Defining microvascular injury in acute myocardial infarction and response after cell therapy using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging

Rossum, A.C. van [Promotor]Beek, A.M. [Copromotor]Nijveldt, R. [Copromotor

Ramifications of Felony Disenfranchisement on the VotingPopulation in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Virginia is one of 12 states in the United States that does not automatically restore the right to vote to all felons who have completed their sentences. This paper provides the historical context offelony disenfranchisement in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and includes an examination of legislation and the rationales behind it. Descriptive empirical analysis of individuals in Virginia who have been disenfranchised and the impact this has on the Commonwealth\u27s voting population is conducted for the year 2000. In addition, analysis of the impact of disenfranchisement on voting in two counties and two cities is incorporated. Discussion of current policy and suggestions for change are also included

Phenomenology of Gravitational Aether as a solution to the Old Cosmological Constant Problem

One of the deepest and most long-standing mysteries in physics has been the huge discrepancy between the observed vacuum density and our expectations from theories of high energy physics, which has been dubbed the Old Cosmological Constant problem. One proposal to address this puzzle at the semi-classical level is to decouple quantum vacuum from space-time geometry via a modification of gravity that includes an incompressible fluid, known as Gravitational Aether. In this paper, we discuss classical predictions of this theory along with its compatibility with cosmological and experimental tests of gravity. We argue that deviations from General Relativity (GR) in this theory are sourced by pressure or vorticity. In particular, the theory predicts that the gravitational constant for radiation is 33% larger than that of non-relativistic matter, which is preferred by (most) cosmic microwave background (CMB), Lyman-Alpha forest, and Lithium-7 primordial abundance observations, while being consistent with other cosmological tests at ~2-sigma level. It is further shown that all Parametrized Post-Newtonian (PPN) parameters have the standard GR values aside from the anomalous coupling to pressure, which has not been directly measured. A more subtle prediction of this model (assuming irrotational aether) is that the (intrinsic) gravitomagnetic effect is 33% larger than GR prediction. This is consistent with current limits from LAGEOS and Gravity Probe B at ~2-sigma level