| 1. |
- Andersen, M. R., et al.
(author)
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Comparative genomics of citric-acid-producing Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015 versus enzyme-producing CBS 513.88
- 2011
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In: Genome Research. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. - 1088-9051 .- 1549-5469. ; 21:6, s. 885-897
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger exhibits great diversity in its phenotype. It is found globally, both as marine and terrestrial strains, produces both organic acids and hydrolytic enzymes in high amounts, and some isolates exhibit pathogenicity. Although the genome of an industrial enzyme-producing A. niger strain (CBS 513.88) has already been sequenced, the versatility and diversity of this species compel additional exploration. We therefore undertook wholegenome sequencing of the acidogenic A. niger wild-type strain (ATCC 1015) and produced a genome sequence of very high quality. Only 15 gaps are present in the sequence, and half the telomeric regions have been elucidated. Moreover, sequence information from ATCC 1015 was used to improve the genome sequence of CBS 513.88. Chromosome-level comparisons uncovered several genome rearrangements, deletions, a clear case of strain-specific horizontal gene transfer, and identification of 0.8 Mb of novel sequence. Single nucleotide polymorphisms per kilobase (SNPs/kb) between the two strains were found to be exceptionally high (average: 7.8, maximum: 160 SNPs/kb). High variation within the species was confirmed with exo-metabolite profiling and phylogenetics. Detailed lists of alleles were generated, and genotypic differences were observed to accumulate in metabolic pathways essential to acid production and protein synthesis. A transcriptome analysis supported up-regulation of genes associated with biosynthesis of amino acids that are abundant in glucoamylase A, tRNA-synthases, and protein transporters in the protein producing CBS 513.88 strain. Our results and data sets from this integrative systems biology analysis resulted in a snapshot of fungal evolution and will support further optimization of cell factories based on filamentous fungi
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| 2. |
- Baldewpersad Tewarie, N., et al.
(author)
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An overview of Clinical Quality Registries (CQRs) on gynecological oncology worldwide
- 2022
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In: European Journal of Surgical Oncology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0748-7983. ; 48:10, s. 2094-2103
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Clinical Quality Registries (CQRs) were initiated in order to compare clinical outcomes between hospitals or regions within a country. To get an overview of these CQRs worldwide the aim of this study was to identify these CQRs for gynecological oncology and to summarize their characteristics, processes and QI's and to establish whether it is feasible to make an international comparison in the future. Methods: To identify CQRs in gynecological oncology a literature search in Pubmed was performed. All papers describing the use of a CQR were included. Administrative, epidemiological and cancer registries were excluded as these registries do not primarily serve to measure quality of care through QI's. The taskforce or contact person of the included CQR were asked to participate and share information on registered items, processes and indicators. Results: Five nations agreed to collaborate: Australia, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden. Denmark, Netherlands and Sweden established a nationwide registry, collecting data on multiple tumor types, and various QI's. Australia and Italy included patients with ovarian cancer only. All nations had a different process to report feedback results to participating hospitals. Conclusion: CQRs serve the same purpose to improve quality of care but vary on different aspects. Although similarities are observed in the topics measured by the QI's, an international comparison was not feasible as numerators or denominators differ between registries. In order to compare on an international level it would be useful to harmonize these registries and to set an international standard to measure the quality of care with similar indicators.
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| 3. |
- Glauser, A. M., et al.
(author)
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Characterizing exoplanets in the visible and infrared: A spectrometer concept for the EChO space mission
- 2013
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In: Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation. - 2251-1725 .- 2251-1717. ; 2:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Transit-spectroscopy of exoplanets is one of the key observational techniques used to characterize extrasolar planets and their atmospheres. The observational challenges of these measurements require dedicated instrumentation and only the space environment allows undisturbed access to earth-like atmospheric features such as water or carbon dioxide. Therefore, several exoplanet-specific space missions are currently being studied. One of them is EChO, the Exoplanet Characterization Observatory, which is part of ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program, and which is one of four candidates for the M3 launch slot in 2024. In this paper we present the results of our assessment study of the EChO spectrometer, the only science instrument onboard this spacecraft. The instrument is a multi-channel all-reflective dispersive spectrometer, covering the wavelength range from 400 nm to 16μm simultaneously with a moderately low spectral resolution. We illustrate how the key technical challenge of the EChO mission - the high photometric stability - influences the choice of spectrometer concept and fundamentally drives the instrument design. First performance evaluations underline the suitability of the elaborated design solution for the needs of the EChO mission.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Nooijen, Carla F., et al.
(author)
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A behavioural intervention increases physical activity in people with subacute spinal cord injury : a randomised trial
- 2016
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In: Journal of Physiotherapy. - : Elsevier BV. - 1836-9553 .- 1836-9561. ; 62:1, s. 35-41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- QUESTIONS: For people with subacute spinal cord injury, does rehabilitation that is reinforced with the addition of a behavioural intervention to promote physical activity lead to a more active lifestyle than rehabilitation alone? DESIGN: Randomised, controlled trial with concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis, and blinded assessors. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five adults with subacute spinal cord injury who were undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and were dependent on a manual wheelchair. The spinal cord injuries were characterised as: tetraplegia 33%; motor complete 62%; mean time since injury 150 days (SD 74). INTERVENTION: All participants received regular rehabilitation, including handcycle training. Only the experimental group received a behavioural intervention promoting an active lifestyle after discharge. This intervention involved 13 individual sessions delivered by a coach who was trained in motivational interviewing; it began 2 months before and ended 6 months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was physical activity, which was objectively measured with an accelerometer-based activity monitor 2 months before discharge, at discharge, and 6 and 12 months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. The accelerometry data were analysed as total wheeled physical activity, sedentary time and motility. Self-reported physical activity was a secondary outcome. RESULTS: The behavioural intervention significantly increased wheeled physical activity (overall between-group difference from generalised estimating equation 21minutes per day, 95% CI 8 to 35). This difference was evident 6 months after discharge (28minutes per day, 95% CI 8 to 48) and maintained at 12 months after discharge (25minutes per day, 95% CI 1 to 50). No significant intervention effect was found for sedentary time or motility. Self-reported physical activity also significantly improved. CONCLUSION: The behavioural intervention was effective in eliciting a behavioural change toward a more active lifestyle among people with subacute spinal cord injury. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NTR2424.
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| 6. |
- Nooijen, Carla F., et al.
(author)
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Feasibility of Handcycle Training During Inpatient Rehabilitation in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury
- 2015
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In: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-9993 .- 1532-821X. ; 96:9, s. 1654-7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of a handcycle training program during inpatient rehabilitation and the changes in physical capacity in persons with subacute spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Before-after trial. SETTING: Rehabilitation centers. PARTICIPANTS: Persons with subacute SCI in regular rehabilitation (N=45). INTERVENTIONS: A structured handcycle interval training program during the last 8 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation. Training was scheduled 3 times per week (24 sessions total), with an intended frequency of >/=2 times per week. Intended intensity was a Borg score of 4 to 7 on a 10-point scale. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility was assessed, and participant satisfaction was evaluated (n=30). A maximal handcycling test was performed 8 weeks prior to discharge and at discharge to determine peak power output and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) (n=23). RESULTS: Of the participants, 91% completed the handcycle training, and no adverse events were reported. Mean training frequency was 1.8+/-0.5 times per week, and mean Borg score was 6.2+/-1.4. Persons with complete lesions demonstrated lower training feasibility. Most participants were satisfied with the handcycle training. Peak power output and VO2peak improved significantly after the training period (P<.01) by 36.4% and 9.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, handcycle training during inpatient rehabilitation in persons with SCI was feasible except for the training frequency. Persons with complete lesions likely need extra attention to benefit optimally from handcycling training. Because the improvements in physical capacity were larger than those known to occur in persons with paraplegia receiving regular rehabilitation, the results suggest that the addition of handcycle training may result in larger increases in physical capacity compared with regular rehabilitation only.
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| 7. |
- Tinetti, Giovanna, et al.
(author)
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The science of EChO
- 2010
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In: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. - 1743-9213 .- 1743-9221. ; 6:S276, s. 359-370
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The science of extra-solar planets is one of the most rapidly changing areas of astrophysics and since 1995 the number of planets known has increased by almost two orders of magnitude. A combination of ground-based surveys and dedicated space missions has resulted in 560-plus planets being detected, and over 1200 that await confirmation. NASA's Kepler mission has opened up the possibility of discovering Earth-like planets in the habitable zone around some of the 100,000 stars it is surveying during its 3 to 4-year lifetime. The new ESA's Gaia mission is expected to discover thousands of new planets around stars within 200 parsecs of the Sun. The key challenge now is moving on from discovery, important though that remains, to characterisation: what are these planets actually like, and why are they as they are In the past ten years, we have learned how to obtain the first spectra of exoplanets using transit transmission and emission spectroscopy. With the high stability of Spitzer, Hubble, and large ground-based telescopes the spectra of bright close-in massive planets can be obtained and species like water vapour, methane, carbon monoxide and dioxide have been detected. With transit science came the first tangible remote sensing of these planetary bodies and so one can start to extrapolate from what has been learnt from Solar System probes to what one might plan to learn about their faraway siblings. As we learn more about the atmospheres, surfaces and near-surfaces of these remote bodies, we will begin to build up a clearer picture of their construction, history and suitability for life. The Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory, EChO, will be the first dedicated mission to investigate the physics and chemistry of Exoplanetary Atmospheres. By characterising spectroscopically more bodies in different environments we will take detailed planetology out of the Solar System and into the Galaxy as a whole. EChO has now been selected by the European Space Agency to be assessed as one of four M3 mission candidates. © International Astronomical Union 2011.
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| 8. |
- van den Berg-Emons, R. J., et al.
(author)
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Fatigue after liver transplantation : effects of a rehabilitation program including exercise training and physical activity counseling
- 2014
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In: Physical Therapy. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0031-9023 .- 1538-6724. ; 94:6, s. 857-65
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: It is hypothesized that increasing physical fitness and daily physical activity can lead to a reduction in fatigue. However, standard medical care following liver transplantation seldom includes rehabilitation that focuses on physical fitness and physical activity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore whether a rehabilitation program can reduce fatigue in recipients of liver transplants. Furthermore, effects on physical fitness, physical activity, and cardiovascular risk were studied, and adherence, satisfaction, and adverse events were assessed. DESIGN: This was an uncontrolled intervention study. SETTING: The study took place in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic. PATIENTS: Eighteen recipients of a liver transplant who were fatigued participated in a 12-week rehabilitation program including physical exercise training and counseling on physical activity. The primary outcome measure was fatigue. Other outcome measures were: aerobic capacity, muscle strength, body fat, daily physical activity, lipid profile, and glycemic control. All measurements were performed before and after the rehabilitation program. Adherence, satisfaction, and adverse events were registered. RESULTS: After the program, participants were significantly less fatigued, and the percentage of individuals with severe fatigue was 22% to 53% lower than before the program. In addition, aerobic capacity and knee flexion strength were significantly higher, and body fat was significantly lower after the program. Participants were able to perform physical exercise at the target training intensity, no adverse events were registered, and attendance (93%) and mean patient satisfaction (8.5 out of 10, range=7-10) were high. LIMITATIONS: No control group was used in the study. CONCLUSIONS: A rehabilitation program consisting of exercise training and physical activity counseling is well tolerated and seems promising in reducing fatigue and improving fitness among recipients of liver transplants.
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| 9. |
- Weeke, Lauren C., et al.
(author)
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Rhythmic EEG patterns in extremely preterm infants : Classification and association with brain injury and outcome
- 2017
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In: Clinical Neurophysiology. - : ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. - 1388-2457 .- 1872-8952. ; 128:12, s. 2428-2435
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Classify rhythmic EEG patterns in extremely preterm infants and relate these to brain injury and outcome.Methods: Retrospective analysis of 77 infants born <28 weeks gestational age (GA) who had a 2-channel EEG during the first 72 h after birth. Patterns detected by the BrainZ seizure detection algorithm were categorized: ictal discharges, periodic epileptiform discharges (PEDs) and other waveforms. Brain injury was assessed with sequential cranial ultrasound (cUS) and MRI at term-equivalent age. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed with the BSITD-III (2 years) and WPPSI-III-NL (5 years).Results: Rhythmic patterns were observed in 62.3% (ictal 1.3%, PEDs 44%, other waveforms 86.3%) with multiple patterns in 36.4%. Ictal discharges were only observed in one and excluded from further analyses. The EEG location of the other waveforms (p < 0.05), but not PEDs (p = 0.238), was significantly associated with head position. No relation was found between the median total duration of each pattern and injury on cUS and MRI or cognition at 2 and 5 years.Conclusions: Clear ictal discharges are rare in extremely preterm infants. PEDs are common but their significance is unclear. Rhythmic waveforms related to head position are likely artefacts.& para;& para;Significance: Rhythmic EEG patterns may have a different significance in extremely preterm infants. (C) 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology.
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| 10. |
- Nooijen, C. F., et al.
(author)
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A behavioral intervention promoting physical activity in people with subacute spinal cord injury : secondary effects on health, social participation and quality of life
- 2017
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In: Clinical Rehabilitation. - : SAGE Publications. - 0269-2155 .- 1477-0873. ; 31:6, s. 772-780
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess, for people with subacute spinal cord injury, if rehabilitation that is reinforced with the addition of a behavioral intervention to promote physical activity leads to a better health, participation and quality of life. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Rehabilitation centers. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 39 participants analyzed (45 included), with subacute spinal cord injury in inpatient rehabilitation, dependent on a manual wheelchair (33% tetraplegia, 62% motor complete, 150 +/-74 days postinjury). INTERVENTION: A behavioral intervention promoting physical activity after discharge, involving 13 individual sessions delivered by a coach trained in motivational interviewing, beginning two months before and ending six months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. MAIN MEASURES: Physical capacity as determined during a maximal exercise test, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting lipid profile, and social participation (IMPACT-S) and quality of life (SF-36) were determined using questionnaires. Measurements were performed two months before discharge, at discharge, and six and 12 months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. B represents the between-group difference. RESULTS: Twelve months after discharge, significant intervention effects were found for diastolic blood pressure (B = -11.35 mmHg, 95% CI = -19.98 to -2.71), total cholesterol (B = -0.89 mmol/L, 95% CI = -1.59 to -0.20), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (B = -0.63 mmol/L, 95% CI = -1.25 to -0.00) and participation (B = 9.91, 95% CI = 3.34 to 16.48). CONCLUSIONS: A behavioral intervention promoting physical activity after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation improves social participation and seems to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease in people with subacute spinal cord injury.
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