Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Towards an Archaeological Workflow for SedaDNA Sample Collection: Methods and Best Practices for Minimising Surface Contamination

Sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) has been successfully recovered from diverse contexts, enabling researchers to address paleoenvironmental questions such as ecosystem changes and climatic shifts, along with archaeological questions related to past human activities, diet, health,...

Virtual worlds and mental health: A scoping review

<title>Abstract</title> The constant increase in the use of virtual worlds in recent decades has raised concerns about their potential effects on users’ mental health. However, the great heterogeneity of the scientific literature on this topic makes it difficult to identify exist...

An ecosyndemic framework for understanding obesity: Spatial clustering of health, environmental and socioeconomic disadvantage in the Netherlands

Abstract Introduction Obesity and related health conditions are unevenly distributed across neighborhoods, often co-occuring with multiple health challenges and socioeconomic disadvantages. Using an ecosyndemic framework, which integrates ecological and social dimensions that con...

Navigating regulatory scenarios for accelerating drug repurposing in rare diseases: a multi-stakeholder perspective on the challenges and opportunities

<title>Abstract</title> Background: The lack of treatments for patients with a rare disease calls for innovative approaches in drug development. A potential solution to accelerate therapy development is to find new therapeutic uses for existing drugs, i.e. drug repurposing. One w...

Deciphering the evolutionary origin of the enantioselectivity of short-chain dehydrogenases from plants toward 1-borneol

Abstract Enzyme engineering has produced numerous methods to optimize enzymes for biotechnological processes; however, less is known about how natural evolution creates new functionalities. We investigate the evolutionary emergence of enantioselectivity in plant borneol dehydroge...

PLCG2 downregulation impairs synaptic function and increases Alzheimer’s disease hallmarks in neuronal cultures

We developed a high-content screening to investigate how Alzheimer’s disease (AD) genetic risk factors may affect synaptic mechanisms in rat primary neuronal cultures. Of the target genes identified, we found that Plcg2 downregulation in mouse dentate gyrus neurons consistently d...

Prognostic value of measuring LSC frequency in AML: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Leukemia stem cells (LSC) are thought to be responsible for relapse in patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). LSC can be quantified at diagnosis to improve risk stratification, and during follow-up to monitor residual disease. To systematically evaluate the prognostic relevan...

Clean up your mesh! Part 1: plane and simplex

Abstract We revisit the geometric foundations of mesh representation through the lens of plane-based geometric algebra (PGA), investigating its efficiency and expressiveness for discrete geometry. We find how k-simplices (vertices, edges, faces, …) and k-complexes (point clouds,...

In-human assessment of target engagement and blockade of radiolabeled BI 765063, an anti-SIRPα antibody

The signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) receptor on myeloid cells binds cluster of differentiation (CD) antigen CD47 on tumor cells, resulting in a “don’t eat me” signal that inhibits phagocytosis. BI 765063, an anti-SIRPα antibody, may restore anti-tumor immunity by blocking...

Psychological interventions to improve maternal mental health and resilience during pregnancy in the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant women experienced increased psychological distress, while access to routine mental health care was often disrupted. Psychological interventions may provide an effective strategy to support maternal mental health under these circu...

A ubiquitin chain-feeding mechanism for BRCA1-A

Abstract The BRCA1-A complex is a multi-subunit, metallo-deubiquitinating enzyme (metallo-DUB) involved in genome maintenance. BRCA1-A displays strict specificity for K63-linked ubiquitin, with a strong preference for long chains, but the mechanistic basis for this selectivity ha...

Perceived negative social influence related to weight loss: development of a questionnaire and exploratory factor analysis

Weight loss is often unsuccessful in the long term. The social environment plays a role in lapses and relapses. Perceived negative social influence is still underexplored in the context of weight loss. The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire to measure perceived nega...

Data-driven mapping of known and novel fluid biomarker progression profiles in genetic frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Abstract Introduction Recent proteomic studies have identified both established and novel proteins in genetic frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). However, it remains unclear at what point in the disease these proteins deviate from normal levels and how their trajectories re...

Decolonising GenAI in Higher Education: Be(com)ing response-able with(out) GenAI

In this paper, we engage with critical Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) through a decolonial reading and call for enacting a pedagogy of refusal in higher education. Through critical consciousness, we aim at informing educators as they (en)counter GenAI for/in higher ed...

The State of Peer Review in Empirical Software Engineering: A Community Survey on Review Load, Quality, and GenAI Use

The scientific peer review system has been slowly deteriorating over the last years, and not just within empirical software engineering (ESE) research. Increased submission numbers, high workload, and the rise of generative AI use with all its associated issues have made many cra...

Clinical practice on treatment of primary traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation: a multidisciplinary guideline

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Primary traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations are common and can have long-term personal implications for quality of life and the use of the arm for occupational activities and sport participation. A patient care pathway has been reported to contribute...

Developing Empathy Quest: A Digital Game Based Learning Tool About Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence

Socio-emotional skills are essential for teachers’ wellbeing, classroom functioning, and promotion of students’ social–emotional development. Digital game-based learning (DGBL) represents a promising approach to promote these competencies through engaging and experiential learnin...

Inception Display Calculi

Abstract Display calculi were introduced by Nuel Belnap in [3] as a natural extension of Gentzen’s sequent calculi, as a uniform and modular framework capable of encompassing broad classes of logics. In [28], the properly displayable (D)LE-logics are syntactically characterized a...

A literature overview of age- and Tanner stage-specific reference intervals for sex hormones for children aged 0 – 18 years

Abstract Study objective This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of age- and Tanner stage-specific reference intervals (RIs) for testosterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in children...

Comparison of different approaches to assess fascicle length using 3D ultrasound with cadaveric dissection as a reference for the human biceps femoris long head

Abstract Purpose The biceps femoris long head (BFlh) has a complex architecture, posing challenges for accurately assessing its fascicle length. This study compared four 3D ultrasound (3DUS)-based methods for estimating mid-belly BFlh fascicle length in human cadavers (n = 6 legs...