International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion online publications
Not a member yet
484620 research outputs found
Sort by
Improving physical fitness in neuromuscular diseases
Full text linkPhysical inactivity is common among people with neuromuscular diseases due to symptoms such as muscle weakness, fatigue, and pain. Inactivity reduces physical fitness and is assumed to negatively impact on general health, daily functioning, and societal participation. This thesis showed that aerobic exercise in combination with coaching is safe and improves physical fitness in people with neuromuscular diseases. We advocate the (further) implementation of physical activity programs to improve the physical fitness in people with neuromuscular diseases and motivate to shift the focus on efficacy and safety of specific exercise programs to how exercise and physical activity can be initiated, motivated, monitored, and, most importantly, integrated into daily living
LXR-regulated proteins:The key to unlocking cholesterol homeostasis
Full text linkOur body needs to manage cholesterol carefully. Too much can lead to life-threatening diseases like atherosclerosis, while too little disrupts essential functions. At the heart of this balance are the liver X receptors (LXRs), which help reduce cholesterol buildup by regulating how cells absorb and release it. This research reveals how LXRs influence not only cholesterol levels but also the composition of fats in cell membranes, which is crucial for keeping cells healthy and stable.We identified new targets of LXR regulation with important implications for health. One discovery is TMEM86a, a protein that controls special fats called lysoplasmalogens, which maintain the integrity of cell membranes. Another key player, EEPD1, helps immune cells called macrophages expel excess cholesterol. We also explored IDOL, a protein that limits cholesterol uptake by breaking down LDL receptors. Earlier findings suggest that blocking IDOL could become a powerful treatment for high cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases. We discovered several potential IDOL inhibitors that may serve as the basis for future cholesterol-lowering treatments.This thesis not only deepens our understanding of how LXRs regulate cholesterol and lipid metabolism but also opens the door to new therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. If you're curious about the hidden mechanisms that keep our bodies in balance, and how we might harness them to fight disease, this work provides valuable insights and future directions for medical science
Meta-analytic structural equation modeling with group data:Navigating the maze of <i>d</i>-to-<i>r</i> conversions
Full text linkThe central question of this dissertation was whether and how group data from two groups can be included in meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM). Substantive researchers have raised this issue, and the aim of this dissertation was to address this methodological challenge and provide advice and support to those researchers. Including data from two groups in MASEM poses challenges because the primary studies that investigate such data typically report standardized mean differences (e.g., Cohen's d or Hedges' g), while MASEM generally uses correlations as input. This challenge can be solved by converting standardized mean differences into correlations. However, one can convert to different kinds of correlation coefficients (i.e., biserial or point-biserial correlation) and can apply different conversion formulas. In this dissertation, I outline the decisions a meta-analyst needs to make when incorporating data from two groups into MASEM, specifically regarding which conversion to apply for converting a standardized mean difference to either a point-biserial or biserial correlation. I showed that if one wants to include a dichotomized variable in MASEM and one converts the standardized mean difference to a biserial correlation, this yields unbiased MASEM parameters. On the other hand, if one wants to include a dichotomous variable in MASEM, one should convert the standardized mean difference to a point-biserial correlation. In this dissertation, I demonstrated that which conversion to use depends on the aim of the meta-analyst. Moreover, whether all relationships in the MASEM model are estimated accurately also depends on the research designs of the primary studies, as an additional adjustment to the relationships between continuous variables in the MASEM model is required in some scenarios. To assist meta-analysts in applying the various conversion formulas I recommend in this dissertation, I developed a freely available web application entitled the Effect Size Calculator and Converter (ESCACO; hdejonge.shinyapps.io/ESCACO)
Politics and the political in women's fashion magazines:Perspectives from India, Russia and the USA
Full text linkThe central theme of this thesis is a broad engagement of women’s fashion and lifestyle media with politics and the political. In the first quarter of the 21st century, fashion media’s coverage of political and social issues, although still largely perceived as novel and unusual, has become ubiquitous. The thesis focuses on the increased visibility of political coverage in fashion media, and its main research questions concern how politics and the political are expressed in fashion publications, and what change the newly sharpened focus on politics signifies in the genre of the fashion magazine. To address these questions, the research examines how fashion publications’ political coverage relates to locally and globally shifting views on citizenship, activism, and civic duty, while also considering how this coverage aligns with the traditional genre of the fashion magazine. The study explores the conflation of spectacle, activism, consumption, and politics that characterises the current moment, alongside the exigencies, limitations, and historically gendered nature of fashion media. The study focuses on the time span between late 2019 and early 2023, and analyses political discourses in fashion media situating them within wider political and cultural contexts. It is based on data from three countries – India, Russia and the USA, and draws on examples from nine mainstream fashion and lifestyle publications for women
Inflammatory bowel disease:Beyond the bowel
Full text linkDeze thesis presenteert onderzoeksresultaten die bijdragen aan een betere aanpak van inflammatoire darmziekten (IBD), zoals de ziekte van Crohn en Colitis Ulcerosa (UC). De focus ligt op drie thema’s die verder gaan dan de darm zelf: perianale fistels, het mesenterium en de appendix.Perianale fistels bij CrohnPerianale fistels vormen een grote ziektelast bij Crohn. De PISA-II-studie toont aan dat een combinatie van anti-TNF-therapie en chirurgische sluiting effectiever is dan medicatie alleen. Radiologische genezing blijkt cruciaal om terugval te voorkomen. Bij ernstige fistels biedt een stoma soms uitkomst, maar het opheffen hiervan is zeldzaam en vaak onsuccesvol. Immuunonderzoek onthult nieuwe therapeutische doelwitten, zoals pro-inflammatoire myeloïde cellen en NK-cellen. Bovendien blijkt calprotectine in fistelweefsel een veelbelovende biomarker voor ziekteseveriteit.De rol van het mesenteriumHet mesenterium speelt een cruciale rol bij Crohn. Specifieke inflammatoire macrofaagtypes, gekenmerkt door calprotectineproductie, dragen bij aan ziekteprogressie. Deze inzichten helpen bij het voorspellen en verminderen van complicaties, zoals bij pouch-chirurgie.De appendix en colitis ulcerosaBij UC-patiënten kan een appendectomie effectief zijn voor specifieke subgroepen, die beide verhoogde immuunactivatie vertonen. Dit suggereert dat de effectiviteit van appendectomie berust op verschillende mechanismen, wat kansen biedt voor gepersonaliseerde behandelingen.<br/
Molecular symphony:Charting the transcriptional dynamics of human cardiac pacemaker cells
Full text linkThe human heart develops through tightly regulated molecular and cellular processes, ensuring the formation of specialized cardiomyocyte subtypes that govern contraction and electrical conduction. Disruptions in these processes contribute to congenital and acquired cardiac diseases. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) provide a unique platform to study cardiac development, function, and disease in vitro. However, key challenges remain in understanding the differentiation and specialization of distinct cardiomyocyte subtypes.This thesis explores the mechanisms driving the differentiation of sinoatrial nodal (SANCMs) and atrioventricular canal cardiomyocytes (AVCMs) and their functional properties in engineered cardiac tissues. Single-cell RNA sequencing and trajectory inference reveal transcriptional regulators and signaling pathways guiding SANCM subtype specification, providing insights into pacemaker cell development. Three-dimensional cardiac models demonstrate that SANCMs functionally integrate into pacemaker-atrial interfaces, replicating physiological pacemaker activity. Additionally, the development of an in vitro model of the atrioventricular conduction system shows that AVCMs enable unidirectional conduction and recapitulate physiological AV delay.By integrating developmental biology, stem cell differentiation, and tissue engineering, this work advances the understanding of cardiomyocyte subtype specification and function. The findings contribute to the development of physiologically relevant cardiac models for studying disease mechanisms and exploring new therapeutic strategies.<br/
Tax reporting by digital platforms under DAC7:A proportionality assessment
Full text linkIn early 2021, the European Union (EU) introduced a standardized tax reporting requirement for digital platforms through a Council Directive known as DAC7. The rules introduced by this Directive require third-party operators of digital platforms to systematically collect, verify, store, and report specific personal and transactional data about platform sellers to the tax authorities of the Member States. This data is then automatically exchanged between EU tax authorities.While DAC7 rules for digital platforms pursue a worthy goal (e.g., combating tax evasion) which, at first glance, would justify a public intrusion into the private sphere of both platform sellers and third-party platform operators, a key question that arises is whether such intrusion does not exceed what is necessary in the public interest. This essentially concerns a matter of ‘means’ and ‘ends’ or, in other words, of proportionality.This book provides a comprehensive and in-depth assessment of the proportionality of DAC7 rules for digital platforms. It examines whether these rules are aligned with the general EU law principle of proportionality from both a policy and legal perspective and, when this is not the case, it identifies potential improvements that could be made to ensure such alignment
Risk model-based al location of prophylact ic implantable cardioverter defibril lators:Scenarios from patient and societal perspectives
Full text linkImplantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are widely used for the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with reduced left ventricular function. Within the current guidelines only a minority of recipients benefit from ICD implantation. At the same time, all recipients face risks ICD-related complications and inappropriate shocks including.This thesis investigates how patient selection for prophylactic ICD implantation can be improved. It leverages data from the Dutch Outcome in ICD Therapy (DO-IT) Registry, a nationwide cohort study evaluating outcomes in patients receiving ICDs for primary prevention. Using these data, risk prediction models were developed and validated to identify patient subgroups most likely to benefit. These models integrate modern treatment outcomes and routine clinical data, enabling clinicians to stratify patients and identify those for whom ICD implantation could be postponed or avoided.Additionally, the study highlights substantial variability in cost-effectiveness across patient groups. Scenario analyses demonstrate that targeted allocation of ICDs, based on the proposed risk models, can reduce complications, inappropriate shocks, and healthcare expenditures, while improving both clinical outcomes and societal value.This thesis emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making and proposes refined risk stratification strategies to optimize ICD allocation. It underscores the need to incorporate both clinical and economic considerations into medical decision-making, aiming to enhance patient outcomes while ensuring the efficient use of healthcare resources
Improving physical fitness in neuromuscular diseases
Full text linkPhysical inactivity is common among people with neuromuscular diseases due to symptoms such as muscle weakness, fatigue, and pain. Inactivity reduces physical fitness and is assumed to negatively impact on general health, daily functioning, and societal participation. This thesis showed that aerobic exercise in combination with coaching is safe and improves physical fitness in people with neuromuscular diseases. We advocate the (further) implementation of physical activity programs to improve the physical fitness in people with neuromuscular diseases and motivate to shift the focus on efficacy and safety of specific exercise programs to how exercise and physical activity can be initiated, motivated, monitored, and, most importantly, integrated into daily living
A white elephant or a silver bullet?:What (not) to do with online higher education
Full text linkThe COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions to resort to online forms of teaching and learning. This offered a unique opportunity to gain more insights into online teaching and learning strategies and how these can meaningfully contribute to existing on-site educational practices. The research that underpins this dissertation was initiated to gain insights from the experiences of teachers and students with online education that can be used to (re)develop more sustainable online teaching and learning strategies. This was the central question: How did teachers and students experience emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and which online teaching strategies did they identify as advantageous or inauspicious? Some overall conclusions can be drawn based on the conducted studies. First and foremost, numerous experiences with online teaching and learning strategies have been identified that have potential value beyond the pandemic. By contrast, many obstacles have been described as well, which have to be accounted for before online teaching and learning strategies can be sustainably integrated in higher education curricula. The title of this dissertation concerns the question whether online education is a white elephant or a silver bullet; a suboptimal and expensive form of education, or valuable and welcome addition? At the very least, the online transition has fueled a debate about what good education does (not) encompass. The insights reported throughout this dissertation suggest that online education could play an important part in the future of higher education. Under the right conditions, online education could become a silver bullet