Amsterdam University College

ABSTRACT Art inhabits the imagination, but can it influence real‐world issues? While some scholars cast art as autonomous from moral and civic life, others see it as deeply entangled with the social world. We address this debate by synthesizing evidence on art's social influence across literature, music, visual art, and film. We organize findings across four domains—civic engagement, gender equality, intergroup relations, and environmental conservation—and highlight psychological levers through which effects emerge. Our review reveals that art can shape attitudes and behavior, but not always for the greater good. Counter‐stereotypical works and prosocial content often shift norms and broaden moral concerns, while degrading or status‐quo‐affirming content can entrench social divides. We outline priorities for future research: isolating art‐specific effects, probing harmful outcomes, testing the durability and real‐world impact of effects, and developing an integrative framework to clarify when, how, and for whom art moves behavior in the social world.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world1”. But how can educational methods and contents motivate and steer society in a positive direction, and how do we accelerate the educational reform process?Here we present tools, projects, and movements from academic curricula, ranging from storytelling and experiential coursework to grassroots initiatives in green education.For the UN climate conference COP28 in Dubai in 2023, students, employees, scientists, climate activists, writers and Indigenous authors spurred climate action beyond its walls and national borders through creative means. The outcome was a fluid book2 calling on politicians, policymakers and organisations to action.At the Amsterdam University College (Netherlands), teachers (re-)designed, taught and coordinated the second-year bachelor course ‘Big Questions in the Anthropocene’. 250 students critically evaluated their planetary relationships and explored new ways to transform and sustain them. An experiential format asked students to design and guide a city-based excursion while reflecting on and reviewing that of their peers’ and developing an independent research project.At the grassroots level, EDI (Equality, Diversion and Inclusion) Committees within the program Earth and Environmental Sciences organised lectures, workshops and information sessions on geoethical topics3. These committees connect through networking like national events, conferences and social media (e.g. ‘Earth Science for All 2025’), informing and activating peers around inclusive, cross-broder scientific collaboration and the deconstruction of colonial practices.Plato’s Garden is a VU’s grassroots cross-faculty educators’ movement with interdisciplinary expertise spanning six VU faculties and collaborating with the University of Twente. The platform promotes and incorporates nature- and art-based pedagogic methods such as forest bathing, ecopedagogy exercises and nature walks into higher education.In line with this, the Sustainability Education Hub is active in integrating sustainability into all VU programs.The tools mentioned here showcase inspiration and creativity, providing fertile ground for the germination of new identities, ultimately blossoming into hands- and heart-type of activities that embed curricula and (non-)academic communities in nature. The challenge is that all these programs operate more in isolation than in collaboration, lacking an ecosystem to scale these initiatives.Educational specialists and students need an infrastructure that supports their endeavours. This includes 1) formal embedding within university structures, 2) financial support from host institutes, 3) teachers and students with time to spend on those initiatives, 4) facilitating networking and 5) promoting active implementation in educational curricula. To stimulate meaningful transformation, we build on a collectivist approach rooted in existing (non-)academic settings and communities. Its strength lies in the diversity of geoethical practices and themes – such as climate action, digital transformation, and social justice – and their expression through educational programs and grassroots initiatives. Here, the classroom becomes a space of critical engagement, enabling us to confront the climate crisis as an ethical, social, and political condition that demands a lived, justice-oriented responsibility. This, in turn, supports an adaptive transformation toward a resilient and synergistic ecojust education.1 quote attributed to Nelson Mandela2 VU 2023, Fluidbook for COP28, www.vu.nl/cop283 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoethics

Background: Evidence of the diverse genetic architecture of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) continues to emerge and requires reassessment of the clinical relevance of implicated disease genes. Building on the 2019-2020 Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen) evaluation, the DCM Gene Curation Expert Panel (GCEP) reconvened in 2024-2025 to conduct a reassessment of genes in DCM. Methods: The ClinGen semi-quantitative clinical validity classification framework was applied with specifications to DCM to classify genes into categories based upon strength of published evidence for a DCM phenotype. Previously curated genes were reassessed and newly reported gene-disease-mode of inheritance (MOI) relationships, termed ?curations,? were evaluated. Results: Sixty-eight genes were evaluated, inclusive of 72 unique gene-disease-MOI relationships across 51 previously evaluated and 17 newly assessed genes. Thirty-five curations were classified as high evidence (16 Definitive, 10 Strong, 9 Moderate), increasing by 16 from the prior assessment. Nine newly assessed genes were classified as high evidence, including BAG5, FLII, LMOD2, MYLK3, MYZAP, NRAP, PPA2, PPP1R13L, and RPL3L. Twelve genes (11 newly appraised) were rated as high evidence with an autosomal recessive (AR) MOI. Five re-evaluated genes from 2019-2020 had clinically significant changes in classification. Except for JPH2, for which curation was modified to separate autosomal dominant (-AD) and -AR MOI curations, clinically significant changes involved upgrades from low to high evidence categories (PLEKHM2, PRDM16, TBX20, TNNI3K), demonstrating the robustness of the ClinGen gene curation process over time. An additional 29 gene-disease-MOI curations were classified as Limited, including six newly evaluated genes and one new MOI for a previously evaluated gene, MYBPC3-AR; four were classified as No Known Disease Relationship, and four remained Disputed. Four previously evaluated genes were curated for both AD and AR MOIs, including JPH2 (AD-Strong, AR-Limited), LDB3 (AD-Limited, AR-Strong), MYBPC3 (AD-Limited, AR-Limited), and TNNI3 (AD- and AR- Strong). Conclusions: With substantial new evidence, the genetic architecture of DCM has rapidly expanded. This updated assessment of genes reported in DCM yielded 35 high evidence curations, an increase from 19 only five years ago. The results of this evidence-based evaluation process informs clinical interpretation of genetic information in the care of DCM patients and families.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are potential disease biomarkers released by cells into body fluids. Flow cytometers measure EV concentrations within their size detection range. These size ranges can be quantified by relating the arbitrary units of measured light scattering signals to the optical diameter of EVs with Mie theory. However, Mie theory requires input parameters, including the refractive index (RI) of the suspension liquid surrounding the measured particles, which is not accurately known. Here we measure traceable RIs of suspension liquids, including Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (DPBS) and human blood plasma dilutions with an uncertainty of for relevant wavelengths between 405 and 644 nm. We show that differences between traceably measured and currently used RIs for suspension liquids lead to differences in applied optical diameter gates and reported EV concentrations. The currently assumed RI of DPBS in Rosetta Calibration leads to a difference of 9% to 35% between reported and actual EV concentrations in diluted plasma, depending on the lower detection limit of the flow cytometer. A traceably measured RI of the suspension liquid should be used to calibrate light scattering signals with Mie theory to improve accuracy of optical diameter and concentration measurements by EV flow cytometry.

ABSTRACT The media we consume may shape our cognition, emotion, and behavior. While violent media effects on aggression have been studied extensively, one popular media genre has escaped scrutiny until now: true crime, featuring real stories of assault, murder, or serial killings. We investigated the idea that the manifold examples of real human violence in true crime may be linked to people's capacity for malevolent creativity—generating creative ideas for harming others. Yet, in two cross‐sectional studies, we found only weak to contradictory evidence for this idea. Using multiple regression models, in Study 1 ( n = 160), true crime consumption was only linked to higher fluency on a malevolent creativity test (MCT) in individuals high in trait aggression. In Study 2 ( n = 307), links of true crime consumption with malevolent creativity were eclipsed by links to fictional horror, other media preference, and depressive affect. Moreover, both studies found that high true crime consumption seemed to mitigate the link between general creativity and malevolent originality. Although further experimental and longitudinal research is needed, true crime may potentially inhibit consumers from applying their creative potential to uniquely harming others, which may suggest prosocial and empathic motives in true crime consumption.

Cet article s'appuie sur un événement télévisé néerlandais des années 1960. Lors d'une émission d'humour noir, la première femme nue est apparue à la télévision néerlandaise ; cependant, son impact a éclipsé les événements ultérieurs, qui ont révélé une réalité invisible aux Pays-Bas : la présence des Moluquois. L'article explore l'ignorance et le manque de préparation des personnes impliquées dans l'interview, ainsi que le caractère surréaliste des conditions de vie des immigrés indonésiens après la violente colonisation néerlandaise de l'Indonésie. Cet « événement » de l'émission télévisée Hoepla est analysé dans l'article à travers le prisme du conceptualisme ludique, un terme forgé par le Dr Schoenberger et appliqué à un mouvement artistique fortement présent aux Pays-Bas entre les années 1960 et 1970.

IntroductionAlteplase is known to increase the risk of blood-brain barrier integrity disruption, potentiating hemorrhage and edema. Evolving edema reduces chances of good functional outcomes. There is a paucity of studies that investigate the role of alteplase administration in subacute edema progression. Here we aim to associate alteplase administration in combination with the degree of reperfusion on edema, measured by net water uptake.MethodsWe included 115 patients from the MRCLEAN NO-IV trial with baseline, 24-h and 1-week follow-up non-contrast CT scans. The cohort consisted of patients who received intravenous thrombolysis (IVT)+ endovascular treatment (EVT) vs. EVT alone. Net water uptake (NWU) was calculated as a ratio of mean lesion density compared to its homologous, contralateral region-of-interest. Unadjusted linear regression analysis was performed to assess the association between NWU progression and alteplase administration, successful reperfusion [expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (eTICI)2B/3], and excellent reperfusion (eTICI2C/3). Adjusted regression analysis was performed to correct for potential confounders.ResultsIVT administration was not statistically significantly associated with NWU progression. Regardless of treatment arm, there was substantial increase in NWU during the first 24 h and 1 week post-stroke. In adjusted analysis, successful reperfusion was significantly associated with reduced NWU progression at 24 h (β = −4.6; 95% CI: −8.4, −0.80) and 1 week (β = −6.5; 95% CI: −11, −2.3).ConclusionAlteplase administration prior to EVT did not impact the subacute edema progression in our cohort, whereas successful reperfusion was strongly associated with reduced edema progression, particularly at later timepoints. These results suggest that alteplase administration according to current guidelines is unlikely to contribute to accelerated edema progression and emphasize that achieving high-grade reperfusion is crucial for reducing secondary injury.

The visual identity of Chinese intangible cultural heritage (ICH) relies on structured composition and symbolic color traditions. We present Colorful Heritage, a structure- and color-aware generative framework for stylizing ICH visual forms with cultural fidelity. Our method integrates: (1) a structure-guided stylization module encoding principles such as axial symmetry; (2) a color-aware embedding mechanism for symbolic palette modeling; and (3) a disentangled two-stage training strategy to separate content from style. To support evaluation and future research, we introduce ICHStyleBench, a benchmark of 10 ICH styles—including paper cutting, clay sculpture, and embroidery—annotated with layout and color attributes. Both quantitative analysis and expert evaluations confirm that our method achieves superior performance in semantic integrity, visual symbolism, and compositional structure preservation, with scores of 84.6 in content preservation, 81.2 in style alignment, 0.502 in CLIP-S, and a user preference rate of 34.5%, significantly higher than all baselines. This work provides a computational contribution to the digital preservation and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage.

Abstract INTRODUCTION In a four-arm study, the CATNON trial investigated the role of concurrent and/or adjuvant temozolomide as addition to radiotherapy in anaplastic astrocytoma patients. The results of the final database lock in October 2024 confirmed benefit of adjuvant temozolomide in IDHmt grade 3 astrocytoma patients, without benefit of concurrent temozolomide. We present the prognostic and predictive molecular analyses of the 444 randomized astrocytoma-IDHmt patients. METHODS Glioma relevant DNA alterations were assessed using dedicated next generation sequencing panels. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling was performed with the HumanMethylationEPIC beadchip., Tumors were graded by both the Epignostix and the NIH-NCI glioma classifier (astrocytomaIDHmt vs astrocytomaIDHmt high-grade). Two 3-tier methylation-based grading scores were used: Continuous Grading Coefficient (CGC) and Global Methylation Score (GMS). MGMT promoter methylation status was determined using the MGMT-STP27 algorithm. For predictive factor analysis, the outcome of patients in the arm treated with radiotherapy alone was compared to that of patients in the three arms treated with radiotherapy and temozolomide. RESULTS With 10.5 years follow-up, 55% of the IDHmt astrocytoma patients were deceased. PDGFRA gene amplification was associated with worse outcome (HR 3.5 (95% CI 2.2, 5.6) comparable to CDKN2A homozygous deletion (HR 3.6 (95% CI 2.5, 5.1). Grading by the NIH-NCI and the Epignostix classifier were highly correlated, with 10% discrepancy. Both identified a prognostic favorable astrocytoma IDHmt subset (HR 0.37 (95% CI 0.28, 0.49), but CGC and GMS were stronger prognosticators in multivariate analysis. Additional prognostic alterations with lower HR include LOH PTEN locus, total Copy Number Variation and CDK4 amplification. MGMT promoter methylation was not prognostic. None of the prognostic molecular factors was predictive for benefit to temozolomide. DISCUSSION PDGFR amplification is equally prognostic to HD-CDKN2A. Methylation-based grading identifies clinically relevant prognostic subgroups. Assessment of MGMT promoter status in these tumors has neither prognostic nor predictive value.

Introduction: Advances in coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) have enhanced the possibilities for assessment and quantification of coronary artery disease (CAD). Using data from the CCTA arm of the PRECISE randomized trial (non-acute chest pain needing testing), we examined the extent and diffuseness of coronary plaque burden using novel CCTA-derived metrics. Methods: All stable, symptomatic patients from the PRECISE randomized trial who underwent CCTA for evaluation of suspected CAD and had ≥50% diameter stenosis in at least one vessel were included, N=196. 3-vessel CAD patterns were assessed using FFR CT and AI-enabled quantitative plaque analysis (Heartflow). Nadir FFR CT was defined as total drop in FFR CT across the entire vessel. The FFR CT drop over a stenosis was termed stenosis FFR CT (sFFR CT ). The decrement in FFR CT due to diffuse disease was termed diffuse FFR CT (dFFR CT ) and defined as 1 – nadir FFR CT – sFFR CT . Patients were stratified into four groups (NoHEM, FOC, DIF and FOC+DIF) using cohort medians of 0.10 (sFFR CT ) and 0.13 (dFFR CT ) (Table). The Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to assess symptoms. Results: No hemodynamic disease (NoHEM), FOC, DIF and FOC+DIF were present in 21.5%, 28.6%, 29.6% and 20.4% of patients respectively. Clinical characteristics were similar between groups (Table). FOC and DIF+FOC had the lowest FFR CT nadir values as well as the highest stenosis FFR CT (both p<0.001). Per-patient total plaque volume (TPV, mm 3 ) was higher in FOC and DIF+FOC compared to NoHEM and DIF (p=0.008; Figure). Per-patient noncalcified plaque volume (NCPV, mm 3 ) followed a similar pattern (p=0.004), although % NCPV did not differ (0.86). Per-patient calcified plaque volume (CPV, mm 3 ) and %CPV did not differ between groups (p=0.12 and 0.86). Conclusion: CCTA allows for a more refined CAD plaque burden categorization by separating the FFR CT losses due to focal stenoses and diffuse CAD. Patients with focal or mixed (focal and diffuse) CAD phenotypes were not distinguishable by clinical characteristics, risk burden or angina severity. However, they exhibited higher plaque volumes, particularly noncalcified plaque, than those with no NoHEM or only diffuse disease. Further studies are necessary to examine the prognostic and therapeutic implications of these findings.