International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion online publications
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The malleability of emotional memory:Modification and measurement
No full textEmotional memory plays a crucial role in guiding our behaviour, helping us to adapt and thrive in our ever-changing world. However, when emotional memory becomes maladaptive, it can lead to anxiety and related disorders. Fundamental research into fear learning and memory has opened new avenues for understanding and targeting maladaptive emotional memories via, for instance, reconsolidation interference. This is a process thought to directly weaken emotional memory, which may prevent relapse. To improve psychological interventions, it is not only important to explore the malleability of emotional memory by investigating novel treatment mechanisms, but also to capture changes in emotional memory expression over time, which requires good measurement tools. The overarching aim of this dissertation was to explore and capture the dynamic and complex nature of emotional memory. In the first part, we tested the effectiveness and translational value of a reconsolidation intervention, a treatment designed to modify maladaptive fear memories. This involved examining changes in self-reported fear and avoidance behaviour to better understand the temporal dissociation of emotional memory facets following treatment (Chapter II). The second part of this dissertation focused on improving the assessment of emotional memory and exploring how the act of measurement may affect emotional memory expression (Chapters III-V). Together, the research presented in this dissertation illustrates when emotional memory expression does – or does not – change and thereby contributes to our understanding of the plasticity of emotional memory, offering insights relevant to improving psychological treatments
To execute, rewrite, and debug:On the construction and deconstruction of computation
Get PDFCurrent discourses on computational media display a fascination with the linguistic, numeric, algorithmic, and material aspects of technology, from which several new domains of study have emerged in the past several years, including Software Studies, Digital Humanities, and Media Archeology, to name but a few. One can argue that these by now well-established programmatic ventures are symptomatic of a profound transformation taking place within the core epistemological apparatus of the Humanities: the fact that technology, rather than being a mere surrogate for the human body or the human mind, displaces and neutralises the sensible and the thinkable as it confronts age-old ways of sense making. This dissertation addresses this problematic by looking at the various epistemological ruptures and sutures that have transformed how we conceive of sense making from the late 19th century onwards. The dissertation’s main object is computation and its diverse historical moments, conceptual articulations, and artefacts. It directly addresses questions of language (logos) and its sense-effects in relation to mathematics, logic, proof theory, software execution and debugging, as well as works of modern literature. These questions are read and problematised through three types of idioms: onto-logic—asking the question “what is”—, logo-logic—asking the question “according to which rules”—, and finally deonto-logic—asking the question “what ought to be.” In turn, the question of sense is approached through a constructivist logic of action whose aim is to attend to the event and force of execution which necessarily exceeds any of its ensuing results
3D printing drug delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections
Get PDFThe use of orthopedic devices has increased significantly over the last decade due to the aging population. However, the risk of infection after implantation of an orthopedic device is a great obstacle and one of the main causes of implant removal. Staphylococcal species, especially the biofilm-forming Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the most common bacterial species causing orthopedic infections. The background on the pathogenesis of orthopedic-associated infections, the current strategies in the prevention of these infections and the use of additive manufacturing in orthopedics is provided in chapter 1.The source of infection in trauma surgery is under discussion. Bacteria may come from the air contaminating the surgical wound or bacteria from the skin may colonize the wound after cutting. Therefore, in chapter 2, we isolated, quantified and identified bacteria from the skin of 99 patients undergoing trauma surgery, before and after skin disinfection, from the knife blades and from the wound directly after the first cut. Interestingly, 20 % of the patients had a positive culture after cutting the skin. Despite disinfection, bacterial colonization remains an issue. Therefore, in chapters 3, 5, 6 and 7, we focused in the development of 3D-printed antimicrobial delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections.In chapter 8, a critical analysis of the usage of additive manufacturing to create antimicrobial delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections is discussed. In summary, the results of the work described novel applications of additive manufacturing in the development of antimicrobial delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections
3D printing drug delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections
Get PDFThe use of orthopedic devices has increased significantly over the last decade due to the aging population. However, the risk of infection after implantation of an orthopedic device is a great obstacle and one of the main causes of implant removal. Staphylococcal species, especially the biofilm-forming Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the most common bacterial species causing orthopedic infections. The background on the pathogenesis of orthopedic-associated infections, the current strategies in the prevention of these infections and the use of additive manufacturing in orthopedics is provided in chapter 1.The source of infection in trauma surgery is under discussion. Bacteria may come from the air contaminating the surgical wound or bacteria from the skin may colonize the wound after cutting. Therefore, in chapter 2, we isolated, quantified and identified bacteria from the skin of 99 patients undergoing trauma surgery, before and after skin disinfection, from the knife blades and from the wound directly after the first cut. Interestingly, 20 % of the patients had a positive culture after cutting the skin. Despite disinfection, bacterial colonization remains an issue. Therefore, in chapters 3, 5, 6 and 7, we focused in the development of 3D-printed antimicrobial delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections.In chapter 8, a critical analysis of the usage of additive manufacturing to create antimicrobial delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections is discussed. In summary, the results of the work described novel applications of additive manufacturing in the development of antimicrobial delivery systems to prevent orthopedic infections
Chronic visceral acid sphingomyelinase deficiency:Paving the way to biomarker development
Get PDFAcid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is rare lysosomal storage disease in which sphingomyelin accumulates due to deficiency of the enzyme acid sphingomyelinase. ASMD covers a broad clinical spectrum with varying degrees of severity of which the chronic visceral subtype is the least severe. The most common manifestations of chronic visceral ASMD are hepatosplenomegaly and decreased diffusion capacity. Treatment in the form of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has recently become available. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the current insights regarding imaging and biochemical markers of visceral ASMD manifestations, to use these insights to formulate recommendations for initiation of ERT and to investigate potential new markers for visceral manifestations of ASMD
“Neither Right, nor Left”: Antiliberal Support for Italian Fascism in the United States
No full textAmbivalence toward liberal individualism and representative democracy was widespread in the United States in the decade after World War I, creating discursive space for fascist sympathies. Following Zeev Sternhell’s conceptions of fascism as ni droite, ni gauche (neither right nor left) the chapter analyzes the interactions between critiques of liberalism and praise of fascism in the writing of Richard Washburn Child (a conservative) and Anne O’Hare McCormick (a progressive). Consistent with theories of cultural transfer, it shows how these observers’ selective references to fascism led to a reimagining of the Italian example, which understated the repressive elements of Mussolini’s regime
Innovations in medical technology aimed at reducing surgical complications:The health economic perspective, clinical application, and optimization
No full textSurgical complications represent a major global challenge, affecting more than one-third of surgical patients and leading to poorer outcomes, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. Perfusion-related complications, such as anastomotic leakage, are particularly feared in gastrointestinal surgery. This thesis explores the economic burden of such complications, the application of innovative technologies for early detection or prediction, and the evaluation of current diagnostic strategies.Part I quantifies the economic urgency of reducing complications. Anastomotic leakage substantially increases costs, with large international variations, and results in a fourfold rise in hospital costs within the first postoperative year. Chronic pelvic sepsis following leakage can raise five-year costs to €180,000 per patient.Part II evaluates novel technologies. A portable endoscopy system demonstrated feasibility for early postoperative detection of anastomotic leakage, forming the basis of the multicentre REAL study. Quantitative fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) proved promising for assessing intraoperative tissue perfusion, although further validation is required.Part III critically examines existing strategies. Divergent outcomes from different ICG-FA quantification methods highlight the need for standardization. C-reactive protein showed limited diagnostic value for detecting anastomotic leakage in patients with diverting stomas, reinforcing the role of complementary strategies such as early endoscopy. A meta-analysis of thoracic duct management in esophagectomy revealed no survival benefit of resection or ligation compared with preservation, but a higher risk of complications.In conclusion, this thesis underscores the clinical and economic impact of surgical complications and the potential of integrating innovative and established diagnostic approaches to reduce their burden for both patients and healthcare systems
Grading University Students with LLMs:Performance and Acceptance of a Canvas-Based Automation
No full textTeachers in higher education spend considerable time grading assignments rather than tutoring students. Large language models (LLMs) could address this by generating human-like grades and feedback for assignments. However, accounts of their practical application are scarce. We wrote Python code to integrate the Canvas learning management system with an API for GDPR-compliant LLM access. We used this AI system to grade and feedback weekly assignments of 58 graduate students (47 study participants) enrolled in an introductory programming course. LLM-grading was fast, cost efficient, and relatively accurate: GPT-4o and human graders agreed perfectly in 80% of 6345 evaluated student answers. Human and LLM-grades were positively correlated (r=.570-.866 for each assignment) but humans awarded higher grades. Disagreements occurred because human graders overlooked student mistakes, and GPT-4o graded ambiguous cases stricter and misgraded some questions. Importantly, we think most LLM-grading mistakes can be reconciled by avoiding certain tasks and improving grading rubrics. Most students (77%) found the LLM-generated feedback helpful, and some (33%) appreciated the rapid grading. However, multiple students (30%) stated that receiving preliminary LLM-grades that were lower than their actual grades made them anxious or upset. We conclude that LLM-based grading and feedback can, and likely should, be used to optimize teachers’ resources. Canvas users can adopt our pipeline by simply adding their own API keys, Canvas IDs, and assignments: https://github.com/lukekorthals/canvas-llm-integration.</p
Advanced clinical applications of the Crohn's disease exclusion diet:Unraveling mechanisms, identifying biomarkers and optimizing personalized therapy
No full textCrohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by relapsing and remitting inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. While its pathogenesis is multifactorial, involving genetic, immune, microbial, and environmental factors, diet has emerged as a key modifiable contributor. Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is the established first-line therapy for induction of remission in children, yet its restrictive nature limits long-term feasibility. To address this, the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) was developed to replicate the benefits of EEN while offering a more palatable and sustainable approach.This thesis is divided into two parts. Part I evaluates the clinical efficacy of CDED in both children and adults through randomized controlled trials. Findings demonstrate that CDED, with or without partial enteral nutrition (PEN), achieves high rates of clinical remission and inflammatory marker reduction, with superior tolerability compared to EEN. Notably, CDED was more effective in maintaining remission at week 12 and showed promising results in adult patients, including mucosal healing in a subset.Part II investigates mechanisms underlying dietary therapy, focusing on the gut microbiome, intestinal permeability, and tryptophan metabolism. Sustained remission was associated with reproducible microbial shifts toward a health-associated profile, improvements in barrier function, and alterations in tryptophan-derived metabolites. Ratios of kynurenine- and serotonin-pathway metabolites emerged as potential biomarkers of treatment response.Together, these findings establish CDED as an evidence-based dietary therapy for CD, highlight its role in sustained remission, and provide translational insights that may guide the development of predictive biomarkers and personalized nutrition strategies in IBD