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Health - Nov 24
It's estimated that half of the adult population worldwide snores, with or without dangerous interruptions of breathing and related health risks such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatigue and concentration problems. Doctoral research at VUB by Dr. Miche De Meyer and her promotor Wolfgang Jacquet shows that snoring can be very stressful for your health and for your relationship, They are making an attempt to define the phenomenon objectively for the first time.
Health - Nov 9
KU Leuven presents 7 reports that scrutinise various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the socio-economic and psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to control it? What lessons can we draw from this crisis, especially with regard to policy, governance, the organisation of health care and inclusion? To answer these questions, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary.
Career - Oct 25
On Thursday, the long-awaited court case against Deliveroo starts in Brussels. The central question is whether the e-commerce company allows its couriers to work as self-employed workers unjustly, which means they have hardly any access to social rights. Research by VUB researcher Elief Vandevenne has shown that in many cases, working conditions are precarious and uncertain. In the context of her doctoral study she examined the degree of precariousness and the relationship with well-being among 170 Brussels food couriers.
Environment - Oct 28
VUB leads global team to launch personal climate projection website #MyClimateFuture. Young generations are severely threatened by climate change. This intergenerational inequality was highlighted by an international research team led by VUB climate scientist Professor Wim Thiery in Science.
Health - Oct 25
VUB-researchers identify for the first time interglobular dentine in cremated human teeth. The cremation process destroys a lot of information that can usually be obtained from the human skeleton.
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Sleep partners are too often forgotten
It's estimated that half of the adult population worldwide snores, with or without dangerous interruptions of breathing and related health risks such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatigue and concentration problems.
It's estimated that half of the adult population worldwide snores, with or without dangerous interruptions of breathing and related health risks such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatigue and concentration problems.
COVID-19 - the next steps? Socio-economic consequences and lessons for the future
KU Leuven presents 7 reports that scrutinise various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic What are the socio-economic and psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to control it?
KU Leuven presents 7 reports that scrutinise various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic What are the socio-economic and psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to control it?
What’s your Climate Future?
VUB leads global team to launch personal climate projection website #MyClimateFuture Young generations are severely threatened by climate change. This intergenerational inequality was highlighted by an international research team led by VUB climate scientist Professor Wim Thiery in Science. The same group of researchers has now created a simple tool - via the VUB website My Climate Future - where everyone on the planet can find out how many more extreme climate events they will face across their lifetime compared to a world without climate change.
VUB leads global team to launch personal climate projection website #MyClimateFuture Young generations are severely threatened by climate change. This intergenerational inequality was highlighted by an international research team led by VUB climate scientist Professor Wim Thiery in Science. The same group of researchers has now created a simple tool - via the VUB website My Climate Future - where everyone on the planet can find out how many more extreme climate events they will face across their lifetime compared to a world without climate change.
Research among Brussels food couriers maps out precarious working conditions
On Thursday, the long-awaited court case against Deliveroo starts in Brussels. The central question is whether the e-commerce company allows its couriers to work as self-employed workers unjustly, which means they have hardly any access to social rights. Research by VUB researcher Elief Vandevenne has shown that in many cases, working conditions are precarious and uncertain.
On Thursday, the long-awaited court case against Deliveroo starts in Brussels. The central question is whether the e-commerce company allows its couriers to work as self-employed workers unjustly, which means they have hardly any access to social rights. Research by VUB researcher Elief Vandevenne has shown that in many cases, working conditions are precarious and uncertain.
Vitamin D deficiency now visible after cremation
VUB-researchers identify for the first time interglobular dentine in cremated human teeth The cremation process destroys a lot of information that can usually be obtained from the human skeleton. Especially diseases are difficult to observe. This has caused a paucity in our knowledge of the disease load in populations that practiced cremation as their main funerary ritual.
VUB-researchers identify for the first time interglobular dentine in cremated human teeth The cremation process destroys a lot of information that can usually be obtained from the human skeleton. Especially diseases are difficult to observe. This has caused a paucity in our knowledge of the disease load in populations that practiced cremation as their main funerary ritual.
VUB student investigates effect of job quality on study performance
Better student jobs bring more satisfaction and less negative effects on academic results Students are increasingly taking on jobs while they are at university, including many VUB students. Since a relaxation of the regulations on student work in 2017, the number of hours of student work and the number of students with one or more jobs has steadily increased.
Better student jobs bring more satisfaction and less negative effects on academic results Students are increasingly taking on jobs while they are at university, including many VUB students. Since a relaxation of the regulations on student work in 2017, the number of hours of student work and the number of students with one or more jobs has steadily increased.
Researchers at the KU Leuven Rega Institute and CD3 have developed an ultrapotent inhibitor of the dengue virus, which causes the tropical disease known as dengue.
A team of scientists from KU Leuven, UAntwerp and Ghent University have mapped the temperatures of all European forest tracts. The results show that the summer temperatures in certain forests can cool down by as much as 10°C compared to the surrounding area. This cooling function is important in the battle against climate change.
The kids aren’t alright
VUB led Science publication shows how climate change is disproportionally affecting children International research led by Prof. Wim Thiery of the VUB research group BCLIMATE shows that children are to face disproportionate increases in lifetime extreme event exposure - especially in low-income countries.
VUB led Science publication shows how climate change is disproportionally affecting children International research led by Prof. Wim Thiery of the VUB research group BCLIMATE shows that children are to face disproportionate increases in lifetime extreme event exposure - especially in low-income countries.
Researchers call for more awareness of malpractice in inter-country adoption
In recent years, more and more inter-country adoptees have been raising questions about their history and the adoption procedure. A damning report in the Netherlands has called for the practice to be discontinued. Commissioned by the Flemish government, VUB scientists and researchers from UGent and UAntwerp conducted research on errors, injustices and malpractices in inter-country adoption and have now presented their final findings in seven reports.
In recent years, more and more inter-country adoptees have been raising questions about their history and the adoption procedure. A damning report in the Netherlands has called for the practice to be discontinued. Commissioned by the Flemish government, VUB scientists and researchers from UGent and UAntwerp conducted research on errors, injustices and malpractices in inter-country adoption and have now presented their final findings in seven reports.
Coconut trees grow slowly and are difficult to clone. Scientists at KU Leuven and the Alliance multiplied seedlings faster and conserved coconut genetic resources for the long term. Coconut trees grow slowly and are difficult to clone. Scientists at KU Leuven and the Alliance have developed a method to multiply seedlings faster and conserve coconut genetic resources for the long term.
AI standards in biomedical research
Guidelines published , to ensure quality and reproducibility of predictive methods An international group of scientists, including the ELIXIR Machine Learning Focus Group , developed a set of guidelines for better reporting standards for AI methods aiming to classify biomedical data. Examples of such methods are machine learning predictors that try to identify, based on genetic and other data, whether someone suffers from a particular rare disease or predictive methods that aim to identify the drug to which a cancer patient would respond best.
Guidelines published , to ensure quality and reproducibility of predictive methods An international group of scientists, including the ELIXIR Machine Learning Focus Group , developed a set of guidelines for better reporting standards for AI methods aiming to classify biomedical data. Examples of such methods are machine learning predictors that try to identify, based on genetic and other data, whether someone suffers from a particular rare disease or predictive methods that aim to identify the drug to which a cancer patient would respond best.
The regions that form the reading network in the brain mainly develop in the first two years of primary school. After that, the growth of these brain regions stabilises. This has been shown by a year-long study conducted by KU Leuven. Neurobiological differences in dyslexia are already present at pre-school age The regions that form the reading network in the brain mainly develop in the first two years of primary school.
KU Leuven researchers expose some surprising similarities with animals that are 600 million years of evolution removed from us. Although octopuses have been wandering a different evolutionary path for around 600 million years, the formation of their brain cells shows some surprising similarities with that of humans.
Team led by VUB professor reach milestone in pancreatic cancer research
Healthy pancreas contains cells similar to most aggressive tumour cells, study finds Wednesday, August 11, 2021 — A team of researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the UZ Brussel and elsewhere in Belgium and abroad, led by VUB professor Ilse Rooman, have discovered a cell in the pancreas of healthy people that is very similar to the most aggressive pancreatic cancer cells.
Healthy pancreas contains cells similar to most aggressive tumour cells, study finds Wednesday, August 11, 2021 — A team of researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the UZ Brussel and elsewhere in Belgium and abroad, led by VUB professor Ilse Rooman, have discovered a cell in the pancreas of healthy people that is very similar to the most aggressive pancreatic cancer cells.
Chasing neutrinos in Greenland
VUB leads pioneering project to search for cosmic particles from space with radio antennas Researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) are part of a unique installation on the Greenland ice cap that will try to observe almost elusive particles from space. The Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G) is a pioneering project that uses a new method to detect cosmic neutrinos with very high energy using radio antennas.
VUB leads pioneering project to search for cosmic particles from space with radio antennas Researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) are part of a unique installation on the Greenland ice cap that will try to observe almost elusive particles from space. The Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G) is a pioneering project that uses a new method to detect cosmic neutrinos with very high energy using radio antennas.
Size doesn’t matter in ecosystem resilience, study in PNAS shows
Mangrove forests were once dominant in the tropics, but they have disappeared at alarming rates around the world. Little is known, however, about the impact of this deforestation on the functional diversity and resilience of resident fauna. A team including Farid Dahdouh-Guebas of VUB's Ecology & Biodiversity Research Unit Researchers addressed this question and found that mangroves have among the lowest faunal diversity of any of the planet's ecosystems, making them especially vulnerable to environmental change.
Mangrove forests were once dominant in the tropics, but they have disappeared at alarming rates around the world. Little is known, however, about the impact of this deforestation on the functional diversity and resilience of resident fauna. A team including Farid Dahdouh-Guebas of VUB's Ecology & Biodiversity Research Unit Researchers addressed this question and found that mangroves have among the lowest faunal diversity of any of the planet's ecosystems, making them especially vulnerable to environmental change.
Important factor in transplant rejection identified
KU Leuven researchers have revealed the importance of a newly identified mechanism of kidney transplant rejection. These results could increase the chances of a successful transplantation in the future. Each year, about 500 people in our country undergo a kidney transplant. 15 to 20% of these patients experience rejection symptoms.
KU Leuven researchers have revealed the importance of a newly identified mechanism of kidney transplant rejection. These results could increase the chances of a successful transplantation in the future. Each year, about 500 people in our country undergo a kidney transplant. 15 to 20% of these patients experience rejection symptoms.
Some antibiotics appear to be effective against a form of skin cancer known as melanoma. KU Leuven researchers examined the effect of these antibiotics on patient-derived tumours in mice. Some antibiotics appear to be effective against a form of skin cancer known as melanoma. KU Leuven researchers examined the effect of these antibiotics on patient-derived tumours in mice.
Second coronavirus wave in Europe after summer 2020 mainly due to introduction of new virus strains
More than half of the COVID-19 strains that were circulating in the late summer of 2020 in Europe were only introduced after 15 June.
More than half of the COVID-19 strains that were circulating in the late summer of 2020 in Europe were only introduced after 15 June.
News from the Lab is a selection of science news that are significant or interesting for a broad readership.
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