Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Large Properties at Small Cardinals (LAPSCA)

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: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-06-01
End date: 2016-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 192464.4
EU funding (EUR): 192464.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Large cardinals are deeply used in set theory as many problems that are independent from the classical theory ZFC can be solved under the assumption that large cardinals exist. One of the most rich and fruitful research areas in contemporary set theory is the study of those properties of large cardinals that can hold even at small cardinals. Two properties of that kind are particularly interesting, the strong tree property and the super tree property. These properties provide a simple combinatorial characterisations of very strong large cardinal notions, namely strongly compact cardinals and supercompact cardinals. Although the strong and super tree property are associated with such strong large cardinals, they can be satisfied even by small cardinals such as aleph_2. The project focuses on some potential applications of such properties at small cardinals. Two conjectures are stated, the first one implies that the strong tree property has strong consequences in the arithmetic of infinite cardinals, namely we conjecture that the strong tree property at aleph_2 implies the singular cardinal hypothesis. The second conjecture concerns the study of infinite almost abelian groups, more precisely we ask whether the super tree property at a small cardinal kappa implies that every almost free abelian group of size kappa is free. The project is concerned more generally with developing combinatorial characterisations of all large cardinal notions and it proposed a systematic analysis of the combinatorial principles associated with large cardinals.

Keywords: mathematical logic,set theory,large cardinals
Function of SymRK, a key protein for microbial accommodation in plants roots (SYMUNITY)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-01
End date: 2016-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Plant roots interact with a huge diversity of soil residing microbes that improve or hamper plant development. In a changing agriculture, where chemical inputs have to be reduced to protect the environment, the use of beneficial microbes residing in soil to improve plant nutrition and to prevent diseases is a promising alternative. However, symbiotic and pathogenic microbes follow similar steps to colonize their hosts and little is known about the extent of commonalities in plant responses guiding outcome of these associations. A cornerstone in regulation of these processes is the perception of microbial derived signals. Several genes required for sensing of mycorrhizal symbionts and subsequent colonization have been shown to affect interaction with root pathogens. We recently demonstrated in Dr. Schornack’s lab that a mutant of SymRK receptor which is unable to develop mycorrhization show extensive colonization by the root pathogenic oomycete Phytophthora palmivora. As this gene is the most upstream element in the signalling cascade required for mycorrhiza, we can now hypothesize an unsuspected convergence of early signalling events relayed and integrated by this protein to promote microbial accommodation or rejection. I will decipher how SymRK exerts roles in both interactions using a combination of approaches consisting of phenotyping of SymRK knock-out and overexpressing plants challenged with P. palmivora, mycorrhizal fungi and their isolated molecular signatures. The SymRK dependent transcriptomes in response to symbiotic or pathogenic signals and to the invasion will be elucidated to get clues about the gene network downstream of SymRK controlling synergistically or antagonistically these interactions. Finally I will take advantage of my environment in the Sainsbury Laboratory of Cambridge University to perform cutting edge microscopy on the cellular dynamics of receptors required for symbiosis including SymRK.

Keywords: mycorrhizal fungus,phytophthora palmivora,plant root interaction with microbes,commonalities in symbiosis and immunity,symrk,transcriptomes,germinated spores exudates
Quantum Ultrafast Integrated Photonics in Silicon (QUIPS)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2016-02-29
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 309235.2
EU funding (EUR): 309235.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The central aim of this proposal is to design and experimentally demonstrate ultrafast quantum optics in guided-wave circuits integrated on a silicon chip for a new generation of all-optical quantum computing. The use of quantum information can give exponential increases in the power of computing over classical computers, and unique applications such as 100% secure communications guaranteed by the laws of physics. As in the integrated computing revolution that has transformed society over the last 50 years, silicon can provide for the extreme miniaturisation of integrated quantum optics circuits, which will have the potential to transform the field with a step-change in complexity of the circuits realisable over the next 50 years. Future quantum photonics circuits will also have to operate at ultrafast rates, mirroring the demand for bandwidth in today’s classical computers and communications. However, the challenge of transferring the technology to operate at the single photon level useful to quantum optics has only been fully grasped by a few people. This proposal will address this gap by demonstrating the operation of three key components at the single photon level: the frequency converter, optical switch and quantum memory or buffer. My designs will make use of photonic crystal waveguides which give ultra-compact devices and flexible operating options. For example, slow-light modes which can be tailored to optimise the operation of the frequency convertor, optical switch and optical buffer respectively. The combination of expertise in silicon photonics and the position of the host as the World’s leading integrated quantum optics group give a unique opportunity for this fellowship to bridge the gap between the two disciplines.

Keywords: silicon,quantum photonics,quantum optics,ultrafast,single photons,frequency conversion,switching,quantum memory
Geochemical Provenance Mapping of Pre-Roman Ironworking sites in Britain (IRONWORKS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-28
End date: 2016-04-27
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The IRONWORKS project combines innovative data analytic techniques with geochemical characterization methods to build a multi-element provenance database of smelting slag from primary iron production sites. This work will add a critical piece to the iron provenance puzzle, allowing researchers to realize the promise of advances in slag inclusion analysis and test a robust series of artefact sourcing hypotheses across multiple elemental and geographic scales. Investigations will focus on Pre-Roman Iron Age iron production sites in Britain, a region both known to classical authors as an exporter of iron metal and whose archaeological record is rich with 'currency bars' and other forms of trade iron. Building on previous studies of variation in bloomery slag, this project will sample material from geologically defined and historically relevant regions; characterize their chemistry using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and mass spectrometry (ICP-AES/MS); and explore their structure with multivariate statistical methods. Specific objectives include determining the optimal element combination for discriminating slag at site, regional, and superregional scales, comparing the utility of various data treatments, and constructing a series of multivariate geochemical maps for facilitating artefact provenance investigations. Provenance hypotheses will also be evaluated for a select group of previously sampled iron artefacts dated stylistically or contextually to the Pre-Roman Iron Age. The IRONWORKS project will advance the state of the art in iron provenance methods, generate a practical and expandable database of slag chemistry and build a solid foundation for identifying extinct iron exchange networks.

Keywords: ironworks,bloomery,iron smelting,slag,archaeometallurgy,icp,chemical analysis,iron age,britain,provenance,sourcing,slag inclusion,epma,exchange,trade,economics,multivariate statistics
Serotonergic modulation of cortical activity in vivo: from neurons to networks and implications for autism spectrum disorders. (SEROTONIN IN ACTION)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-06-01
End date: 2016-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Anti-depressant drugs such as fluoxetine (Prozac) increase levels of serotonin (5HT) in the brain, but little is known about how they affect the function of the nervous system. 5HT is implicated in a wide spectrum of brain functions and disorders. However, its precise role remains controversial and enigmatic. This is partly due to the previous inability to adequately isolate 5HT action in vivo. Recent developments in genetic tools and imaging techniques now offer an unprecedented opportunity to investigate such mechanisms in the living brain. This project aims to isolate 5HT transmission in the cerebral cortex and determine the precise cellular mechanisms underlying serotonergic neuromodulation of brain activity. Our objectives are to determine the action of 5HT in awake-behaving animals in three main ways: (1) on specific neuronal populations, at the network and single-cell level, by the local application of 5HT modulators (including fluoxetine); (2) when endogenously released, by controlling 5HT neuronal activity with optogenetic tools; and (3) on pathologic cortical network activity in an animal model of autism spectrum disorders. We will use the primary visual cortex as a model cortical area, investigating the role of 5HT in visually-evoked and activity-dependent cortical activation under normal conditions and during network dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders. In this project we will use state of the art in vivo two-photon calcium imaging and advanced genetic tools, including optogenetics. These cutting edge techniques will allow us to precisely activate 5HT neurons and measure the resulting effects on neuronal populations with single-cell resolution. The results will apply beyond the visual system to more broadly inform on cellular mechanisms of 5HT action in the central nervous system and its dysfunction in neurological disorders, leading to future advancements for therapeutic targeting.

Keywords: in vivo,two-photon imaging,serotonin,plasticity,autism,interneurons,inhibition,awake recordings,neuromodulation,cortical activity,visual cortex
Stochastic Optimisation and Simulation in Image Processing (SOSIP)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2015-01-01
End date: 2016-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of this fellowship proposal on Stochastic Optimisation and Simulation in Image Processing (SOSIP) is to investigate new computational methods to perform Bayesian inference in challenging inverse problems arising in statistical image processing. Precisely, this proposal intends to explore new stochastic approximation and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to perform Bayesian inference in high-dimensional statistical models that are not differentiable (e.g. involving l1 or total-variation regularizations). A special focus will be given to methods that combine state-of-the-art stochastic optimisation and simulation with techniques from modern high-dimensional convex optimisation (e.g., proximal splitting, dualisation, augmented Langrangian decomposition, Moreau envelope, etc.). Two main classes of methods will be considered: (1) optimisation-empowered MCMC algorithms to simulate efficiently from high-dimensional models that are not differentiable and (2) MCMC-empowered (stochastic) optimisation schemes to maximize intractable functions related to complex Bayesian models with latent variables (e.g. marginal likelihoods and marginal posterior distributions). Such methods would offer the potential to advance significantly the state-of-the-art in image processing and its application domains (e.g. medical imaging, remote sensing, astronomy, etc.). The proposed methodologies will be applied to two challenging medical imaging problems that cannot be satisfactorily solved using existing simulation or optimisation techniques: (1) unsupervised blind dynamic EEG image reconstruction for low-cost functional brain imaging and (2) non-rigid multi-modal EPID + CT image fusion for 'on-line' radiotherapy-treatment-plan monitoring. The proposed work will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at Technical University of Lisbon, University of Toulouse, Buenos Aires Institute of Technology, FLENI Hospital of Buenos Aires, Edinburgh Cancer Centre and Heriot-Watt University.

Keywords: statistical image processing,bayesian inference,markov chain monte carlo,stochastic approximation,non-smooth convex optimisation,high-dimensional inverse problems,unsupervised image restoration.
Methods of researching pupal history involving CT-scanning: A novel approach to death time estimations (MORPHIC)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-08-01
End date: 2016-07-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Forensic entomology is today an increasingly robust science which has its main application in the estimation of the minimum postmortem interval based on the age of necrophagous insects (mainly blowflies) collected from cadavers. However, whilst accurate death time estimations can be inferred from the larval stage of these insects, estimates based on the pupal stage (which accounts for approximately half of the developmental duration) are severely limited due to the lack of a reliable method for aging blowfly pupae. In the recent years, the use of innovative imaging techniques such as micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and computer-based 3D reconstructions have significantly enhanced research on insect anatomy and development. A recent study demonstrated that micro-CT provides the resolution necessary for describing internal and external morphological changes during metamorphosis. The scientific objectives of MORPHIC are: 1) to document and analyze the morphological changes during metamorphosis at a temporal resolution more than twice the best current estimate, 2) to develop a novel and reliable methodology for aging pupae for forensic purposes by establishing a solid time-frame for the developmental changes which occur during metamorphosis of forensically important blowflies, and 3) to exploit micro-CT research in combination with 3D computer models to create images for teaching and public outreach, providing impressive and interactive reconstructions. Through MORPHIC the applicant will acquire solid practical skills on forensic entomology methods and applications, diversify his expertise with skills on novel imaging techniques of broad application in different areas of research and practice, and develop strategic networks, increasing his opportunities of reaching a permanent position as scientific researcher in Europe. The results of the project will be made available in peer-reviewed publications and through web-based tools to benefit the global community.

Keywords: insect development,metamorphosis,diptera,forensic entomology,post-mortem interval,micro-computed tomography
Decision support toolkit FOR ADAPTive management of forest ecosystem services across borders in the face of climate change and economic scarcity in Europe (FORADAPT)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Austria
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF, 2013)
Start date: 2015-02-01
End date: 2017-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 248379.6
EU funding (EUR): 248379.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

There is an urgent need to provide decision support for forest managers facing challenges of cross-border forest management and system change. The applicant will employ novel analytical approaches and structured decision making to inform managers in maintaining biodiversity and other ecosystem services while accounting for climate change and limited budgets in Europe. The fellow will reveal contrasts in how European countries implement pan-national policies regarding forest management based on a literature review. He will then examine and contrast existing databases of decision-support tools that can support silvicultural adaptation across political borders. This policy and decision-support analysis will provide critical foundations for structured decision-making workshops with management teams from selected cross-border national parks along an elevational gradient. Prototype decision frameworks developed in these workshops will allow spatial optimization of adaptation measures across borders and years, providing important guidance for managers facing uncertainties about climate change and economic scarcity. The refined decision framework will be featured in an online decision-support toolkit for overcoming hurdles in planning and decision making about forest management across borders. In particular, an interactive web mapping tool will allow user-friendly evaluations of management strategies and their outcomes for ecosystem services under multiple climate and budget scenarios for selected cases. The enhanced database of decision-support tools with guided search facilities along with interactive visualizations of decision frameworks will make the toolkit extensible across Europe, and as such will be useful to foresters, policy makers, analysts and stakeholders. Along the way, the applicant will disseminate findings to scientific audiences and public at large to enhance knowledge and impact for maintaining ecosystem services across borders in Europe.

Keywords: adaptation,cross-border,decision analysis,forest management,interactive web tool,national parks,policy,silviculture,stakeholders,structured decision making,uncertainty,workshops
The origin of novelties and the evolution of biodiversity during the radiation of birds (ERB)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-01
End date: 2016-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 299558.4
EU funding (EUR): 299558.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project aims to substantially increase our knowledge of the interplay between morphological evolution and organismal diversity. The radiation of birds will be used as the model system for reaching this goal. Birds are an important group of vertebrates, a very species-rich clade that has had a profound impact on Earth’s ecosystems. Specific questions that will be addressed include: was avian diversification driven by the origin of flight or by another morpho-functional complex of characters? Was the increasing diversification of the bird clade a single event of huge speciation burst or did it occur steadily? How did the rise of birds affect potential competitors (pterosaurs) and their sister theropod group? Do successful clades diversify equally or is the diversification driven by particular subclades? How did the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction affect the evolution of birds? And more generally, how do diversity and disparity relate to each other? These questions lie at the core of our understanding of large-scale evolution and will be tackled via the implementation of a diverse array of well-established numerical techniques. These will include maximum likelihood approaches for assessing character dependence, new methods for quantifying disparity and amount of morphospace occupation, rarefaction analysis for assessing differences in morphological disparity, statistical methods for estimating rates of character change, and sensitivity analyses. These techniques document the apomorphies that distinguish the clades, and thus, they can be used to test hypotheses of character evolution, functional complexes of characters, adaptation, and competition. This research will help understand significant themes of current evolutionary research, such as how modern diversity occurred, whether diversification is typically driven by internal dynamics of the system or by external physical environmental stimuli, and how do novelties arise.

Keywords: evolution,biodiversity,dinosaurs,birds,biology,disparity,paleontology