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Metallic Fabry-Pérot Cavity-Enhanced "Pseudo-Charge Transfer" Absorption for Efficient Narrowband Short-Wave Infrared Photodetection
No full textNarrowband short-wave infrared (SWIR) organic photodetectors, combining wavelength-specific detection with the inherent advantages of organic semiconductors, are important candidates for many applications like medical diagnostics, industrial sorting, and environmental monitoring. However, previously reported spectral-narrowing strategies often compromise device performance through structural complexity and intrinsic limitations of charge-transfer (CT) absorption, even when coupled with strong cavity device architectures. To address this, a pseudo-charge-transfer state is engineered by doping an ultra-narrow bandgap third component, simultaneously optimizing electrode processing to minimize parasitic absorption and interface energetic barriers. This co-design approach yields spectrally selective photodetectors with an EQE exceeding 40% at zero-bias at 1020 nm, a FWHM of 3 x 1013 Jones, and an over 140dB dynamic range, while maintaining flexibility. PET-based devices show <5% performance degradation after 3000 bending cycles. This work establishes a general design paradigm for organic narrowband photodetectors that combines laboratory-scale performance with practical manufacturability for wearable and large-area SWIR applications.This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U21A20331and 22475225), the Hundred Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y60707WR46), and the European Research Council (ERC, grant agreement 864625). The authors thank Sheng Dong and Yunhao Cao of Lumidar Technology Co., Ltd. for PPG measurement
De impact van cognitieve biases op investeringsbeslissingen – een analyse van behavioral finance in de Belgische markt
No full textZie pdf (ik krijg de samenvatting hier niet volledig geschreven
Partially hydrolyzed, whey-based infant formula with six human milk oligosaccharides, B. infantis LMG11588, and B. lactis CNCM I-3446 is safe, well tolerated, and improves gut health: a staged analysis of a randomized trial
No full textBackground and aims Gut health and microbiome development are closely linked in early life, with human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) playing a key role. This study reports results through 4 months of age from a trial evaluating an infant formula containing a synbiotic blend of HMOs and probiotics, focusing on growth, gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance, and gut health biomarkers from birth to 15 months. Materials and methods Healthy infants aged <= 14 days were randomized to receive either the experimental formula (SYN; control formula supplemented with six HMOs and two probiotics [B. infantis, B. lactis]) or the control formula (CTRL; partially hydrolyzed 100% whey-based formula). A non-randomized breastfed (BF) group served as a reference. The primary endpoint was weight gain velocity in SYN vs. CTRL through 4 months of age. Secondary endpoints included fecal outcomes (abundance of bifidobacteria, immune and gut health markers), GI tolerance, and adverse events (AEs). Results The full analysis set (FAS) included 313 infants (118 in SYN, 114 in CTRL, and 81 BF), while the per-protocol population (PP) included 227 infants (84 in SYN, 84 in CTRL, and 59 BF). Weight gain velocity through 4 months in the SYN group was non-inferior to that in the CTRL group in both FAS and PP analyses (both p < 0.0001). Parent-reported GI tolerance and stool patterns were similar between SYN and CTRL groups through 4 months. At 3 months, Bifidobacteria abundance was significantly higher in the SYN group compared to the CTRL group (p = 0.004). Fecal pH was lower in the SYN group than in the CTRL group (p = 0.018) and more closely resembled that of the BF group. Immune and gut health markers were similar between the SYN and BF groups. No significant differences in AEs were observed across groups. Conclusion The synbiotic-supplemented infant formula supported healthy, age-appropriate growth, good GI tolerance, and increased the abundance of beneficial bifidobacteria through 4 months of age.Clinical trial registration https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04962594.The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This study was sponsored by Société des Produits Nestlé S. A. (SPN). Scientists employed by SPN were involved in the study design, data analyses, results interpretation, and manuscript writin
Cytoskeletal control in adult microglia is essential to restore neurodevelopmental synaptic and cognitive deficits
No full textSynaptic dysfunction is a hallmark of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), often linked to genes involved in cytoskeletal regulation. While the role of these genes has been extensively studied in neurons, microglial functions such as phagocytosis are also dependent on cytoskeletal dynamics. We demonstrate that disturbance of actin cytoskeletal regulation in microglia, modeled by genetically impairing the scaffold protein Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1), which integrates actin-binding proteins, causes a shift in actin regulatory balance favoring filopodial versus lamellipodial actin organization. The resulting microglia-specific dysregulation of actin dynamics leads to excessive uptake of synaptic proteins. Genetically engineered DISC1-deficient mice show diminished hippocampal excitatory transmission and associated spatial memory deficits. Reintroducing wild-type microglia-like cells via bone marrow transplantation in adult DISC1-deficient mice restores the synaptic function of neurons and rescues cognitive performance. These findings reveal a pivotal role for microglial actin cytoskeletal remodeling in preserving synaptic integrity and cognitive health. Targeting microglial cytoskeletal dynamics may effectively address cognitive impairments associated with NDDs, even in adulthood.Acknowledgments:
We thank M. Jans, Y. Geuens, d. Koenen, J. Mathijs, and W. Roosen for themaintenance of the mouse colonies at BiOMed; R. Beenaerts, P. Bex, and M. P. tulleners for thetechnical assistance with genotyping, cell culture maintenance, and qPcR; and S. Smoldersfor initiating the diSc1 research line in our laboratory and for the foundational contributionsduring the early stages of this work. We thank h. e. de vries (Amsterdam UMc) for providingthe lentiviral lifeAct plasmid.
Funding:
this work was funded by the Fonds WetenschappelijkOnderzoek (FWO) grants 11e2423n, v420921n, G042121n, G0h3716n, 11A2920n, G080121n,G0G1216, G0A0513, and G0A8l24n; the Bijzonder Onderzoeks Fonds (BOF) BOF21dOc21,BOF21KP06, BOF21GP06, and BOF20KP11; the Bijzonder Onderzoeks Fonds (BOF) AdMiRe(21GP17BOF); the national institute of Mental health grants Mh- 094268, Mh-105660, andMh129480; Odysseus grant G0G1216FWO; the Methusalem Fund Uhasselt BOF22M02-5427G2BOF; and BAeF
The hidden majority: Zoos can simultaneously engage public interest and curb taxonomic bias on social media communication
No full textTuan Nguyen is funded by the Special Research Fund of Hasselt University (BOF21OWB09).
We would like to thank Dr. Diogo Veríssimo and Dr. Reut Vard
Placental gene expression of the AMPK signaling pathway in association with gestational exposure to ambient air pollution
No full textObjective: Prenatal ambient air pollution exposure is able to reach the fetus by crossing the placenta, a highly
metabolically active organ. The adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway is
a crucial regulator of the placental cellular metabolism, necessary for normal placental and fetal development.
This study investigates the association between in utero exposure to BC, NO2, and PM2.5, and differences in
placental gene expression of the AMPK signaling pathway at birth.
Material and methods: Transcription data from 182 placentas of the ENVIRONAGE birth cohort were obtained
through microarray analysis. Exposure levels were estimated using a spatio-temporal model for the mothers’
residential address during pregnancy. The associations between transcription levels of 76 genes, clustered by the
cascades of the AMPK signaling pathway, and the air pollution exposures during different time windows of
pregnancy were analyzed using a mixed-effects model adjusting for potential confounders.
Results: Higher prenatal levels of BC, NO2, and PM2.5 were associated with downregulated gene expression of the
central AMPK gene cluster and multiple upstream and downstream cascades of the AMPK signaling pathway. In a
multi-pollutant model, the observed patterns of downregulation remained, supporting the robustness of the
associations when considering co-exposure to different air pollutants.
Conclusion: This study provides new insights into the possible adverse effects of ambient air pollution exposure on
placental development, affecting the placental metabolism at the transcript level. Whether reduced placental
AMPK signaling may play a role in air pollution-induced birth outcomes and their long-term consequences needs
to be further addressed.The ENVIRONAGE birth cohort is supported by the Methusalem Fund of the Flemish Government, the Flemish Scientific Fund (FWO, Grant No. N1518119 and No. G082317N). DSM and RA are postdoctoral fellows funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Grant No. 12X9623N, 1296523N). JLM is financed by the Special Research Fund partnership between the UHasselt (Diepenbeek, Belgium) and the UNamur (Namur, Belgium) (BOF21DOCNA03). FDC was a Research
Associate of the FNRS, Belgium.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the participating women and neonates, as well as the staff of the maternity ward, midwives, and the staff of the clinical laboratory of East-Limburg Hospital in Genk. Fig. 1 was created in BioRender (2025), https://BioRender.com/9h8ox6r
Risicoweerbaarheid bij kinderen en jongeren
No full textWereldwijd zijn verkeersongelukken de grootste doodsoorzaak voor kinderen en jongeren tot 29 jaar. Hoewel deze doelgroep beseft dat risicovol verkeersgedrag kan leiden tot nadelige effecten, nemen zij onder andere door tijds- en groepsdruk toch deze risico's. Zeker in Vlaanderen is naar de rol van deze zogenoemde risicofaciliterende factoren nauwelijks studie gedaan. In dit onderzoek is deze kennislacune ingevuld en een interventie uitgedacht en getest om Vlaamse jongeren risicoweerbaar te maken tegen de invloed van tijds- en groepsdruk in het verkeer aan de hand van het Prototype Willingness Model. Hiervoor is gebruik gemaakt van een literatuurstudie, een enquête, interviews met experten en een kleinschalig experiment
Spatial variation in detachment rates of larval Ixodes ricinus from a common host (Apodemus sylvaticus): an experiment
No full textBecause of their low intrinsic mobility, spatial distribution of Ixodes ticks depends strongly on movement of their hosts, but this may be modulated by the tick's decision to detach in relation to environmental cues. This aspect of host-parasite interactions may substantially contribute to micro-geographic heterogeneity in exposure risk to ticks and tick-borne pathogens, but has so far received little attention. We designed a laboratory experiment to investigate whether environmental factors may affect detachment decisions of Ixodes ricinus in two contrasting environments: a dry, bare environment versus a moisturized, enriched environment. We experimentally infested wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) with larval ticks and exposed these alternatingly to the two environments in a cross-over design, controlling for temporal variation. Detached larvae were collected whenever hosts were moved from one type of environment to another. Detachment rates were consistently higher in the dry and bare environment. Furthermore, in both environments, the majority of ticks detached in the afternoon and first part of the night. Our results suggest that environmental factors can alter the detachment probability of I. ricinus larvae from A. sylvaticus, either through direct physical or host physiological cues. We postulate that larval detachment favours distribution throughout the forest understorey rather than centred around places of high rodent site fidelity.Funding
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 60897
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) for funding this research [grant number 60897]. Our gratitude also extends towards Joris Elst for his help during the experiment in mouse manipulation and tick retrieval and to Frank Adriaensen for his help in constructing both pilot setups and the final setup. We are also grateful to the NorthTick and PRAGMATICK projects for providing a constructive and critical network of peers. We also repeat our thanks towards the Ethics Committee for Animal Experiments of the University of Antwerp for their feedback on our experimental design
