In this thesis, the role of mast cells in atherosclerosis and novel therapeutic strategies to inhibit atherosclerosis progression are discussed. The first part of the thesis specifically focuses on the relation between mast cells and advanced human atherosclerotic plaque characteristics.

Classical statistical methods, such as p-values, are difficult for researchers to apply correctly. They for example do not allow drawing conclusions from a study early, or for extending a study with extra research groups that want to make their data available later.

In this thesis, I focused on studying the above- and belowground interactions of J. vulgaris from a plant-soil feedback (hereafter, PSF) perspective. I investigated the temporal variation of negative PSF and examined the effects of root-associated bacteria on plant performance and aboveground herbiv…

A single self-assembled semiconductor quantum dot in a high-finesse optical microcavity - the subject of this thesis - is an interesting quantum-mechanical system for future quantum applications. For instance, this system allows trapping of an extra electron and thus can serve as a spin quantum memory,…

Nanoparticles can be used as delivery systems for both small molecules and macromolecules such as proteins, peptides or oligonucleotides. This thesis focuses on the use of liposomes, nanometric vesicles formed by a lipid bilayer enclosing an aqueous core. Liposomes are highly versatile delivery syst…

Plants and soils from natural ecosystems harbor great diversity of soil microorganisms, which could potentially contribute to the sustainability of horticulture. The knowledge about using wild plant species and soil from natural ecosystem to improve the crop health will advance the application of ecological…

Over the past years it has been discovered that the population of extra-solar planets is large and diverse.

Streptomyces are bacteria abundant in soil that participate in diverse and complex interactions. These bacteria are the main producers of the antibiotics we currently use in the clinic.

Throughout the history of computer science, a major challenge has been how to assert that software is free of bugs and works as intended. Software bugs can lead to serious negative impacts on any software system. Throughout the main body of the thesis, we implemented a series of studies on exploring…

Promotores: Prof.dr. J. Zaanen, Prof.dr. K.E. Schalm

This thesis presents insights from our study of various correlated electron systems with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). In ordinary metals, electron-electron interactions exist, but get substantially screened due to the sheer number of electrons.

We have studied shape with a particular focus on the zebrafish model system. The shape is an essential appearance of the phenotype of a biological specimen and it can be used to read out a current state or response or to study gene expression.

In dit artikel onderzoeken Thijs van Dooremalen en Philip Smith hoe het publieke discours over hittegolven is verschoven in Britse kranten.

This Thesis describes the synthesis of D-alanylated ribitol-based wall teichoic acids from S. aureus to probe their interaction with immune-binding partners.

This dissertation presents new cryptographic protocols, which can be divided into two families.

Electoral Systems and Turnout: Evidence From a Regression Discontinuity Design. In dit artikel, gepubliceerd op de website SAGE research methods, bespreken auteurs Jaroslaw Kantorowicz en Tobias M. Hlobil hoe een Regression Discontinuity Design uitgevoerd kan worden.

The investigations described in this thesis lay out strategies aimed at advancing antibiotic research and development. The examples presented revolve around two main approaches: understanding drug-target interactions and target identification.

This thesis addresses the chemical processes that determine the compositions of giant planet atmospheres.

Prematurely born neonates require, amongst others, pharmaceutical therapy. Dosing guidelines for these therapies are often based on data from term born neonates or older infants, while these are not necessarily similar to prematurely born neonates.

Vanaf de koloniale tijd tot heden hebben grote aantallen Javanen hun woonplaats verlaten om zich in andere delen van Indonesië of veel verder weg te vestigen. Vaak was deze spreiding gedwongen, vaak met traumatische gevolgen.

Promotor: H.J.A. Röttgering, Co-promotor: M. Haverkorn

Dit project bekijkt het Oudgrieks vanuit het perspectief van de alledaagse schrijvers. Een corpus van meer dan 60.000 Griekse teksten op papyrus, van privébrieven tot petities en contracten geeft ons toegang tot de Griekse taal zoals die werd geschreven door gewone mensen in de oudheid (van 300 v.Chr.…

Promotor: Prof.dr. A.G.G.M. Tielens, Prof.dr. C. Dominik (UvA)

In zijn proefschrift ‘Pride, Prejudice and Manchurian Heritage: North Korean Migrants and Memories of a Land Left Behind’, bepleit Christopher Green dat onze blik op Noord-Koreaanse vluchtelingen te simpel is. NRC en Trouw interviewden Christopher Green over zijn bevindingen.

In twee maanden tijd overleden drie jonge Zuid-Koreaanse popsterren, vermoedelijk alle drie door zelfdoding. Elmer Veldkamp, universitair docent Koreastudies, reageert in Trouw op de recente tragische voorvallen.

Zeven Noord-Koreaanse vluchtelingen, die allen hoge functies bekleedden binnen het regime, onthullen hoe het er werkelijk aan toe gaat aan de top. Dat doen zij op een conferentie van de Universiteit Leiden op 17 en 18 september.

The global agri-food system plays a critical role in food security and environmental issues.

Promotor: Prof.dr. M. Danhof, Co-promotor: O.E. Della Pasqua

Irene Khan, expert op het gebied van mensenrechten, werpt een aantal vragen op: Wat kan men verstaan onder een ‘Culture of Justice’? Wie bepaalt wat 'Justice' is? Hoe realistisch is de bevordering van ‘Rule of Law’ en ‘Justice’ in landen waar sprake is van ernstige conflictsituaties en armoede?

With an emphasis on developing novel miktoarm star polymers termed PeptoMiktoStars, this thesis leverages asymmetric polymeric polypept(o)ide frameworks to advance their effectiveness in delivering hydrophobic drugs and nucleic acids.

This thesis focuses on amyloid proteins, a class of proteins that convert into amyloid fibrils.

Promotor: G.J. Kramer Co-Promotor: E.G.M. Kleijn

The Sun and all the stars in the night sky reside in the Milky Way galaxy. In the at-rest reference frame of the Galaxy, typical stars travel with velocities of about 100-200 kilometres per second.

Dit artikel gaat in op de onderzoekskloof door te onderzoeken hoe deze instanties hun personeel zo kunnen inzetten dat ze maximale prestaties leveren met het personeel dat ze hebben.

The stratum corneum is the outermost skin layer and consists of dead cells embedded in a lipid matrix.

The origin and evolution of galaxies are closely linked to many different physical phenomena.

In this thesis, we present new laboratory data of interstellar dust analogues.

Om de klimaatcrisis het hoofd te bieden, kan een bepaalde nederigheid van de mens ten aanzien van de natuur van groot belang zijn. Tegelijkertijd kan nederigheid ook politieke overheersing in de hand werken. Hoe kunnen mensen zich op een bescheidener manier tot de natuur verhouden zonder hun vrijheid…

Jan van den Berg heeft zij proefschrift op 8 november 2018 verdedigd.

Stars and planets form within cold, dense clouds of gas and dust drifting through interstellar space. Although dust makes up only a small fraction of this material, it plays a key role in shaping the chemical evolution of these environments.

Nowadays, it is well known that hydrogen and helium (and small traces of lithium and beryllium) were created shortly after the Big Bang, while the heavier elements are created in the cores of stars at different evolutionary stages. When these stars explode as supernovae, they expel metals synthesised…

Dit artikel levert een bijdrage aan een groeiend aantal onderzoeken naar radicalisering. Het richt zich specifiek op het onderscheid tussen individuen die radicalisering en daardoor betrokken raken bij terroristisch geweld en individuen die radicaliseren maar niet betrokken raken bij geweld.

By growing in a soil plants change the biotic and abiotic properties of the soil in which they grow.

The origin and evolution of galaxies are closely tied to the cyclic feedback processes between stars and the interstellar medium (ISM).

Onder welke omstandigheden beperken paramilitaire groepen hun gebruik van politiek geweld? Dit artikel onderzoekt het gebruik hiervan door de PIRA.

Of all the mass in our Universe, 80% is thought to consist of a hypothetical and invisible substance called dark matter (DM).

In this thesis, we aim to shed light on the diverse and often opposing roles of integrin α3β1 in cancer.

In deze publicatie worden problemen met betrekking tot de grensoverschrijdende afwikkeling van financiële instellingen onderzocht.

The increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics necessitates the discovery of new medicines.

What physics controls the properties of quantum matter, such as how electrons flow inside high-temperature superconductors? This question has captivated the physics community and industry for decades, in part due to the great technological potential such materials have, but also because they have resisted…