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.

Weights in Multidimensional Indices of Wellbeing: An Overview

Abstract: Multidimensional indices are becoming increasingly important instruments to assess the wellbeing of societies. They move beyond the focus on a single indicator and yet they are easy to present and communicate. A crucial step in the construction of a multidimensional index of wellbeing is the selection of the relative weights for the different dimensions. The aim of this article is to study the role of these weights and to critically survey eight different approaches to set them. We categorize the approaches in three classes: data-driven, normative, and hybrid weighting, and compare their respective advantages and drawbacks.

The hidden lifestyles of Bacillus cereus and relatives.

Abstract: Bacillus cereus sensu lato, the species group comprising Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis and B. cereus (sensu stricto), has previously been scrutinized regarding interspecies genetic correlation and pathogenic characteristics. So far, little attention has been paid to analysing the biological and ecological properties of the three species in their natural environments. In this review, we describe the B. cereus sensu lato living in a world on its own; all B. cereus sensu lato can grow saprophytically under nutrient-rich conditions, which are only occasionally found in the environment, except where nutrients are actively collected. As such, members of the B. cereus group have recently been discovered as common inhabitants of the invertebrate gut. We speculate that all members disclose symbiotic relationships with appropriate invertebrate hosts and only occasionally enter a pathogenic life cycle in which the individual species infects suitable hosts and multiplies almost unrestrained.

The dynamics of small molecules in intense laser fields

Abstract: In the past decade, the understanding of the dynamics of small molecules in intense laser fields has advanced enormously. At the same time, the technology of ultra-short pulsed lasers has equally progressed to such an extent that femtosecond lasers are now widely available. This review is written from an experimentalist's point of view and begins by discussing the value of this research and defining the meaning of the word 'intense'. It continues with describing the Ti: sapphire laser, including topics such as pulse compression, chirped pulse amplification, optical parametric amplification, laser-pulse diagnostics and the absolute phase. Further aspects include focusing, the focal volume effect and space charge. The discussion of physics begins with the Keldysh parameter and the three regimes of ionization, i.e. multi-photon, tunnelling and over-the-barrier. Direct-double ionization (non-sequential ionization), high-harmonic generation, above-threshold ionization and attosecond pulses are briefly mentioned. Subsequently, a theoretical calculation, which solves the time-dependent Schrodinger equation, is compared with an experimental result. The dynamics of H-2(+) in an intense laser field is interpreted in terms of bond-softening, vibrational trapping (bond-hardening), below-threshold dissociation and laser-induced alignment of the molecular axis. The final section discusses the modified Franck-Condon principle, enhanced ionization at critical distances and Coulomb explosion of diatomic and triatomic molecules.

X-linked Alport Syndrome Natural History in 195 Families and Genotype- Phenotype Correlations in Males

Abstract: Alport syndrome (AS) is a type IV collagen hereditary disease characterized by the association of progressive hematuric nephritis, hearing loss, and, frequently, ocular changes. Mutations in the COL4A5 collagen gene are responsible for the more common X-linked dominant form of the disease. Considerable allelic heterogeneity has been observed. A "European Community Alport Syndrome Concerted Action" has been established to delineate accurately the AS phenotype and to determine genotype-phenotype correlations in a large number of families. Data concerning 329 families, 250 of them with an X-linked transmission, were collected. Characteristics of the 401 male patients belonging to the 195 families with COL4A5 mutation are presented. All male patients were hematuric, and the rate of progression to end-stage renal failure and deafness was mutation-dependent. Large deletions, non-sense mutations, or small mutations changing the reading frame conferred to affected male patients a 90% probability of developing end-stage renal failure before 30 yr of age, whereas the same risk was of 50 and 70%, respectively, in patients with missense or splice site mutation. The risk of developing hearing loss before 30 yr of age was approximately 60% in patients with missense mutations, contrary to 90% for the other types of mutations. The natural history of X-linked AS and correlations with COL4A5 mutations have been established in a large cohort of male patients. These data could be used for further evaluation of therapeutic approaches.

Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Gravity in Four-Dimensional Spacetime.

Abstract: In this Letter we present a general covariant modified theory of gravity in D=4 spacetime dimensions which propagates only the massless graviton and bypasses Lovelock's theorem. The theory we present is formulated in D>4 dimensions and its action consists of the Einstein-Hilbert term with a cosmological constant, and the Gauss-Bonnet term multiplied by a factor 1/(D-4). The four-dimensional theory is defined as the limit D→4. In this singular limit the Gauss-Bonnet invariant gives rise to nontrivial contributions to gravitational dynamics, while preserving the number of graviton degrees of freedom and being free from Ostrogradsky instability. We report several appealing new predictions of this theory, including the corrections to the dispersion relation of cosmological tensor and scalar modes, singularity resolution for spherically symmetric solutions, and others.