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Due to the ability to manipulate photons at nanoscale, plasmonics has become one of the most important branches in nanophotonics. The prerequisites for the technological application of plasmons include high confining ability (λ0/λp), low damping, and easy tunability. However, plasmons in typical plasmonic materials, i.e., noble metals, cannot satisfy these three requirements simultaneously and cau
Aims: This study investigates the lobbying actors of the food and drink industry (FDI), their web lobbying arguments used in the sugar taxation debate and the tactics deployed when facing legislative restrictions on their products to curb the burden of non-communicable diseases in Europe. Methods: A stakeholder analysis was performed to identify the FDI’s actors lobbying against sugar taxation wit
In this thesis, we study quantum transport properties of superconductor-semiconductor nanowire hybrid devices. We mainly focus on the quantum transport in InSb nanowire Josephson quantum dot devices, i.e. quantum dots coupled to two pieces of superconductors. In such a structure, many-body interacting phenomena occur, such as Kondo correlation, multiple Andreev reflection, and the formation of And
The thermophysical properties of the ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis{(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl}imide, [C4mim][NTf2], at medium temperature, were predicted based on a summary of previous literature data. Furthermore, the heat transfer behavior in smooth and corrugated tubes was numerically studied, using different fluid temperatures and corrugation heights. A multi-objective optimizat
This thesis explores the transport of thermally and optically excited electrons invarious nanowire structures. On one hand, electrons are thermally excited when thetemperature is nonzero, and the thermal energy help them surmount energy barriersthat are present in the material. On the other hand, when the electron distributionsat different part of the material are out-of-equilibrium due to thermal
Background NLRC5 is an interferon γ-inducible protein, which plays a role in immune surveillance with a potential influence on cancer survival. Objective We aimed to evaluate the effect of potential regulatory variants in NLRC5 on overall survival and survival after 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based therapy of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Patients and methods We carried out a case-only study in a C
Cyclical heat engines are a paradigm of classical thermodynamics, but are impractical for miniaturization because they rely on moving parts. A more recent concept is particle-exchange (PE) heat engines, which uses energy filtering to control a thermally driven particle flow between two heat reservoirs1,2. As they do not require moving parts and can be realized in solid-state materials, they are su
This thesis experimentally investigates the possibilities of using quantum effects in semiconductor nanostructures for engineering their thermoelectric properties. More specifically, heterostructured InAs/InP nanowires are used to create short InAs quantum dots (QDs) with electronic state structure resembling that found in atoms. Recently developed top-heater architecture is used to apply a temper
Background: Based on the possible shared mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) for different drugs, we aimed to aggregate results of all previously published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on CIPN, and to replicate them within a cohort of multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Methods: Following a systematic literature search, data for CIPN associated single nucleotide p
The development of future 3D-printed electronics relies on the access to highly conductive inexpensive materials that are printable at low temperatures (<100 C). The implementation of available materials for these applications are, however, still limited by issues related to cost and printing quality. Here, we report on the simple hydrothermal growth of novel nanocomposites that are well suited fo
Background: Treatment with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease in observational studies. There are conflicting data on the influence of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors on lipid levels. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of treatment with adalimumab on blood lipid levels, lipoproteins, and atherosclerosis of
The study aim was to explore the relationship between a developmental assessment at preschool age and an intelligence quotient (IQ) assessment at school age. One hundred sixty-two children were assessed at 2.5 years with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development—Third Edition (Bayley-III) and then at 6.5 years with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). Th
To further improve the flat-type loop heat pipe (LHP) performance, this study evaluates the practical potential of use of highly enhanced boiling structures. It is found that in our proposed new heat pipe (NHP) system, the working fluid from the evaporator outlet to the condenser inlet is in a liquid–vapor two phase flow, which is different from the classical LHP theory. A new P-T diagram is devel
It remains unknown how different types of sources affect the reconstruction of life courses and families in large-scale databases increasingly common in demographic research. Here, we compare family and life-course reconstructions for 495 individuals simultaneously present in two well-known Dutch data sets: LINKS, based on the Zeeland province’s full-population vital event registration data (passi
We report the V-assisted synthesis of Na2Ti3O7 nanorods via a conventional solid state reaction technique. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping showed that V-ions are not incorporated into the main structure of the nanorods but rather V behaves as a flux agent during the growth of the nanorods. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis of the samples shows changes in the redox peaks as a
Unaccompanied refugee minors represent a potentially vulnerable group regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights, particularly due to the circumstances surrounding their migration. Research is scarce about the sexual and reproductive health and rights needs of unaccompanied minors, many of whom come from countries with limited access to information about sexual and reproductive health and
In this manuscript, we demonstrate the potential of replacing the standard bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) with a polymethylglutarimide (PMGI) layer for wafer-scale nanofabrication by means of deep-UV displacement talbot lithography (DTL). PMGI is functioning as a developable non-UV sensitive bottom anti-reflective coating (DBARC). After introducing the fabrication process using a standard B
Objective: To determine whether brain volume is associated with functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Patients and Methods: This study was conducted between July 1, 2014, and March 16, 2019. We analyzed cross-sectional data of the multisite, international hospital-based MRI-Genetics Interface Exploration study with clinical brain magnetic resonance imaging obtained on admission for
