Parallelized Droplet Vitrification for Single-Run Vitrification of Hepatocytes from an Entire Rat Liver.

Drug discovery pipelines rely on the availability of isolated primary hepatocytes for investigating potential hepatotoxicity prior to clinical application. These hepatocytes are isolated from livers rejected for transplantation and subsequently cryopreserved for later usage. The gold standard cryopreservation technique, slow-freezing, is a labor-intensive process with significant poststorage viability loss.

Metabolic pathways to sustainability: review of purple non-sulfur bacteria potential in agri-food waste valorization.

Agri-food waste (AFW) represents a significant fraction of the material generated by the agri-food industry, which itself accounts for almost one-third of the annual global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Considering the growing global population and the consequent rise in food demand, the management and valorization of this waste are essential to ensure the sustainability of the entire food chain for future generations. Recycling agri-food waste offers a promising strategy to mitigate the sector's environmental impact, particularly when the waste consists of food-grade materials that enhance its intrinsic value.

Modeling thoracic aortic genetic variants in the zebrafish: useful for predicting clinical pathogenicity?

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) significantly impact cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A large subset of TAAD cases, particularly those with an earlier onset, is linked to heritable genetic defects. Despite progress in characterizing genes associated with both syndromic and non-syndromic heritable TAAD, the causative gene remains unknown in most cases.

What role for real-world evidence in market access of biosimilars?

Experience with the use of biosimilars in real-life practice provides an excellent opportunity to collect real-world evidence aimed at addressing residual uncertainties about biosimilars. Hence, this aims to explore the role of real-world evidence on biosimilars by showcasing how real-world evidence studies have contributed to addressing key questions affecting biosimilar market access. We find that the comparable efficacy and safety of a biosimilar and the reference product is corroborated by real-world evidence.

Severe Amiodarone-Induced Thyrotoxicosis in 2 Patients Who Required Plasmapheresis Before Thyroidectomy.

Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic medication known for its complex interplay with thyroid physiology. Its prolonged half-life can result in persistent effects on thyroid function even after discontinuation. Amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) is a serious and challenging complication due to these lasting effects.

Nephrometry Scores Based on Three-dimensional Virtual Models Improve the Accuracy of Predicting Postoperative Complications After Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: Results from a Collaborative ERUS Validation Study.

Background And Objective: The aim of our study was to compare assessment of PADUA and RENAL nephrometry scores and risk/complexity categories via two-dimensional (2D) imaging and three-dimensional virtual models (3DVM) in a large multi-institutional cohort of renal masses suitable for robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN), and evaluate the predictive role of these imaging approaches for postoperative complications.

Methods: Patients were prospectively enrolled from six international high-volume robotic centers, calculating PADUA and RENAL-nephrometry scores and their relative categories with 2D-imaging and 3DVMs. The concordance of nephrometry scores and categories between the two approaches was evaluated using χ tests and Cohen's κ coefficient.

Prevalence and Determinants of Elevated High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Concentrations in Belgian Children and Adolescents With Overweight or Obesity.

Background: Low-grade inflammation, indicated by elevated serum high-sensitivity CRP (hS-CRP), is commonly observed in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity. This study evaluated serum hS-CRP in relation to body fat parameters, lifestyle characteristics, and potential biological determinants (leptin, HDL cholesterol, and 25-OH vitamin D) in a Belgian population.

Methods: Anthropometric measurements, biochemical results, and lifestyle questionnaires were analyzed from 267 children and adolescents with overweight or obesity.

Neural tracking of natural speech: an effective marker for post-stroke aphasia.

After a stroke, approximately one-third of patients suffer from aphasia, a language disorder that impairs communication ability. Behavioural tests are the current standard to detect aphasia, but they are time-consuming, have limited ecological validity and require active patient cooperation. To address these limitations, we tested the potential of EEG-based neural envelope tracking of natural speech.

Prevalence and associated factors of recent HIV-1 infection among newly identified HIV-positive individuals tested with the Asante Rapid Recency assay in Harari region, Eastern Ethiopia.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system. Globally, more than 79.3 million people have been infected with it, and about 36.

Embodiment and simulated interaction in online stance expression.

The expression and exchange of stance drives much social media discourse, including internet memes. We demonstrate how, even in the absence of actual face-to-face communication, online discourse and memes rely on the dynamics of embodiment and dialogue in comparable ways, while also developing specific constructional forms for this with no direct face-to-face equivalent. We introduce the notion of simulated interaction to refer to the combinations of embodied expression, images, and the structures of (apparent) quotation and dialogue allowing online communicators to vividly represent experience and signal stance.

Quantitative Ethnobotany of Multiple-Use Species and Management of the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve (YBR) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces significant challenges regarding the livelihoods of local communities and biodiversity conservation. The lack of scientific information on the spatial distribution of useful woody species hinders sustainable forest resource management and is a development constraint. This study was conducted in the villages of Yaselia, Lilanda, and Bagbanye on the outskirts of the protected area and aimed to identify the most useful woody species, analyze their socio-cultural value, assess their uses based on local community involvement, and evaluate their abundance beyond village forests to contribute to reforestation and conservation policies.

Multiple Pathways of Visual Adaptations for Water Column Usage in an Antarctic Adaptive Radiation.

Evolutionary transitions in water column usage have played a major role in shaping ray-finned fish diversity. However, the extent to which vision-associated trait complexity and water column usage is coupled remains unclear. Here we investigated the relationship between depth niche, eye size, and the molecular basis of light detection across the Antarctic notothenioid adaptive radiation.

Time-Resolved Hierarchical Modeling Highlights Metabolites Influencing Productivity and Cell Death in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells.

Biopharmaceuticals are medical compounds derived from biological sources and are often manufactured by living cells, primarily Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. CHO cells display variation among cell clones, leading to growth and productivity differences that influence the product's quantity and quality. The biological and environmental factors behind these differences are not fully understood.

Gibberellic acid and light effects on seed germination in the seagrass Zostera marina.

Seagrass meadows have been heavily affected by human activities, with Zostera marina L. (Zosteraceae) being one of the most impacted species. Seed-based methods are currently the preferred approach for their restoration, yet low germination rates and poor seedling establishment remain significant challenges.

Genotype-Phenotype Correlations, Treatment, and Prognosis of Children With Early-Onset (Neonatal) Marfan Syndrome.

Early-onset Marfan syndrome (eoMFS) is a severe and rare form of Marfan syndrome characterized by severe atrioventricular valve insufficiency developing before or shortly after birth. It is unclear which factors (interventions and/or genotype) influence survival. Forty-one individuals with eoMFS with a fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1) variant in exon 24-32 (CRCh37) were included.

Caregivers and multidisciplinary team members' perspectives on shared decision making in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A qualitative study.

Background: As new therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are entering the market, shared decision making (SDM) will become increasingly important. Therefore, this study aimed to understand (1) Belgian stakeholders' knowledge and perceptions of SDM in DMD treatment decision making, (2) the current state of SDM implementation in DMD in Belgium, examining the role of all involved parties, and (3) the barriers and facilitators for SDM in DMD in the Belgian context.

Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) of individuals with DMD (n = 18) and caregivers thereof (n = 11) were conducted in Belgium.

Recommendations for management of infants and young children with achondroplasia: Does clinical practice align?

Background: Achondroplasia is one of the most prevalent forms of skeletal dysplasia. Lifelong follow-up by an experienced multidisciplinary team is required, particularly during the first 2 years. In 2021, international consensus recommendations and guiding principles were published by two groups.

Pregnancy-related issues in rare and low-prevalence diseases: results of ERN transversal working group on pregnancy and family planning survey.

Background: Rare and complex diseases can have a significant impact on family life, and managing the reproductive aspects of patients of childbearing age with rare diseases is often difficult and complex. A European Reference Network (ERN) Transversal Working Group (WG) on Pregnancy and Family Planning was created to join forces to promote and address issues on these topics in rare and low-prevalence diseases.

Objective: To outline the challenges and the good practices related to pregnancy and family planning in rare and complex diseases for healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Optimization of screening strategy for chronic kidney disease by urine test strips using the albumin-creatinine read-out.

Introduction: Clinical laboratories play an important role in the diagnosis and monitoring of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our aim was to evaluate the performance of qualitative and semi-quantitative albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) and protein-to-creatinine ratio (PCR) test strip results as screening tools for albuminuria in multiple representative patient cohorts.

Materials And Methods: ACR and PCR were evaluated in both cross-sectional (n = 940) and validation (n = 927) patient cohorts.

miR-708-5p is elevated in bipolar patients and can induce mood disorder-associated behavior in mice.

Mood disorders (MDs) are caused by an interplay of genetic and environmental (GxE) risk factors. However, molecular pathways engaged by GxE risk factors are poorly understood. Using small-RNA sequencing in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), we show that the bipolar disorder (BD)-associated microRNA miR-708-5p is upregulated in healthy human subjects with a high genetic or environmental predisposition for MDs.

Towards a universal understanding of sex ratio in termites.

Termites are eusocial cockroaches whose altruist caste is constituted of males and females. While sex ratio theory predicts a balanced investment between sexes in diploid organisms, extreme deviations are observed in termites, both in altruists and alate reproductives. Here, we expand the theoretical framework for the prediction of alate population sex ratio by considering partitioned sexual and parthenogenetic reproduction, and female/male relatedness asymmetries arising from their sex-linked chromosome complexes.

A nationwide comprehensive genomic profiling and molecular tumor board platform for patients with advanced cancer.

The Belgian Approach for Local Laboratory Extensive Tumor Testing (BALLETT) study assessed the feasibility of using comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in clinical decision-making for patients with advanced cancers. This multi-center study enrolled 872 patients from 12 Belgian hospitals. CGP was performed on tumor tissues using a standardized CGP panel (523 genes) across nine laboratories with success in 93% of patients and a median turnaround time of 29 days.