UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Improving embryo quality in assisted reproduction Mantikou, E. Link to publication

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1 UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Improving embryo quality in assisted reproduction Mantikou, E. Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Mantikou, E. (2013). Improving embryo quality in assisted reproduction General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam ( Download date: 26 Feb 2018

2 Acknowledgements

3 174 Acknowledgements Since my university years back in Patras, human embryology and IVF was my passion. After searching for a PhD position in the field for a few months, I came across a position for an IVF technician at the AMC. I decided to apply to get the connection to the field and the practical skills. I was happy when I got a reply from Dr. (back then) Sjoerd Repping that I was invited for an interview. I was even happier when during that interview I was told by Sjoerd, Sebastiaan and Annemieke that they had, at the department, received an AMC bonus and they could therefore offer me a PhD position. An offer that I happily accepted and that brought me, today, four and a half years later to this thesis. Sjoerd and Sebastiaan, I would like to thank you for this opportunity; not only did I come to work in a topic that I love but I was also part of a big, dynamic and diverse team. It has always been a pleasure to work with you, facing the challenges (not problems as Sjoerd corrected me once) that came our way. Sjoerd and Sebastiaan, you have contributed in many ways to this thesis. But there is a special contribution that comes to mind when I think of each of you. Sjoerd, you for your professional network that gave me the possibility to travel, meet and collaborate with other researchers around the Netherlands and abroad; Sebastiaan, you have always been very critical and that taught me a lot and helped me to develop. I remember with a smile all the times that we were exchanging comments on manuscripts till late at night. Chapter 5 version 100 th : Maybe a thin (dashed/dotted!) line between main factors and interactions on Table 2? Timo, to you also thanks for accepting me in your team at the microarray department. A whole new experience for me there and I learned a lot and had fun at the same time. Also, thank you for your advice the last months on completing my thesis and finding a next position. Mark, your enthusiasm about and knowledge on anything technical motivated me to study and to understand and develop my technical skills. I am very thankful for all I learned about microarrays and molecular biology. Dear Prof. dr. van der Veen, dear Fulco, you taught me the secrets of proper scientific writing; I still remember one of your comments in my first manuscript this is too boring. Further, there are no patients in IVF only subfertile couples. I am looking forward to our discussion at the Agnietenkapel. I would like to thank the rest of my committee members, Dr. Tessa Rosenboom, Prof. dr. Nils Lambalk, Dr. John Dumoulin and Prof. dr. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz. Thank you for accepting to be part of the committee and I am looking forward to our discussion as well. Arno, Bita, Callista, Canan, Eline, Emma, Febilla, Geert, Gianfranco, Hajar, Hooman, Julia, Kai Mee, Liesbeth, Majid, Michael, Michiel, Robin, Sabrina and Tinke: you made this experience so much fun, you celebrated with me when an experiment succeeded and you endured my complaints when one failed. In both cases, a reason for chocolate cake! Good colleagues

4 Acknowledgements 175 but most of you also, during the course of time, good friends. I will miss our going-outs and our chats in the red wing. But I am sure we will keep in touch. Aldo, Ans, Beatrix, Carrie, Cindy, Gijs, Laura, Saskia, Truus, Remco and Souad: thanks for the general help and support. Mohamed and Stephan, I enjoyed working with you learning all about Cochrane reviews. Madelon, I would like to thank you for your valuable help on statistical analysis. The IVF ladies: Amanda, Anniek, Christy, Caro-Lynn, Corine, Ghislaine, Hanneke, Irena, Jose, Kelly, Manda, Marja, Melissa and Wendy. Your help on collecting oocytes and embryos was very important for the completion of this thesis. No more phone calls! Also, Annemieke and Alex, thank you for your help and guidance around the IVF lab. The MAD-ers!! Martijs, Oskar, Wim and Han, thanks for the help on biostatistics and data analysis. Without your help, it would all be red and green dots to me. Ilse, Jurgo, Rob and Wim: it was gezellig` to share the lab with you. The co-researchers of the medium study: Aafke, Alex (big beater), Dimitri, Els, Jannie, John, and Sander. Thank you for your hard work on making this study possible. We have showed that with proper collaboration large, well-designed RCTs can be performed. I am looking forward to the completion of the second part (follow up data) and the results that will be found. To all researchers, doctors, nurses and other colleagues from the CVV, Catharina hospital, Elisabeth hospital, Gemini, MMC, MUCM, OLVG, the Scheper Hospital, UMCN, and UMCG thank you for your contribution to the studies described in this thesis. A special thanks to all couples that have donated oocytes and embryos for their contribution to the different studies described in this thesis. Anthi, Antigoni, Divina, Hellen, Katerina, Magda, Patrick, Sofia K, Sofia P, Thodori and Vaso, you have always been there for me (even when far away) to motivate me and support me. A second family that I have acquired throughout the years. Katerina and Kai Mee: I would like to thank you separately for accepting to be my paranymphs and stand next to me at this special day. Thank you for all the help with the organization and for keeping up the motivation. There have been many good days in this year, hé, Kai Mee? And Katerina, it took many hours of shopping but we finally found the outfit!! Sander, you have met me in a time where I was very busy and very stressed finishing my PhD. You didn t run away, instead you have been caring and patient and loving. I am looking forward to the next year together, less stressed (no stress will never be with me I am afraid) and more loving. Because I m Happy and you are Formidable.

5 176 Acknowledgements My uncle Mike and his family (my aunt Norine and my cousins Linda and Daphne), for welcoming me to their home and gave me the idea of coming to the Netherlands; my uncle Panteli and my aunt Paraskeui for their guidance, support and trust in me; my parents and brothers because you are my biggest motivation; my grandma Eleni because she has always been there for me. Thank you for being next to me all these years. I love you all. Το θείο μου Μιχάλη και την οικογένεια του (τη θεία μου Norine και τις ξαδέρφες μου Linda and Daphne) που με καλωσόρισαν στο σπίτι τους και μου έδωσαν την ιδέα να έρθω στην Ολλανδία, τον θείο μου Παντελή και τη θεία μου Παρασκευή για την καθοδήγηση, την υποστήριξη και την εμπιστοσύνη τους σε μένα, τους γονείς μου (Αναστασία και Μιχάλη) και τα αδέρφια μου (Σωτήρη, Χρήστο, Γιώργο, Τάκη) γιατί πάντα ήταν το κίνητρο μου να εξελίσσομαι, τη γιαγιά μου Ελένη γιατί ήταν πάντα στο πλάι μου. Σας αγαπώ όλους και σας ευχαριστώ που ήσαστε δίπλα μου όλα αυτά τα χρόνια. Hora est Eleni

Citation for published version (APA): te Slaa, R. L. (2003). The acute first-time anterior shoulder dislocation (AFASD).

UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) The acute first-time anterior shoulder dislocation (AFASD) te Slaa, R.L. Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): te Slaa, R. L. (2003). The acute