In this thesis we study the earliest stages of high-mass star formation. Class II methanol masers are only associated with massive star formation and are a unique probe of these environments.... Show moreIn this thesis we study the earliest stages of high-mass star formation. Class II methanol masers are only associated with massive star formation and are a unique probe of these environments. Through observations we have studied where and when the methanol maser emission occur in relation to the protostar. We have found that for a fair fraction of the sources the methanol masers appear on size scales of ca. 1000 AU, in the equatorial region of the massive protostar. It appears that infall, rather than rotation, is the dominant motion. We propose that the maser emission occur close to or in a shock interface, possibly related to the accretion flow of the more extended gas in the protostellar envelope onto an accretion disk. The morphology and kinematics of the thermal methanol gas support the hypothesis that the maser region is also the region where the methanol molecules are released from the icy mantles of the du st grains. We have also estimated the temperature and column density of the methanol gas in the outflows and find evidence for radiative excitation of the methanol gas at the location of the maser emission. Show less
This dissertation explores sound, its image and its role in relating humans and our technologies to the environment. It investigates two related questions: How does sound mediate our relationship... Show moreThis dissertation explores sound, its image and its role in relating humans and our technologies to the environment. It investigates two related questions: How does sound mediate our relationship to environment? And how can contemporary multidisciplinary art practices articulate and explore this relation between sound and environment? Scorescapes is predicated on the idea that artists and scientists are a part of the sonic environments we study. Thus we cannot assume a passive role of listening without recognising the influence of our actions and presence on the environment with which we engage. The systemic relationship among elements in a complex ecology demands an active approach in which we conceive of ourselves as immersed participants rather than simply as objective observers. This realisation, in turn, demands challenging conventional conceptions of the composer as musical specialist and embracing a trans-disciplinary approach towards sound and sonic research. Given this attitude towards direct engagement in environment, my work as an artist forms a central part of my research method. The Scorescapes project includes audio-visual installations and performances, performative lectures, electronic instruments, sonic walks and collaborations with improvising musicians. In addition, the project has involved close interactions with composers David Dunn, Alvin Lucier and Pauline Oliveros, and bio-acoustic scientist Michel Andr_. Engaging with these experts and creating and presenting new works allows me to apply and test theoretical ideas. This, in turn, encourages new and unexpected questions to arise that can then be explored theoretically. The written dissertation combines analysis of theoretical texts on sound, scores, environmental aesthetics and scientific papers, with reflections on my personal experiences and discoveries in recording, editing, exhibiting and performing my artistic works. The artworks generated during the course of the Scorescapes project are an integral part of the dissertation and are documented in the accompanying DVD. In order to adequately explore the various facets of this research project, and relate it to developments in my own practical work, I have chosen a subject-oriented approach rather than a chronological or historiographical one. Each chapter has a one-word subject title: Score, Scape, Inaudible, Whale, Field and Flare. In the first two chapters I outline my personal artistic interest in the development of the notion of a score beyond a document for notation, proposing that the score facilitates relationship. Building on my work with sonic navigations, I provide theoretical arguments and historical examples to suggest that the score can also exist in the mind and in space. Examining the question - what is it to __relate to environment__ through sound? __ I investigate parallels between Acoustic Ecology and Land Art, ecology and systems aesthetics, and the legacy of walking as an art form embodying relationship to environment. The central three chapters go into considerably more depth on specific topics that require mediation by technology: making the inaudible audible, underwater sound and attitudes to field recording. The physiological limitations of the human hearing range within larger environmental soundscapes highlight the necessity of making the humanly inaudible audible. As an example, the necessity but difficulty of understanding the sonic qualities of the underwater environment that functions largely through sound, is explored through the scientific and artistic work on cetaceans. This leads on to questions of place in field recordings in general and proposes a possible interactive role in environments through recordings. The concluding chapter is an attempt to synthesise the array of ideas that developed during this research by taking a more personal turn in an analysis of my own art works. Through the artistic process of making Pink Noise, Fishing for Sound, Tropical Storm and other works, realising a performance of Lucier__s Quasimodo, and working with Oliveros__ Deep Listening techniques, I recognised the central importance of considering the context in which sounds occur rather than exclusively the qualities of a sound itself. Such an attitude presents a significant shift in the role of the composer. From this perspective, the act of composition emphasizes learning to listen in order to understand sounds in relationship to their environment, and enabling other listeners to do the same. The Scorescapes research project maps given approaches and suggests potential trajectories between sound, technology, environment and sonic consciousness. In general, putting such ideas into practice, either through my own work or the work of others, creates possibilities for heightened awareness and engagement in environment. The environment is continuously being developed and transformed by human intervention. Understanding sounds__ role in these transformations can open up greater awareness of the interrelation of factors that can lead towards more sustainable practices in the arts as well as science and other fields. In conclusion, I propose a notion of __techno-intuition__ and its application in instrument design and interaction with the environment by combining technological and intuitive ways of knowing. Show less
A dynamic vortex line traces out a world sheet in spacetime. This thesis shows that the information of all its dynamic behaviour is completely contained in the world sheet. Furthermore a... Show moreA dynamic vortex line traces out a world sheet in spacetime. This thesis shows that the information of all its dynamic behaviour is completely contained in the world sheet. Furthermore a mathematical framework for order–disorder phase transitions in terms of the proliferation of such vortex world sheets is presented, leading to the prediction of quantized vortex lines of electric current in phase-disordered superconductors. Show less
This thesis describes a study on primary diffuse large B cell lymphoma of bone with large patient numbers in chapter 2. The tumor presents mostly in the long bones. The clinical outcome is usually... Show moreThis thesis describes a study on primary diffuse large B cell lymphoma of bone with large patient numbers in chapter 2. The tumor presents mostly in the long bones. The clinical outcome is usually favorable. We found a trend towards worse survival for the immunoblastic tumor subtype. In chapter three, We studied the MRI characteristics of 29 bone lymphoma patients. The majority of the patients displayed a combination of definite cortical abnormalities and extension to the soft tissue, but up to 31% of the patients showed MRI features that looked radiologically non-aggressive or even benign. In chapter four, we determined the prognostic significance of BCL-6, CD10, MUM1, BCL-2, p53, CD30 and CD44. Applying the Hans__ algorithm, we concluded that 19 out of a cohort of 36 cases displayed a germinal center-like phenotype. No significant influence on survival was found. In chapter five, we investigated genomic alterations in nine cases. We found several recurrent genomic aberrations, but none had statistically significant prognostic influence. The most frequent finding was five cases with gain of 1q (five out of nine cases) and 2p16.1 amplification (four out of nine cases). In chapter six we investigated 50 cases for involvement of aberrant NF-_B activation by performing immunohistochemical stainings. In a minority (19%) of cases, we found substantial nuclear staining of p50. The nuclear expression of p50 was not preferentially detected in non-germinal center or germinal center type cases, or related to an inferior prognosis. Show less
The aim of this doctoral thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of the issue of ethnic identity of the Zapotecs in the Sierra Norte of the Mexican State of Oaxaca, and to contribute to... Show moreThe aim of this doctoral thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of the issue of ethnic identity of the Zapotecs in the Sierra Norte of the Mexican State of Oaxaca, and to contribute to an indigenous criticism aiming at decolonizing cultural memories and social realities in México and the Americas. In discussing the reality of a specific indigenous people today, we are confronted with important questions, not only: ¿Who are the Zapotecs in the Sierra Norte of the Mexican State of Oaxaca, what are their characteristics?, but also How do they represent themselves and construct their cultural identity in their own terms? How do the processes of identity formation take place within a context of imposed and stigmatized ‘alterity’? How are forms of ethnic representation created and recreated in a situation of coloniality and social inequality? How is ethnic identity constructed in a framework of modernity and globalization: which role do cultural memory and worldview play in this? Show less
This thesis studies Venetian painting in its golden age, the sixteenth century, from an unconventional, anthropological point of view. Paintings of masters like Titian are demonstrated to have... Show moreThis thesis studies Venetian painting in its golden age, the sixteenth century, from an unconventional, anthropological point of view. Paintings of masters like Titian are demonstrated to have had social lives. Together with human beings they were embedded in social networks in which humans and paintings interacted; this happened to such an extent that paintings indeed became person-like. These interactions could take many forms; examples that are analysed include the miraculous image that is believed to supernaturally heal the faithful; images that suffer from violence (iconoclasm); and the veneration of female portraits that became substitutes for their absent sitters. Making use of a wide variety of sources, such as chronicles, letters, poetry, treatises, and legal documents, this study argues that the remarkable agency of these paintings was the result of a highly complex interplay of forces; religious, political, social, cultural and artistic factors all carried weight. One of its major conclusions is that the role of the artist, the one who physically produced the work, was relatively unimportant for the way these paintings functioned. Using a framework that is both anthropologically and historically informed, this thesis offers a new model for the study of pre-modern European art that is less biased by conceptions of art in the modern West. Show less
In peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), the formation of an atherosclerotic lesion eventually results in a significant stenosis of a major artery thereby disrupting blood flow in... Show moreIn peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), the formation of an atherosclerotic lesion eventually results in a significant stenosis of a major artery thereby disrupting blood flow in peripheral arteries towards lower limb tissue. Unfortunately, there is a substantial number of patients that suffer from severe critical limb ischemia, which is associated with a poor prognosis and high rates of amputation and mortality. Despite state-of-the-art revascularization treatment options and optimal control of co-morbidities these 'no option' patients remain at high risk for limb amputation. It is these patients that require new therapeutic applications to augment neovascularization and prevent them from limb amputation. Expansion of our current knowledge is required to gain insight in cellular and molecular mechanisms that are involved in neovascularization, to optimize revascularization therapies for patients with critical limb ischemia. This thesis provides a role for multiple leukocytes in blood flow recovery, in particular Natural Killer cells and CD4+ T lymphocytes, and shows that genetic differences in the Natural Killer gene complex induce differences in vascular remodeling. It was also shown how growth factor expression, signaling and regulation of gene expression modulate revascularization. Show less
This thesis explores the resistance of tomato plants to WFT. At first an overview about tomato, WFT and their interactions is presented (this chapter). This is followed by 5 experimental chapters.... Show moreThis thesis explores the resistance of tomato plants to WFT. At first an overview about tomato, WFT and their interactions is presented (this chapter). This is followed by 5 experimental chapters. The first experiment comprises a comparison of thrips resistance between major tomato cultivars and wild tomatoes. Wild species of crops are important sources of genes for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we explored the natural variation in WFT resistance of the genus Lycopersicon by performing bioassays and comparing thrips damage on some wild species and cultivated lines to determine the chemical and mechanical resistance factors in these plants. All plants were subjected to NMR metabolomic analysis to correlate thrips resistance to plant secondary metabolites (Chapter 2). Invasion of pests may lead to rapid local adaptation and the development of biotypes specialized to different hosts. Therefore, host plant adaptation of thrips was studied by observing variation in genetics and performance of Dutch WFT populations (Chapter 3). In this chapter genetic differences between Dutch WFT populations collected on different hosts were analysed with AFLP and the existence of possible cryptic species was tested using mitochondrial barcoding. Feeding damage and reproduction of thrips were examined in different thrips bioassays. A negative effect of CGA in chrysanthemum on WFT has been reported earlier. To study the effects of CGA level in tomato on thrips resistance, transgenic tomatoes with increased amounts of CGA were subjected to thrips infestation and feeding damage was monitored (Chapter 4). Introgression lines (ILs), represent an excellent platform to explore the genetics of multiple biological and chemical traits of agronomical importance. The wild tomato, S. pennellii was highly resistance to WFT (Chapter 2). A set of 76 introgression lines between the S. pennellii and the cultivated tomato S. lycopersicum was used to detect QTLs associated with WFT resistance, secondary metabolites and their co-localization (Chapter 5). Sugars have acted as plant hormones that control gene expression and development processes in plants and sugar spraying of leaves has been used in pest management of different plants. Potentially, it can, therefore be used as a new and more environmentally friendly method of crop protection. We used sugar-sensing, applying sprays of sucrose, fructose and glucose to increase resistance to WFT in a susceptible tomato cultivar (Chapter 6). The summary and conclusions of this thesis are given in chapter 7. Show less
Several years ago we embarked on a journey, aiming to identify the molecular mechanisms of candidate risk genes for type 1 diabetes (T1D), focusing on their role in disease pathogenesis. In this... Show moreSeveral years ago we embarked on a journey, aiming to identify the molecular mechanisms of candidate risk genes for type 1 diabetes (T1D), focusing on their role in disease pathogenesis. In this context, we studied phenomena of T1D with clinical relevance in great detail and aimed to find genetic correlates of these. This thesis can be considered the clinical chapter of this journey providing validation and extension of several clinically relevant gene polymorphisms with functional consequences in relation to growth (INS-VNTR, IGF1, disease progression and remission (IFN-_, IL-10,), islet autoimmunity (INS-VNTR), and environment (Lewis). We found: Increased early growth, rather than birth weight, to be a risk factor for T1D; Accelerated growth preceding T1D is limited to early life i.e. to the 1st year of life ; Early in life and in contrast to the INS-VNTR, an IGF-1 variant is associated with T1D via accelerated growth ; Remission or disease progression is at least partially immune-mediated ; IFN-_ levels, along with their corresponding genotypes, could be valuable in predicting (partial) clinical remission at clinical onset of diabetes ; T1D disease mechanisms appear to overrule genetic influences in disease progression. Show less
In view of the complex roles of the canonical Wnt signaling during skeletal devel-opment and disease, it is important to accurately distinguish the specific roles of this signaling cascade at... Show moreIn view of the complex roles of the canonical Wnt signaling during skeletal devel-opment and disease, it is important to accurately distinguish the specific roles of this signaling cascade at specific time windows during embryogenesis as well as postnatally in the maintenance of the skeleton. Moreover, a proper understanding of these multi-faceted roles will ultimately aid us in identifying new therapeutic targets for the treat-ment of growth disorders, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Most of the animal models that furnish our knowledge of the effects of canonical Wnt signaling during skeletal development and maintenance use the forced expression of a stabilized and thereby oncogenic _-catenin. The roles of intracellular _-catenin regulators and thereby of wild type _-catenin levels during skeletogenesis, bone mass accrual or AC maintenance are largely unknown. The research described in this thesis aimed at describing the role of two major intracellular regulators of _-catenin, namely Apc and Gsk3_ in regulation of SPC differentiation, bone mass accrual and cartilage maintenance. Show less
Celiac disease (CD) is a common inflammatory disorder of the small intestine which is triggered by ingested gluten proteins. Previous studies identified crucial steps in the development of celiac... Show moreCeliac disease (CD) is a common inflammatory disorder of the small intestine which is triggered by ingested gluten proteins. Previous studies identified crucial steps in the development of celiac disease and based on this knowledge, we propose a threshold model for the development of celiac disease which is described in chapter 1. It has also become clear that adult-onset celiac disease has a higher frequency of developing complications: refractory celiac disease (RCD) and enteropathy associated T cell lymphoma (EATL). About a decade ago, RCD was subdivided into RCD type I and RCD type II. This division was based on the respective absence or presence of an aberrant intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) population. These aberrant IELs were defined as surface TCR-CD3-CD4-CD8-CD7+CD03+, intracellular CD3+ cells and were identified as the missing link between regular IELs in uncomplicated celiac disease and lymphoma cells in EATL. The function and cellular origin of the aberrant IEL, however, remained unclear. The aim of this thesis was, therefore, to gain more insight in the phenotypical and functional characteristics of aberrant IELs as this might help to understand the events leading from uncomplicated CD to RCD II and gastrointestinal lymphoma. Show less
The Secret of Ministerial Responsibility. The Relationship between Crown, Cabinet, Chamber and Constituencies. Today, we tend to conceive of ministerial responsibility as a rule. Unquestioningly it... Show moreThe Secret of Ministerial Responsibility. The Relationship between Crown, Cabinet, Chamber and Constituencies. Today, we tend to conceive of ministerial responsibility as a rule. Unquestioningly it is assumed that ministers are responsible solely to parliament for all their acts. Originally however, ministerial responsibility was a relational concept, which referred to the relationship between crown, cabinet, (Second) Chamber and constituencies; the four __c__s__. Ministerial responsibility was so to speak an instrument to keep those four constitutional powers in balance. In the period 1848 to 1905 eventually one interpretation came to the fore. In spite of this still dominant interpretation ministerial responsibility is essentially a relational concept providing for a constitutional equilibrium. In the build-up to the constitutional revision in 1848 the Second Chamber already tended to perceive ministerial responsibility as the trust it could put in a minister. The opinion in Dutch legal literature that ministerial responsibility and parliamentary confidence have to be separated from each other is not tenable in that respect. The relationship between cabinet and constituencies played a part in the April-movement in 1853, when Thorbecke__s cabinet was blamed for inadequately informing the people. In the period 1866-1868 liberals and conservatives fought for supremacy in politics by way of a verbal sword-play about the meaning of ministerial responsibility. Show less
In a world where bacterial infections are becoming harder and harder to fight due to rising antibiotic resistance, disease models that allow high throughput screening are needed more than ever. An... Show moreIn a world where bacterial infections are becoming harder and harder to fight due to rising antibiotic resistance, disease models that allow high throughput screening are needed more than ever. An ideal model organism for high throughput screening is the zebrafish embryo. However, models for high throughput screening of infection are still wanted. In this thesis the fish pathogen Edwardsiella tarda was tested for use in high throughput studies of infectious disease in zebrafish. First the genome of Edwardsiella tarda was sequenced to determine the virulence factors of this bacterium. Next different types of exposure of zebrafish to Edwardsiella tarda were tested. This showed an absence of detectable infection after static immersion, but a reproducible infection on the level of single embryos after caudal vein injection. Finally, using the caudal vein injection method, the zebrafish knock-out mutant in the gene Myd88 was characterized. This is the first zebrafish knock-out mutant in a gene central in the innate immune system. Show less
'A Web of Relations' is a descriptive grammar of the Jiaomuzu dialects of rGyalrong, a Qiangic language of the Tibeto-Burman family. rGyalrong is spoken in north-west Sichuan Province in the People... Show more'A Web of Relations' is a descriptive grammar of the Jiaomuzu dialects of rGyalrong, a Qiangic language of the Tibeto-Burman family. rGyalrong is spoken in north-west Sichuan Province in the People's Republic of China. The dissertation contains eight chapters and a collection of texts. Chapter 1 gives an overview of the Qiangic languages, the rGyalrong people and Jiaomuzu Township, the field work site. Chapter 2 describes the phonology. Chapters 3 through 7 contain a description of the morphology, dealing with pronouns, nouns, adverbs and some smaller word classes such as expressives, interjections and conjunctions, and finally verbs. In Jiaomuzu the verbal morphology is by far the most complex part. Chapter 8 discusses sentence structure. The three texts at the end of the dissertation illustrate the structures described in the previous chapters. Native speakers of Jiaomuzu place a high value on understanding and communicating the exact relationships between participants in a speech act as well as their position in the contexts both of the particular situation in which the speech act occurs and in their wider environment. The language reflects, especially in the verbal morphology, this web of relations. Show less
A study of the practice of aircraft leasing in the context of applicable case law, regulations, statutes, and, in particular, public and prviate international air law and other international... Show moreA study of the practice of aircraft leasing in the context of applicable case law, regulations, statutes, and, in particular, public and prviate international air law and other international conventions. Show less
This thesis is the collection of four published papers demonstrating annotation of genes and microRNAs with the aid of bioinformatics, in particular using heterogeneous data integration. Gene... Show moreThis thesis is the collection of four published papers demonstrating annotation of genes and microRNAs with the aid of bioinformatics, in particular using heterogeneous data integration. Gene annotation is the process of detecting the structure and biological function of the raw DNA sequences; while microRNA annotation is mainly about identifying its regulatory targets since microRNA modify gene expression by binding to their targets. In order to ef__ciently and accurately annotate microRNAs and coding region of a novel genome, we developed several complex work__ows which integrate the current most relevant data sources and tools. The essence of integration is not to produce even more data but to increase the sensitivity and/or speci__city of the algorithm and system. Currently, in life sciences high-throughput experiments, multiple platforms, and multiple model or non-model species are very commonly applied in different studies. In line with this trend heterogeneous data integration is no doubt an important strategy for the analysis of biological data. Show less
Long-Lived Sociality is an ethnographic account of the lives of older persons in Kerala. Through its detailed account of these highly educated, middle and upper class individuals, it challenges... Show moreLong-Lived Sociality is an ethnographic account of the lives of older persons in Kerala. Through its detailed account of these highly educated, middle and upper class individuals, it challenges many popular and academic stereotypical notions of the old. Contrary to such preconceptions for instance, their lives turn out to be interdependent, not at all stagnant, extremely mobile and as far as possible actively shaped by the older persons themselves. Cultural notions about sociality are furthermore explored to understand how meaning is given to social and care relationships with others. These relations are informed by strong expectations and a discourse that stresses the importance of duties. This discourse makes it possible for older persons to explicitly demand care when needed. The investigation of the possibilities and limitations of this discourse provides insights into the older persons__ appreciation of their social lives and their overall wellbeing. Show less
This study is focused on Chile’s modernization process under the neo-liberal sign, from the 1973 coup to 2010, year of the Bicentennial (marking 200 year independence from Spain). It especially... Show moreThis study is focused on Chile’s modernization process under the neo-liberal sign, from the 1973 coup to 2010, year of the Bicentennial (marking 200 year independence from Spain). It especially explores three main topics: the country’s changing identity as some of its traditional elements have tended to disappear while new ones have entered the scene; its socio-cultural change, including a mentality shift as well as increased social mobility; and Chile’s nation-branding efforts as its international standing started changing in the last decades. These topics allow for a multidisciplinary analysis, especially from the perspectives offered by history, sociology, and political science. These academic disciplines contribute to the improved description and understanding of what has happened in this country in the last four decades. The aforementioned three strands interact to the point of making it difficult to differentiate clearly between identity, national image and socio-cultural change. The fact that they interplay and intertwine bespeaks the existence of a living nation in which these and other realities interact to the point of identification. In fact, the differentiation between the Chilean self-image and Chilean identity or between identity and cultural changes of late is subtle and thus not easy to portray separately. Finally, this triple axis allows for a study of fairly permanent factors in Chile’s existence as well as other less stable aspects. Thus, although the country has undergone a kind of revolution, Chile retains many of its original characteristics: it is possible to find in it characteristics forged from the beginning of its nation-building process, traits that have lasted and are also present in Bicentennial Chile Show less
The chapters that comprised this thesis cover a broad range of subjects from analytical method development to clinical application of metabolic profiling. They are united by the facts that all of... Show moreThe chapters that comprised this thesis cover a broad range of subjects from analytical method development to clinical application of metabolic profiling. They are united by the facts that all of these studies aimed at analysis of biological fluids and that the presented methods and approaches may ultimately become parts of a robust metabolomics workflow that might be used in a future personalized medicine. Show less
The work presented in this thesis is part of an on-going effort to understand and mitigate the effects of radiation damage in astronomical CCDs. My research was motivated by and took place in the... Show moreThe work presented in this thesis is part of an on-going effort to understand and mitigate the effects of radiation damage in astronomical CCDs. My research was motivated by and took place in the challenging context of the European Space Agency__s (ESA) astrometric mission, Gaia, for which radiation damage has been considered since its conception as one of the most important threats to its scientific performance. In this context my research focused primarily on the modelling of the effects of radiation-induced Charge Transfer Inefficiency (CTI) supported by the analysis of the experimental test data. I developed the most detailed model to date of CTI in CCDs that enables simulating the operation of irradiated devices (Chapter 2). Using this model I have been able to verify and enhance our current understanding of CTI as well as support the characterization of CCDs and the understanding of experimental results (Chapters 3 and 6). As part of this research I conducted the comprehensive re-assessment of the performance of Gaia taking into account radiation damage (Chapters 3 and 4). Finally I took part in the effort of countering CTI by elaborating, testing, and improving a forward modelling approach at the image processing level to mitigate the CTI effects on the Gaia easurements (Chapters 3 and 5), as well as test and explore the potential of a specific hardware mitigation tool (Chapter 6). Show less
