Ερευνητικά Αποτελέσματα Ξένων Ερευνητών - Europedirect

There are millions of new cases of cancer as well as cancer-related deaths every year. Research into the mechanisms of cancer initiation involves the delineation of complex signalling pathways.

The long-term sustainability of European forest-based industries and rural development depends on further improvements in technology to integrate and automate procedures. An EU initiative introduced a technological platform to enhance decisions about running processes over the forest-based supply chains.

With EU funding, the FOCUS (Advances in forestry control and automation systems in Europe) project developed a technological platform to improve the sustainability, productivity and product marketability of forest-based value chains.

Cancer cells have a unique capacity to evade immune responses. Identification of the underlying mechanisms will undoubtedly aid in the design of effective therapies.

Cancer employs several mechanisms for remaining unrecognised by the immune system. These include the suppression of the HLA molecules required for the interaction between immune cells and normal cells, as well as the generation of a non-permissive microenvironment for immune cell function.

Campylobacteriosis is a zoonotic illness with a total annual cost of 2.4 billion euros. With poultry meat being the major single source of human infection, European scientists set out to find ways to reduce its incidence.

European researchers developed novel methodology to identify the pathogenic mechanism of an invasive Salmonella isolate. The deliverables of the study could be exploited to protect the population of Africa.

An American approach to tackling behavioural problems in schools from a more inclusive and understanding perspective has also borne fruit in Cyprus. The positive implications for European school systems are enormous.

Smarter software and better imaging technology has improved the gathering of biophysical data through satellite imaging. The improved data streams are already boosting efforts to combat climate change.

A research project has proven the feasibility of a European Longitudinal Study for Children and Young People (ELSCYPWB). The initiative also succeeded in highlighting the direct policy benefits of such a survey targeting the well-being of children and young people (CYP).

An EU team examined the Kazakhstan people’s connection to ancient traditions of ancestor reverence. Such traditions put the people in conflict with the modern state, while also giving the people comfort and a political voice.

Central Asia is typically seen as a region of failed post-Soviet states where corruption and Islamic extremism thrive. For these reasons, some see ethnographic study of the area as urgent, to uncover the region’s ‘real’ cultural workings.

Evolution of materials science is on fast forward with scientists taking inspiration from nature. An EU-funded project has developed new materials for novel applications in the broad area of organic bioelectronics.

The POLYMED (Novel conducting polymer composites for applications in medicine) project has forged a collaboration between expert research teams in Europe, the United States and Canada to foster progress in organic bioelectronics through the development of new materials. Targeted technologies may be used in biological sensors for healthcare and prosthetics.

An EU team has developed technologies for automated monitoring of dairy pastures, in conjunction with automatic milking (AM). The research also yielded optimal grazing strategies for sustainability and several management tools.

European dairy farms have adopted AM, whereby cows come in for milking whenever they want. However, adoption of AM has also meant an undesirable decrease in the use of pasture feed for dairy farms.

An EU initiative provided policymakers and key actors with targeted information about the economic returns that investing in evidence-based tobacco control can generate.

Despite the availability of many cost-effective interventions to tackle tobacco use, EU decision-makers and beyond still lack the justification on financial and wider returns that their tobacco control agendas could produce.

An EU team studied the work of Alexander von Humboldt. The work reconstructed Humboldt's correspondence and international network building, his various American interests and the political historical context.

Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was a Prussian explorer. Like many explorers of his time, Humboldt was also a scientist and proponent of Romantic philosophy.

Fuses are integral devices to the protection of electrical equipment in the event of overcurrent. Work on an EU-funded project led to the development of a new generation of electronic devices with much better performance compared to the state of the art.

Fuses are one of the most common active electronic devices employed in electrical power distribution systems that reduce response time and simplify driving. Fuses break their circuit by melting when a certain amount of current goes through. For reliable performance, large ones utilise conductive elements made of silicon.

The spread of innovation in Minoan Crete was closely related to urbanisation, including the rise and fall of palatial culture. New research sheds light on innovation and invention in one of the ancient world’s earliest civilisations.

The Minoan civilisation in Bronze Age Crete (today Greece’s largest island) is widely considered Europe’s first advanced civilisation. It once boasted a sophisticated culture and urban environment in settlements like Knossos, Malia and Phaistos, where considerable innovation emerged.

Plant pathogens often enhance development at the expense of defence pathways. Understanding the crosstalk between plants and pathogens is central for plant health.

In plants, phytohormones coordinate growth and development. Many pathogens are able to produce or induce the secretion of developmental hormones to suppress plant defence.

Further details: The mechanism of plant pathogen interaction

In the future, it is expected that significant numbers of people will be unable to move away from areas in which they are extremely vulnerable to environmental change. An EU initiative sought to better understand the location, extent and characteristics of such populations within a specific geographical context.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive technique available for the diagnosis and accurate positioning of tumours in primary breast cancer. EU-funded scientists developed novel image processing methods that should further assist doctors in the interpretation of MRI images.

EU-funded researchers have developed aero-engine components made of piezoelectric ceramics to improve the efficiency of combustion processes and reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions.

The Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe (ACARE) has set guidelines for the reduction of the environmental footprint of air transport. The introduction of active control technology is a potential route to improving aero-engine performance, thereby reducing pollutant emissions.

Researchers with the EU-funded STORM project have created an extensive database on ice mechanical properties for aircraft engine designers. Not only will this reduce the lead time for testing engine designs, it will also result in safer air travel.