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ERC Advanced Grant awarded to Prof. Andy Baker

ERC Advanced Grant awarded to Prof. Andy Baker

15 April 2024

Prof. Andy Baker (Dept of Pathology) has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant of €2,5M for his research project PolymiRize: Poly-miRNA targeting to prevent and reverse complex tissue remodelling after acute cardiovascular events'.

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Longer and better lives for patients with atrial fibrillation

Longer and better lives for patients with atrial fibrillation

15 April 2024

An international panel of experts published recommendations to improve management of atrial fibrillation (AF).

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Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

Harry Crijns

Professor

Harry Crijns is professor and chair of Cardiology and board member of the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM) at Maastricht UMC+. He studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam and was trained in cardiology and electrophysiology in Groningen and Maastricht. He is a Fellow of the ESC and a past board member of the EHRA. He is also past Chair of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology. He served on several guidelines committees for the management of AF. Currently he is the chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Dutch Heart Foundation.

His primary research focus continues to be atrial fibrillation (AF). He founded the RACE trials in the Netherlands and led the Euro Heart Survey on AF (ESC). He has established his reputation by introducing innovative concepts for diagnosis and treatment of AF by showing that - quite contrary to longstanding beliefs - electrical management does not change prognosis. This revolutionised management of the arrhythmia worldwide with the effect that major interventions like electrical cardioversion, catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drug therapy are applied in a much more personalized fashion.

Subsequently his group showed that rate control in AF can be individualized thereby removing the previously used strict heart rate targets from the international guidelines. He also performed the Euro Heart Survey on AF and made many contributions to the field of stroke management in AF, such as the construction of well-recognised AF specific risk stratification scores for AF progression (HATCH), ischemic stroke (CHA2DS2-VASc) and major bleeding (HAS-BLED). These scores have practically conquered the medical AF community and improved patient care whilst boosting new clinical research throughout the world.

His research group now focusses on recent-onset AF, hybrid AF ablation, upstream therapy and vascular mechanisms for AF progression and stroke in idiopathic atrial fibrillation. He is (co-)author on over 650 scientific articles, with 56,677 citations and Hirsch-index of 100.

Harry-crijns

Department of Cardiology
P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht 
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht


  • 2016
    • Smulders, M. W., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., Schalla, S., Bucerius, J., Jaarsma, C., van Dieijen-Visser, M. P., Mingels, A. M. A., Brunner-La Rocca, H., Post, M., Das, M., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., & Bekkers, B. (2016). Acute chest pain in the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin era: A changing role for noninvasive imaging?American Heart Journal, 177, 102-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2016.03.025
    • Wellens, H., Lindemans, F. W., Houben, R. P., Gorgels, A., Volders, P. G., ter Bekke, R. M. A., & Crijns, H. J. (2016). Improving survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest requires new tools. European Heart Journal, 37(19), 1499-1503. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehv485
    • Lankveld, T., de Vos, C. B., Limantoro, I., Zeemering, S., Dudink, E., Crijns, H. J., & Schotten, U. (2016). Systematic analysis of ECG predictors of sinus rhythm maintenance after electrical cardioversion for persistent atrial fibrillation. Heart Rhythm, 13(5), 1020-1027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2016.01.004
    • Cardinaels, E. P. M., Altintas, S., Versteylen, M. O., Joosen, I. A., Jellema, L.-J. C., Wildberger, J. E., Das, M., Crijns, H. J., Bekers, O., van Dieijen-Visser, M. P., Kietselaer, B. L., & Mingels, A. M. A. (2016). High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin Concentrations in Patients with Chest Discomfort: Is It the Heart or the Kidneys As Well?PLOS ONE, 11(4), Article e0153300. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153300
    • Fabritz, L., Guasch, E., Antoniades, C., Bardinet, I., Benninger, G., Betts, T. R., Brand, E., Breithardt, G., Bucklar-Suchankova, G., Camm, A. J., Cartlidge, D., Casadei, B., Chua, W. W., Crijns, H., Deeks, J., Hatem, S., Hidden-Lucet, F., Kääb, S., Maniadakis, N., ... Kirchhof, P. (2016). Expert consensus document: Defining the major health modifiers causing atrial fibrillation: a roadmap to underpin personalized prevention and treatment. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 13(4), 230-237. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2015.194
    • Lozekoot, P. W. J., de Jong, M. M. J., Gelsomino, S., Parise, O., Matteucci, F., Luca, F., Kumar, N., Nijs, J., Czapla, J., Kwant, P. B., Bani, D., Gensini, G. F., Pison, L., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Maessen, J. G., & La Meir, M. (2016). Contact forces during hybrid atrial fibrillation ablation: an in vitro evaluation. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, 45(2), 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-015-0089-y
    • Mafi-Rad, M., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Blaauw, Y., Janssen, M., Crijns, H. J., Prinzen, F. W., & Vernooy, K. (2016). Feasibility and Acute Hemodynamic Effect of Left Ventricular Septal Pacing by Transvenous Approach Through the Interventricular Septum. Circulation-Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 9(3), Article e003344. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.115.003344
    • Lankveld, T., Zeemering, S., Scherr, D., Kuklik, P., Hoffmann, B. A., Willems, S., Pieske, B., Haissaguerre, M., Jais, P., Crijns, H. J., & Schotten, U. (2016). Atrial Fibrillation Complexity Parameters Derived From Surface ECGs Predict Procedural Outcome and Long-Term Follow-Up of Stepwise Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation-Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 9(2), Article e003354. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.115.003354
    • Kirchhof, P., Breithardt, G., Bax, J., Benninger, G., Blomstrom-Lundqvist, C., Boriani, G., Brandes, A., Brown, H., Brueckmann, M., Calkins, H., Calvert, M., Christoffels, V., Crijns, H., Dobrev, D., Ellinor, P., Fabritz, L., Fetsch, T., Freedman, S. B., Gerth, A., ... Camm, A. J. (2016). A roadmap to improve the quality of atrial fibrillation management: proceedings from the fifth Atrial Fibrillation Network/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference. EP Europace, 18(1), 37-50. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euv304
    • van Stipdonk, A. M. W., Rad, M. M., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Crijns, H. J., Prinzen, F. W., & Vernooy, K. (2016). Identifying delayed left ventricular lateral wall activation in patients with non-specific intraventricular conduction delay using coronary venous electroanatomical mapping. Netherlands Heart Journal, 24(1), 58-65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-015-0777-3
    • Rad, M. M., Wijntjens, G. W. M., Engels, E. B., Blaauw, Y., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Pison, L., Crijns, H. J., Prinzen, F. W., & Vernooy, K. (2016). Vectorcardiographic QRS area identifies delayed left ventricular lateral wall activation determined by electroanatomic mapping in candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy. Heart Rhythm, 13(1), 217-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2015.07.033
    • Lozekoot, P. W. J., de Jong, M. M. J., Parise, O., Matteucci, F., Luca, F., Kumar, N., Bani, D., Czapla, J., Pison, L., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Maessen, J. G., La Meir, M., & Gelsomino, S. (2016). The ABLA-BOX An In Vitro Module of Hybrid Atrial Fibrillation Ablation. Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, 11(3), 201-209. https://doi.org/10.1097/IMI.0000000000000256
    • Altintas, S., Cardinaels, E., Versteylen, M. O., Joosen, I. A., Seifert, H., Wildberger, J. E., Crijns, H. J., Nelemans, P. J., van Dieijen - Visser, M. P., Mingels, A. M. A., Das, M., & Kietselaer, B. L. (2016). Unstable coronary plaque characteristics are associated with high sensitivity cardiac troponin T and N-terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide. Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, 10(1), 82-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcct.2015.10.001
  • 2015
    • Lip, G. Y. H., Laroche, C., Popescu, M. I., Rasmussen, L. H., Vitali-Serdoz, L., Dan, G.-A., Kalarus, Z., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Oliveira, M. M., Tavazzi, L., Maggioni, A. P., & Boriani, G. (2015). Improved outcomes with European Society of Cardiology guideline-adherent antithrombotic treatment in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation: a report from the EORP-AF General Pilot Registry. EP Europace, 17(12), 1777-1786. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euv269
    • Heijman, J., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2015). T-wave Right Slope Provides a New Angle in the Prediction of Drug-Induced Ventricular Arrhythmias. Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy, 29(5), 411-413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10557-015-6620-7
    • Hazebroek, M. R., Moors, S., Dennert, R., van den Wijngaard, A., Krapels, I., Hoos, M., Verdonschot, J., Merken, J. J., de Vries, B., Wolffs, P. F., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & Heymans, S. (2015). Prognostic Relevance of Gene-Environment Interactions in Patients With Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Applying the MOGE(S) Classification. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 66(12), 1313-1323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2015.07.023
    • Baaten, C. C. F. M. J., Veenstra, L. F., Wetzels, R., van Geffen, J. P., Swieringa, F., de Witt, S. M., Henskens, Y. M. C., Crijns, H., Nylander, S., van Giezen, J. J. J., Heemskerk, J. W. M., & van der Meijden, P. E. J. (2015). Gradual increase in thrombogenicity of juvenile platelets formed upon offset of prasugrel medication. Haematologica-the Hematology Journal, 100(9), 1131-1138. https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2014.122457
    • Pison, L., Vroomen, M., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2015). Catheter Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation. New England Journal of Medicine, 373(9), 877-878. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc1508689
    • Kumar, N., Pison, L., Lozekoot, P., Choudhury, R., La Meir, M., Gelsomino, S., Crijns, H., & Maessen, J. (2015). The symbiosis of contact force catheter use for hybrid ablation for atrial fibrillation. Netherlands Heart Journal, 23(9), 438-444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-015-0729-y
    • Pison, L., Vroomen, M., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2015). Surgical Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation. New England Journal of Medicine, 373(5), 483-483. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc1506893
    • Lau, D. H., Maesen, B., Zeemering, S., Kuklik, P., van Hunnik, A., Lankveld, T. A. R., Bidar, E., Verheule, S., Nijs, J., Maessen, J., Crijns, H., Sanders, P., & Schotten, U. (2015). Indices of bipolar complex fractionated atrial electrograms correlate poorly with each other and atrial fibrillation substrate complexity. Heart Rhythm, 12(7), 1415-1423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2015.03.017
    • Kumar, N., Dinh, T., Phan, K., Timmermans, C., Philippens, S., Dassen, W., Vranken, N., Pison, L., Maessen, J., & Crijns, H. J. (2015). Adenosine testing after second-generation cryoballoon ablation (ATSCA) study improves clinical success rate for atrial fibrillation. EP Europace, 17(6), 871-876. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euu352
    • Pison, L., Peeters, P., Blaauw, Y., Vernooy, K., Kumar, N., Philippens, S., Crijns, H. J., Vlaeyen, J., Schoenen, J., & Timmermans, C. (2015). Headache during cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation. EP Europace, 17(6), 898-901. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euu321
    • Lip, G. Y. H., Laroche, C., Popescu, M. I., Rasmussen, L. H., Vitali-Serdoz, L., Dan, G.-A., Kalarus, Z., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Oliveira, M. M., Tavazzi, L., Maggioni, A. P., & Boriani, G. (2015). Heart failure in patients with atrial fibrillation in Europe: a report from the EURObservational Research Programme Pilot survey on Atrial Fibrillation. European journal of heart failure, 17(6), 570-582. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.254
    • Vermond, R. A., Van Gelder, I. C., Crijns, H. J., & Rienstra, M. (2015). Does Myocardial Infarction Beget Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Fibrillation Beget Myocardial Infarction?Circulation, 131(21), 1824-1826. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.016595
    • Philippon, F., Liu, L., Fung, J. W.-H., Deharo, J.-C., Anselme, F., Delnoy, P. P., Crijns, H., Morillo, C. A., Krahn, A. D., Gutleben, K., Delumeau, J., & Molin, F. (2015). Left Ventricular Three-Dimensional Quadripolar Lead Acute Clinical Study: The LILAC Study. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 38(4), 438-447. https://doi.org/10.1111/pace.12584
    • Schalla, S., Jaarsma, C., Bekkers, S. C., Waltenberger, J., Dennert, R., Crijns, H. J., Wildberger, J., Heymans, S., & Brunner-La Rocca, H. P. (2015). Right ventricular function in dilated cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease: assessment with non-invasive imaging. Netherlands Heart Journal, 23(4), 232-240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-015-0673-x
    • Brunner-La Rocca, H. P., & Crijns, H. J. (2015). Iron i.v. in heart failure: ready for implementation?European Heart Journal, 36(11), 645-647. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehu392
    • Dudink, E., & Crijns, H. J. (2015). Atrial inflammation and atrial function after cardiac surgery: can we study it properly?Netherlands Heart Journal, 23(3), 166-167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-015-0658-9
    • Kumar, N., Bonizzi, P., Pison, L., Phan, K., Lankveld, T., Maessen, B., La Meir, M., Gelsomino, S., Maessen, J., & Crijns, H. (2015). Impact of hybrid procedure on P wave duration for atrial fibrillation ablation. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, 42(2), 91-99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-014-9969-9
    • van Deursen, C. J. M., Wecke, L., van Everdingen, W. M., Stahlberg, M., Janssen, M. H. G., Braunschweig, F., Bergfeldt, L., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Vernooy, K., & Prinzen, F. W. (2015). Vectorcardiography for Optimization of Stimulation Intervals in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy. Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research, 8(2), 128-137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-015-9615-7
    • Lip, G. Y. H., Laroche, C., Boriani, G., Dan, G.-A., Santini, M., Kalarus, Z., Rasmussen, L. H., Oliveira, M. M., Mairesse, G., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Simantirakis, E., Atar, D., Maggioni, A. P., & Tavazzi, L. (2015). Regional differences in presentation and treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation in Europe: a report from the EURObservational Research Programme Atrial Fibrillation (EORP-AF) Pilot General Registry. EP Europace, 17(2), 194-206. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euu201
    • Majidi, M., Kosinski, A. S., Al-Khatib, S. M., Smolders, L., Cristea, E., Lansky, A. J., Stone, G. W., Mehran, R., Gibbons, R. J., Crijns, H. J., Wellens, H. J., Gorgels, A. P., & Krucoff, M. W. (2015). Implications of ventricular arrhythmia "bursts" with normal epicardial flow, myocardial blush, and ST-segment recovery in anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction reperfusion: A biosignature of direct myocellular injury "downstream of downstream". European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care, 4(1), 51-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/2048872614532414
    • Rad, M. M., Blaauw, Y., Trang Dinh, Pison, L., Crijns, H. J., Prinzen, F. W., & Vernooy, K. (2015). Left ventricular lead placement in the latest activated region guided by coronary venous electroanatomic mapping. EP Europace, 17(1), 84-93. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euu221
    • Kuklik, P., Zeemering, S., Maesen, B., Maessen, J., Crijns, H. J., Verheule, S., Ganesan, A. N., & Schotten, U. (2015). Reconstruction of Instantaneous Phase of Unipolar Atrial Contact Electrogram Using a Concept of Sinusoidal Recomposition and Hilbert Transform. Ieee Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 62(1), 296-302. https://doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2014.2350029
    • Weijs, B., Schotten, U., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2015). Pathophysiology of Idiopathic Atrial Fibrillation - Prognostic and Treatment Implications. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 21(5), 551-572. https://doi.org/10.2174/1381612820666140825150057
    • van Deursen, C. J. M., Vernooy, K., Dudink, E., Bergfeldt, L., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Prinzen, F. W., & Wecke, L. (2015). Vectorcardiographic QRS area as a novel predictor of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy. Journal of Electrocardiology, 48(1), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2014.10.003
  • 2014
    • Weijs, B., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2014). Lone or idiopathic atrial fibrillation, messenger of misery in sight. International Journal of Cardiology, 177(3), 734-735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.09.181
    • Lip, G. Y. H., Laroche, C., Ioachim, P. M., Rasmussen, L. H., Vitali-Serdoz, L., Petrescu, L., Darabantiu, D., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Kirchhof, P., Vardas, P., Tavazzi, L., Maggioni, A. P., & Boriani, G. (2014). Prognosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation patients by European cardiologists: One Year Follow-up of the EURObservational Research Programme-Atrial Fibrillation General Registry Pilot Phase (EORP-AF Pilot registry). European Heart Journal, 35(47), 3365-3376. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehu374
    • Guerra, F., Hohnloser, S. H., Kowey, P. R., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Aliot, E. M., Radzik, D., Roy, D., Connolly, S., & Capucci, A. (2014). Efficacy and Safety of Dronedarone in Patients Previously Treated With Other Antiarrhythmic Agents. Clinical Cardiology, 37(12), 717-724. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.22342
    • Loeffen, R., van Oerle, R., de Groot, P. G., Waltenberger, J., Crijns, H. J., Spronk, H. M. H., & ten Cate, H. (2014). Increased factor XIa levels in patients with a first acute myocardial infarction: The introduction of a new thrombin generation based factor XIa assay. Thrombosis Research, 134(6), 1328-1334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.thromres.2014.09.015
    • Limantoro, I., de Vos, C. B., Delhaas, T., Weijs, B., Blaauw, Y., Schotten, U., Kietselaer, B., Pisters, R., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2014). Clinical correlates of echocardiographic tissue velocity imaging abnormalities of the left atrial wall during atrial fibrillation. EP Europace, 16(11), 1546-1553. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euu047
    • Rad, M. M., Blaauw, Y., Dinh, T., Pison, L., Crijns, H. J., Prinzen, F. W., & Vernooy, K. (2014). Different regions of latest electrical activation during left bundle-branch block and right ventricular pacing in cardiac resynchronization therapy patients determined by coronary venous electro-anatomic mapping. European journal of heart failure, 16(11), 1214-1222. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejhf.178
    • Ha, A. C. T., Breithardt, G., Camm, A. J., Crijns, H. J., Fitzmaurice, G. M., Kowey, P. R., Le Heuzey, J.-Y., Naditch-Brule, L., Prystowsky, E. N., Schwartz, P. J., Torp-Pedersen, C., Weintraub, W. S., & Dorian, P. (2014). Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Treated With Rhythm Control Versus Rate Control Insights From a Prospective International Registry (Registry on Cardiac Rhythm Disorders Assessing the Control of Atrial Fibrillation: RECORD-AF). Circulation : Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 7(6), 896-904. https://doi.org/10.1161/HCQ.0000000000000011
    • Kumar, N., Blaauw, Y., Timmermans, C., Pison, L., Vernooy, K., & Crijns, H. (2014). Adenosine testing after second-generation balloon devices (cryothermal and laser) mediated pulmonary vein ablation for atrial fibrillation. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, 41(1), 91-97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-014-9921-z
    • Kumar, N., Pison, L., La Meir, M., Maessen, J., & Crijns, H. J. (2014). Hybrid approach to atrial fibrillation ablation using bipolar radiofrequency devices epicardially and cryoballoon endocardially. Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, 19(4), 590-594. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivu189
    • Marcucci, M., Lip, G. Y. H., Nieuwlaat, R., Pisters, R., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Iorio, A. (2014). Stroke and Bleeding Risk Co-distribution in Real-world Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: The Euro Heart Survey. American Journal of Medicine, 127(10), 979-U199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.05.003
    • Vermond, R. A., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Tijssen, J. G. P., Alings, A. M., Van den Berg, M. P., Hillege, H. L., Van Veldhuisen, D. J., Van Gelder, I. C., & Rienstra, M. (2014). Symptom severity is associated with cardiovascular outcome in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation in the RACE II study. EP Europace, 16(10), 1417-1425. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euu151
    • Mulder, B. A., Van Veldhuisen, D. J., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Tijssen, J. G. P., Hillege, H. L., Alings, M., Rienstra, M., Van den Berg, M. P., & Van Gelder, I. C. (2014). Digoxin in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation: Data from the RACE II study. Heart Rhythm, 11(9), 1543-1550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2014.06.007
    • De Vos, C. B., Limantoro, I., Pisters, R., Delhaas, T., Schotten, U., Cheriex, E. C., Tieleman, R. G., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2014). The mechanical fibrillation pattern of the atrial myocardium is associated with acute and long-term success of electrical cardioversion in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. Heart Rhythm, 11(9), 1514-1521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2014.04.029
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