- 2014
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Press releases - 18.08.2014
From rectal cells to neurons : keys to understanding transdifferentiation
How can a specialized cell change its identity? A team from the Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (CNRS/INSERM/Université de Strasbourg) investigated a 100% effective natural example of this phenomenon, which is called transdifferentiation. This process, by which some cells lose their characteristics and acquire a new identity, could be more generally […]
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What's on? - 14.08.2014
Use of unapproved treatments against Ebola : what are the ethical issues?
1) Access to experimental treatment, on a compassionate basis, given the severe spontaneous development of the disease (60% mortality). Who is given priority when administering treatment available in small quantities and under what conditions in the absence of human data? In addition, the ZMapp serum is developed by private pharmaceutical companies, which raises the issue […]
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What's on? - 11.08.2014
One third of caesareans could be avoided
For 40 years, the practice of caesarean section has become increasingly common all over the world. It is also associated with a higher risk of infectious complications for both the mother and child. In an article published in the specialist journal ACTA, Benedicte Coulme and Beatrice Blondel, who are researchers at Inserm in Unit 1153: […]
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Press releases - 07.08.2014
Lipids serving the brain
Consuming oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially ‘omega 3’, is good for our health. But the mechanisms explaining these effects are poorly understood. Researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (CNRS/Nice Sophia Antipolis University), the Compartmentation and Cellular Dynamics Unit (CNRS/Curie Institute/UPMC) of Inserm and Poitiers University1 were interested in the effect of lipids carrying polyunsaturated chains when they are taken into cell membranes.
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Press releases - 30.07.2014
Dimly lit working environments : correcting your body clock is possible!
Researchers at Inserm, led by Claude Gronfier (Inserm Unit 846: Stem Cell and Brain Institute), have, for the first time, conducted a study under real conditions on the body clocks of members of the international polar research station Concordia. The researchers have shown that a particular kind of artificial light is capable of ensuring that their biological rhythms are correctly synchronised despite the absence of sunlight.
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Press releases - 30.07.2014
Antiphospholipid syndrome : discovery of a promising route to improving patient care
By combining fundamental research and monitoring a single cohort of kidney-transplant patients with antiphospholipid syndrome, the researchers have highlighted a beneficial effect of sirolimus, commonly used as an immunosuppressor in organ transplants, to prevent recurrence of vascular lesions on the transplanted kidney.
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News in brief - 30.07.2014
Tactile exploration decoded
Precisely how do we distinguish the texture of objects by touch? This is what has just been decoded by a study led by Clément Léna, research director at Inserm and Daniela Popa, a researcher at Inserm in Mixed Research Unit 1024: Biology Institute, École Normale Supérieure (Inserm, ENS, CNRS) and published in the journal Nature […]
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What's on? - 29.07.2014
The Ebola epidemic is spreading in West Africa
The Ebola epidemic is continuing to spread in West Africa. In March 2014, Guinea was reporting its first cases of the Ebola virus disease to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease has since spread beyond Guinea’s borders to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Within the past several days, a first case has been reported […]
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Press releases - 28.07.2014
New resistance mechanisms to melanoma targeted therapies : contribution of the translation of RNAs into proteins
French investigators have discovered new resistance mechanisms to targeted therapies used for less than three years in the treatment of melanoma. This discovery enables us not only to better understand why these treatments become ineffective but also to reveal new avenues for the management of these aggressive tumours. These studies have been published in the review Nature and have the benefit of an early on-line publication.
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Press releases - 25.07.2014
HIV : male circumcision also benefits women
Having proven effective in reducing the number of new HIV infections in men, circumcision also appears to play a role in the reduction of HIV incidence in women. These findings are from the study ANRS 12126 coordinated by Professor Bertran Auvert (Inserm U1018, Université de Versailles-Saint Quentin, Hôpital Ambroise Paré) and conducted in the township of Orange Farm in South Africa. They will be presented as an oral communication by Kévin Jean (Inserm U1018) at the 20th International AIDS Conference organized by the International AIDS Society and held at Melbourne from 20 to 25 July 2014