/samenleving aan gezond en duurzaam eten. Met de focus op Voedselaanbod, Voedselvaardigheden en Voedselomgeving zet het platform met name in op KIA’s van de missies 'Landbouw, Water en Voedsel' en ''Gezondheid en Zorg'. Het samenwerkingsplatform wil in de komende periode inzetten op programma-ontwikkeling gericht op praktische toepassingen met impact op burger/samenleving. Momenteel krijgt dit o.a. zijn beslag door deelname in het coördinatieteam 'Roadmap Voeding, Gezondheid en Leefomgeving''. Het platform wil daarbij insteken op een schakelfunctie voor transfer en implementatie van kennis tussen en naar de regio’s (‘social twinning’). In te zetten hiervoor zijn o.a. leergemeenschappen voor kennis- implementatie/-valorisatie met consumenten, organisaties, bedrijven, mbo en hbo. Onderdeel daarvan zullen zijn door het platform te initiëren, regionaal te houden, ‘Voedsel/voeding/lifestyle”-hackatons met disseminatie in de vorm van een publieksevent. Eerdere inspanningen zoals tijdens de Floriade (Innofest-gesponsorde interacties met breed publiek) strekken tot voorbeeld.
This top-up project is related to the on-going RAAK MKB-project SafeGo (Seismic Monitoring, Design And Strengthening For thE GrOningen Region) . SafeGo combines knowledge of SMEs in the earthquake region of Groningen with innovative solutions and demonstration of technologies, to improve the process of seismic strengthening of houses. Innovative methods and approaches for monitoring and strengthening of structures are tested and further developed in SafeGo In the monitoring part of the project, SafeGo combines soil data, structural data and the sensor data to reach conclusions for the reasons behind observed damages in buildings. Fraeylemaborg, a castle-museum in Slochteren dating back to the 14th century, is used as a testbed. Various sensors are used for monitoring accelerations, tilt and water pressure. In the strengthening part of the project, masonry walls were built and strengthened by the participating SMEs. These walls are placed on the shake table and tested with real earthquake vibrations. A shake table is an accurate laboratory equipment which simulates earthquakes. Majority of the tasks in SafeGo are related either to the site or to the laboratory, which are environments outside of the school. Although an intensive student participation was initially planned, this was not achieved due to COVID19 crisis and the series of mobility restrictions, neither in the monitoring nor in the shake table testing parts of the project. This top-up project aims to transfer the knowledge and create interaction with the students for the SafeGo project. Visitation to the monitored building and presentations to the students on the monitoring system, visitations to the shake table laboratory and interactive events are planned within this project.
