Category Archives: Research
Excess oxygen worsens actual oxygen supply to the heart muscle in pigs
The use of supplemental oxygen in acute medical care is perceived beneficial by many health care professionals. However, current guidelines limit the excess use of oxygen after successful resuscitation following cardiac arrest. This recommendation is based on
Allergic reaction to drug used to treat pulmonary hypertension
Treprostinil belongs to a category of drugs called prostacyclins, used to treat high blood pressure in the lungs, otherwise known as pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is available in an intravenous, subcutaneous, inhaled and oral form. The most
Long-haul truck drivers share views of safety on the road
From the food we eat to the clothes we buy and everything in between, long-haul truck drivers (LHTDs) are essential to transporting such goods across long distances, and in many cases across several states. On average, LHTDs
Using nanotechnology to outsmart pancreatic cancer
Cancer is a versatile disease and makes use of complex cellular signaling networks to defend itself against a host of treatments. Pancreatic cancer in particular has proven challenging with tenacious resistance to DNA-damaging chemoradiation. Malignant cells disobey
Parasites hidden in feedstuff – pigs also have to watch what they eat!
In many parts of the world, Sunday pork roast is not as delicious as it might sound. The tapeworm with the Latin name Taenia solium is a parasite that causes much suffering mainly in low-income countries where
Rare breast tumor cells in lymph nodes are enough to impact on cancer cure
Early detection of breast cancer leads to essential cure of the vast majority of patients, through surgery and associated therapies. However, severe outcomes can be observed even among disease cases currently categorized as low-risk. Approximately 15% of
An intracellular membrane system helps cells to divide
Cell duplication is the fundamental requirement for the development of multi-cellular organisms, a process that relies on two basic events: replication of the genetic information and the consequent separation of this information into two daughter cells. The
Is digoxin safe?
Digoxin is a medication commonly used in patients with heart disease. It is extracted from the foxglove plant and was first described in 1785. During the last few centuries it has become an established treatment in patients
Are bleached teeth inflamed?
Some tooth-whitening procedures leave the treated teeth painful. The cause of this pain is unknown. To investigate the cause, we wanted to measure the blood flow in the teeth to see if they had become inflamed. Inflammation
Current dietary habits of infants and toddlers in Belgium
Feeding habits early in life are important since they are related with the development of obesity and other health problems, such as high blood pressure, later in life. Prevention is the only feasible approach to control the
Using ‘Big Data’ approaches to gain new insights into asthma
By combining fibre optic camera technology with the mathematics of ‘Big Data’ from Silicon Valley, researchers at Southampton have been with gaining new insights into the nature of the world’s commonest long-term lung disease: asthma. Up to
Emerging insights from the green world into growth and ageing
Unlike animals whose form and fate is largely determined a brief embryogenesis, plants typically elaborate variable forms more gradually, and in some cases can grow for thousands of years. These differences can be largely attributed to distinct
Chicken and egg issues in aging: Which happens first, physical or mental aging?
We all know older people who are mentally sharp but physically weak, or still physical healthy but showing signs of mental decline. And we all hope that we will be one of the lucky ones who will
Psychological stress can influence key immune activities and an important protein in the response to infection
The central role played by our immune system is to protect us against infections. In doing so, the immune response creates a localized toxic inflammatory environment that makes it difficult for the infectious agent to survive. In
A gentle look at the heart
Coronary artery disease is one of the major causes of death in the Western population, mainly because of the potential risk of a heart attack. The latter often occurs out of the blue and the only chance
Cardiac atrial appendage stem cells: bright cells for a bright future for patients with ischemic heart disease
Ischemic heart disease is still one of the major causes of global morbidity and mortality. Although significant improvements in medical and surgical treatments have been accomplished over the last few decades, these are still not able to
Characterisation of the human epicardium in the developing heart
The vertebrate heart is composed of three cell layers: an inner layer lining the heart chambers (atria and ventricles), the endocardium; an intermediate muscle layer, the myocardium; and an outer layer that envelops the myocardium, the epicardium.
Immediate antidepressant effects on functional brain connectivity
Neurotransmitters are the brain’s chemical messengers that allow for communication between neurons. They ‘jump’ from one neuron to the next causing excitation or inhibition of cell firing. Since healthy brain functioning relies on adequate neural communication, neurotransmitter
Unlocking trafficking impasse in life-and-death struggle of leukemic cells
Lymphocytes are immune system cells devoted to the defence against enemies coming from both outside (i.e. bacteria and viruses) and inside (tumours). Several times per day these cells escape from the blood and enter into the immune
In vitro test bench to reproducing pulsatile flow conditions
Cardiovascular diseases are among the top causes of mortality in the world. Huge efforts are made to fight against the cardiovascular diseases. However, the variability of the symptoms and risk factors makes this fight very challenging. While
