Institution
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Education•Leuven, Belgium•
About: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a education organization based out in Leuven, Belgium. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 61109 authors who have published 176584 publications receiving 6210872 citations.
Topics: Population, Context (language use), Transplantation, Medicine, CMOS
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: A novel class of plant peptides whose structural and functional properties resemble those of insect and mammalian defensins are characterized, which are one class among the numerous types of Cys-rich antimicrobial peptides.
Abstract: Various mechanisms to fend off microbial invaders have been devised by all living organisms, including microorganisms themselves. The most sophisticated of these mechanisms relies on the synthesis of immunoglobulins directed against specific microbial targets. However, immunoglobulin-based immunity operates only in a relatively minor subset of living species, namely the higher vertebrates. A much more ancient and widespread defense strategy involves the production of small peptides that exert antimicrobial properties. As products of single genes, antimicrobial peptides can be synthesized in a swift and flexible way, and because of their small size they can be produced by the host with a minimal input of energy and biomass. Wellknown examples of antimicrobial peptides are the cecropins that accumulate in the hemolymph of many invertebrates in response to injury or infection (reviewed by Boman and Hultmark, 1987) and the magainins that are secreted by glands in the skin of amphibians (reviewed by Bevins and Zasloff, 1990). Cecropins and magainins are small (20-40 residues) basic peptides displaying an amphipathic a-helical structure that can integrate in microbial membranes to form ion channels (Duclohier, 1994). Another class of antimicrobial peptides is formed by the Cys-rich peptides, which in contrast to cecropins and magainins, have a complex cystine-stabilized three-dimensional folding pattern often involving antiparallel ,3-sheets. Defensins are one class among the numerous types of Cys-rich antimicrobial peptides, which differ in length, number of cystine, bonds, or folding pattern (reviewed by Boman, 1995). Insect defensins (34-43 residues, three disulfide bridges) are, like cecropins, produced in a pathogeninducible manner by the insect fat body and secreted in the hemolymph (reviewed by Hoffmann and Hetru, 1992). Mammalian defensins (29-34 amino acids, three disulfide bridges) are produced by various specialized cells in the mammalian body (reviewed by Lehrer et al., 1993; Ganz and Lehrer, 1994). For example, they are very abundant in granules of phagocytic blood cells. These granules fuse with phagocytosis vesicles containing microorganisms, where the defensins are thought to contribute, together with other antimicrobial proteins and active oxygen species, to killing of the engulfed microorganisms. Defensins are also secreted by epithelial cells of the intestines and airways, where they may help maintain the normal microbial flora in a steady state. In addition, the expression of defensins in the airway epithelium has been shown to be up-regulated after exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharides (Diamond et al., 1993). The importance of defensins in innate immunity of humans is underscored by the observation that certain disorders characterized by recurrent infections are associated with a lack of defensins in blood phagocytes (Ganz et al., 1988). Moreover, transposon mutants of a pathogenic Salmonella strain known to infect and grow inside phagocytes simultaneously lost their resistance to defensins (and other antimicrobial peptides) and their virulence (Groisman et al., 1992). Recently, we characterized a novel class of plant peptides whose structural and functional properties resemble those of insect and mammalian defensins. Hence, we termed this family of peptides "plant defensins" (Terras et al., 1995).
764 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the main beneficial properties of anaerobic digestion are discussed and the potential, opportunities and challenges of these biomasses are discussed, and the typical biogas yield and points of attention are included.
Abstract: It is clear that renewable resources will play a crucial role in limiting the CO2 emissions. Energy from biomass and waste is regarded as one of the most dominant future renewable energy sources, since it can provide a continuous power generation. In this regard, the application of anaerobic digestion is emerging spectacularly. This manuscript lists and discusses the main beneficial properties of anaerobic digestion. Different types of biomass and waste are suitable for anaerobic digestion: the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, waste oils and animal fat, energy crops and agricultural waste, manure and sewage sludge. The potential, opportunities and challenges of these biomasses are discussed. Typical biogas yield and points of attention are included. The manuscript concludes with an overview and discussion of the major research trends in anaerobic digestion, including the analysis of microbial community development, the extension of anaerobic digestion models, the development of pre-treatment techniques and upgrading of the biogas produced.
764 citations
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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev1, McMaster University2, Population Health Research Institute3, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill4, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences5, University of Gothenburg6, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven7, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy8, Peking Union Medical College Hospital9, Tohoku University10, University of Sydney11, University of Jos12, Cornell University13, National Autonomous University of Mexico14, University of Manchester15, University of Ghana16, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences17, University of Amsterdam18, Ege University19, Wonkwang University20, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul21, Pontifical Xavierian University22, Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry23, Universiti Sains Malaysia24, Wrocław Medical University25, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital26, Autonomous University of Barcelona27, University of Cape Town28, University of Indonesia29, Queen's University30, National University of Singapore31, Rabin Medical Center32, University of Alberta33, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences34, Université de Montréal35
TL;DR: It is found that more than 40% of persons worldwide have FGIDs, which affect quality of life and healthcare use, and similar trends and relative distributions were found in people who completed internet vs personal interviews.
763 citations
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Los Alamos National Laboratory1, University of New Mexico2, KAIST3, Francis Crick Institute4, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven5, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute6, National Health Service7, Kyoto University8, University of Tokyo9, University of Cambridge10, Medical Research Council11, King's College London12
TL;DR: The results are consistent with the proposition that smoking increases cancer risk by increasing the somatic mutation load, although direct evidence for this mechanism is lacking in some smoking-related cancer types.
Abstract: Tobacco smoking increases the risk of at least 17 classes of human cancer. We analyzed somatic mutations and DNA methylation in 5243 cancers of types for which tobacco smoking confers an elevated risk. Smoking is associated with increased mutation burdens of multiple distinct mutational signatures, which contribute to different extents in different cancers. One of these signatures, mainly found in cancers derived from tissues directly exposed to tobacco smoke, is attributable to misreplication of DNA damage caused by tobacco carcinogens. Others likely reflect indirect activation of DNA editing by APOBEC cytidine deaminases and of an endogenous clocklike mutational process. Smoking is associated with limited differences in methylation. The results are consistent with the proposition that smoking increases cancer risk by increasing the somatic mutation load, although direct evidence for this mechanism is lacking in some smoking-related cancer types.
762 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, a cluster analysis revealed four motivational profiles: a good quality motivation group (i.e., high autonomous, low controlled), a poor quality motivation groups (i., low autonomous, high controlled); a low quantity motivation group and a high quantity motivation groups.
Abstract: The present research complements extant variable-centered research that focused on the dimensions of autonomous and controlled motivation through adoption of a person-centered approach for identifying motivational profiles. Both in high school students (Study 1) and college students (Study 2), a cluster analysis revealed 4 motivational profiles: a good quality motivation group (i.e., high autonomous, low controlled); a poor quality motivation group (i.e., low autonomous, high controlled); a low quantity motivation group (i.e., low autonomous, low controlled); and a high quantity motivation group (i.e., high autonomous, high controlled). To compare the 4 groups, the authors derived predictions from qualitative and quantitative perspectives on motivation. Findings generally favored the qualitative perspective; compared with the other groups, the good quality motivation group displayed the most optimal learning pattern and scored highest on perceived need-supportive teaching. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
761 citations
Authors
Showing all 61602 results
Name | H-index | Papers | Citations |
---|---|---|---|
Eugene Braunwald | 230 | 1711 | 264576 |
Joseph L. Goldstein | 207 | 556 | 149527 |
Rakesh K. Jain | 200 | 1467 | 177727 |
Stefan Schreiber | 178 | 1233 | 138528 |
Masayuki Yamamoto | 171 | 1576 | 123028 |
Jun Wang | 166 | 1093 | 141621 |
David R. Jacobs | 165 | 1262 | 113892 |
Klaus Müllen | 164 | 2125 | 140748 |
Peter Carmeliet | 164 | 844 | 122918 |
Hua Zhang | 163 | 1503 | 116769 |
William J. Sandborn | 162 | 1317 | 108564 |
Elliott M. Antman | 161 | 716 | 179462 |
Tobin J. Marks | 159 | 1621 | 111604 |
Ian A. Wilson | 158 | 971 | 98221 |
Johan Auwerx | 158 | 653 | 95779 |