Projects
Diagnosis of Helicobacter Heilmannii sensu stricto infections in dogs, cats and humans Ghent University
Helicobacter (H.) pylori is the most prevalent Helicobacter species colonizing the gastric
mucosa of humans and has been associated with gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric
cancer. This slightly-curved, Gram-negative and microaerophilic gastric bacterium is highly
adapted to the human host and has succeeded to colonize more than 50% of the human
population worldwide. Besides H. pylori, other spiral-shaped ...
Effect of household air pollution (Biomass fuel and tobacco) on the microbiome (Gut- Respiratory-axis), growth and respiratory health of newborns from birth to their first birthday: Mutoto Cohort, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo KU Leuven
Background and Rationale Globally air pollution is the fourth cause of death accounting for nearly 7 million deaths every year. The report of the State of the Air Initiative (2022) highlighted the fact that people in Africa bear the disproportionate burden of the adverse effects of household air pollution (HAP). Air pollution attributed deaths ( 155 deaths/100,000 people) are much higher than the global average ( 85.6/100,000) accounting for ...
Surveillance risks in IoT applied to Smart Cities KU Leuven
Nowadays, cities deal with unprecedented pollution and overpopulation problems, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are supporting them in facing these issues and becoming increasingly smart. IoT sensors embedded in public infrastructure can provide granular data on the urban environment, and help public authorities to make their cities more sustainable and efficient. Nonetheless, this pervasive data collection also raises high ...
Quantification of joint loading in adults with haemophilia using multi-segment foot modelling KU Leuven
Haemophilia is a rare coagulation disorder mostly affecting men. It is characterized by the absence or deficiency of circulating factor VIII (haemophilia A) or factor IX (haemophilia B). In severe cases (factor level < 1%), it could result in abnormal, sometimes spontaneous bleedings and impaired blood coagulation. Up to 90% of these bleedings occur in the musculoskeletal system, with the ankle joint being most prone to recurrent bleeding ...
Intensification of Arabica coffee agroforestry systems in southwestern Ethiopia: Effects on coffee pollinator communities and coffee quality KU Leuven
Agricultural expansion and intensification are the major causes of tropical deforestation and forest degradation. Continued increases in production seems imminent because of the local, ongoing human population growth and increasing global demand for food and other commodities. Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) is an example of a commodity crop for which demand will increase. Wild populations of C. arabica are endemic to ...
Wheat bran as a dinner table for bacteria: A way to steer colonic fermentation in humans KU Leuven
The human colon harbours a dense and complex bacterial community, referred to as microbiota, which exceeds 10-fold the number of host cells and plays a crucial role in human physiology. In a state of homeostatic interaction with the host, the microbiota fulfil important roles, such as the extraction of energy from undigested nutrients, the development and maintenance of the host immune system and the creation of resilience against ...
Investigation of epigenetic stability and safety of assisted reproduction technologies Vrije Universiteit Brussel
The epigenome is less stable than the genome (Bennett-Baker et al., 2003). Epimutations (i.e. modifications of the chromatin configuration or the DNA methylation pattern, resulting in altered gene expression) occur mostly in a stochastic manner and their incidence is dependent on genetic and environmental influences. Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic mechanism characterised by parent-specific marks at several ...
Urban treescape analysis using ground-based and airborne remote sensing to support conservation of tree-provided ecosystem services KU Leuven
Urban trees are the most important green infrastructure in cities to mitigate climate change, improve the urban environment, and promote human health and well-being by providing numerous critical ecosystem services. However, they experience various pressures, such as the urban heat island (UHI) effect, soil sealing, and air pollution, potentially affecting the tree health condition and thereby the quantity and quality of the ecosystem ...