Publications by authors named "J T van der Bruggen"

Investments in agricultural intensification in sub-Saharan Africa aim to fulfill food and economic demands. However, the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides poses ecological risks to water bodies in agricultural catchments. This study focused on assessing the impact of agricultural intensification on nutrient and pesticide pollution in the L.

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Autologous T-cell-based therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, exhibit low success rates in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and correlate with a dysfunctional T-cell phenotype observed in patients. Despite various proposed mechanisms of T-cell dysfunction in CLL, the specific CLL-derived factors responsible remain unidentified. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms through which CLL cells suppress CAR T-cell activation and function.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explored the effectiveness of taurolidine-citrate(-heparin) lock solutions (TCHL) in preventing central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in pediatric oncology patients, with a trial conducted from 2020 to 2023.
  • - A total of 462 patients using central venous access devices were split into two groups: one using TCHL and the other using heparin-only locks (HL), with follow-ups for 90 days post-insertion.
  • - Results showed no significant difference in the incidence of CLABSI between the TCHL and HL groups, with slightly fewer infections in the TCHL group, but adverse events occurred more often in that group.
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Article Synopsis
  • Taurolidine lock solutions (TL) may prevent bloodstream infections but can interfere with blood culture results if not fully aspirated before testing.
  • Various lock solutions were tested for their impact on microbial detection in blood culture vials, with taurolidine showing a significant delay in detecting microbial growth.
  • The findings emphasize the necessity of removing TLs from central venous catheters prior to collecting blood cultures to avoid misleading results.
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Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of the central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in pediatric oncology patients.

Methods: Bacteremia episodes from 2020 to 2022 from a prospective cohort of pediatric oncology patients with a central venous catheter were included. Episodes were classified by three medical experts following the CLABSI criteria as either a CLABSI or non-CLABSI (i.

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