263134 research outputs found
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Understanding the variability in cell wall composition and related properties of industrial spent yeasts from brewing and winemaking
No full textA wide variety of yeast-derived products rich in cell wall polysaccharides is currently available for use in food, feed, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. While these products are typically made from a dedicated yeast source, interest is growing in producing them from industrial spent yeast. To facilitate this transition, the present study investigates the variability in cell wall composition and associated properties among 32 industrial spent yeast samples originating from the brewing and winemaking industries, spanning a wide range of beer and wine styles. Across this sample set, β-glucan and mannoprotein contents vary between 6.6 % and 18.2 %, and between 6.1 % and 22.7 %, respectively. Significant variation was also observed in storage carbohydrate and protein contents. This compositional variability was found to impact other cell wall-related surface properties, including surface charge, hydrophobicity, and the amount of cell wall-adsorbed polyphenols, which could reach up to 3.7 % (gallic acid equivalent) of the cell dry matter. Based on these properties, spent yeast samples originating from wine production were clearly differentiated from those derived from dry-hopped and non-dry-hopped beers. Overall, these results highlight the importance of yeast stream selection for the efficient production of yeast derivatives. In particular, winery spent yeast samples appear to be more suitable for the production of yeast cell wall isolates due to their higher cell wall polysaccharide content and lower reserve carbohydrate content. However, this hypothesis should be verified using different methods of producing such isolates.sponsorship: VLAIO|HBC.2021.0522status: Publishe
Including the agro-economic effects of diet shifts into environmental assessments: Implications for the world's largest red meat eaters
No full textShifting one's diet towards more plant-based products is seen as one of the most efficient ways to mitigate one's environmental footprint. Yet, associated market adjustments between global demand and supply are rarely considered in environmental assessments and could counterbalance expected environmental benefits. In this context, we used an agro-economic model to predict global production changes following a demand shift towards EAT-Lancet guidelines for red meat and legume intake for the year 2030. We modelled four scenarios which apply to diverse regions, namely, the European Union (EU), EU and China, 40 % of the largest red meat eaters and the whole world. The environmental impact of these subsequent changes was quantified using consequential Life Cycle Assessment. Results show that significant environmental benefits could be achieved already when 40 % of the largest red meat-eating population shifts its diet. For greenhouse gas emissions, it translates into 1.02 GtCO2 eq and 1.27 GtCO2 eq saved in the 40 % and global diet shift scenarios, respectively. This latter is equivalent to the annual savings needed to reach net zero in 2050 for the Paris Agreement. Most of the local environmental benefits are linked to the regional specialisation of agricultural production. For example, there would be lower acidification in Asia due to the decrease in livestock production and lower aquatic eutrophication and ecotoxicity in the Americas due to the decrease in feed production. To reach such diet shifts and associated environmental benefits, context-specific solutions should be defined considering cultural and, global and regional physical constraints.sponsorship: We would like to acknowledge Jan Matus tik (Department of Product Ecology and Sustainability at UCT Prague) for the numerous conversa-tions on the outputs of this research that substantially added value to the text. Aurore Guillaume received a scholarship from University of Chemistry and Technology of Prague [grant number 241 88 2391] and additional support from KU Leuven. Further, she also received an EU Erasmus + grant. (University of Chemistry and Technology of Prague|241 88 2391, KU Leuven, EU Erasmus + grant)status: Publishe
Beyond intuition: how consumer choices on packaging and valorization can reduce apple food waste and their impact
No full textsponsorship: Science, Engineering and Technology Group, KU Leuven|Ethics@Arenbergstatus: Publishe
Electromagnetic transient modeling and surge analysis of overhead power lines above two-layer earth
No full textAccurate modeling of earth conduction effects on line parameters is important for electromagnetic transient (EMT) studies and surge analysis of overhead lines (OHLs). Several earth formulations have been proposed, with their majority presuming earth homogeneous. Rigorous formulations for the earth impedance and admittance terms of two-layered earth structures involve complex integrals which may cause a series of numerical issues. Therefore, equivalent homogeneous earth models (EHEMs) can be considered as satisfactory substitutes. In this article, the impact of different earth modeling approaches is investigated on the EMT modeling of a double-circuit OHL. These include a rigorous two-layered earth formulation, different EHEMs and simplified homogeneous representations. The analysis is performed using the LineCableLab toolbox applying different soil cases and simulation models.status: Publishe
Synthesizing Single-Case Experimental Designs: Modeling Complex Data Structures
No full textsponsorship: We are thankful to the editor and reviewers for their comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. (Institute of Educational Sciences)status: Published onlin
Selective Homogeneous Monohydrogenation of Muconic Acid and Muconates via Ru-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation
No full textThe hydrogenation of muconic acid (MA), a biobased platform molecule, offers a sustainable pathway to adipic acid (AA), a key industrial dicarboxylic acid. In this study, we explore the catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of muconic acid and muconates using ionic ruthenium complexes. Unlike previous approaches, our method aims to selectively hydrogenate MA toward the monounsaturated compound hexenedioic acid (HDA) or its ester. Alcohols (methanol and ethanol) are employed as a hydrogen donor, providing a safer and more moderate alternative to H2 gas. Using hydrated RuCl3 as the catalyst, the reaction successfully produces HDA, with no over-hydrogenation toward AA observed. The resulting product mixture comprises up to four different HDA isomers, which were all identified and distinguished by GC, GC-MS-FID, and 1H-NMR methods. The trans-2 isomer was the most abundant, which was supported by mechanistic investigation using isotopically labeled experiments. A 2,5-hydrogenation mechanism following a monohydride reaction cycle could be suggested. Furthermore, a kinetic model is presented to provide a deeper understanding of the various reaction pathways.sponsorship: I.K. acknowledges the FWO research foundation for grants number 12A3M24N and 1260321N. L.D.V. and M.D. thank KU Leuven project PlasticDaphnia IDN/20/010 for funding. M.V.H. and B.S. thank LAPLACE (FWO-SBO project; grant number S004624N) and Catalisti cluster MOONSHOT cSBO project FUCATIL (grant number HBC.2020.2623), financially supported by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). (Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen|12A3M24N, Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen|1260321N, Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen|IDN/20/010, Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen|S004624N, Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen|HBC.2020.2623, FWO research foundation, Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO))status: Published onlin
Het Transcriptionele Complex van TLX3 in T-cell Acute Lymfoblastische Leukemie
No full textT-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological malignancy arising from the deregulation of developing T-cell progenitors. T-ALL is amongst other features characterized by the ectopic expression of transcription factors such as T-cell leukemia homeobox protein 3 (TLX3). To date, the exact oncogenic mechanism of TLX3 remains elusive. The host lab has recently developed in vitro mouse cell models and in vivo mouse leukemia models to study TLX3-driven leukemia development. Transcriptional profiling of these models has revealed the downregulation of multiple members of the transducin-like enhancer (TLE) family of transcriptional repressors of which TLE4 is also significantly downregulated in TLX3-positive human T-ALL cases.
In the proposed project, I will first investigate how TLE4 influences the oncogenic function of TLX3 and if TLE4 is also able to regulate other transcription factors. To do so, I will use Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq), CoIP and perform luciferase reporter assays. In addition, CRISPR/Cas9 knockdown will be used to test to which extent transcription factors regulated by TLE4 are crucial for leukemia development. Besides, I will also use a novel proximity biotinylation technique to characterize and validate the transcriptional complex of TLX3. The results of this project will contribute to a better understanding of transcriptional deregulation in cancer.status: Publishe
Low risk of transmission of prototype and newly emerged Oropouche virus strains by European <i>Culex pipiens</i>, <i>Aedes albopictus</i>, and <i>Anopheles atroparvus</i> mosquitoes
No full textOropouche virus (OROV) is an emerging arbovirus of growing public health concern, with increasing incidence and geographic spread. Since its discovery in 1955, OROV has caused multiple outbreaks in South and Central America, with a new introduction in Cuba since May 2024. Recent travel-related cases in Europe and the Americas underscore its potential for global dissemination. Assessing vector competence outside endemic regions is critical in the context of global travel and climate change. We evaluated the vector competence of three mosquito species commonly found in Europe-Culex (Cx.) pipiens, Aedes (Ae.) albopictus, and Anopheles (An.) atroparvus-using two OROV strains: the prototype TRVL9760 (1955, Trinidad and Tobago) and a recent isolate OROV-IRCCS-SCDC_1/2024 (2024, imported from Cuba to Italy). Mosquitoes were orally infected and examined at 7- and 14-days post-infection. We assessed infection (body), dissemination (peripheral tissues), and transmission potential (saliva) by measuring infectious virus particles using the gold standard focus-forming assays. Our findings show that Cx. pipiens and An. atroparvus were not susceptible to infection or did not allow transmission with OROV. In Ae. albopictus, low infection rates were observed: 6.7% of mosquitoes showed infection at day 7 with the prototype strain, and 3.1% at day 14 with OROV-IRCCS-SCDC_1/2024. All infected mosquitoes showed viral dissemination, but none had infectious virus in their saliva, indicating low risk for transmission. These results confirm limited vector competence of European mosquito species for OROV and emphasize the importance of continued entomological surveillance to inform future risk assessments.sponsorship: This work was supported by the Belgian Directorate General for Development (DGD) (FA5). The insectaries at ITM are partially funded through the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (EWI) of the Flemish Government. ARR is supported by a Baekeland Mandate fellowship (HBC.2022.0144) from VLAIO O&O. SV is supported by a PhD fellowship from the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) (11D5923N). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. (Research Foundation - Flanders|11D5923N, VLAIO OO|HBC.2022.0144)status: Publishe
A Network Analysis of Fear-Avoidance Beliefs, Mood and Disability in Chronic Pain
No full textObjectives: Although the multifactorial nature of chronic pain is well established, research has predominantly examined isolated variables or singular pathways that may contribute to this condition. We use a complex systems perspective to examine the interplay of psychological factors in the context of chronic pain.
Methods: We analyzed two cross-sectional datasets (N=935 and 1366) collected at a pain clinic and rehabilitation center in Belgium from individuals primarily with musculoskeletal pain. These included self-reported data on pain-related fear and avoidance beliefs, depression and anxiety symptoms, and pain intensity and pain disability. We used Gaussian Graphical Models to examine conditional associations between these variables, their relative importance (having more/stronger relationships), and how they are moderated by pain-related fear and pain intensity.
Results: Our analyses revealed highly interrelated networks, with several unique, positive associations between the included factors. Depressive symptoms and pain intensity were most strongly related to pain disability. Fear-avoidance beliefs featured less prominently than previous studies looking at this concept in isolation have suggested. Apart from differences in two associations between samples, and two moderation effects of pain intensity in one sample, the network structure was similar across the two samples.
Discussion: Overall, our results show that psychological factors related to pain disability have intricate interrelations, highlighting the complexity of chronic pain and the need to study its many components in relation to each other. The consistency across the two samples provides encouraging evidence that the results reflect a stable pattern within this complex system.sponsorship: The authors are grateful to Loae Bamelis (PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Research Coordinator TRACE, Centre for Translational Psychological Research, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium) for supporting this study through her coordination work for the Centre for Translational Psychological Research (TRACE). (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek|024.004.016)status: Publishe
Insight into factors contributing to sensory burden after acquired brain injury: an experience sampling approach
No full textObjective: Sensory burden, a momentary experience of being bothered by sensory stimuli, is a frequent challenge following acquired brain injury (ABI). This study quantitatively tested a theoretical model conceptualizing sensory burden as a dynamic interaction between situational triggers and an individual's biopsychosocial resources using an experience sampling method. Method: 41 individuals with ABI (median age = 59 years, median time since injury = 6.3 years) provided real-time data at seven semi-random intervals per day over seven consecutive days. Multilevel regression modelling assessed the influence of situational triggers (setting, company, effort, activity dissatisfaction, and negative affect) and individual resources (processing speed, fatigue, and sleep quality) on sensory burden. Results: Momentary fluctuations in sensory burden varied in severity and variability across individuals. Sensory burden was associated with higher levels of negative affect (β = .58, p < .01), activity dissatisfaction (β = .07, p < .01), effort (β = .09, p < .01), and being in company (β = .39, p < .01). Moreover, sensory burden was related to slower processing speed (β = -0.04, p = .02) and higher fatigue (β = .19, p < .01). However, no interaction effects were found. Effort was the only positive, significant between-person predictor (β = .56, p < .01). Conclusions: These findings underscore the dynamic and individualized nature of sensory burden after ABI, emphasizing the need for personalized interventions targeting sensory hypersensitivity. Future research should explore additional triggers, resources, and causal pathways to further elucidate the proposed mechanisms and inform treatment development.sponsorship: Competing interests and sources of financial support: The authors have no competing interests to declare. This work was supported by the Kootstra Talent Fellowship for postdocs of Maastricht University (reference number: 22.1036). (Kootstra Talent Fellowship for postdocs of Maastricht University|22.1036)status: Published onlin