Academic Ceremonies May 2008

“Juridisch Humanisme en costumiere acculturatie”

“Connectivity in the Visual System”

“Hypoxia, HIF and angiogenesis in atherosclerosis”

The tearing of atherosclerotic plaque (calcification in the arterial wall) is the cause of cardiovascular diseases and is also caused by small blood vessels (micro vessels) in the plaque. This dissertation studies the mechanisms that cause the growth of micro vessels in the plaque and the structure of the micro vessels. These studies show that cells in the plaque don’t receive enough oxygen, which causes the growth of the micro vessels. The micro vessels are not well formed and show structural defects. This defective structure causes inflammation cells and red blood cells to leak into the plaque, which can lead to plaque growth and rupture.

“A Collaborative approach to tailored whole-school health promotion”

Schools are fed up with the torrent of health projects. To help schools choose from the huge amount of health projects, the schoolSlag-method and schoolSlag checklist (both already applied at a national level) were developed, in cooperation with teachers and health promoters. The schoolSlag study shows that schools can receive support, tailored to their needs, for their health policy when – local, regional and national - institutions methodically cooperate with each other and with the school. With schoolSlag, GGD Zuid-Limburg challenges schools to create a healthy school together with pupils and parents and to use the best that institutions have to offer without making concessions to their educational core task.

“Werken aan heterogeen menselijk kapitaal”

“Microarray analysis of oxidative phosphorylation disorders”

Mitochondria generate the energy production of the cell. When there are defects in the mitochondrial DNA or in certain parts of the DNA in the cell nucleus, this often results in problems in the field of the energy household. This may cause serious diseases that are characterized by defects in all organs that need much energy. This dissertation describes the use of new DNA chip techniques in the study of these disorders. In almost one quarter of the patients a genetic diagnosis could be made with this technique. Moreover, a series of processes was identified that play a role in these disorders and possibly open new opportunities for the development of therapies.

Key words:

mitochondria, OXPHOS, microarray, mtDNA

“Bescherming tegen niet geinviteerde overnames en ongewenst aandeelhoudersactivisme; een politiek correcte en bedrijfsmatig effectieve benadering”

“Plantar pressure, diabetes and foot orthoses therapy. Studies on etiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects”

Foot complaints often occur, but in people with diabetes they require extra attention. To optimize diabetic foot care six studies were conducted for this dissertation. The differences that were found in diagnostics and (insole) therapy between and within professional groups of foot specialists (podotherapists, orthopaedic shoe technicians and orthopaedic instrument makers) are worrisome. One of the main results is that the use of special foot pressure measuring equipment can reduce the risk of foot wounds in diabetes patients with polyneuropathy (a nervous disorder). The research results offer the various professional groups and programmes of vocational education many useful handles to optimize diabetic foot care. The research was financially supported by the ‘Diabetesfonds’ and ‘ZonMs’. Additional support was offered by ‘Smeets Loopcomfort’ and ‘Spronken Orthopedie’.

Key words:

diabetic foot care, insole therapy, diabetes mellitus, foot pressure measuring equipment, polyneuropathy

“Intrathecal baclofen therapy in children with intractable spastic cerebral palsy; A Dutch national study”

The quality of life of children with untreatable spasticity as a result of brain damage can be considerably improved by treatment with intrathecal baclofen (ITB). Baclofen is a muscle relaxant that works on the spinal marrow level. Baclofen in tablet form badly passes the blood-brain barrier, which generates side-effects rather than effects. Baclofen can also be delivered directly into the brain fluid near the spinal marrow by means of a small pump in the abdominal wall via a catheter (intrathecal therapy). The Dutch national ITB study showed that ITB is safe and effective for children with problems as a result of untreatable spasticity. The main effects were reduction of pain and the fact that it became easier to attend to the children.

Key words:

children, serious spasticity, new treatment method

“Gedragsmechanismen achter overheidsinterventies en rechtsregels” (‘Behaviour mechanisms behind government interventions and rules of law’).

“Inequality, Networks and Exclusion: Distributive Decision.
Making in Small-scale Societies”

Using survey data, laboratory experiments with students and field experiments with poor farmers in Nicaragua (Central America), this dissertation studies the processes that are responsible for the continued existence of economic inequality in micro- societies. Poor people do not only have an inferior social network, but they are also less able to determine who represents them. As a result they receive a relatively lower share of the economic means that are divided by local representatives. When they protest against this situation, they are even more excluded by ‘their representatives. To combat such exclusion processes, policymakers should improve the social inclusion of this group in terms of their social network position and/or political representation.

Key words:

social exclusion, social networks

“Preclinical studies on the immune-modulatory effects of dietary oligosaccharides”

Oligosaccharides (short, non-digestible sugar molecules) naturally occur in mother’s milk and they have a positive influence on the bacteria in infants’ intestines. This dissertation describes the favourable effects of nutritional intervention with specific oligosaccharides on the immune system. Examples are: stimulation of the vaccination response, reduction of allergic symptoms and an inhibiting effect on viral infection. These pre-clinical results suggest that these specific oligosaccharides are not only able to positively influence the intestinal bacteria, but also the immune system of infants. By adding these oligosaccharides to infant nutrition the risk of allergies and infections is reduced, as a result of which the functionality of breastfeeding is more closely approached. 

Key words:

Oligosaccharides, infant nutrition, immune system

“Radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer”

De PET-scan (positron emission tomography) is a functional imaging technique. This dissertation first of all describes the biological meaning and the role of PET in the radiotherapeutic treatment of lung cancer. A comparative study shows that with the use of PET the size of the tumour and the location of affected lymph nodes can be precisely determined. The PhD candidate validated a PET-based module with which the tumour is automatically sketched in the preparation of radiotherapy. This allows a more efficient radiotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer. The PET-CT scan can also be used to monitor changes in the course of the radiotherapy and, if necessary, to adjust the treatment. Finally, the dissertation describes a theoretical model and the clinical use of individualized radiotherapy, in which for each patient the maximum dose is determined that the healthy organs of the patient can tolerate. 

Key words:

lung cancer, radiotherapy , PET

“Diabetic Foot Disease in European Perspective”​

“Serotonergic Vulnerability; experimental studies in the rats applying the method of acute tryptophan depletion”

“Verantwoord beleggen: de hype voorbij?” (‘Responsible investments: past the hype?’)”