326,040 results match your criteria: "Belgium; Alan Turing Institute[Affiliation]"

Technical note: A silenced hybrid 3D-printed self-loading pistol of the YEET family.

Forensic Sci Int

January 2025

Ballistics laboratory, National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology, Vilvoordsesteenweg 98, Brussels 1120, Belgium. Electronic address:

Since the release of the first 3D-printed firearm, "The Liberator," the occurrence of 3D-printed firearms in criminal activities has increased, highlighting the need for forensic research on these weapons. This study presents a technical examination of a 3D-printed firearm received by the National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC), focusing on its design, ballistic performance, and its potential for microscopic comparative analysis. The firearm, resembling a 3D-printed pistol Yeet22, is primarily constructed from polymer parts, with the exception of the firing pin, barrel, and various springs and screws.

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Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for patients undergoing radical cystectomy: Surgeons' perspectives and recommendations ten years after its implementation.

Eur J Surg Oncol

December 2024

Oncologic Minimally Invasive Urology and Andrology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Background And Objectives: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines for Radical Cystectomy (RC) were published over ten years ago. Aim of this systematic review is to update ERAS recommendations for patients undergoing RC and to give an expert opinion on the relevance of each single ERAS item.

Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify the impact of each single ERAS item on RC outcomes.

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Towards circular consumer behavior: Analysis of discount schemes on coffee cup use.

J Environ Manage

January 2025

CEDON - Center for Economics and Corporate Sustainability, Faculty of Economics and Business, KU Leuven, Warmoesberg 26, B-1000, Brussel, Belgium.

Through a natural experiment setting in Hong Kong, this study examines the effects of financial incentives and nudges on consumer choices among three types of coffee cups: bring-your-own-cup (BYOC), shop-provided reusable cups, and disposable cups. Our dataset comprises 223 structured observations of coffee shops with 522 data points. The financial incentive-a direct price instrument set as a discount-is offered exclusively to customers who bring their own cups, while shop-provided (reusable) cups are not eligible.

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A population model is presented to study the combined effects of ionising radiation and chemical pollutants on wildlife. The model is based on first order, non-linear and logistic differential equations combining mortality, morbidity and reproduction phenomena with life history data and ecological interactions. Acclimation is considered as a possible mechanism to study theoretically this effect at low levels of radiation or chemical concentration.

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Cartilaginous microtissues exhibit extreme resilience under compression with size-dependent mechanical properties.

Biomaterials

January 2025

Prometheus Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, KU Leuven, O&N1, Herestraat 49, PB 813, 3000, Leuven, Belgium; Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research, KU Leuven, ON1 Herestraat 49, PB 813, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address:

Self-assembled cartilaginous microtissues provide a promising means of repairing challenging skeletal defects and connective tissues. However, despite their considerable promise in tissue engineering, the mechanical response of these engineered microtissues is not well understood. Here we examine the mechanical and viscoelastic response of progenitor cell aggregates formed from human primary periosteal cells and the resulting cartilaginous microtissues under large deformations as might be encountered in vivo.

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Cervical extensor muscle activity during neck tasks in individuals with and without neck pain: A systematic review.

Ann Phys Rehabil Med

January 2025

Department of Physical Activity and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Liège, Allée des Sports, 2, 4000 Liège, Belgium.

Background: In the context of neck pain, neck muscle activity adapts through diverse regional coordination modifications during tasks. Although patterns of cervical flexor muscle impairment are well-documented, patterns in the cervical extensor muscles are less clear, hindering assessment and treatment. Despite studies revealing adaptations in the cervical extensor muscles, outcome measure heterogeneity complicates interpretation, particularly between superficial and deep muscles.

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Facial growth modification with a bone-anchored Herbst appliance part 2.

J Clin Orthod

October 2024

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Cliniques de l'Europe; Private Practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Brussels, Belgium.

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Pulmonary hypertension (PH) increases the mortality of preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). There are no curative therapies for this disease. Lung endothelial carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (Cpt1a), the rate-limiting enzyme of the carnitine shuttle system, is reduced in a rodent model of BPD.

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Protocol to generate a 3D atherogenesis-on-chip model for studying endothelial-macrophage crosstalk in atherogenesis.

STAR Protoc

January 2025

Department of Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Atherosclerosis & Ischemic Syndromes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address:

The endothelium is the gatekeeper of vessel health, and its dysfunction is pivotal in driving atherogenesis. Here, we present a protocol to replicate endothelial-macrophage crosstalk during atherogenesis, called the "atherogenesis-on-chip" model, based on the Emulate dual-channel perfusion system. We describe a model for studying endothelial-macrophage interactions during atherogenesis in human aortic endothelial cells and human macrophages using qPCR and secretome analysis, fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry.

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miR-449a/miR-340 reprogram cell identity and metabolism in fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma.

Cell Rep

January 2025

Translational Cardiomyology Laboratory, Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Histology and Medical Embryology Unit, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma, arises in skeletal muscle and remains in an undifferentiated state due to transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators. Among its subtypes, fusion-negative RMS (FN-RMS) accounts for the majority of diagnoses in the pediatric population. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that modulate cell identity via post-transcriptional regulation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs).

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Background: Wild game meat has over the years gained popularity across the globe as it is considered a food source with high protein content, low fat content, and a balanced composition of fatty acids and minerals, which are requirements for a healthy diet. Despite this popularity, there is a concern over its safety as many species of wildlife are reservoirs of zoonotic diseases including those of bacterial origin, more so antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Methods: This study aimed to describe the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in mammalian wild game, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

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Dropping out of a peripartum depression mHealth study: participants' motives and suggestions for improvement.

BMC Med Res Methodol

January 2025

Department of Women's and Children's Health - Obstetric & Reproductive Health Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden.

Background: Peripartum depression is a common but potentially debilitating pregnancy complication. Mobile applications can be used to collect data throughout the pregnancy and postpartum period to improve understanding of early risk indicators.

Aim: This study aimed to improve understanding of why women drop out of a peripartum depression mHealth study, and how we can improve the app design.

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Objectives: Robust evidence highlights the crucial role of nutrition for people with cancer, and international organizations recognize it as a basic human right linked to health and food. Within this context, we aim to emphasize the critical role of nutrition care for cancer patients and to highlight the essential contributions of nurses in providing patient-centered nutrition care.

Methods: This opinion paper synthesizes evidence and perspectives from peer-reviewed articles and position papers.

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Objectives: Implementation of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT), also known as intravenous (IV) antimicrobial treatment at home, has increased in recent years. Ensuring OPAT quality is crucial to achieve positive patient outcomes. However, data on the Belgian quality of OPAT organisation is lacking.

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Mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase deficiency.

Mol Genet Metab

January 2025

Clinical Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address:

Mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2) deficiency is a rare, potentially life-threatening autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the HMGCS2 gene, leading to impaired ketogenesis. We systematically reviewed the clinical presentations, biochemical and genetic abnormalities in 93 reported cases and 2 new patients diagnosed based on biochemical findings. Reported onset ages ranged from 3 months to 6 years, mostly before the age of 3.

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Background: Aarskog-Scott syndrome (AAS) is a rare condition with multiple congenital anomalies, caused by hemizygote variants in the gene. Its description was based mostly on old case reports, in whom a molecular diagnosis was not always available, or on small series. The aim of this study was to better delineate the phenotype and the natural history of AAS and to provide clues for the diagnosis and the management of the patients.

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Background: Efanesoctocog is a B-domain-deleted, Fc-fusion FVIII linked to the D'D3 domain of VWF and two XTEN polypeptides, designed for an ultra-extended half-life for prophylaxis in hemophilia A, but also aiding in managing acute bleeding or surgery in patients on long-term emicizumab. However, no current laboratory method accurately measures FVIII levels in the presence of emicizumab. We hypothesized that the chromogenic (CSA) FVIII assay, specifically calibrated for efanesoctocog using bovine coagulation factors, could provide an accurate assessment of efanesoctocog activity.

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Dopaminergic system gains importance in homeostatic sleep regulation, but the role of different dopamine receptors is not well-defined. 72 h rat electrocorticogram and sleep recordings were made after single application of dopaminergic drugs in clinical use or at least underwent clinical trials. The non-selective agonist apomorphine evoked short pharmacological sleep deprivation with intense wakefulness followed by pronounced sleep rebound.

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Objectives: Explore the presence, or absence, of virulence genes and the phylogeny of a multi-decade UK collection of clinical and reference Fusobacterium necrophorum isolates.

Methods: Three hundred and eighty-five F. necrophorum strains (1982-2019) were recovered from storage (-80°C).

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Objectives: To assess the association of early and late postpartum maternal mental health with infants' health related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: The study was embedded within the POST-UP trial (n = 1843). Infants' HRQoL was assessed with the Infant and Toddler Quality of Life Questionnaire Short Form-47 at ages 1 month (1 m), and 12 m.

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Aim: Cemiplimab has demonstrated significantly longer survival than physician's choice of chemotherapy in patients with recurrent cervical cancer after first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy. We report the final survival analysis from the phase III randomized study (EMPOWER-Cervical 1/GOG-3016/ENGOT-cx9).

Methods: Cemiplimab (n = 304) or chemotherapy (n = 304) were administered every 3 weeks.

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Tetrabromobisphenol A, but not bisphenol A, disrupts plasma membrane homeostasis in myeloid cell models - A novel threat from an established persistent organic pollutant.

Sci Total Environ

January 2025

Department of Oncobiology and Epigenetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Medical Biology PAS, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) and Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) on the dynamics of biological membranes, focusing on how these persistent organic pollutants impact myeloid cell lines.
  • It was found that TBBPA specifically disrupts the plasma membrane's biophysical homeostasis, increasing mobility and decreasing order, while BPA showed no significant effects.
  • The findings highlight TBBPA's potential to impair immune function, emphasizing the environmental toxicity concerns associated with persistent organic pollutants.
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