Bio-inspired polymers for the functionalization of industrial steel surfaces

Doctoral thesis (2012)

Bio-ORACLE: a global environmental dataset for marine species distribution modelling

in Global Ecology & Biogeography (2012), 21(2), 272-281

Bio-systématique des moustiques (Diptera : Culicidae) dans et aux alentours des fermes d’élevage en Belgique

Master's dissertation (2010)

Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from western European seas: geographical trends, causal factors and effects on reproduction and mortality

in Environmental Pollution (2008), 153(2), 401-415

female common dolphins and harbour porpoises from the Atlantic coast of Europe were frequently above the threshold at which effects on reproduction could be expected, in 40% and 47% of cases respectively ... [more ▼]

female common dolphins and harbour porpoises from the Atlantic coast of Europe were frequently above the threshold at which effects on reproduction could be expected, in 40% and 47% of cases respectively. This rose to 74% for porpoises from the southern North Sea. PCB concentrations were also high in southern North Sea fish. The average pregnancy rate recorded in porpoises (42%) in the study area was lower than in the western Atlantic but that in common dolphins (25%) was similar to that of the western Atlantic population. Porpoises that died from disease or parasitic infection had higher concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) than animals dying from other causes. Few of the common dolphins sampled had died from disease or parasitic infection. POP profiles in common dolphin blubber were related to individual feeding history while those in porpoises were more strongly related to condition. High PCB levels were recorded in porpoises and common dolphins from European coasts. [less ▲]

Bioactive Intraocular Lens - A New Concept to Control Secondary Cataract

Poster (2012, August 29)

A cataract is pathology opacity of the lens, causing impairment of vision or even blindness. Today, a surgery is still the only available treatment. The intraocular lens (IOL) is a polymer implant ... [more ▼]

A cataract is pathology opacity of the lens, causing impairment of vision or even blindness. Today, a surgery is still the only available treatment. The intraocular lens (IOL) is a polymer implant designed to replace the natural lens in the cataract surgery. The materials for IOL require excellent optical properties for light transmission, mechanical properties for folding injection during surgery, and biological properties for preventing body rejection. The biocompatibility - or more specified, bio-inert - seems to be the prerequisite in selecting the materials. [1] However, the bioinert materials could not satisfy the unmet need in the secondary cataract control. Posterior capsular opacification (PCO, or Secondary Cataract), characterized by a thick and cloudy layer of lens epithelial cells (LECs), is the most common postoperative complication. In 1997, a “Sandwich Theory” model was proposed to elucidate the developmental process of PCO. [2] In this model, the residual LECs between the lens capsular bag and the IOL undergo proliferation, migration, as well as transdifferentiation and finally induce PCO if the affinity to the IOL material is low. In our research, a bioactive molecule is introduced to the conventional acrylic hydrophilic polymer pHEMA(Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)) by covalent conjugation. The RGD peptide sequence, being well-known for its tissue integration ability, is designed to stimulate the biointegration between the LECs and the IOL. [3]. Our data have shown the peptide grafted biomaterial not only exhibits similar optical and mechanical properties, but also reveals enhanced biological properties in cell adhesion and cell morphology maintenance. By means of surface functionalization of IOL to stabilize and restore LECs, the secondary cataract could be controlled in a regenerative medicine way. References [1] Dimitriya Bozukova (2010) Materials Science and Engineering R, 69: 63-83. [2] Reijo Linnola (1997) J Cataract Refract Surg., 10: 1539–42. [3] Ruoslahti E (1986) Cell, 44(4): 517-8. [less ▲]

Bioanalytical Applications of GCxGC-TOFMS for VOC Analyses

Conference (2012, May)

Bioavailability of cellulose in landfills.

Poster (2000, March 31)

Biocalcification by Emiliania huxleyi in batch culture experiments

in Mineralogical Magazine (2008), 72(1), 251-256

Coccolithophores, among which Emiliania huxleyi is the most abundant and widespread species, are considered the most productive calcifying organism oil earth. The export of organic carbon and ... [more ▼]

Coccolithophores, among which Emiliania huxleyi is the most abundant and widespread species, are considered the most productive calcifying organism oil earth. The export of organic carbon and calcification are the main drivers of the biological CO2 pump and are expected to change with oceanic acidification. Coccolithophores are further known to produce transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) that promote particle aggregation. As a result, the TEP and biogenic calcium carbonate (CaCO3) contribute to the export of carbon from the surface ocean to deep waters. In this context, we followed the development and the decline of E. huxleyi using batch experiments with monospecific cultures. We studied the link between different processes Such as photosynthesis, calcification and the production of TEP. The onset of calcification was delayed in relation to photosynthesis. The timing and the general feature of the dynamics of calcification were closely related to the saturation state of seawater with respect to calcite, Omega(cal). The production of TEP was enhanced after the decline of phytoplankton growth. After nutrient exhaustion, particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration increased linearly with increasing TEP concentration, suggesting that TEP contributes to the POC increase. The production of CaCO3 is also strongly correlated with that of TEP, suggesting that calcification may be considered as a Source of TEP precursors. [less ▲]

Les biocarburants en Région wallonne : une analyse comparative avec la France, l'Allemagne, l'Espagne et l'Italie

Report (2007)

Biochemical analyses of Chlamydomonas cadmium-sensitive mutants

Poster (2002, May 04)