406 results match your criteria: "Vrije Universiteit Brussels[Affiliation]"

Impact of Five Weeks of Strengthening Under Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) or Supplemental Oxygen Breathing (Normobaric Hyperoxia) on the Medial Gastrocnemius.

J Funct Morphol Kinesiol

December 2024

Environmental, Occupational, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), 1160 Brussels, Belgium.

This study investigates the effects of a five-week training program on the medial gastrocnemius muscle, comparing two approaches: blood flow restriction (BFR) training and normobaric hyperoxia (oxygen supplementation). It evaluates three strengthening modalities (dynamic, isometric, and the 3/7 method) analyzing their impact on maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), muscle architecture, and perceived exertion. A total of 36 young healthy participants (21 females, 15 males) were randomized into six subgroups (n = 6 each) based on the type of contraction and oxygen condition.

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This study investigated the effects of music therapy (MT), a nonpharmacological therapy, on cognitive, behavioral, and physiological outcomes in older adults with mild-to-moderate cognitive decline residing in care home settings. A randomized controlled trial design was employed, with 42 care home residents (Mage = 86.25 years) randomly assigned to either a one-to-one 16-week MT intervention or an active control group receiving storytelling.

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Supervised machine learning (ML) is used extensively in biology and deserves closer scrutiny. The Data Optimization Model Evaluation (DOME) recommendations aim to enhance the validation and reproducibility of ML research by establishing standards for key aspects such as data handling and processing, optimization, evaluation, and model interpretability. The recommendations help to ensure that key details are reported transparently by providing a structured set of questions.

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Description of mitochondrial genomes and phylogenetic analysis of Megophthalminae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae).

J Insect Sci

November 2024

Department of Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, The Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management Mountainous Region, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.

Article Synopsis
  • The study sequenced and analyzed the mitogenomes of 12 leafhopper species from the subfamily Megophthalminae to understand their phylogenetic relationships.
  • The mitogenomes were found to contain 37 genes with a size range of 15,193 to 15,986 base pairs, exhibiting similar structures and a higher AT content compared to GC.
  • Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that Megophthalminae species form a monophyletic group within the Cicadellidae, emphasizing the influence of natural selection on codon usage bias in their mitochondrial genes.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how human subjects react to elevated pressures of helium and nitrogen, focusing on inflammatory and oxidative stress responses.
  • Both gases activated neutrophils and led to slight increases in inflammatory markers and urinary IL-6, alongside a decrease in plasma gelsolin, indicating an inflammatory response.
  • The results suggest that typical diving gas exposure can trigger inflammation, which might contribute to decompression sickness, while the mixed oxidative stress responses imply complex interactions within the body's systems.
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The Ouislane sub-watershed is currently experiencing severe water shortages and is highly dependent on its water supply. The sub-watershed spans two communes: Meknes to the north and El Hajeb to the south. It serves as the primary water source for irrigation and drinking purposes for the local population.

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Background: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a language-based dementia, causing progressive decline of language functions. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can augment effects of speech-and language therapy (SLT). However, this has not been investigated in bilingual patients with PPA.

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Objective: We aimed to evaluate the longer-term safety and efficacy of hybrid closed-loop (CL) therapy in very young children with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Research Design And Methods: Following a 16-week multinational, randomized crossover trial comparing hybrid CL with sensor-augmented pump (SAP) therapy in 74 very young children aged 1-7 years with T1D, participants were invited to an extension phase using CL for a further 18 months. Outcomes were compared with the primary-phase SAP period and primary-phase CL period.

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Higher proportion of prematurely born adults in elite breath-hold divers.

Undersea Hyperb Med

September 2024

Association Internationnale pour le Développement de l'Apnée, AIDA International, Rue de l'Athénée 4, C/O Mentha Avocats, CH-1211 Genève 12, Switzerland.

Introduction: Preterm birth may significantly impair the functional and anatomical development of the respiratory system and could be a background for various life-long medical sequelae. Prematurity has been recently connected to changes in hypercapnic reactions at adult age. Altered reactions to pCO in premature-born subjects may impact breath-hold underwater exercises (freediving) results.

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Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Hybrid Wollastonite-Metakaolin-Based Geopolymers.

Materials (Basel)

September 2024

Department of Physics, College of Science and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia.

Over the past few decades, researchers have focused on developing new production methods for geopolymers to improve their properties for use in multiple applications as a functional material. This study introduces a new geopolymer system based on wollastonite and metakaolin as precursors. The role of wollastonite was also explored alongside metakaolin in geopolymers.

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Task-Specific Perceived Harmfulness Predicts Protective Movement Behaviour in Chronic Low Back Pain.

J Clin Med

August 2024

Pain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.

There is emerging evidence that task-specific pain-related psychological measures may better predict movement behaviour in chronic low back pain (CLBP) than general pain-related psychological measures. Currently, little is known regarding the prediction of movement duration and movement velocity. : Baseline data from a previously published randomized controlled trial were used (clinicaltrials.

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Article Synopsis
  • Macropsini is a global tribe within the Cicadellidae family, facing taxonomic instability and controversial classifications among its genera.
  • The study aims to analyze the mitogenomes of 26 Macropsini species to clarify their evolutionary patterns and address systematic issues in five genera.
  • Findings showed a high prevalence of A and T nucleotides in mitochondrial genes and provided insights into codon usage patterns and phylogenetic relationships within the tribe, which could aid future research on adaptive evolution and subfamily phylogeny.
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Aims: The diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains challenging based on resting assessments. Exercise echocardiography is often used to unmask abnormalities that develop during exercise, but the diagnostic criteria have not been standardized. This study aimed to elucidate how cardiologists utilize exercise echocardiography to diagnose HFpEF in real-world practice.

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We piloted the delivery of a prototype couples-focused intervention, 'Diabetes Together' with 14 people living with diabetes (PLWD) and their partners, in Cape Town, South Africa in 2022. We aimed to: assess feasibility of recruiting couples in this setting; explore acceptability of intervention materials and changes needed; and investigate whether our prespecified logic model captured how the intervention may work. We used questionnaires, interviews and focus groups after each workshop and after couples completed counselling.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Pain Management for Nonspecific Chronic Spinal Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA Netw Open

August 2024

Pain in Motion Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.

Article Synopsis
  • Insomnia is common in patients with chronic spinal pain, and addressing it could enhance treatment results.
  • A clinical trial compared the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) combined with best-evidence pain management (BEPM) against BEPM alone in patients with both insomnia and spinal pain.
  • The trial involved 123 participants, and results showed that those receiving CBTi-BEPM experienced a significant reduction in pain intensity over 12 months compared to those who received BEPM only.
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Good-enough Care? How Patients' Perceptions of Counselors' Professional Skills Relate to Everyday Life in Forensic Long-stay Units.

J Psychiatr Pract

July 2024

Ghent University, Faculty of Psychological and Educational Sciences, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Belgium.

Article Synopsis
  • The study aims to improve the quality of life (QoL) and adaptation of long-term forensic patients by examining the impact of the therapeutic relationship with counselors.
  • It focuses on how patients perceive their therapist's professional skills and its correlation with their own behaviors and QoL in the ward.
  • Results showed that patients who viewed their counselors as having adequate skills reported less maladaptive behavior and better QoL, highlighting the importance of counselors’ predictability in achieving positive outcomes.
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Assessment of risk factors for postoperative complications of breast reduction by superior or superomedial pedicle.

Ann Chir Plast Esthet

September 2024

Departement of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Brugmann Center University Hospital, Place Van Gehuchten 4, 1020 Brussels, Belgium.

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates risk factors associated with complications after breast reduction surgery, focusing on the impact of different surgical techniques (superior vs. superomedial pedicle).
  • An analysis of 216 patients from 2020 to 2023 showed a complication rate of 24.07%, with wound dehiscence being the most common issue.
  • Findings suggest that factors like higher Body Mass Index, use of the superomedial pedicle, and greater resection weight increase complication risks, highlighting the importance of choosing the right technique and addressing modifiable risks to minimize issues.
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Next-generation radio experiments such as the radio detector of the upgraded Pierre Auger Observatory and the planned GRAND and BEACON arrays target the detection of ultra-high-energy particle air showers arriving at low elevation angles. These inclined cosmic-ray air showers develop higher in the atmosphere than vertical ones, enhancing magnetic deflections of electrons and positrons inside the cascade. We evidence two novel features in their radio emission: a new polarization pattern, consistent with a geosynchrotron emission model and a coherence loss of the radio emission, both for showers with zenith angle θ≳65° and strong enough magnetic field amplitude (typical strength of B∼50  μT).

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Urban and transportation policies are increasingly recognized for their potential to mitigate climate change impacts and address transport externalities. Amidst efforts to shift modal preferences and reduce transport emissions, cities are turning to spatialbased policies, such as Superblocks, to reshape urban mobility. This research examines the electoral outcomes associated with the implementation of Superblocks in Barcelona, focusing on their impact on political support for Barcelona en Comú (BEC) during the local elections of 2015 and 2023.

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Phosphorylations are the most common and extensively studied post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins in eukaryotes. They constitute a major regulatory mechanism, modulating protein function, protein-protein interactions, as well as subcellular localization. Phosphorylation sites are preferably located in intrinsically disordered regions and have been shown to trigger structural rearrangements and order-to-disorder transitions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The European Space Agency (ESA) regularly updates its science plans by talking to scientists about what they need to know.
  • The SSCWP 9 document focuses on "Biology in Space" and discusses important questions that scientists want to answer about how living things adapt to space.
  • One big question is how different organisms change at the molecular level when they are in microgravity, which could help both space missions and new technologies on Earth.
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Objective: Since 2013, Flanders has introduced a screening programme for colorectal cancer for all citizens aged between 50 and 74 years. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-utility of an expansion of the colorectal cancer screening policy in Flanders (Belgium) and to place these findings in the international context.

Methods: Cost-utility analysis using high-detail data about screening participation, screening results, and epidemiological data, a Markov cohort model has been constructed to study long-term costs and effects.

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The Association of Plasma Leptin, Soluble Leptin Receptor and Total and High-Molecular Weight Adiponectin With the Risk of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders.

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry

September 2024

Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Max Delbrueck Center, Berlin, Germany; Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universitaet Berlin, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany; MDC/BIH Biobank, Max Delbrueck Center, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.

Background: Perioperative neurocognitive disorders (NCD) are poorly characterized in terms of their risk factor profiles. Leptin and adiponectin are adipose-tissue-derived hormones with a role in inflammation and atherosclerosis whose function in perioperative NCD is unclear. Here, we used a cohort of older adults to examine the association of preoperative plasma concentrations of these biomarkers with the risk of perioperative NCD.

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