Publications by authors named "Lombard E"

Seven preregistered studies (total = 2,443) demonstrate that feedback receptivity of people in power, or their openness to feedback, reduces bias concerns among members of marginalized groups (marginalized group meta-analytic = 0.53; nonmarginalized group meta-analytic = 0.10).

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This article explores the role of in building a community of software and hardware developers focused on addressing global sustainable development goal (SDG) challenges. We theorize this movement as computational diplomacy: a decentralized, participatory process for digital governance that leverages collective intelligence to tackle major global issues. Analysing Devpost and GitHub data reveals that 30% of hackathons since 2010 have addressed SDG topics, employing diverse technologies to create innovative solutions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The International Space Station's current food supply method won't work for deep space missions, necessitating alternative food sources.
  • This study investigates using the bacterium Cupriavidus necator to convert urea and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) into single-cell protein.
  • Results showed higher protein content in biomass when using lower dilution rates, increasing protein levels while decreasing undesirable components like nucleic acids and polyhydroxyalkanoates.
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Invasive graft biopsies assess the efficacy of immunosuppression through lagging indicators of transplant rejection. We report on a microporous scaffold implant as a minimally invasive immunological niche to assay rejection before graft injury. Adoptive transfer of T cells into Rag2 mice with mismatched allografts induced acute cellular allograft rejection (ACAR), with subsequent validation in wild-type animals.

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is a facultative chemolithotrophic organism that grows under both heterotrophic and autotrophic conditions. It is becoming increasingly important due to its ability to convert CO into industrially valuable chemicals. To translate the potential of into technical applications, it is necessary to optimize and scale up production processes.

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Yarrowia lipolytica, with a diverse array of biotechnological applications, is able to grow as ovoid yeasts or filamentous hyphae depending on environmental conditions. This study has explored the relationship between residual glucose levels and dimorphism in Y. lipolytica.

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Asthma places a significant burden on acute and non-acute services and is frequently encountered in the emergency department and the medical take. The UK has one of the highest asthma mortality rates in Europe. The National Review of Asthma Deaths has identified multiple factors that have contributed to preventable asthma deaths and solutions to these factors, including a better understanding and implementation of asthma guidelines.

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A 71-year-old man was admitted with confusion having been discovered on the floor of his unkempt home. Social services would later confirm that the home was infested by rats. An infection of unclear origin was suspected, and he was immediately started on broad spectrum antibiotics.

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Article Synopsis
  • A bioreactor was created to enhance gas mass transfer, allowing engineered autotrophic strains to reach cell and product concentrations in the gram per liter range using CO as a carbon source.
  • The bioreactor supports separate inputs for CO, H, and air, and can operate at high pressures without harming the viability of the Cupriavidus necator strains.
  • An engineered strain produced 3.5 g/L of isopropanol solely from CO, marking a significant advancement in CO-based bioprocesses.
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Introduction: Although bariatric surgery seems to increase spontaneous fertility by improving ovulatory function in young women, its impact on ovarian reserve remains largely unknown.

Objective: To evaluate changes in serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels in reproductive-age severely obese women after bariatric surgery (BS).

Methods: AMH levels were measured retrospectively in 39 women (mean age 34.

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We previously reported a metabolic engineering strategy to develop an isopropanol producing strain of Cupriavidus necator leading to production of 3.4gL isopropanol. In order to reach higher titers, isopropanol toxicity to the cells has to be considered.

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Alkanes of defined carbon chain lengths can serve as alternatives to petroleum-based fuels. Recently, microbial pathways of alkane biosynthesis have been identified and enabled the production of alkanes in non-native producing microorganisms using metabolic engineering strategies. The chemoautotrophic bacterium Cupriavidus necator has great potential for producing chemicals from CO2: it is known to have one of the highest growth rate among natural autotrophic bacteria and under nutrient imbalance it directs most of its carbon flux to the synthesis of the acetyl-CoA derived polymer, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), (up to 80% of intracellular content).

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The Gardos channel is a Ca(2+)-sensitive, intermediate conductance, potassium selective channel expressed in several tissues including erythrocytes and pancreas. In normal erythrocytes, it is involved in cell volume modification. Here, we report the identification of a dominantly inherited mutation in the Gardos channel in 2 unrelated families and its association with chronic hemolysis and dehydrated cells, also referred to as hereditary xerocytosis (HX).

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Objectives: We studied the effect of a standardized breakfast or lunch before blood sampling on 77 analytes.

Design And Methods: The mean difference between assays from 20 healthy adults was calculated on blood samples taken before and after food intake. Significant differences were tested using two-tailed Student t-test and compared to the acceptable limits derived from analytical and intraindividual biological variation.

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This work combines physical and biochemical analyses to scrutinize liquefaction and saccharification of complex lignocellulose materials. A multilevel analysis (macroscopic: rheology, microscopic: particle size and morphology and molecular: sugar product) was conducted at the lab-scale with three matrices: microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), Whatman paper (WP) and extruded paper-pulp (PP). A methodology to determine on-line viscosity is proposed and validated using the concept of Metzner and Otto (1957) and Rieger and Novak's (1973).

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Quantification of different physiological states of Candida shehatae cells was performed by flow cytometry associated with two fluorescent probes. Propidium iodide and carboxyfluorescein diacetate acetoxymethyl ester fluorescent dyes were chosen based on data from the literature. A staining procedure, developed from the previous works was applied to the yeast.

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Objective: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the incidence of women with prior GBS genital colonization who have recolonization in subsequent pregnancies.

Methods: This is a retrospective, cohort study of patients with a prior GBS genital colonization in pregnancy and a subsequent pregnancy with a recorded GBS culture result, from January 2000 through June 2007. Documentation of GBS status was through GBS culture performed between 35 to 37 weeks gestation.

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Objective: We studied the pre-analytical stability of 81 analytes based on the variables of delay before processing, storage as whole blood or serum/plasma, the storage temperature and the type of tube the sample was stored in.

Design And Methods: The mean difference between assays for samples from 10 subjects was calculated with the samples being kept under different storage conditions and for different times between sampling time and analysis: up to 24h for biochemistry, coagulation and hematology, and up to 72 h for hormonology. This difference was compared to the acceptable limits derived from the analytical and the intra individual biological variation.

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Background: In hemodialysis patients, the relationships between serum PTH and phosphorus levels and mortality are debated because both high and low turnover bone diseases increase the risk of vascular calcifications. Furthermore, the prevalence of hypoparathyroidism is increasing, and there is a fear that this state is associated with an increase in bone fractures.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and the causes of hypoparathyroidism (defined as basal and post-hypocalcemic-challenge serum PTH levels < 55 pg/mL) in 97 patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis treatment in our unit.

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Background: Apolipoprotein C-II and apolipoprotein C-III play an important and complex role in plasma triglycerides metabolism, respectively, as inhibitor and activator of lipoprotein lipase. Thus, they appear to be suitable markers for clinical studies of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and related cardiovascular risk. Our aim was to evaluate, for routine analysis, the accuracy to quantify these apolipoprotein in human sera.

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Objective: High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) have significant cardiovascular benefits by retarding the progression of atherosclerosis. One of the mechanisms is the inhibition by HDLs of the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in endothelial cells. Our objective was to test the effect on VCAM-1 expression by the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) of a minor HDL2 and HDL3 apolipoprotein, the anionic peptide factor (APF).

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As vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), released into the tumor microenvironment stimulates motogenic and mitogenic activity of normal and transformed cells. In the present study, we investigate the effects of IL-3 and VEGF on neoplastic vascular growth. Engagement of IL-3 receptor beta common (IL-3R beta c) contributes to both IL-3- and VEGF-induced Rac1 activation, cell migration and in vitro tube-like structure formation as shown by the expression of the dominant-negative IL-3R beta c construct (Delta455).

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Moderate haemodilution enhances coagulability in vitro and in vivo as measured by thrombelastography (TEG). The mechanism has never been established. We have conducted an in vitro study to determine whether the effect can be moderated or prevented when the reduction in antithrombin III caused by dilution is prevented by supplementation.

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Setting: Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa.

Objective: Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were obtained from 37 patients who were in-patients at the Tygerberg hospital. The specificity and sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in bone marrow aspirate was evaluated.

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