In this thesis we have studied the influence of emotion on learning. We have used computational modelling techniques to do so, more specifically, the reinforcement learning paradigm. Emotion is... Show moreIn this thesis we have studied the influence of emotion on learning. We have used computational modelling techniques to do so, more specifically, the reinforcement learning paradigm. Emotion is modelled as artificial affect, a measure that denotes the positiveness versus negativeness of a situation to an artificial agent in a reinforcement learning setting. We have done a range of different experiments to study the effect of affect on learning, including the effect on learning if affect is used to control the exploration behaviour of the agent and the effect on learning when affect is communicated by a human (though real-time analysis of that human__s facial expressions) to a simulated robot. We conclude that affect is a useful concept to consider in adaptive agents that learn based on reinforcement learning and that in some cases affect can indeed help the learning process. Further, affective modelling in this way can help understand the psychological processes that underlie influences of affect on cognition. Finally, we have developed a formal notation for a specific type of emotion theory, i.e., cognitive appraisal theory. Show less
This dissertation examines the reactions in the United States to French foreign policy during de Gaulle’s presidential tenure (1958-1969). It is concerned with these reactions in the context of the... Show moreThis dissertation examines the reactions in the United States to French foreign policy during de Gaulle’s presidential tenure (1958-1969). It is concerned with these reactions in the context of the history of American foreign policy and of American approaches to the transatlantic relationship. Based on the American documentary record, it responds to the following questions: How did Americans interpret de Gaulle’s policy of ‘independence’ within the larger framework of their ideas about the transatlantic relationship? How did consecutive administrations actually deal with the challenges posed within this framework by de Gaulle’s ‘independent’ foreign policy from 1958 to 1969? Did de Gaulle’s policy of ‘independence’ modify American policies towards Europe and the Atlantic alliance? How Americans judged Gaullism largely depended on whether they were liberal or conservative; as the liberal mindset was dominant during 1960s, the Franco-American disagreement must be partially understood as a clash between an American foreign policy steeped in liberal values and a French foreign policy steeped in the conservative tradition. As importantly, de Gaulle’s foreign policy contributed to a paradigm shift in American perceptions of the transatlantic relationship from the notion of an evolving Atlantic ‘community’ toward a more realistic Atlanticism primarily attuned to the national interest. Show less
Individuals whose international (human) rights are violated outside their state of nationality often have very limited means to address such violations. For instance, the foreign nationals detained... Show moreIndividuals whose international (human) rights are violated outside their state of nationality often have very limited means to address such violations. For instance, the foreign nationals detained by the United States in Guantanamo Bay have been unable to improve their situation themselves. Their state of nationality however can protect them through the exercise of diplomatic protection, thereby invoking the international responsibility of the host state for a violation of international law. This mechanism has been subject to debate and criticism in recent years because of its (alleged) state-centred and its discretionary nature. Through an analysis of the nature of diplomatic protection, in particular the legal fiction, the modalities of its exercise and its relation to the general law of state responsibility, and its application in international and national practice the position of diplomatic protection in current international law is defined and the question of whether it is an appropriate mechanism for the protection of individual (human) rights is answered positively. Resort to this mechanisms by states should be encouraged in order to increase protection against violations of individual (human) rights.Individuals whose international (human) rights are violated outside their state of nationality often have very limited means to address such violations. For instance, the foreign nationals detained by the United States in Guantanamo Bay have been unable to improve their situation themselves. Their state of nationality however can protect them through the exercise of diplomatic protection, thereby invoking the international responsibility of the host state for a violation of international law. This mechanism has been subject to debate and criticism in recent years because of its (alleged) state-centred and its discretionary nature. Through an analysis of the nature of diplomatic protection, in particular the legal fiction, the modalities of its exercise and its relation to the general law of state responsibility, and its application in international and national practice the position of diplomatic protection in current international law is defined and the question of whether it is an appropriate mechanism for the protection of individual (human) rights is answered positively. Resort to this mechanisms by states should be encouraged in order to increase protection against violations of individual (human) rights. Show less
Dendritic Cells (DC) are the major Antigen Presenting Cells (APC) of the immune system that are involved in initiation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, as DC display many receptors involved in... Show moreDendritic Cells (DC) are the major Antigen Presenting Cells (APC) of the immune system that are involved in initiation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, as DC display many receptors involved in antigen uptake, including several types of FcgammaR. However, other APC, like B cells and macrophages also express FcgammaR and MHC class II molecules. In this thesis we show the contribution of these three different APC, in mice, in the Ag-specific MHC class II restricted activation of CD4+ T cells by systemically administrated Immune Complexes (IC). Furthermore, we analyzed the contribution of FcgammaR and the complement system in the presentation of immune-complexed Ag to CD8+ T cells after intravenous administration of IC. Here C1q appeared to play an important role. Next we aimed at identifying the role and importance of individual Fcgamma-receptors in the initiation and regulation of CD8+ T cell responses after subcutaneous injection of IC. Following this route of application, Fcgamma-receptors appeared to be redundant in the uptake and presentation of immune-complexed Ag. Finally, as mice deficient for C5 are unsusceptible to serum induced arthritis and anti-C5 monoclonal antibody treatment prevents arthritis in mice, the question is addressed whether human RA is also associated with C5. Show less
This thesis presents the study of the possibilities of functional analysis on shell implements. Shell tools from the pre-Columbian sites of Anse à la Gourde and Morel, Guadeloupe were studied and... Show moreThis thesis presents the study of the possibilities of functional analysis on shell implements. Shell tools from the pre-Columbian sites of Anse à la Gourde and Morel, Guadeloupe were studied and interpreted based on archaeological, ethnographical, ethnohistorical and experimental data. In addition, flint and stone tools of both sites were analysed. In this thesis functional analysis is approached from an integral point of view in order to be able to reconstruct the past technological system. The results of the functional analysis of all artefact categories are presented as well as a reconstruction of the technological system in the pre-Columbian period. It is demonstrated how this integral approach provides the possibilities to shed light on the choices made in the past on tool use and the utilisation of different raw materials. Show less
The present study focuses on the Mappila Muslim trading elites in the port city of Cannanore, particularly the Arackal Ali Rajas, on the south-west coast of India and their response to the shifting... Show moreThe present study focuses on the Mappila Muslim trading elites in the port city of Cannanore, particularly the Arackal Ali Rajas, on the south-west coast of India and their response to the shifting power relations in the region brought about by the changes in the Indian Ocean maritime trade scenario during the last quarter of the seventeenth century and the first quarter of the eighteenth century. This research work throws new light into the history of communalism in India. It raises doubts about the validity of analysing the history of the Mappila Muslims of South India, Kerala, from a ‘religious’ perspective. The present study shows that there is little evidence to interpret the political tensions in Cannanore during the last quarter of the seventeenth century and the first quarter of the eighteenth century as ‘religious’ and to argue that there existed a sharp ideological frontier that divided the Hindus and Muslims into two distinct socio-political entities. Instead, it is argued that the Mappila Muslims of Kolathunadu were very much a part and parcel of the regional socio-political order. Show less
This study analyses the prehistory of a northeastern Siberian population, the Sakha (Yakuts), from both a linguistic and a molecular-genetic perspective. The Sakha, who are a Turkic-speaking group... Show moreThis study analyses the prehistory of a northeastern Siberian population, the Sakha (Yakuts), from both a linguistic and a molecular-genetic perspective. The Sakha, who are a Turkic-speaking group of cattle- and horse-breeders, migrated to the Lena river from an area further to the south several hundred years ago. This investigation elucidates the extent to which the Sakha interacted with the indigenous populations of the territory that they migrated to, both from the perspective of language contact and from the perspective of genetic admixture. The results show that the Sakha were in contact with two different groups during their history: with speakers of a Mongolic language and with speakers of Evenki. The contact with the Mongolic-speaking group took place during the period of the Mongol Empire, when the Sakha introduced a large number of Mongolic substance copies into their language. In contrast, the contact with the Evenks led to the introduction of a number of schematic copies, but only a relatively small amount of substance copies from Evenki into Sakha. The nature of the copies from Evenki implies that the Sakha were dominantly bilingual in Evenki; surprisingly, however, there is no genetic evidence for the shift of entire Evenk communities to the Sakha language and identity. One explanation for the discrepancy between the linguistic and the genetic results is that the schematic copies entered the language through frequent social interaction of Evenks and Sakha during the initial period after the migration, when the Sakha were few in number. This is an interdisciplinary study that combines both molecular anthropological as well as linguistic methods to elucidate the prehistoric contacts undergone by a northeastern Siberian group of cattle and horse pastoralists Show less
This thesis describes the design and realization of a small-cantilever AFM, and the application of this instrument to the measurement of hydrophobic forces between nanoscopic surfaces.
The thesis focuses on 5 studies examining the role of adult attachment in volunteering by defining volunteerism as a form of caregiving. By that we suggest an effect of one behavioral system,... Show moreThe thesis focuses on 5 studies examining the role of adult attachment in volunteering by defining volunteerism as a form of caregiving. By that we suggest an effect of one behavioral system, attachment, on another, caring or prosocial behaviors in individual or group settings. Studies 1 and 2 examined the links between adult romantic attachment, volunteer behavior, and volunteer motivations. Attachment avoidance was associated with less volunteering and with lowered altruistic and exploration volunteer motives, whereas attachment anxiety was associated with self-enhancing volunteer motives. Volunteering was associated with fewer interpersonal problems for those high in attachment anxiety. Study 3 ruled out the alternative interpretation that these links were due personality characteristics. In Study 4, the role of morality was explored. Levels of moral reasoning moderated the effects of attachment avoidance on volunteerism motives Study 5 examined attachment pattern differences in responses to manipulated group respect and disrespect. Attachment anxiety moderated the effect of group respect and disrespect inductions on group commitment, donations and effort expenditures. Overall, these findings are important because they suggest that attachment experiences influence one’s caregiving approach, not only in close relationships, but one’s caregiving approach to others in general, including strangers. Show less
This thesis describes the formation and physical properties of atomic chains consisting of metal atoms and incorporated small molecules. Small molecules like oxygen and hydrogen modify the... Show moreThis thesis describes the formation and physical properties of atomic chains consisting of metal atoms and incorporated small molecules. Small molecules like oxygen and hydrogen modify the electrical and mechanical properties of these wires, resulting in new one-dimensional conductors. Show less
The aim of the studies described in this thesis was the functional analysis of JA-responsive transcription factors in Arabidopsis with an emphasis on the interaction with the promoters of their... Show moreThe aim of the studies described in this thesis was the functional analysis of JA-responsive transcription factors in Arabidopsis with an emphasis on the interaction with the promoters of their target genes. In short, the following new results were obtained. The promoter of the PDF1.2 gene contains at least two functionally equivalent GCC boxes instead of one as reported earlier (Brown et al., 2003). The JA biosynthesis genes AOC1 and AOC2 are direct target genes of ORA47, corroborating the notion that ORA47 controls JA biosynthesis via regulation of the biosynthesis genes (Pr_, 2006). JA controls ORA59 activity by promoting the nuclear localization and stabilization of the protein. JA-responsive nuclear localization is independent of the jasmonate receptor COI11, indicating the existence of an alternative jasmonate receptor. The JRE from the ORCA3 promoter is active in Arabidopsis and its activity is controlled by the bHLH transcription factor AtMYC2, suggesting that a related bHLH protein controls ORCA3 gene expression in Catharanthus. Show less
Copy number variations (CNVs) in the human genome are inherent in both evolutionary progression as well as the etiology of disease. The introduction of this thesis will review CNVs that appear to... Show moreCopy number variations (CNVs) in the human genome are inherent in both evolutionary progression as well as the etiology of disease. The introduction of this thesis will review CNVs that appear to be neutral as well as CNVs that appear to be related to a phenotypic trait. This will be followed by a review of the many different technical approaches that can be used for detecting genomic rearrangements. The articles (chapter II & III) describe several studies that have applied the rapidly evolving techniques for CNV detection to the clinical problem of unexplained mental retardation and congenital malformation(s). The availability of the new diagnostic tools will greatly increase our understanding of the genetic causes of mental retardation and congenital malformation(s), and might one day lead to therapeutic interventions in some cases. Show less
In Chapter 2, results of a study are reported in which remitted depressed patients are compared to healthy controls to investigate possible residual cognitive impairments that persist into the... Show moreIn Chapter 2, results of a study are reported in which remitted depressed patients are compared to healthy controls to investigate possible residual cognitive impairments that persist into the euthymic phase. Chapter 3 will describe the effects of an alpha-lactalbumin enriched diet on cognitive performance in unmedicated recovered depressed patients and healthy controls. In Chapter 4 the effects of alpha-lactalbumin on mood and stress-induced cortisol response in unmedicated recovered depressed patients and healthy controls are reported. Chapter 5 describes the effects of low-dose and high-dose ATD on mood and neutral as well as emotional information processing in medicated remitted depressed patients. In Chapter 6, the effects of low-dose and high-dose tryptophan depletion on individual plasma tryptophan levels and the ratio tryptophan/LNAA will be discussed. In Chapter 7 the effects of ATD on heart rate variability in medicated remitted depressed patients are reported. A literature overview of studies investigating the effects of serotonin manipulations on emotional information processing and mood is given in Chapter 8. Also, evidence for a possible sequential link between serotonin induced changes in emotional information processing and mood is evaluated. Chapter 9 contains a summary and integration of the main findings, as well as methodological strengths and limitations, directions for future research and clinical implications of the findings reported in this thesis Show less
The research described in this thesis shows that the enrichment technique based on competitive root tip colonization allows the isolation of bacteria which can protect plants from TFRR through... Show moreThe research described in this thesis shows that the enrichment technique based on competitive root tip colonization allows the isolation of bacteria which can protect plants from TFRR through the mechanism competition for nutrients (and niches). The efficacy of biocontrol of one of these strains, P. putida PCL1760, was estimated under industrial conditions using both conventional and molecular techniques. Quantitative PCR was used also to distinguish between different forms of Fusarum oxysporum (Fox), which cannot be distinguished using otherwise so far. It was shown that nonpathogenic Fox strains in plant material cannot reach a concentration higher than 50 fg of fungal DNA per ng of total DNA. The obtained results are an illustration of an efficient strategy, which can be exploited for the isolation of biocontrol agents for greenhouses and of the application of fast molecular methods for the estimation of their efficacy in plant protection. Moreover, this molecular method a quantitative PCR can be used to monitor pathogenic strains in tomato. Show less
The lifespan of an organism is determined by a complex network of environmental-, genetic- and stochastic factors. Each of these components contributes to the wide variability in lifespan between... Show moreThe lifespan of an organism is determined by a complex network of environmental-, genetic- and stochastic factors. Each of these components contributes to the wide variability in lifespan between and within species. In recent years, it has been shown that 20-30 % of human lifespan is under genetic control. Furthermore, a number of longevity candidate genes have been identified. The majority of candidate genes have emerged from studies with model organisms, but also from the biology of human ageing. The objective of this thesis was to test the impact of the most prominent longevity candidate genes on the prevalence of age-related diseases and lifespan in humans. All studies presented in this thesis were performed within the Leiden 85-plus Study, which is a population-based prospective study of the oldest old. The results revealed that genetic variations in most of the candidate genes influence metabolism, prevalence of age-related diseases, cognitive functioning and lifespan. Therefore, the approach of analyzing the most prominent longevity candidate genes in humans, contributes to the identification of biological mechanisms that influence the prevalence of disease in old age and lifespan. Show less
Lifespan in under genetic control. In this thesis we translated genes regulating lifespan in model organisms to humans. First we identified DAF-12 as a critical gene for lifespan regulation in the... Show moreLifespan in under genetic control. In this thesis we translated genes regulating lifespan in model organisms to humans. First we identified DAF-12 as a critical gene for lifespan regulation in the nematode worm C. elegans. Then we found that the Liver X Receptors and the Vitamin D Receptor are the most similar human proteins. We tested these genetic variation in these human genes in the Leiden 85-plus Study and found them to associate with with lifespan and cognitive decline respectively. Apolipoprotein E is a target gene of the Liver X Receptor. We found that plasma levels of apolipoprotein E associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, cognitive decline and stroke in a manner independent of classical cardiovascular risk factors. Finally we reviewed the evidence from human candidate gene studies. We conclude that the use of model organisms provides useful directions for research into the genetics of human longevity. However, as the human signalling systems are more complex and our environment is different from that of model organisms, it is unclear to what extent results obtained in model organisms can be extrapolated to humans. Show less
The general aim of the work described in this thesis is to help explain the variation in ageing by using the life history framework of B. anynana. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the... Show moreThe general aim of the work described in this thesis is to help explain the variation in ageing by using the life history framework of B. anynana. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the life history, together giving a complete picture of the origins of variation in ageing in this species. A central theme to every chapter is the relative influence of genes, the environment, and how they related to plasticity. A summarising discussion of all chapters, and a perspective on how the ideas in this thesis will contribute to ageing research in the future is also included. Show less
Ondanks de invoering van nieuwe methodes en technieken zijn de luchtverkeersdienstverleners in de Europese Unie niet opgewassen tegen de voortdurende groei van het luchtverkeer. Er zijn situaties... Show moreOndanks de invoering van nieuwe methodes en technieken zijn de luchtverkeersdienstverleners in de Europese Unie niet opgewassen tegen de voortdurende groei van het luchtverkeer. Er zijn situaties dat er meer vraag is naar luchtverkeersdienstverlening dan dat er capaciteit beschikbaar is. Om overbelasting van het systeem tegen te gaan worden luchtvaartuigen, omwille van de veiligheid, langer aan de grond gehouden of worden vluchten omgeleid. De Europese Unie (EU) en EUROCONTROL streven naar een nieuwe indeling van het Europese luchtruim hetgeen luchtverkeersdienstverleners in staat moet stellen om effici_nter te kunnen opereren. Door herindeling van het luchtruim kunnen er effici_ntere vluchtschema__s worden opgesteld waardoor de gemiddelde vluchtduur wordt verlaagd, minder brandstof wordt verbruikt en minder CO2 wordt geproduceerd. Bovendien zou herziening van het luchtruimstructuur moeten resulteren in een vermindering van operationele kosten, verhoging van de veiligheid en minder vertragingen in de lucht. Dit zou dus ook minder ongerief bij passagiers en luchtvaartmaatschappijen moeten opleveren. Het programma van de Europese Commissie is ook wel bekend onder de naam: Single European Sky. In zijn promotieonderzoek heeft Niels van Antwerpen de juridische achtergrond van grensoverschrijdende luchtverkeersdienstverlening bestudeerd, mede naar aanleiding van de tragische botsing tussen twee vliegtuigen nabij _berlingen (Duitsland) op zo__n 11 kilometer hoogte in Juli 2002. Er was toen sprake van grensoverschrijdende luchtverkeersdienstverlening door een Zwitserse dienstverlener in het Duitse luchtruim. De Duitse rechtbank verklaarde de schadeclaim gegrond van __n van de luchtvaartmaatschappijen en oordeelde dat Duitsland moest opdraaien voor de schade. Het ongeval toont aan dat het noodzakelijk is om te komen tot transparante lijnen van staatsaansprakelijkheid. Is het mogelijk om vanuit het oogpunt van internationaal publiekrecht, en ter bevordering van grensoverschrijdende luchtverkeersdienstverlening, staatsaansprakelijkheid neer te leggen bij de toezichthouder op de luchtverkeersdienstverlener in plaats van de staat in wiens luchtruim de dienstverlening wordt aangeboden? Vanuit privaatrechtelijk oogpunt wordt op basis van rechtsvergelijkend onderzoek gekeken naar de mogelijkheid van een geharmoniseerd aansprakelijkheidsregime voor derde partijen op de grond. Tevens wordt gekeken of een contractueel aansprakelijkheidsregime kan worden vastgelegd tussen luchtvaartmaatschappijen en luchtverkeers-dienstverleners. Zoals ook blijkt uit het Rapport van de High Level Group (juli 2007) is de discussie over het implementeren van de Single European Sky in volle gang. Het promotieonderzoek behandelt daarom een uiterst actueel thema en dilemma Show less
Although usually considered distinct processes, grammatical encoding and decoding have many theoretical and empirical commonalities. In two series of experiments relationships between the two... Show moreAlthough usually considered distinct processes, grammatical encoding and decoding have many theoretical and empirical commonalities. In two series of experiments relationships between the two processes are explored. The first series uses a dual task (edited reading aloud (ERA)) paradigm to test the implications of the standard dual-processor model that syntactic encoding and decoding should function independently and in parallel. Reaction times measured in both pluralising and paraphrasing editing tasks suggest that participants are unable to maintain separate syntactic trees for (input) decoding and (output) encoding, but, at least in this task focused mainly on the output structure. Whether this effect is due to a common grammatical coder or limited working memory resources is unclear. The second series explored the overlap between representations by means of comprehension-to-production syntactic priming. Both cued picture discription and sentence completion experiments failed to demonstrate a reaction time effect of word order priming, even if an efffect in terms of response tendencies did obtain. The results provide support for an architecture in which linearisation processes are either determined in parallel with hierarchical sentence construction, or can even precede it when strong word order clues are provided, even if the actual words aren__t available yet. Show less
