Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Humile'

On sait que la reine des insectes sociaux joue un role capital dans la reproduction. Son role dans l'attraction des ouvrieres et la realisation de la cour royale est moins connu. En choisissant comme modele la fourmi d'argentine linepithema humile nous avons etudie les conditions qui regissent l'agregation des ouvrieres autour des reines. Nous avons demontre que les ouvrieres sont beaucoup plus attirees par leurs propres reines que par des reines d'origine geographique eloignee. Des differences genetiques et/ou environnementales entre les complexes pheromonaux emis dans les deux situations pourraient etre a la base de cette discrimination. Des experiences menees sur des cadavres royaux et sur des reines vivantes ont permis de cerner les facteurs responsables de l'attraction royale. Elles mettent en evidence le role de substances chimiques, a court rayon d'action, emises par la reine et percues par les ouvrieres grace a une chimioreception de contact. L'hypothese que des hydrocarbures cuticulaires puissent etre a l'origine de cette attraction a ete envisagee. Nous avons donc essaye d'eliminer les substances impliquees dans cette attraction en lavant les cadavres de reines au moyen de solvants organiques. Ceci a entraine une forte reduction du pouvoir attractif royal, confirmant l'existence d'une substance chimique cuticulaire. D'autres experiences ont mis en evidence un lien etroit entre l'attraction royale, l'age de la reine et son statut physiologique. L'attractivite faible a l'emergence de la reine vierge, le reste encore au moment de la fecondation et de la perte des ailes. C'est au declenchement de l'ovogenese, c'est-a-dire au demarrage de l'activite de ponte que cette attractivite augmente de facon significative

Orientador: Alba Regina Monteiro Souza Brito
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas
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Resumo: Anacardium humile St. Hil. conhecida popularmente como cajuzinho-do-cerrado é uma planta com hábito arbustivo que pertence à família Anacardiaceae e ao gênero Anacardium; é tipicamente tropical, sendo encontrada nos cerrados e em algumas regiões da Mata Atlântica. Essa planta é utilizada na medicina popular contra inflamações em gerais e distúrbios gastrointestinais. Assim, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a atividade antiulcerogênica de extrato e frações da A. humile St. Hil. A partir do extrato metanólico (EMeOH) da A. humile St. Hil. duas frações foram obtidas, uma acetato (FAc) e outra aquosa (FAq). O EMeOH dessa espécie, nas doses de 250, 500 e 1000 mg.kg-1, via oral, foi estudado apenas em modelos de úlceras induzidas agudamente (etanol, piroxicam). Já as frações FAc e FAq nas doses de 50 e 200 mg.kg-1, respectivamente, além dos modelos de úlceras induzidas agudamente (etanol e piroxicam); também foram avaliados no modelo crônico (ácido acético 30 %) em camundongos e ratos. A via intraduodenal foi empregada somente para as frações no modelo de ligadura do piloro. Tanto extrato, quanto frações, inibiram significativamente as lesões ulcerativas desencadeadas pelos diferentes agentes. Também foram observadas alterações significativas nos parâmetros bioquímicos da secreção gástrica, como elevação do pH na FAq. Estes resultados sugeriram atividade anti-secretória e citoprotetora para essa fração. No pré-tratamento com as frações, apenas FAq produziu, no modelo de úlcera por acido acético, redução da área da lesão. Adicionalmente, verificou-se que a atividade antiulcerogênica da FAc está relacionada ao aumento da PGE2, justificando o aumento do muco aderido. Grupamento sulfidrilas protéicos perecem estar envolvidos com a atividade de ambas frações, enquanto que 39 óxido nítrico participa apenas da ação da fração FAc. Análises cromatográficas e RMN preliminares demonstraram que a FAc contém ácido gálico, galato de metila, catequina, amentoflavona. Na FAq as mesmas análise demonstraram uma grande quantidade de taninos. O conjunto de dados permite concluir que a atividade antiulcerogênica do extrato e das frações da A. humile St. Hil. está relacionada à ação anti-secretória dos taninos e dos flavonóides existentes nessa espécie
Abstract: Anacardium humile St. Hil. known as popularly ¿cajuzinho-do-cerrado¿ is a plant with arbustivo habit that belongs to the Anacardiaceae family and the Anacardium genus, is typically tropical, being found in the Cerrado, a savannah like vegetation and some regions of Mata Atlântica. This plant is used in the popular medicine against inflammations gastrointestinal. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the antiulcerogenic activity of extract and fractions of the A. humile St. Hil. From the metanólico extract (EMeOH) of the A. humile St. Hil. two fractions had been gotten, an acetate (FAc) and another aqueous (FAq). The EMeOH of this species, in the doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg.kg-1, v.o. was studied only in models of induced ulcers acutely (ethanol, piroxicam). Already the fractions FAc and FAq in the doses of 50 and 200 mg.kg-1 respectively, beyond the models of induced ulcers acutely (ethanol and piroxicam) the chronic model (acid acetic 30 %) was evaluated, in mice and rats. The intraduodenal way was only used for the fractions in the model of pylorus-ligated. As much extract how much fractions had inhibited significantly the ulcerative injuries unchained by the different agents. Significant alterations in the parameter biochemists had been observed in the gastric secretion, as rise of pH in the FAq. These results had suggested anti-secretory and citoprotetora activity for this fraction. In the pretreatment with the fractions, only FAq produced, in the acetic acid-induced ulcers, reduction of the area of the injury. Additionally, the increase of mucus was verified that the antiulcerogenic activity of the FAc is related to the increase of the PGE2, justifying the increase of adhered mucus. Endogenous sulfhydryl perish to be involved with the activity of both fractions, while that nitric oxide is involved only with the FAc. Fraction preliminary chromatographic analyses and RMN they had demonstrated that the FAc contains acid gallic, methyl gallate, catequin, amentoflavone. In the FAq this analysis had demonstrated a great amount of tanning barks. The data set allows to conclude that the antiulcerogenic activity of the extract and the fractions of the A. humile St. Hil. is related to the anti-secretory activity of tannin and the existing flavonóides in this species
Mestrado
Mestre em Farmacologia

Invasive species have major impacts on the ecosystems they invade. Among the most disruptive groups of invasive species are ants. Invasive ants have caused losses in biodiversity among a wide range of taxa, including birds, mammals, lizards, but especially towards ground nesting arthropods such as native ants. Why native ants are so susceptible to invasion and how invasive ants are able to sustain massive population growth remain unclear. It has been suggested that invasive ants utilize carbohydrate resources from hemipteran exudates to fuel aggressive foraging and colony expansion. Perhaps invasive ants are simply more proficient at usurping these resources, maintaining higher hemipteran populations, etc. Our work uses a model invasive, the Argentine ant, , Linepithema humile, and a native ant Tapinoma sessile to quantify hemipteran tending ability and competition. Through a series of laboratory and field experiments we were able to quantify 1) carbohydrate sequestering performance, 2) the effect either ant species had on hemipteran population growth rates in a predator-free space, 3) the defense ability of either ant against hemipteran predators and parasitoids, and 4) the proportion of invasive ants required to displace a native colony from a hemipteran resource. Neither ant demonstrated a better ability to sequester liquid resources; however recruitment strategies were much different. Hemipteran populations in the presence of L. humile grew larger in a predator free environment and populations exposed to predators were better defended by L. humile than T. sessile. L. humile was able to displace T. sessile from a nest site without having a majority of worker ants. Aggression of either ant species was significantly reduced without hemipterans present. Understanding factors that drive invasive species can give us insight into native areas that may be susceptible for invasion, how potential mutualist populations might respond and possibly provide us with an avenue for secondary control measures given the economic and ecological importance of invasive species.

Dans cette these nous etudions les repercussions des caracteristiques ecologiques de la fourmi d'argentine, linepithema humile, sur son organisation socio-genetique (= osg). Nous definissons l'osg comme l'ensemble des facteurs qui conduisent aux liens de parente entre les individus d'une societe. Nous montrons, en analysant les resultats de la litterature, que l'osg est tres variable chez les formicidae. Ainsi, la parente entre individus d'un meme nid varie autant entre especes d'un meme genre, qu'entre populations d'une meme espece. Les populations se regroupent autour de deux valeurs de parente, l'une proche de 0,6, l'autre de 0. La consanguinite a l'interieur des populations est en general proche de 0. Il n'y a pas de correlation entre parente a l'interieur des societes et consanguinite dans la population. La frequence d'insemination des reines de formicidae est toujours inferieure a 2. Enfin, la differentiation des populations de formicidae est habituellement faible, quelle que soit l'echelle de l'echantillonnage. La fourmi d'argentine fait partie du groupe d'especes appelees vagabondes pour leur propension au mouvement et a la migration. Cette strategie s'accompagne d'une perte des frontieres entre nids differents et une mise en commun des ressources: l'unicolonialite. Par l'emploi de marqueurs allozymatiques, nous determinons ici l'osg de la fourmi d'argentine. Dans toutes les populations etudiees, la parente entre ouvrieres ou entre reines, est proche de 0. La consanguinite est tres faible egalement, sauf chez une population, pour laquelle il reste difficile de trouver une explication valable. La frequence d'insemination des reines examinees est proche de 1. Aucun males diploide n'a ete decouvert. La differentiation genetique entre populations est faible, sauf si l'on inclut dans l'analyse une population sud-americaine. La fourmi d'argentine est donc une espece a l'osg peu variable, adaptee une strategie qui repose sur une capacite a deplacer des populations et a en fonder de nouvelles

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, is a widespread invasive species characterized by reduced intraspecific aggression within its introduced range. To gain an understanding of mechanisms underlying nestmate recognition in the Argentine ant, I studied its population genetic structure and the role of genetic vs. environmental cues on aggression. I combine behavioral, genetic, and analytical data to explore the role of exogenous cues and recent changes in the population genetic structure on nestmate recognition in this ant. In Chapter II, I examined population genetic structure and intercolony aggression in two portions of the Argentine ant introduced range: California and the southeastern U.S. I describe factors that may have contributed to the present-day differences in genetic diversity between these two regions and I also suggest ecological factors that may have contributed to regional differences in current distribution patterns of the Argentine ant. In Chapter III, I examined the context-dependency of nestmate discrimination in the Argentine ant and the effect of action thresholds on exogenous cue recognition. I also tested hypotheses that explain a change in action thresholds as well as factors that affect action thresholds. I examined changes in intraspecific aggression in various discrimination contexts. I tested the importance of isolated nest referents on aggression thresholds. In Chapter IV, I examined the impact of different diet-derived hydrocarbons on intraspecific aggression in the Argentine ant and the potential of shared, diet-derived hydrocarbons to produce colony uniformity where intercolony genetic and/or environmental differences exist. In Chapter V, I examined the role of environmental cues on nestmate recognition in two populations of the Argentine ant. I tested the hypothesis that there is geographical variation in the response of Argentine ants to nestmate recognition cues derived from prey. In Appendix I, I use the Argentine ant to compare four aggression bioassays for consistency between replicates, similarity between assays, and ability to predict whole colony interactions. I tested four different aggression assays with two or three scoring methods per assay. I also determined whether isolated aggressive encounters could predict whole colony interactions.

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás - FAPEG
Aedes aegypti is the major vector of dengue, chikungunya and zika fever. Currently, with the lack of specific therapeutic and prophylactic measures, the main way to prevent these arboviruses is vector control. This control is performed mainly with the application of insecticides, but continuous use of these substances favored the emergence of resistant populations, making it necessary to develop alternative strategies for vector control. An example is the survey of vegetable substances which may interfere with the development of the mosquito. In this sense, the Cerrado plants the may be a promising way. In this study, was investigated the insecticidal activity of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) produced by the species Anacardium humile on Aedes aegypti, the dengue vector, Chikungunya and Zika virus. Fruits of A. humile were collected and kept in greenhouse of forced ventilation at 40º Celsius during seven days for the extraction of CNSL. Were performed mortality tests of third instar larvae (L3), pupa and adult, besides the observation of the oviposition behavior of females and viability of eggs and observation of the residual effect of solution. The CNSL was diluted in decreasing gradual concentrations from 1000 to 3ppm, to obtain the Lethal Concentrations (LC). In oviposition the LC99 was used for larvae. The tests of residual effect and oviposition were given in two stages, a pilot test of 100ppm and a test with the LC99. Was obtained LC50 and LC90, respectively, 6.63 and 11.23ppm for larvae; 276 and 728.62ppm for pupae, not being observed mortality in adults. The residual effect of the solution was seven days in the pilot test and five days in the LC99. In the pilot test for oviposition was observed repellent effect of CNSL on females with a significant reduction of eggs number (p = 0.0001 and p=0.0348) and change in standards of stratification of the eggs on oviposition substrate. The larval hatching rate of the eggs exposed to moistened substrate with CNSL was significantly lower (p = 0.0102) when compared to the control. The results presented evidence the insecticidal activity of the CNSL of A. humile, indicating it as a promising product in the research for new botanical insecticides. This way, further studies should be conducted in order to verify possible toxicity of the liquid to other animals.
Aedes aegypti é o principal vetor do dengue e das febres chikungunya e zika. Até o momento, devido à inexistência de medidas terapêuticas e profiláticas específicas, a principal forma de prevenção dessas arboviroses é o controle do vetor. Esse controle é realizado principalmente com aplicação de inseticidas, porém o uso contínuo dessas substâncias favoreceu o aparecimento de populações resistentes, tornando necessário o desenvolvimento de estratégias alternativas para o controle vetorial. Um exemplo é a pesquisa de substâncias vegetais que possam interferir no desenvolvimento do mosquito. Nesse sentido, as plantas do Cerrado podem ser um caminho promissor. Este trabalho investigou a atividade inseticida do líquido da castanha de caju (LCC) extraído da espécie Anacardium humile, planta nativa do Cerrado. Frutos de A. humile foram coletados e mantidos em estufa de ventilação forçada a 40ºC por sete dias para a extração do LCC. Foram realizados testes de mortalidade de larvas de terceiro estádio (L3), pupa e adulto. Além disso, observou-se o comportamento de oviposição das fêmeas, viabilidade dos ovos e o efeito residual da solução sobre L3. O LCC foi diluído em concentrações gradativas decrescentes de 1000 a 3ppm, para obtenção das concentrações letais (CL). Na oviposição foi empregada a CL99 para larvas. Os testes de efeito residual e oviposição se deram em duas etapas, um teste-piloto a 100ppm e um teste com a CL99. Obtiveram-se as CL50 e CL90 respectivamente, 6,63 e 11,23ppm para larvas; 276 e 728,62ppm para pupas. Não foi observada a mortalidade em adultos. O efeito residual da solução foi de sete dias no teste piloto e cinco dias na CL99. No teste piloto para oviposição observou-se efeito repelente do LCC sobre as fêmeas havendo redução significativa do número de ovos (p=0,0001 e p=0,0348) e mudança nos padrões de estratificação dos ovos no substrato de oviposição. Contudo, a taxa de eclosão larval dos ovos expostos ao substrato umedecido com LCC foi significativamente menor (p=0,0102) quando comparada ao controle. Os resultados apresentados evidenciam a atividade inseticida do LCC de A. humile, sugerindo-o como produto promissor na pesquisa por novos inseticidas botânicos. Dessa forma, mais estudos devem ser realizados a fim de verificar possível toxicidade do líquido para outros animais.

Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasion by the notorious tramp species, the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) has caused major concern around the globe, owing to its displacement of native ant species and other invertebrates where it invades. This species was first recorded in South Africa in 1901 in Stellenbosch, Western Cape Province (WCP), and has now become a significant pest in most urban and agricultural areas in the country. The Argentine ant has received relatively little attention in South Africa compared to other countries (e.g. California, North America). To date the extent of invasion by this species countrywide, as well as its impact on the local ant fauna inside protected areas, has not been quantified. In this study, the impact of the Argentine ant on native ant fauna inside three protected areas in the WCP (Helderberg Nature Reserve (HNR), Jonkershoek Nature Reserve (JNR) and Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve KBR)) was assessed. Species richness and diversity were compared between invaded and uninvaded bait stations at each protected area. Several native ant species were found to be displaced by the Argentine ant from all three protected areas, although three species: Meranoplus peringueyi, Monomorium sp. 8 and Tetramorium quadrispinosum, were found coexisting with it. Invaded bait stations had significantly lower ant species richness and species turnover than uninvaded bait stations. Uninvaded bait stations contained eight times more native ant species than invaded bait stations. Thus, the invasion of protected areas by the Argentine ant has severe negative consequences for the species richness and assemblage structure of native ants, leading to the biotic homogenization of these local ant communities. The distribution range of the Argentine ant inside the three protected areas (HNR, JNR, KBR), as well as microhabitat preferences that may facilitate the spread of this species inside these reserves, was also assessed. Helderberg Nature Reserve was the most invaded protected area, with the highest level of the Argentine ant occupancy, while JNR and KBR had lower occupancy levels. At all the three protected areas, this species was dominant at lower altitudinal areas, and also showed a clear preference for areas with high anthropogenic disturbances, i.e. around buildings and on lawns (picnic areas). In this study, there was no evidence that moisture availability facilitates the distribution and spread of the Argentine ant inside these reserves. Finally, a combination of published literature records, museum records and records collected in the current study was used to quantify the current distributional extent of the Argentine ant throughout urban South Africa. This is the first study quantifying the distribution and extent of invasion by the Argentine ant throughout the country. The Argentine ant was found in six of the nine South African Provinces, and its extent of occurrence includes approximately half of the country’s land surface area. Discontinuities in the distribution of the Argentine ant across the country revealed that range expansion of the Argentine ant in South Africa is occurring predominantly via human-mediated jump dispersal, rather than naturally via nest diffusion. This study clearly demonstrated that the Argentine ant is well established across South Africa as well as inside protected areas. The Argentine ant invasion was influenced by the presence of human modified landscapes (i.e. buildings) both at low and high altitude, and this was associated with higher rates of native ant species displacement at these areas. Therefore, limiting the development of recreational areas, such as buildings and picnic sites inside protected areas will result in the lower rate of spread of the Argentine ant. This will in turn lower the extent of displacement of native ant species.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Indringing deur die Argentynse mier (Linepithema humile Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is ‘n bron van groot kommer regoor die wêreld, as gevolg van sy vermoë om inheemse mier spesies en ander ongewerweldes te verplaas. Hierdie spesie is vir die eerste keer aangeteken in Suid-Afrika in 1901, in Stellenbosch, Weskaap Provinsie (WCP), en het ‘n belangrike pes geword in die meeste stedelike en landelike gebiede in die land. Die Argentynse mier het betreklik min aandag gekry in Suid-Afrika, in vergelyking met ander lande (bv. California, Noord Amerika). Tans is die omvang van die landwye indringing van hierdie spesie, sowel as sy impak op die plaaslike mier fauna binne beskermde areas, nog nie bepaal nie. In hierdie studie word die impak van die Argentynse mier op die inheemse mier fauna binne drie beskermde areas in die WCP (Helderberg Natuurreservaat (HNR), Jonkershoek Natuurreservaat (JNR) en Kogelberg Biosfeerreservaat (KBR)) bepaal. Spesierykheid en diversiteit was vergelyk tussen ingedringde en oningedringde lokaas stasies in elke beskermde area. Verskeie inheemse mier spesies was deur die Argentynse mier verplaas in al drie beskermde areas, alhoewel drie spesies: Meranoplus peringueyi, Monomorium sp. 8 en Tetramorium quadrispinosum het saam met dit voorgekom. Ingedringde lokaas stasies het beduidend laer mier spesierykheid en spesies omset gehad as oningedringde lokaas stasies. Dus, die indringing van beskermde areas deur die Argentynse mier het ernstige negatiewe gevolge vir die spesierykheid en gemeenskap struktuur van inheemse miere, wat lei tot die biotiese verarming van hierdie plaaslike mier gemeenskappe. Die verspreidingsarea van die Argentynse mier binne die drie beskermde areas (HNR, JNR, KBR), en die mikrohabitat voorkeure wat die verspreiding van die spesie binne hierdie reservate kan vergemaklik, was ook vasgestel. Helderberg Natuurreservaat was die mees ingedringde beskermde area, met die hoogste vlak van Argentynse mier besetting, terwyl JNR en KBR laer besettingsvlakke gehad het. By al drie die beskermde areas was hierdie spesie dominant by laer hoogtes bo seevlak en het ‘n duidelike voorkeur getoon vir areas met hoë menslike versteuring d.i. rondom geboue en op grasperke (piekniek areas). In hierdie studie was daar geen bewyse dat vog beskikbaarheid die voorkoms en verspreiding van die Argentynse mier binne die reservate vergemaklik nie. Ten slotte, ‘n kombinasie van gepubliseerde literatuur verslae, museum dokumente en verslae wat in hierdie studie versamel is, was gebruik om die huidige verspreidingsomvang van die Argentynse mier te bepaal. Dit is die eerste studie wat die verspreiding en omvang van indringing in stedelike Suid Afrika van die Argentynse mier dwarsdeur die land bepaal. Die Argentynse mier is gevind in ses van die nege provinsies in Suid-Afrika, en die omvang van sy voorkoms sluit bykans die helfte van die land se landoppervlaksarea in. Onderbrekings in die verspreiding van die Argentynse mier deur die land het blootgelê dat die uitbreiding van die voorkomsgebied van die Argentynse mier in Suid-Afrika hoofsaaklik gebeur deur mens bemiddelde verspreiding eerder as natuurlike nesverspreiding. Hierdie studie het duidelik gedemonstreer dat die Argentynse mier goed gevestig is regoor Suid-Afrika sowel as in beskermde areas. Die Argentynse mier indringing was beïnvloed deur mensgewysigde landskappe (d.i. geboue) by lae en hoë hoogtes bo seevlak, en dit was verwant aan hoër vlakke van verplasing van inheemse mier species in hierdie areas. Dus, die beperking van ontwikkeling van rekreasie areas, soos geboue en piekniekareas, in beskermde gebiede sal lei tot laer vlakke van verspreiding van die Argentynse mier. Dit sal, op sy beurt, die omvang van verplasing van die inheemse mier spesies verminder.

Orientador: Alba Regina Monteiro Souza Brito
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
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Resumo: Anacardium humile, popularmente conhecida como cajuzinho-do-cerrado, é utilizada na medicina tradicional para o tratamento de diversas inflamações. Extratos e frações de suas folhas apresentam compostos fenólicos e significativa atividade anti-úlcera. Nesse trabalho, avaliou-se possíveis mecanismos antioxidantes na gastroproteção conferida pela fração acetato de etila das folhas de A. humile (AHFAc). AHFAc é rica em compostos fenólicos, há mais de 30% de fenólicos solúveis nessa fração, segundo resultados do ensaio de Folin-Ciocalteu. AHFAc apresenta atividade redutora em ensaio de redução de 1,1-difenil-1-picril-hidrazila (DPPH), o que representa ação sequestradora de radicais livres em potencial. Foram registrados o perfil cromatográfico de AHFAc, em cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência e o espectro de massas com ionização por electrospray, que indicam a presença de ácido gálico e/ou derivados, quercetina, kaempferol e amentoflavona (um biflavonóide).A atividade farmacológica de AHFAc foi analisada em modelos de indução de úlcera gástrica por isquemia e reperfusão e por etanol absoluto. Ratos Unib: WH foram tratados com o veículo Tween 80® 12% (10 ml.kg-1) ou AHFAc (25, 50 e 100 mg.kg-1) e submetidos à isquemia (30 minutos) e reperfusão (60 minutos) do estômago ou à administração de 1 ml de etanol absoluto. Um grupo SHAM foi formado por animais não tratados, expostos aos procedimentos experimentais, mas sem efetiva indução de úlcera. Após a realização dos modelos de indução de úlcera gástrica, o estômago dos animais foi removido, a área de lesão ulcerativa determinada, uma porção do estômago foi fixada para análises histológicas (colorações hematoxilina-eosina e ácido periódico de Schiff) e imunohistoquímicas (reação para mieloperoxidase e superóxido dismutase) e o restante da porção glandular do estômago foi raspado e homogeneizado para ensaios bioquímicos. Foram dosados os níveis de grupamentos sulfidrila (G-SH), fragmentação de DNA, atividade das enzimas mieloperoxidase (MPO), glutationa peroxidase (GPx), glutationa redutase (GR) e superóxido dismutase (SOD). O pré-tratamento com AHFAc (50 mg.kg-1) apresenta efeito gastroprotetor nos dois modelos experimentais de úlcera gástrica analisados, com manutenção da integridade da mucosa e tendência de aumento dos níveis de muco. AHFAc evitou o aumento da atividade de MPO na mucosa gástrica de ratos submetidos aos dois modelos experimentais investigados, o que indica menor infiltração de neutrófilos no estômago dos animais tratados com a fração. Além disso, a administração de AHFAc também foi eficaz em manter os níveis normais de G-SH e fragmentação de DNA bem como da atividade da SOD e GPx na mucosa gástrica exposta à ação lesiva do etanol absoluto. A ação antiulcerogênica de AHFAc deve envolver atividade antioxidante, garantida pela sua composição fenólica, aliada a outros mecanismos de ação. Uma vez que não foi observada modulação na atividade das enzimas antioxidantes, e por apresentar capacidade redutora do DPPH, a atividade antioxidante de AHFAc provavelmente envolve sequestro de radicais livres.
Abstract: Anacardium humile, popularly known as "cajuzinho-do-cerrado", is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. Extracts and fractions of leaves of A. humile present phenolic compounds and significant antiulcer activity. In this study, we evaluated the possible antioxidant mechanisms in the antiulcerogenic activity conferred by the ethyl acetate fraction of leaves of A. humile (AHFAc). AHFAc is rich in phenolic compounds; there are more than 30% of soluble phenolic compounds in this fraction, according to results from the Folin Ciocalteu assay. AHFAc shows antioxidant activity in the 1, 1-diphenyl-1-picryl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, which represents a potential free radical scavenging action. There have been recorded the chromatographic profile AHFAc in high performance liquid chromatography and the mass spectrum by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, which indicate the presence of gallic acid and derivatives, quercetin, kaempferol and amentoflavone (biflavonoid).The pharmacological activity of AHFAc was examined in ischemia and reperfusion induced and absolute ethanol-induced gastric ulcer models. Unib: WH rats were treated with the vehicle Tween 80 12% (10 ml.kg-1) or AHFAc (25, 50 and 100 mg.kg-1) and underwent ischemia (30 minutes) and reperfusion (60 minutes) of stomach or the administration of 1 ml of absolute ethanol. SHAM group was formed by untreated animals exposed to experimental procedures, but without effective induction of ulcer. After experimental models, the stomach of the animals was removed, the ulcerative lesion area (ULA) determined, a portion of the stomach was fixed for histological analysis (hematoxylin-eosin staining and periodic acid Schiff staining) and immunohistochemistry analysis (myeloperoxidase and superoxide dismutase), the remaining portion of the glandular stomach was scraped and homogenized for biochemical assays. We measured the levels of sulfhydryl groups (G-SH), DNA fragmentation, activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes. The pre-treatment with AHFAc (50 mg.kg-1) showed gastroprotective effect in both experimental models of gastric ulcer, while maintaining the integrity of the mucosa and a tendency for increased levels of mucus. The administration of AHFAc was also effective in maintaining normal levels of G-SH and fragmentation of DNA, SOD and GPx activities in the gastric mucosa exposed to the harmful effect of absolute ethanol. In addition, AHFAc prevented the increase of MPO activity in gastric mucosa of rats subjected to the experimental models investigated, indicating less infiltration of neutrophils in the stomach of animals treated with the fraction. The anti-ulcer action of AHFAc must involve antioxidant activity, due to its phenolic composition, combined with other mechanisms of action. Since there was no modulation in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and for presenting reduction capacity of DPPH, the antioxidant activity of AHFAc probably involves scavenger activity of free radicals.
Mestrado
Fisiologia
Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Although Argentine ant(Linepithema humile), a highly invasive ant species, has been in New Zealand for at least l4 years, little is known about their ecology and potential for invasion. Increasing spread and establishment of populations throughout New Zealand is disturbing because of the devastating impacts documented on native invertebrate biodiversity overseas. The primary aim of this study was to determine the impacts of Argentine ants on arthropods in native forest habitats in west Auckland. Pitfall traps at invaded and uninvaded sites were used to quantify ant and non-ant arthropod faunas. Argentine ants did not adversely affect native host ant communities. Moreover, two ant species appeared to be resistant to invasion. Argentine ant invasion reduced the abundance of a few orders of invertebrates while several taxa were more abundant in the presence of Argentine ants. Distribution and foraging activity of Argentine ant populations were monitored in this study from 2000-2003. Also, rate of spread was investigated to evaluate whether native forest habitats would be at risk from invasion. Measurements of foraging ant trails on monitored tree trunks revealed seasonal distribution patterns involving high activity in summer/autumn and low activity in winter/early spring. Argentine ants were found to be established primarily along the edge of the forest and did not invade into the interior of the forest during the study period. An Argentine ant poisoning operation on Tiritiri Matangi Island in January 2001 provided the opportunity to document the results of the eradication trial. In addition, pitfall traps placed at two treated sites and one untreated site were used to compare pre-poison and post-poison effects on ant and non-ant invertebrate communities. Fipronil baiting at 0.01% effectively reduced Argentine ants at the study sites and very few ants were observed in both tree count and pitfall trap recordings two months after poisoning. The invasion of Argentine ants on Tiritiri Matangi Island decimated native host ants and no recovery was detected throughout the study. Several groups of invertebrates appeared to benefit from the removal of Argentine ants while a few showed no detectable changes. Conservation implications resulting from the findings of this study are discussed Also, potential future research involving Argentine ants are outlined.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivos avaliar o comportamento agonístico entre operárias de ninhos distintos de Linepithema humile Mayr, determinar o período de produção de sexuados e a proporção sexual, estimar a variação do tamanho da população intranidal no verão e no inverno, e investigar a biologia reprodutiva, em especial, a taxa de crescimento de pequenas colônias. Para tal, coletaram-se em campo 26 ninhos de L. humile no município de Limeira, SP, transferidos para laboratório e mantidos em condições experimentais. Avaliaram-se os níveis de agressividade em pares de operárias de ninhos distintos (n = 11) em três tempos ao longo de um ano após as coletas. Avaliou-se a população intranidal através da contagem de todos os indivíduos de dez ninhos (cinco por estação). Estimou-se a taxa de crescimento para diferentes tamanhos de propágulos (10, 50, 100, 150, 200 e 500 operárias). A população de Limeira apresentou estrutura social unicolonial, com ausência de agressividade entre operárias de ninhos distintos. As operárias de L. humile foram altamente agressivas em relação a operárias de uma população proveniente do município de São Paulo. A produção de sexuados ocorreu durante o verão, com investimento sexual a favor das fêmeas (2,4 : 1). No inverno, encontrou-se um número de operárias cerca da metade do registrado no verão. O tamanho inicial dos propágulos influenciou positivamente a produção de prole total e, negativamente, a produção de prole |per capita. A taxa de crescimento per capita não variou entre os tamanhos de propágulos iniciais testados. A redução do número de operárias poderia ser decorrente de condições abióticas durante o inverno, especialmente da baixa umidade e precipitação. Algumas hipóteses são levantadas para explicar a proporção sexual a favor das fêmeas encontrada. Finalmente, destaca-se que este é o primeiro registro da existência da estrutura social unicolonial em uma população de L. humile no Brasil.
The aim of this work was to evaluate the aggressive behavior between workers from different nests of Linepithema humile Mayr, to determine the period of sexual production and the sexual ratio, to estimate the variation in the intranest population between summer and winter, and to investigate the reproductive biology, particularly the role of propagule sizes in the growth rates. For such, 26 nests collected in the Limeira population of the Argentine ant were set up in experimental nests in laboratory. The levels of aggressive behavior between workers from different nests (n = 11) were evaluated for three different periods during one year after nests collections. The intranest population was assessed by direct counting of total individuals in ten nests (five for each season). The growth rate was evaluated for different propagule sizes (10,50, 100, 150, 200 and 500 workers). The Limeira population structured as unicolonial, with absence of aggressive behavior to non nestmates workers. Workers from the Limeira population were highly aggressive to workers from another population (São Paulo). The population was strongly female-biased (2,4 : 1), with sexuals being produced during summer time. Worker number had a two fold reduction during winter compared to summer nests. The initial propagule size positively influenced the total brood production and negatively affected the per capita brood production. Per capita growth rates remained the same for all initial propagule sizes tested. Worker density reduction could be related to abiotic conditions during winter, especially relative humidity and rain falI. Several hypotheses are raised to explain the female-biased sexual ratio found in the studied population. This is the first record of unicoloniality in a Brazilian population of the Argentine ant.

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)
Leaf-cutting ants are known by their strong power of to pulling down several vegetable crops and to cause economic lost to the agriculture. Several methods have been used for their control such as the use of halogenated, sulfurous and phosphorus compounds. However, the continued use of these compounds leads to problems such as environmental contamination and then raising the needed of new strategies to control of leaf-cutting ants. In this context, this work presents a phytochemical study of the species Schinus terebinthifolius, Anacardium humile e Macairea urundeuva and the insecticide and fungicide potential of the crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds against the leaf-cutting ants, Atta sexdens rubropilosa, and its symbiotic fungus, Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. The study of these species allowed the isolation and/or identification of several secondary metabolites including triterpens, steroids, flavonoids, biflavonoids, glycosylated flavonoids and phenolic compounds. For both species A. humile and M. urundeuva this is the first report of their chemical composition. From the biological assays with leaf-cutting ants, it was found that several extracts showed insecticidal activity as a result of the synergistic effect of their chemical composition. The elagic acid isolated from M. urundeuva showed activity against the symbiotic fungus of leaf-cutting ants. The metal complexes of flavonoid quercetin didn`t present good results on biological assays against the workers of leaf-cutting ants and its symbiotic fungus. Besides these results, this study contributed to a project that has been developed by the Natural Product Laboratory at UFSCar, which aims to evaluated the biological activity of several metal complexes with different metals and flavonoids to the control of several agriculture pests.
As formigas cortadeiras são conhecidas pelo poder de destruição de um grande número de espécies vegetais e pelo prejuízo econômico causado à agricultura. Vários métodos têm sido utilizados para o controle dos mesmos, tais como, a utilização de substâncias orgânicas halogenadas, sulfuradas e fosforadas. No entanto, a utilização contínua desses compostos tem gerado vários problemas de contaminações ambientais, sendo de extrema importância, a busca de novas estratégias de controle das formigas cortadeiras. Nesse contexto, esse trabalho apresenta o estudo fitoquímico das espécies Schinus terebinthifolius, Anacardium humile e Macairea urundeuva e avaliação do potencial inseticida e fungicida dos extratos, frações e compostos obtidos frente às formigas cortadeiras da espécie Atta sexdens rubropilosa e seu fungo simbionte Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. O estudo fitoquímico destas espécies proporcionou o isolamento e identificação de diversos metabólitos secundários, dentre eles, triterpenos, esteroides, flavonoides, biflavonoides, flavonoides glicosilados e compostos fenólicos. Para as espécies A. humile e M. urundeuva, este é o primeiro relato de suas composições químicas. A partir dos ensaios biológicos realizados com as operárias de Atta, verificou-se que vários extratos provocaram aumento na mortalidade quando comparados ao controle (dieta pura) de acordo com o teste de log-rank (p<0,05), assim, sugere-se que o potencial tóxico apresentado pelos mesmos estejam correlacionados ao efeito sinergístico. O ácido elágico e epicatequina isolados de M. urundeuva foram ativos sobre o crescimento do fungo simbionte. Os complexos metálicos com o flavonoide quercetina apresentarem resultados significativos sobre os ensaios de toxicidade por ingestão em Atta sexdens rubropilosa e seu fungo simbionte. Este trabalho contribui com um amplo projeto que vem sendo desenvolvido pelo grupo de Produtos Naturais da UFSCar, que visa avaliar a atividade inseticida e fungicida de diversos complexos de coordenação com diferentes metais e flavonoides no controle de diversas pragas.

Originaire d’Amérique du Sud, la fourmi d’Argentine, Linepithema humile, a su profiter de l’essor du commerce international à la fin du 19ème siècle pour envahir de très nombreuses régions du globe soumises à un climat méditerranéen ou subtropical. Elle est aujourd’hui présente en forte densité dans le sud-ouest de l’Europe, le long des côtes portugaises, espagnoles, françaises et italiennes. Malgré sa présence en Corse depuis près de 50 ans, très peu de données sont disponibles sur les causes et conséquences de cette invasion. En ce sens, le présent travail a pour but d’apporter un éclairage précis sur trois axes majeurs de recherche sur la fourmi d’Argentine, à savoir sa structure sociale, sa distribution et dynamique d’expansion, et ses impacts sur la faune et la flore indigènes. Il s’inscrit dans le cadre des problématiques de gestion et de contrôle des espèces invasives. Notre étude confirme le caractère invasif de la fourmi d’Argentine le long du littoral corse. Grâce à des analyses comportementales, chimiques et génétiques nous avons montré qu’elle est organisée en deux supercolonies en Corse dont la supercolonie « corse » qui constitue une nouvelle entité pour l’Europe. L’exploration de près de 80 sites le long du littoral a permis de souligner la forte expansion de son aire de distribution depuis ces 10 dernières années. L’Homme à travers ses différentes activités constitue le moteur de cette dynamique d’invasion. Nous avons également mis en évidence grâce à des tests comportementaux, la résistance d’une espèce dominante indigène, Tapinoma nigerrimum face à l’invasion, pouvant expliquer l’hétérogénéité de la distribution des fourmis d’Argentine en Corse. Une fois introduites, elles peuvent envahir les milieux naturels et conduire à une réduction de richesse des communautés indigènes qui peut atteindre près de 80 %. Deux facteurs peuvent expliquer ce succès écologique : l’occupation de l’espace qui permet aux fourmis d’Argentine de maintenir une forte pression de compétition dans l’habitat et leur forte agressivité interspécifique qui peut se traduire par des raids sur les nids ou des colonnes de fourmis indigènes. Enfin, nous avons étudié l’effet direct de l’élimination des fourmis indigènes pour la dispersion des graines d’Anchusa crispa, plante endémique corso-sarde, rare et menacée. Les fourmis d’Argentine dispersent plus de graines que les espèces natives, diminuent la pression de prédation d’espèces granivores et semblent faciliter la germination des graines. Ces résultats montrent pour la première fois qu’une plante indigène peut tirer bénéfice de la présence de cette espèce invasive. Ce travail apporte de nombreuses données sur la biologie et l’écologie de la fourmi d’Argentine, alimente la discussion en biologie des invasions et ouvre de nouvelles pistes de recherche
The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, has spread with ease across many zones of the globe with a Mediterranean or subtropical climate, transported from its native range in South America mainly through trade at the end of the 19th century. Today, it is very densely represented in southwestern Europe, along the Portuguese, Spanish, French and Italian coasts. Despite its presence in Corsica for more than 50 years, little data is available on the causes and the consequences of the invasion. The present study therefore seeks to provide comprehensive information on three main axes of research on the Argentine ant, i. E. Its social structure, its distribution and expansion dynamics and how it affects native fauna and flora. As such, the aim here is to provide useful input for the management and control of invasive species. Our study confirms the invasiveness of the Argentine ant along the Corsican coast. Using behavioral, chemical and genetic analyses, we show that it is organized in two supercolonies in Corsica, one of which, the” Corsican” supercolony, constitutes a new entity for Europe. Exploring almost 80 coastal sites, we state the strong expansion of its distribution range over the last 10 years, fuelled by human activities. We also bring to light the resistance to invasion of a dominant native species, Tapinoma nigerrimum, using behavioral tests which may explain the mosaic distribution of the Argentine ant in Corsica. We show that Argentine ants have a major impact on native ants, being able to invade natural areas, and that they can bring about an almost 80% reduction in native community richness. Two factors may explain this ecological success: their wide space occupation, potentially allowing Argentine ants to maintain high competition pressure over the whole habitat, and their high interspecific aggressiveness, which can result in raids on native ant nests or columns. Finally, we studied the direct effect of the elimination of native ants on the seed dispersal of Anchusa crispa, a rare and threatened Corsican-Sardinian endemic species. Argentine ants disperse more seeds than native ants, reduce seed predation from native harvester ants and may facilitate seed germination. These results show for the first time that the Argentine ant can be beneficial to a native endemic plant. This work provides extensive information on the biology and ecology of the Argentine ant, contributes to the ongoing discussion on invasion biology and points towards new path of research

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Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos
Observações em campo, nas áreas de reserva de Cerrado da Universidade Federal de São Carlos e da Represa do Lobo (Itirapina), indicam que as duas espécies estudadas neste trabalho, Andira humilis Mart. Ex Benth. e Anacardium humile Mart., desenvolvem-se formando espaços entre elas e outras espécies que se desenvolvem ao seu redor. Resultados obtidos em testes preliminares, utilizando-se extratos aquosos de caules e folhas de ambas espécies, demonstraram efeitos inibitórios na germinação de sementes e no desenvolvimento de plântulas de alface (Lactuca sativa L.), confirmando a hipótese da presença de agentes alelopáticos. No presente trabalho, foram estudados os efeitos alelopáticos de extratos aquosos de caules e de folhas de Andira humilis e de Anacardium humile na germinação de sementes e no crescimento plântulas de Raphanus sativus L. (rabanete) e Lactuca sativa L. (alface), ambas utilizadas como bioindicadores. Efetuou-se, também, a análise dos princípios ativos responsáveis pelos efeitos alelopáticos ocasionados por folhas de Andira humilis, procurando-se definir a(s) classes(s) química(s) a que pertencem. Os extratos a 50,75 e 100% de caules e folhas de Andira humilis, em sementes de alface e rabanete, produziram redução significativa na velocidade de germinação e, a 100% de caules, a porcentagem de germinação foi significativamente reduzida. Em Anacardium humile, a porcentagem de germinação foi reduzida significativamente, apenas em semente de rabanete, por ação do extrato de folhas em concentração de 50%. Sementes de alface sofreram redução significativa na velocidade de germinação na presença de extratos de folhas de Anacardium humile em todas as concentrações. Entretanto, a velocidade de germinação em sementes de rabanete foi reduzida significativamente, pela ação dos extratos de caules na concentração de 50% e de folhas, nas concentrações 50, 75, 100%. Plântulas de alface e rabanete sofreram inibição significativa, em seu comprimento, pelos extratos de Andira humilis, exceto os extratos de folhas a 25 e 75%, os quais não causaram inibição em rabanete. Extrattos de caules de Anacardium humile inibiram significativamente o comprimento de plântulas de alface e rabanete, porém os extratos de folhas a 25 e 75% não inibiram o crescimento de plântulas de alface. A interferência dos extratos aquosos, de ambas espécies de Cerrado estudadas, na germinação e no crescimento em alface e rabanete, foi desassociada de qualquer efeito do potencial osmótico e do pH, indicando, portanto, atividade alelopática. Os resultados obtidos na identificação da classe química do(s) composto(s) responsável(is) pela atividade alelopática ocorrida, apontam que as moléculas do metabolismo secundário presentes nas folhas de Andira humilis, responsáveis por tais efeitos alelopáticos na germinação de sementes e no crescimento de plântulas de alface e de rabanete, pertençam à classe dos taninos.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Mestre em Genética e Bioquímica
O Anacardium humile St. Hill., conhecido como cajuzinho-do-cerrado ou cajuí, é uma espécie pertencente à família Anacardiaceae que ocorre naturalmente em Campo Sujo e no Cerrado do Brasil. Tem importância alimentar, industrial, medicinal e econômica e a castanha tem as mesmas características e usos do cajú comum, com ampla utilização para o consumo. Pelo fato das espécies do Cerrado mostrarem interesses antagônicos, biológico e socieconômico, torna-se necessário gerar informações biológicas, na tentativa de uma adequada exploração econômica, para evitar a utilização predatória ou, até mesmo, a extinção da espécie. O objetivo desse trabalho foi o de otimizar um protocolo para cultivo em escala comercial, por micropropagação de Anacardium humile, além de analisar os patógenos existentes no cultivo in vitro, para quantificar a melhor concentração de fungicida sistêmico a ser utilizado na cultura de cajuí. Foi analisada, ainda, a divergência genética existente entre populações do cerrado mineiro (Clube Caça e Pesca Itororó Uberlândia MG) e goiano (Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Caldas Novas - GO) por meio da técnica de AFLP (Amplified Fragment Lenght Polimorphism). Ocorreu baixo sucesso de micropropagação de cajuí apesar de se obter brotos, que não puderam ser aclimatados. A análise de microrganismos mostrou prevalência de Aspergillus niger no cultivo in vitro sendo que as concentrações utilizadas de benomyl no meio foram muito elevadas, podendo causar fitotoxicidade às plântulas. Quanto à análise da divergência genética verificou-se maior distância genética entre populações de regiões diferentes (58%) do que dentro da mesma região (35% Clube Caça e Pesca Itororó; 47% Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas) apesar de as plantas apresentarem características fenotípicas distintas.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2007.
Title from first page of PDF file (viewed June 21, 2007). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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The knowledge of the genetic variability of the bushy cashew is important to maximize the use of its genetic resources to future programs of improvement and conservation of the species. In this report, the genetic variability of 122 accesses of A. humile coming from 11 cities (provenances) from Cerrado was quantified through RAPD markers. The primers with bigger expression were OPA11 and 08. The ten primers used generated 157 bands, being 156 polymorphic (99%), with an average of 15,6 bands/ primer. It was detected a great variability in the towns, being the polymorphism higher than 90%, except the ones original from Jataí-GO. The accessions of Caiapônia-GO and Santo Antônio do Descoberto-GO were the most distant genetically. The total dissimilarity between accesses ranged from 0,103 to 0,796, with averages of 0,390. The accesses 87 and 114 from Serranópolis-GO and Santo Antônio do Descoberto-GO, respectively, were the most distant genetically, showing the importance of these prevenances in the enrichment of the germoplasm bank of the specie. The cajuzinho-do-cerrado presents a high rate of genetic variability is considered a potential species in conservation programs in sit u and ex situ and in breeding programs is that most of this is within their populations.
O conhecimento da variabilidade genética do cajuzinho-do-cerrado é importante para maximizar o uso dos seus recursos genéticos para futuros programas de melhoramento e de conservação da espécie. No presente trabalho, a variabilidade genética de 122 acessos de A. humile procedentes de 11 municípios (procedências) do Cerrado, foi quantificada por meio de marcadores RAPD. Os primers com maior expressão foram OPA11 e 08. Os dez primers utilizados geraram 157 bandas, sendo 156 polimórficas (99%), com média de 15,6 bandas/primer. Grande variabilidade dentro de municípios foi detectada, sendo o polimorfismo superior a 90 %, exceto da procedência Jataí-GO. Os acessos de Caiapônia-GO e Santo Antônio do Descoberto-GO foram os mais distantes geneticamente. A dissimilaridade total entre acessos variou de 0,103 a 0,796, com médias de 0,390. Os acessos 87 e 114 de Serranópolis-GO e Santo Antônio do Descoberto-GO, respectivamente, foram os mais distantes geneticamente, demonstrando a importância dessas procedências no enriquecendo do banco de germoplasma da espécie. O cajuzinho-do-cerrado apresenta alta taxa de variabilidade genética sendo considerada uma espécie potencial em programas de conservação in situ e ex situ e em programas de melhoramento genético sendo que a maior parte desta está dentro de suas populações.

La present tesi intenta obtenir noves dades referents a la biologia i ecologia de la formiga argentina que poden arribar a ser cabdals per al disseny o millora de noves metodologies de control de l'expansió de la plaga en ecosistemes naturals. Així doncs, l'estudi de l'activitat de cerca d'aliment i del seu espectre dietari en ecosistemes naturals, juntament amb el de les fluctuacions estacionals de la densitat de reines en nius naturals, obre les portes a la millora de mètodes de control de la plaga mitjançant esquers tòxics d'efecte retardat i a l'aplicació de noves metodologies de control sense l'ús d'agents químics basats en l'eliminació massiva de reines. La tesi també aporta noves dades sobre la fisiologia reproductiva de l'espècie en relació a la temperatura, la qual cosa permet la integració de l'aspecte fisiològic en models de predicció del rang potencial d'establiment de la plaga en ecosistemes naturals, aspecte fins ara pràcticament oblidat en aquest tipus de models predictius.
The present work attempts to obtain new information about the biology and ecology of this species in order to improve or design new control methods to stop the expansion of the plague in natural ecosystems. In that sense, the study of its foraging activity and dietary spectrum in natural environments, as well as the report of its annual fluctuations in the queen's densities of natural nests, open the door to the improvement of control methodologies based on the use of toxic baits, as well as to the design of new control methods based on the mechanical elimination of queens without the use of chemical procedures. This work also provides new data about the species' reproductive physiology according to temperature, which allow the application in predictive models of the physiological needs of the species to establish in a certain natural area.

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão (FAPEMA)
The hormone replacement therapy is the most effective way for the treatment of conditions related to post-menopause, but is related to the presence of undesirable effects. In this situation, safer alternatives have been investigated for the treatment of menopausal symptoms arising, such as the use of phytoestrogens. Seeds of Linum usitatissimum L. (flaxseed) are rich in lignan precursor, which is converted to substances which are structurally similar to estrogen. This study evaluates the effect of the hydro alcoholic extract of the seeds of L. usitatissimum on the reproductive tract of ovariectomized female Wistar rats. The seeds were crushed and remacerated and three times in 70% ethanol in the ratio 1:3 (v/v) for 24 hours to obtain the extract. Adult rats (80 days) from Rattus norvegicus species, divided into 6 groups (n = 5-6) were used: sham operated (FO) and ovariectomized (OVR) administered distilled water/3% cremophor (0.1 ml/100g, v. o.); estradiol benzoate (BE), ovariectomized treated with estradiol benzoate at a dose of 10 μg/kg (s. c.) and three ovariectomized groups treated with the extract of L. usitatissimum at doses of 100 mg/kg (LIN100), 250 mg/kg (LIN250) or 500 mg/kg (LIN500). The rats were ovariectomized and 21 days after surgery, received daily treatments, for two months, when it was rated the estrous cycle, body weight and food consumption. At the end of this period, blood was collection and subsequent biochemical and hormonal analyzes, and organ weighing, uterine reactivity and uterus, vagina and breasts histology. In the analysis of the estrous cycle, the OVR group had a higher frequency in the diestrus stage during the 2 months. The LIN100 group showed up 100% in diestrus and LIN250, 94.5% (1st month) and 93.5% (2nd month). At the highest dose tested (LIN500 group), flaxseed showed in the 2nd month of treatment, 14.3% of pro-estrus and diestrus 61.9%. The BE group reached 100% of estrus in the 2nd month. Ovariectomy induced body weight gain in OVR group (19.6%) which was prevented in the groups LIN and BE. Moreover, the groups treated with the extract did not alter uterus weight in relation to OVR, which showed a decrease of 83.4% compared to the FO. However, in BE, were increased by 80.5% the uterus weight. Ovariectomy induced intra-abdominal fat gain which was reduced to 47.9% in the LIN500 group 35.5% and 45.8% in BE group. In biochemical analyzes no differences between the groups was observed. In hormone dosage, OVR group decreased by 75.3% in estradiol compared to FO, whereas in the groups treated with the extract showed no differences compared to OVR. In relation to progesterone, there was no difference between groups. Uterine responsiveness to carbachol, PGF2α and oxytocin was decreased with ovariectomy and L. usitatissimum extract did not alter this effect. Histomorphometric analysis of the uterus, LIN500 group showed a significant increase in the luminal epithelium of the uterus in 12.8%, when compared to the OVR group. The other parameters did not differ, as well as the breasts histomorphometry. Therefore, the hydro alcoholic extract of L. usitatissimum has potential as an alternative to therapy in postmenopausal women, as it showed cytological parameters and on adipose tissue effects, without stimulating breast and endometrial tissues.
A terapia de reposição hormonal é forma mais eficaz para o tratamento de sinais e sintomas da pós-menopausa, entretanto está relacionada à presença de efeitos indesejáveis. Por esse motivo, tem-se buscado alternativas mais seguras para o controle destes sintomas, como o uso de fitoestrógenos. As sementes de Linum usitatissimum L. (linhaça) são ricas em um precursor de lignana, que é convertido no intestino em substâncias que se assemelham estruturalmente ao estrogênio. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito do extrato hidroalcoólico das sementes de L. usitatissimum no aparelho reprodutor de ratas Wistar ovariectomizadas. As sementes foram turbolizadas e remaceradas três vezes em etanol 70% na proporção 1:3 (v/v), por 24 horas, para a obtenção do extrato. Foram utilizadas ratas adultas (80 dias) da espécie Rattus norvegicus, distribuídos em 6 grupos (n=5-6): grupo falso operado (FO) e grupo ovariectomizado (OVR), administrados com água destilada/cremofor a 3% (0,1 mL/ 100g, v.o.); grupo benzoato de estradiol (BE), ovariectomizado tratado com estradiol na dose de 10 μg /kg (s.c.) e outros três grupos ovariectomizados tratados, por via oral, com o extrato de L. usitatissimum nas doses de 100 mg/kg (LIN100), 250 mg/kg (LIN250) ou 500 mg/kg (LIN500). As ratas foram ovariectomizadas e, após 21 dias da cirurgia, receberam diariamente os tratamentos, por 2 meses, período que foi avaliado ciclo estral, peso corporal e consumo alimentar. Ao final do tratamento, o sangue foi coletado para análises bioquímica e hormonal, além da pesagem de órgãos, reatividade uterina e histologia do útero, vagina e mamas. Na análise do ciclo estral, o grupo OVR permaneceu com maior frequência na fase diestro durante os 2 meses. O grupo LIN100 apresentou-se 100% em diestro e o LIN250, 94,5% (1º mês) e 93,5% (2º mês). Na maior dose testada (grupo LIN500), a linhaça mostrou, no 2º mês, 14,3% de pró-estro e 61,9% de diestro. O grupo BE atingiu 100% de estro no fim do tratamento. A ovariectomia induziu aumento de peso corporal no grupo OVR (19,6%), que foi prevenido nos grupos LIN e BE. Além disso, os grupos tratados com o extrato não alteraram o peso uterino em relação ao OVR, que mostrou uma redução de 83,4% em comparação ao FO. Porém, no BE, houve aumento de 80,5% do peso uterino. A ovariectomia induziu um aumento na gordura intra-abdominal em 47,9% que foi reduzida no grupo LIN500 em 35,5% e no grupo BE em 45,8%. Nas análises bioquímicas não foi observada diferenças entre os grupos. Já na dosagem hormonal, o grupo OVR mostrou redução de 75,3% do estradiol em relação ao FO, enquanto que nos grupos tratados com o extrato não houve diferença em relação ao OVR. Para a progesterona, não houve diferença entre os grupos. A reatividade uterina ao carbacol, prostaglandina F2α e ocitocina foi diminuída com a ovariectomia, porém não foi alterada com o extrato de L. usitatissimum. Na análise histomorfométrica do útero, o grupo LIN500 mostrou um discreto aumento do epitélio luminal uterino em 12,8%, quando comparado ao grupo OVR. Para os outros parâmetros não houve diferenças, assim como na histomorfometria das mamas. Portanto, o extrato hidroalcoólico de L. usitatissimum apresenta potencial como alternativa à terapêutica na pós-menopausa, pois mostrou efeitos em parâmetros citológicos e tecido adiposo, sem estimular tecidos mamário e endometrial.

Mestrado em Engenharia Agronómica - Proteção das plantas / Instituto Superior de Agronomia
The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) established in the South of Portugal (Algarve), about 120 years ago. Zina et al. (2017) compared the composition of ant communities foraging in tree canopy in citrus orchards among the three ecological subregions of Algarve (Litoral, Barrocal and Serra) and observed that the invasive dominant species L. humile was absent from Serra. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that dominant native ant species, such as Tapinoma nigerrimum (Nylander) and Lasius grandis Forel could prevent the Argentine ant from invading Serra. Laboratory experiments were carried out, using both Petri dish arenas and cages to assess the antagonistic interactions between the Argentine ant and two dominant native species, at the individual and colony level, respectively. Overall, our results support the tested hypothesis. At the individual level, both T. nigerrimum and L. grandis showed higher aggression and survival levels than Argentine ant. At the colony level, the results suggest that both the Argentine ant and T. nigerrimum were able to recruit a relative large number of individuals from the colony when trying to colonise a food resource defended by the competitor species. In our experimental conditions, T. nigerrimum showed to be more efficient than Argentine ant in this type of competition, as it was able to defend a food resource in four out of five times from the attack of the former species, as well as to dominate a resource defended by Argentine ant in four out of five times
N/A

La formiga invasora Linepithema humile (Mayr), també coneguda com la formiga argentina, és una espècie present a la península Ibèrica. En aquesta tesi s'ha estudiat com afecta la presència d'aquesta espècie plaga a la comunitat de formigues autòctones y al procés de dispersió de llavors de plantes mediterrànies. L'estudi es va dur a terme en una àrea de sureda i brolla d'estepes i bruc boal situada al nord-est peninsular, prop de la línia de costa mediterrània.
Un dels primers y més notables efectes de la invasió a les nostres àrees d'estudi és la dramàtica alteració de la comunitat de formigues, en forma de una reducció de la riquesa específica i de la homogeneïtat d'abundàncies. A més, a les zones envaïdes no hi queda cap espècie de formiga autòctona dispersant de llavors. A causa de la gran abundància d'obreres de la formiga argentina a les zones envaïdes, i del seu elevat ritme d'activitat, aquesta espècie efectua un intens rastreig del sòl, la qual cosa li permet localitzar els recursos en un temps menor que les formigues autòctones de les zones no envaïdes. No obstant, la obertura mandibular de la comunitat de formigues esdevé molt disminuïda a les zones envaïdes a causa de la desaparició de les espècies autòctones, la majoria d'elles de mida més grossa que la formiga argentina, la qual cosa podria limitar la capacitat de manipulació de l'entorn que té la comunitat de formigues a les zones envaïdes, i podria explicar la falta de reemplaçament d'alguns dels rols que duien a terme les espècies de formigues autòctones abans de la invasió.
La formiga argentina es mostra atreta per les llavors de les nou espècies vegetals estudiades (dues euforbiàcies: Euphorbia biumbellata i E. characias; dues compostes: Cirsium vulgare i Galactites tomentosa; i cinc papilionàcies: Genista linifolia, G. monspessulana, G. triflora, Sarothamnus arboreus i Ulex parviflorus), arribant a transportar i fins i tot introduir al niu algunes llavors, però amb probabilitats inferiors a les realitzades per les formigues autòctones de les zones no envaïdes. No obstant, el seu comportament davant les nou espècies de llavors és variable, de manera que sembla que el seu efecte sobre la dispersió de llavors podria ser diferent per a cada espècie vegetal. L'alteració del procés de dispersió no sembla alterar l'èxit reproductiu d'una espècie concreta, Euphorbia characias, a les zones envaïdes; ni el seu reclutament, ni la distribució espacial, ni la supervivència de les plàntules són significativament diferents a les zones envaïdes que a les no envaïdes.
La desaparició de les espècies de formigues granívores de les zones envaïdes pot afectar la dinàmica de les llavors de plantes no mirmecòcores. Així, les llavors de tres papilionàcies (Calicotome spinosa, Psoralea bituminosa i Spartium junceum) resulten amb un menor nivell de transports (i probablement menor depredació) a les zones envaïdes per la formiga argentina.
The invasive ant Linepithema humile (Mayr), known as the Argentine ant, is present in the Iberian peninsula. This thesis is focused on the effect of the presence of this pest ant over the native ant community and the seed dispersal process of Mediterranean plants. The study was carried out in a cork oak secondary forest situated in the north-eastern Iberian peninsula, near the Mediterranean coast.
One of the first and most notorious effects of the invasion in our study areas is the dramatic alteration of the ant community, with a reduction of the ant species richness and the homogeneity of abundances. Moreover, any native seed dispersal ant remains at the invaded zones. Due to the higher abundance of Argentine ant workers in the invaded areas, and their higher "tempo" of activity, this species carries out an intense soil surface searching and can find resources in a lower time than native ants do in the non-invaded zones. However, the mandible gap of the ant community becomes highly reduced in the invaded zones due to the displacement of the native ant species, most of them bigger than the Argentine ant. This could limit the ability of ants in handling the environment in the invaded zones, and could explain the lack of replacement of some tasks carried out by the native ants before the invasion.
The Argentine ant is attracted by the seeds of the nine studied plant species (two euforbiaceae: Euphorbia biumbellata and E. characias; two compositae: Cirsium vulgare and Galactites tomentosa; and five papilionaceae: Genista linifolia, G. monspessulana, G. triflora, Sarothamnus arboreus and Ulex parviflorus), transporting and even introducing some seeds to the nest, but with lower probabilities than the native ants in the non-invaded zones. However, its behavior in front of the nine seed species is variable, so the effect over the seed dispersal process could be different for each plant species. The alteration of the seed dispersal process appears not to affect the reproductive success of a single species, Euphorbia characias, in the invaded zones; neither recruitment, spatial distribution, nor survival of seedlings are significantly different between the invaded and the non-invaded zones.
The disappearance of the native granivorous ant species from the invaded zones can affect the seed dynamics of non-myrmecochorous species. In this sense, seeds of three papilionaceae (Calicotome spinosa, Psoralea bituminosa and Spartium junceum) result with a lower level of transport (and probably lower predation) in zones invaded by the Argentine ant.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduced species displace native species and alter ecological communities, affect agriculture as well as human health and are economically costly to eradicate. Long term monitoring of introduced species including the documentation of levels of genetic variation is therefore of the utmost importance. This study investigated the distribution of genetic variation in two introduced species distributed across South Africa the bud gall-forming wasp Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae and the Argentine ant Linepithema humile. The bud gall-forming wasp was introduced into South Africa as a biological control agent to curb the spread of the invasive long-leaved wattle Acacia longifolia. In addition to the intended (target) host, the bud gall-forming wasp has also colonised A. floribunda, a noninvasive ornamental plant. Limited genetic variation was found across South Africa based on the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Only 3 haplotypes characterized 53 individuals collected from 23 localities (nucleotide diversity £k = 0.002 ¡Ó 0.001, haplotype diversity h = 0.482 ¡Ó 0.045). No significant partitioning of genetic variation was found across South Africa including between host plants (target host = A. longifolia, non target host = A. floribunda) or between the core (sites of introduction) and edge (naturally dispersed) sites (ƒ¶ST = 0.094, P = 0.288). The limited genetic variation and the absence of significant genetic structure are congruent with patterns described for many other introduced species and may suggest that propagule pressure plays only a minor role in species establishment and spread of the gall-forming wasp across South Africa. Mitochondrial and nuclear markers were used to describe the distribution of genetic variation within Argentine ants across their introduced range in South Africa. For the mitochondrial DNA, low genetic diversity was found for the COI gene with only five haplotypes, separated by single mutational changes, characterizing 101 specimens from 35 localities (nucleotide diversity π = 0.001 ± 0.001, haplotype diversity h = 0.151 ± 0.048). Notwithstanding the low levels of genetic diversity, mitochondrial variation was significantly structured (ST = 0.54, P < 0.001) across the landscape. In contrast, microsatellite analyses of 230 ants from 23 localities, employing six polymorphic microsatellite markers, revealed a relatively high amount of genetic diversity (HE = 0.51 ± 0.22). Significant population structure was similarly evident (RST = 0.14, P < 0.001) with the localities of Elim2, Porterville2 and Bloemfontein2 clustering as a distinct population from the remainder of the localities. Importantly, individuals from these localities also had a unique mitochondrial haplotype and, when taken with the nuclear results, may indicate the occurrence of more than one introduction event (and possibly more than one colony) in South Africa. This is further underscored by the presence of unique microsatellite alleles in these three populations. In an attempt to establish the source populations for the introduction of Argentine ants into South Africa, mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences were generated for a subset of ants representing the two major genetic clades across South Africa. A comparison with the published data from across the world including the native range of the Argentine ant in South America grouped Argentine ants from South Africa with three potential source populations namely Ocampo and Rosario in Argentina and Passo do Lontra in Brazil. The results of this study underscore the role of human-mediated dispersal in shaping the levels of genetic variation in both species. Human-mediated dispersal can lead to genetic homogenization across populations.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Indringer spesies verplaas of verander ekologiese gemeenskappe, beinvloed landbou asook menslike gesondheid en is ekonomies duur om te verwyder. Langtermyn monitering van indringer spesies asook die dokumentasie van genetiese variasie is dus baie belangrik. Hierdie studie bestudeer die verspreiding van genetiese variasie in twee indringer spesies wat regoor Suid-Afrika voorkom, naamlik die kroongal-vormende wespe Trichilogaster acaciaelongifoliae en die Argentynse mier Linepithema humile. Die kroongal-vormende wesp is na Suid Afrika gebring as biologiese beheeragent om die verspreiding van indringer lang-blarige wattle Acacia longifolia te beveg. Die kroongalvormende wespe het sowel die teiken spesies, asook A. floribunda, ‘n nie-indringer ornamentele plant gekoloniseer. Beperkte genetiese variasie is gevind regoor Suid Afrika gebasseer op die mitochondriale DNA sitokroom-oksidasie subeenheid I (COI) geen. Slegs 3 haplotipes karakteriseer 53 indiviue van 23 bevolkings (nukleotied diversiteit π = 0.002 ± 0.001, haplotiep diversiteit h = 0.482 ± 0.045). Geen beduinde groepering van genetiese variase is gevind regoor Suid Afrika nie (ST = 0.094, P = 0.288). Hierdie bevinding geld onafhanklik van die gasheer plant (teiken gasheer = A. longifolia, nie-teiken gasheer = A. floribunda). Ook is geen beduidende genetiese groepering gevind tussen die sentrale (plek van inisiele blootstelling) en perifêre (natuurlik verspreide) lokaliteite nie. Die kleinskaalse genetiese variase en die afwesigheid van beduidende genetiese struktuur wat hier gevind is, verskil van die patrone wat voorheen vir baie ander indringer-spesies beskryf is. Dit mag daarop dui dat ‘propagule’ druk slegs ’n klein rol speel in spesies-vestiging en verspreiding van die galvormende wespe regoor Suid-Afrika. Mitochondriale asook kern merkers is gebruik om die verspreiding van genetiese variasie in Argentynse miere in Suid Afrika te beskryf. Vir die mitochondriale DNA is lae genetiese variase gevind vir die COI geen, met slegs 5 haplotipes, gedifferensieer deur enkele mutasie veranderinge wat 101 monsters van 35 lokaliteite karakteriseer (nukleotied diversiteit π = 0.001 ± 0.001, haplotiep diversiteit h = 0.151 ± 0.048). Desondanks die lae genetiese variasie, is gevind dat mitochondriale variasie beduidend gestruktureerd is (ST = 0.54, P < 0.001) oor die landskap. Hierteenoor het mikrosatelliet analises van 230 miere van 23 lokaliteite, deur gebruik te maak van ses polimorfiese mikrosatelliet merkers, ’n relatiewe hoë hoeveelheid genetiese diversiteit aangedui. Beduidende bevolkingstruktuur was ook gevind (RST = 0.14, P < 0.001) in die areas Elim2, Porterville2 en Bloemfontein2 wat saam groepeer as eiesoortige bevolkings vergeleke met die res van die areas. Ook van belang is dat individue van die areas ’n unieke mitochondriale haplotipe besit, en in kombinasie met die kern resultate, mag dit die voorkoms van meer as een blootstellingsgeleentheid (en moontlik meer as een kolonie) in Suid Afrika aandui. Hierdie bevinding word verder beklemtoon deur die teenwoordigheid van unieke mikrosatelliet allele in die drie bevolkings. In ‘n poging om die oorsprong van die oorsprong-bevolking vir die blootstelling van Argentynse miere in Suid Afrika vas te stel, is mitochondriale sitokroom b volgordes gegenereer vir ’n substel miere wat die twee hoof genetiese klades in Suid Afrika voorstel. Vergelyking met gepubliseerde data van regoor die wêreld, insluitende die endemiese gebied van die Argentynse mier in Suid Amerika, het die Argentynse mier van Suid Afrika met drie potensiele oorsprong-bevolking verbind, naamlik Ocampo en Rosario in Argentina en Passo do Lontra in Brazil.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Anacardium humile St. Hill. (Anacardiaceae), a native species from Brazilian Savanna is used in feeding and as medical plant. Popularly, all the plant parts are utilized: the nut oil is used to cauterize skin injuries, the leaves and stem peel are indicated against diarrhea and as expectorant, the pseudo fruit is reported as antisyphilis medication, the flowers are employed against cough and to lower the blood glucose. This work has tested the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and the mutagenic potential of the aqueous extract from A. humile leaves. The cavity method in dishes was utilized to test the antimicrobial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and yeast. The results were negative for all concentrations used. To test the antioxidant activity, the methods DPPH , iron chelating activity and deoxyribose assay were utilized. The most favorable values were found at DPPH and iron chelating activity tests, showing that aqueous extract of A. humile is composed by antioxidants that may kidnap free radicals in vitro, suggesting that there are different mechanisms responsible for this activity. The mutagenic potential was tested utilizing the Ames Test only in the absence of metabolization factor (S9 fraction) using TA98 and TA100 strains, and in these conditions, the extract didn t present mutagenicity.
Anacardium humile St. Hill. (Anacardiaceae), espécie nativa do Cerrado brasileiro é utilizada na alimentação e como planta medicinal. Popularmente são utilizadas todas as suas partes: o óleo da castanha é usado como cautério para afecções da pele, as folhas e a casca do caule são indicadas contra diarréia e como expectorante, o pseudofruto é referido como anti-sífilitico, as inflorescências são empregadas contra tosse e para baixar a glicose sanguínea. Este trabalho testou a atividade antimicrobiana, antioxidante e fez uma análise preliminar do potencial mutagênico do extrato aquoso das folhas de A. humile. Utilizou-se o método cavidade em placa para atividade antimicrobiana sobre bactérias Gram positivas, Gram negativas e fungos leveduriformes. Os resultados foram negativos em todas as concentrações testadas. Para a atividade antioxidante, foram usados os métodos do DPPH , atividade quelante de ferro e ensaio da desoxiribose. Os valores mais significativos foram encontrados nos testes do DPPH e na atividade quelante de ferro, demonstrando que o extrato aquoso de A. humile contém componentes antioxidantes que podem sequestrar radicais livres em condições in vitro, sugerindo que existem diferentes mecanismos responsáveis por esta atividade. O potencial mutagênico foi testado utilizando o Teste de Ames apenas na ausência do sistema de metabolização exógeno (fração S9), utilizando as linhagens TA98 e TA100 e, nestas condições, o extrato não apresentou mutagenicidade.
Mestre em Genética e Bioquímica

Os envenenamentos ofídicos constituem um problema relevante de saúde pública em diversas regiões do mundo, particularmente em países da zona tropical e neotropical. A fisiopatologia do acidente ofídico é constituída por uma série de eventos complexos tanto a nível local quanto sistêmico, e o soro antiofídico é o único tratamento utilizado. No entanto, os efeitos tóxicos locais induzidos durante o envenenamento por serpentes, principalmente do gênero Bothrops, não são eficientemente neutralizados pela soroterapia tradicional. Por esta razão, procuram-se alternativas complementares, como as plantas medicinais antiofídicas que são usadas por comunidades que não têm acesso a soroterapia. A flora brasileira possui uma ampla variedade de plantas medicinais com potencial antiofídico, as quais têm sido pouco estudadas cientificamente. Neste estudo foram realizados ensaios in vitro e in vivo de neutralização de peçonhas ofídicas com o extrato aquoso das entrecascas de Anacardium humile (EAAh), e, o isolamento e a caracterização fitoquímica de um inibidor de miotoxinas, o ácido gálico (AG). Para os ensaios de inibição, foram utilizadas soluções contendo peçonha bruta ou toxina isolada misturadas com diferentes quantidades de extrato vegetal que foram previamente incubadas por 30 min a 37°C. Também foi realizada administração do extrato após o envenenamento em diferentes intervalos de tempo para os testes de inibição da miotoxicidade. Observou-se que EAAh tem atividade inibitória sobre os efeitos tóxicos (letalidade, miotoxicidade, e hemorragia) e farmacológicos/enzimáticos (edema, atividade fosfolipásica e coagulante) induzidos pelas peçonhas de serpentes dos gêneros Bothrops, Crotalus, Lachesis e das toxinas isoladas. O extrato vegetal inibiu 100% a letalidade induzida pela peçonha de C. d. terrificus e sua principal neurotoxina, a crotoxina. O EAAh foi submetido a fracionamento cromatográfico analítico, e em condições polares foi possível identificar e isolar o ácido gálico, o qual demonstrou tempo de retenção e espectros de ressonância magnética nucleares similares ao padrão comercial e a dados de literatura deste mesmo composto, respectivamente. O ácido gálico isolado foi capaz de inibir a atividade miotóxica induzida pela peçonha bruta de B. jararacussu e sua principal miotoxina, a bothropstoxina-I, uma PLA2-símile Lys49. A análise dos espectros de dicroísmo circular e os estudos de interação por modelagem molecular sugerem que o ácido gálico forma um complexo com a BthTX-I de B. jararacussu em seu sítio ativo, inibindo sua atividade tóxica. A ligação do ácido gálico com as miotoxinas não modificou nem a forma e nem a intensidade dos espectros de dicroísmo circular, não induzindo alterações significativas na porcentagem dos diversos domínios que constituem a estrutura secundária destas proteínas. O ácido gálico assim como outros taninos, tem revelado-se um bom inibidor das ações tóxicas de peçonhas de serpentes e está relacionado com a ação inibitória do extrato de Anacardium humile.
Ophidian envenomations are a significant problem of public health in several regions of the world, particularly in tropical and neotropical countries. The pathophysiology of snakebite accidents is constituted by a complex series of events both locally and systemically, and the antivenom serum is the only treatment used. However, local toxic effects induced during envenomation by snakes, especially from the genus Bothrops, are not effectively neutralized by the traditional serum therapy. For this reason, additional alternatives are made necessary, such as the use of medicinal plants that are used by communities with no access to serum therapy. The Brazilian flora possesses a wide variety of medicinal plants with antiophidian potential, which have been little-studied scientifically. In the present study, we performed in vitro and in vivo neutralization of snake venoms with the aqueous extract of inner bark of Anacardium humile (EAAh), and the isolation and phytochemical characterization of an inhibitor of myotoxins, the gallic acid (GA). For the inhibition assays, we used solutions containing crude venom or isolated toxin mixed with different amounts of plant extracts that were previously incubated for 30 min at 37°C. Administration of the extract after envenomation was also performed at different time intervals for myotoxicity inhibition assays. It was observed that EAAh has inhibitory activity against the toxic (lethality, myotoxicity and hemorrhage) and pharmacological/enzymatic effects (edema-inducing, coagulant and phospholipase activities) induced by snake venoms of the genera Bothrops, Crotalus, Lachesis and isolated toxins. The plant extract inhibited 100% of the lethality induced by C. d. terrificus venom and its major neurotoxin, crotoxin. The EAAh was subjected to analytical chromatographic separation, and in polar conditions, it was possible to identify and isolate the gallic acid, which showed retention time and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra similar to the commercial standard and to literature data of this same compound, respectively. Gallic acid alone was able to inhibit the myotoxic activity induced by crude venom of B. jararacussu and its main myotoxin, BthTX-I, a Lys49 PLA2-like enzyme. The analysis of circular dichroism spectra and interaction studies by molecular modeling suggest that gallic acid forms a complex with BthTX-I in its active site, which inhibits its toxic activity. The binding of gallic acid to myotoxins did not change neither the form nor the intensity of circular dichroism spectra, not inducing significant changes in the percentage of the various domains that form the secondary structure of these proteins. The gallic acid and other tannins have been showed to be good inhibitors of the toxic effects of snake venoms, and our study showed that this acid is related to the inhibitory action of the Anacardium humile extract.

We studied the characteristics and effects of the Argentine ant invasion on the native ants and other arthropods. Moreover, we assessed the effects of L. humile winter nest aggregations extirpation on its population dynamics. We measured the spread of its invasion and evaluated its nest-site preferences. Artificial nests used as a control tool were also assessed. Results indicate that the invasion causes important changes in the native ant community structure. The invasion spread is influenced by air temperature, and habitat perturbations could be favouring a faster expansion. The extirpation diminished the abundance of this ant and disturbed its population dynamics. In order to make this method more efficient, extirpation should be made in the edge of the invasion, and should focus on nests under larger rocks where mature nests are more likely to be found. Finally, this method is proposed mainly for controlling its invasion in closed or isolated areas.
Es van comparar les característiques i els efectes de la invasió de la formiga argentina sobre la comunitat de formigues natives, i altres artròpodes. Es va avaluar l'efecte de l'extirpació d’agregacions de nius d’hivern, la selecció de llocs de nidificació i l'ús de nius artificials com a eina de control, i es va mesurar la seva taxa d'expansió. Es va trobar que la invasió provoca canvis importants en la comunitat de formigues natives. La temperatura ambiental influeix en l'expansió, i les pertorbacions de l'hàbitat podrien afavorir una propagació més ràpida. L'extirpació disminueix la seva abundància i pertorba la seva dinàmica poblacional. L'extirpació s'ha de fer al marge de la invasió, i s'ha de centrar en nius situats sota les pedres més grans que és on hi ha més probabilitat de trobar nius madurs. Finalment, aquest mètode es proposa principalment per al control de la invasió en àrees tancades o aïllades.

La fourmi d'Argentine (Linepithema humile) est une des espèces invasives parmi les plus nuisibles au monde. Dans le cadre des invasions biologiques, les résistances biotiques sont souvent les dernières barrières des écosystèmes. Une hypothèse, jamais testé in natura, de résistance de la part d'une fourmi du genre Tapinoma face à L. humile a été émise. Pour le démontrer, nous avons choisi d'expérimenter en laboratoire et in natura. Nos terrains d'études privilégiés ont été, outres des sites du littoral méditerranéen français, 4 îles situées en face du littoral envahi par la fourmi d'Argentine. Parmi celles-ci, deux contiennent à la fois la fourmi d'Argentine et des espèces du genre Tapinoma. L'identification difficile des espèces du genre Tapinoma étant sujette à une controverse scientifique, nous avons dû différencier de façon certaine cinq d'entre elles, par leurs morphologies et leurs signatures chimiques. En Provence, trois espèces ont été observées : T. erraticum, T. madeirense et T. nigerrimum. Sur l'île de Ratonneau, un suivi sur 2 ans de la vitesse d'invasion de L. humile en milieu naturel, avec ou sans T. nigerrimum, met en évidence une vitesse d'invasion très faible, voire un recul dans la zone à T. nigerrimum. Les colonies de T. nigerrimum de l'île de Ratonneau semblent faire obstacle à la progression de l'invasion. Des études comportementales préliminaires, conduites en laboratoire, entre fragments de nids de T. nigerrimum et L. humile nous avaient permis de confirmer les capacités de T. nigerrimum à résister face à l'invasive. Ainsi, les ouvrières T. nigerrimum défendent mieux leurs territoires, allant jusqu'à accaparer celui des L. humile
The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is one of the world's worst invasive species. We used various analyses to determine its invasion pattern on the Provence coast, confirming the presence of a second supercolony. Chemical and behavioral analyses of worker interactions on the supercolony border identified a peaceful border zone. When biological invasion occurs, biotic resistance is often ecosystems' last defense. Could a dominant ant from Tapinoma genus resist L. humile invasion? To demonstrate this possibility, we conducted both laboratory and in natura experiements. Besides the invaded Mediterranean coast, we selected four nearby islands, two of which were found to contain both L. humile and Tapinoma spp. Identification of Mediterranean Tapinoma being controversial, we used both morphological and chemical analyses to ensure reliable discrimination. On the coast, we found T. erraticum, T. madeirense and T. nigerrimum. In natura, on Ratonneau Island, two-year field monitoring showed a slow rate of Argentine ant invasion and even retreat, faced with T. nigerrimum. T. nigerrimum colonies seem to block L. humile invasion. Laboratory behavioral studies between nests of T. nigerrimum and L. humile confirm T. nigerrimum's ability to stand up to Argentine ants: T. nigerrimum workers protect and defend their territories better, even taking over Argentine ant nests

Orientadores: João Ernesto de Carvalho, Mary Ann Foglio
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
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Resumo: Os primeiros registros históricos da humanidade já relatavam o uso.de plantas para tratamento de diversos males e, com o aprimoramento dos estudos e técnicas de purificação, isolamento e identificação dos princípios ativos, foi possível o desenvolvimento de medicamentos para utilização em diversas patologias, inclusive na quimioterapia do câncer. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a atividade anticâncer de duas espécies da flora brasileira, Anacardium humile St. Hil. e Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miquel, de uso medicinal popular. Os extratos brutos diclorometânico (EBD) e etanólico (EBE) das folhas dessas espécies foram avaliados em ensaio de citotoxicidade in vitro em cultura de células tumorais humanas. Como o EBD de P. umbellata apresentou o melhor perfil de atividade in vitro, foi selecionado para avaliação em modelo de câncer murino, o tumor ascítico de Ehrlich. Nesse modelo, esse extrato apresentou atividade anti-tumoral dose dependente e, com isso, a identificação dos princípios responsáveis por essa atividade tomou-se fundamental. Desse modo, o EBD foi submetido a diversos procedimentos cromatográficos, sendo as frações obtidas biomonitoradas pelo teste de citotoxicidade. Esse procedimento permitiu a identificação de duas frações com elevada potência e seletividade anticâncer, sendo que na primeira fração (A) foram identificados derivados do ácido oxálico e na segunda (C), esteróides e triterpenos. A indução de morte celular por apoptose, avaliada por imunocitoquímica, foi significativa nas células UACC-62, OVCAR-3 e NCIADR/ RES quando tratadas pela fração A e nas células UACC-62, OVCAR-3 e 786-0, quando tratadas pela fração C. Uma outra fração (B), constituída principalmente do composto 4-nerolidilcatecol, não apresentou atividade anticâncer significativa. Esses resultados estimulam a continuidade dos estudos com a P. umbellata, com o objetivo de identificar os princípios ativos, determinar o mecanismo de ação anticâncer e comprovar sua atividade em modelos experimentais de câncer in vivo
Abstract: Plants are used in folk medicine since old times of human history, and improvements in techonology, research, purification techniques, isolation and identification of active principIes have allowed the discovery and development of new molecules as drugs for terapheutics of many diseases, such as cancer. This work aimed the evaluation of the anticancer activity of two Brazilian species, Anacardium humile St. Hil. and Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miquel, used in folk medicine. Dichlorometanic (DCE) and ethanolic (ECE) crude extracts obtained from leaves of both species were tested in an in vitro citotoxicity assay against human cancer celllines. As long as P. umbellata's DCE showed the best anticancer activity profile, it was also evaluated in a murine cancer model, the Ehrlich Ascite Tumor (EAT). In this experiment, DCE also demonstrated a dose response relationship anticancer activity; therefore the isolation and identification of the active principIe responsible for that activity became the major focus of this work. As a result, DCE was submitted to many cromatographic procedures which were bioguided by the anticancer assay in vitro. This chromatographic purifications permitted identification of two main fractions with high potency and selectivity: fraction A consitituted by oxalic acid derivatives, and fraction C by steroids and triterpenes. The quantification of apoptosis induction by immuncytochemical analysis were significant for UACC-62, OVCAR-3 and NCI-ADR/ RES celllines treated with fraction A, whereas UACC-62, OVCAR-3 and 786- o cells lines went to apoptosis when exposed to fraction C. A third fraction, denominated fraction B, was rich in 4-nerolidylcathecol, widely knowm for this plant specie, and did not show any significative anticancer activity. These results encouraged following up on studies with P. umbellata, priorizing the identification of active principIes, the determination of anticancer mechanism of action and to prove the anticancer activity in experimental cancer models in vivo
Mestrado
Biologia Celular
Mestre em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

The Argentine Ant, Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is one of the world's most successful invasive species and invades undisturbed Fynbos habitats in South Africa, displacing native arthropod species and affecting interspecific associations. In order to assess the impact of Li. humile on native ant assemblages and associations between ants and myrmecophilous butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) on the western slopes of Table Mountain (Cape Town, South Africa), adult butterfly density was scored and distribution of food plants were assessed at two sites.

Cette thèse est consacrée à la modélisation de la formation spontanée de chemins préférentiels par des marcheurs déposant des traces attractives sur leurs trajectoires. Plus précisément, par une démarche pluridisciplinaire couplant modélisation et expérimentation, elle vise à dégager un ensemble de règles minimales individuelles permettant l'apparition d'un tel phénomène. Dans ce but, nous avons étudié sous différents angles les modèles minimaux que sont les marches aléatoires renforcées (MAR).Ce travail comporte deux parties principales. La première démontre de nouveaux résultats dans le domaine des probabilités et statistiques. Nous avons généralisé le travail publié par M. Benaïm et O. Raimond en 2010 afin d'étudier l'asymptotique d'une classe de MAR auxquelles les demi-tours sont interdits. Nous avons également développé une procédure statistique permettant, sous certaines conditions adéquates de régularité, d'estimer les paramètres de MAR paramétrées et d'évaluer des marges d'erreur.Dans la seconde partie, sont décrits les résultats et analyses d'une étude comportementale et expérimentale de la fourmi Linepithema humile. Une partie de notre réflexion est centrée sur le rôle et la valeur des paramètres du modèle proposé par J.-L. Deneubourg et al. en 1990. Nous nous sommes aussi demandés dans quelle mesure une MAR peut reproduire les déplacements d'une fourmi dans un réseau. Dans ces objectifs, nous avons mené des expériences confrontant des fourmis à des réseaux à une ou plusieurs bifurcations. Nous avons appliqué aux données expérimentales les outils statistiques développés dans cette thèse. Nous avons aussi effectué une étude comparative entre les simulations de plusieurs modèles et les expériences
This thesis is devoted to the modelisation of the spontaneous formation of preferential paths by walkers that deposit attractive trails on their trajectories. More precisely, through a multidisciplinary approach, which combines modelisation and experimentation, this thesis aims to bring out a set of minimal individual rules that allow the apparition of this phenomena. In this purpose, we study in several ways the minimal models, which are the Reinforced Random Walks (RRW).This work contains two main parts. The first one proves some new results in the field of probability and statistics. We have generalized the work published by M. Benaïm and O. Raimond in 2010 in order to study the asymptotics of a class of RRW, to which U-turns are forbidden. We developped also a statistical procedure that allows under some appropriate regularity hypotheses to estimate the parameters of parametized RRW and to evaluate margins of error.In the second part, we describe the results and the analyses of a experimental and behavioral study of the Linepithema humile ants. One part of our reflection is centered on the role and the value of the parameters of the model defined by J.-L. Deneubourg et al. in 1990. We investigated also the extent to which RRW could reproduce the moving of an ant in a network. To these purposes, we performed experiments that confront ants to a network of one or several forks. We applied to experimental data the statistical tools developed in this thesis and we performed a comparative study between experiments and simulations of several models

Les phéromones sont des substances chimiques relâchées dans l'environnement par un individu qui déclenchent des comportements stéréotypés et/ou des processus physiologiques chez des individus de la même espèce. Cependant, une nouvelle hypothèse suggère que les phéromones non seulement suscitent des réponses innées mais contribuent également à la plasticité comportementale en agissant en "modulateurs" de phénomènes cognitifs. Nous avons étudié l'effet modulateur des phéromones sur les réponses réflexes, la prise de décision, et l'apprentissage chez trois espèces d'insectes qui sont des modèles emblématiques en recherche fondamentale et appliquée : l'abeille Apis mellifera, et les fourmis Camponotus aethiops and Linepithema humile. Dans une première étude, nous avons trouvé qu'une phéromone appétitive diminuait la sensibilité aversive, tandis qu'une phéromone d'alarme augmentait la sensibilité aversive chez l'abeille. Chez L. humile, une phéromone de piste synthétique augmentait la sensibilité au sucre et le temps de nourrissage. Globalement, nos résultats démontrent que certaines phéromones modulent la prépondérance des stimuli aversif et appétitif selon leur valence. De cette manière, elles affecteraient la motivation à s'engager dans des réponses aversives ou appétitives, agissant ainsi comme modulateurs de la plasticité comportementale. Nous avons ensuite déterminé l'effet d'une phéromone d'alarme (l'acide formique) sur la prise de décision et les systèmes de reconnaissance dans le cadre de la discrimination de congénères chez des fourmis charpentières. Nous avons trouvé que la phéromone d'alarme améliorait la discrimination en augmentant l'agressivité envers les non congénères et en la diminuant envers les congénères en même temps. Ces résultats remettent en question le modèle établi de reconnaissance de congénères. Nous proposons donc une version révisée de ce modèle. Enfin, nous avons teste l'effet de l'acide formique sur l'apprentissage et la généralisation. L'acide formique augmentait la discrimination en conditionnement différentiel olfactif aversif. En conditionnement différentiel olfactif appétitif, l'acide formique modulait les dynamiques d'acquisition et la perception de la similarité des odeurs. Nous suggérons que les phéromones affectent la perception des odeurs conditionnées et des renforcements selon la nature des odeurs et leurs valeurs intrinsèques pour l'individu, ainsi que la valence des renforcements. Cette thèse présente les premières analyses intégrées de la modulation phéromonale chez deux taxa : les abeilles et les fourmis. Les résultats présentés nous permettent de comprendre une partie des modes d'action des phéromones et ouvrent la voie à de futures études afin de comprendre les mécanismes qui sous-tendent l'effet modulateur des phéromones
Pheromones are chemical substances released into the environment by an individual, which trigger stereotyped behaviors and/or physiological processes in individuals of the same species. Yet, a novel hypothesis has suggested that pheromones not only elicit innate responses but also contribute to behavioral plasticity by acting as "modulators" of cognitive phenomena. We studied the modulator effect of pheromones on reflex responses, decision making and learning in three insect species that are emblematic models for fundamental and applied research: the honeybee Apis mellifera, and the ants Camponotus aethiops and Linepithema humile. In the first study, we found that an appetitive pheromone decreased aversive responsiveness, while an alarm pheromone increased aversive responsiveness in honey bees. In L. humile, a synthetic trail pheromone increased sucrose responsiveness and feeding time. Overall, our results demonstrate that certain pheromones modulate the salience of aversive and appetitive stimuli according to their valence. In this way, they would affect the motivation to engage in aversive or appetitive responses, thus acting as modulators of behavioral plasticity. We then determined the effect of an alarm pheromone (formic acid) on decision making and recognition systems in the frame of nestmate discrimination in carpenter ants. We found that the alarm pheromone improved discrimination by increasing aggressiveness towards non-nestmates and decreasing aggressiveness towards nestmates at the same time. These results challenge the established model of nestmate recognition. We therefore propose a revised version of this model. Eventually, we tested the effect of formic acid on learning and generalization. Formic acid increased discrimination in aversive olfactory differential conditioning. In appetitive olfactory differential conditioning, formic acid modulated the acquisition dynamics and perceived odor similarity. We suggest that pheromones affect the perception of conditioned odors and reinforcements depending on the nature of the odorants and their intrinsic values for the individual, as well as the valence of the reinforcements. This thesis presents the first integrated analyses of pheromone modulation in two insect taxa: honey bees and ants. The presented results allow us to understand some modes of action of pheromones and pave the way for future studies to understand the underlying mechanisms of this modulator effect of pheromones

The winter nesting behaviour of the Argentine ant seems to be intrinsic, and its success as an invasive species does not rely on a shift in social organization, nor on a shift in its mode of nesting associated with the introduction to new habitats. Differences in energy investment in queens seem to respond to the different ecological contexts between studied zones. Therefore, L. humile could be experiencing a change in their biological strategies to become an invasive species. Regarding the management of the invasion by means of manual removal of nests, we suggest to do it in winter, at the front, and yearly. Finally, P. pygmaea seems to be affected by L. humile in the front, and to be benefitting in the centre, because L. humile reduces the competitive pressure on it by retracting other native species in the centre, and also because the existence of a certain degree of habituation between these two species
El comportament de L. humile per niar a l'hivern sembla ser intrínsec, i el seu èxit com a espècie invasora no basar-se ni en un canvi en l'organització social, ni en la seva manera de niar associada a la introducció en nous hàbitats. Les diferències en la inversió energètica en reines semblen respondre als diferents contextos ecològics de les zones estudiades. Per tant, L. humile podria patir un canvi en les seves estratègies biològiques per tal de convertir-se en una espècie invasora. Pel que fa a la gestió de la invasió mitjançant l'extirpació manual de nius, es suggereix fer-la a l'hivern, al front de la invasió i anualment. Finalment, sembla que L. humile perjudica P. pygmaea al front, i la beneficia al centre, gràcies a que li disminueix la pressió competitiva, al centre, retraient a les altres formigues natives, i a l'existència d'un cert grau d'habituació entre ambdues espècies

We investigated whether the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) invasion modifies the trophic web of the sclerophyllous Mediterranean forests to the point that impacts co-occurring bird communities. We studied if the invaded cork oak forests represent an ecological trap for the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). The invasive ant dramatically impacts native ant communities in the areas studied. The Argentine ant alters the food supplies for the breeding foliage gleaning birds, basically through a depletion of the caterpillar availability in cork oaks. Nevertheless, the Argentine ant invasion does not affect the overall insectivorous birds’ communities. The detailed study of the reproductive dynamics of the blue tit do not provide evidences enough to assure that the blue tit is caught in an ecological trap in the Argentine ant invaded forests
S’avalua si la invasió de formiga argentina (Linepithema humile) modifica la xarxa tròfica dels boscos esclerofil·les mediterranis i arriba a afectar les comunitats d’ocells. Concretament s’estudia si les suredes envaïdes poden representar un parany ecològic per a la mallerenga blava (Cyanistes caeruleus). Els impactes de la invasió resulten ser dramàtics per a les formigues natives, a les que elimina gairebé del tot de les zones envaïdes. La invasió altera el proveïment de recursos alimentaris per a les pollades dels insectívors del fullatge, principalment a base de minvar la disponibilitat d’erugues en alzines sureres. La comparació de les poblacions reproductores d’ocells ens mostra, però, que la formiga argentina no sembla determinar en gran manera les comunitats d’ocells insectívors. L’estudi de la dinàmica reproductiva de la mallerenga tampoc proporciona evidències de què la invasió de formiga argentina constitueixi un parany ecològic per a la mallerenga blava

L'etude de l'assimilation du carbone chez thesium humile, une angiosperme hemiparasite de cereales en afrique du nord, a revele des particularites metaboliques. Le mannitol est le principal produit de la photosynthese. A la lumiere, il est synthetise dans le cytosol a partir du fructose-6-phosphate dont la conversion en mannitol s'effectue en 3 etapes successives catalysees respectivement par la mannose-6-phosphate isomerase, la mannose-6 phosphate reductase nadp dependante et la mannitol-1-phosphate phosphatase. La biosynthese du polyalcool est regulee surtout par des facteurs environnementaux et par la teneur en nadph, qui est principalement produit par le cycle des pentoses-phosphates. En comparaison avec le mannitol, le saccharose est un produit mineur de la photosynthese; la nuit, il est produit a partir du metabolisme du mannitol. Chacun de ces deux glucides joue un role particulier. Le mannitol, qui s'accumule au cours de la journee, represente une reserve de carbone et de pouvoir reducteur, une forme glucidique phloeme-mobile et un agent osmoregulateur important. De jour comme de nuit, le saccharose est rapidement hydrolyse et alimente ainsi le metabolisme general cellulaire par l'intermediaire de la glycolyse, du cycle de krebs et du metabolisme azote, ce dernier presentant la particularite d'etre stimule a l'obscurite. Le mannitol, plaque tournante du metabolisme carbone de l'hemiparasite, est absent chez l'hote. La mannose-6-phosphate reductase, enzyme cle de la synthese de l'hexitol, est donc une cible metabolique utilisable pour la mise au point d'une methode de lutte chimique selective. La nature et la configuration des molecules a caractere inhibiteur ont ete precisees. Cette etude ouvre des perspectives originales de lutte contre t. Humile, mais aussi contre d'autres angiospermes productrices de mannitol et parasites de grandes cultures dans les pays en voie de developpement (orobanche, osyris, striga)

O cerrado brasileiro é um dos biomas de maior riqueza e endemismo de plantas, mas com alto índice de desmatamento nas últimas décadas, o que resultou na fragmentação dos habtats e na ameaça de extinção de centenas de espécies vegetais. Dentre estas espécies ameaçadas está Anacardium humile, conhecida como cajuzinho-do-campo, uma planta caméfita de ampla distribuição pelo país, servindo de alimento para o homem e para alguns animais e apresentando propriedades medicinais. Estudos sobre a estrutura de populações de Anacardium humile são escassos na literatura, e seu entendimento é fundamental para a preservação e conservação da espécie. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho teve dois objetivos: 1) em duas fitofisionomias de cerrado distintas, estimar a abundância de ramets da espécie, seu padrão de distribuição espacial em macro e microescala, e a influencia da porcentagem de abertura do dossel na determinação deste padrão; 2) a construção de uma biblioteca genômica enriquecida de microssatélites para a espécie e o desenho de primers a partir desta biblioteca, a fim de isolar locos com potencial para uso como marcadores genéticos. Com relação ao primeiro objetivo, três parcelas de 0,5 ha, divididas em 200 subparcelas, foram instaladas (duas num fragmento de cerrado típico à cerradão e uma num fragmento de cerrado aberto), e todos os ramets da espécie foram amostrados por contagem, sendo discriminados os com e sem ataque de Contarinia sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Fotografias foram tiradas do centro de cada parcela para determinar a porcentagem de abertura do dossel. A abundância de ramets foi maior nas áreas mais abertas, mas a incidência de ataque de Contarinia sp foi maior no fragmento mais fechado. As análises de macroescala (Índice de Dispersão) e de microescala (Autocorrelação Espacial) mostraram que os ramets da espécie apresentam padrão agregado em ambas as áreas, mas que essa agregação, em microescala, não está relacionada à porcentagem de abertura do dossel, embora haja diferenças significativas para este ultimo fator entre os grids, indicando que o padrão é devido à sua forma de vida. Já em relação ao segundo objetivo, a construção da biblioteca genômica enriquecida de microssatélites resultou em 180 clones, dos quais 84 foram seqüenciados, sendo detectadas 23 sequências contendo microssatélites, o que representa um enriquecimento da biblioteca de 27,38%. Foram desenhados 15 pares de primers dentre os 34 microssatélites obtidos, mas apenas 7 pares amplificaram. Destes, cinco pares foram visualizados em acrilamida, e um loco polimórfico foi observado. O número de clones obtidos está dentro do observado em estudos com outras espécies da família Anacardiaceae, mostrando a eficiência do protocolo. Problemas com a otimização de reagentes podem ter impedido a amplificação de alguns primers, uma vez que os procedimentos para o desenho dos mesmos foram adequados. Os resultados de polimorfismo são preliminares, devido ao número baixo de indivíduos avaliados. Ao menos um loco apresenta potencial como marcador genético.
Brazilian cerrado is one of the richest and plants endemism biomes, but with a high deforestation in the last decades, resulted in habitats fragmentation and extinction threat of hundreds of plant species. Among these threatened species is Anacardium humile, known as cajuzinho-do-campo, a camephyth plant with a wide distribution through the country, which serves as aliment to man and some animals and presents some medical properties. Studies about Anacardium humiles populations structure are very scarce in the literature, and its understanding is fundamental to the preservation and conservation of the species. Thus, the present work had two objectives: 1) in two distincts cerrado plant physiognomies, estimate the abundance of species ramets, its spatial distribution pattern in macro and microscale, and the influence of canopy openness percentage in the determination of this pattern; 2) construction of a genomic enriched library with microsatellites to the species and primers design from this library, to isolate loci with potential to be used as genetic markers. In relation to the first objective, three 0,5 ha quadrats, divided in 200 contiguous quadrats of 25 m2, were installed (two in a typical cerrado to cerradão fragment and one in an open cerrado fragment), and all species ramets were sampled by count, being differentiated in with and without Contarinia sp attack ((Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Photographies of the center of each parcel were taken to determinate the percentage of canopys openness. The abundance of ramets were higher in the most opened areas, but the incidence of Contarinia sp attack were higher in the closest fragment. Macroscale (Dispersion Index) and microscale analysis (Spatial Autocorrelation) showed that species ramets present an aggregated pattern in both areas, but this aggregation is not related to the percentage of canopys openness, although there are significant differences to this last factor among the grids, indicating that pattern is due to its way of life. In relation to the second objective, the construction of genomic library enriched with microsatellites resulted in 180 clones, which 84 were sequenced, being detected 23 sequences containing microsatellites, representing a librarys enrichment of 27,38%. 15 primers pairs were designed among the 34 obtained microsatellites, but only 7 pairs amplified. From these, five pairs were visualized in acrylamide, and one polymorphic loco was observed. The number of obtained clones is in accordance with the observed in studies with another species from Anacardiaceae family, showing protocols efficiency. Problems with the optimization of reagents may have impeded the amplification of some primers, once that procedures to their design were suitable. Polymorphism results are preliminaries, due to low number of evaluated individuals. At least one loco presents potential as genetic marker.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of California, San Diego, 2009.
Title from first page of PDF file (viewed February 10, 2009). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Includes bibliographical references (p. 60-62).

Les inflorescències on és present la formiga argentina reben menys visitants, a les zones envaïdes, a més, desapareixen la majoria d'espècies de formigues autòctones, algunes de les quals podrien ser pol·linitzadores d'algunes espècies vegetals. Aquest efecte repel·lent i la desaparició de formigues autòctones es tradueix en una menor producció de fruits en plantes com Euphorbia characias o Euphorbia biumbellata
Argentine ant effects on pollination of several mediterranean species

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES
Aiming to characterize and evaluate the genetic diversity of cajuzinho-do-cerrado, in the 2016 harvest, three studies were conducted based on flowering characteristics and physical and chemical characteristics of cashew nuts and cashew apples. The works were conducted in the "ex situ" biological collection of Anacardium humile A. St.-Hil. and in the laboratory of genetics and molecular biology, both at the Universidade Federal de Goiás – Regional Jataí. For the first study, flowering characteristics of the accessions of the collection were evaluated. The results were submitted to the descriptive and multivariate analysis of the genetic diversity. For the second and third study, physical and chemical characteristics of cashew apples and cashew nuts (from 5 to 15 per access) were evaluated. In the second, the results were submitted to the descriptive analysis for each access and Pearson correlation among the variables measured. In the third, besides the descriptive analysis for the variables, the results were submitted to the multivariate analysis. Diversity was observed with bases on the attributes of flowering and fruiting, where the UPGMA dendrogram and Tocher method were efficient to demonstrate this diversity. The accessions from Serranópolis presented high values of number of flowers and percentage of flowering acess. Access 1 presented higher values for cashew nut size and higher access and vitamin C content of cashew apple, with vitamin C being significantly correlated with epidermal and pulp tonality, soluble solids content and cashew nut length.
Objetivando-se caracterizar e avaliar a diversidade genética de Cajuzinho-do-cerrado, na safra de 2016, foram conduzidos três estudos. Estes foram conduzidos na coleção biológica “ex situ” de Anacardium humile A. St.- Hil. e no Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, ambos na Universidade Federal de Goiás - Regional Jataí. Para o primeiro estudo foram avaliadas características da floração dos acessos da coleção. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise descritiva e multivariada. Para o segundo e terceiro estudos foram avaliadas características físicas e químicas dos pseudofrutos e frutos (de 5 a 15 por acesso). No segundo os resultados foram submetidos à análise descritiva para cada acesso e correlação de Pearson entre as variáveis mensuradas. No terceiro estudo, além da análise descritiva para as variáveis, os resultados foram submetidos à análise multivariada. Observou-se existência diversidade com bases nos atributos do florescimento e frutificação, onde, o dendrograma UPGMA e Método de Otimização de Tocher foram eficientes para demonstrar essa diversidade. Os acessos procedentes de Serranópolis apresentaram valores elevados de número de flores e percentual de acessos floridos. O acesso 1 apresentou valores superiores para as dimensões do fruto e o acesso 3 maior e teor de vitamina C do pseudofruto, sendo que a vitamina C obteve correlação significativa com a tonalidade da epiderme e da polpa, teor de sólidos solúveis e comprimento do fruto.

Regulation of reproduction is one central feature of social life. In particular, only a few individuals are in charge of producing offspring in eusocial species. This division of the reproductive labour is mainly mediated by pheromones emitted by the queens in social insects. These queen pheromones may signal the presence of a fertile queen so that workers react accordingly by taking care of her and not reproducing.

Here I investigated two aspects of the reproduction of two polygynous ant species. The first one, Linepithema humile, is a unicolonial, highly polygynous and invasive species. It has been the focus of numerous studies about queen pheromones; in particular, it has been reported that queen cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) profile is related to queen fertility. The other one, Tapinoma erraticum, is a multi-colonial, weakly polygynous and native species. Workers can lay haploid eggs in the absence of the queens which is impossible for Linepithema workers.

The major part of my thesis dealt with the queen fertility signalling issue. In the first two chapters I demonstrate the link between queen fertility and queen pheromone output. I first study a queen releaser pheromone, the queen retrieval behaviour. This behaviour is performed by the workers who lay a chemical trail toward a queen located outside the nest. I successfully show this behaviour to be related to queen fertility, and not mating status, in L. humile and T. erraticum since only fertile queens (mated or not) induce such recruitment. I then highlight the role of queen fertility in the prevention of worker reproduction in T. erraticum. Again, mated fertile queens and unmated fertile queens are both able to induce such primer effect. In a third chapter I report that CHC profiles may discriminate female castes (workers, queens, virgin queens, and virgin egg-laying queens) in T. erraticum. Finally, chapter 4 summarizes my attempts to prove that CHC may be involved in queen retrieval or queen attraction. None of the various bioassays tested allows me to demonstrate the putative role of CHC as queen pheromone.

In a second part, I was interested in the consequences of sex determination in T. erraticum. Chapter 5 presents the flow cytometry methodology (FC) which allowed me to score the number of sperm cells from spermathecae of several ant species, and to demonstrate that polygynous species (such as L. humile and T. erraticum) store less sperm than monogynous ones. FCM also allows determining the ploidy of sperm and adult somatic cells and chapter 6 which presents a large survey on the ploidy level within the species T. erraticum. This species displays diploid males that may produce diploid sperm which in turn can father a viable triploid female progeny. I report differences in the frequency of triploidy among female castes, the proportion of triploid workers being more important than triploid virgin queens whereas I never observed triploid mated fertile queens. Such results greatly suggest a putative regulatory mechanism involved in the rearing of triploid females. In the last chapter I investigated two populations that differ in the occurrence of triploid workers. I report these populations to vary in the number of queens and workers per nest.

/La régulation de la reproduction est un aspect essentiel de la vie sociale. En particulier, chez les espèces eusociales, seuls quelques individus sont impliqués dans la production de la descendance. Dans les sociétés d’insectes, une telle division du travail reproducteur est principalement assurée par l’émission de phéromones par les reines. Ces phéromones royales renseignent les membres de la colonie sur la présence d’une reine fertile, de telle sorte que les ouvrières réagissent en s’occupant d’elle et en s’abstenant de se reproduire.

Au cours de ce travail, je me suis intéressé à deux aspects de la reproduction au sein de deux espèces de fourmis polygynes. La première espèce, Linepithema humile, est invasive, unicoloniale et hautement polygyne dans les régions à climat méditerranéen. Elle a fait l’objet de nombreuses études portant notamment sur les phéromones royales. En particulier, il a été montré que le profil d’hydrocarbures cuticulaires (HCC) des reines est corrélé à leur fertilité. La seconde espèce, Tapinoma erraticum, est une espèce indigène, multi-coloniale et faiblement polygyne. Ses ouvrières sont capables de pondre des œufs mâles en absence de reines, ce dont sont incapables les ouvrières de Linepithema.

Je me suis principalement intéressé à la question de la signalisation de la fertilité des reines. Dans les deux premiers chapitres, je démontre le lien existant entre la fertilité des reines et la production de phéromone royale. J’ai d’abord étudié une phéromone incitatrice (releaser) qui provoque un recrutement royal. Ce comportement collectif très caractéristique correspond à la mise en place d’une piste chimique en direction d’une reine découverte par les ouvrières en dehors du nid. Je montre que ce comportement est lié à la fertilité de la reine chez les espèces L. humile et T. erraticum car seules les reines fertiles (fécondées ou non) sont capables de d’induire le recrutement royal. Je mets ensuite en évidence le rôle de la fertilité des reines dans la régulation de la reproduction des ouvrières de T. erraticum. A nouveau, les reines fécondées fertiles et les reines vierges fertiles sont toutes deux capables d’induire un même effet déclencheur (primer), en l’occurrence, l’inhibition de la reproduction des ouvrières. Dans un troisième chapitre, je montre que les profils d’hydrocarbures (HCC) permettent de distinguer sans ambiguïté les différentes castes femelles (ouvrières, reines fertiles, reines vierges et reines vierges pondeuses) chez T. erraticum. Enfin, le chapitre 4 résume mes tentatives pour démontrer le rôle des HCC dans les phénomènes de recrutement royal ou d’attractivité des reines. Aucun des bio-essais réalisés ne me permet de démontrer l’implication des HCC dans la phéromone royale.

Dans une seconde partie, je me suis intéressé aux conséquences du déterminisme du sexe chez T. erraticum. Le chapitre 5 présente cytométrie de flux (CF), une méthode qui me permet de compter les spermatozoïdes stockés dans les spermathèques de quelques espèces de fourmis et de montrer que les reines des espèces polygynes (telles que L. humile et T. erraticum) stockent moins de sperme que les espèces monogynes. La CF permet aussi de déterminer le niveau de ploïdie des cellules spermatiques ou somatiques chez l’adulte. Je me sers de cette application dans le chapitre 6 afin d’étudier le niveau de ploïdie au sein de l’espèce T. erraticum. Je montre que, dans les populations étudiées, il existe des mâles diploïdes et que ces mâles peuvent produire du sperme diploïde fertile, capable d’engendrer une descendance femelle triploïde. Je note des différences dans la fréquence des femelles triploïdes :la proportion d’ouvrières triploïdes est significativement plus importante que celle des reines vierges triploïdes. De plus, je n’ai jamais observé la présence de reines fécondées fertiles triploïdes. De tels résultats suggèrent fortement la présence d’un phénomène de régulation au cours de l’élevage du couvain triploïde. Dans le dernier chapitre, j’ai étudié deux populations de T. erraticum qui diffèrent au niveau de la proportion d’ouvrières triploïdes. Ces populations présentent des différences significatives dans le nombre de reines et d’ouvrières par nid.

Doctorat en Sciences
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

F�r die Therapie und Prophylaxe von Fischkrankheiten stehen nur wenige geeignete und zugelassene Medikamente zur Verf�gung. Daher kommt der Suche nach wirksamen und f�r Tier, Verbraucher und Umwelt sicheren Alternativen in der Fischhaltung eine besondere Bedeutung zu. �ber positive Effekte beim oralen Einsatz von Huminstoffen an landwirtschaftlichen Nutztieren, Zootieren und Heimtieren liegen eine Vielzahl von Berichten vor. Deshalb sollten in der vorliegenden Studie Huminstoffe (HS) in der �u�erlichen Anwendung bei Zierfischen und in der oralen Verabreichung �ber das Futter bei Nutzfischen n�her untersucht werden. Dazu wurden zwei Versuche (B I: Dauer 4 Tage; B II: Dauer 12 Tage) an Goldfischen (Carassius auratus) unter teichwirtschaftlichen Bedingungen, zwei Aufzuchtversuche (F I: Kv bis K3, Dauer: 1.000 Tage: F II: K0 bis K1, Dauer: 150 Tage) an Karpfen (Cyprinus carpio) in der Teichwirtschaft und ein Aufzuchtversuch (F III: vorgestreckte Brut bis 30 g Lebendmasse, 166 Tage) an Regenbogenforellen (Oncorhynchus mykiss) unter Laborbedingungen durchgef�hrt. Als Versuchsparameter dienten Mortalit�t und Morbidit�t, Wachstum und Futteraufwand in den Aufzuchtversuchen, pathologisch anatomische (einschlie�lich histologischer Befunde in B I und F II), parasitologische, bakteriologische und virologische Kriterien. Die Wasserqualit�t wurde regelm��ig ermittelt. In den Versuchen B I und B II wurde eine 10%ige Na-Humat-L�sung (HS vom Typ WH 67 SNa der Fa. Pharmawerk Weinb�hla) dem H�lterungswasser so zugesetzt, dass eine Na-Humat-Konzentration von 10 mg L-1 entstand. Zweij�hrige, multifaktoriell erkrankte Goldfische (B I: N=2 x 322, B II: N=2 x 100) wurden dem Na-Humat-Bad t�glich f�r die Dauer einer Stunde (B I) bzw. von 1,5 bis 2 Stunden (B II) ausgesetzt. Die HS-Badehandlungen f�hrten in beiden Versuchen zu einer Senkung der Verluste (Mortalit�tsrate in B I: 0,6 versus 4,7 %, p<0,0005; B II: 8 versus 16 %, p<0,05). Bei Versuchsende war in den Versuchsgruppen (Na-Humat-Bad) der Gesundheitszustand, beurteilt nach �u�erlich sichtbaren Ver�nderungen an Haut, Flossen und Kiemen, deutlich verbessert (B I: p<1�10-16; B II: p<0,001). So waren (Signifikanzangaben nur f�r B II) vor allem H�morrhagien der Haut und der Flossen (p<0,05), Flossenrand- und Kiemennekrosen (p<0,05) sowie akute Kiemenentz�ndungen (p<0,02) verringert. Die Badebehandlungen bewirkten weiter eine geringere Auspr�gung integument�rer Mykosen der Haut, Flossen und Kiemen durch Pilze der Gattung Saprolegnia (p<0,05). Der Befall von Haut und Kiemen mit vorrangig protozo�ren Ektoparasiten konnte insgesamt ebenso vermindert werden (p<0,01) wie der Befall der Kiemen mit Ichthyophthirius sp. (p<0,05). Aus der beobachteten Milderung von Krankheitssymptomen umweltbedingter, bakterieller, ektoparasit�rer und mykotischer Genese nach Na-Humat-B�dern bei Goldfischen kann auf einen gewebeprotektiven, antiphlogistischen, antimykotischen und antiparasit�ren Effekt der Na-Humat-Behandlung geschlossen werden. In der Aufzucht von Karpfen (F I) und Regenbogenforellen (F III) wurden dem Futter 5 % Humocarb, formuliert� (HS vom Typ WH 67 A), im Karpfenversuch F II 5 % Cellu-Ligno-Karbon-Isolat (HS vom Typ WH 67 G, beide Produkte: Fa. Pharmawerk Weinb�hla) zugesetzt. In F I und F III wurde ein gleiches pelletiertes Alleinfutter f�r Forellen, in F II ein pelletiertes Alleinfutter f�r Karpfen eingesetzt. In Versuch F I (Besatzdichte der beiden Teiche (0,2 ha) jeweils 35.000 Kv ha-1) wiesen die Karpfen der Versuchs- gegen�ber der Kontrollgruppe h�here mittlere K�rpermassen auf. Der Unterschied zwischen den Gruppen bewegte sich mit einer Ausnahme (zu geringer Stichprobenumfang) zwischen p<0,05 (65 versus 45 g, 114. Tag) und p<0,0001 (1.146 versus 855 g, Versuchsende 1000. Tag). Der um die HS-Aufnahme bereinigte Futteraufwand des ersten Versuchsjahres war durch HS um 34 % verbessert. Die Futterquotienten in der zweiten und dritten Aufzuchtperiode waren durch die subjektive Futterzumessung (Nichtber�cksichtigung zwischenzeitlicher Verluste) verf�lscht. In Versuch F II (Besatzdichten der 2 x 3 Teiche (0,25 ha) 20.000, 30.000 bzw. 40.000 K0 ha-1) erhielten die Br�tlinge �ber die ersten zwei Wochen kein zus�tzliches Futter (nur Naturnahrung), anschlie�end wurde Weizenschrot zugef�ttert, erst ab dem 63. Tag das Versuchs- bzw. Kontrollfutter f�r 87 Tage. Bei Versuchsende war in den Gruppen der h�chsten Besatzdichte die Mortalit�t durch HS um ca. 20 % verringert (p<0,0001). Die Abfischungsmassen waren bei geringer Besatzdichte ann�hernd gleich, bei mittlerer Besatzdichte war die Kontrollgruppe, bei h�chster Besatzdichte die Versuchsgruppe favorisiert (statistische Pr�fung wegen des Fehlens von Einzeldaten nicht m�glich). Der um die HS-Aufnahme bereinigte Futteraufwand war in den HS-Gruppen bei geringer bzw. h�chster Besatzdichte um 5 bzw. 17 % verringert. In beiden Versuchen, F I und F II, wurde eine deutliche Verringerung des Gehaltes der inneren Organe Leber, Niere und Milz an fakultativ pathogenen Aeromonas- und Pseudomonas spp. nachgewiesen (p<0,05). Bei der Aufzucht von Regenbogenforellen (F III; N=2 x 25) trugen die durch den HS-Zusatz bedingten Ver�nderungen der Konsistenz von Futter und Kot zur Verminderung einer starken Belagbildung (Bewuchs aus Algen und anderen Mikroorganismen) sowie zur Vermeidung von Wassertr�bungen in den Aquarien, insbesondere bei h�heren Temperaturen, bei. Signifikante Unterschiede in den Kenndaten von Wachstum und Futteraufwand wurden nicht beobachtet. Insgesamt gesehen erscheint aber der Zusatz von 5 % HS zum Futter als zu hoch gew�hlt, da sich der Futteraufwand in den HS-Gruppen bei Ber�cksichtigung der Gesamtfuttermenge (einschlie�lich des 5%igen HS-Zusatzes) �berwiegend ung�nstiger gestaltete. Die Effekte der oralen Applikation von 5 % HS im Futter sind damit weit weniger augenf�llig als nach �u�erlicher Anwendung. Die zootechnischen Parameter waren �berwiegend mehr oder weniger unver�ndert; allein in Versuch F I war die K�rpermasse in der HS-Gruppen im Versuchsverlauf (Stichproben und Abfischung) in der Regel signifikant h�her als in der Kontrollgruppe. Von k�nftiger Bedeutung f�r die Aquarienhaltung von Fischen (und m�glicherweise in Klein- und Zierteichen) k�nnte die beobachtete Wasserkl�rung und die Verminderung einer Belagbildung aus Algen und anderen Mikroorganismen sein. Eine intestinale Wirkung der HS wird insoweit unterstellt, als in beiden Karpfenversuchen die inneren Organe einen verminderten Befall an beweglichen Aeromonaden und Pseudomonaden aufwiesen
Prophylactic and therapeutic use of brown coal-derived humic substances of the type WH 67 in finfish and ornamental fish farming On the market, there is a limited number of suitable and approved drugs available for therapy and prophylaxis of fish diseases. The search for alternatives which are both effective and safe for animals, consumers and environment is therefore of special importance. There are numerous reports on positive effects of orally administered humic substances (HS) on agricultural livestock, zoo animals and pets. Therefore, the present study aimed on effects of HS for both external treatment of ornamental fish and oral application on culture fish via feed. Two experiments on goldfish (Carassius auratus) (exp. B I: 4 days; exp. B II: 12 days), and on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) (exp. F I: 1,000 days, fry to 3-year-old fish ; exp. F II: 150 days, fry to young-of-the-year size) were carried out under pond culture conditions. Additionally, one experiment on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was carried out in the laboratory (exp. F III: 166 days, fingerlings up to 30 g body weight). The following parameters were examined: mortality, morbidity, growth, feed conversion ratio (exp. F I, F II, F III only), pathologic anatomical criteria (including histological examination of fish from B I and F II), parasitological investigation, bacteriological and virological state. Water quality was regularly examined as well. In the experiments B I and B II, a 10% sodium-humate solution (type WH 67 SNa, Pharmawerk Weinb�hla) was mixed into the water until a sodium-humate concentration of 10 mg L-1 was reached. Two-year old, multifactorially diseased goldfish (B I: N= 2 x 322; B II: N= 2 x 100) were daily exposed to this water for a period of one (B I) and 1.5-2 (B II) hours, respectively. In both experiments the treatment of fish reduced in mortality (B I: 0.6 vs. 4.7 %, p<0.0005; B II: 8 vs. 16 %, p<0.05). Moreover, at the end of the experiments the sodium-humate treated fish showed a significantly improved health state (B I: p<10-16; B II: p<0.001) as indicated by externally visible changes of the skin, fins and gills. Specifically, reductions in haemorrhage of skin and fins (B II: p <0.05), and fin and gill necroses (B II: p<0.05), and gill inflammations (B II: p<0.02) were noted. Additionally, the sodium-humate treatment reduced integumental mucoses of skin, fins and gills (p<0.05) caused by Saprolegnia sp. The infection of skin and gills with protozoan parasites was reduced (p<0.01) as well. Ichthyophthirius sp. infections of the gills dropped significantly (p<0.05) in the treated fish groups as compared to the controls. Due to the observed mitigation of disease symptoms of environmental, bacterial, parasitic and fungal origin after a sodium-humate bath treatment of goldfish, a tissue protective, antiphlogistic, antimycotic and antiparasitic effect of sodium-humate can be concluded. For rearing of carp (F I) and rainbow trout (F III), 5 % Humocarb, formuliert� (type WH 67 A, Pharmawerk Weinb�hla) was mixed among the feed, while for the experiment F II 5 % Cellu-Ligno-Carbon-Isolat (type WH 67 G, Pharmawerk Weinb�hla) was added. In F I and F III a complete feed for trout was applied whereas for F II a complete feed for carp was used. In experiment F I (stocking density of both ponds 35,000 carp fry per ha) test fish revealed a higher mean body weight compared to the controls. With one exception (sample size to small), the difference between the groups was either significant (day 114: 65 vs. 45 g, p<0.05) or highly significant (day 1000: 1,146 versus 855 g, p<0.0001). The feed conversion ratio of the first experimental year (expurgated by HS-uptake) improved by 34 % due to HS application. Feed conversion ratio of the second and third year were falsified because of subjective feeding (which does not consider occurring losses). In experiment F II (stocking density of the 2 x 3 ponds (0,25 ha) were 20,000, 30,000 and 40,000 individuals per ha, respectively) no additional feed was given to the hatched fry during the first two weeks so that all the fish lived on natural feed items. Afterwards, bruised wheat grain was given until from day 63 either test or control feed was applied for a total of 87 days. At the end of the experiment, at the highest stocking density the mortality was significantly (p<0.0001) decreased by 20% in the test group supplied with HS. At low stocking density the total weight of fish at harvest was not different between the test and control group. However, at medium stocking density the average body weight was higher in the control whereas reverse conditions were observed at the highest stocking density (due to a loss of data no statistical analysis was possible). The feed conversion ratio (expurgated by the uptake of humic substances) was decreased in the test groups of low (5 %) and high (17 %) density. In both experiments (F I and F II) significantly reduced infections of the internal organs liver, kidney and spleen with potentially pathogenic Aeromonas and Pseudomonas spp. were detected. In the rainbow trout rearing (F III; N = 2 x 25), the HS-caused changes in consistency of feed and faeces impaired the formation of heavy algal films and large microorganism populations, and contributed to less turbid water turbidity in the aquaria, particularly at high temperatures. Significant differences in growth and feed conversion ratio could not be observed. In general, the addition of 5 % HS to the feed is regarded as being too high because the total amount of feed given (inclusive 5 % HS) is considered. The feed conversion ratio was higher in most of the HS-groups. Effects of oral application of 5 % HS in feed were thus less obvious than the bath treatment. Zootechnical parameters, in general, did not change. Merely in experiment F I the body weight of the HS-groups was significantly higher than that of the controls. In aquaria and small ponds used for ornamental fish breeding the observed cleaning of water and reduced formation of algal films and microorganism populations caused by HS could be of future importance. Intestinal effects of HS are assumed as internal organs revealed a reduced infection with both motile aeromonads and pseudomonads

O desenvolvimento de cepas bacterianas multirresistentes tornou-se uma preocupação global. As plantas medicinais têm sido exploradas como uma fonte potencial terapêutica para o tratamento de várias doenças e para o desenvolvimento de medicamentos mais eficazes contra infecções bacterianas. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a atividade antibacteriana do extrato de cascas e folhas de Anacardium humile (St.) Hil, extrato de cascas de Davilla nítida (Vahl.) Kubitski, e extrato de folhas de Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. contra bactérias resistentes a múltiplos fármacos isoladas de infecções do pé diabético, e também contra cepas de referência da American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). A atividade antibacteriana foi avaliada pelos métodos de Ágar Disco-Difusão (DD), Microdiluição em Caldo (MC), Ensaio “Checkerboard” e Ensaio “Time-Kill”. O extrato das cascas de Davilla nitida (Vahl.) Kubitski mostrou atividade antibacteriana expressiva contra todos os grupos de bactérias testadas. O método de microdiluição em caldo foi mais sensível que o método disco-difusão para determinar a atividade antibacteriana presente no extrato das cascas. O extrato de cascas inibiu o crescimento de bactérias com altos níveis de resistência aos antibióticos, como Pseudomonas spp. (100,00%), Enterobacter spp. (88,89%), Staphylococcus aureus (54,55%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (75,00%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (92,86%). A combinação do extrato das cascas com antibióticos resultou em efeito aditivo contra a maioria das cepas testadas. O perfil cinético de tempo de morte do extrato de cascas mostrou propriedades bactericidas tempo-dependentes. Nossos resultados sugerem a presença de compostos bioativos nesta planta que podem ser utilizados para o desenvolvimento de novos agentes antibacterianos. O extrato de folhas de Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. mostrou atividade antibacteriana contra Citrobacter spp. (100,00%), Citrobacter youngae (ATCC-29935) (100,00%), Enterobacter spp. (33,33%), Pseumodonas spp. (66,67%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC-27853) (100,00%). O extrato de folhas quando associado com antibiótico amoxicilina/ácido clavulânico ou cefoxitina não evidenciou qualquer potencialização da atividade antibacteriana contra as bactérias Gram-positivas e Gram-negativas, sugerindo que extrato e antibióticos possuem mecanismos independentes relacionados à inibição do crescimento bacteriano. Nossos resultados mostraram que o extrato etanólico das folhas de Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. teve uma boa atividade antimicrobiana contra algumas bactérias resistentes a múltiplos fármacos. Entretanto, estudos adicionais e mais específicos são recomendados para determinar a eficácia deste extrato no tratamento de infecções bacterianas. O extrato das cascas e folhas de Anacardium humile (St.) Hil, tanto no método Disco-difusão quanto em microdiluição em caldo, inibiu significantemente o crescimento das bactérias Gram-positivas e Gram-negativas, como também o crescimento das bactérias comumente encontradas em lesões de pés diabéticos. Pelo método “Checkerboard”, a combinação do extrato das cascas (35,00%) e folhas (40,00%) sobre as bactérias Gram-negativas apresentaram efeitos sinérgicos semelhantes, enquanto que para as bactérias Gram-positivas, os extratos das folhas (45,00%) apresentaram um efeito sinérgico mais efetivo do que os extratos das cascas (17,50%). O perfil cinético “Time-Kill” apresentou atividade bactericida com propriedades dose e tempo dependente, sugerindo que os extratos das cascas e folhas podem potencializar os efeitos dos antibióticos, o que sugere que os extratos de Anacardium humile (St.) Hil podem ser usados com uma fonte alternativa de pesquisa para agentes antibacterianos com ação em bactérias Gram-positivas e Gram-negativas resistentes a multidrogas. No entanto, o isolamento dos compostos bioativos e estudos adicionais devem ser realizados para entender os mecanismos de ação bactericida, para definir a real eficácia e os efeitos tóxicos.
Development of multidrug resistant bacterial strains has become a global concern. Medicinal plants have been explored as a source of molecules with therapeutic potential for the treatment of various diseases and to the development of better drug against bacterial infections. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the bark and leaves extracts of Anacardium humile (St.) Hil, bark extract of Davilla nitida (Vahl.) kubitski, of leaf extract of Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. and against multidrug resistant bacteria isolated from diabetic foot infections, and also of reference strains from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Antibacterial activity of the bark extract was evaluated by agar Disk-Diffusion (DD), Broth Dilution (BD), “Checkerboard” and “Time-Kill” methods. The bark extract of Davilla nitida (Vahl.) kubistki showed a significant antibacterial activity against all groups of bacteria tested. Broth dilution was more sensitive for determining the antibacterial activity of the bark extract than the Disk-Difusion method. The bark extract inhibited the growth of bacteria with high-levels of antibiotic-resistance, such as Pseudomonas spp. (100,00%), Enterobacer spp. (88,89%), Staphylococcus aureus (54,55%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (75,00%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (92,86%). The combination of extract with antibiotics resulted in an additive effect against most of the strains tested. “Time-Kill” kinetics profiles of bark extract showed bactericidal and time-dependent properties. Our results suggest the presence of bioactive compounds in this plant that could be useful for the development of new antibacterial agents. The leaf extract of Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. showed antibacterial activity against Citrobacter spp. (100,00%), Citrobacter youngae (ATCC-29935) (100,00%), Enterobacer spp. (33.33%), Pseumodonas spp. (66.67%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC-27853) (100.00%). Extract of leaf associated with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or cefoxitin antibiotics did not show any potentiation of antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, suggesting that extract and antibiotics have independent mechanisms related to inhibition of bacterial growth. Our results showed that the ethanolic leaf extract of Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. had a good antimicrobial activity against some multidrug resistant bacteria. However, further and more specific studies, are recommended to determine the efficacy of this extract in the treatment of bacterial infections. Barks and leaves extracts of Anacardium humile (St.) Hil, both in the Disk-Difusion and Broth Dilution methods, inhibited the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as the growth of bacteria commonly found in diabetic foot lesions. By the “Checkerboard” method, the combination of bark extract (35,00%) and leaves (40,00%) on Gram-negative bacteria had similar synergistic effects, while for Gram-positive bacteria, leaf extracts (45,00%) presented a synergistic effect more effective than the bark extracts (17,50%). The “Time-Kill” kinetic profile showed bactericidal activity with dose and time-dependent properties, suggesting that bark and leaf extracts may potentiate the effects of antibiotics, suggesting that Anacardium humile (St.) Hil extracts can be used with an alternative source of research for antibacterial agents acting on multidrug resistant Gram- positive and Gram- negative bacteria. However, the isolation of bioactive compounds and additional studies should be performed to understand the mechanisms of bactericidal action, to define real efficacy and toxic effects.

Svalbarðstunga est un nom de lieu historique et officiel qui identifie le territoire entre les rivières Svalbarðsá et Sandá (nord-est de l’Islande). En aval du bassin versant de Svalbarðsá, se situe la ferme principale de la région, la ferme Svalbarð, qui est en activité depuis plus de 1000 ans. Depuis sa mise en place, de nombreuses fermes satellites, associées à la ferme Svalbarð, se sont établies dans la région Svalbarðstunga. La quasi-totalité des fermes fut abandonnée à divers moments et les motifs d’abandon restent nébuleux. Ils pourraient être associés à des facteurs naturels (p. ex.: changements climatiques, volcanisme) et/ou humains (p. ex.: dégradation des terres par le surpâturage, épidémies). L’objectif principal de cette étude est de documenter l’impact des changements climatiques et des activités humaines sur l’environnement de la vallée Svalbarðstunga. Pour atteindre cet objectif, nous nous sommes basées sur l’étude d’archives sédimentaires collectées au sein d’un étang et d’une tourbière, situés à proximité de vestiges d’anciennes fermes. Ces travaux de recherche incluent des analyses macrofossiles, diatomifères, géochimiques et sédimentologiques. La tourbière étudiée s'est mise en place rapidement après la déglaciation, vers 9190 ans étal. BP; les conditions locales étaient minérotrophes riches. Le site s’est ensuite relativement asséché et il est revenue à des conditions plus humides vers 470 ans étal. BP. D’autre part, l’étang étudié présente des signes de perturbations majeures entre 1000 et 1350 AD, telles que la déposition d’un niveau de tourbe non décomposée au sein d’une séquence sédimentaire constituée de gyttja entre 1100 et 1350 AD. En tenant compte de la localisation du site d’étude, l’élevage de bétails, principalement de moutons, aurait pu entraîner une déstabilisation des sols du bassin versant par le surpâturage des buttes de dépôt fluvio-glaciaire et glaciaire qui entourent l’étang, ce qui aurait provoqué une forte accumulation sédimentaire dans l’étang.
Svalbarðstunga is a historic and official region that spans the territory between the Svalbarðsá and Sandárivers (northeastern Iceland). The principal farm of the region is known as Svalbarð’s farm. It is located downstream of the Svalbarðstunga watershed and has been a functioning farm for over 1000 years. Many secondary farms were established in the regiona as satellites of Svalbarð’s farm. The majority of this farms site was abandoned at various times, but the reasons for that are still unknow. Natural factors (e.g.,climate change, volcanism) and/or human factors (e.g., land degradation from overgrazing, epidemics) were the most likely causes of abandonment. The principal goal of this research is to document the impact of climate change and human activities on the environment in Svalbarðstunga. To achieve this aim, we studied the sedimentary record in a pond and in a wetland situated near the ruins of the ancient farms. The research includes the study of macrofossils, diatoms, geochemicals and sedimentary analysis. The wetland in the study was established soon after deglaciation, by 9190 years cal. BP. The local conditions were rich minerotrophicat that time. Subsequently, the site became relatively dry, but wet conditions were re-established by 470 years cal. BP. On the other hand, the pond in the study shows evidence of major perturbations between 1000 and 1350 AD such as deposition of a non-decayed peat level in a sedimentary sequence formed by gyttja. Taking into account the location of the study site, the practice of livestock breeding (mainly sheep) would have destabilized the land on the wathersed due to the overgrazing of the fluvioglacial and glacial deposits knolls that surround the pond. This process would have caused significant sedimentary accumulation in the pond.

L'eau peut interagir avec les polymeres par une seule voie (dissolution - plastification - gonflement) ou deux voies (dissolution + hydrolyse). L'absorption purement physique est en principe reversible (aux effets pres d'un eventuel endommagement), par contre l'hydrolyse est irreversible et entraine des coupures de chaines susceptibles d'alterer le comportement mecanique du materiau. Ce travail porte sur le comportement a court et a long terme d'un polyetherimide amorphe (pei) en milieu humide. L'etude de vieillissement du pei en immersion en milieu neutre ou acidifie (ph2) a 100, 170 et 180\c semble montrer la tres grande stabilite hydrolytique du polymere malgre la presence de fonctions imides susceptibles de s'hydrolyser. L'etude detaillee de l'interaction physique pei-eau (solubilite, diffusivite) nous a conduit a explorer les relations structure-proprietes propres a ce domaine. Nous avons pu etablir que les mecanismes mis en jeu dans les processus d'absorption et de diffusion de l'eau dans les polymeres vitreux etaient des mecanismes interactionnels gouvernes en grande partie par la dissociation du complexe polymere -eau. La derniere partie de cette etude porte sur les modifications induites par l'absorption d'eau sur les proprietes physiques, mecaniques et viscoelastiques du pei. Il apparait egalement que l'absorption d'eau favorise le mecanisme fragile a la rupture, probablement lie a l'apparition des defauts responsables de concentrations de contraintes dans le materiau.

La formiga argentina (Linepithema humile) es troba entre les espècies més invasores: originària d'Amèrica del Sud, actualment ha envaït nombroses àrees arreu del món. Aquesta tesi doctoral intenta fer una primera anàlisi integrada i multiescalar de la distribució de la formiga argentina mitjançant l'ús de models de nínxol ecològic. D'acord amb els resultats obtinguts, es preveu que la formiga argentina assoleixi una distribució més àmplia que l'actual. Les prediccions obtingudes a partir dels models concorden amb la distribució actualment coneguda i, a més, indiquen àrees a prop de la costa i dels rius principals com a altament favorables per a l'espècie. Aquests resultats corroboren la idea que la formiga argentina no es troba actualment en equilibri amb el medi. D'altra banda, amb el canvi climàtic, s'espera que la distribució de la formiga argentina s'estengui cap a latituds més elevades en ambdós hemisferis, i sofreixi una retracció en els tròpics a escales globals.
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) rank among the most successful invasive species: native to South America, they have invaded broad areas worldwide. This PhD thesis attempts to take the first step towards an integrated and multi-scalar analysis of the Argentine ant distribution using ecological niche models. According to our results, the Argentine ant is expected to occupy a broader distribution in its worldwide invaded ranges than is currently appreciated. Model predictions are in concordance with the currently known occurrence of the species, and indicate areas near the coast and following the main rivers as highly suitable for the species. These results give additional support to the idea that the Argentine ant is not currently in equilibrium with its environment. According to global climate change scenarios, the Argentine ant is expected to expand to higher northern and southern latitudes, and retract in the tropics at global spatial scales.

Os solos têm um importante papel na maioria das atividades que ocorrem no planeta, dentre as quais, destaca-se a sua participação nos principais ciclos biogeoquímicos. A matéria orgânica do solo (MOS) tem um papel primordial na sustentabilidade ambiental, pois está relacionada com a ciclagem de carbono e nutrientes, sendo assim uma figura chave tanto para estudos relacionados com mudanças climáticas globais, quanto para estudos agronômicos. Um dos principais fluoróforos da MOS são as substâncias húmicas (SH), as quais são fracionadas de acordo com a sua solubilidade em ácidos húmicos (AH), ácidos fúlvicos (FA) e humina (HU). O estudo das propriedades ópticas da matéria orgânica é uma importante ferramenta para a compreensão estrutural e molecular das frações húmicas. Frente ao exposto, esse trabalho teve com objetivo estudar a gêneses de Espodossolos Amazônicos através da avaliação das características estruturais da matéria orgânica e suas propriedades de complexação com metais empregando diversas técnicas espectroscópicas. Os resultados mostraram grandes acúmulos de carbono em profundidade e que a Matéria Orgânica nesses Espodossolos Amazônico é constituída de quatro grupos: - mais recalcitrante, humificada e antiga; - lábil e jovem; - recalcitrante, pouco humificada e antiga; - humificada e jovem. Claramente o trabalho mostrou que o processo de humificação não tem relação direta com a datação do material orgânico, e que fatores como textura, presença de água e microorganismos influenciaram nos processos de formação e humificação desse material orgânico. Por fim, a fração AF do solo parece ter uma contribuição oriunda de lençóis freáticos, sua estrutura química varia pouco no perfil e possui seletividade na interação com os metais presentes nesses solos. Basicamente, o AF tem alta afinidade de complexação com Al. A fração AH, entretanto, mostrou-se menos seletiva, associando-se com vários tipos de metais, como K, Fe, Mg, Zn e Al; e sua estrutura química varia bastante no perfil do solo. Em função da diversidade de metais associados ao AH, ele deve ser o principal responsável pela fertilidade do solo. Desta forma, os resultados mostraram que as três frações húmicas estão envolvidas no processo de podzolização do solo, e que o AF tem papel predominante no transporte de Al e o AH é o responsável no transporte do Fe.
Soils play an important role in most of the activities that occur on the planet. It participation in the main biogeochemical cycles can be highlighted. Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a key role in environmental sustainability, since it is related to carbon and nutrient cycling, being essential for studies related to global climate change and agronomy. One of the major SOM fluorophore is the humic substances (HS), which is fractionated according to their solubility in humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA) and humin (HU). The study of the optical properties of the organic matter is an important tool for structural and molecular understanding of humic fractions. Based on that, this work aimed the study of the Amazonian Spodosols genesis through the evaluation of organic matter structural characteristics and its properties of metal complexation using different spectroscopic techniques. The main results of this research showed large carbon accumulations in depth. Furthermore, it was possible to infer how the Amazonian Spodosols organic matter is divided: - more recalcitrant, humified and old; - labile and young; - recalcitrant, little humified and old; - humified and young. The study demonstrated clearly that the humification process has no direct relationship with the organic material dating, and that factors such as texture, presence of water and microorganisms have influenced the formation and humification of that organic material. The FA fraction of the soil has a contribution from groundwater and its chemical structure varies little in depth. Additionally, FA showed selective interaction with soil metals. However, the HA fraction has been shown less selective, associate with various metal types, such as K, Fe, Mg, Zn and Al. Moreover, its chemical structure varies greatly in the soil depth. Due to the diversity of metals that the HA has affinity, it should be the main responsible of the soil fertility. After all, the results showed that all the three humic fractions are involved in the process of soil podzolization. Furthermore, the FA has a predominant role in Al transport as the HA is the responsable of Fe transport.

Ce texte accompagne mon exposition finale, ma pratique, mon projet. Je l’ai conçu ainsi comme partie intégrante du tout, mais sa lecture seule sans accès au reste pourrait aussi être considérée dans le cas où l’un ou plusieurs des aspects particuliers de celui-ci intéressentle lecteur. Notons aussi l’importance des figures qui témoignent justement de ce qui ne sera pas décrit, mais qui vont naturellement dans le même sens que ce qui l’est. La méthodologie générale est de présenter l’universel duquel le mécanisme et l’existence du particulier peuvent être compris et interprétés.Il sera question ici de définir le champ et mode d’action de l’art et de la philosophiede ma pratique, depréciser la vie de l’artiste en tant que projet ainsi quede proposer l’art en tant que décor. L’ensemble vise à être reçucomme un questionnement, une recherche, une tentative de compréhension et d’expression de notre nature humaine.Celle-ciest interprétéede deux façons; premièrement comme ce qui fait la spécificité de l’humain et deuxièmement par le paradoxe de la création d’une nature qui serait proprement humaine.

Aujourd'hui, les hygromètres de référence sont raccordés aux étalons de température par l'intermédiaire des générateurs d'air humide. Afin de permettre l'étalonnage d'hygromètres pour des températures de rosée positives allant jusque 90°C, un prototype de générateur d'air humide a été réalisé. Le modèle de transfert de masse et de chaleur en deux dimensions établi dans ce cadre est présenté. L'incertitude type composée sur la température de rosée est estimée en utilisant la loi de propagation des incertitudes puis par propagation des distributions. L'étalonnage d'un hygromètre de référence a été réalisé entre 20°C et 80°C afin de valider les résultats obtenus