Septicaemia is a general inflammatory reaction secondary to an infection. Bacteria discharge into the blood, leading to fever, an increased heart rate, a drop in blood pressure, an increased breathing rate, and a pronounced fatigue of the body. Septicaemia is associated with significant mortality as it effects all of the organs. In France, it is […]
“Google” is currently the most widely used search engine in the world. Google Trends is a tool that performs a statistical analysis of words entered in the search engine. During the influenza H1N1 epidemic in 2009, a strong spike in searches for the word “influenza” was observed in regions where the epidemic had begun. Thus […]
The loss of cones, those photoreceptors located in the retina, is the major cause of disability for people with inherited retinal degeneration. Preventing their loss would prevent more than a million people worldwide from becoming blind. Retinitis pigmentosa, a type of inherited retinal degeneration, is generally diagnosed in young adults. This condition results from progressive […]
In the mammary gland, the lactiferous ducts are indispensable as they are the conduits through which milk is conveyed to the nipple. Within the cells lining them, the luminal cells, organelles and proteins are asymmetrically distributed. This “polarity” of the cells is the key element in their proper functioning. Among the many factors involved in […]
House dust mite allergy affects over half of asthma patients. The major allergen, Der p 2, is recognised by nearly 90% of allergic patients. Continuous exposure to this allergen leads to a type of asthma characterised by bronchial constriction and inflammation of the airways, which in the most severe cases can lead to considerable disability […]
Against the current background of global warming, the relationship between the temperature and mortality is taking on a totally new significance. Are we getting used to rising temperatures over the years? This is the question that researchers in the Inserm Unit 1169 team ‘Epigenetics and Environment’ (Inserm/CEA/Paris-South University) are trying to answer. By analysing the […]
The carotid arteries are essential for supplying blood to the brain. In a study published online in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, researchers from Inserm, in collaboration with those involved in the Three Cities Study (3C), have focused on the relationships between atherosclerosis and the risk of dementia in older subjects. Atherosclerosis is characterised by […]
The rate of caesarean deliveries varies considerably throughout Europe, according to a new study from the EURO-PERISTAT project, published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. We know that the likelihood of a caesarean delivery is greater for women in their first pregnancy, for women who have already had a caesarean section, and […]
Exposure to stress during sensitive periods of development in childhood could alter the functioning of the various physiological systems and affect health in the long term. This has been revealed by a study conducted by the Inserm team led by Cyrille Delpierre, Inserm Research Fellow, and published in PNAS. Adverse experiences in childhood may take […]
During fasting, in order to cope with nutrient depletion, cells break down their own constituents, a process known as autophagy. Roméo Ricci’s team at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (CNRS/Inserm/University of Strasbourg) has shown that, during fasting, the pancreatic beta cells, which are responsible for insulin secretion, do not compensate for […]
