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Research and agricultural higher education publications : 1st Rank worldwide in citations for animal and plant science
An exploratory study carried out by Inra inside Agreenium's network enabled to identify French research and agricultural higher education outlines worldwide.

Most alternative therapies for treating autism show, at best, inconclusive benefits
UCLA's Dr. Shafali Jeste says it is better to focus on therapies for which there is evidence of a benefit Mark Wheeler Dr. Shafali Jeste knows well the desperation of a parent seeking a cure for their child with autism spectrum disorder. As a clinician who both researches the causes of the disorder and treats children with autism, Jeste, UCLA associate professor of psychiatry, neurology and pediatrics and a lead investigator in the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment, understands why many parents will try anything that sounds reasonable.

Interventions for reducing hepatitis C infection in people who inject drugs
The first global review to quantify the impact of needle syringe programmes (NSP) and opioid substitution treatment (OST) in reducing the risk of becoming infected with the hepatitis C virus is published in Cochrane Library Drug and Alcohol Review Group and the journal Addiction. The study, has implications for millions of people who are 'at risk' from infection.

Understanding football violence could help the fight against terror
Football has long been tarnished by outbreaks of fan violence. Although media headlines often link the behaviour to 'hooliganism', the activity could stem from potentially more positive motivations, such as passionate commitment to the group and the desire to belong.  Understanding the root cause of football violence may therefore help in tackling the behaviour and channelling it into something more positive, Oxford University scientists suggest.

Artificial intelligence for obtaining chemical fingerprints
Researchers at the Universities of Vienna and Göttingen have succeeded in developing a method for predicting molecular infrared spectra based on artificial intelligence. These chemical "fingerprints" could only be simulated by common prediction techniques for small molecules in high quality. With the help of the new technology, which is based on neuronal networks similar to the human brain and is therefore capable of learning, the team led by Philipp Marquetand from the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Vienna was able to carry out simulations that were previously not possible.

Biochemists discover mechanism that helps flu viruses evolve
Influenza viruses mutate rapidly, which is why flu vaccines have to be redesigned every year. A new study from MIT sheds light on just how these viruses evolve so quickly, and offers a potential way to slow them down. The MIT team found that flu viruses' rapid evolution relies in part on their ability to hijack some of the cellular machinery of the infected host cell - specifically, a group of proteins called chaperones, which help other proteins fold into the correct shape.

Balinese volcano looks increasingly volatile: UQ researcher
Increasing seismic activity suggests that eruption of Bali's Mount Agung volcano may be imminent, according to a University of Queensland volcanologist. UQ School of Earth and Environmental Sciences researcher Dr Teresa Ubide said seismic monitoring at the volcano, which is the highest point on Bali, shows an increasing frequency of tremors, suggesting evidence of hot magma coming to the surface.

Being in a good mood for your flu jab boosts its effectiveness
New research by a team of health experts at the University of Nottingham has found evidence that being in a positive mood on the day of your flu jab can increase its protective effect. Flu vaccination is estimated to only be effective in 17-53% of older adults compared to 70-90% of younger people. With the onset of winter and so-called ‘flu season', the research is likely to be of interest to everyone having their autumn flu jab.

Hospital mortality rates after heart attack differ by age
Outcomes for older patients hospitalized for a heart attack are often used as a measure of hospital quality for all patients. But a study led by Yale researchers shows that hospital mortality rates for older patients with heart attack are not necessarily representative of mortality rates for younger adults.

Human antibodies from Dengue patients effectively treat Zika infection in mice
Scientists have discovered that antibodies taken from patients infected with Dengue virus are effective in treating Zika infection in rodents. The team, led by researchers at Imperial College London and Washington University in St Louis, found that giving Zika-infected mice the antibodies was enough to treat the early stages of infection, and even protected unborn pups in pregnant animals.

Brain damage in fish affected by plastic nanoparticles
A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that plastic particles in water may end up inside fish brains. The plastic can cause brain damage, which is the likely cause of behavioural disorders observed in the fish. Calculations have shown that 10 per cent of all plastic produced around the world ultimately ends up in the oceans.

Study will test new technique to prevent viral infections during pregnancy
Dr. Michelle Silasi, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, will test the effectiveness of a new technique to screen for viral exposure during pregnancy that can identify women at risk for serious complications and allow for interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes.

IceCube helps demystify strange radio bursts from deep space
IceCube is a neutrino detector composed of 5,160 optical modules embedded in a gigaton of crystal-clear ice a mile beneath the geographic South Pole. Photo courtesy of National Science Foundation For a decade, astronomers have puzzled over ephemeral but incredibly powerful radio bursts from space. The phenomena, known as fast radio bursts or FRBs, were first detected in 2007 by astronomers scouring archival data from Australia's Parkes Telescope, a 64-meter diameter dish best known for its role receiving live televison images from the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

Highest-energy cosmic rays have extragalactic origin
A 50-year-old debate has at last been settled: the highest-energy cosmic rays do not originate in our own Galaxy but in galaxies located tens or even hundreds of millions of light years away.

Tiny diamonds could become best friends to youths with cleft palates
Young people with cleft palate may one day face fewer painful surgeries and spend less time undergoing uncomfortable orthodontic treatments thanks to a new therapy developed by researchers from the UCLA School of Dentistry. The treatment incorporates a shiny twist: diamond fragments so small it would take more than 3 million of them to span the diameter of a penny.

First large-scale ancient DNA study helps reconstruct African population structure
Samples of ancient DNA recovered by University of Bristol scientists on two Indian Ocean islands have helped in the first large scale study of ancient human DNA from sub-Saharan Africa. Africa has long been known as the 'cradle of mankind', but up to now, the genetic information has been largely derived from modern population studies.

Study suggests tectonic plates began moving half a billion years earlier than thought
While previous studies had argued that Earth's crust 3.5 billion years ago looked like these Hawaiian lavas, a new study led by UChicago scientists suggests by then much of it had already been transformed into lighter-colored felsic rock by plate tectonics. The Earth's history is written in its elements, but as the tectonic plates slip and slide over and under each other over time, they muddy that evidence-and with it the secrets of why Earth can sustain life.

Virtual reality tool developed to untangle genes
Researchers from Oxford have been using virtual reality software to compile genetic data to create models which explain how genes are controlled within their natural chromosomal environments. The team from the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM) have been working in collaboration with physicists from Universita' di Napoli and software developers and artists at Goldsmiths, University of London, to visualise complex interactions between genes and their regulatory elements in an interactive format.

Vitamin super-cocktail to combat 60 days of lying in bed
This week will see the second ESA bedrest study investigating a mix of antioxidants and vitamins that could help astronauts to combat the side effects of living in space. Ten volunteers will lie in beds with the head end tilted down 6º for 60 days, keeping at least one shoulder on their bed at all times.

"Humanized" Mouse Model Developed to Study Hepatitis B Infection
The ANRS consortium "Humanized Mouse Models for Viral Hepatitis"1, made up of 6 teams of researchers, has developed a mouse model for studying the interaction between the immune system and the liver following infection by the hepatitis B virus. This research, coordinated by Dr. Hélène Strick-Marchand (Inserm joint unit 1223, "Physiopathology of the Immune System", Institut Pasteur), responds to a real lack of animal models for studying this disease and thus opens up the possibilities for evaluating new therapeutic strategies.