Publications by authors named "Ellen Aarts"

We present a protocol to generate organoids from air-liquid-interface (ALI)-differentiated nasal epithelia. We detail their application as cystic fibrosis (CF) disease model in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-dependent forskolin-induced swelling (FIS) assay. We describe steps for isolation, expansion and cryostorage of nasal brushing-derived basal progenitor cells, and their differentiation in ALI cultures.

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Background: Delirium is a frequent complication after surgery in older adults and is associated with an increased risk of long-term cognitive impairment and dementia. Disturbances in functional brain networks were previously reported during delirium. We hypothesised that alterations in functional brain networks persist after remission of postoperative delirium and that functional brain network alterations are associated with long-term cognitive impairment.

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Cystic fibrosis is caused by genetic defects that impair the CFTR channel in airway epithelial cells. These defects may be overcome by specific CFTR modulating drugs, for which the efficacy can be predicted in a personalized manner using 3D nasal-brushing-derived airway organoids in a forskolin-induced swelling assay. Despite of this, previously described CFTR function assays in 3D airway organoids were not fully optimal, because of inefficient organoid differentiation and limited scalability.

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Objective: Studies of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) rely on repeat neuropsychological testing. The stability of the applied instruments, which are affected by natural variability in performance and measurement imprecision, is often unclear. We determined the stability of a neuropsychological test battery using a sample of older adults from the general population.

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Physical frailty is an age-associated syndrome of decreased reserve leading to vulnerability to physiological stressors and associated with negative outcomes. The underlying structural brain abnormalities of physical frailty are unclear. We investigated the association between brain volume, cortical brain infarcts, and physical frailty.

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