Université catholique de Louvain

About: Université catholique de Louvain is a education organization based out in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 25319 authors who have published 57360 publications receiving 2172080 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Louvain & UCLouvain.

Beneficial effects of biochar application to contaminated soils on the bioavailability of Cd, Pb and Zn and the biomass production of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).

Abstract: Phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals was tested by liming (CaCO 3 ) or adding biochar (1%, 5% and 10%, mass fraction) and by growing rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), a common bioenergy crop. Bioavailable metal concentrations (0.01molL -1 CaCl 2 extraction) decreased with increasing concentrations of biochar amendment. The reduction reached 71%, 87% and 92% for Cd, Zn and Pb respectively in the presence of 10% biochar. Twelve weeks after sowing, all plants cultivated on the untreated soil and on the soil amended by biochar at 1% had died, while the plants grew normally on the soil that had the other treatments. Compared to liming, treatment with 10% biochar proved equally efficient in reducing metal concentrations in shoots but the biomass production tripled as a result of the soil fertility improvement. Thus, in addition to C sequestration, the incorporation of biochar into metal-contaminated soils could make it possible to cultivate bioenergy crops without encroaching on agricultural lands. Although additional investigations are needed, we suggest that the harvested biomass might in turn be used as feedstock for pyrolysis to produce both bioenergy and new biochar, which could contribute further to the reduction of CO 2 emission. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Structure, function and mechanism of thioredoxin proteins

Abstract: Thioredoxins are ubiquitous antioxidant enzymes that play important roles in many health-related cellular processes. As such, the fundamental knowledge of how these enzymes work is of prime importance for understanding cellular redox mechanisms and for laying the ground for the development of future therapeutic approaches. Over the past 40 years, a really impressive amount of data has been published on thioredoxins. Here, we review the most significant results that have contributed to our knowledge regarding the structure, the function, and the mechanism of these crucial enzymes. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 13, 1205–1216.

Molecular interrogation of hypothalamic organization reveals distinct dopamine neuronal subtypes

Abstract: The hypothalamus is a brain region rich in functionally segregated neurons. Here Romanov and colleagues use single-cell RNA sequencing to distinguish 62 neuronal subtypes and define their neuropeptide and neurotransmitter makeup. They then show that onecut-3-containing dopamine neurons populate the periventricular area and are wired into the circadian circuitry.

The Persistence of Profits - a European Comparison

Abstract: This paper is concerned with modeling the movements in profits of firms over time At the heart of the emp irical model is a latent variables problem which arises from the fact that entry and imitation do not actually have to occur to have an ef fect on profits A solution to this problem is explored, and then emp irical results are presented comparing a sample of firms from the Uni ted Kingdom, France, and West Germany Copyright 1988 by Royal Economic Society