Publications by authors named "G De Clercq"

Structural variants (SVs) are important contributors to human disease. Their characterization remains however difficult due to their size and association with repetitive regions. Long-read sequencing (LRS) and optical genome mapping (OGM) can aid as their molecules span multiple kilobases and capture SVs in full.

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Article Synopsis
  • RXFP2 disruption has been linked to male infertility, specifically through biallelic variants causing spermatogenic arrest at the spermatid stage.
  • Past studies have shown RXFP2 is crucial for testicular descent and may also influence postnatal spermatogenesis, although its exact role has been unclear.
  • In a family with male infertility and a history of cryptorchidism, genetic analysis revealed significant RXFP2 mutations, which correlated with impaired fertility and demonstrated a loss-of-function in cAMP signaling related to INSL3.
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Phospholipase A/acyltransferase 3 (PLAAT3) is a phospholipid-modifying enzyme predominantly expressed in neural and white adipose tissue (WAT). It is a potential drug target for metabolic syndrome, as Plaat3 deficiency in mice protects against diet-induced obesity. We identified seven patients from four unrelated consanguineous families, with homozygous loss-of-function variants in PLAAT3, who presented with a lipodystrophy syndrome with loss of fat varying from partial to generalized and associated with metabolic complications, as well as variable neurological features including demyelinating neuropathy and intellectual disability.

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Introduction: Clinical placements are an integral part of midwifery education and are crucial for achieving professional competencies. Although students' experiences on placements have been shown to play a meaningful role in their learning, they have received scant attention in the literature. The aim of this paper is to describe the learning experiences of final-year student midwives in labor wards within the Brussels metropolitan region, Belgium.

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Cocoa is one of the most important cultivated crops worldwide both in production and processing. But due to the change in weather conditions, pest and diseases, producers are looking into new bean varieties and alternatives (e.g.

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