Publications by authors named "Kok G"

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) couple tRNAs with their corresponding amino acids. While ARSs can bind structurally similar amino acids, extreme specificity is ensured by subsequent editing activity. Yet, we found that upon isoleucine (I) restriction, healthy fibroblasts consistently incorporated valine (V) into proteins at isoleucine codons, resulting from misacylation of tRNAIle with valine by wildtype IARS1.

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Background: South Africa (SA) has committed to eliminating malaria by 2028. However, the initial target was set for 2023. Additionally, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of drug and insecticide resistance have been identified as potential stumbling blocks in the achievement of this goal.

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Purpose: The management of indeterminate thyroid nodules remains a topic of ongoing debate, particularly regarding the differentiation of malignancy. Somatic mutation analysis offers crucial insights into tumor characteristics. This study aimed to assist the clinical management of indeterminate nodules with somatic mutation analysis.

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Purpose: To compare 1-year outcomes of eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) treated in routine clinical practice based on the proportion of visits where intravitreal VEGF inhibitor injections were delivered.

Design: Cohort study.

Participants: There were 2288 treatment-naive eyes with DME starting intravitreal VEGF inhibitor therapy from October 31, 2015 to October 31, 2021 from the Fight Retinal Blindness! international outcomes registry.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hypertension (HPT) has become a major health issue in Ghana, shifting from a focus on communicable diseases to addressing non-communicable diseases amid rising prevalence rates.
  • A cost of illness framework was utilized to estimate the financial burden of treating HPT in Ghana, accounting for serious complications and employing a decision analytic model to simulate patient outcomes.
  • The study indicates a significantly high lifetime treatment cost for HPT (approximately GHS 869,106 or USD 119,056), along with an increasing mortality risk over the years, highlighting the need for targeted health policies and financial planning.
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Background: In this qualitative study we observed in-depth the impact of the visiting restriction policy (VRP, i.e. number of visitors allowed at home) on well-being and compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic to regulate infection rates.

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Objective: We aim to investigate the effects of genetically based HLA matching on patient and graft survival, and acute and chronic rejection after liver transplantation.

Background: Liver transplantation is a common treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. In contrast to most other solid organ transplantations, there is no conclusive evidence supporting human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching for liver transplantations.

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Article Synopsis
  • Inborn-Errors of Metabolism (IEM) are genetic disorders caused by mutations in genes related to metabolic pathways, with some lacking specific biochemical markers.
  • Integrating next-generation sequencing (NGS), especially whole exome sequencing (WES), into IEM diagnostics enhances accuracy, supports genetic counseling, and broadens treatment options.
  • For example, supplementing amino acids has shown positive effects on patients with deficiencies in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs), improving both biochemical and clinical outcomes.
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Nowadays the prediction and change of waste-related behaviors represent a key topic for scholars and policy makers. The theoretical mainstays applied to waste separation behavior, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Norm Activation Model and the Value Belief Norm, do not include the construct of goal in their formulation. Other goal-focused theories, such as the Goal Systems Theory (GST), lack applications on separation behavior.

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Introduction: Understanding the individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) for the COVID-19 vaccine could help design policy interventions to control the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to estimate the individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) for a COVID-19 vaccine and to identify its associated determinants.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 526 Iranian adults using a web-based questionnaire.

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Background: In the earlier developed and evaluated 12-week UPcomplish intervention, the aim was to reduce sedentary behaviour (SB) among office workers and increase their quality of life (QoL). In the current study, we explored moderators of effectiveness.

Method: We applied a stepped wedge design with five intervention groups starting with time lags of seven weeks (n = 142, 96 females).

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The myriad of available hepatocyte in vitro models provides researchers the possibility to select hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) for specific research goals. However, direct comparison of hepatocyte models is currently challenging. We systematically searched the literature and compared different HLCs, but reported functions were limited to a small subset of hepatic functions.

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Introduction: Hypertension (HPT) is recognized as a significant public health problem worldwide from a health and economic perspective. This study determined predictors of nonadherence to HPT medications in Ghana using the health belief model.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey employing a quantitative approach was conducted among HPT patients who routinely attend clinics at selected hospitals in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana.

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Background: Independent emergence and spread of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria have recently been confirmed in Africa, with molecular markers associated with artemisinin resistance increasingly detected. Surveillance to promptly detect and effectively respond to anti-malarial resistance is generally suboptimal in Africa, especially in low transmission settings where therapeutic efficacy studies are often not feasible due to recruitment challenges. However, these communities may be at higher risk of anti-malarial resistance.

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Background: Although several COVID-19 vaccines are available, the current challenge is achieving high vaccine uptake. We aimed to explore university students' intention to get vaccinated and select the most relevant determinants/beliefs to facilitate informed decision making around COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey with students ( = 434) from Maastricht University was conducted in March 2021.

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The process of developing a behavior change intervention can cover a long time period. However, in times of need, this development process has to be more efficient and without losing the scientific rigor. In this article, we describe the just-in-time, planned development of an online intervention in the field of higher education, promoting COVID-19 vaccination among university students, just before they were eligible for being vaccinated.

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Introduction: Intervention Mapping is the protocol used by the Kilimanjaro Diabetic Programme to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based screening programme for diabetic retinopathy. Two comic strips were developed to deliver the message on the need for diabetic retinopathy screening.

Objectives: The first objective was to develop a culturally appropriate and accessible health message to promote diabetic retinopathy screening for the target audience.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The Kilimanjaro Diabetic Programme used the Intervention Mapping framework to create a community-centered diabetic retinopathy screening initiative, focusing on health behavior change and prevention of blindness.
  • - Key methods included needs assessments, clinical trials, educational components for healthcare workers, and innovative motivational tools like comic strips, which collectively improved diabetes management in both urban and rural settings.
  • - The program successfully addressed barriers to screening, established mobile retinal screening, and initiated rural clinics, demonstrating a structured approach to enhance eye health among people with diabetes.
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This study aimed to evaluate pregnant women's knowledge, fear, and anxiety levels during the coronavirus outbreak. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 170 pregnant women between May 20 and July 10, 2020. Data collection form for demographics and obstetric details, questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward COVID-19, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-I were used.

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Halfway through 2021 in the midst of a public health crisis, a new academic year was fast approaching. Dutch universities were preparing to reopen their campuses to students and personnel in a safe manner. As the vaccination uptake was increasing and societies were slowly reopening, inviting students and personnel to campus became the next step to "the new normal".

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COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may be regarded as a new pandemic hindering the elimination of or coping with COVID-19. This study assessed reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy using the I-Change Model (ICM) by considering the role of informational and psychosocial factors. A cross-sectional online survey using a convenience sample was conducted among Dutch adults ( = 240).

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Rationale: Translating research evidence into clinical practice to improve care involves healthcare professionals adopting new behaviours and changing or stopping their existing behaviours. However, changing healthcare professional behaviour can be difficult, particularly when it involves changing repetitive, ingrained ways of providing care. There is an increasing focus on understanding healthcare professional behaviour in terms of non-reflective processes, such as habits and routines, in addition to the more often studied deliberative processes.

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Non-infectious granulomatous skin diseases are a wide category of well-defined reactive inflammatory conditions that share main similarities. While cutaneous sarcoidosis is the prototype of non-infectious (sterile) granulomatous dermatitides, there are several other entities in this group including granuloma annulare and necrobiosis lipoidica. Non-infectious granulomatous diseases are caused by complex associations between genetic situations and environmental triggers resulting in a variety of cutaneous and systemic manifestations.

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