University of Amsterdam

Identification of stable reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR in human fibroblasts from lymph nodes and synovium

Abstract Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is a widely used method for gene expression analysis; however, its accuracy depends on the selection of stable reference genes for normalization. To date, no study has systematically identified suitable reference genes for primary hum...

Temporal Dynamics of Complement Activation and Outcome in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND: Immune-mediated inflammatory responses exacerbate brain injury and affect the prognosis in acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We characterized longitudinal complement activation after acute ischemic stroke using serial plasma samples from 10 patients and 8 controls. Init...

Paradoxes of Civil Society under Populism: Navigating Autonomy, Dissent, and Inclusion in the Czech Republic

Abstract This article examines how populism reshapes civil society by exploiting tensions embedded within professional organisations. Drawing on scholarship that conceptualises civil society as an inherently paradoxical sphere, this article specifies three organisational tensions...

Chemogenetic ubiquitin E1 inhibitor TAK-243 CRISPR screen uncovers HAPSTR1/HUWE1 axis in chromatin proteostasis and cell cycle control

In this study, we sought to comprehensively map ubiquitin signaling networks at the crossroads of cellular proliferation and proteostasis, both crucial in cancer. Genome-wide CRISPR knockout screening in the presence of the ubiquitin E1 inhibitor TAK-243 identified 239 genes whos...

A 4200-hour HyperFlash and ÉCLAT campaign on the hyperactive FRB 20240114A: constraining energetics with the most brilliant bursts

Abstract Hyperactive repeaters provide a unique window into the evolving environments and energy budgets of fast radio burst (FRB) sources, though they may not be representative of the FRB population in general. High-cadence observations are key to capturing the rarest and most e...

DIAMONDS AND DOMINOES: IMPOSSIBILITY RESULTS FOR ASSOCIATIVE MODAL LOGICS

Abstract We show that for any class of Boolean algebras with an associative operator, if it contains the complex algebra of ( P ( N ) , ∪ ) $(\mathcal {P}(\mathbb {N}), \cup )$ left parenthesis script upper P left parenthesis double struck upper N right parenthesis comma union ri...

Innovation adoption across regions: psychological openness and the early diffusion of digital platforms

Early regional adoption is crucial for platform-enabled innovations because their viability depends on enough people within a region adopting them to generate network effects. Existing research on regional innovation diffusion explains early adoption largely through demographic,...

KP integrability of non-perturbative differentials

We prove the KP integrability of non-perturbative topological recursion, which can be considered as a formal ℏ -deformation of the Krichever construction of algebro-geometric solutions of the KP hierarchy. This property goes back to a 2011 conjecture of Borot and Eynard.

Polling Without People: Can Silicon Samples of CASM-Inspired LLM Personae Mimic Human Respondents in Pre-Election Polling?

We introduce a framework for simulating pre-election survey responses with large language model (LLM) synthetic personae.Drawing on the Cognitive Aspects of Survey Methodology (CASM) literature, our approach combines synthetic biographies, salient-event memories and conditional n...

Perceptions of a New Boundary-Crossing Professional in Early Childhood Education and Care

There is a growing trend in which new professional roles complement traditional ones to bridge education, childcare, and social care. In the Netherlands, this is reflected in the introduction of the Pedagogical Educational Professional (PEP) as a boundary-crossing professional in...

Sex work or male-with-male sexual activity and the risks of HIV and hepatitis C acquisition among people who inject drugs: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

Background People who inject drugs (PWID) may engage in sexual behaviours that increase their HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) risk, including sex work and male-with-male sexual activity. We undertook a global systematic review to assess whether PWID who engage in these behaviours...

A taxonomy of reliability indices for cluster‐level constructs measured by multiple individual‐level indicators

Abstract Generalizability theory (GT) provides a variety of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to quantify reliability across different conditions of measurement—for example, scale and interrater reliability quantify generalization across items and raters, respectively. I...

Lawmaking by European unions and employers: A vision unfulfilled

This article discusses why over the past 35 years the ‘lawmaking through a framework agreement' option of the European trade unions and employers’ organizations, based on Art. 154-155 TFEU, has hardly been used. It discusses the reasons why this is the case, pointing to a variety...

Dried Urine Spots for Quantification of C0 (Free) Carnitine Excretion: A Validated Method for Follow-Up and Confirmatory Testing of Primary Carnitine Deficiency

Primary carnitine deficiency (PCD), caused by Organic Cation Transporter Novel 2 (OCTN2) deficiency, is detected by newborn screening (NBS) through low blood free carnitine (C0) concentrations. Confirmation of the diagnosis may be supported by demonstrating increased urinary C0 e...

Generation and Functional Characterization of Cadaver-Derived iPSC-Cardiomyocytes: A Feasibility Study Toward Functional Molecular Autopsy in Sudden Cardiac Death

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for a substantial share of deaths in young individuals. Despite postmortem pathological, toxicological, and forensic examination and molecular autopsy, many cases remain unexplained, highlighting the need for complementary approaches to investi...

AI-generated language remains systematically distinguishable from human communication

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used in the social sciences to simulate human behavior and communication, yet validation methods for these applications remain limited. Existing evaluations often rely on human judgments of plausibility, a coarse, difficult-to-scale,...

Integrating Hyperuniform Disordered Light Trapping Layers in Ultrathin c-Si Solar Cells

Abstract Ultrathin crystalline silicon solar cells require advanced light trapping to compensate for weak near-infrared (NIR) absorption. Here, we integrate hyperuniform disordered light-engineered (HUDLE) nanopatterns with high-quality surface passivation in 4.8 μm c Si cells an...

Political trust and inheritance taxation: evidence from four studies

Inheritance (estate) taxation is a potentially powerful instrument for reducing inequality and raising state revenues, yet it attracts opposition well beyond the small minority who will ever pay it. We argue that political trust helps explain who supports it. Because the tax is l...

Necroptosis as a key player in cervical cancer progression and management: a systematic review and transcriptomic cross-study consensus analysis

Immunotherapy has improved outcomes for a subset of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. However, many tumors remain immunologically "cold" and fail to respond. Strategies that enhance tumor immunogenicity are therefore of increasing interest. Necroptosis, a regulated...

Surgical waiting times in patients with high‐ and low‐risk renal cell carcinoma in England

Objectives To assess to what extent hospitals meet the uniform English National Health Service ‘timely’ treatment standard, what happens after a breach, and determinants of delay for patients with high‐risk renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Patient and Methods Population‐based study us...