The Relationship between International Investment Law and Human Rights Law – Towards a More Balanced Integration of Human Rights in Investment Law

Globalisation caused international law to grow and to become more complex. Besides the increased complexity, the interaction between the international law frameworks intensified. This dissertation evaluates the interaction between international investment law and human rights as this is a pressing issue which will gain ample importance in the future, given that international investment remains to touch upon new heights and human rights law continues to broaden its scope. The research focuses on two objectives. Firstly, in what way and to which extent do international investment law and human rights interact with and influence each other. The goal is to strive for a more effective integration of the two disciplines. Secondly, the dissertation shows how the legal frameworks of international investment and human rights can be adapted or modulated to better suit their connectivity.status: publishe

Haloalkaline Bioconversions for Methane Production from Microalgae Grown on Sunlight

Daelman MRJ, Sorokin D, Kruse O, van Loosdrecht MCM, Strous M. Haloalkaline Bioconversions for Methane Production from Microalgae Grown on Sunlight. TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY. 2016;34(6):450-457.Microalgal biomass can be converted to biofuels to replace nonsustainable fossil fuels, but the widespread use of microalgal biofuels remains hampered by the high energetic and monetary costs related to carbon dioxide supply and downstream processing. Growing microalgae in mixed culture biofilms reduces energy demands for mixing, maintaining axenic conditions, and biomass concentration. Furthermore, maintaining a high pH improves carbon dioxide absorption rates and inorganic carbon solubility, thus overcoming the carbon limitation and increasing the volumetric productivity of the microalgal biomass. Digesting the microalgal biomass anaerobically at high pH results in biogas that is enriched in methane, while the dissolved carbon dioxide is recycled to the phototrophic reactor. All of the required haloalkaline conversions are known in nature

Growth factor-like action of lysophosphatidic acid on human B lymphoblasts

Proliferation and immunoglobulin secretion of B lymphocytes are regulated by specific antigens and numerous accessory immunomodulatory factors. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a glycerophospholipid mediator that is released from activated blood platelets, attains high levels in serum, and exerts potent stimulatory effects on, e.g., neutrophils, monocytes, and T lymphocytes. LPA is also generated by a secretory, cytokine-inducible phospholipase A2 present in high concentrations in inflammatory exudates and septic states. We investigated effects of LPA on human Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized B lymphoblasts, a model for immunoglobulin-secreting B cells. Intracellular Ca2+ was determined with fura 2 and the formation of inositol 1,4, 5-trisphosphate by anion-exchange chromatography. LPA stimulated an increase in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate levels and induced a transient rise in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration from 105 +/- 17 to 226 +/- 21 nM. This Ca2+ signal resulted from Ca2+ mobilization and Ca2+ influx and was subject to homologous desensitization. Pertussis toxin inhibited these responses by approximately 70%. Furthermore, LPA stimulated a 27.5% increase in guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) binding to permeabilized B lymphoblasts, which suggests the direct activation of pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins by LPA. LPA stimulated a strong increase in the specific phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (immunoblot analysis) that was prevented by the MEK inhibitor PD-98059. Finally, LPA triggered a 2-fold increase in DNA synthesis ([3H]thymidine incorporation) and a 2-fold increase in B lymphoblast number and evoked a 20- to 50-fold increase in immunoglobulin formation. By RT-PCR we detected specific mRNA transcripts for the recently cloned human LPA receptor. Thus our data suggest that LPA behaves as a B cell growth facto

Communicative abilities in young children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay

Background Children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay are pre‐symbolic communicators. The primary aim of this study was to reveal the variability within the communicative functioning of this group of children in terms of communication level, the reasons to communicate and behavioural expressions. Methods Twenty‐six children between 14 and 58 months with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay were recruited. The Communication Matrix of Rowland (2011, Communication Disorders Quarterly, 32, 190) was used to integrate different sources of information on the children's communicative functioning. Results These children primarily communicated at the level of pre‐intentional and intentional behaviour, aimed at refusing, obtaining and, to a lesser extent, social purposes. Conclusions To develop or adapt early intervention strategies, and to monitor progress in communicative development, an even more nuanced view on these children's communicative utterances in terms of frequency, duration, idiosyncrasy and context relatedness is needed.status: publishe