Visual neuroprostheses or the bionic eyes, aim to restore patterned vision to the blind by electrically stimulating the remaining neurons in the visual system. The ultimate goal of bionic eye research as a means of treating vision loss is the capacity to reproduce the same neural messages that travel between the eye and the brain of normal vision. The visual system 'sees' the world by way of sending signals to the brain that indicate transitions from 'light ON to light OFF' and from 'light OFF to light ON' wherever a transition exists. Despite the remarkable progress over the last decade, until recently, visual neuroprostheses could only stimulate both the ‘ON-to-OFF’ and the ‘OFF-to-ON’ pathways simultaneously, sending confusing neural messages to the brain. Selective activation has been demonstrated in vitro while validated computational models predict that neural signals can be modulated by affecting these waveforms. This proposal aims to investigate, in a functional model of the disease (Royal College of Surgeons rats), new ways to preferentially activate the aforementioned visual pathways using amplitude- and frequency- modulated signals combined with low-power noise. It is expected that the resulting neural encoding to be more natural and to therefore improve the perception of the bionic eye recipients. Two strategies will be adopted: (1) acute electrophysiology experiments to obtain optimal stimulation parameters, and (2) chronic studies in behaving animals with retinal degeneration subjected to classical conditioning. This is a highly multidisciplinary proposal that includes a comprehensive plan for the dissemination of the results among the scientific community and the general public, while providing opportunities for industrial engagement. The fellow will be immersed in a motivating research environment and will be exposed to a series of training and networking activities which provide an excellent ground for future career perspectives.

In the last decade the approaches of the global history have been emphasized in order to visualize the progress, form and method which historians have undertaken when carrying out ambitious research projects to analyse and compare diverse geographical and cultural areas of Asia and Europe. But when dealing with comparisons and cross-cultural studies in Europe and Asia, some scholarly works have exceeded of ambiguities when defining geographical units as well as chronology. In this project I examine perceptions and dialogues between China and Europe by analysing strategic geopolitical sites which fostered commerce, consumption and socioeconomic networks between China and Europe through a particular case study: Macau, connecting with South China, and Marseille in Mediterranean Europe. How did foreign merchant networks and trans-national communities of Macau and Marseille operate during the eighteenth century and contribute to somehow transfer respectively European and Chinese socio-cultural habits and forms in local population? What was the degree and channels of consumption of European goods in China and Chinese goods in Europe? These are the main questions to answer during my research to explore the bilateral Sino-European trade relations and how the trans-national dimension of exotic commodities changed tastes by creating a new type of global consumerism. Such concrete comparison can help to narrow the gap that some researchers have created when widely analysing differences between Asia and Europe without a specific geographical and chronological delineation. The major novelty of this project is based on the use of Chinese and European sources to study changes in consumer behaviour. The principal investigator of the project works in China which is and added value for the achievement of outstanding results. So the expected results will bring an obvious breakthrough by adding the specific part of the project in which each team member will work.

The U-ADAPT! project proposes a novel approach for the dynamic measuring of urban adaptation to extreme heat. Extreme Heat Events (EHE) are the deadliest weather- and climate-related hazard in Europe. In recent years, heat waves have overwhelmed the continent, and projections show an alarming increase in EHE risk driven by natural and socioeconomic factors . Mitigation, adaptation, and transformative strategies need immediate implementation, but the rate of adaptation and depth of the transformation are in question. Reports stress that the progress of adaptation in European cities is patchy, uncoordinated, and of varied quality. Cities are still implementing their first adaptive measures and developing ideas for monitoring and reporting adaptation strategies. However, concrete norms or indicators for adaptation monitoring are scarce. In the research sphere, adaptation has mostly been discussed in terms of adaptive capacity, rather than implementation, which is the focus of this proposal. Despite the efforts, there is still very little consensus as to what constitutes effective and adequate adaptation, and therefore little agreement about models and indicators to measure it. The scientific aim of U-ADAPT! is to advance and test a theoretical integrated framework to examine the actual implementation of adaptation strategies to the risk of EHE in urban areas of the European Union (EU), in the context of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). The ultimate societal goal is to develop a model to assist cities in their responsibility to provide a safe and sustainable environment. The output of this research will also empower citizens to audit the commitment of their cities to EHE risk reduction and evaluate measures to reduce short- and long-term negative impacts of heat.