In accordance with its mission to support high level research in Belgium, the University Foundation provides financial support towards the publication in high level international journals of scientific papers which report on research in Belgian research groups. Financial support may be granted to partially cover the costs due by the author for illustrations, for page charges and for article processing fees, and for linguuistic control.
Because the possible support is restricted to Belgian research groups, the regulations and application procedures are only available in French and in Dutch.
What follows is a list of articles to which a subsidy was awarded by the University Foundation. The titles are ordered by year of publication and by title.
Van Nerom, S. et al (2024) Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing of microalga Chlorella vulgaris and its digestibility in broiler feed. Poultry Science 103:103721 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2024.103721.
Microalgae have potentially beneficial effects on animal health and nutritional value when added to feed. Crucial hereby is that intracellular bio-active molecules are released in the intestinal tract. Digestibility of Chlorella vulgaris and its impact on total digestibility of broiler feed is a first step in assessing its characteristics as feed supplement. Different methods could be used to increase the digestibility of the algae.
De Hondt et al. (2024) Quantification of ADHD medication in biological fluids of pregnant and breastfeeding women with liquid chromatography: a comprehensive review. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1437328.
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has long been considered a concern only in the pediatric population. However, symptoms often sustain into adulthood and may require medication. For women with ADHD, this also means dealing with the disorder during the reproductive period. Medication safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding is a critical concern, and the potential transfer of ADHD medication to infants remains a topic of scientific interest.
van den Oever, A. et al. (2024) Revisiting the challenges of ozone depletion in life cycle assessment. Cleaner Environmental Systems. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100196.
Recent works have highlighted the interconnected impacts of stratospheric ozone depletion, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and climate change on various sectors, including water quality, agriculture, human health, and biodiversity. Increased UV-B exposure has diverse environmental impacts, including potential benefits like enhanced plant resistance and reduced vitamin D deficiency. However, the quantification of these effects remains incomplete. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) serves to quantify the environmental impacts of product systems.
Bert, K. et al. (2024) The viscosity-enhancing effect of carob bean gum and sodium carboxymethylcellulose when added to infant formula. Food Science and Nutrition 2024-00.1-10, DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3947.
Despite limited supporting evidence, the practice of thickening breast milk or infant formula with commercially available thickening agents is prevalent. This study explored the viscosity-enhancing impact of carob bean gum (CBG) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) when added to infant formula at various concentrations and for different thickening durations.
Baert, K. et al. (2024) The viscosity-enhancing effect of carob bean gum and sodium carboxymethylcellulose when added to infant formula. Food Science and Nutrition. 2024;00:1–10.
Despite limited supporting evidence, the practice of thickening breast milk or infant formula with commercially available thickening agents is prevalent. This study explored the viscosity-enhancing impact of carob bean gum (CBG) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) when added to infant formula at various concentrations and for different thickening durations. The findings indicate that thickening leads to an exponential increase in milk viscosity, from 25% of the recommended dosage onward.
Imeraj L. & Gadeyne S. (2024) Trapped in Place? Ethnic and Educational Heterogeneity in Residential Mobility and Integration of Young Adults in Brussels. European Journal of Population 40:5 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-023-09690-3.
Spatial assimilation theory asserts that immigrants’ socioeconomic progress leads to residential adaptation and integration. This association has proven robust in USA and European urban areas through much of the twentieth century, but drastic change of ethnic and class compositions yet persistent (neighbourhood) inequality in the urban landscape urge us to reconsider the dynamic interaction between stability and change.
Perrot, A., Hespeels B., Van Doninck K. & Heuskin A. (2023) Adineta vaga under fire: simulating the impact of radiation Hydrobiologia. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-023-05324-1
Previous studies have demonstrated the remarkable resistance of bdelloid rotifers to ionizing radiation, making them an interesting model system for studying radiation effects on living organisms. In this study, we use simulations, instead of direct experimental exposures, to examine whether all bdelloids are affected equally by radiation exposure and to explore the relationship between biological data and energy deposition patterns induced by low and high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation.
Claeys A, Merseburger P, Staut J, Marchal K & Van den Eynden J, Benchmark of tools for in silico prediction of MHC class I and class II genotypes from NGS data BMC Genomics (doi.org/10.1186/s12864-023-09351-z )
Background The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes are a group of highly polymorphic genes that are located in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region on chromosome 6. The HLA genotype affects the presentability of tumour antigens to the immune system. While knowledge of these genotypes is of utmost importance to study differences in immune responses between cancer patients, gold standard, PCR-derived genotypes are rarely available in large Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) datasets.
Asante, F. et al.(2023) Does mangrove vegetation structure reflect human utilization of ecosystem goods and services? iScience, vol. 26, 106858.
Many coastal communities in developing countries depend on mangrove ecosystem services (ES). A combination of anthropogenic and environmental stresses threatens mangroves globally. This study at the Ankobra catchment communities in Ghana focused on the relation between ES utilization and mangrove forest structure. Through vegetation survey, we observed significant effects of selective logging, branch cutting, density of Acrostichum aureum, and water stress on tree stocking and sapling densities.
Mortier, F. et al. (2023) Effect of laboratory and sample storage factors on urinary protein: creatinine ratios and clinical decision making in cats. Journal of Internal Veterinary Medicine Vol.37, pp. 1038-1046.
Background
Urinary protein:creatinine ratio (UPC) results affect the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of chronic kidney disease in cats.
Objectives
To investigate the interlaboratory and intralaboratory variability and the effect of storage on UPC and International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) proteinuria substaging in cats.
Animals
Healthy and diseased client-owned cats.
De Keersmaecker E. (2023) Effects of semi-immersive virtual reality and manipulation of optic flow speed on gait biomechanics in people post-stroke.Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 55:jmm12384.
This study investigated the effect of virtual reality and manipulation of the speed of the virtual environment while walking on a treadmill, both in people post-stroke and healthy people. Sixteen people post-stroke and 16 healthy controls walked on a self-paced treadmill.
Bertels, N., Seelen H., Dembele J. & Spooren A. (2023) Essential training variables of arm-hand training in people with cervical spinal. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. 55: jrm7147.
Objective: To identify and evaluate 3 training variables of motor training programmes involving people with a cervical spinal cord injury: i.e. motor training strategies, therapy dosage, and persons’ motivation for arm-hand functioning in subacute and chronic phases.
Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, EMBASE, and DARE databases were searched for active arm-hand motor training programmes. Two independent reviewers assessed methodological quality. Pre-post effect
Wechs J,, Branciard C. & Oreshkov, O. (2023) Existence of processes violating causal inequalities on time-delocalised subsystems. Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36893-3.
Van Acker, I.; Dewaele, A.; Elaut, E.& Baetens, K. (2023) Exploring Care Needs of Partners of Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals in Co-Transition: A Qualitative Interview Study. Healthcare, 11, 1535. https://doi.org/10.3390/ healthcare11111535
Abstract: Scientific knowledge on the impact of a gender-affirming transition on intimate partners of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals is limited. It is unclear which care needs partners have and which role health care professionals can play during this transition process. The aim of this study was to explore the unique experiences and care needs of people partnering with TGD people in the context of a gender-affirming transition.
Vanhuysse, S. et al. (2023) Fine-scale mapping of urban malaria exposure under data scarcity: an approach centred on vector ecology, Malaria Journal vol. 22, art. number 113.
Background Although malaria transmission has experienced an overall decline in sub-Saharan Africa, urban malaria is now considered an emerging health issue due to rapid and uncontrolled urbanization and the adaptation of vectors to urban environments. Fine-scale hazard and exposure maps are required to support evidence-based policies and targeted interventions, but data-driven predictive spatial modelling is hindered by gaps in epidemiological and entomological data.