Publications by authors named "Maertens L"

We report a case of a severe ear infection in a 35-year-old man treated with ixekizumab for psoriasis. Ixekizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively prevents the interaction between interleukin 17 A and its receptor. Biologicals like ixekizumab are used to achieve symptom relief in autoimmune diseases including psoriasis.

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Air pollution, tobacco smoke, and red meat are associated with renal cell cancer (RCC) risk in the United States and Western Europe; however, the chemicals that form DNA adducts and initiate RCC are mainly unknown. herbaceous plants are used for medicinal purposes in Asia and worldwide. They are a significant risk factor for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and RCC to a lesser extent.

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Background: The treatment of borderline resectable (BR) and locally advanced (LA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has evolved with a wider application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACHT). The aim of this study was to identify predictive factors for survival in BR and LA PDAC.

Methods: Clinicopathologic data of patients with BR and LA PDAC who underwent surgical exploration between January 2011 and June 2021 were retrospectively collected.

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Chemotaxis is a widespread strategy used by unicellular and multicellular living organisms to maintain their fitness in stressful environments. We previously showed that bacteria can trigger a negative chemotactic response to a copper (Cu)-rich environment. Cu ion toxicity on bacterial cell physiology has been mainly linked to mismetallation events and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, although the precise role of Cu-generated ROS remains largely debated.

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The tobacco-specific nitrosamine '-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and its close analogue 4-(-nitrosomethylamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) are classified as "carcinogenic to humans" (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The currently used biomarker to monitor NNN exposure is urinary total NNN (free NNN plus its -glucuronide). However, total NNN does not provide information about the extent of metabolic activation of NNN as related to its carcinogenicity.

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Two morphotypes of the cyanobacterial   (formerly sp.) strain PCC 8005, denoted as P2 (straight trichomes) and P6 (helical trichomes), were subjected to chronic gamma radiation from spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods at a dose rate of ca. 80 Gy·h for one mass doubling period (approximately 3 days) under continuous light with photoautotrophic metabolism fully active.

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Bacteria encounter elevated copper (Cu) concentrations in multiple environments, varying from mining wastes to antimicrobial applications of copper. As the role of the environment in the bacterial response to Cu ion exposure remains elusive, we used a tagRNA-seq approach to elucidate the disparate responses of two morphotypes of NA1000 to moderate Cu stress in a complex rich (PYE) medium and a defined poor (M2G) medium. The transcriptome was more responsive in M2G, where we observed an extensive oxidative stress response and reconfiguration of the proteome, as well as the induction of metal resistance clusters.

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Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for the development of several cancers, including those of the head and neck and the esophagus. The underlying mechanisms of alcohol-induced carcinogenesis remain unclear; however, at these sites, alcohol-derived acetaldehyde seems to play a major role. By reacting with DNA, acetaldehyde generates covalent modifications (adducts) that can lead to mutations.

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The antimicrobial applications of copper (Cu) are exploited in several industries, such as agriculture and healthcare settings. While Cu is capable of efficiently killing microorganisms, sub-lethal doses can induce a viable-but-non-culturable (VBNC) state in bacteria of many distinct clades. VBNC cells cannot be detected by standard culture-based detection methods, and can become a threat to plants and animals as they often retain virulent traits upon resuscitation.

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Bacteria are increasingly used for biotechnological applications such as bioremediation, biorecovery, bioproduction, and biosensing. The development of strains suited for such applications requires a thorough understanding of their behavior, with a key role for their transcriptomic landscape. We present a thorough analysis of the transcriptome of CH34 cells acutely exposed to copper by tagRNA-sequencing.

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Cigarette smoking is an important source of human exposure to toxicants and carcinogens and contributes significantly to cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. Acrolein, a widespread environmental pollutant, is present in relatively high amounts in cigarette smoke and can react directly with DNA to form DNA adducts, which serve as important biomarkers for the assessment of exposure to acrolein and its potential role in smoking related cancer. Etheno-DNA adducts are promutagenic DNA lesions that can derive from exogenous chemicals as well as endogenous sources, including lipid peroxidation.

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Metallic copper to combat bacterial proliferation in drinking water systems is being investigated as an attractive alternative to existing strategies. A potential obstacle to this approach is the induction of metal resistance mechanisms in contaminating bacteria, that could severely impact inactivation efficacy. Thus far, the role of these resistance mechanisms has not been studied in conditions relevant to drinking water systems.

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During recent years, research on meat quality in poultry has aimed to evaluate the presence and consequences of breast myopathies as well as the factors which can affect their occurrence by modifying the growth rate. A total of 900 broiler chickens were reared until slaughter (48 D) to evaluate the effect of 2 genetic lines (A vs. B) and feeding plans (ad libitum [AL], early restricted [ER], from 13 to 23 D of age, and late restricted [LR], from 27 to 37 D of age; restriction rate: 80%) on performance, meat quality, and breast muscle myopathies.

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Background: Poultry meat has high levels of histidine-containing dipeptides (HCD) and consumption of meat rich in HCD may elicit certain health benefits. The aim of this work was to compare the HCD content (anserine and carnosine) in the breast and thigh muscles of two broiler strains differing in growth rate, feeding regime, and age at slaughter. A 3 (production system) × 2 (sex) × 2 (age at slaughter) full factorial arrangement was applied with fast-growing Ross 308 chicks fed ad libitum (ROSS-AL), slow-growing Sasso T451 chicks fed ad libitum (SASSO-AL), and Ross 308 chicks given limited feeding (ROSS-LIM).

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The grains that form the basis of most commercial chicken diets are rich in cellulose, an unbranched β-1,4-linked D-glucopyranose polymer, used as a structural molecule in plants. Although it is a predominant polysaccharide in cereal hulls, it is considered an inert non-fermentable fiber. The aim of the current study was to analyze the effect of in-feed supplementation of cellulose on the gut microbiota composition of broilers.

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The extensive anthropogenic use of platinum, a rare element found in low natural abundance in the Earth's continental crust and one of the critical raw materials in the EU innovation partnership framework, has resulted in increased concentrations in surface environments. To minimize its spread and increase its recovery from the environment, biological recovery via different microbial systems is explored. In contrast, studies focusing on the effects of prolonged exposure to Pt are limited.

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The tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), is a potent lung carcinogen that exerts its carcinogenic effects upon metabolic activation. The identification and quantitation of NNK metabolites could identify potential biomarkers of bioactivation and detoxification of this potent carcinogen and may be used to predict lung cancer susceptibility among smokers. Here, we used in vivo isotope-labeling and high-resolution-mass-spectrometry-based methods for the comprehensive profiling of all known and unknown NNK metabolites.

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Viscosity of intestinal contents is known to affect digestion and absorption of nutrients. In most poultry studies, intestinal viscosity has been measured only after complete removal of solid particles by centrifugation. Centrifugation may however remove particles that contribute to viscosity, hence giving rise to an underestimation of viscosity.

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In order to try to combat the effect of age on eggshell quality in aged laying hens, 5 split-feeding treatments were compared with conventional feeding between 75 and 92 wk of age. In the conventional treatment (T1), the same morning (M) and afternoon (A) diet was fed containing fine (FL) and coarse (CL) limestone at a 50:50 ratio. In the split treatments, the ratio of FL and CL was 50:50 or 30:70, and time of administration (M/A) differed.

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Different ratios of fine- (FL) and coarse limestone (CL) were compared (50FL:50CL, 30FL:70CL, 0FL:100CL) in conventional (C) and split feeding (S) for their effects on performance, egg quality traits, and bone quality of old, brown laying hens (72 to 83 wk). Each treatment consisted of 42 hens (7 hens × 6 replicates). In the C system diets supplemented with limestone were provided during the whole day, whereas in the S system a morning diet was fed without added limestone, and only the afternoon diet was supplemented with different limestone ratios.

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Reactive carbonyl compounds (RCCs) are ubiquitous in the environment and are generated endogenously as a result of various physiological and pathological processes. These compounds can react with biological molecules inducing deleterious processes believed to be at the basis of their toxic effects. Several of these compounds are implicated in neurotoxic processes, aging disorders, and cancer.

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1. A field study was conducted to investigate the deterioration of eggshell quality at the end of lay and examine the potential to extend the production cycle. A total of 1200 eggs were assessed originating from commercial farms in Belgium: eggs were random sampled at the collection belt at 57-65 weeks of age and at the end of the production cycle (74-92 weeks).

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The non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) in cell walls can act as a barrier for digestion of intracellular nutrients. This effect is called "cage effect." Part of the success of fibrolytic enzymes in broiler feed is assumed to be attributed to cage effect reduction.

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