Summary description of project context and objectives. In spite of valuable approaches applied to get a broad understanding of genetic, epidemiologic and molecular and system-level biological principles of human aging, cognitive decline remains as one of the greatest health challenges of the old age, with nearly 50% of adults over 85 who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, drug development has not performed as expected in clinical trials, at least in part because of an insufficient mechanistic understanding at the systemic level in human. AgedBrainSYSBIO was a timely and straightforward project based on the integration of available genetic transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics data, on the addition of relevant novel sets of data, on their modeling and on experimental testing in both human, mouse and drosophila. AgedBrainSYSBIO researchers studied brain ageing, using multiple-level approaches such as systems biology based on large sets of data from ageing mammals and humans in normal situations and in pathological context such as Late-Onset Alzheimer Disease (LOAD) , protein-protein interactions, novel drosophila and mouse models based on molecular engineering, human neurons generated from cells isolated from patients with LOAD or control, engineered antibodies (intrabodies) directed against abnormal protein-protein interactions that may participate to the evolution of an abnormal ageing and whole-genome data(Genome-Wide Association Studies; GWAS) from large populations of patients with late-onset Alzheimer diseases. We investigated themolecula pathways and interactions involved in brain ageing. We aimed to find therapeutic targets and biomarkers for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Our scientists focused in particular on protein networks involved in the communication between nerve cells. This ambitious project integrated numerous European and national initiatives. We received the input of five small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) allowing us to get solutions for curing and preventing common age-related diseases. The links between academia and industry was the driving force of this work programme. Our Consortium was based on the unique expertise of molecular geneticists, molecular biologists, clinicians involved in ageing diseases, computer experts and mathematicians involved in pathways modelling. A special emphasis was given to the involvement of the five SMEs as AgedBrainSYSBIO was expected to have potential benefit to these SMEs. This combination of expertise wa...
Summary description of project context and objectives. The concept of the HOMAGE project is that, in older people, ‘omics based biomarkers (BMs) can detect asymptomatic pathological processes that predict who will develop of Heart Failure (HF) and other common serious cardiovascular (CV) conditions and characterize distinct phenotype(s) more likely to respond to targeted preventive therapy that could efficiently promote active healthy ageing. Heart Failure is common in older people (about one in every five older people will develop it) and unlike other cardiovascular problems its prevalence is increasing. In the European Union, the average age of patients with HF is 76 years and it affects >5% of people over 65 years and ~20% of octogenarians. HF is one of the most common medical reasons for hospital admission, (up to 5% of emergency admissions amongst adults), is associated with damage and dysfunction in many other ‘target’ organs and complicates and is complicated by many other medical problems common in older people, such as renal dysfunction, pulmonary disease, depression, cognitive decline, cerebrovascular disease and malnutrition. Despite advances in care the prognosis remains gloomy once overt HF has developed, especially in older patients. Delaying or preventing the onset of HF, which has had some success, may be a more effective approach to prolonging active life than trying to manage established HF. However, the annual incidence of HF is modest even in older people (<3% per year). Only very safe and inexpensive treatments are appropriate for universal treatment. Detection and targeted management of at-risk patients prior to the onset of symptoms is a logical next step, but requires proof. HF and its related co-morbidities are amongst the biggest public health problems in the group of “age- related diseases or disorders affecting the elderly.” The validation of effective large-scale screening tools for the identification of patients at risk of HF (predictive markers) or at an early stage of HF (diagnostic markers) is a major unmet clinical need. Echocardiography is poorly suited for large scale routine screening. It has both low sensitivity and specificity and is unable to detect early disease processes such as inflammation, myocyte injury and extracellular matrix remodeling. Plasma concentrations of natriuretic peptides are superior to echocardiography in detecting early cardiac dysfunction but provide little information on aetiology. Research is needed to identify BMs that not only stratify risk but...
Summary description of project context and objectives. The DOREMI Scientific and Technological objectives of this period is: • Development of preliminary version for the WSN environment, smart environment for context awareness and gamified environment (MS4, M18)
Summary description of project context and objectives. The recent use of layered composites in aircraft fuselage structural components offers the opportunity to embed interleaved layers of different materials in the skin laminates so that additional performances may be added while maintaining the structural efficiency. The presence of layers of damping materials inside the composite laminate normally results in an important reduction of mechanical properties. The goal is to design composite laminates with integrated acoustic insulation without compromising the mechanical performance of the composite structure. For this purpose different alternatives have been studied in terms of: Vibro-acoustic damping performance of the materials to be integrated in the laminate. Vibro-acoustic and mechanical behavior of the hybrid laminates depending on the position of the protector material in the composite structure. The mechanical properties of the proposed solutions will have to be evaluated to ensure that they do not suffer a considerable reduction compared against the baseline laminate, without the integration of the vibro-acoustic damping material. This integration of acoustic damping function in a single material system will permit enhancing the structural behavior and diminish overall structural weight by reducing redundancies between subsystems and functions. To meet the objectives of the project, work has been split up into work packages that intend to investigate the different kind of acoustic damping materials as well as different techniques for integrating them into a composite structure with the intention of optimizing the acoustic damping/weight ratio of the multifunctional structure. The aim of WP1 is to propose, based on a review of the current state of the art and on the team’s experience in previous works carried out in this field, the most promising candidate materials for multifunctional laminates development, mainly aiming at acoustic and vibrational damping. WP2 and WP3 are devoted to select the most appropriate integration techniques in order to introduce the damping material most efficiently into the composite structure. The objective of WP4 is to evaluate the surface performance (anti-erosion characteristics for external application) of the selected materials using the optimum integration and manufacturing techniques explored in previous work packages. The test plan followed was according to aerospace norms. The aim was to reproduce as realistic as possible erosion/blast conditions. The goal WP5 is...
Summary description of project context and objectives. To meet the objectives of the project, work has been split up into work packages that intend to investigate the process windows for ISC industrial process. During the project development, FIDAMC has made an important effort to design and manufacture two different tooling, a test flat tooling and a modular tolling. Test flat tooling allows us to carry out integration test to develop the thermoplastic bonding method for the automatic in-situ consolidation manufacturing process. Modular tooling geometry enables easy and accurate placement and handling of the omega-shape stringers allowing carry out controlled and reliable integration process accordingly to aerospace requirements as well as to industrial applicability of their manufacturing processes. To be able to manufacturing the demonstrator, it was necessary to solve some problems related with the manufacturing:
Summary description of project context and objectives. The European population is ageing, and the number of adults age 70 and older is predicted to increase from 25% to 40% by 20301-5 as will the number of people with age-related chronic diseases. Thus interventions that prolong the number of years during which seniors are in good health and free from disabilities will have a striking impact on public health. The goal of DO-HEALTH is to extend healthy life expectancy by delaying physiologic aging at multi-organ sites in European seniors and to reduce healthcare costs via the implementation of effective and broadly applicable disease prevention interventions. This will be achieved within a large multi-centre clinical trial enrolling 2152 community-dwelling men and women aged 70 and older, when chronic diseases increase substantially. The randomized-controlled trial will test the individual and the additive (“multi-modal”) benefit of 2000 IU vitamin D/day, 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per day and a simple home exercise program in an efficient factorial trial design. DO-HEALTH will establish evidence for 5 primary endpoints: (1) the risk of incident non-vertebral fractures; (2) the risk of functional decline; (3) the risk of blood pressure increase; (4) the risk of cognitive decline; (5) and the rate of any infection. Key secondary endpoints include risk of hip fracture, rate of falls, knee pain in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, glucose tolerance, oral health, gastro-intestinal symptoms, mental health, quality of life, and mortality. The trial duration will be 3 years to establish long-term efficacy and safety data for the 3 interventions. Follow-up will be in-person and in 3-monthly intervals (4 clinical visits and 9 phone follow-up calls). DO-HEALTH will further assess the comparative effectiveness of the interventions by evaluating reasons why or why not seniors adhere to them; and will assess their cost-benefit in a health economic model based on documented health care utilization and observed incidence of chronic disease.
Summary description of project context and objectives. To support frontline workers, the WHO and UNICEF developed the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) in the mid 1990’s as a strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality from common and potentially serious childhood illnesses such as malaria, pneumonia, infantile diarrhoea with dehydration, meningitis and sepsis. The IMCI strategy involves a stepwise and structured approach to the assessment and management of children presenting with acute illness in developing countries. The strategy involves three foci: 1) improving the performance of health care workers through training with a set of clinical guidelines, 2) strengthening health care systems for delivery of child health, including availability of medications, supervisions, and health information system (HIS) data, and 3) developing and encouraging family and community interventions. The briefer version of IMCI, called Community Case Management (CCM), is aimed for use by health care workers with even lower levels of training in resource poor settings. As a result of this, the Supporting LIFE project focuses on CCM over IMCI guidelines as we wish to maintain the overall focus of the project (i.e. supporting HSAs in rural settings). During the project conception period, the under-five mortality rate of children was 77 per 1,000 live births [1]. Internationally most of the 11 million deaths per year of children under the age of five occur in areas where adequate medical care is not available. First-level health facilities, the closest health care services available to most sick children in developing countries, are generally run by HSAs. The current state of the art for the recognition and management of children with acute illness in sub- Saharan countries such as Malawi involves use of IMCI/CCM as the core strategy. Nearly all countries in the African region have implemented these guidelines [2], and effects on many health indicators have been impressive. However, there are several challenges that need to be addressed to improve the effectiveness and adherence of IMCI/CCM. These include difficulties in training and maintaining skills in IMCI/CCM, deficiencies in adherence to clinical protocols, and inadequate discriminatory value leading to misclassification of severe illness in children, resulting in over or under diagnosis. Poor clinical outcomes for children can affect the health system, compounding further the resource limitations in referral facilities by either referring children unnecessaril...
Summary description of project context and objectives. Today, numerical simulations are widely used in scientific and engineering fields to lead to a better understanding of physical phenomena and create better design solutions for given problems. Commonly, the results of a simulation come attached to a mesh (used for the calculation). To analyze them, engineers and scientists use post-processing tools because results may come in a raw format, and sometimes some results derived from them are also of interest. These tools extract information from the meshes using a variety of techniques that allow a better understanding of the results. This process not only consists of accessing the results provided by the simulation, but also of generating new results from it, by applying post-processing operations. Examples of such operations include calculating the 0-level iso-surface of the air pressure in an hydrodynamic simulation, cutting through the inner part of the domain in several planes, or calculating streamlines of the velocity. We classify these post-processing operations to be part of the data analytics domain (used in other fields). The Vision of VeLASSCo is to provide new visual analysis methods for large-scale simulations serving the petabyte era and preparing the exabyte era. It does this by adopting Big Data tools and architectures for the engineering and scientific community and by leveraging new ways of in-situ processing for data analytics and hardware accelerated interactive visualization. All this information has to be visualized in a user-friendly way by rendering and presenting it to the user in an interactive 3D environment. This part is the so called visualization of the results. A post- processing system is covering these two parts: post-processing operations and visualization. As an example, the image sequence shown in Figure 1 corresponds to the simulation of sea waves against an oil platform structure. The raw results coming from the simulation are the velocities and pressure values at each node of the tetrahedral (volume) mesh representing the domain.
