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How can a 15th century Irish tower house, currently in a state of neglect, be adaptively reused to meet contemporary societal needs while preserving its historical and architectural integrity and be used as a guideline for other tower house projects.
No full textPoetics of Construction - 4 Acts of Adaptation for a School in Anderlecht
No full textThis thesis explores adaptive reuse as an ongoing process, with continuous and evolving acts, interpreting multiple theatrical phenomena within architectural practice to challenge the conventional before-and-after architecture model.
To investigate how this concept can be operated in practice, the design proposal reimagines an art school in Anderlecht, Brussels. The school consists of a cluster of buildings from different eras, which has continued to metabolize through informal adaptations and repairs over the past century. Rather than implementing a large-scale intervention all at once, the proposal adopts a phased approach aimed at guiding the school toward a more resilient and improved condition for its future use while preserving the spatial and historical complexity that defines its unique character.
The research part of the thesis supports this methodology by examining the benefits of this process-based adaptation from different perspectives, integrating architectural case studies and theoretical discourse.
By integrating theatrical concepts not only as metaphor but also as methodological inspiration, this thesis draws a mediation point where spatial poetics and architectural tectonics meet. In the end, the objective is not just to celebrate the construction process itself, but to seek a way to foster a deeper connection between people and the site, where architecture is not just built, but continuously grows with its users
Information-sharing in a turbulent Public sector: is more always better? Exploring information overload among civil servants during complex workplace changes
No full textIn today's turbulent public sector landscape, workplace changes have become the norm, often introducing uncertainty and a feeling of diminished control among civil servants. Information plays a pivotal role in helping employees navigate these changes successfully. However, as changes become more intricate, the information that civil servants encounter grows increasingly complex. Paradoxically, the well-intentioned influx of information can cause information overload, a state of stress arising when the volume of information available surpasses an individual's capacity to process it. Our analysis finds evidence of such a paradox, showing that information can become a hindrance during workplace changes, heightening stress levels
H²MM-guided removal of dye blinking effects from single-molecule FRET burst data
No full textBackground Confocal burst single-molecule FRET (smFRET) is a valuable technique for studying biomolecular dynamics over various timescales. Photon-by-photon recording and analysis approaches, such as multiparameter Hidden Markov analysis (mpH MM), exploit the full time resolution of the data and allow disentangling FRET-related signal changes from fluctuations caused by dye-related phenomena, such as blinking. However, the influence of blinking dynamics on quantitative mpH MM analysis has not been explored in detail. Methods Using simulated smFRET data, we characterized the impact of blinking dynamics on quantitative mpH MM analysis. We developed an mpH MM-guided approach to remove the subset of bursts affected by blinking. We systematically validated our approach with simulations and applied it to experimental confocal burst smFRET data of DNA hairpins. Results We demonstrated that standard-processed smFRET data from a dynamic DNA hairpin contain dye-blinking states. Since the true parameters in experimental data are unknown, we used simulations with different severities of blinking to characterize the impact of dye-blinking dynamics on mpH MM analysis. We showed that blinking causes mpH MM to systematically underestimate FRET state exchange rates and shift the our proposed mpH E− histogram. We applied MM-cleaning approach to simulated data with various degrees of blinking dynamics. Removing blinking-affected bursts corrected the blinking-induced bias in the mpH E− plot and mitigated the blinking bias of MM analysis. Finally, we demonstrated the effect of the filtering approach on experimental smFRET data of a dynamic DNA hairpin and observed similar effects to those in simulated data. Discussion We propose a method to minimize the impact of dye blinking on dynamic smFRET analysis by using the ability of mpH MM to identify short-lived dye blinking states. Removing blinking-affected bursts improved the accuracy of dynamic smFRET analysis and enabled accurate recovery of state exchange rates by subsequent mpH MM analysis, though at the cost of losing affected bursts. Our findings highlight the importance of considering dye blinking effects in qualitative and quantitative smFRET analysis and the critical need to combine alternating-excitation smFRET with photon-by-photon analysis.Funding
This work was funded by the Flemish Research Foundation (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, FWO) with grant numbers 11N4722N and G0B9922 and the UHasselt Special Research Fund (21INC20BOF and 20KP14BOF).
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Stijn Dilissen (Dynamic Bioimaging Lab, Hasselt University) for preparing and measuring the dynamic DNA hairpin presented in this work. We acknowledge the Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre at Hasselt University for support with the microscopy experiments
You Have Become the Space: Cross-disciplinary Translation Between the Built and the Displayed
No full textThe PhD research in Arts, You Have Become the Space: Cross-disciplinary Translation Between the Built and the Displayed, explores modernist architectural environments and their potential to foster strong communities. The project investigates how moving image practice can articulate the existential dimension of place that conventional architectural representation often overlooks. Building on literary translation theory, the research develops a methodology of cross-disciplinary translation and collaboration to bridge ‘the built’ and ‘the displayed’. Through this lens, the formal, sensorial, historical, and conceptual aspects of architecture are translated into six moving image works and their accompanying chapters, which make visible the layered relationships between camera, body, and space. This approach treats architecture not only as a physical structure but also as a metaphor for sociopolitical dynamics, where architecture embodies past ideologies embedded in design while communities animate it with contemporary values. The research comprises audiovisual works—The House Guard, Roosenberg, Double Exposure, Papagalo, What’s the Time?, EUR42, and Moi aussi, je regarde—and a written component developed through dialogue with seven professionals from the fields of translation, arts, architecture, and cinema: Tiiu Kokla, Anu Vahtra, Caroline Voet, Alicja Melzacka, Angelique Campens, Ivana Vaseva, and Julie Pfleiderer. This dialogue takes the form of a Q&A, a mode of inquiry most commonly associated with cinema, through which the project articulates its critical and artistic contribution.With the support by Vlaams Audiovisueel FondsThis PhD project investigates modernist architectural environments and their potential to cultivate strong communities. It responds to the limitations of conventional architectural representation, which often reduces buildings to commodified objects and overlooks the nuances of lived experience. Through the use of moving image practice, the research seeks to articulate the existential dimensions of architecture by employing methodologies grounded in cross-disciplinary translation and collaboration. Ultimately, the project aims to reframe how architectural heritage is perceived, valued, and remembered.
Doctoral dissertation submitted to obtain the degree of Doctor of Audiovisual and Visual Arts, defended by Ingel Vaikl
Halogen Migration in the Photofragmentation of Halothane
No full textThe photofragmentation of halothane (CF3CHBrCl) was studied with synchrotron radiation by photoionization efficiency (PIE) measurements and photoelectron-photoion coincidence (PEPICO) experiments, as well as by a theoretical exploration of potential energy surfaces. Among the other fragments, the formation of the CHClF+ and CHBrF+ ions, which involves the transfer of a F atom between the two moieties of the parent molecule, was observed. To understand the mechanisms leading to the halogen migration, a detailed theoretical study of the production of CHClF+, m/z 67+, based on DFT calculations and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis was conducted. The results contribute to the understanding of the photochemistry of halothane, its polluting behavior in the high atmosphere, and the formation of highly reactive species.This work was partially supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, grants PGR 00220 “A nanoview of radiation-biomatter interaction” and PGR02090 “Making and breaking bonds with synchrotron radiation and storage-ring experiments”. J.C. and L.C. acknowledge support from PNRR-IR project EuPRAXIA Advanced Photon Sources—EuAPS (CUP I93C21000160006, IR0000030). F.M. acknowledges the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center), funded by the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) and the Flemish Government. We acknowledge funding through the project EUROFEL-ROADMAP ESFRI of the Italian Ministry of University and Research
Community-based housing alternatives for older adults: towards a conceptual framework for resident involvement
No full textMost older adults in Europe want to age in their own homes. However, this is not feasible or desirable for everyone. Limited financial resources, lack of daily support or social contact, the sudden loss of a partner, or a desire for change may result in a wish or necessity to move. Community-based housing alternatives, such as co-housing, naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs), sheltered housing, or villages, can provide viable options. These initiatives facilitate independent living, care and support, and a sense of community. Compared to institutionalised care homes, community-based housing offers autonomy, independent living, and the opportunity to shape one's home environment. However, despite variation in how residents participate in co-producing their living environments, the role of resident involvement in shaping community-based housing has been underexplored. To address this gap, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for understanding how older residents engage in co-producing community-based housing. Bringing together literature on housing co-production and community-based housing for older adults, the framework distinguishes between community-led and community-oriented co-production. Community-led co-production refers to practices that are controlled by older residents, while community-oriented co-production describes practices that include resident input, but led by other stakeholders. By developing and discussing this framework, the paper lays the groundwork for future empirical studies and offers guidance for policymakers, practitioners, and housing providers on considering the role of residents in shaping future housing models for older adults.This paper was funded by the Marie SklodowskaCurie Action HOMeAGE – Advancing Research and Training on Ageing, Place and Home under the Grant Agreement 101073506. Tine Buffel received support from the Leverhulme Trust (grant RL-2019-011)
Single Family Offices as Drivers of Private Firm Growth: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis
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Personenbelasting – tijd voor modernisering?
No full textHet Belgisch stelsel van de personenbelasting heeft al geruime tijd geen grote hervorming meer ondergaan. Echter verandert onze samenleving wel aan sterk tempo. Er bestaan diverse samenlevingsvormen in het hedendaagse leven waarbij er de vraag kan gesteld worden of hier wel voldoende rekening mee gehouden is. Twee belangrijke aspecten binnen de personenbelasting zijn namelijk neutraliteit en draagkracht, die ook toepassing dienen te vinden op de fiscale behandeling van de verschillende samenlevingsvormen. Deze thesis tracht te onderzoeken of de wetgever voldoet aan de samenlevingsvormneutraliteit en voldoende rekening houdt met de werkelijke economische draagkracht binnen het stelsel van de personenbelasting. Hierbij wordt er gekeken naar het Nederlands fiscaal stelsel en zullen er enkele aanbevelingen gedaan worden