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Evaluating a digital inclusion intervention for parents in poverty: results from qualitative research
No full textThis paper presents the evaluation results of a digital inclusion intervention for Dutch parents in poverty. This intervention aimed to promote digital inclusion and positive outcomes in parents’ daily lives by focusing on the four phases of internet appropriation: attitude and motivation, material access, skills, and usage. The ‘Samen wegwijs op het internet’ (SWOI) intervention took place from November 6, 2024, to January 29, 2025, in the southern region of Enschede, the Netherlands. During the program, 14 parents received a laptop, weekly training courses, and free and accessible support in internet and computer use. A qualitative approach is used to evaluate the feasibility elements of the program. Lessons were learned from observations, in-between feedback moments, and short interviews. The results hint toward increased self-confidence in using the internet, pride in one’s learning, and enhanced social contact. The lessons learned for future digital inclusion interventions are shared, including a call for integral intervention approaches and for appointing an intervention coordinator. The results will interest those working on digital inclusion, poverty relief, or intervention design
Generation and characterization of structured vector and partially coherent beams via digital holography and interferometric techniques
No full textThis dissertation establishes a unified framework for the generation, characterization, and control of structured light, a critical area in modern optics. A key experimental achievement is the development of a compact digital holography platform, utilizing a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), which enables simultaneous, full control over beam phase and polarization to generate vector beams. This platform successfully led to the first-ever experimental generation of vector Mathieu–Gauss beams. Furthermore, the work significantly advances the control of spatial coherence: we demonstrate a novel digital technique using the DMD to precisely engineer tunable coherence in different structured beams. By exploring the partially coherent Mathieu–Gauss modes, we showed that these structured beams robustly preserve their essential features and spectral properties even when coherence is significantly diminished, which is critical for some applications like data transferring and communication
Five-year outcomes of the IceBERG study, an international, prospective, multicenter registry on the GORE EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis for aortoiliac aneurysms
No full textObjective: This study aimed to provide insight in the long-term outcomes of patients treated with the GORE EXCLUDER Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis (IBE) for aneurysms involving the common iliac artery. Technical, clinical, and patient-reported outcomes were evaluated. Methods: This is an investigator-initiated, international, real-world, postmarket, multicenter, prospective cohort study, enrolling patients with an indication for elective treatment of an (aorto)iliac aneurysm using the GORE EXCLUDER IBE. Technical and clinical outcomes were collected through the 5-year follow-up, together with questionnaire data. Results: Of the initially 100 enrolled patients, 69 completed the 5-year follow-up. The 5-year freedom from all-cause and aneurysm-related mortality were 82.9% and 96.0%, respectively. The 5-year primary patency of the hypogastric artery was 84.0%. The median abdominal aortic aneurysm and common iliac artery diameters decreased significantly between baseline and 5-year follow-up (−8.0 mm [P = .001] and −6.8 mm [P < .001], respectively). One type Ib and one type Ic endoleak were detected between 2 and 5 years of follow-up and were successfully treated. Two type III endoleaks were discovered during follow-up. There were no significant differences in the occurrence nor severity of intermittent claudication between baseline and 5-year follow-up. The outcomes on the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire on erectile dysfunction showed a significant decrease between baseline (median, 12.5; interquartile range, 3.0-20.0) and 5 years follow-up (median, 4.0; interquartile range, 1.0-16.0; P = .001). The EuroQol Five Dimensions 3-Level and Walking Impairment Questionnaire showed no differences between baseline and the 5-year follow-up. Conclusions: The results of this study support the continued use of the GORE EXCLUDER IBE in the treatment of aortoiliac aneurysms, demonstrating favorable long-term outcomes in terms of patency, sac remodeling, clinical outcomes, and questionnaire outcomes.</p
Towards accurate 3D analysis of human movement:An integrated UWB/MIMU approach
No full textAccurate 3D analysis of human movement (3D AHM) is essential for diagnosing movement disorders, guiding therapeutic interventions, and monitoring rehabilitation outcomes. Although optical motion capture remains the gold standard for biomechanical assessment, its reliance on expensive laboratory infrastructure and time-intensive workflows restricts its use in routine clinical practice. This limitation has driven the demand for portable, objective, and clinically viable alternatives capable of providing reliable movement data outside controlled lab environments. Wearable sensing technologies, particularly Magnetic Inertial Measurement Units (MIMUs), offer promising opportunities for ambulatory movement analysis. While MIMUs accurately capture segmental orientations, deriving precise positional information remains difficult due to drift from double integration of acceleration signals. Many clinically meaningful gait and balance metrics depend on accurate segmental positions, underscoring the need for improved positional accuracy. One solution is to fuse complementary sensing modalities. Ultra-Wideband (UWB), with its drift-free distance measurements, presents a strong candidate for this purpose.This PhD dissertation investigates the feasibility of an integrated UWB/MIMU (UMIMU) wearable system for ambulatory 3D AHM, with a focus on improving positional accuracy and long-term stability. The research progressed through five stages. First, a comprehensive literature review identified major gaps in existing research, including insufficient characterization of UWB performance on the human body, lack of integrated platforms, and inadequate positional accuracy for clinical use. Second, a custom hardware system combining UWB and MIMU sensing was developed and experimentally characterized under both line-of-sight (LOS) and human-induced non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions. Third, a novel swarm-based calibration method was introduced, reducing systematic UWB ranging errors to sub-centimeter levels. Fourth, a swarm-optimization-based position estimation algorithm was developed and validated using synthetic UWB data. Finally, a UMIMU fusion algorithm based on an Extended Kalman Filter framework was created and validated with synthetically generated data. The integrated UMIMU system achieved mean position estimation errors of approximately 6 cm (SD ≈ 3 cm), demonstrating strong consistency and robustness for continuous monitoring applications. While not yet a replacement for optical motion capture, the proposed methods establish a solid technological foundation for future clinically deployable wearable systems capable of delivering reliable 3D AHM outside laboratory settings
Tailored eHealth Strategies for Lifestyle Support in Type 2 Diabetes Care
No full textLifestyle modification is essential in the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D), yet long-term adherence remains challenging. eHealth offers opportunities to support self-management through monitoring and tailored guidance. This thesis explores how eHealth strategies can be dynamically tailored to promote healthy lifestyles in people with T2D and how such strategies can be embedded in diabetes care.Chapter 2 examined views on the current and future role of lifestyle counseling in secondary T2D care through interviews with diabetes nurses. Nurses regarded lifestyle support as integral to care but reported barriers such as limited lifestyle expertise, time constraints, unclear guidelines, and difficulties related to patient motivation. Their counseling often focused on raising awareness and giving brief advice rather than providing intensive coaching. Although eHealth was not yet widely integrated, nurses recognized its potential to complement care and strengthen self-management.Chapters 3–5 focused on the development and evaluation of E-Supporter, a dynamically tailored lifestyle intervention. Chapter 3 described its systematic development, grounded in behavioral theory and user needs. Tailoring was based, among others, on personal goals, progress, and barriers to achieving lifestyle goals. Chapter 4 showed that the intervention was acceptable and perceived as supportive in a nine-week feasibility study, with exploratory improvements in steps, self-efficacy, and diet. Chapter 5 explored a just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) delivered via ecological momentary assessments (EMAs). Participants appreciated context-relevant messages but differed in how personalized and helpful the support felt, underscoring the need for more individualized tailoring content and intensity.Chapter 6 synthesized 61 dynamically tailored eHealth interventions for chronic disease. Tailoring most often targeted physical activity and diet, with increasing attention to contextual and emotional factors. Although many interventions were theory-based and showed within-group improvements, evidence for superiority over controls remained limited. Stronger methodological rigor is needed to unlock their full potential.Chapter 7 integrates these findings, highlighting three key insights: tailoring should be multidimensional; eHealth can bridge clinical care and daily life; and methodological progress requires transparency, interoperability, and reuse of intervention components.Overall, this thesis provides a foundation for designing and implementing dynamically tailored eHealth to support sustainable lifestyle change in T2D care
Ageing workforce and life-long learning in procurement:Challenges and opportunities for teaching Silver Workers to prepare for Industry 4.0
No full textThis paper discusses the impact of an aging workforce on businesses in the European Union. It emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and digital literacy for older employees in purchasing and supply management. Organizations should recognize the contributions of older employees and implement flexible working arrangements, health programs, and ongoing training to support their evolving needs. We conducted a quantitative survey of procurement professionals of all ages to compare silver workers and other age groups in terms of their competences. Despite the focus on traditional competencies, there might be a significant gap in training programs addressing digital and IT expertise for older workers, particularly in the context of Industry 4.0
Repeated ties in buyer-supplier projects
No full textThis study investigates the interplay between value creation and value capture of learning effects in buyer-supplier relationships. It focuses on how interproject learning effects affect supplier profitability. We analysed key performance indicators (e.g., profit, past turnover with focal buyer, past turnover with other buyers, R&D ratio, general turnover) of around 3,000 projects from a large automotive supplier. Our findings indicate that suppliers learn from repeated projects. However, the extent to which this results in higher profitability depends on whether these repeated projects are with the same buyer or with another buyer. We find that past turnover with a focal buyer in a given product group reduces the supplier’s profitability. However, past turnover with other buyers shows a positive effect on the supplier’s profitability. Supplier dependence shows to moderate these effects, and generally reduces the supplier’s value capturing leverage. These findings provide new insights into the dynamics of value creation and value capture of learning effects in buyer-supplier relationships
Spatio-temporal characteristics of drought and its impact on local food security:the case of Libokemkem and Ebinat district, Northwestern Ethiopia
No full textDrought is often considered the most costly and widespread natural hazard, profoundly impacting global socioeconomic growth. The spatiotemporal distribution of drought severity is less evident in northwestern Ethiopia’s highlands. This study was conducted in food-insecure and drought-prone districts of Libokemkem and Ebinatin in northwestern Ethiopia. Using satellite data and socioeconomic indicators, we employed an integrated approach to analyze the characteristics of drought and its impact on local food security. The vegetation condition index (VCI), the standard precipitation evaporation index (SPEI), rainfall deviation, the timing of the growing season, and socioeconomic indicators derived from farmers’ practice data are used to evaluate the impact of rainfall variability on food availability, vegetation, and drought dynamics. The result revealed a significant drought impact during the growing season over the study period (2000–2022). As indicated by the Standardized Precipitation Evaporation index, severe (< − 1.5) and moderate (> − 1.49) drought conditions were observed during approximately 39% and 30% of the growing season in the Libokemkem and 17% and 21% in Ebinat, respectively. Vegetation stress was observed in eight out of 23 study years. Ebinat district experienced extreme drought conditions during the years, severe drought captured over Libokemkem, with both districts experiencing enhanced local food insecurity differently. Our study shows that identifying drought during the growing season is crucial due to its significant impact on vegetation and local food security. This study highlights the need for an integrated monitoring approach to capture the spatiotemporal distribution of drought and vegetation to allow for timely, targeted, and continuous intervention to reduce local food insecurity
Towards Innovation Performance with Public Customer and Tender Attractiveness:A Social Capital Perspective
No full textThis paper explores the role of social capital, customer attractiveness, and tender attractiveness in driving innovation performance in public procurement. PLS-SEM was used to analyze data from 182 suppliers of public organizations. The results were verified with a sample of suppliers of a private company. The study reveals that social capital exhibits limited direct impact in public procurement. Cognitive capital, which emphasizes shared values and goals, is the only social capital dimension that positively influences tender attractiveness. Tender attractiveness emerges as a distinct and significant construct, particularly in the public sector. The findings underline the public procurement emphasis on tender clarity and procedural excellence to foster innovation, in contrast to the relational and long-term collaboration mechanisms prevalent in private procurement. This research challenges assumptions about universal procurement strategies, offering valuable insights into sector-specific approaches for enhancing innovation