Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Dynamics and Structure of the Earth’s Mantle: a multidisciplinary approach (DYSTEM)

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: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-10-01
End date: 2010-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 259642.64
EU funding (EUR): 259642.64
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

We propose a multidisciplinary approach involving mineral physics, geophysics and geodynamics to study the evolution and the current physical conditions of the Earth’s mantle. Starting from a mineral physics database, we will jointly invert long-period seismic waveforms and gravity data to infer 3-D thermal and compositional structure of the Earth’s mantle. The thermodynamic database used for the inversion will also provide the physical properties for time-dependent mantle convection computations. The reconstruction of the thermal and compositional evolution with most advanced computational techniques will validate the character of the T-C structures obtained from the observations. Moreover, these models will give insights on small-scale heterogeneities that are not resolved from the geophysical observations. The proposed combined procedure has a greater potential for answering questions compared to conventional methods, which use only partial information. We expect to shed a light, for example, on the role and presence of water in the deep interiors, on the scale of mantle heterogeneities and on the presence of compositional stratification in the upper and deep mantle. All the specific results are included within the more general goal of achieving a better understanding of the Earth and planetary dynamics. As a consequence, external phenomena as climate change, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and plate tectonics, that are intrinsically linked to interior dynamics, will be also better understood.

Keywords: earth science,seismology,geodynamics,mineral physics,earth's mantle
Investigation of condensed-phase low-energy (0-30 eV) electron induced processes for application to nanolithography, astrochemistry and radiotherapy. (LEEP-NANO-ASTRO-RAD)

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-2007-4-2-IIF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-11-04
End date: 2010-11-03
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 243268.29
EU funding (EUR): 243268.29
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In the past decade, it has become increasingly recognized that low-energy electrons (LEE) play a key role in a large number of fundamental and applied fields. Electrons with energies in the range 0-30 eV can induce, at interfaces and surfaces, specific reactions which are relevant to nanolithography, dielectric aging, radiation waste management, radiation processing, astrochemistry, planetary and atmospheric chemistry, surface photochemistry, radiobiology, and radiotherapy. For more than 30 years, the action of LEE at the surface of molecular and biomolecular solids has been investigated in the laboratory of the applicant with model systems consisting of pure or doped thin molecular films. The purpose of the present application is to develop a research program within the European Union (EU) to investigate systems of relevance to three important applications of LEE processing, namely nanolithography, astrochemsitry and radiotherapy. In particular we plan (1) To investigate LEE-induced reactions of selected molecules on metallic surfaces so as to assess their potential for STM beam lithography. (2) To study the possibility of inducing specific chemical reactions with the photoelectrons. (3)To investigate LEE-induced reactions in ice mantles that simulate both planetary and ISM conditions. (4)To investigate LEE-induced damage to DNA incorporating the radiosensitizers Carboplatin and Gemcitabine with and without added water. (5)To obtain cross sections for DNA damage with and without the presence of these radiosensitizers by analysing the dose to yields relationship during LEE bombardment of DNA. Since the IIF is one of world’s leading researchers in such LEE processes it is also intended to exploit his fellowship to provide valuable training and leadership amongst the younger members of the EU LEE community at a time when a new generation of researchers is emerging in the field.

Keywords: physical chemistry,reaction mechanisms and dynamics,radiation chemistry,surface chemistry,health sciences,physical sciences
Stable isotope ecology of hunter-gatherers in Italy in the late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene (ITALIAN ISOTOPES)

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: 2008-09-01
End date: 2010-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 166982.27
EU funding (EUR): 166982.27
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In recent years, the ratios of isotopes of a number of different chemical elements (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, strontium and lead) have been measured on animal and human skeletal materials to gain information on past climate, ecology and diet. Areas such as Italy have rarely been the object of isotopic studies, despite the potential offered by its well-preserved prehistoric skeletal assemblages from a large number of archaeological sites, spanning periods of important environmental change, such as between the Late-glacial and the Early Holocene. As part of the proposed project, isotope analyses will be undertaken on the animal remains from Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic cave sites in Italy to gain information on human ecology in Mediterranean terrestrial environments at the end of the Pleistocene and in the early to mid-Holocene prior to the adoption of agriculture in the Neolithic. Oxygen, carbon and nitrogen isotope data from animal bones and teeth will be used to reconstruct past climates and vegetation. A suite of isotopes (oxygen, sulphur, strontium and lead) will be analysed in both animal and human bones to determine patterns of past migration, either within restricted territories or between different regions. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes in animal bones will be used to reconstruct food webs for different regions within Italy, for the cultural periods of interest to the project. These isotope analyses will also be undertaken on human bones and teeth to reconstruct regional variations in human diets and in adaptations to changing environments. The main methodological aim of the project is to investigate how multi-isotope approaches can help in reconstructing the human terrestrial ecology of past environments, in particular environments that have no analogues at the present day.

Keywords: isotope analysis,isotope ecology,biogeochemistry (climate change),human ecology,late pleistocene,early holocene,upper palaeolithic,mesolithic,hunter-gatherers,mediterranean,italy,sicily
Rare Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks and their Application in Crystal Engineering (RECRYSTENG)

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: 2009-09-30
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 128035.46
EU funding (EUR): 128035.46
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Rare earth complexes are involved in a new scientific approach in crystal engineering. The synthesis will include organic, inorganic, and materials chemistry techniques using lanthanide salts and organic linkers as building blocks for the formation of crystalline molecular 3D networks. Green chemistry methods applying solvent-free solid-solid and solid-gas preparation techniques will be developed for a high-yield low energy production of new crystalline rare earth materials. Analysis of the new compounds will not only be based on advanced X-ray structure determination using single-crystals and crystalline powders but also on microscopy, thermoanalytical, and spectroscopical analysis of the expected luminescent crystals. Training and collaborations of the researcher in an industrial company and university working and learning new aspects in the field of polymorph screening will guarantee a deeper insight into the optical and solid-state properties of the produced solids as well as their formation of polymorphs. The combination of the analytical and scientific expertise between the University of Bristol and the collaborators create a unique environment for a new rare earth based research in the field of crystal engineering.

Keywords: structural chemistry,inorganic chemistry,rare earth chemistry,lanthanides,crystallography,crystal engineering,intermolecular networks,polymorphism
Decentralized communication, the physical or mathematical limitations and the possibilities for several wireless ports communicating with other wireless nodes. (DECCOMM)

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,United States
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF, 2007)
Start date: 2009-06-11
End date: 2012-06-10
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231122.48
EU funding (EUR): 231122.48
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

In this fellowship I intend to investigate the performance of a wireless network, with the emphasis on the connection points between the wireless ports and the wireline networks. Provided that wireless signals travel through the air, and thus are received by multiple receptions, where each may be connected to the wireline network or even further to other wireless network, significant benefits in the overall spectral efficiency are foreseen. Information theoretic analysis, along with diverse methods from other disciplines are to be the main tools in this fellowship. We will consider the parallel reception model, at first, from both its ends, while focusing on nomadic assumption, which focuses the analysis on simpler access points, that do not require decoding, only signal processing. We can get both necessary and sufficient results here, where sufficient results indicate the way of action to a network designer, and the necessary conditions quantify the gap of the resulting network to the ultimate performance which are possible in such physical network. Then extension to Gaussian channels, and distributed MIMO algorithms is to be done, by leveraging the previous results. Obtaining such clearer understanding, will enable to tackle the more basic questions which scientists are now facing, when dealing with wireless networks, and specifically, with Ad-Hoc networks. This is to be done as a third objective, where tools from Game theory, Optimization theory and Network coding are to be combined in an elegant way, which will ensure maximal effect on several diverse paradigms. Results here have thus broader impact on wireless networks.

Keywords: technological sciences,wireless communication,information theory
Femtosecond mid-infrared study of water at electrified interfaces (WATERDYNAMICS)

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-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2009-09-01
End date: 2011-10-31
Duration (months): 26.0
Total project cost (EUR): 159434.23
EU funding (EUR): 159434.23
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Water has a paramount importance in chemical, biochemical and electrochemical processes. However, very little information is known about the microscopic mechanism by which water affects these processes. This is due to the fact that water in the condensed phase shows ultrafast (sub-picosecond) molecular dynamics and forms an extremely inhomogeneous system. Femtosecond pump-probe mid-infrared spectroscopy is ideally suited to distinguish different types of water molecules and it also provides sufficient time resolution to resolve the translational and orientational dynamics of water molecules. The essence of this technique is the excitation of a selected type of molecules by a pump pulse, and the subsequent analysis of its relaxation and molecular motions by a probe pulse at varying time delays. This technique has been applied successfully to water and aqueous solutions. The challenge presented here is to apply this technique, for the first time, to the study of the behavior of water at electrified interfaces under potential control. For this purpose, it is crucial to develop an adequate experimental set-up that allows probing preferentially interfacial water. In this regards, the use of the surface enhancement effect in ATR-SEIRAS (Attenuated Total Reflection-Surface Enhanced IR Absorption Spectroscopy) is specially promising. It should be stressed that the excellent experience of the candidate in the study of metal|water interfaces and the impressive achievements of the host institution in femtosecond mid-infrared spectroscopy of water, makes this project unique and unprecedented. The results of this project will constitute a breakthrough in the molecular-level understanding on the role of water in electrochemical reactions. In turn, this information will be also invaluable for the understanding of the general effect of electrocatalysis. For this reason, the present project can play a very important role in the development of electrochemical technologies.

Keywords: water,rotational-vibrational dynamics,time-resolved spectra,interfacial electrochemistry,atr-irras,physical sciences
Imaging of the neural stem cell origin, proliferation, and fate within the stem cell niches of the mammalian brain. (NEURALSTEMIMAGING)

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: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF, 2007)
Start date: 2009-02-01
End date: 2012-01-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 230668.86
EU funding (EUR): 230668.86
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Neural stem cells provide throughout life a source of neuronal and glial progenitors in the central nervous system of mammals. In the adult brain, stem cells reside in specialized ‘niches’ which contain molecular and cellular signals capable of regulating their symmetric/asymmetric division, as well as specification and fate of their progeny. In the major neurogenic site, the forebrain subventricular zone (SVZ), the neural stem cells have been identified as a subpopulation of astrocytes originating from the embryonic radial glia. Occasionally, some of these astrocytes divide to give rise to transit amplifying cells that actively proliferate thus generating a neuronal, and to a lesser extent glial, progeny. Yet, the very mode, time, and pattern of cell division, as well as the mechanisms involved in its regulation within the stem cell niche are poorly understood. In this project, several techniques of living cell imaging and tracing, cell proliferation detection, and light, confocal, electron microscopic morphological analyses will be combined with the aim of visualizing and studying in vivo the process of neural stem cell division. Since brain neurogenic niches remarkably change postnatally, neural stem cell division will be analysed at different postnatal stages, through the transformation from radial glia to neurogenic astrocytes. These objectives, other than representing a crucial step in further understanding the neural stem cell biology within their niches, could be of importance in allowing new strategies aimed at modulating in situ the behaviour of mammalian neural stem cells as an innovative approach to brain repair.

Keywords: neurosciences,neurobiology,cytology,developmental biology,stem cell biology
The role of RNA interference in antibacterial responses of Caenorhabditis elegans (MICRODETECT)

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: 2008-09-15
End date: 2010-09-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 163076.7
EU funding (EUR): 163076.7
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

RNA interference (RNAi) induces gene silencing and is involved in host responses to pathogens. Faced with the bacterium Serratia (S.) marcescens, Caenorhabditis (C.) elegans responds with a behavioural response ("lawn avoidance"). Since mutation of the RNAi gene rde-4 impairs lawn avoidance, RNAi seems to be involved. S. marcescens infection leads to upregulation of antimicrobial peptide genes in C. elegans. Our hypothesis is that RNAi is involved in controlling this transcriptional response. This project aims to characterise the role of RDE-4 and other RNAi pathway components in the avoidance behaviour and the transcriptional response of C. elegans. This will be achieved by identifying putative RNA-protein-complexes formed with RDE-4 upon S. marcescens infection. Concerning the role of RNAi in controlling defence gene expression, it will be investigated if two antimicrobial peptide genes, nlp-29 and cnc-2, are regulated by microRNAs (miRNA). miRNA arrays will be used to investigate which of the annotated miRNAs are regulated by S. marcescens infection. Candidate miRNA genes and their targets will be characterised. The multidisciplinary project “MicroDetect” will support competence diversification and career development of the fellow. Its research training objectives are scientific and technical. The fellow wishes to extend her knowledge in molecular biology and learn techniques required to use C. elegans as model system to study host-pathogen interactions. This will be achieved by training through research. The fellow will extend her complementary skills in project management, presentation, manuscript preparation and collaboration building through implementation of the project and mentoring by the supervising scientist. By offering scientific and complementary training this project will support the fellow in attaining a leading position. The Community will benefit from the strengthening of the research field by gaining a highly qualified independent researcher.

Keywords: molecular genetics,rna interference,innate immunity,microbiology,host-pathogen interactions,c. elegans,pathogen avoidance
Bose-Einstein Condensation of Ground State Molecules (M-BEC)

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-2007-4-2-IIF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-03-01
End date: 2010-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 160749.69
EU funding (EUR): 160749.69
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of this project is to create a Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) of ro-vibrational ground state molecules. A BEC of molecules in the ro-vibrational ground state can be used as a “molecular matter wave laser”. It will serve as an ideal starting point for the investigation of collisional processes in the zero-temperature limit and for the study of fully coherent chemical processes. It will be a bright and extremely narrow-band source for precision molecular spectroscopy, and it will provide a testing ground for elaborate strategies to form condensates of more complex molecular systems. This project is intended to bridge the boundaries between atomic, molecular and condensed matter physics with strong linking to the newly emerging field of ultracold chemistry. The project proposes a specific route to produce a BEC of ro-vibrational ν=0 and J=0 ground state Cs2 dimer molecules by taking weakly bound molecules associated on a Feshbach resonance and transferring them to the ro-vibrational ground state of the singlet molecular potential using two stages of optical two-photon transfer. For this an optically trapped BEC of Cs atoms is first loaded into an optical lattice to form a Mott insulator state with precisely two atoms per lattice site. Weakly bound dimer molecules are then formed out of the atomic Mott insulator state by means of the Feshbach association technique. Confinement at each lattice site shields the molecules from inelastic collisions until they are transferred to the ground state. Optical transfer is achieved by the STIRAP technique using phase-locked diode lasers referenced to a frequency comb. Two successive stages of STIRAP are need to bridge the internuclear distance and to remove a binding energy corresponding to about 3650 wavenumbers. After the transfer, the molecules are released from the lattice into the initial larger volume optical trap. The ensemble of ground state molecules will then form the state of a molecular BEC.

Keywords: atomic physics,condensed matter properties,molecular physics,spectroscopy
Time-resolved diffusive X-ray scattering for the study of cell membrane transport (DIFFUSIVE XRAY)

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: Sweden
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-05-01
End date: 2010-08-31
Duration (months): 28.0
Total project cost (EUR): 177320.91
EU funding (EUR): 177320.91
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In this application we propose to apply the emerging tools of solution-phase, time-resolved X-ray scattering to the study of transfer phenomena in membrane transport proteins. Diffusive X-ray scattering of heavy metals in solution has recently been used by the host to monitor reaction kinetics of simple photochemical systems on a picosecond timescale. We seek to extend the technique to monitor structural dynamics inside the transport channel of halorhodopsin (hR), an important membrane protein that transports halides after photoactivation. The proposed experiment on hR will yield a movie of ion transport in the channel with the aim to clarify into the mechanism of trans-membrane ion transport. Success in the project will open new experimental windows for the study of basic cellular processes of tremendous scientific and biomedical importance.

Keywords: molecular biophysics,spectroscopy