Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Physical forces involved in collective migration of mesenchymal versus epithelial cells (MESENCHYMAL COLL MOT)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-06-01
End date: 2015-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Coordinated migration of cells is an important process in development and physiology. Collective migration has been extensively studied in tightly connected cell sheets, or epithelia, with recent studies reporting forces in epithelial collective migration. Although a physical and functional connection between the cells throughout the whole process has been thought necessary for collective migration, collective behaviour has recently been reported in the migration of loosely coherent neural crest (NC) cells. The biomechanical basis of this collective behaviour is poorly understood. NC is a classic example of mesenchymal cells: after undergoing an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) NC cells migrate long distances as a group in a coordinated and cooperative fashion. Although NC's do not form stable connections, they establish short lived contacts. We will test the hypothesis that these temporary contacts are able to transmit sufficient mechanical forces between the cells to create a collective migration pattern similar to epithelia. We propose to quantitatively describe the collective motion of Xenopus NC cells and the physical forces involved. Mesenchymal behaviour will be compared with the migration of placode and epiderm, two well-known epithelial tissues. We propose to investigate shear and normal stress within the migrating mesenchymal and epithelial groups. Measurements in vitro will include trajectory analysis, traction forces and intercellular forces, using time lapse, force gel and monolayer stress microscopy. In vivo force generation between NC's will be measured in Xenopus and zebrafish embryos using a FRET mechanosensor, trajectory analysis will be performed in Xenopus graft embryos and transgenic zebrafish line expressing nuclear-RFP in NC cells. Based on experimental findings, the role of transient cell-cell adhesions in collective migration will be studied with cell-based modelling.

Keywords: cell biology,collective mesenchymal migration,neural crest migration,intercellular forces,traction forces,epithelial vs mesenchymal,emt,l106 biophysics,l213 systems biology,xenopus,zebrafish
Determinants and dynamics of the obesity epidemic (BODYWEIGHTDYNAMICS)

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: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-05-01
End date: 2015-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 175974.6
EU funding (EUR): 175974.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This application proposes a research project to be conducted during a 24 month stay at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. The scientific host in charge is Prof. Eddy van Doorslaer. It aims to investigate recent dynamics and changes in the distribution of body weight and determinants thereof - using data from China. The knowledge that can be gained from the proposed research is relevant for European policy makers as well. The following characteristics of the host institution and research group are the making the proposed stay particularly promising: significant expertise in related research (i.e. health economics, decomposition methods, socio-economic inequalities oh health), essential overlap in interests, excellent supervision, very good research network with researchers in Europe and the US, high quality of infrastructure and facilities available.

Keywords: health economics,obesity,econometrics,decomposition,causal analysis
Overseas voting among Arab migrants in the EU (ARAB OVERSEAS VOTING)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-09-01
End date: 2015-10-10
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 261384.6
EU funding (EUR): 261384.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The research project ‘Arab Overseas Voting’ aims to contribute to the academic literature and policy discussion on overseas voting by drawing the attention on Arab migrant communities in the EU participating in the elections of their country of origin. It adopts an interdisciplinary and comparative approach that builds on historical and current contrasts between two major Arab labour sending countries (Tunisia and Morocco) and between two key EU receiving countries (France and Italy). Overseas voting is a worldwide trend. It is considered as a migrants’ right, and as contributing positively to democratization and development. However, the academic literature on overseas voting is still at an initial stage, in particular in Arab and African countries. The context of the project is that of momentous political changes in the Arab World, and increasing migration flows between North Africa and the EU since two decades. The general objective of the project is to assess why and how states enfranchise non-resident citizens, and under which conditions and for what purposes the latter participate in elections of their country of origin. In a policy perspective, the project aim to assess if, and under which conditions, overseas voting should be included in common migration policy frameworks, including the EU Global Approach to Migration and Mobility (GAMM). The project responds to EU demands to further investigate the governance of migration, in particular temporary migration; and social and political changes in Arab countries, in particular empowering young generation in context of political transition. With the aim of fulfilling such objective, ‘Arab Overseas Voting’ will pursue the following interrelated research objectives: patterns for adopting overseas voting; extensive versus restrictive voting rules; voters’ turnout; and voting behaviour, with a focus on age, gender, legal status differences.

Keywords: migration,elections,democratization,arab spring,transnational relations,voters' turnout,voting behaviour
The effect of Fatigue on Muscle Movement Accuracy and Smoothness and exercise-induced injury (FMMASI)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 299558.4
EU funding (EUR): 299558.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Fatigue is a multifaceted phenomenon that has been reported as having a detrimental effect on movement quality. Previous studies have predominantly focused on either the effect of fatigue on gross muscle function or basic proprioception and often used specific clinical populations e.g. brain damaged patients. This Fellowship proposal aims to further the understanding of how fatigue effects complex movement within a healthy high skilled population. With this fellowship a novel approach is to be developed that combines cutting edge kinematic analysis with multidisciplinary methods (physiology, biomechanics and psychology) to investigate the mechanisms underlying complex multi-muscle performance as seen in activities such as dance. We will measure postural sway and muscle movement smoothness and accuracy though force plate, EMG and 3-d analysis under individual and multiple fatigue-inducing conditions on three dance populations of varying skill levels. This will lead to a series of intervention studies to see if the deterioration of movement quality can be negated or slowed. Fatigue has been cited as one of the main causes of musculoskeletal injury within a wide range of healthy and diseased populations. Within dance this has resulted in a high incidence of injury within the lower limbs especially during the landing phase of jumping. The fellow will examine the efficacy of current injury screening protocols in relation to fatigued movement prior to the development of novel screening tools that better predict the tendency of poor limb alignment within fatigued states. With this fellowship we will carry also out a list of dissemination activities engaging with the European and international dance and medical communities. The Fellowship, with the help targeted training activities, will represent a very substantial advancement in Dr. Couillandre’s career plan, with the sound acquisition of both new key scientific, and transferable skills.

Keywords: l504 sensory systems,l702 diagnostic tools,l711 occupational medicine,s306 performing arts
How can we improve our models of biological macromolecules to reproduce experimental crystallographic X-ray intensities better? (SOUPINMYCRYSTAL)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-06-17
End date: 2015-06-16
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In X-ray structure determination, the R-value reports how well a model agrees with the experimental data. In small molecule crystallography, R-values of 3% are routinely reached. However, for biological macromolecules, R-values are normally around 20%, even when data extend to atomic resolution. This is clear evidence that our current models of macromolecular crystal structures are severely and generally lacking. But what is the difference between our models and reality? And how can we improve our models with this information? Are we extracting enough information from these data? Macromolecular crystals contain large regions of disordered solvent –a soup of ions, buffers, PEG and water– which contribute to the measured reflection intensities. They also affect the ordered macromolecules, which adopt slightly different conformations depending on local environment resulting in an ensemble of similar structures rather than one. Because we cannot determine these features as accurately as we would like, in particular low resolution reflections and phases are difficult to model. Phasing(structure solution) and refinement of macromolecular X-ray structures suffer from this lack of understanding. We aim to improve structure determination and model quality with model-free phases and electron density derived from MAD experiments. New and more sophisticated scale functions and solvent models will be tested; phases obtained by different approaches will be analysed for strengths and weaknesses. Improved phase estimates will result in better models, and hence more reliable biological conclusions; all macromolecular structures will benefit. In particular the structure determination of membrane proteins and large macromolecular complexes will be enhanced, where often only mid-low resolution data are available and the poor phase estimates currently obtainable result in noisy electron density maps. The gained information may also influence other methods such as NMR, SAXS, FEL and EM.

Keywords: l107 structural biology,computational crystallography,structures of biological macromolecules,l211 computational biology,crystallographic phasing,structure refinement,solvent modelling
Stability of blended organic semiconductors under various environments (BLEND)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-09-01
End date: 2015-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Electronics is a very fast developing field of industry. The main trends, especially in commercial products, have been for several years smaller size, increased amount of functionality, higher reliability, and lower price. There is significant, competitive electronics industry in Europe. However, it faces global pressures and to success it needs constantly solutions for better products and lower prices. Organic semiconductors offer several advantages over inorganic semiconductors such as silicon, including lightness, mechanical robustness and ease of manufacturing which makes them interesting alternatives for new innovative products. However, these materials suffer from problems associated with stability resulting severe use restrictions due to reliability issues. To solve this problem far more attention in the research associated with organic semiconducting materials should be directed on their stability and how to improve it. In this project organic semiconductor materials blended with more stable commodity insulating polymer materials are studied to increase the overall stability of the resulting structure. Such blends have already been processed and electronically characterised in the host institution, and it has been shown that good electrical properties can be achieved provided suitable processing protocols are selected. The aim of the project is to explore whether the stability of the organic semiconducting materials can be improved by blending. Another advantage by blending may be cost reduction due to low cost of the bulk commodity polymers. Within the project blended organic semiconducting systems are processed, organic photovoltaics (OPV) and thin-film transistors (FETs) are manufactured and characterised before elucidating the stability of both material and devices. To this end, focus will be on developing systematic environmental testing procedures for such architectures.

Keywords: g202 electrical and electronic engineering,g311 materials engineering,organic semiconductors,organic photovoltaics,stability,reliability,environmental testing
"The Commentary on Auspicious things". A Pali text from Northern Thailand (MGD)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-10-01
End date: 2015-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of this project is to study a major work of Buddhist literature in Southeast Asia, the Mangalatthadīpanī (“Discourse on Auspicious Things”). This text is of considerable length and reaches about 30 folios in manuscript form and about 1000 pages in printed editions in vernacular scripts. Written in Pali (the canonical language of Theravada Buddhism) in Chiang Mai (present day Northern Thailand) at the beginning of 16th century, this text was spread, glossed and translated across a large part of the Indochinese peninsula, including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Burma, becoming one of the most famous and most influential texts throughout the whole region. Indeed many monks of the Thai-Lao and Khmer cultural worlds consider the Mangalatthadīpanī to contain the crucial and essential points for their knowledge of the Pali tradition. As it quotes extensively from canonical and postcanonical texts, it is valuable for indicating which texts were known in the region four centuries ago. Many vernacular texts – sermons, preaching and recitation texts – are extracted from this book. The Mangalatthadīpanī is regarded as so important that it has been used in the official Pali curriculum in Thailand since 1927 despite its northern origin. If there is a strong tradition of philology in the study of Indian, Chinese and Tibetan literature, religious texts from Southeast Asia have drawn little attention from specialists. Despite some notable exceptions, the rich literary tradition of Indochina remains largely unknown until today. For many scholars – this is particularly true in recent decades – texts are taken as an ancillary rather than as things which have a value in themselves. While this perspective may be valuable, our knowledge of the spirituality and psychology of peninsular Southeast Asia can only benefit from finding a counterpart that allows us to consider the textual tradition as equally representative of the genius loci as the Indian Veda or Chinese Sūtra do.

Keywords: s104 myth - ritual - symbolic representations - religious studies,s206 typological - historical and comparative linguistics,s304 textual philology and palaeography,s208 use of language
The taste of volatiles: perception of odors through taste organs in Drosophila melanogaster (TASTEVOL)

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: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-10-17
End date: 2015-10-16
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 202405.8
EU funding (EUR): 202405.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Taste and olfaction share the same function: detect chemicals in the external world or in food. Despite this common functionality, both systems are designed completely differently both at the level of the sensory receptors and in the way information is mapped into the brain. As such, they have been studied separately, under the common assumption that both systems are tuned to detect divergent and non-overlapping ensemble of molecules. We will challenge this view by studying taste in Drosophila, in which taste neurons are accessible to physiological recording and which exhibit well-defined and stereotyped feeding and sexual behaviors. We will first study if volatiles associated with food or general irritants can be detected by taste neurons. Such detection can occur because some olfactory molecules are occasionally reported to be detected by the taste system of some insects. We will then evaluate if these odorants can modulate the detection of tastants related to food or sex or social signaling via pheromones. In order to achieve these goals, we will develop new stimulus delivery protocols (in collaboration with a microfluids laboratory) and evaluate different electrophysiological recording configurations. Lastly, by using existing genetic constructions, we will evaluate different hypotheses concerning the transduction pathways involved. With this innovative research program, we hope to question the unspoken separation that exists between taste and olfaction, and open new perspectives on the evolution of these sensory systems. Our work promises to stimulate further research in sensory biology and insect cognition, revisiting the concept of information coding from mixtures at the peripheral level, and can also have applications in pest management. Our multidisciplinary and collaborative approach will enhance research excellence in Europe.

Keywords: sensory systems,behavioral neuroscience,drosophila melanogaster,taste sensilla,olfaction,gustation,chemosensory coding,sensory multimodality,electrophysiology,behavior,chemical ecology
Small RNA toxicity and DNA damage response in Huntington´s disease (RNANEUROTOX)

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: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-04-01
End date: 2015-07-21
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173370.6
EU funding (EUR): 173370.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Huntington´s disease (HD) is an incurable and fatal neurodegenerative disease, manifested by a progressive loss of neurons, causing neuronal motor dysfunction, cognitive decline and death. The disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. The CAG expansion induces a neurotoxic effect, mainly thought to be caused by the expanded protein. However, also expanded RNA transcripts can cause toxicity by generation of small CAG-repeated RNAs. Generation of these small RNAs depends on Dicer ribonuclease activity and their toxic effects are modulated by Ago proteins. This links RNA toxicity with the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, suggesting abnormal induction of gene silencing through small-repeated RNAs. The DNA damage response (DDR) plays a role in HD pathogenesis as well. Recently, it was shown that small RNAs derived from Dicer and Drosha processing can induce and control this response. The goal of this project is to address the possible link between small CAG-repeated RNA toxicity and the DDR pathway in HD. We hypothesize that small RNAs activate a DDR response and thereby induce neurotoxicity. We will address this by the following objectives: 1) Establish whether CAG-repeated RNAs activate the DDR pathway, 2) Establish whether DDR inhibition can modulate small RNA toxicity and whether DDR activation is RNAi pathway dependent, 3) Validation of our results using in vivo and ex vivo samples. We will use in vitro cell models combined with ex vivo brain samples from HD affected mice and humans. The effect of small CAG-repeated RNAs on activation of the DDR response will be analyzed by western blot, immuno-fluorescence and immuno-histochemistry. Small RNA pool analysis, knockdown studies and lentiviral transfection approaches will be used to reveal the specificity of the effect and the RNAi pathway dependence. This project will contribute to a better understanding of HD pathogenesis, RNA biology, small RNA toxicity and the DDR pathway.