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A tale of inclusive cities:On the branding, implementation, and evaluation of inclusive city
No full textIn recent years, “inclusive cities” has become one of the core issues in global urbangovernance. From the policy recommendations issued by international organizationssuch as the United Nations, World Bank and the OECD, to the urban development plansand city branding, “inclusion” has been widely used to address the increasingly seriousproblems of urban inequality and exclusion. However, the actual development is notas expected. Globally, cities have not become more inclusive as a result, but are facingincreasingly severe challenges: housing crisis, racial tensions, institutional exclusionof marginalized groups, and the aggregation of populist politics and fiscal austeritypolicies. Although the discourse of inclusive cities has gained popularity, its connotationis vague, its evaluation standards are scattered, and its policies and practices aredisconnected. In this context, this thesis is committed to exploring the three dimensionsof discourse, operation and reflection of the concept of “inclusive cities” in urban governance.It aims to offer a more critical and institutionally grounded analytical frameworkand respond to the theoretical tension and practical dilemma of inclusion in today’surban transformation
Community and connection in the gig economy:A bottom-up approach to understanding identification among workers
No full textIdentification represents a fundamental human need, yet little is known about how it is experienced in the gig work context that is characterized by individualization and atomization. In organizational communication studies, identification is commonly defined through a social psychological lens as: “the perception of oneness with or belongingness to some human aggregate” (Ashforth & Mael, 1989, p. 21). It tends to be strong when individuals perceive many similarities between themselves and the group or relationship they identify with (Dutton et al., 1994). Gig work can be understood as labor arrangements of short duration in which workers are compensated per task or project as opposed to a wage-based employment contract (Cropanzano et al., 2023). Though the gig economy has surged with the emergence of online labor platforms, extant research has insufficiently engaged with the relational, cognitive, and affective experiences of gig workers (Wu & Huang, 2024). Vice versa, organizational scholars have called for more research on identification in non-standard work settings and outside organizational boundaries (Ashforth et al., 2020). Therefore, this dissertation explores how and where gig workers experience identification, and in what ways contextual factors shape these experiences. In answering these twin overarching research questions, the dissertation takes a social constructionist, multimethodological approach to social identity theory. This means going beyond dominant conceptualizations of identification as a cognitive state to recognizing the fluid, dynamic, and context-dependent nature of identification (Scott et al., 1998). The use of multiple methods, including qualitative, quantitative, and computational methods, allows for the analysis of different aspects of the gig work context. Based on these findings, this dissertation argues that the diminished presence of traditional organizational loci does not limit identification in the gig economy. Instead, identification experiences emerge in ‘non-traditional’ spaces, notably (online) communities of gig workers, which serve as sources of stability and mutual support. These communities provide a sense of oneness and belonging within a work environment otherwise marked by precarity, individualization, and social atomization
Monodisperse microbubbles for controlled drug delivery
No full textThis thesis investigates the production and therapeutic application of monodispersephospholipid-coated microbubbles for ultrasound-mediated drug delivery. The firstpart (Chapters 2–5) focuses on developing reliable production methods, physical characterization,and acoustic evaluation of monodisperse microbubbles generated throughmicrofluidic techniques. The second part (Chapters 6–8) explores the biological interactionsand underlying mechanisms of microbubble-mediated drug delivery in both invitro and in vivo models
Aftrek van btw op vastgoedgerelateerde kosten
No full textDit onderzoek richt zich op het huidige Europese en Nederlandse positief recht ten aanzien van de aftrek van btw bij transacties met en exploitatie van onroerende zaken. De auteur onderzoekt niet alleen dit positieve recht, maar stelt ook een toetsingskader vast aan de hand waarvan kan worden vastgesteld wat op dit terrein het wenselijk recht is. Dit toetsingskader bestaat enerzijds uit het rechtskarakter van de btw en anderzijds uit de kwaliteit van de wet- en regelgeving.De auteur stelt vast dat het rechtskarakter van de btw dat van een verbruiksbelasting is. Het onderzoek van de auteur naar mogelijke kwaliteitsnormen leidt hem tot een selectie van vier kwaliteitsnormen, te weten: eenvoud, duidelijkheid, doelmatigheid en uitvoerbaarheid.Aan de hand van het onderzoek naar het positief recht en aan de hand van het toetsingskader presenteert de auteur vervolgens aanbevelingen tot wijziging van de huidige wet- en regelgeving.<br/
Association of biomarkers with acute ischemic stroke:Clinical and radiological outcomes
No full textIn this thesis, I will describe studies on the association between hemostatic biomarkersin patients included in the MR CLEAN-NOIV trial, and NETs in patients included in theMR CLEAN-MED trial, and clinical and radiological outcomes post-EVT.In chapter 2, we present a review of the studies on the association of hemostasisand NETs with the clinical and radiological outcomes of AIS patients post-treatmentto select the most relevant biomarkers for the CONTRAST trials; in chapter 3, weinvestigated the association of primary and secondary hemostasis biomarkers withAIS outcome in patients undergoing thrombectomy, with or without thrombolytics;in chapter 4, we study the association between coagulation activity and clinical andimaging outcomes in AIS patients undergoing EVT, with or without thrombolytics; inchapter 5, we examine the association of fibrinolysis with AIS outcomes in patientsundergoing thrombectomy and assess whether additional administration of r-tPAmodifies these outcomes; in chapter 6, we study the association of NETs markers withclinical and radiological outcomes in patients with AIS undergoing thrombectomy andevaluate whether heparin treatment modifies these outcomes; and in chapter 7, weinvestigate the level of anticoagulation and its impact on outcomes in patients receivingheparin during EVT treatment
Food Prints on Core Crime Provisions:Conflict-driven starvation triggering individual criminal responsibility
Full text linkExploring vascular aging in ERCC1-deficient mice and progressing toward human vessel-on-a-chip models
No full textCardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally. The most important determinant of cardiovascular health is a person’s age. Aging results in structural changes and functional decline of the cardiovascular system. DNA damage is an important contributor to the aging process, and mice with a DNA repair defect caused by Ercc1 deficiency display hypertension, vascular stiffening, and loss of vasomotor control. In this thesis we investigated RAS alterations by assessing intrarenal renin activity in Ercc1Δ/− mice using the renin-activated, near-infrared fluorescent probe ReninSense680™. Furthermore, we aimed to characterize vascular aging in mice with hampered ERCC1 function. Building on these insights, we further examined the calcification potential of VSMCs with an ERCC1 mutation and investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of dietary restriction (DR), a well-known anti-aging intervention, on vascular aging.<br/
Understanding quality of life in China:Cultural influences and measurements challenges when East meets West
No full textThis PhD thesis explores cultural differences in the perception and evaluation of Quality of Life (QoL), with a particular focus on the Chinese context. It explores both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Modern Medicine (MM) frameworks to examine how these paradigms conceptualize QoL, where they converge, and how they diverge. The research also investigates the extent to which existing QoL instruments capture what matters most to Chinese populations
Molecular mechanisms of vascular aging and aneurysm formation:Toward therapeutic strategies
No full textThis thesis explores the molecular mechanisms of vascular aging and evaluates potential therapeutic interventions, utilizing mouse models that capture various aspects of this complex process