news 2016
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Results 61 - 80 of 124.
An antibody-based drug for multiple sclerosis
Inserm Unit U919, directed by Prof. Denis Vivien ('Serine Proteases and Physiopathology of the Neurovascular Unit') has developed an antibody with potential therapeutic effects against multiple sclerosis.
Inserm Unit U919, directed by Prof. Denis Vivien ('Serine Proteases and Physiopathology of the Neurovascular Unit') has developed an antibody with potential therapeutic effects against multiple sclerosis.
How organ regularity emerges from cell randomness
Random directions of growth yield flowers of the correct size and shape. Credit S. Tsugawa, Hokkaido University. An international team (Cornell University, Hokkaido University, Max Planck Institute, Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon / Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 / CNRS / INRA) unravels how random cell growth contributes to making organs reach the correct size and shape.
Random directions of growth yield flowers of the correct size and shape. Credit S. Tsugawa, Hokkaido University. An international team (Cornell University, Hokkaido University, Max Planck Institute, Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon / Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 / CNRS / INRA) unravels how random cell growth contributes to making organs reach the correct size and shape.
Earthquake prediction: an innovative technique for monitoring submarine faults
To monitor a segment of the North Anatolian seismic fault near Istanbul, an international team of researchers, in particular from CNRS and Université de Bretagne Occidentale, has installed a network of transponders on the floor of the Sea of Marmara. The aim is to measure motion of the sea floor on either side of this segment.
To monitor a segment of the North Anatolian seismic fault near Istanbul, an international team of researchers, in particular from CNRS and Université de Bretagne Occidentale, has installed a network of transponders on the floor of the Sea of Marmara. The aim is to measure motion of the sea floor on either side of this segment.
Very premature infants: towards better care
Born too soon, very premature infants are particularly vulnerable and need appropriate care. The European project EPICE (Effective Perinatal Intensive Care in Europe) examines how medical practices based on scientific evidence are incorporated into the care of these neonates . The study, coordinated by Inserm and published in The British Medical Journal , highlights the underuse of four effective practices for improving their survival and long-term health, and estimates its impact on mortality and morbidity.
Born too soon, very premature infants are particularly vulnerable and need appropriate care. The European project EPICE (Effective Perinatal Intensive Care in Europe) examines how medical practices based on scientific evidence are incorporated into the care of these neonates . The study, coordinated by Inserm and published in The British Medical Journal , highlights the underuse of four effective practices for improving their survival and long-term health, and estimates its impact on mortality and morbidity.
A giant impact: solving the mystery of how Mars’ moons formed
Where did the two natural satellites of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, come from? For a long time, their shape suggested that they were asteroids captured by Mars. However, the shape and course of their orbits contradict this hypothesis. Two independent and complementary studies provide an answer to this question.
Where did the two natural satellites of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, come from? For a long time, their shape suggested that they were asteroids captured by Mars. However, the shape and course of their orbits contradict this hypothesis. Two independent and complementary studies provide an answer to this question.
Frigate birds : never touching down
Frigate birds were already known for their ability to fly continuously for weeks without landing. A telemetric study of their trajectory and flight strategy has just revealed that they can remain airborne for over two months during their transoceanic migrations.
Frigate birds were already known for their ability to fly continuously for weeks without landing. A telemetric study of their trajectory and flight strategy has just revealed that they can remain airborne for over two months during their transoceanic migrations.
Ethical issues surrounding CRISPR-Cas9 technology
Font size Bookmark Print Tip a friend On 13 June last, the Inserm Ethics Committee assembled over a hundred individuals at its annual seminar. All those present had the benefit of an ethical perspective on many problems posed by biomedical research. One of the questions addressed was that of CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
Font size Bookmark Print Tip a friend On 13 June last, the Inserm Ethics Committee assembled over a hundred individuals at its annual seminar. All those present had the benefit of an ethical perspective on many problems posed by biomedical research. One of the questions addressed was that of CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
Attraction of the opposite: when fat leads the way for plant proteins
This little plant Arabidopsis thaliana A team of the Plant Reproduction and Development laboratory ( RDP - Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA) just found that certain lipid species power an electrostatic field that controls protein localization at the cell surface.
This little plant Arabidopsis thaliana A team of the Plant Reproduction and Development laboratory ( RDP - Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA) just found that certain lipid species power an electrostatic field that controls protein localization at the cell surface.
Skype data of 500 million people reveals the real patterns of social adoption
Global patterns of adoption spreading are induced by local adoption cascades initiated by multiple spontaneous adopters arriving at a constant rate, amplified by a large number of adoptions induced by social influence, and controlled by individuals who are immune to the actual adoption. This study, published in This study is based on an observation of payed service adoptions evolved over 8 years on the social network of Skype, which connects over 500 million people all around the world.
Global patterns of adoption spreading are induced by local adoption cascades initiated by multiple spontaneous adopters arriving at a constant rate, amplified by a large number of adoptions induced by social influence, and controlled by individuals who are immune to the actual adoption. This study, published in This study is based on an observation of payed service adoptions evolved over 8 years on the social network of Skype, which connects over 500 million people all around the world.
Ready for the car with a licence to kill?
The first autonomous vehicles are expected in the next few years. They should ease traffic and reduce pollution and accidents compared with today's cars. But these self-driving cars (SDC) will face tragic dilemmas: for example, they will have to choose between saving the lives of their passengers or those of pedestrians.
The first autonomous vehicles are expected in the next few years. They should ease traffic and reduce pollution and accidents compared with today's cars. But these self-driving cars (SDC) will face tragic dilemmas: for example, they will have to choose between saving the lives of their passengers or those of pedestrians.
An ocean lies a few kilometers beneath Enceladus’s icy surface
With eruptions of ice and water vapor, and an ocean covered by an ice shell, Saturn's moon Enceladus is one of the most fascinating in the Solar System, especially as interpretations of data provided by the Cassini spacecraft have been contradictory until now.
With eruptions of ice and water vapor, and an ocean covered by an ice shell, Saturn's moon Enceladus is one of the most fascinating in the Solar System, especially as interpretations of data provided by the Cassini spacecraft have been contradictory until now.
Newborn giant planet grazes its star
For the past 20 years, exoplanets known as 'hot Jupiters' have puzzled astronomers. These giant planets orbit 100 times closer to their host stars than Jupiter does to the Sun, which increases their surface temperatures. But how and when in their history did they migrate so close to their star? Now, an international team of astronomers has announced the discovery of a very young hot Jupiter orbiting in the immediate vicinity of a star that is barely two million years old—the stellar equivalent of a week-old infant.
For the past 20 years, exoplanets known as 'hot Jupiters' have puzzled astronomers. These giant planets orbit 100 times closer to their host stars than Jupiter does to the Sun, which increases their surface temperatures. But how and when in their history did they migrate so close to their star? Now, an international team of astronomers has announced the discovery of a very young hot Jupiter orbiting in the immediate vicinity of a star that is barely two million years old—the stellar equivalent of a week-old infant.
A novel research program on traumatic memories
How will the traumatic events of the terrorist attacks of 13 November 2015 evolve in people's memories, whether collective or individual?
How will the traumatic events of the terrorist attacks of 13 November 2015 evolve in people's memories, whether collective or individual?
Gravitational waves spotted again
On 26 December 2015, scientists from the LIGO and Virgo collaborations received an unexpected Christmas gift when the Advanced LIGO detectors recorded a new gravitational wave signal, three months after the first detection 1 . And once again, the signal—a tiny distortion of spacetime—came from the final spinning 'dance' of two black holes on the point of merging, a phenomenon known as coalescence.
On 26 December 2015, scientists from the LIGO and Virgo collaborations received an unexpected Christmas gift when the Advanced LIGO detectors recorded a new gravitational wave signal, three months after the first detection 1 . And once again, the signal—a tiny distortion of spacetime—came from the final spinning 'dance' of two black holes on the point of merging, a phenomenon known as coalescence.
CO2 hits record highs in the Southern hemisphere
Last month, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) as measured at Amsterdam Island, in the southern Indian Ocean, for the first time exceeded the symbolic value of 400 ppm 1 , or 0.
Last month, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) as measured at Amsterdam Island, in the southern Indian Ocean, for the first time exceeded the symbolic value of 400 ppm 1 , or 0.
LISA Pathfinder exceeds expectations
Mission accomplished for the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft after only two months of science operations. Not only were the technologies needed for the future eLISA 1 gravitational wave space observatory validated, but the performance of the ESA demonstrator also exceeded the project specifications by a factor of five, and was very close to requirements for eLISA .
Mission accomplished for the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft after only two months of science operations. Not only were the technologies needed for the future eLISA 1 gravitational wave space observatory validated, but the performance of the ESA demonstrator also exceeded the project specifications by a factor of five, and was very close to requirements for eLISA .
Dogs were domesticated not once, but twice... in different parts of the world
The question, 'Where do domestic dogs come from'', has vexed scholars for a very long time. Some argue that humans first domesticated wolves in Europe, while others claim this happened in Central Asia or China. A new paper, published in Science, suggests that all these claims may be right.
The question, 'Where do domestic dogs come from'', has vexed scholars for a very long time. Some argue that humans first domesticated wolves in Europe, while others claim this happened in Central Asia or China. A new paper, published in Science, suggests that all these claims may be right.
Targeting metals to fight Staphylococcus aureus
Researchers from CEA, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université and INRA, in France have discovered a unique system of acquisition of essential metals in the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.
Researchers from CEA, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université and INRA, in France have discovered a unique system of acquisition of essential metals in the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.
French cave sheds new light on the Neanderthals
Deep inside Bruniquel Cave, in the Tarn et Garonne region of southwestern France, a set of man-made structures 1 336 meters from the entrance was recently dated as being approximately 176,500 years old.
Deep inside Bruniquel Cave, in the Tarn et Garonne region of southwestern France, a set of man-made structures 1 336 meters from the entrance was recently dated as being approximately 176,500 years old.
Ocean pollution: focusing on the fragmentation of plastic waste
First discovered by sailors, the masses of plastic debris floating at the center of vast ocean vortices called gyres are today under close scrutiny by scientists. To better understand the fragmentation of microplastics under the effect of light and abrasion by waves, researchers combined physico-chemical analyses with statistical modeling.
First discovered by sailors, the masses of plastic debris floating at the center of vast ocean vortices called gyres are today under close scrutiny by scientists. To better understand the fragmentation of microplastics under the effect of light and abrasion by waves, researchers combined physico-chemical analyses with statistical modeling.