Academic Ceremonies April 2014

“Les interventions de la CEDEAO en Afrique de l’Ouest: Conséquences et Perspectives”

Since 1990, ECOWAS, a regional and economic organization has decided to take part in the settlement of conflicts and crisis which occur in West Africa. ECOWAS back up its diplomatic initiatives by military actions. But disagreement among ECOWAS leaders and pressure from lobbies are among many the main constraints sub- regional head of states are facing in their initiatives, which are not only based on the ECOWAS judiciary. but on international laws and conventions concerning peace keeping intervention. Even if West Africa’s defence and security law system is almost up- to-date, the fact is that West African leaders do not comply with it as a whole. But this compliance is necessary for ECOWAS to be able to effectively address ordinary political crisis and conflicts and mostly terrorism and piracy which really are Emerging Security Threats (EST) in West Africa.

Key words:

ECOWAS, West Africa, peace keeping intervention

“The role of EU state aid law in promoting a pro-innovation Policy; - a review from the perspective of public-private R&D cooperation”

State funding from the EU Member States constitutes an important tool to promote innovation by creating links between the industry, universities and R&D institutions. Moreover, the grant of public funds administered by universities and research institutions are decisive in the improvement of productivity and competitiveness of EU firms. In this context, the development of a legal framework that promotes an efficient use of State aid in R&D cooperation represents an important challenge for the EU.
The discussions presented in this thesis constitute a contribution to the current State aid modernization initiative and to future revisions of the Community Framework for State Aid for Research and Development and Innovation and the relevant provisions of the General Block Exemption Regulation. More emphasis is put on the need for a proper use of patents, know-how, licenses and technology transfer to enhance the positive effects of R&D State expenditure.

Key words:

State aid law, competition, Intellectual property, R&D cooperation 

“The political Accountability of EU Agencies: Learning from the US Experience”

“Mapping Israel, Mapping Palestine”

Geographic Information Science (GIS) maps are central to peace negotiations in Palestine and Israel, but they are also used to administer extensive systems of control within the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Mapping Israel, Mapping Palestineanalyzes the ways that such segregated landscapes have shaped the practice of cartography since 1967, and argues for more systematic study of the uneven impacts that material landscapes have on scientific knowledge.

Key words:

Geographic Information Science (GIS), maps, Israel, Palestine

“Het tekort; studies over de arbeidsmarkt voor mijnwerkers in het Luikse kolenbekken vanaf het einde van de negentiende eeuw tot 1974”

“Brain wiring and neuronal dynamics; advances in MR imaging of focal epilepsy”

Rolandic epilepsy is the most common epilepsy syndrome in childhood. In this type of epilepsy, seizures originate from the sensorimotor cortex. Various studies have shown that rolandic epilepsy is accompanied by language difficulties. The aim of this study was to investigate which brain connections are involved in this process. Advanced MRI techniques have demonstrated that the sensorimotor cortex is linked with certain language centres. Therefore, rolandic seizures might spread to language centres through this connectivity. Indeed, this connectivity was found to be reduced in rolandic epilepsy: the more reduced the connectivity, the poorer the language performance. This improved knowledge of brain processes involved in rolandic epilepsy enables us to explore more specific treatment options for these patients.

Key words:

Rolandic epilepsy, fMRI, MRI, brain connections, disruption of networks, learning problems, language 

“The way out”

“Predictive modeling of treatment outcome in rectal cancer”

This dissertation covers the development of smart computer programmes that can predict disease progression in rectal cancer patients. The first three studies reveal that clinical information, imaging before and during the radiation process and various substances in the blood can accurately predict whether the tumour will completely disappear after treatment. Subsequent studies show that both the recurrence risk and the patient’s long-term survival rate can be accurately predicted using only clinical information. In the near future, these predictions can help to develop a tailor-made treatment, which can help the patient avoid major surgery or an extra radiation dose.

Key words:

prediction, disease progression, rectal cancer, patients, tailored treatment

“Excusable Evil: An analysis of complete defenses in International Criminal Law”

Could Hitler have pled insanity? Should a soldier who was forced to take part in a mass execution be acquitted? Mitigating factors, such as insanity and coercion, are common in national criminal law. But what role do these play in international criminal law? Can horrific and large-scale crimes, such as war crimes and genocide, be justified? This study shows that most international courts recognise the existence of mitigating factors; however, most pleas are rejected. This finding justifies the question of whether mitigating factors and international crimes can be combined. This question is answered and several recommendations are made regarding the contents of mitigating factors in international law.

Key words:

mitigating factors, international criminal law 

“Neuromuscular electrical stimulation in dyspneic COPD patients: a new training modality”

This PhD dissertation focuses on neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and muscle strength training used as training forms for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) characterised by severe shortness of breath and muscle weakness. The effects of two different forms of NMES (high-frequency, HF-NMES and low-frequency, LF-NMES) and muscle strength training are compared with each other. In total, 120 subjects participated in this study. There was an increase in maximum muscle strength in patients in the HF-NMES group and the muscle strength training group, whereas there was no increase in the LF-NMES group. Endurance and quality of life increased in all groups. Moreover, these forms of muscle training have a minimal impact on these patients’ respiratory system.

Key words:

COPD, muscle strength training

“Zwevend en zwermend vanuit de Tuin van Akademos: Chronisch ziek of chronisch gezond … opbranden of uitdoven in de participatiesamenleving”

Thursday 10 April 2014, 16.30 hours

“The distributional impact of risk heterogeneity, risk responsibility and control”

“Physical education’s contribution to levels of physical activity in children and adolescents”

Physical education can play a potentially important role in stimulating children and adolescents to exercise more. Children spend a large part of their youths at school, where physical education is compulsory. This study shows that physical education is responsible for roughly one-third of the daily exercise requirements and that teachers could intensify this relatively easily, thereby leading to a higher contribution. An important objective of physical education is to motivate students to continue exercising throughout their lives. This dissertation proves that, as it is being offered now, physical education does not necessarily achieve this.

Key words:

physical activity, education

“Long-term care after stroke; development and evaluation of a long-term intervention in primary care”

“Structural Interventions in Invasive Cardiology”

Minimal invasive aortic valve replacement is an established treatment. Methods to reduce stroke rate and invasiveness of the apical access are investigated in this thesis. 
Left atrial appendage occlusion in the high-risk population suffering from atrial fibrillation seems to be a much more promising approach to reduce stroke rate, than the use of cerebral protection devices. 
If a transapical approach to the aortic valve is chosen, it currently consists of a surgical cut-down. We evaluated methods to reliably close the apex with a device, thereby enabling a true percutaneous access.
The research was wrapped up by a larger pathology study.

Key words:

transcatheter aortic valve replacement; left atrial appendage occlusion; stroke; transapical access; apical closure

“(Post) transcriptional regulation of heart failure”

Heart failure is the final stage of diverse forms of cardiac diseases and is reflected by a high mortality rate worldwide. Heart failure is preceded by severe pathological remodeling, including extensive hypertrophy, followed by contractility dysfunction and chamber dilation.
The mechanisms underlying the progression from compensatory hypertrophy to end stage heart failure are still incompletely understood. The studies presented in this thesis focus on a better understanding of the processes involved in pathological cardiac remodeling. We concentrate on the calcineurin-NFAT pathway, which is a crucial signaling cascade involved in adult myocardial remodeling and dysfunction. The target genes and possible modulators of this pathway were extensively investigated. Despite the progress described in this thesis, many questions still remain unresolved, including the discovery of additional players in this pathway and their involvement in the process of cardiac remodeling.

Key words:

heart failure, compensatory hypertroply, calcineurin-NFAT pathway

“Transnational networks and the common market: Business views on European integration, 1950-1980”

By comparing several business debates within the Bilderberg Group, the Trilateral Commission and the European League for Economic Cooperation, this dissertation shows how an initial enthusiasm among corporations for European market integration during the 1950s became replaced with a concern about international competitive forces and the corresponding need to adapt the European market's policies. Moreover, this investigation reveals that from the early 1950s onwards, large European businesses developed a lobby towards matters of European integration. Finally it demonstrates that the industrial lobby on the 1992 completion of the Single European Market was rooted in the struggle of European business with American investments from the early 1960s onwards.

Key words:

European market, industrial lobby, policy

“Dietary strategies to modulate the metabolic profile and substrate partitioning”

“Myeloproliferative neoplasia: more insight in the pathogenesis”​

“Making memory strategic; studies on the cognitive and biological basis of memory strategies in children and adults”

“Modern opleiden: Oude wijn in nieuwe zakken? Voor een toekomstbestendige gezondheidszorg”

“The brain speaks: functional and structural neural correlates of language production impairments in classic galactosemia”

“Life after survival of a cardiac arrest; the brain is the heart of the matter”

This study showed that cognitive disorders (e.g. impaired memory or concentration) and emotional problems (e.g. anxiety or depression) are common after cardiac arrest. These ‘invisible’ effects have a significant impact on quality of life after cardiac arrest. 
The partners/caregivers of cardiac arrest patients often suffer from emotional problems (symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress) and feel extremely overburdened. For this reason, a new aftercare programme was developed entitled ‘Stilstaan en Doorgaan’ (Acknowledge and Move On), a compact intervention offered by a specialised nurse shortly after the patient is discharged from the hospital. In one to six meetings with patients and their partners, the nurse identifies any cognitive or emotional problems and offers information and support. If necessary, the patient is referred to a specialist. 
This new intervention proved extremely effective: the patient’s emotional wellbeing improved, they returned to work sooner and enjoyed a higher quality of life.

Key words:

cardiac arrest, emotional and cognitive effects, diagnosis, treatment

“Diagnostic tools for early evaluation of total hip performance; studies on preclinical and clinical monitoring of implant quality”

Although total hip joint replacement has proven to be a successful and cost-effective treatment of degenerative arthritis of the hip joint from both a patient’s and societal point of view, many new implant designs failed mainly due to a hasty introduction to the market without first conducting proper research. This resulted in loss of goodwill towards orthopaedics and a reorientation on scientific integrity and patient safety. Rules on how to introduce new prostheses in a reliable manner were defined as well as guidelines for diagnostic techniques for monitoring the quality of prostheses.
This PhD dissertation evaluates the usefulness of hip scores, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), radiography, scintigraphy, bone density measurements, histology and research into migration in studies comparing old and new implant designs with each other. This dissertation also investigates the role of computer simulations as a guideline for improving implant designs. Recommendations are being made for introducing new prostheses to the market more safely. 

Key words:

hip prosthesis, quality, diagnostic techniques, guidelines

“The great psychotherapy debate”