926 research outputs found
From the tumor-inducing principle to plant biotechnology and its importance for society
No full textThis dialogue was held between the Guest Editors of the Special Issue on "Plant Transgenesis" of the Int. J. Dev. Biol. and Marc Van Montagu. Research in the group of Marc Van Montagu and Jeff Schell in the 1970s was essential to reveal how the phytopathogenic bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfers DNA to host plants to cause crown gall disease. Knowledge of the molecular mechanism underlying gene transfer, subsequently led to the development of plant transgene technology, an indispensable tool in fundamental plant research and plant improvement. In the early 1980s, Marc Van Montagu founded a start-up company, Plant Genetic Systems, which successfully developed insect-resistant plants, herbicide-tolerant plants and a hybrid seed production system based on nuclear male sterility. Even before the first transgenic plant had been produced, Marc Van Montagu realized that the less developed countries might benefit most from plant biotechnology and throughout his subsequent career, this remained a focus of his efforts. After becoming emeritus professor, he founded the Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach (IPBO), which aims to raise awareness of the major role that plant biotechnology can play in sustainable agricultural systems, especially in less developed countries. Marc Van Montagu has been honored with many prizes and awards, the most recent being the prestigious World Food Prize 2013. In this paper, we look to the past and present of plant biotechnology and to the promises this technology holds for the future, on the basis of the personal perspective of Marc Van Montagu
Transgenic plants: from first successes to future applications
No full textThis dialogue was held between the Guest Editors of the Special Issue on "Plant Transgenesis" of the Int. J. Dev. Biol. and Marc De Block. He was one of the first scientists worldwide to obtain transgenic plants transformed with the chimeric selectable marker genes encoding neomycin phosphotransferase and bialaphos that confer resistance against the antibiotic kanamycin and the herbicide Basta®/glufosinate, respectively at the Department of Genetics of Ghent University and, later on, at the spin-off company, Plant Genetic Systems. Today, these two genes are still the most frequently utilized markers in transgene technology. Marc De Block chose to work on the improvement of crops in an industrial environment to help realize the production of superior seeds or products. He was part of the team that developed the male sterility/restorer system in canola (Brassica napus var. napus) that led to the first hybrid lines to be commercialized as successful products of transgene technology. In more than 30 years of research, he developed transformation procedures for numerous crops, designed histochemical, biochemical and physiological assays to monitor plant performance, and made original and innovative contributions to plant biology. Presently, he considers transgenic research part of the toolbox for plant improvement and essential for basic plant research
Eredoctoraat prof. mr. Geert Corstens
No full textOn October 17, 2023, during the 100th Dies Natalis of Radboud University, Geert Corstens received an honorary doctorate from Radboud University. This honorary doctorate was awarded to him because of his tireless efforts for a strong, fair and equal constitutional state. This edition includes the laudation of honorary supervisor Roel Schutgens, the acceptance speech of Geert Corstens and the Van der Grint lecture given by Geert Corstens during the week of the Dies Natalis.
Geert Corstens was president of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands from 2008 to 2014. Immediately after his appointment, he was known for his assertive attitude towards the political apparatus. The independence of the constitutional state should not be threatened by the wishes and needs of politicians and other outsiders, Corstens believed. He has also made a formidable contribution to public-oriented communication and explanation of the rule of law. Corstens also wrote, among other things, the books Our constitutional state and The judge seizes power: And other misconceptions about the democratic constitutional state to promote general communication about rights and democracy in the Netherlands. Corstens is also the author of the standard work Dutch criminal procedural law and was professor of criminal law at Radboud University from 1982 to 1995
Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context
No full textThis article describes briefly the Hofstede model of six dimensions of national cultures: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity, Long/Short Term Orientation, and Indulgence/Restraint. It shows the conceptual and research efforts that preceded it and led up to it, and once it had become a paradigm for comparing cultures, research efforts that followed and built on it. The article stresses that dimensions depend on the level of aggregation; it describes the six entirely different dimensions found in the Hofstede et al. (2010) research into organizational cultures. It warns against confusion with value differences at the individual level. It concludes with a look ahead in what the study of dimensions of national cultures and the position of countries on them may still bring
Van Ostaijen's Impact. An Interview with Geert Buelens
No full textThis is the text of an interview with Geert Buelens, author of an important study of Paul van Ostaijen's influence on modern Flemish poetry
Role of plant expression systems in antibody production for passive immunization
No full textPassive immunization is a method to achieve immediate protection against infectious agents by administering pathogen-specific antibodies. It has proven to be lifesaving for many acute infections, and it is now also used for cancer treatment. Passive immunization therapies, however, are extremely expensive because they require large amounts of specific antibodies that are produced predominantly in mammalian expression systems. The cost for manufacturing plant-made antibodies is estimated to be comparatively low since plant production systems require relatively less capital investments. In addition, they are not prone to mammalian pathogens, which also eases downstream processing along with making it a safe expression system. Moreover, some of the recent developments in transient expression have enabled rapid, cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) compliant manufacturing of antibodies. Whether lower production costs will be reflected in a lower market price for purified antibodies will be known when more plant-produced antibodies come to the market. Promisingly, the current molecular techniques in the field of in planta expression have enabled high-level production of a variety of antibodies in different plant organs, like roots/tubers/fruits, leaves and seeds, of a variety of plants, like potato, tobacco, maize, rice, tomato and pea, providing a very wide range of possible plant-based passive immunization therapies. For instance, the production of antibodies in edible tissues would allow for a unique, convenient, needle-less, oral passive immunization at the gastric mucosal surface. The technological advances, together with the innate capacity of plant tissues to assemble complex antibodies, will enable carving a niche in the antibody market. This non-exhaustive review aims to shed light on the role of plants as a flexible expression system for passive immunotherapy, which we envisage to progress alongside the conventional production platforms to manufacture specialized antibodies
Willensfreiheit
No full textThis book surveys recent debates on freedom of will, incorporating the implications of modern brain research. The author develops an original, capability-based conception of freedom of will. Geert Keil proposes that the well-understood capability for deciding one way or another is reconcilable with the findings of empirical science, but not with the metaphysical doctrine of determinism
INTERVIEW WITH GEERT BOOIJ
No full textGeert Booij (1947) é professor emérito de linguística na Universidade de Leiden, onde trabalhou de 2005 a 2012. De 1981 a 2005, foi professor de Linguística Geral da Universidade Livre de Amsterdam, e, de 1971 a 1981, professor assistente/associado da Universidade de Amsterdam, onde também obteve seu Ph.D. em linguística em 1977. Estudou holandês e linguística geral na Universidade de Groningen (1965-1971), onde obteve seu título de mestre (cum laude). Foi reitor da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade Livre (1988-1991, 1998-2002), vice-diretor da Universidade Livre (1999-2002), reitor da Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Leiden (Setembro 2005- Outubro 2007) e membro (1997-2002) e presidente (2002-2004) do Conselho Holandês de Pesquisa para Humanidades da NWO (Organização holandesa para pesquisa científica). Atuou em uma série de comitês nacionais e internacionais para a avaliação das realizações de pesquisas linguísticas e em comitês de auditoria para a qualidade dos programas de línguas em várias universidades na Holanda. Geert Booij também lecionou na Universidade de Canterbury em Christchurch, Nova Zelândia (Erskine Fellow) em 2002, na Sociedade Linguística do America Institute da Universidade de Berkeley em 2009, na Universidade de Harvard (Erasmus professor de língua e cultura holandesas) em 2010, e na Universidade Livre de Berlin (Departamento de Germânicas, seção Holandês) em 2011. Em 2011, recebeu o Prêmio Alexander von Humboldt de Pesquisa por suas realizações gerais em pesquisa linguística. É membro honorário da Linguistic Society of America. Geert Booij é um dos dois fundadores e editores da série de livros Yearbook of Morphology (1988-2005), que, desde 2006, teve continuação como a revista Morphology, da qual foi um dos três editores até 2014. Ele é o autor de uma série de livros holandeses sobre gramática, morfologia e fonologia e de quatro monografias em inglês: The Phonology of Dutch (1995), The Morphology of Dutch (2002, 20192), The Grammar of Words (2005, 20123) e Construção Morphology (2010), todos publicados pela Oxford University Press. Ele publicou artigos linguísticos em uma ampla variedade de periódicos e volumes holandeses e internacionais (consulte https://geert.booij.com para obter uma lista de publicações, em sua maioria para download). Geert Booij (1947) is professor emeritus of linguistics at the University of Leiden where he worked from 2005-2012. From 1981-2005 he was professor of General Linguistics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and from 1971-1981 assistant / associate professor at the University of Amsterdam, where he also obtained his Ph.D. degree in linguistics in 1977. He studied Dutch and general linguistics at the University of Groningen (1965-1971) where he obtained his MA degree (cum laude). He was dean of the Faculty of Letters at the Vrije Universiteit (1988-1991, 1998-2002), conrector of the Vrije Universiteit (1999-2002), dean of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Leiden (September 2005- October 2007), and member (1997-2002) and chair (2002-2004) of the Dutch Research Council for the Humanities of NWO (the Dutch organization for scientific research). He served on a number of national and international committees for the assessment of linguistic research achievements, and on audit committees for the quality of language programs at various universities in the Netherlands.Geert Booij also taught at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand (Erskine Fellow) in 2002, the Linguistic Society of America Institute at the University of Berkeley in 2009, at Harvard University (Erasmus professor of Dutch language and culture) in 2010, and at the Freie Universität Berlin (Germanic Department, section Dutch) in 2011. In 2011 he received the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award for his overall achievements in linguistic research. He is an honorary member of the Linguistic Society of America.Geert Booij is one of the two founders and editors of the book series Yearbook of Morphology (1988-2005), which is, as of 2006, continued as the journal Morphology, of which he was one of the three editors until 2014. He is the author of a number of Dutch textbooks on grammar, morphology, and phonology, and of four English monographs: The Phonology of Dutch (1995), The Morphology of Dutch (2002, 20192), The Grammar of Words (2005, 2012), and Construction Morphology (2010), all published by Oxford University Press. He has published linguistic articles in a wide range of Dutch and international journals and volumes (see https://geert.booij.com for a list of, mostly downloadable, publications)
Higher plant transformation: principles and molecular tools
No full textIn higher plants, genetic transformation, which is part of the toolbox for the study of living organisms, had been reported only 30 years ago, boosting basic plant biology research, generating superior crops, and leading to the new discipline of plant biotechnology. Here, we review its principles and the corresponding molecular tools. In vitro regeneration, through somatic embryogenesis or organogenesis, is discussed because they are prerequisites for the subsequent Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transferred (T)-DNA or direct DNA transfer methods to produce transgenic plants. Important molecular components of the T-DNA are examined, such as selectable marker genes that allow the selection of transformed cells in tissue cultures and are used to follow the gene of interest in the next generations, and reporter genes that have been developed to visualize promoter activities, protein localizations, and protein-protein interactions. Genes of interest are assembled with promoters and termination signals in Escherichia coli by means of GATEWAY-derived binary vectors that represent the current versatile cloning tools. Finally, future promising developments in transgene technology are considered
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