Publications

RO membrane modules are very effective in removing viruses and salts, but concerns remain regarding their long-term integrity in full-scale RO spiral wound systems. Membrane defects can arise from delamination, chlorine, or abrasive particle exposure, and module defects can arise from permeate tube, O-ring, and glue line damage. These issues compromise the membrane and module's performance, allowing viruses to pass that are not detected by ...

BACKGROUND: Chest wall surgery for the correction of pectus excavatum or pectus carinatum has gained increased interest in recent years. Adequate pain treatment, respiratory physiotherapy and early ambulation are key to improving the outcomes. Although thoracic epidural analgesia is highly effective, its safety is controversial, leading to extensive scrutiny and questioning of its role. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesise that thoracic epidural analgesia ...

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of Er:YAG laser for mild to moderate pelvic organ prolapse (POP) to that of pelvic floor exercises (PFE). DESIGN: Single center randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Tertiary center, Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-six women with mild to moderate prolapse were enrolled (23 in each group). There were no missing data for the primary outcome; three patients were lost to follow-up at 24-months. INTERVENTIONS: ...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are abundantly used in a plethora of products with applications in daily life. As a result, PFAS are widely distributed in the environment, thus providing a source of exposure to humans. The majority of human exposure to PFAS is attributed to the human diet, which encompasses drinking water. Their chemical nature grants persistent, accumulative and toxic properties, which are currently raising concerns. ...

The interaction between the gut microbiome, the gut barrier, and the host plays an important role in human health. Nevertheless, this interaction is not yet sufficiently understood, mainly because of difficulties investigating the gut. Some studies of the research group show that certain forms of social stress increase intestinal permeability. In this project a controlled stress induction in the laboratory will be used to further investigate the ...

BACKGROUND: Mirikizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody that inhibits IL-23p19, is effective in moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirikizumab in patients with moderately-to-severely active Crohn's disease. METHODS: VIVID-1 was a global phase 3, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled and active-controlled, treat-through study. The study enrolled adult patients at 324 sites ...

The Congo Basin houses the second largest continuous extent of tropical rainforests, which are recognised as global hotspots for biodiversity, including a great diversity of plant, and insect species, and crop wild relatives. Yet, multiple anthropogenic induced threats such as forest degradation through selective logging, are greatly affecting the biodiversity harboured in these forests. Additionally, the encroachment of cultivated crops into ...

BACKGROUND: The EXCELLENT registry aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the EMBOTRAP Revascularization Device in an all-comer population in a real-world setting, with a focus on the composition of retrieved clots. METHODS: EXCELLENT is a prospective, global registry of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with EMBOTRAP as the first-line mechanical thrombectomy device conducted at 34 sites (25 sites contributing clot) from September 2018 ...

AIM: To investigate the effect of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) on an integrated outcome set 1-year post-SDR, in a cohort of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: Fifteen children with bilateral spastic CP (median age 8 years 8 months [interquartile range 3 years 3 months], 11 males, four females, eight in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level II, seven in GMFCS level III) were measured pre- and 1-year ...

BACKGROUND: Achieving competence in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) requires extensive training. Recognizing the potential of simulator-based education for safe and effective skill development, we aimed to assess whether initial training with the Boškoski-Costamagna ERCP Trainer (BCT) is beneficial compared with conventional training alone (i.e. predictive validity). METHODS: A prospective multicenter randomized trial ...