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Background Late-life depression is a serious mental health problem. Behavioral Activation (BA) is an effective, accessible psychotherapeutic treatment for older adults. However, little is known about which symptoms decrease and how associations between depressive symptoms change during BA treatment. Methods Using data from a cluster-randomized trial for older adults with late-life depression, we estimated a partial correlation network and a relative importance network of depressive symptoms before and after 8 weeks of BA treatment in primary care (n = 96). Networks were examined with measures of network structure, con- nectivity, centrality as well as stability. Results The most central symptoms at baseline and post-treatment were anhedonia, fatigue, and feeling depressed. In contrast, sleeping problems had the lowest centrality. The post-treatment network was significantly more interconnected than at baseline. Moreover, all symptoms were significantly more central at post-treatment. Conclusion Our findings highlight the utility of the network approach to better understand symptom networks of depressed older adults before and after BA treatment. Results show that network connectivity and centrality of all symptoms increased after treatment. Future studies should investigate longitudinal idiographic networks to explore symptom dynamics within individuals over time.

The increased use of nanoparticles (NPs) requires efficient testing of their potential toxic effects. A promising approach is to use reporter cell lines to quickly assess the activation of cellular stress response pathways. This study aimed to use the ToxTracker reporter cell lines to investigate (geno)toxicity of various metal-or metal oxide NPs and draw general conclusions on NP-induced effects, in combination with our previous findings. The NPs tested in this study (n = 18) also included quantum dots (QDs) in different sizes. The results showed a large variation in cytotoxicity of the NPs tested. Furthermore, whereas many induced oxidative stress only few activated reporters related to DNA damage. NPs of manganese (Mn and Mn3O4) induced the most remarkable ToxTracker response with activation of reporters for oxidative stress, DNA damage, protein unfolding and p53-related stress. The QDs (CdTe) were highly toxic showing clearly size-dependent effects and calculations suggest surface area as the most relevant dose metric. Of all NPs investigated in this and previous studies the following induce the DNA damage reporter; CuO, Co, CoO, CdTe QDs, Mn, Mn3O4, V2O5, and welding NPs. We suggest that these NPs are of particular concern when considering genotoxicity induced by metal-and metal oxide NPs., QC 20200420

Most multinational enterprises (MNEs) pursue growth and aim to expand their international portfolios of operating locations. Often, however, they face important limits to growth. This dissertation studies several such limits and aims to restore balance in the international business literature by addressing some of the biases built over time. Firms’ home-country activities may act as a limiting factor in their international expansion trajectory, but have received little attention to date. One of the dissertation chapters reveals that a firm’s domestic footprint, in combination with domestic environmental uncertainties, shapes its cross-cultural expansion strategy, and may limit the complexity it adds to its portfolio. The subsequent chapter indicates that behavioral factors have an important bearing on international portfolio growth decisions, more so than hitherto assumed. It finds that the net growth of an MNE’s country portfolio in the face of cultural and economic diversity within that portfolio hinges on cues as to how well the MNE is performing relative to its o

Enhancing social cohesion adds to a decrease in mortality and crime rates, while also increasing the stability of fragile groups, the wellbeing of elderly people and economic growth. Municipal policies around culture, like cultural heritage and tourism, can be used in a way that has an increasing effect on social cohesion. Cultural policy experts of sixteen municipalities and people from two market organizations within the province of Utrecht were studied and interviewed about their strategies to enhance social cohesion through heritage locations and their touristic profile. The main question: In municipalities located in the province of Utrecht, do policies on cultural heritage and tourism have an effect on social cohesion and if so, how, according to the policymakers and other relevant civil servants? Policy experts did not know about these strategies or did not utilize them, due to capacity constraints and a lack of knowledge on the subject. However, another player seemed to be taking over the role of enhancing the cohesion of the municipal inhabitants: the library. Along with cultural centers, the libraries are modernizing and are becoming hubs for all social groups. Through volunteers and encounters of all social groups, the libraries and/or cultural centers manage to add to the social cohesion within municipalities. It is advised to keep up with this trend, while also educating policy experts on strategies to enhance social cohesion through cultural policies by bundling knowledge and collaborating with umbrella and specialized organizations. The libraries and cultural centers alone should not be responsible for the social cohesion of municipalities.

QC 20180917