Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Cortical Disorganization in Psychosis. Neurophysiological, clinical and genetic factors (CODIP)

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: 2013-05-06
End date: 2015-05-05
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Background: Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are severe mental illnesses which cause high rates of disability, social and economic costs. Although there is compelling evidence of a genetic contribution to psychosis and we know deficits in neuronal connectivity are a key factor, the pathophysiology and aetiology of the disease remain poorly understood. Aims: (i) To identify biomarkers of neural dys-connectivity characterising psychosis through neurophysiological and neuropsychological techniques. (ii) To apply such biomarkers in genetic association studies in order to understand the mechanisms by which variation at certain loci leads to the onset of the disease. Methods: Neurophysiology is a non-invasive and inexpensive technique with a superb temporal resolution that allows the study of perceptual and cognitive processes in vivo. My UCL supervisor and I have collected a large sample of families with psychosis cases including 300 patients, 220 unaffected relatives and 300 controls. Participants completed a battery of experiments including resting EEG, P300 wave, P50 gating, Mismatch Negativity and cognitive assessments. I will train in advanced analytics using Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM), which tests models of neural activity and its synchronisation deficits and is a new tool in psychiatry. Through DCM I will identify novel measures of brain dys-connectivity to use as phenotypes for genetic association. I will examine candidate genes, identified through association studies using Plink and Unphased software. I will train in gene ontology tools to perform pathway analyses using the extensive genome-wide genotyping that is already available on my sample. UCL, a centre of excellence in neuroscience, will host my research. Implications: Biomarkers of brain connectivity could be used towards the earlier detection and treatment of psychosis. Understanding the mechanisms of action of susceptibility genes is essential to develop safer and more effective new treatments.

Keywords: l209 genetic epidemiology,l212 biostatistics,l501 neuroanatomy and neurophysiology,l508 behavioral neuroscience,l510 neuroimaging and computational neuroscience,l512 psychiatric disorders
From large-scale distribution patterns to efficient conservation plans (HISTENVPATTERNS)

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: 2014-02-01
End date: 2016-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 223002.2
EU funding (EUR): 223002.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Distinguishing historical from environmental effects on species' distributions is crucial for effective conservation planning, especially under changing environmental conditions: we need to know how strongly each species responds to the environment. Data sets with explicit information (fossil records, physiological experiments) are rare, and environmental models applied so far have unverified assumptions and often ungrounded conclusions. I aim to improve the efficiency of data analysis and conservation plans by combining chorotypes (groups of species with similar distribution patterns, which can serve as natural units in conservation) with comparative phylogeography (mainly dispersal centres and routes) for European terrestrial vertebrates - mammals, amphibians and reptiles. If species within a chorotype have matching phylogeographic histories and stayed close to a common dispersal centre, their distributions are more stable than if they have disparate histories and concentrate away from their origins. I will quantify the strength of association of each chorotype with its species' dispersal centre(s) and with environmental factors, to infer the responsiveness of each species to environmental change and, thus, the predicted efficacy of environmental models. I will then propose conservation measures accordingly. I will also control the robustness of data and methods at every step of the analysis. This project will generate important insights into the origin and generality of species distribution patterns, and improve the efficacy and efficiency of conservation planning under climate change. It will also provide innovative tools (including software) that can be applied to other species systems and research areas.

Keywords: v101 environment and sustainability,v303 biogeography,v302 biodiversity - comparative biology,v304 conservation biology - ecology - genetics
Automatic Detection of Conflict Escalation and Resolution in Social Interactions (CONFER)

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): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The main aim of the ConfER project is to advance the state of the art in automatic analysis of human nonverbal behaviour by investigating how conflict escalation and resolution can be modelled and automatically detected based on automatic sensing and interpretation of interrelated facial, head, eye, arm, bodily and vocal behaviour shown by all involved interlocutors. This is in contrast to the current state of the art in social signal processing, where the focus is on audio analysis only and where the temporal interplay between interlocutors is taken into account only in terms of overlapping speech but not in terms of mimicry, rapport or empathy (and the absence of these). In particular the objectives of the ConfER project are: 1) To annotate existing suitable data consisting of audiovisual recordings of conflict escalation and resolution in terms of occurring audiovisual behavioural cues in order to facilitate automated modelling of conflict escalation and resolution based on co-occurrence, frequency, duration, and temporal evaluation of the behavioural cues. 2) To develop and evaluate tools for automatic audiovisual recognition and prediction of conflict escalation and resolution that will be able to take into account temporal interplay between interlocutors. The impact of ConfER project is expected to be profound as we shall release the annotated data (episodes of conflict escalation and resolution annotated in terms of various behavioural cues and conflict intensity) and the developed technology. This will enable much faster progress of basic research in cognitive and social sciences by raising the quality and shortening the time to conduct research on human behaviour in conflicts that is now lengthy, laborious, and often imprecise. This will also enable a surge of novel applications including conflict management systems, negotiation support systems, conflict detection in surveillance scenarios, and conflict summarization in meetings, to mention but a few.

Keywords: social signal processing,human behavioural analysis,machine learning,computer vision,signal processing
Dynamic PET/MR - New reconstruction methods for Parametric Imaging (DYNAMIC PET/MR)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-06-01
End date: 2015-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 161968.8
EU funding (EUR): 161968.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

PET/MRI offers advantages in comparison with the clinically accepted PET/CT: higher soft tissue contrast, minimum radiation exposure to the patient and simultaneous data acquisition. The goal of dynamic studies is to provide information about physiological parameters. The evaluation of different parametric brain images brings new understanding of the brain and diseases. This is a new field of medical imaging called Parametric Imaging. Clinically, parametric PET and MRI images are interesting for a range of diseases such as early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease and tumour evaluation. For studying the brain and diseases parametrically, dynamic information becomes essential, because most changes of state in the brain occur at a very fast rate (milliseconds). Therefore, brain PET studies use dynamic scans, in which the activity distribution is measured over time. For obtaining the physiological parameters, it is necessary to apply kinetic models. Kinetic models require two time courses: Input Function (IF), which is the time course of the activity delivered to the tissue; and Time Activity Curves (TAC) of each voxel, which is the variation in activity over time. However, estimation of kinetic parameters may be rather difficult due to the uncertainties in TAC and in the IF. In this proposal, the main objective is to improve dynamic PET information. This objective will be achieved by improving the estimation of the IF and TAC. A novel method for estimating the IF is proposed here. The IF is estimated with an Image-Derived Input Function procedure using MRI information to correct the partial volume effect of the images. This MRI-based partial volume correction is based on priors. The TAC are going to be improved by new regularization methods, which are also based on the application of priors. The outcomes intended for this project are: evaluation of the developed methods in terms of kinetic parameters and Parametric PET/MR data are analyzed in the clinical context.

Keywords: l702 diagnostic tools,l701 medical engineering and technology,pet,parametric imaging,kinetic modelling,input function,time activity curve,maximum a posteriori reconstruction.
Novel Materials and Processing Strategy for Oesophageal Stents (OSTENT)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-08-01
End date: 2016-08-01
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 216952.8
EU funding (EUR): 216952.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

There is a need for addressing the condition and symptoms associated with oesophageal cancer in Europe and Worldwide. Around 5-10 in every 1000 men and around 1 in every 1000 women will develop oesophageal cancer during their lifetime, with care being mainly palliative via oesophageal stents, rather than therapeutic. This form of cancer has been demonstrated to be on the increase in Europe due to the growth in cases of adenocarcinomas, which in turn can be linked to the increase in alcohol consumption and obesity in western countries. There are problems associated with the current palliative treatments available for oesophageal cancer. Namely, tumour ingrowth into the stent, hyperplasic tissue formation and migration of the device. In the past few years, the scientific development of oesophageal stents has been on an increase However, the creation of a therapeutic device rather than merely a palliative one is still unavailable. Such an advancement would cause a major shift in the treatment of oesophageal cancer, allowing the state of the art to be pushed into new realms. This proposal will address the ultimate goal of treating the condition of oesophageal cancer with the aim of restoring oesophageal function and returning the lives of sufferers to near-normal states. This will be achieved by the creation of a novel drug-eluting, shape memory, degradable composite stent using the experience of the researcher (Dr Judith Juhasz) and supervisor (Professor Aldo Boccaccini) at the Institute of Biomaterials in the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Creation of this novel material within this Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship will advance the understanding of stent design for the treatment of oesophageal cancer and will put Europe in a leading position as a competitor in the biomaterials market.

Keywords: oesophageal stent,biodegradable,biodegradable polymer,shape memory polymer,drug-release,cancer treatment,electrospinning,drug encapsulation
tRNA homeostasis and gene regulation (TRNA DYNAMICS)

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: 2013-08-01
End date: 2015-07-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Regulation of gene expression is a fundamental process in all cellular systems. While the major steps in gene regulation such as transcription and translation are well understood, the role of tRNA availability (e.g. abundance, half-life) in regulating translation is largely unknown. The ultimate objective of this proposal is to investigate how tRNA availability within a cell can influence which mRNA molecules are actively translated by the ribosome. More specifically, it aims to address (i) whether mechanisms such as transcription, nucleo-cytoplasmic transport and degradation vary for individual tRNAs coding for different amino acids and (ii) how altered tRNA dynamics can affect protein abundance, and hence fitness, in different cellular conditions. To address these questions, I propose systematically charting the tRNA abundance landscape using yeast as a model organism. I will quantitatively investigate the processes of tRNA production, transport and degradation, in order to determine which steps in tRNA homeostasis are altered under diverse stress conditions, compared to optimal growth conditions. I will then investigate the impact of tRNA dynamics in cell fitness through competitive growth experiments. In this manner, I propose to construct the first dynamic map of tRNA abundance, which holds the potential to help understand the process of gene expression regulation in fine detail. In the long-term, the goals described in this proposal will not only provide new insights into regulatory mechanisms of protein translation but will also help to achieve a better understanding of factors that influence fitness and cell survival. With recent discoveries relating changes in tRNA abundance to apoptosis and gene misregulation in tumorigenic cells, future research on understanding how tRNA availability is regulated and how it contributes to cell survival could lead to new strategies for the rational design of molecular therapies against cancer.

Keywords: l213 systems biology,l101 molecular biology and interactions,l104 rna synthesis - processing - modification and degradation
Unstable party supply in established and new democracies: causes and electoral consequences (PARTYINSTABILITY)

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

Political parties and party systems are crucial institutions for the functioning of a modern representative democracy. Two established explanations of party system fragmentation and volatility are social cleavages and institutions. However, both approaches do not sufficiently consider the role of political elites in shaping party systems. This research project therefore seeks to complement these two approaches by studying one of the most important ways through which political elites can shape party systems, namely the stability of party supply. Party supply is unstable when new parties emerge and existing parties disappear, split, merge or combine themselves into fluid electoral alliances. In order to understand how the instability in party supply affects party systems, the project asks two questions: (1) what causes the instability in party supply? (2) how does the instability in party supply affect voter behaviour and parties’ electoral support? The project builds on the state-of-the-art in the literature by studying the causes and consequences of those forms of party instability that have been under-researched, namely, party splits, mergers, pre-electoral alliances and dissolutions. In addition, it also constructs an aggregate index of party instability and considers its impact on party system volatility. In order to conduct these studies, the project will build a cross-national dataset recording the instability in party supply in approximately 30 OECD and newer European democracies. The analysis of this cross-national dataset will be complemented by the analysis of election surveys, interviews with political elites and academics, and qualitative case studies. The project will provide a major contribution to the understanding of the development of party systems in both established and new democracies.

Keywords: s109 political systems - legitimacy of governance,s107 transformation of societies - democratization - social movements
Designing Evidence-Based Communication for Elderly Consumers in Financial Distress (RISK COMMUNICATION)

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-2012-IIF, 2012)
Start date: 2014-01-01
End date: 2015-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 309235.2
EU funding (EUR): 309235.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This proposal is to facilitate the transfer of the fellow’s internationally acclaimed expertise in behavioral economics, financial planning, and the design of financial education and counseling interventions into Europe, first, to use of principles of risk perception and risk communication to assess asset decumulation, debt management and financial planning strategies of European consumers in older age. Second, it aims to develop recommendations for the banking and financial advising industry, consumer protection agencies, and policy makers to assist in their communicating financial risks to those segments of European consumers that are particularly at risk of poverty in older age. The research will be conducted in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, which represent well distinct pension systems in Europe, employing expert interviews, systematic literature review, in-depth interviews and a confirmatory survey of elderly consumers, and the review of financial communications to develop evidence-based recommendations. The fellow will be hosted by Professor Bruine de Bruin, Chair of Behavioral Decision Making, Dr. Summers, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Centre for Decision Research, both of Leeds University Business School, and their international team at the Centre who are experts on risk perception, risk communication, and decision aids. The research will be deliberately designed to serve as template for an array of European countries, their financial planning contexts, and vulnerable population groups, thereby creating a significant multiplier effect. The investment of bringing the fellow’s expertise into Europe will contribute to increasing the financial stability of a growing, yet highly vulnerable aging population, thus directly generating social and economic benefits at EU level.

Keywords: s102 ageing - social policies,s113 communication - information society,s101 social structure - inequalities - social mobility,e108 behavioural economics,e104 financial mark
Cellular regulation of transient receptor potential melastatin 3 (TRPM3) and its role in skin sensation (TRPM3 IN SKIN)

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: Belgium
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-05-01
End date: 2015-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 177000.0
EU funding (EUR): 177000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The skin is not only a barrier between our body and the environment, but also functions as a huge sensory ‘surface’, involved in sensing various stimuli, as well as in the etiology of itch and pain. As such, the skin can be envisaged as our largest (multi)sensory organ. Ion channels of the transient receptor potential (TRP) family are considered as cellular sensors, due to their sensitivity to various physical and diverse chemical stimuli, including endogenous mediators as well as various exogenous compounds. Multimodal nociceptive TRP channels are also appealing drug targets in pain-associated syndroms. TRPM3, a member of the melastatin subfamily of TRP channels, was recently reported as a novel neurosteroid- and thermosensitive channel in the pain pathway. In this project we aim to discover how the channel properties of TRPM3 are regulated at molecular and cellular levels, and how these regulatory mechanisms influence the channel’s versatile functions in normal sensory transduction and in processes such as itch and hyperalgesia. A wide array of techniques will be combined to investigate the influence of intracellular signaling pathways and the effect of various mediators (neurotransmitters, mediators of pain, itch and inflammation) on TRPM3 channel function and expression in recombinant systems and primary sensory neurons. The relevance of this novel neurosteroid sensor and its regulatory pathways on skin sensory functions will be analyzed in several functional assays at the organ and behavioral levels using transgenic animal models. This project is expected to reveal important new insight into the cutaneous sensory processes involving TRPM3, which may form the basis of novel therapeutic approaches to treat itch or pain. The execution of the project will widely extend the fellow`s knowledge, technical and complementary skills aiding to reach a position of professional maturity and significantly contributing to his career development in the European Research Area.

Keywords: l501 neuroanatomy and neurophysiology,l308 signal transduction,l504 sensory systems,l505 mechanisms of pain,trpm3,ion channel properties,skin,itch