7th Framework Programme Research Articles

R&D collaboration of the EU countries with partners beyond the EU group

International collaboration is an important factor stimulating the advancement of national research and development. In this paper we use bibliometric analysis for the evaluation of the extent and the intensity of collaboration of the EU countries with partners beyond the EU group. The main partner of EU is the USA whose authors participate on nearly one tenth of the European scientifi c publications. Within the 6th and 7th Framework Programme, measured by the number of R&D teams, Russia dominates. Former socialist countries exhibit a broader orientation towards Russia and other countries of the former USSR than the EU-15 countries. The number of American R&D teams involved in the collaboration with Czech subjects is about only one third of the Russian ones.

The value of selected in vitro and in silico methods to predict acute oral toxicity in a regulatory context: Results from the European Project ACuteTox

ACuteTox is a project within the 6th European Framework Programme which had as one of its goals to develop, optimise and prevalidate a non-animal testing strategy for predicting human acute oral toxicity. In its last 6months, a challenging exercise was conducted to assess the predictive capacity of the developed testing strategies and final identification of the most promising ones. Thirty-two chemicals were tested blind in the battery of in vitro and in silico methods selected during the first phase of the project. This paper describes the classification approaches studied: single step procedures and two step tiered testing strategies. In summary, four in vitro testing strategies were proposed as best performing in terms of predictive capacity with respect to the European acute oral toxicity classification. In addition, a heuristic testing strategy is suggested that combines the prediction results gained from the neutral red uptake assay performed in 3T3 cells, with information on neurotoxicity alerts identified by the primary rat brain aggregates test method. Octanol–water partition coefficients and in silico prediction of intestinal absorption and blood–brain barrier passage are also considered. This approach allows to reduce the number of chemicals wrongly predicted as not classified (LD50>2000mg/kg b.w.).

Rational design of HIV vaccines and microbicides: report of the EUROPRISE annual conference 2011

Europrise is a Network of Excellence supported by the European Commission within the 6th Framework programme from 2007 to 2012. The Network has involved over 50 institutions from 13 European countries together with 3 industrial partners and 6 African countries. The Network encompasses an integrated program of research, training, dissemination and advocacy within the field of HIV vaccines and microbicides. A central and timely theme of the Network is the development of the unique concept of co-usage of vaccines and microbicides. Training of PhD students has been a major task, and some of these post-graduate students have here summarized novel ideas emanating from presentations at the last annual Europrise meeting in Prague. The latest data and ideas concerning HIV vaccine and microbicide studies are included in this review; these studies are so recent that the majority have yet to be published. Data were presented and discussed concerning novel immunisation strategies; microbicides and PrEP (alone and in combination with vaccines); mucosal transmission of HIV/SIV; mucosal vaccination; novel adjuvants; neutralizing antibodies; innate immune responses; HIV/SIV pathogenesis and disease progression; new methods and reagents. These – necessarily overlapping topics - are comprehensively summarised by the Europrise students in the context of other recent exciting data.

Proximity and the Evolution of Collaboration Networks: Evidence from Research and Development Projects within the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Industry

Balland P.-A. Proximity and the evolution of collaboration networks: evidence from research and development projects within the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) industry, Regional Studies. This paper analyses the influence of proximity on the evolution of collaboration networks. It determines empirically how organizations choose their partners according to their geographical, cognitive, organizational, institutional and social proximity. Relational databases are constructed from research and development collaborative projects, funded under the European Union 6th Framework Programme within the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) industry from 2004 to 2007. The stochastic actor-based model SIENA is used to model the network dynamic as a realization of a continuous-time Markov chain and to estimate parameters for underlying mechanisms of its evolution. Empirical results show that geographical, organizational and institutional proximity favour collaborations, while cognitive and social proximity do not play a significant role. Balland P.-A. 相似性以及协作网络的演进：来自全球导航卫星系统产业研究及发展项目的相关证据，区域研究。本文分析了相似性在协作网络演进过程中的作用。这一研究从经验层面上考察了不同的组织是如何根据地理的、认知的、组织学的、制度的以及社会的相似性来选择合作伙伴的。2004－2007 年间欧盟全球导航卫星系统产业的第六次框架计划资助了一系列研究及发展项目，基于上述研究及项目我们构建了相关的数据库。我们利用随机的行为者模型 SIENA 来模型化了网络活力，以实现连续的 Markov 链同时估测了影响其演进机制的相关变量。经验结果表明，地理的、组织的以及制度的相似性会促进协作的产生，而认知与空间的相似性作用并不显著。 协作网络 相似性 经济地理学 活力网络模型 全球导航卫星系统 （GNSS） Balland P.-A. La proximité et l’évolution des réseaux de collaboration: des preuves provenant des projets de R et D au sein de l’industrie du système global de navigation par satellite (GNSS), Regional Studies. Ce papier analyse l’influence de la proximité sur l’évolution des réseaux de collaboration. Il détermine empiriquement la façon dont les organisations choisissent leurs partenaires en fonction de leur proximité géographique, cognitive, organisationnelle, institutionnelle et sociale. Les bases de données relationnelles sont construites à partir des projets collaboratifs de R&D financés par le 6ème Programme Cadre de Recherche et de Développement de l’Union Européenne, dans la navigation par satellite (GNSS) de 2004 à 2007. Le modèle stochastique orienté par l’acteur SIENA est utilisé pour modéliser la dynamique du réseau par une chaîne de Markov en temps continu et pour estimer les paramètres liés aux mécanismes de son évolution. Les résultats empiriques montrent que les dimensions de proximité géographique, organisationnelle et institutionnelle favorisent les collaborations, tandis que les formes de proximité cognitive et sociale ne jouent pas un rôle significatif. Réseaux de collaboration Proximité Économie géographique Modèles de réseaux dynamiques Système global de navigation par satellite (GNSS) Balland P.-A. Nähe und Entstehen von kooperativen Netzwerken: Belege aus Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekten innerhalb der Branche des globalen Navigationssatellitensystems (GNSS), Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag wird der Einfluss der Nähe auf das Entstehen von kooperativen Netzwerken untersucht. Auf empirische Weise wird ermittelt, wie sich Firmen ihre Partner je nach ihrer geografischen, kognitiven, organisationellen, institutionellen und sozialen Nähe aussuchen. Auf der Grundlage von kooperativen Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekten innerhalb der Branche des globalen Navigationssatellitensystems (GNSS) im Zeitraum von 2004 bis 2007, die unter dem 6. Rahmenprogramm der Europäischen Union finanziert wurden, werden relationale Datenbanken aufgebaut. Zur Modellierung der Netzwerkdynamik als Realisierung einer zeitlich kontinuierlichen Markow-Kette und zur Schätzung der Parameter für die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen ihrer Entstehung kommt das stochastische, akteurbasierte SIENA-Modell zum Einsatz. Aus den empirischen Ergebnissen geht hervor, dass eine geografische, organisationelle und institutionelle Nähe die Zusammenarbeit fördert, während die kognitive und soziale Nähe keine signifikante Rolle spielt. Kooperative Netzwerke Nähe Wirtschaftsgeografie Dynamische Netzwerkmodelle Globales Navigationssatellitensystem (GNSS) Balland P.-A. Proximidad y la evolución de las redes de colaboración: evidencias de proyectos de investigación y desarrollo en la industria del sistema global de navegación por satélite (GNSS), Regional Studies. En este artículo se analiza la influencia de la proximidad en la evolución de las redes de colaboración. Se determina empíricamente cómo las organizaciones eligen sus socios en función de su proximidad geográfica, cognitiva, organizativa, institucional y social. Se construyen bases de datos relacionados a partir de proyectos colaboradores de investigación y desarrollo financiados bajo el sexto programa marco de la Unión Europea en la industria del sistema global de navegación por satélite (GNSS) de 2004 a 2007. Se utiliza el enfoque estocástico SIENA basado en actores para modelar la dinámica de redes como realización de una cadena Markov de tiempo continuo y calcular los parámetros de los mecanismos subyacentes de su evolución. Los resultados empíricos muestran que la proximidad geográfica, organizativa e institucional favorece las colaboraciones mientras que la proximidad cognitiva y social no desempeña un papel significativo. Redes de colaboración Proximidad Geografía económica Modelos de redes dinámicas Sistema global de navegación por satélite (GNSS)

Post-aerocapture orbit selection and maintenance for the Aerofast mission to Mars

Aerofast is the abbreviation of “aerocapture for future space transportation” and represents a project aimed at developing aerocapture techniques with regard to an interplanetary mission to Mars, in the context of the 7th Framework Program, with the financial support of the European Union. This paper describes the fundamental characteristics of the operational orbit after aerocapture for the mission of interest, as well as the related maintenance strategy. The final orbit selection depends on the desired lighting conditions, maximum revisit time of specific target regions, and feasibility of the orbit maintenance strategy. A sunsynchronous, frozen, repeating-ground-track orbit is chosen. First, the period of repetition is such that adjacent ascending node crossings (over the Mars surface) have a separation compatible with the swath of the optical payload. Secondly, the sunsynchronism condition ensures that a given latitude is periodically visited at the same local time, which condition is essential for comparing images of the same region at different epochs. Lastly, the fulfillment of the frozen condition guarantees improved orbit stability with respect to perturbations due to the zonal harmonics of Mars gravitational field. These three fundamental features of the operational orbit lead to determining its mean orbital elements. The evaluation of short and long period effects (e.g., those due to the sectorial harmonics of the gravitational field or to the aerodynamic drag) requires the determination of the osculating orbital elements at an initial reference time. This research describes a simple and accurate approach that leads to numerically determining these initial values, without employing complicated analytical developments. Numerical simulations demonstrate the long-period stability of the orbit when a significant number of harmonics of the gravitational field are taken into account. However, aerodynamic drag produces a relatively slow orbital decay at the altitudes considered for the mission. This circumstance implies the progressive loss of the sunsynchronism condition, and therefore corrective maneuvers are to be performed. This work proves that actually only in-plane maneuvers are necessary, evaluates the overall delta-v budget needed in the period of repetition (85 Martian nodal days), and proposes a simple maintenance strategy, making reference to the worst-case scenario, which corresponds to the highest seasonal values of the atmospheric density and to the maximum value of the ballistic coefficient of the spacecraft.

Using Affiliation Networks to Study the Determinants of Multilateral Research Cooperation: Some Empirical Evidence from EU Framework Programs in Biotechnology

This paper studies multilateral cooperation networks among organizations and work on a two-mode representation to study the decision to participate in a consortium. Our objective is to explain the underlying processes that give rise to multilateral collaboration networks. Particularly, we are interested in how heterogeneity in organizations’ attributes plays a part and in the geographical dimension of this formation process. We use the data on project proposals submitted to the 7th Framework Program (FP) in the area of Life sciences, Biotechnology and Biochemistry for Sustainable Non-Food. We employ exponential random graph models (p* models) (Frank and Strauss, 1986 ; Wasserman and Pattison, 1996) with node attributes (Agneessens et al., 2004), and we make use of extensions for affiliation networks (Wang et al., 2009). These models do not only enable handling variability in consortium sizes but also relax the assumption on tie/triad independence. We obtained some preliminary results indicating institutional types as a source of heterogeneity affecting participation decisions. Also, these initial results point out that organizations take their potential partners’ participations in other projects into account in giving their decision; organizations located in the core European countries tend to participate in the same project; the tendency to preserve the composition of a consortium across projects and the tendency of organizations with the same institutional type to co-participate are not significant.

An Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model for Friedreich's Ataxia (IN8-1.007)

Objective: The development of cellular models of neurological diseases to study pathogenesis and test potential therapeutics has been hindered by the inaccessibility of relevant cell types. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are generated from easily accessible cells and provide a long term source of self-renewing embryonic stem (ES)-like cells that can be differentiated into the cell types of interest. Background Friedreich9s ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by relative deficiency of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Most patients are homozygous for the hyperexpansion of a GAA repeat in the first intron of the frataxin gene, which causes its downregulation by epigenetic mechanisms. Frataxin deficiency impairs iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis in mitochondria, resulting in multiple enzyme deficiencies, energy deficit, oxidative damage and altered iron metabolism. However, though the defect is in every cell, only specific neuronal populations, cardiomyocytes an beta cells degenerate. Design/Methods: We generated iPS cells from FRDA patients and controls by lentiviral transduction of a specific set of transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2, Lin28 and Nanog) and validated them for pluripotency and genetic integrity. We obtained neurons and cardiomyocytes from these iPS cells and morphologically and functionally characterized them. Results: FRDA-derived iPS cells are frataxin deficient and show GAA repeat instability. They can generate neural precursors (neurospheres), neurons and cardiomyocytes. GAA repeats stabilize during neurogenesis, but remain unstable during cardiomyocyte differentiation. FRDA iPS-derived neurons have the same cell body size as controls, but extend less processes and tend to mature more slowly. After 5-6 weeks of differentiation, significantly more control than FRDA neurons express sodium currents and generate action potentials. FRDA cardiomyocytes progressively develop mitochondrial abnormalities. Studies on calcium signaling, iron metabolism, mitochondrial function and biogenesis are ongoing. Conclusions: iPS cells derived from FRDA patients recapitulate genetic, epigenetic and pathogenic mechanisms occurring in the disease. Supported by: European Community 7th Framework Programme (EFACTS collaborative project). Disclosure: Dr. Pandolfo has received personal compensation for activities with Santhera.Dr. Pandolfo has received (royalty or license fee or contractual rights)payments from Athena Diagnostic. Dr. Pandolfo has received research support from Repligen. Dr. Chintawar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wattenhofer-Donze has nothing to disclose. Dr. Puccio has nothing to disclose.

Inbicon makes lignocellulosic ethanol a commercial reality

Based on the IBUS process, Inbicon has built an advanced biorefinery at the port of Kalundborg in Denmark. In this biorefinery Danish wheat straw is converted to second generation (2G) ethanol, lignin pellets and C5 molasses. It is a demonstration plant working 24 h 7 days a week. In this way it is working as a commercial plant, but the size of the plant is not large enough to carry out a feasible production. It is possible to run as a commercial plant as the Danish Energy Agency has granted the design and construction phase and the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme for Energy Research (FP7) has granted the commissioning and first three years of operation.By the end of 2010 the demonstration plant has been totally commissioned and has gone into production phase. The first 2G ethanol has been sold to Statoil and is now distributed in 100 filling stations all over Denmark as Bio95 2G petrol. Lignin pellets are sold to DONG Energy and used as a high-quality solid biofuel in power plants. The C5 molasses is sold as biogas booster in local biogas plants. The demonstration plant has proved continuous operation from straw bales to fermentation and the expected yield of 2G ethanol (>198 L t−1 dry straw).The process is developed, the products are on the market, lignocellulosic ethanol is reality - but in the same way as for almost any other new energy technologies, further policy and market incentives are still needed before investors will construct the first full scale commercial plants.

Abstract 5269: Cell matrix interactions in a 3D alginate cell culture system

Abstract The use of 3-dimensional (3D) matrices for cell culture is gaining popularity as a substitute for traditional 2D cell culture as it can enable formation of multi-cellular structures and a more biologically relevant cell-cell contact such as found in tissues, organs and tumors. NovaMatrix®-3D is an alginate-based cell culture system comprising an alginate foam matrix and an alginate immobilizing solution. Cells are entrapped throughout the alginate foam by first suspending them in a solution of sodium alginate that is applied to the foam. As the foam absorbs the suspension, in situ gelation occurs as calcium ions are donated from the foam cross-linking the added alginate forming a hydrogel in the pores of the foam comprising the cells. Cells do not have receptors that recognize alginate molecules and this may stimulate formation of spheroids. However, some cells require signaling molecules and matrix interaction in order to proliferate. This was evaluated by culturing cells in the presence of alginate to which the peptide sequence RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) was covalently attached (RGD-alginate) thereby facilitating a signaling cascade via integrin-RGD interaction. Various cell lines were first cultured in 2D then prepared as a suspension in 0.5 - 1% alginate or RGD-alginate in cell culture medium. An aliquot of each cell suspension was added to γ-sterilized NovaMatrix®-3D foams. NHIK 3025 (human cervix carcinoma), OVCAR-3 (human ovarian adenocarcinoma), SKOV-3 (human ovarian carcinoma), NIH:3T3 (murine fibroblasts), C2C12 (murine myoblasts), V79-379A (hamster lung fibroblast) and MDCK (Madin Darby canine kidney) were used and single cells were immobilized in the alginate foams. Cell localization within the foam was visualized using confocal microscopy to identify fluorescently labeled (CellTrace™ CFSE) cells. Cell proliferation was measured by counting cells after de-gelling the foam using sodium citrate. Cell proliferation and spheroid formation occurred during three weeks of culture in foams with or without RGD-alginate for NHIK 3025, SKOV-3, 3T3 and V79-379A indicating that these cell lines do not require the presence of RGD within the alginate matrix for cell growth. However, during the same period, cell proliferation was only seen in the foams containing RGD-alginate for OVCAR-3, MDCK and C2C12. The proliferation rate was affected by the RGD density. Cells that did not proliferate in pure alginate were still metabolically viable as shown by live-dead staining. This cell culture model enables 3D cell culture, formation of spheroids and isolation of intact cellular structures. Cell-matrix interaction can be controlled by type and concentration of signaling molecules covalently attached to the alginate immobilization solution making NovaMatrix®-3D a versatile cell culture system. Portions of this work have been funded with the support from METOXIA project no.222741 under the 7th Research Framework Programme of the European Union. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5269. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5269

LIVING LAB: user‐driven innovation for sustainability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize and discuss the results from the LIVING LAB design study, a project within the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union. The aim of this project was to develop the conceptual design of the LIVING LAB Research Infrastructure that will be used to research human interaction with, and stimulate the adoption of, sustainable, smart and healthy innovations around the home.Design/methodology/approach – A LIVING LAB is a combined lab‐/household system, analysing existing product‐service‐systems as well as technical and socioeconomic influences focused on the social needs of people, aiming at the development of integrated technical and social innovations and simultaneously promoting the conditions of sustainable development (highest resource efficiency, highest user orientation, etc.). This approach allows the development and testing of sustainable domestic technologies, while putting the user on centre stage.Findings – As this paper discusses the design stud...

CAPRA: the EPPO Computer Assisted PRA scheme*

The EPPO Secretariat has developed computer software for Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) within the EC 7th Framework Programme PRATIQUE (Enhancements of Pest Risk Analysis Techniques) and with the support of the EPPO Panels. The software, Computer Assisted PRA (CAPRA), aims to assist pest risk analysts to run the EPPO Decision‐support scheme for pest risk analysis [EPPO Standard PM 5/3(5) Decision‐support scheme for quarantine pests], and other decision‐support schemes. It is freely avaliable on the EPPO website or on http://capra.eppo.org/.

DengueTools: innovative tools and strategies for the surveillance and control of dengue

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease estimated to cause about 230 million infections worldwide every year, of which 25,000 are fatal. Global incidence has risen rapidly in recent decades with some 3.6 billion people, over half of the world's population, now at risk, mainly in urban centres of the tropics and subtropics. Demographic and societal changes, in particular urbanization, globalization, and increased international travel, are major contributors to the rise in incidence and geographic expansion of dengue infections. Major research gaps continue to hamper the control of dengue. The European Commission launched a call under the 7th Framework Programme with the title of ‘Comprehensive control of Dengue fever under changing climatic conditions’. Fourteen partners from several countries in Europe, Asia, and South America formed a consortium named ‘DengueTools’ to respond to the call to achieve better diagnosis, surveillance, prevention, and predictive models and improve our understanding of the spread of dengue to previously uninfected regions (including Europe) in the context of globalization and climate change.The consortium comprises 12 work packages to address a set of research questions in three areas:Research area 1Develop a comprehensive early warning and surveillance system that has predictive capability for epidemic dengue and benefits from novel tools for laboratory diagnosis and vector monitoring.Research area 2Develop novel strategies to prevent dengue in children.Research area 3Understand and predict the risk of global spread of dengue, in particular the risk of introduction and establishment in Europe, within the context of parameters of vectorial capacity, global mobility, and climate change.In this paper, we report on the rationale and specific study objectives of ‘DengueTools’. DengueTools is funded under the Health theme of the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community, Grant Agreement Number: 282589 Dengue Tools.

The importance of spatial variation of benthic invertebrates for the ecological assessment of European lakes

Lake assessment systems based on benthic macroinvertebrates critically depend on the amount of spatial variation of organisms within and between lakes. Investigators need to distinguish between community changes that are related to human pressures and those that are caused by inherent natural variability. However, littoral and profundal invertebrate communities are constrained by different drivers of change and may respond unevenly to distinct human disturbances. How human disturbances determined by different pressures interact in modifying the distribution of benthic invertebrate species at multiple spatial scales needs to be assessed and efficiently quantified, in order to set up reliable assessment tools of ecological status. Driven by the research activity carried out within the European project Wiser (Water bodies in Europe: Integrative Systems to assess Ecological status and Recovery, funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme), we collated several case studies with the aim to increase our understanding of basic sources of spatial variation of invertebrate assemblages. The set of papers includes a variety of different European lakes, habitat types and human pressures from the Nordic, Central, Atlantic, Alpine and Mediterranean regions. All papers have an obvious applied objective and suggest which factors need to be considered when designing invertebrate-based classification tools.

Biomarkers of endocrine disruption: cluster analysis of effects of plasticisers on Phase 1 and Phase 2 metabolism of steroids

Although some endocrine disruptors (EDs) act at steroid receptors, it is now apparent that compounds may have ED potential if they alter steroid synthesis or metabolism, particularly if they affect Phase 1 or Phase 2 pathways. In the ENDOMET project (EU-funded 5th Framework programme), 23 different assays were used on a wide range of EDs. Cluster analysis of the matrix results enabled identification of four integrated test systems that can be used to pinpoint compounds that are able to alter steroid metabolism or function. Critical pathways were shown to include oestrogen synthesis and sulphonation, synthesis of sulphate/PAPS and thyroid hormone regulation so that the activity profiles of some Phase 1 and Phase 2 reactions can be used as biomarkers for detection of compounds with ED potential.

Inheritance of coronary artery disease in men: an analysis of the role of the Y chromosome

SummaryBackgroundA sexual dimorphism exists in the incidence and prevalence of coronary artery disease—men are more commonly affected than are age-matched women. We explored the role of the Y chromosome in coronary artery disease in the context of this sexual inequity.MethodsWe genotyped 11 markers of the male-specific region of the Y chromosome in 3233 biologically unrelated British men from three cohorts: the British Heart Foundation Family Heart Study (BHF-FHS), West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (WOSCOPS), and Cardiogenics Study. On the basis of this information, each Y chromosome was tracked back into one of 13 ancient lineages defined as haplogroups. We then examined associations between common Y chromosome haplogroups and the risk of coronary artery disease in cross-sectional BHF-FHS and prospective WOSCOPS. Finally, we undertook functional analysis of Y chromosome effects on monocyte and macrophage transcriptome in British men from the Cardiogenics Study.FindingsOf nine haplogroups identified, two (R1b1b2 and I) accounted for roughly 90% of the Y chromosome variants among British men. Carriers of haplogroup I had about a 50% higher age-adjusted risk of coronary artery disease than did men with other Y chromosome lineages in BHF-FHS (odds ratio 1·75, 95% CI 1·20–2·54, p=0·004), WOSCOPS (1·45, 1·08–1·95, p=0·012), and joint analysis of both populations (1·56, 1·24–1·97, p=0·0002). The association between haplogroup I and increased risk of coronary artery disease was independent of traditional cardiovascular and socioeconomic risk factors. Analysis of macrophage transcriptome in the Cardiogenics Study revealed that 19 molecular pathways showing strong differential expression between men with haplogroup I and other lineages of the Y chromosome were interconnected by common genes related to inflammation and immunity, and that some of them have a strong relevance to atherosclerosis.InterpretationThe human Y chromosome is associated with risk of coronary artery disease in men of European ancestry, possibly through interactions of immunity and inflammation.FundingBritish Heart Foundation; UK National Institute for Health Research; LEW Carty Charitable Fund; National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia; European Union 6th Framework Programme; Wellcome Trust.

Learning about Ecological Systems by Constructing Qualitative Models with DynaLearn

A qualitative model of a system is an abstraction that captures ordinal knowledge and predicts the set of qualitatively possible behaviours of the system, given a qualitative description of its structure and initial state. This paper examines an innovative approach to science education using an interactive learning environment that supports learners in expressing and simulating conceptual knowledge by building qualitative models in ecology. The learning environment and tools are being developed as part of the Dynalearn qualitative modeling research project, funded by the European Union's 7th framework programme and carried out by a consortium of eight participant universities. In summing up the results, it is clear that from the perspective of systems thinking, the modeling activity affected students' perception of systems making them able to represent it in a more dynamic and comprehensive way.

Spreading of Excellence in SARNET Network on Severe Accidents: The Education and Training Programme

The SARNET2 (severe accidents Research NETwork of Excellence) project started in April 2009 for 4 years in the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Commission (EC), following a similar first project in FP6. Forty-seven organisations from 24 countries network their capacities of research in the severe accident (SA) field inside SARNET to resolve the most important remaining uncertainties and safety issues on SA in water-cooled nuclear power plants (NPPs). The network includes a large majority of the European actors involved in SA research plus a few non-European relevant ones. The “Education and Training” programme in SARNET is a series of actions foreseen in this network for the “spreading of excellence.” It is focused on raising the competence level of Master and Ph.D. students and young researchers engaged in SA research and on organizing information/training courses for NPP staff or regulatory authorities (but also for researchers) interested in SA management procedures.

Achievements and Lessons Learnt in the EU Project Zero Regio

The project Zero Regio (Nov. 2004 – May 2010), co-financed by the European Commission within the 6th Framework Program, is briefly described. Zero Regio aimed at developing and demonstrating hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell passenger vehicles in European cities. Demonstration activities have taken place in Germany and Italy. Hydrogen from three different sources was employed in fleet demonstration – chemical by-product in Germany and on-site as well as industrial natural gas reformer in Italy.Five Mercedes-Benz F-CELL vehicles, including one vehicle with 700bar storage have been tested in Frankfurt area in Germany and three Fiat Panda fuel-cell vehicles have been demonstrated in Mantova city area in Italy. Both fleets have gone through real-life driving cycles over a period of 3 years ending in November 2009. Experience with this demonstration is presented. Evaluation of data collected and analyzed during the demonstration is presented, providing important information on the performance, availability, maintenance requirements and consumption of the FCVs (Fuel Cell Vehicles) tested.Experience with refueling the FCVs is presented. At both sites, Frankfurt and Mantova, public multi-energy service stations have been built within the project. Significant characteristics of hydrogen infrastructure at these stations, such as high-pressure pipeline transport, on-site production, compression schemes, pre-cooling of hydrogen, dispenser designs and communication between vehicle and dispenser are described.The paper focuses on the demonstration experience in Germany highlighting some unexpected incidents. Some socioeconomic aspects and dissemination activities are also presented. Based on the demonstration experience, areas in both fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen infrastructure where further development is necessary are mentioned. Lessons learnt in the project such as in safety aspects, approval formalities and project management are described which should be useful for present and forthcoming larger demonstrations in the area of sustainable mobility.

The European Research on Severe Accidents in Generation-II and -III Nuclear Power Plants

Forty-three organisations from 22 countries network their capacities of research in SARNET (Severe Accident Research NETwork of excellence) to resolve the most important remaining uncertainties and safety issues on severe accidents in existing and future water-cooled nuclear power plants (NPP). After a first project in the 6th Framework Programme (FP6) of the European Commission, the SARNET2 project, coordinated by IRSN, started in April 2009 for 4 years in the FP7 frame. After 2,5 years, some main outcomes of joint research (modelling and experiments) by the network members on the highest priority issues are presented: in-vessel degraded core coolability, molten-corium-concrete-interaction, containment phenomena (water spray, hydrogen combustion…), source term issues (mainly iodine behaviour). The ASTEC integral computer code, jointly developed by IRSN and GRS to predict the NPP SA behaviour, capitalizes in terms of models the knowledge produced in the network: a few validation results are presented. For dissemination of knowledge, an educational 1-week course was organized for young researchers or students in January 2011, and a two-day course is planned mid-2012 for senior staff. Mobility of young researchers or students between the European partners is being promoted. The ERMSAR conference is becoming the major worldwide conference on SA research.

Semantic data integration and monitoring in the railway domain

Information integration is a key for further growth of efficiency in management decisions for the railway domain. In the context of the EU project InteGRail (funded in the 6th framework programme) an integration approach leveraged by ontologies known from the semantic web and logic-based reasoning mechanisms has been successfully demonstrated. To this effect existing heterogeneous monitoring data acquired across the European railways (in the context of rolling stock, infrastructure, operations and traffic management) is logically integrated according to a formal information model. Based on distributed reasoning mechanism decentralised data and inferred knowledge does not have to be aggregated in a central repository but can be transparently accessed by applications independently from where it is acquired. We explain how the proposed techniques facilitate integration, analysis and interpretation of distributed observation data in the railway domain. In addition, the implementation of the presented approach...