Academic Ceremonies July 2010

“European private international law on legal parentage? Thoughts on a European instrument implementing the principle of mutual recognition in legal parentage”

“Molecular mechanisms of beta-carotene action in the lung”

Beta-carotene is a health improving substance that is often found by nature in vegetables and fruit, and is used as an orange colouring agent in nutrients or as an addition to vitamin preparations.

Intake of an unnaturally high dose of beta-carotene involves an increased lung cancer risk in smokers or in people who are exposed to asbestos. This dissertation describes various mechanisms that could be involved there. It is shown that beta-carotene could have a negative effect on DNA damage caused by inflammations. Research with a unique humanized mouse model also shows that male and female mice react oppositely to beta-carotene. In male mice a new beta-carotene-sensitive process was discovered that could play a role in the origin of lung cancer. Most found effects, however, indicated health protection by beta-carotene. Therefore, the explanation for the negative effects can possibly be found in the presence or absence of chronic infections.

Key words:

Bètacaroteen

“van hard werken is nog nooit iemand dood gegaan”

“Basal cell carcinoma: genetic, diagnostic and therapeutic insights”

This dissertation studies the genetic analysis and treatment of the most common type of skin cancer, the basal cell carcinoma (BCC). The genetic research was performed on the basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS). Patients with this syndrome develop many BCCS at an early age already. In a patient with BCNS possible causes were found for an extraordinarily aggressive BCC. Another genetic research focused on patients who also had BCCs at an early age, without having BCNS.  It turned out that a badly functioning DNA repair system was not the cause. Two clinical studies into treatment possibilities were performed. The first study showed that Mohs’ micrographic surgery is the preferred treatment for recurring BCCs in the face, i.e. BCCs that came back after earlier surgery. The second study showed that for compactly growing BCCs treatment with standard surgery is preferred over treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT).  

Key words:

basal cell carcinoma (BCC), basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS)

“The quest for the origin and prevention of  postoperative myalgia following succinylcholine – new insights in an old problem”

Muscle relaxants are common drugs in anaesthetics and they are often administered during general narcosis. The popular muscle relaxant succinylcholine is mostly used in short interventions and rush surgery. However, succinylcholine has various side-effects, such as muscular pain after surgery. The origin of that postoperative muscular pain is still not known. The study was meant to gain more insight in the causes, particularly a possible inflammation reaction. The results show that an inflammation reaction does not significantly contribute to the origin. Furthermore, various preventive measures were studied to prevent muscular pain. There are various medicamental possibilities for efficiently preventing the muscular pain, among others by pre-treatment with certain painkillers, local anaesthetics and other muscle relaxants. Unfortunately, the pre-treatment appears not to be without risk for certain side-effects (for example pain during injection), which requires special attention from the practising doctor.

Key words:

succinylcholine, side-effects

“Patient-Specific Cardiovascular Modelling in pulmonary Arterial Hypertension; assessment of hemodynamic and mechanical ventricular interaction”

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), a disorder of the small blood vessels in the lungs, is characterized by a chronic rise of the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery, leading to an increased pump load of the heart. This can lead to heart failure and early death. The mechanisms of heart failure in patients with PAH were studied with a computer model of heart and vessels. Results have led to new and clinically relevant insights, with possible consequences for diagnostics and therapy. Shown was that in the long term PAH leads to a deteriorated cooperation between the left and the right heart. The computer model predicts that this disturbed left-right cooperation can be partly restored by means of a pacemaker. Currently is being investigated if the model can precisely estimate (without catheterisation) the blood pressure in the right heart and the pulmonary artery on the basis of a few simple clinical measurements. That way, in the future the model can contribute to better and less burdening diagnostics in PAH and other patients.

Key words:

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), heart pump function

“Diversiteit als middel tot optimalisatie van de behandeling van longkanker”

“Dietary proteins and body weight regulation”

“The effects of Business Cycle Conditions, Incentives and Disability Benefits on Labour Market Transitions in Spain”

My PhD thesis focuses on the role of institutions, the business cycle and labor demand needs on determining transitions between employment, unemployment and disability pensions in the Spanish labor market.

The focus of this research is to determine and quantify the factors influencing the different evolution in labor market participation, employment and disability pensions in Spain experienced since the 1980's. These factors range from legal and institutional factors to individual-specific determinants to employer, firm and industry characteristics and business cycle conditions. My thesis tries to capture the differential effect of each of these factors on individual transitions between labor market states. 

Key words:

Spanish labor market, differential effect

“Empirical studies of new firms and innovation in Italy”

This thesis focuses on the role of entrepreneurship as a trigger of the growth potential of industries and regions. On one side it assumes that entrepreneurial activity may promote the creation of entirely new sectors, whereas on the other hand that it can exert direct and indirect impacts on economic and employment growth. 

Use of up-to-date statistical tools and unique datasets allows to perform a rigorous analysis of effects and features of entrepreneurship, firm growth, and innovation in Italy. The results give a picture of the Italian economy confirming some of its distinctive features emerged from previous studies while rejecting others.

Key words:

entrepreneurship and innovation in Italy

“Course of disease, farigue and health related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease”

This dissertation describes the course of disease, fatigue and quality of life in a Group of patients with an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in South Limburg. The course of disease was in general mild. It turned out, however, that patients in the first year after the diagnosis or with a more serious course of disease probably need a more intensive check to lower the risk of complications.  

Besides bowel complaints and anaemia, the presence of fatigue had great influence on the quality of life. But even without complaints almost 40% of the patients experience much more fatigue than expected in comparison to the healthy population. A more serious course of disease in the past seems to be of influence here.

Key words:

inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), course of disease

“Clinical evaluation and cost-effectiveness of a community based COPD management program”

COPD is a very common progressive and invalidating lung disease. It is the only chronic disease with a still increasing mortality worldwide. The INTERCOM trial described in the dissertation shows that patients with moderately serious COPD complaints and an effort limitation already in an early stage of the disease benefit from a tailor-made transmural lung rehabilitation program. After two years, the program not only to a better quality of life and effort capacity compared to the usual care, but it was also cost effective. This means a great effect of a limited investment. In COPD patients with a decreased muscular mass the programme costs were entirely earned back, because these patients had to be hospitalized less often

Key words:

COPD, transmural lung rehabilitation program

“False Positives or Hidden Dimensions. The definition and Measurement of Child Poverty”

Poverty is often associated with a shortage of financial means as a result of which basic needs such as food, housing and education cannot be provided. On the basis of Vietnamese data this dissertation shows that children in families with sufficient financial means do not necessarily go to school or drink clean water. Contrarily, children who lack certain basic provisions do not necessarily live in a family with a shortage of financial means. This result has consequences both for the way we can create an adequate image of child poverty, and for the policy that is needed to combat child poverty

Key words:

child poverty, financial means

“Intestinal barrier loss in children and adults in disease and during surgery”

“Aspects of joint protection education in people with rheumatoid arthritis”

“Neural selection of words: we started out with little & still have most of it left”