International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion online publications
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Great expectations of sustainable finance:A critical analysis of EU sustainable finance strategy and sustainable finance regulation
Get PDFThe adoption, in 2015, of both the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement focused attention on a fundamental rethinking of many aspects of society. Indeed, the European Commission’s 2018 Sustainable Finance Action Plan called for a comprehensive shift in how the financial system works. This research explores the expectations of a sustainable financial system and critically assesses the extent to which the EU’s sustainable finance strategy, and the regulations adopted pursuant to that strategy, align with, exceed, or fall short of such expectations. The research makes three principal contributions. First, it develops an assessment framework for the critical analysis of sustainable finance strategy and regulation. Second, it presents a series of critical analyses covering the 2018 Action Plan, the Taxonomy Regulation, the SFDR and a series of amendments to existing capital markets regulations. Finally, the research offers seven concrete suggestions as to how the EU could develop a sustainable finance strategy that is more coherent, transparent, and better aligned with expectations of a sustainable financial system. In particular, it is suggested that (i) more realistic intentions are communicated, (ii) inclusiveness is better safe-guarded, (iii) a stronger conception of sustainability is adopted, (iv) greater transparency is provided with respect to the contribution of the financial system to both sustainability goals and inequitable outcomes, (v) financial regulation be reclaimed from the economic rationale, (vi) a regulatory architecture based on free-choice may be insufficient to reposition the financial system towards sustainability, and that (vii) methods be developed to manage conflicts of interest arising as a result of the co-regulatory approach adopted pursuant to EU sustainable finance regulation.The research primarily employs a critical legal studies methodology. It also, however, draws on the methodologies and work of scholars in the fields of rhetorical analysis, historical narrative analysis, systems thinking, law and economics and utilises Kuhn’s theory of paradigm shifts. The study illustrates how academic research, through the methodical construction and application of a critical assessment framework, can contribute to a better understanding of and, as necessary, the realignment of policy
New insights in managing homozygous and severe heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia in children
Get PDFThis thesis delves into the management of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in children, focusing on homozygous FH (HoFH) and severe heterozygous FH (HoFH). Part I explores the correlation between genotype and phenotype. It reveals that null pathogenic variants correlate with more severe phenotypes than defective variants, highlighting the importance of genetic testing for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Part II assesses several lipid-lowering treatments (LLTs), emphasizing monoclonal antibodies targeting PCSK9 and potential therapies such as inclisiran and evinacumab. It discusses ongoing trials and future perspectives, for children with HoFH and children with HeFH and high LDL-C levels or statin intolerance. Most important, it evaluates lipoprotein apheresis as a treatment for HoFH, showing its effectiveness in lowering LDL-C levels and improving cardiovascular outcomes and provides clinical practise recommendations for integrating lipoprotein apheresis in the management of children with HoFH. Part III addresses various aspects of FH management. It emphasizes optimal counselling for couples at risk of having a child with HoFH, investigates elevated Lp(a) levels in children with HoFH and explores the use of CTCA for assessing cardiovascular risk in HeFH and assessing efficacy of lipid-lowering treatments in HoFH. This research contributes valuable insights into the management of HoFH and severe HeFH, highlighting the need for personalized approaches and ongoing research to improve LDL-C goal attainment and cardiovascular outcomes for affected individuals
Imaging in patients suspected of non-traumatic pulmonary disease at the emergency department:Chest X-ray or ultra-low-dose CT
Get PDFThe primary aim of this thesis was to study the impact on patient outcomes of replacing CXR by ultra-low-dose chest CT (ULDCT) in patients suspected of non-traumatic pulmonary disease at the emergency department (ED). This was a multicentre, pragmatic, non-inferiority randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing ULDCT to CXR in consecutive. During randomly assigned periods of one calendar month, ULDCT or CXR was used as the imaging strategy. Between January 31, 2017, and May 31, 2018, 2418 consecutive patients (ULDCT: 1208, CXR: 1210) were included. We found a small but significant difference in the primary outcome measure functional health at 28 days: PCS score was 37.0 in the ULDCT group compared to 35.9 in the CXR group, a difference of 1.1 points (95% lower CI: 0.003). There were minimal differences in ED length of stay, hospital admissions, hospital length of stay, mental health, and mortality rates. After ULDCT significantly less additional imaging was done: ULDCT 39.3% versus CXR 53.9% of patients. More ULDCT patients were in follow-up after 28 days because of incidental findings: ULDCT 2.2% versus CXR 0.3%.CAP was more often diagnosed at ED discharge after ULDCT than after CXR (22.0% versus 16.4%), with subsequent confirmation of diagnosis at day 28 (ULDCT 19.4% versus CXR 14.7). Congestive heart failure was more often diagnosed with CXR at day 28 (ULDCT 5.7% versus CXR 9.6%). The results of our trial do not support the routine use of ULDCT in the work-up of patients presenting with non-traumatic pulmonary disease at the ED
Caribbean palimpsests:Music and heritage in Northern Colombia
Get PDFThis book presents a decolonial overview of handed down music practices commonly framed in Northern Colombia as heritage by their makers, and follows the questions of why and how intergenerational acts of musical transmission take place in Northern Colombia.. As heritage, the music practices under scrutiny, such as cumbia, lumbalú, porro, bailes cantaos, vallenato, and champeta, connect past and present in a temporal articulation that assumes cultural transmission has been achieved. However, these practices are affected by gaps, erasures, and mistranslations proper of colonial/modern entanglements. As I demonstrate, palimpsests exemplify how extended processes of musical and cultural transmission are carried out, particularly in postcolonial contexts. The intermittent occurrence of inscriptions in palimpsests, their seeming invisibility coming under question on closer inspection, account for the gaps and erasures that characterise cultural trajectories in such contexts, where collective memory and culturally specific knowledge—musical or otherwise—are primarily passed on and reproduced through embodied performance. This work argues that the reproduction of intergenerationally transmitted musical forms deemed heritage in Northern Colombia follows a palimpsestic and trans-temporal trajectory that is audible at times and silenced at others. Across long periods of time, the irregular and yet rhythmic re-surfacing of these forms of music making constantly rework the mythical, sonic, and musical elements of the colonial Caribbean society inaugurated in the late fifteenth century
Photophysical properties and applications of nanographene-based fluorophores in super-resolution imaging
Get PDFFluorescence microscopy has advanced significantly for visualizing biological samples, yet traditional techniques are limited by optical diffraction, restricting resolution to above 200 nm and hindering subcellular studies. Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) overcomes these limits, revealing nanoscale cellular dynamics. Recently demonstrated SRM methods, e.g., single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) and stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED) require enhancements to traditional microscopes and depend on specific photophysical properties of fluorescent probes. This thesis investigates the photophysical properties and applications of novel nanographene (NG)-based fluorophores for SRM. Initially, single-molecule fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy were used to analyze fluorescent contaminants in single-molecule samples, leading to a standardized sample preparation protocol to minimize contamination. Following this protocol, the photophysical properties of NGs at the single-molecule level were characterized, revealing excellent blinking properties for SMLM. Meanwhile, NGs demonstrate tunable optical properties—continuous, bright fluorescence at cluster/ensemble states, and stochastic blinking at ultra-low concentrations/single-molecule levels—making them suitable for both SMLM and STED. Furthermore, NGs exhibited high photostability and unique properties, allowing fluorescence recovery instead of bleaching under near-infrared light (including 775 nm STED beam). This suggests that NGs can enable hours-long, 3D STED imaging, expanding the application of STED microscopy for high-resolution imaging of cellular processes. The fluorescence recovery properties were characterized and possible mechanism was discussed. Inspired by the fluorescence recovery mechanism, a blinking mechanism of NGs at the single-molecule level was proposed. Understanding the blinking mechanism provides a foundation for designing new fluorophores tailored to specific applications
From conception to cognitive decline:How the prenatal environment may shape late-life brain health
Get PDFBile and bugs:Unraveling the postprandial response of bile acids and gut microbiota in (inherited) metabolic diseases
Get PDFCurrent thesis aims to investigate the intricate relationship between bile acids (BAs) and the gut microbiota within the context of postprandial physiology. BAs, essential for fat digestion and absorption, also function as critical signaling molecules regulating postprandial processes, including bile acid synthesis, glucose, lipid, and energy metabolism. This regulation is mediated through the activation of specific receptors, such as the Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5), located in various tissues, including the intestines, liver, and adipose tissue. The gut microbiota, crucial for nutrient absorption, also actively participate in the intestinal conversion of BAs. These metabolic transformations generate metabolites that influence FXR and TGR5 receptor activity, thereby modulating the postprandial response. Considering the shared pivotal role of BAs and the gut microbiota in postprandial nutrient absorption, a strong association between the two is evident. Part 1 provides an overview of postprandial processes, their measurement, and foundational knowledge of BAs and the gut microbiota. Part 2 presents an in-depth literature review exploring the relationship between BAs and the gut microbiota. Part 3 encompasses two observational studies investigating the impact of aging and cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) on the postprandial response. Part 4 focuses on two interventions utilizing a secondary conjugated bile acid (gDCA). Finally, Part 5 examines the potential of lifestyle interventions to influence postprandial processes in individuals with metabolic syndrome
'En het aantal boekdrukkers in het land neemt toe':Beschrijvingen van de Aziatische drukkunst in vroegmodern Europa
No full textSuccessful aging through resilience:Exploring determinants and opportunities for intervention
Get PDFThe aging process involves many challenges (e.g., cognitive or physical decline, retirement or bereavement). While some individuals adeptly navigate these challenges and consequently flourish in their later years, others grapple with significant difficulties, forging a more arduous path. In this dissertation, I have posited that the key to aging successfully, maintaining good quality of life and mental well-being, largely hinges on one’s capacity for resilience. While prior research has predominantly focused on specific aspects of resilience, this dissertation adopts a more comprehensive approach to advance our understanding. First, it investigates the complex interplay between factors that either bolster or hinder resilience, and how these (together) predict quality of life and/or mental well-being using network analyses. Understanding these interrelations is crucial for identifying intervention targets to enhance resilience, and in turn successful aging, in older adults. Second, it emphasizes the importance of behavioral adaptability as important aspect of resilience, and shows how this may be supported. Finally, the dissertation examines ageism as a significant societal issue that threatens successful aging. Ageism, which involves stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination based on age, impacts older adults' self-perceptions and (in turn) quality of life and mental well-being. It can be viewed as a stressor that can diminish resilience, but also requires effective resilience mechanisms to mitigate its impact. Altogether, the dissertation provides an innovative framework for understanding successful aging and the role of resilience in later life. It highlights the need for multi-faceted interventions and can inform future longitudinal and experimental studies to further explore resilience across diverse populations and contexts