Project acronym ADAPTIVES
Project Algorithmic Development and Analysis of Pioneer Techniques for Imaging with waVES
Researcher (PI) Chrysoula Tsogka
Host Institution (HI) IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE1, ERC-2009-StG
Summary The proposed work concerns the theoretical and numerical development of robust and adaptive methodologies for broadband imaging in clutter. The word clutter expresses our uncertainty on the wave speed of the propagation medium. Our results are expected to have a strong impact in a wide range of applications, including underwater acoustics, exploration geophysics and ultrasound non-destructive testing. Our machinery is coherent interferometry (CINT), a state-of-the-art statistically stable imaging methodology, highly suitable for the development of imaging methods in clutter. We aim to extend CINT along two complementary directions: novel types of applications, and further mathematical and numerical development so as to assess and extend its range of applicability. CINT is designed for imaging with partially coherent array data recorded in richly scattering media. It uses statistical smoothing techniques to obtain results that are independent of the clutter realization. Quantifying the amount of smoothing needed is difficult, especially when there is no a priori knowledge about the propagation medium. We intend to address this question by coupling the imaging process with the estimation of the medium's large scale features. Our algorithms rely on the residual coherence in the data. When the coherent signal is too weak, the CINT results are unsatisfactory. We propose two ways for enhancing the resolution of CINT: filter the data prior to imaging (noise reduction) and waveform design (optimize the source distribution). Finally, we propose to extend the applicability of our imaging-in-clutter methodologies by investigating the possibility of utilizing ambient noise sources to perform passive sensor imaging, as well as by studying the imaging problem in random waveguides.
Summary
The proposed work concerns the theoretical and numerical development of robust and adaptive methodologies for broadband imaging in clutter. The word clutter expresses our uncertainty on the wave speed of the propagation medium. Our results are expected to have a strong impact in a wide range of applications, including underwater acoustics, exploration geophysics and ultrasound non-destructive testing. Our machinery is coherent interferometry (CINT), a state-of-the-art statistically stable imaging methodology, highly suitable for the development of imaging methods in clutter. We aim to extend CINT along two complementary directions: novel types of applications, and further mathematical and numerical development so as to assess and extend its range of applicability. CINT is designed for imaging with partially coherent array data recorded in richly scattering media. It uses statistical smoothing techniques to obtain results that are independent of the clutter realization. Quantifying the amount of smoothing needed is difficult, especially when there is no a priori knowledge about the propagation medium. We intend to address this question by coupling the imaging process with the estimation of the medium's large scale features. Our algorithms rely on the residual coherence in the data. When the coherent signal is too weak, the CINT results are unsatisfactory. We propose two ways for enhancing the resolution of CINT: filter the data prior to imaging (noise reduction) and waveform design (optimize the source distribution). Finally, we propose to extend the applicability of our imaging-in-clutter methodologies by investigating the possibility of utilizing ambient noise sources to perform passive sensor imaging, as well as by studying the imaging problem in random waveguides.
Max ERC Funding
690 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-06-01, End date: 2015-11-30
Project acronym HYDROFAKIR
Project Roughness design towards reversible non- / full-wetting surfaces: From Fakir Droplets to Liquid Films
Researcher (PI) Athanasios Papathanasiou
Host Institution (HI) NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS - NTUA
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2009-StG
Summary Creating tunable surfaces that are able to undergo reversible transitions between superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic behaviour is a challenging and vital issue due to their potential use in applications involving self cleaning, very low flow resistance and liquid handling without moving mechanical parts. Superhydrophobic surfaces arising from micro-scale roughened hydrophobic materials spontaneously exhibit transitions to become superhydrophilic when their material wetting properties are suitably modified by external stimuli. The reverse transition, however, requires external actuation/ perturbation which can be strong as to deteriorate the liquids handled and therefore limit the use such techniques in applications. Here we plan to combine continuum and mesoscale computational analysis of wetting phenomena in solid surfaces to create designer roughness that will minimize, or even eliminate, the strength of the actuation required to achieve full- to non-wetting reversibility. The modelling will be done in a continuous dialogue with surface fabrication and wetting tests. Wetting experiments will be performed along with novel microactuation techniques for liquid interfaces.
Summary
Creating tunable surfaces that are able to undergo reversible transitions between superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic behaviour is a challenging and vital issue due to their potential use in applications involving self cleaning, very low flow resistance and liquid handling without moving mechanical parts. Superhydrophobic surfaces arising from micro-scale roughened hydrophobic materials spontaneously exhibit transitions to become superhydrophilic when their material wetting properties are suitably modified by external stimuli. The reverse transition, however, requires external actuation/ perturbation which can be strong as to deteriorate the liquids handled and therefore limit the use such techniques in applications. Here we plan to combine continuum and mesoscale computational analysis of wetting phenomena in solid surfaces to create designer roughness that will minimize, or even eliminate, the strength of the actuation required to achieve full- to non-wetting reversibility. The modelling will be done in a continuous dialogue with surface fabrication and wetting tests. Wetting experiments will be performed along with novel microactuation techniques for liquid interfaces.
Max ERC Funding
1 131 840 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-02-01, End date: 2015-09-30
Project acronym OPN-IMMUNOREGULATION
Project Immune mechanisms of osteopontin-mediated protection in allergic airway disease
Researcher (PI) Vasiliki Panoutsakopoulou
Host Institution (HI) IDRYMA IATROVIOLOGIKON EREUNON AKADEMIAS ATHINON
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), LS6, ERC-2009-StG
Summary In allergic asthma, an important health problem, disease is driven by allergen-specific Th2 immune responses. Differentiation of Th2 cells depends on their early interactions with antigen presenting cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs), and cytokines are crucial for this process. Osteopontin (Opn) was originally identified as an important cytokine for Th1 immunity and autoimmunity. Our group recently demonstrated that Opn is highly expressed in the lungs of asthmatic patients and of mice with Th2-mediated allergic airway inflammation. Our work revealed anti-allergic effects of Opn on airway disease during secondary pulmonary antigenic challenge mediated by regulation of DC subsets. In addition, intranasal administration of recombinant Opn during pulmonary exposure to the allergen protected mice from allergic airway disease suppressing all features of disease, recruitment of Th2 cells and allergen-specific Th2 responses. Our previous experiments, as well as preliminary studies presented in this proposal, point to an important novel immunoregulatory role for Opn in the Th2 setting. However, most aspects of the Opn-mediated immune mechanism of protection remain unclear. With this proposal, we aim at elucidating the immunoregulatory/protective mechanisms of Opn utilizing immunologic, molecular and genomic approaches as well as in vivo mouse models of allergic airway inflammation. We propose to investigate the mechanisms mediating Opn-effects on: (1) DC subsets and Treg cells that confer protection during pulmonary allergen challenge (2) recruitment and function of allergen-specific Th2 (generated during sensitization) as well as of newly-activated Th effector cells and their interactions during pulmonary allergen challenge and (3) antigenic tolerance induction in the Th2 setting. The studies proposed here will provide new insight into the biology of Opn-dependent regulation of DC subsets, Th2 responses and DC-T cell interactions opening new important questions in im
Summary
In allergic asthma, an important health problem, disease is driven by allergen-specific Th2 immune responses. Differentiation of Th2 cells depends on their early interactions with antigen presenting cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs), and cytokines are crucial for this process. Osteopontin (Opn) was originally identified as an important cytokine for Th1 immunity and autoimmunity. Our group recently demonstrated that Opn is highly expressed in the lungs of asthmatic patients and of mice with Th2-mediated allergic airway inflammation. Our work revealed anti-allergic effects of Opn on airway disease during secondary pulmonary antigenic challenge mediated by regulation of DC subsets. In addition, intranasal administration of recombinant Opn during pulmonary exposure to the allergen protected mice from allergic airway disease suppressing all features of disease, recruitment of Th2 cells and allergen-specific Th2 responses. Our previous experiments, as well as preliminary studies presented in this proposal, point to an important novel immunoregulatory role for Opn in the Th2 setting. However, most aspects of the Opn-mediated immune mechanism of protection remain unclear. With this proposal, we aim at elucidating the immunoregulatory/protective mechanisms of Opn utilizing immunologic, molecular and genomic approaches as well as in vivo mouse models of allergic airway inflammation. We propose to investigate the mechanisms mediating Opn-effects on: (1) DC subsets and Treg cells that confer protection during pulmonary allergen challenge (2) recruitment and function of allergen-specific Th2 (generated during sensitization) as well as of newly-activated Th effector cells and their interactions during pulmonary allergen challenge and (3) antigenic tolerance induction in the Th2 setting. The studies proposed here will provide new insight into the biology of Opn-dependent regulation of DC subsets, Th2 responses and DC-T cell interactions opening new important questions in im
Max ERC Funding
1 511 200 €
Duration
Start date: 2009-12-01, End date: 2015-11-30
