Statistics Belgium

ABSTRACT Geleophysic dysplasia (GD) is a rare genetic condition caused by pathogenic variants in either the ADAMTSL2 or FBN1 gene. We present a patient that combined clinical features consistent with GD, including short stature, delayed bone age, progressive congenital heart disease, and a happy, round face. Genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous missense pathogenic variant c.5284G>A (p.(Gly1762Ser)) in exon 42 of the FBN1 gene, previously reported as causative of GD. Given the condition's under‐recognition, this case report highlights key diagnostic features and the approach to differential diagnosis in a child with short stature, emphasizing the need for early identification. Furthermore, the use of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), initiated after evidence of a partial isolated growth hormone deficiency, did not lead to significant improvement, but its discontinuation was associated with worsening growth, which improved again after reintroduction. This paradoxical response raises important questions about rhGH use in GD and underlines the need for continued auxological and cardiac monitoring and individualized treatment strategies.

Yeast vitality during storage is essential for maintaining consistent fermentation performance. This study compares the physiological responses of top- and bottom-cropped Saccharomyces cerevisiae stored at 4 °C for 20 days and evaluates Optical Nanomotion Detection (ONMD) as a rapid, label-free vitality assessment tool. Classical assays (FUN-1, methylene blue, propidium iodide, glucose acidification power, glycogen content, and ethanol tolerance) were used to monitor metabolic activity, membrane integrity, and stress resilience. Bottom-cropped yeast retained metabolic activity, membrane stability, and energy reserves longer than top-cropped cells. ONMD revealed distinct single-cell nanomotion signatures and detected mechanically active subpopulations even when traditional vitality indicators declined. Analysis of nanomotion slopes showed an increasingly negative trend in the decline over storage time in top-cropped cells, indicating reduced temporal stability of nanomechanical activity during the 180 min recordings. Ethanol-challenge experiments confirmed the vitality dependence and stress-sensitivity of the ONMD signal. Together, these findings demonstrate that ONMD resolves cold-storage-induced changes in yeast nanomechanical vitality and provides complementary information beyond conventional vitality and viability assays. ONMD offers a fast, reagent-free method for monitoring brewing yeast physiology and represents a promising basis for future development toward brewery quality-control applications.

In vitro bioaccessibility tests are used to estimate the release of contaminants from environmental samples during simulated digestion, making them available for intestinal absorption. In most cases, the samples are fine-grained materials with varying chemical, physical, and mineralogical properties, but it is not always clear how these properties influence the bioaccessibility of elements. The present study focusses on the bioaccessibility of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) in mining waste and mining-affected soils. From the literature, data from mining waste and mining-affected soil samples were used to investigate the relation between chemical (element composition, pH, organic carbon content), physical (grain size distribution), and mineralogical properties of the samples and the gastric and intestinal bioaccessibility of Pb and As. Mean gastric As bioaccessibility was significantly lower in acidic samples than neutral and alkaline samples. A significant difference was also found between As and Pb bioaccessibility in mining residues and mining-affected soil samples. Overall, total Pb an As concentrations and pH were the most significant predictors of Pb and As bioaccessibility. Due to the lack of (quantitative) mineralogical data in many papers, it was not possible to make precise predictions of As and Pb bioaccessibility based on mineralogical sample composition. Despite the challenging nature of quantitative mineralogical characterization, it can contribute to a more precise estimation of the bioavailability of Pb and As in mining waste. Given their significant impact on the bioavailability of metal(loid)s, pH and the (quantitative) mineralogical sample composition should be more systematically determined and reported.

The electrification of bicycles has introduced new dynamics to cycling, raising questions about how the pedal assistance of electric bikes (e-bikes) influences cyclists’ route choice preferences, specifically in various seasons. Understanding these preferences is crucial for developing cycling infrastructure that effectively supports the growing use of e-bikes. This paper develops a route choice framework to examine e-bike users’ route preferences and compare them to those of conventional cyclists, using GPS data from the E-Biking in Switzerland (EBIS) project. From the recorded trajectories, 64,340 cycling trips are map-matched by using a trajectory segmentation map-matching algorithm. A data-driven path identification (DDPI) approach is employed to identify the choice set, including only observed routes. A C-Logit (CL) model is then estimated to identify the key determinants of e-bike users’ route choices, considering factors such as distance, gradient, age, and seasonal variations. To determine how e-bike users’ route preferences differ from those of conventional cyclists, segmented models will first be estimated separately for each bike type, followed by a pooled model. The findings provide a better understanding of how the electrification of bicycles influences cyclists’ route choice behaviour, offering policymakers and transport planners valuable insights into the needs of different types of cyclists.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is marked by emotional instability, identity disturbances and interpersonal difficulties. While deficits in emotion regulation (ER) and parenting styles are associated with BPD, their combined impact on specific BPD features remains unclear. This study used network analysis to explore the complex associations between parenting styles, ER strategies and specific BPD features in a sample of 1289 undergraduate students. Participants completed the Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline subscale, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. Gaussian graphical models combined with exploratory graph analysis identified central and bridge nodes within the network. Expressive suppression emerged as the most central node in the model, strongly linked to affective instability, negative relationships and self-harm. Cognitive reappraisal showed protective associations with reduced affective instability and identity problems. Authoritative parenting was associated with greater reappraisal and less suppression, whereas authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were linked to maladaptive ER patterns. Bridge nodes (affective instability and negative relationships) connected ER and interpersonal domains, indicating potential pathways for cross-domain distress transmission. This study advances dimensional models of personality pathology by integrating parenting variables into BPD features networks, revealing both intra- and cross-domain intervention targets.

BackgroundOver the past two decades, armed conflicts have intensified globally, with Africa disproportionately affected. Since January 2025, renewed violence by the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has generated widespread trauma, displacement, and psychological distress. Beyond emotional suffering, trauma has been linked to altered body perception and reduced body satisfaction, particularly among women survivors of violence, adding further complexity to the psychological burden.ObjectivesThis study assessed the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among hospital patients in Bukavu and examined associations with body-related symptoms and body satisfaction. It was hypothesized that many patients would meet PTSD criteria, that affected individuals would report lower body satisfaction and greater body-related distress, and that only a small minority would have accessed psychological care.Methods and materialsData were collected at Ruhigita Clinic, South Kivu. Adults aged 18–65 completed the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5, French version) and the Bruchon-Schweitzer Body Satisfaction Questionnaire. A PTSD score ≥32 indicated clinical symptoms; adequate body satisfaction was defined as ≥3. Interviews lasted 45–60 min and included demographic and trauma-related data.ResultsA total of 356 patients participated. The mean PTSD score (M = 23.49; SD = 19.90) was below the diagnostic threshold; however, 31.5% (n = 112) met PTSD criteria. Among them, 57.1% reported dissatisfaction with body appearance, compared to 32.4% of non-PTSD participants. PTSD was significantly associated with somatic symptoms such as hypertension, diabetes, stomach pain, insomnia, and cardiac complaints. Reported traumas included natural disasters (74.6%), interpersonal violence (73.7%), transport accidents (54.8%), and sexual assaults (54.1%). Natural disasters, particularly floods and wildfires, showed strong associations with PTSD onset. Despite 80% awareness of psychological services, only 9.8% had consulted a clinical psychologist. Gender differences emerged: women relied mainly on religious or spiritual support, while men favoured traditional practices.ConclusionThis study confirms a strong link between PTSD, body dissatisfaction, and somatic symptoms in a conflict-affected population. Despite high awareness of distress, mental health service use remains low. Findings highlight the need for integrative, culturally sensitive interventions that respect local understandings of trauma and healing while addressing urgent gaps in psychological care.