Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Plutonium bio-signature as tracer of climate changes in ocean transport (PLUTOTRACE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-07-01
End date: 2011-06-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 257445.36
EU funding (EUR): 257445.36
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Climate change has significant consequences for the marine environment, for example, increasing transport of warm water from the tropical Pacific to the temperate seas of NW Pacific. The plutonium isotopic signature recorded in corals and bivalve shells will be utilised to trace temporal alteration in the ocean mixing over the past 50 years in the NW Pacific. The sampling and analytical techniques for mass spectrometric measurements of Pu in coral and bivalve shell samples will be optimised for high temporal resolution. In addition, the relationship between surface seawater Pu and the mixed layer depth will evaluated and the findings will be applied to determine the past variation of the mixed layer depth and sea surface temperature in the NW Pacific from the coral layers. The historical Pu isotopic signature in the outflow from the Irish Sea, including Sellafield releases and the now dominant contribution from the contaminated seabed, into the NE Atlantic will be determined by analysing bivalve shells from the Irish Sea and the North Channel. This proposal includes fieldwork at the proposed sites and subsequent analyses using mass spectrometric techniques and radiometric methods. Data analyses and evaluation of results will be jointly carried out physical oceanographers and marine scientists. In addition, the researcher will receive practical training in sampling techniques, mass spectrometric methods and ocean modelling as well as basic marine ecology. The combination of oceanographic observations and tracer measurements will provide insights into the response of the ocean circulation to climate change. The proposal involves an outgoing phase of two years at the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute and a returning phase of one year at the University of Plymouth.

Keywords: marine radioecology,chemical oceanography
Testosterone threshold required for spermatogenesis (ITT AND SPERM)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-07-15
End date: 2008-10-14
Duration (months): 3.0
Total project cost (EUR): 178307.05
EU funding (EUR): 178307.05
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Follicle-stimulating hormone and high intratesticular (IT) testosterone (T) level are required for qualitatively normal spermatogenesis. Treatment with T has been successfully tested in male contraception, because it can abolish gonadotrophin secretion through enhanced negative feedback action and arrest spermatogenesis. However, none of the T treatment regimens tested have resulted in complete azoospermia in all men, for reasons not yet understood. After complete T induced suppression of gonadotrophins, the residual ITT levels are 2% of normal, yet similar to those in peripheral circulation. The residual constitutively produced ITT could be the reason for the suboptimal contraceptive efficacy. The purpose of this study is to address in details the dependence of spermatogenesis and its suppression during contraceptive treatments on ITT level. The particular aim of this proposal will be to demonstrate in experimental conditions (mice) that the necessary peripheral androgen actions and spermatogenic arrest can be achieved simultaneously, which is fundamental for the functionality of an androgen based male hormonal contraceptive. The project will be articulated on three major objectives: (i) to determine the threshold of T replacement dose that maintains peripheral androgen actions without stimulating spermatogenesis; (ii) to design a way to suppress ITT production below the level achieved by gonadotrophin blockage, and (iii) to design a way to increase the efficacy and safety margin of T replacement dose by blockage of the constitutive T production. We expect that these experimental studies will show that it is important to eliminate the gonadotrophin independent component of ITT to maximise the efficacy of male hormonal contraception. In addition, this project permits the researcher to undertake the research with a view to completing and diversifying her expertise in molecular biology and endocrinology and pursue her career in academic research.

Keywords: intratesticular testosterone,spermatogenesis,extragonadal androgen effects,17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase,male hormonal contraception
Molecular characterization of the PrBn locus and some other QTLs controlling homeologous recombination in Brassica napus. (COGEPRBN)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-06-01
End date: 2010-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 163076.7
EU funding (EUR): 163076.7
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project aims to characterize, at the molecular level, the segments of the Brassica napus genome that contain the PrBn locus and a number of other additive or epistatic QTLs controlling homeologous recombination. We will first combine fine genetic mapping and comparative genomic approaches (using Arabidopsis thaliana) to test the core hypothesis that PrBn and most of the mapped QTLs belong to homeologous and / or paralogous regions originating from the amphidiploid nature of the B. napus genome and the large-scale ancestral genome triplication found in its diploid progenitors. We will then screen a B. napus BAC library with markers anchored in the corresponding regions, align the positive BACs into separate contigs spanning the targeted segments and thus generate "draft" physical maps of the PrBn region and its duplicates. We will use the rapidly developing genomic resources available for B. rapa and B. oleracea to identify the corresponding regions in the genome of these two diploid species, which are the closest living relatives of B. napus progenitors. This will thus allow a comparative analysis of the microstructure of the PrBn regions and its paralogues and lay the genomic foundation for the long term map-based cloning of PrBn. This project tackles two important aspects of genome evolution related to polyploidy, which is one of the most prominent evolutionary process in plants, including many important crops, and many other eukaryotes: it questions the evolutionary dynamics of duplicated genes/regions, which has a broad significance in biology, and addresses the question of genetic regulation of homeologous chromosome pairing and recombination in allopolyploid species, which is a prerequisite for proper chromosome segregation and reproductive stability in sexual polyploids.

Keywords: polyploidy,meiosis,comparative genomics,molecular genetics,brassicaceae,genome evolution
Fish intestinal nutrigenomics in response to fish oil replacement in Atlantic salmon diets (FISHINUTRIGEN)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-07-10
End date: 2010-07-09
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 169957.94
EU funding (EUR): 169957.94
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

There is an urgent need to replace fish oil (FO) and meal in aquaculture diets with sustainable alternatives, vegetable oils (VO) being the primary candidates. However, growth of fish on VO results in lower levels of n-3HUFA in their flesh, compromising their nutritional value to the human consumer. There is therefore a pressing need to identify strains of fish with reduced requirements for pre-formed dietary n-3HUFA. The intestine is the gateway of nutrients into the body and the enterocyte intracellular metabolic activity is much more important than initially thought. However, very little information exists on how the physiological functions of the intestine are affected by different dietary lipids. Additionally, the inclusion of VO in the diet of carnivorous fish commonly results in histological changes in the intestine. Identification of the genes and pathways involved in PUFA metabolism in salmon intestinal tissue is of direct relevance to these problems. This project will address this issue by the identification of salmon genes and metabolic pathways in intestinal tissue influencing traits that are important in terms of sustainability of farm production and nutritional quality for the consumer. The project will apply cutting edge molecular techniques for the analyses of fish transcriptomes (microarrays) and proteomes (proteomics), to determine differential expression patterns in intestine of salmon fed FO and VO and how they may be affected by genotype (fatty or lean families). Bioinformatic analyses will enable key pathways, genes and enzymes/proteins to be identified. The project is a groundbreaking example of an interdisciplinary approach combining traditional nutritional and biochemical studies with modern molecular analyses to address a problem which is not only of scientific interest but also of critical importance to the future development and continuing expansion of aquaculture and the delivery of safe and nutritious seafood for the people of the EU.

Keywords: aquaculture nutrition,genomics,intestinal physiology,lipid metabolism,fish diets,fish oil replacement,vegetable oils,aquaculture sustainable development,microarrays,proteomics
The Balance between Transport and Mechanical Issues in 3D Regenerative Tissues, Using the Perfusion Bioreactor (TRANSMEX)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-04-01
End date: 2010-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 158694.85
EU funding (EUR): 158694.85
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Difficulties encountered in tissue engineering invited the use of perfusion bioreactors to deliver essential nutrients to cells within tissue-engineered constructs. Despite the increased nutrient transport achieved, solute perfusion caused harmful mechanical stresses to the cells. Interestingly, some bioreactors are employed to mechanically stimulate cells, improving their biological functions. However, stresses associated with perfusion bioreactors are counterproductive. Currently, to address this issue, perfusion rate is lowered to minimise mechanical implications to the cells. Consequently, nutrient delivery is sacrificed. Therefore, this project aims to balance the nutritional advantage offered by perfusion, and its associate cell-death. By doing so, essential nutrients may be perfused to all regions of tissue-engineered constructs, at flow rates whose mechanical implications are harmless, or even encouraging to cells. To alleviate the costly and iterative experiments necessary to achieve these aims, the use of computational modelling will be central to the project, and incidentally, forms the training objective of the proposal. However, key findings will be corroborated with laboratory experiments. Combining techniques associated with cell biology, material science, and mechanical engineering. The specific objectives of the proposed study are to: Model the fluid flow-induced deformation of cells within tissue-engineered constructs. Using fluorescent staining, corroborate relationship between fluid flow and cellular deformation. Design a system to mechanically deform cells without fluid flow. Investigate the influence of cellular deformation, with and without fluid flow to their viability and biological activities. Extrapolate the individual contributions of fluid flow and mechanical deformation. Determine theoretically, and experimentally, useful ranges of fluid flow and mechanical deformation, conducive to developing functional neo-tissues in vitro.

Keywords: health sciences,musculoskeletal diseases,regenerative medicine,biomaterials engineering,tissue engineering,bioreactors,biomedical engineering,biotechnology,biomechanics
Modelling of non-native fish species responses to climate change (ALIENFISH&CLIMCHANGE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-04-01
End date: 2010-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 178307.05
EU funding (EUR): 178307.05
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Non-native species introductions are a major concern in Europe and globally, threatening biodiversity, ecosystem function and global economies; this will be exacerbated with climate change. Current climate change models for Europe and the UK predict: progressively warmer, wetter winters; warmer, dryer summers; an increase in extreme river flows. This is likely to increase the risk of non-native species reproductive potential and dispersal, which are key factors in establishment success. Using pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus in ambient and warm-water conditions as a case study, the Fellowship aims to: 1) Assess pumpkinseed growth and reproductive traits in nature (using methods currently employed for the species); 2) Acquire estimates of spawning event frequency in nature and in the lab to assess reproductive output (direct observation in semi-natural ponds via a novel telemetry array system, and in lab experiments, plus egg size distribution analysis on wild caught fish); 3) Determine pumpkinseed dispersal rates from floodplain water bodies into receiving streams (using drift nets to estimate propagule pressure); and 4) Develop (or improve existing) models of pumpkinseed reproductive output and dispersal (using relationships between juvenile growth and mean age at maturity, gravity models to assess the dispersal process, and GIS software to produce risk maps to aid in identifying areas at risk of biological invasion). The proposed fellowship is particularly novel in aiming to two important and timely questions relevant to the assessment of risks posed by non-native species in general, and of pumpkinseed in particular: 1) Will climate warming increase the risk of non-native fish establishing self-sustaining populations? 2) Will increased variability in precipitation and river discharge increase the risk of non-native fishes expanding their current ranges? The MC Fellow will receive invaluable training and experience, which will enhance his career prospects at home.

Keywords: invasion,ecosystem management,behavioural biology,environmental biology,hydrobiology,animal reproduction,animal ethology,climate change impact (climate change),ecosystem impact (climate change)
Role of Bone Morphogenic Protein 8b (BMP8b) in thermogenesis (BMP 8B THERMOGENESIS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-04-01
End date: 2010-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 168823.92
EU funding (EUR): 168823.92
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Long-term success in the treatment of obesity is dependent on strategies aimed at preventing the concomitant fall in energy expenditure associated with food restriction. Energy modifications geared toward increasing energy expenditure may provide an alternative, independent means of promoting weight loss or, even more importantly, of preventing weight regain. In this proposal, we investigate the effects of increasing BMP8b production by adipocytes as a novel therapeutic strategy to improve peripheral mechanisms of thermogenesis and fuel portioning particularly in the context of obesity. The hypotheses are that: a) the secreted protein BMP8b is a modulator of thermogenesis and fatty acid oxidation making it a potential therapeutic target for obesity- and diabetes mellitus type 2; b) BMP8b enhances energy dissipation and improves whole body insulin sensitivity by facilitating brown adipocytes recruitment; c) BMP8b promotes energy dissipation in the skeletal muscle. The specific aims of this proposal are: 1. to establish whether overexpression of BMP8b in vivo prevents the development of diet induced and genetic forms of obesity and insulin resistance; 2. to establish the role of BMP8b in the differentiation and function of white and brown adipocytes; 3. to identify the specific signalling pathways regulated by BMP8b in adipocytes and skeletal muscle. My research plan includes a multistrategy approach that combines a) in vivo characterisation of a transgenic BMP8b mouse model using state of the art phenotyping tools to determine the effect of BMP8b in energy balance (Food intake, energy expenditure and body composition) and carbohydrate metabolism, b) in vitro characterisation of cellular models derived from BMP8b animal models to determine the effect of BMP8b in white and brown adipogenesis and c) state of the art profiling technologies analysed using sophisticated bioinformatics followings a systems biology approach to identify the mechanisms regulated by BMP8b.

Keywords: bmp8b,thermogenesis,obesity,energy homeostasis,brown and white adipose tissue,genetically modified mouse models
Bioremediation of toxic metals and radionuclides using naturally evolved bacteria capable of intra-cellular reduction without oxidative stress (BACTEROMETRICS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-05-01
End date: 2011-04-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 239736.5
EU funding (EUR): 239736.5
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Most toxic metals and radionuclides can be naturally rendered insoluble-immobile by bacterial reduction, which may be exploited for bioremediation purposes at waste repository sites. Some bacteria (e.g. iron or sulphate respirers) are receiving intense attention as their envelope-located electron transport chain can carry out such reductions. However, this process is subject to inhibition by nitrate and oxygen, usually present at waste sites. It also involves 1 e- transfer reactions generating reactive oxygen species which poison the cells and hamper remediation, and the reduced species are released outside the cells, where re-oxidation may occur rapidly. An alternative "safe" bacterial pathway for reduction of metals-radionuclides has been discovered recently at the host laboratory (Dr. AC Matin). It involves proteins from the widely distributed ChrR enzyme family, performing 2 e- (4 e-) transfer processes strongly reducing oxidative stress, and leads to sequestering of reduced species. Strengthening this pathway should lessen metal toxicity and increase bioremediation capabilities. The objectives of this multidisciplinary project are (1) to assess this reduction process in bioreactors simulating waste sites conditions, using an engineered strain producing a highly improved ChrR, by analysing the oxidation state and distribution of reduced products; (2) as minor mutations of ChrR led to its increased efficiency, to test the hypothesis that improved ChrR activity is naturally present at US waste sites, where bacteria have been exposed to metals for over 50 years; (3) to test if the intra-cellular reduced products are indeed less amenable to re-oxidation than extra-cellular ones; and (4) to use the skills gained for the identification of new cytoplasmic enzymes with safe metal reduction mechanisms in uranyl-rich soils from Bessines (France), where bacterial communities with effective means of safe enzymatic reduction of uranyl are likely to have naturally evolved.

Keywords: environmental sciences,nuclear waste sites,bacterial remediation,safe reduction pathways,metal sequestration,naturally improved enzymes,other radioactive sites
Anomaly detection in distributed networks (DAD)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-03-01
End date: 2011-01-31
Duration (months): 35.0
Total project cost (EUR): 223571.03
EU funding (EUR): 223571.03
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The main research theme in this proposal is non-parametric anomaly (novelty) detection in multidimensional distributed networks. First, we will address the centralized version of anomaly detection. We will reformulate this abstract problem in a topological hypothesis testing framework that is directly applicable to bio-medical applications. The research will focus on algorithm design, performance assessment and uncertainty management. As part of this quest, we will investigate other closely related topics such as manifold learning, intrinsic dimension estimation, robust level set estimation and annotated ranking of measurements. Next, we will consider the anomaly detection problem in a more ambitious and practical setting, namely under distributed, constantly changing and complex network conditions. Using tools from information theory and differential geometry, we will study the fundamental performance bounds on anomaly detection in such settings. Given these bounds and our novel topological framework, we will address the design and employment of such networks using concepts from compressed sensing, active learning, sequential experiment design and modern sampling techniques. Finally, we will analyze the data and measurements using spatio-temporal graphical models and state of the art message passing methods.

Keywords: electrical engineering,machine learning,nonparametric statistics,signal processing,anomaly detection,manifold learning,compressed sensing,active learning