Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University

About: Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University is a education organization based out in Paris, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Raman spectroscopy. The organization has 34448 authors who have published 56139 publications receiving 2392398 citations.

Planck intermediate results: V. Pressure profiles of galaxy clusters from the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect

Abstract: Taking advantage of the all-sky coverage and broad frequency range of the Planck satellite, we study the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) and pressure profiles of 62 nearby massive clusters detected at high significance in the 14-month nominal survey. Careful reconstruction of the SZ signal indicates that most clusters are individually detected at least out to R500. By stacking the radial profiles, we have statistically detected the radial SZ signal out to 3R500, i.e., at a density contrast of about 50-100, though the dispersion about the mean profile dominates the statistical errors across the whole radial range. Our measurement is fully consistent with previous Planck results on integrated SZ fluxes, further strengthening the agreement between SZ and X-ray measurements inside R500. Correcting for the effects of the Planck beam, we have calculated the corresponding pressure profiles. This new constraint from SZ measurements is consistent with the X-ray constraints from xmm in the region in which the profiles overlap (i.e., [0.1-1] R500), and is in fairly good agreement with theoretical predictions within the expected dispersion. At larger radii the average pressure profile is shallower than the predictions. Combining the SZ and X-ray observed profiles into a joint fit to a generalised pressure profile gives best-fit parameters [P0, c500, gamma, alpha, beta] = [6.41, 1.81, 0.31, 1.33, 4.13]. Using a reasonable hypothesis for the gas temperature in the cluster outskirts we reconstruct from our stacked pressure profile the gas mass fraction profile out to 3R500. Within the temperature driven uncertainties, our Planck constraints are compatible with the cosmic baryon fraction and expected gas fraction in halos.

The organic-rich surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as seen by VIRTIS/Rosetta

Abstract: The VIRTIS (Visible, Infrared and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer) instrument on board the Rosetta spacecraft has provided evidence of carbon-bearing compounds on the nucleus of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko The very low reflectance of the nucleus (normal albedo of 0060 ± 0003 at 055 micrometers), the spectral slopes in visible and infrared ranges (5 to 25 and 15 to 5% kA−1), and the broad absorption feature in the 29-to-36–micrometer range present across the entire illuminated surface are compatible with opaque minerals associated with nonvolatile organic macromolecular materials: a complex mixture of various types of carbon-hydrogen and/or oxygen-hydrogen chemical groups, with little contribution of nitrogen-hydrogen groups In active areas, the changes in spectral slope and absorption feature width may suggest small amounts of water-ice However, no ice-rich patches are observed, indicating a generally dehydrated nature for the surface currently illuminated by the Sun

Human adipose tissue macrophages: m1 and m2 cell surface markers in subcutaneous and omental depots and after weight loss.

Abstract: Context: Macrophages accumulate in adipose tissue and possibly participate in metabolic complications in obesity. Macrophage number varies with adipose tissue site and weight loss, but whether this is accompanied by phenotypic changes is unknown. Objective: The objective of the study was to characterize the activation state of adipose tissue macrophages in human obesity. Design/Setting: We performed a single-center prospective study. Participants/Interventions: Paired biopsies of sc and omental adipose tissue were obtained during gastric surgery in 16 premenopausal obese women (aged 41.1 ± 8.6 yr; body mass index 43.8 ± 3.4 kg/m2). Subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were obtained 3 months later in obese subjects and in 10 nonobese women (aged 43.3 ± 3.5 yr; body mass index 22.5 ± 0.75 kg/m2). The number of macrophages stained with CD40, CD206, and CD163 surface markers was determined by immunochemistry. Main Outcomes: The number of CD40+ macrophages significantly increased with obesity and in omental vs...

A phase III randomized trial of gantenerumab in prodromal Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: Gantenerumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds aggregated amyloid-β (Aβ) and removes Aβ plaques by Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis. In the SCarlet RoAD trial, we assessed the efficacy and safety of gantenerumab in prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study, we investigated gantenerumab over 2 years. Patients were randomized to gantenerumab 105 mg or 225 mg or placebo every 4 weeks by subcutaneous injection. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline to week 104 in Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score. We evaluated treatment effects on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (all patients) and amyloid positron emission tomography (substudy). A futility analysis was performed once 50% of patients completed 2 years of treatment. Safety was assessed in patients who received at least one dose. Of the 3089 patients screened, 797 were randomized. The study was halted early for futility; dosing was discontinued; and the study was unblinded. No differences between groups in the primary (least squares mean [95% CI] CDR-SB change from baseline 1.60 [1.28, 1.91], 1.69 [1.37, 2.01], and 1.73 [1.42, 2.04] for placebo, gantenerumab 105 mg, and gantenerumab 225 mg, respectively) or secondary clinical endpoints were observed. The incidence of generally asymptomatic amyloid-related imaging abnormalities increased in a dose- and APOE e4 genotype-dependent manner. Exploratory analyses suggested a dose-dependent drug effect on clinical and biomarker endpoints. The study was stopped early for futility, but dose-dependent effects observed in exploratory analyses on select clinical and biomarker endpoints suggest that higher dosing with gantenerumab may be necessary to achieve clinical efficacy. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01224106 . Registered on October 14, 2010.