Tesis sobre el tema "Iben"

Escherichia coli est une espèce bactérienne à multiples facettes. En effet, certaines souches sont présentes à l’état commensal au niveau intestinal, ou sont utilisées comme probiotiques. À l’inverse, d’autres souches sont responsables d’infections intestinales ou extra-intestinales chez l’Homme et les animaux à sang chaud. Les souches d’E. coli pathogènes extra-intestinales (ExPEC) sont responsables de nombreuses maladies infectieuses (méningites néo-natales, infections urinaires, septicémies ou infections respiratoires). Plusieurs facteurs de virulence ont été identifiés chez les souches ExPEC (adhésines, invasines…) et notamment la protéine IbeA, mise en évidence dans une souche isolée d’un cas de méningite néo-natale humaine. Le gène ibeA est retrouvé chez différentes souches ExPEC, dont certaines d’origine aviaire. Il est localisé au sein de l’îlot génomique GimA, sur un des quatre opérons de cet îlot, entre ibeR codant un potentiel régulateur et ibeT codant un potentiel antiporteur. La protéine IbeA a été décrite comme jouant un rôle dans l’invasion bactérienne des cellules endothéliales microvasculaires de cerveau humain (HBMEC). Afin de mieux comprendre le rôle d’IbeA dans le processus infectieux et l’invasion cellulaire, nous avons étudié l’implication d’IbeA dans l’adhésion de la souche ExPEC d’origine aviaire BEN2908 puis tenté de déterminer la localisation de cette protéine et son lien avec la protéine IbeT. L’étude phénotypique comparative de la souche BEN2908 et de son mutant ?ibeA nous a montré qu’IbeA intervenait dès le stade de l’adhésion aux HBMEC. Des tests d’adhésion en absence des fimbriae de type 1 (adhésine majeure de notre souche) nous ont montré que dans ce contexte, IbeA n’avait pas d’action sur l’adhésion. Ce résultat nous a suggéré qu’il pouvait y avoir une baisse d’expression des fimbriae de type 1 à la surface bactérienne dans un mutant ?ibeA, ce que nous avons montré par dots blots. Pour comprendre comment IbeA entraînait une modification de l’expression des fimbriae de type 1, nous nous sommes intéressés au contrôle de l’expression des gènes de l’opéron fim. Nous avons ainsi montré que le promoteur de ces gènes, localisé sur un élément invertible, était préférentiellement dans une orientation ne permettant pas la transcription des gènes fim dans un mutant ?ibeA. Nous avons ensuite mis en évidence chez le mutant ?ibeA une baisse de l’expression des gènes fimB et fimE qui codent pour deux recombinases participant au contrôle de l’orientation de l’élément invertible. Ces baisses d’expression de fimB et fimE pourraient expliquer la diminution d’expression des fimbriae de type 1 dans le mutant ?ibeA. Enfin, des phénotypes similaires à ceux du mutant ?ibeA ont été observés chez un mutant ?ibeT. La localisation d’IbeA est indispensable pour comprendre comment cette protéine peut agir sur l’expression des recombinases FimB et FimE. Nous avons localisé IbeA dans le compartiment cytoplasmique, mais l’incertitude sur la fonctionnalité d’IbeA dans les constructions génétiques utilisées nécessite de confirmer ces premiers résultats. Enfin, nous avons recherché un rôle métabolique pour IbeA et IbeT étant données les homologies d’IbeT avec des transporteurs de composés carbonés. Nous avons observé qu’un mutant ?ibeT présentait un retard de croissance par rapport à la souche sauvage et au mutant ?ibeA dans des cultures en milieu minimum avec du fumarate, du succinate, du malate ou de l’aspartate comme seule source de carbone. Ces résultats suggèrent un lien entre le métabolisme de certains dicarboxylates, l’expression des fimbriae de type 1 et les protéines IbeA et IbeT. Ils ouvrent de nombreuses perspectives pour la compréhension du mécanisme d’action d’IbeA et IbeT
Escherichia coli is bacterial species with multiple facets. Indeed, some strains are present at a commensal state in the intestinal tract of humans and warm-blooded animals, or are used as probiotics. Conversely, other strains are responsible for intestinal or extra-intestinal infections in Humans and warm-blooded animals. Extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strains are responsible for multiple infectious diseases (neonatal meningitis, urinary tract infections, septicaemias or respiratory infections). Several virulence factors have been identified in ExPEC strains (adhesins, invasins,…) and notably the IbeA protein, originally identified in a strain isolated from a case of human neonatal meningitis. The ibeA gene is found in different ExPEC strains, of including strains avian origin. It is located on one of the four operon of the GimA genomic island, between ibeR coding a putative regulator and ibeT coding a putative antiporter. The IbeA protein is known for its role in bacterial invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC). In order to better understand the role of IbeA in the infectious process and cellular invasion, we have studied the involvement of IbeA in adhesion of the avian pathogenic E. coli strain BEN2908 and attempted to determine the localisation of this protein and its link with the IbeT protein. The comparative henotypic study of strain BEN2908 and its ?ibeA mutant showed that IbeA was involved in the adhesion to HBMEC. Adhesion tests in the absence of type 1 fimbriae ( the major adhesin of our strain) showed that IbeA did not have a direct role in adhesion in this context. This result suggested there could be a decrease in type 1 fimbriae expression at the bacterial surface in the ?ibeA mutant. This was demonstrated by dot blots. To understand how IbeA led to a modification of type 1 fimbriae, we investigated the role of IbeA in the control of the expression of genes that belong to the fim operon. Thus we showed that the promoter of these genes, located on an invertible element, was preferentially in an orientation preventing transcription of the fim genes in the ?ibeA mutant. Then, we highlighted in the ?ibeA mutant, a decrease of expression of the fimB and fimE genes encoding two recombinases involved in the orientational control of invertible element. These decreases of fimB and fimE expression could explain the reduction of type 1 fimbriae expression in the ?ibeA mutant. Lastly, phenotypes similar to that of the ?ibeA mutant were observed in a ?ibeT mutant. The localisation of IbeA is necessary to understand how this protein can act on fimB and fimE expression. We localised IbeA in the bacterial cytoplasm, but the doubt on the functionality of IbeA in the genetic constructions used demands that these results be confirmed. Finally, we have looked for a metabolic role for IbeA and IbeT, given the IbeT homology with carbon compound transporters. We have observed that, in minimal broth with fumarate, succinate, malate or aspartate as sole carbon sources, the ?ibeT mutant presented a lower growth rate than the wild type strain and ?ibeA mutant. Altogether, these results suggest a link between metabolism of dicarboxylates, type 1 fimbriae expression and IbeA and IbeT proteins. They open numerous perspectives for the comprehension of IbeA and IbeT mechanisms

The three studies reported in this thesis have been conducted on the Alpine ibex population of the Marmolada-Monzoni, in the north-eastearn Italian Alps. A summary for each study is given below. Chapter I: Land morphology, season and individual activity influence GPS fix acquisition rates and location error in an alpine ungulate. The use of GPS technologies in wildlife research has greatly increased the opportunities for addressing ecological issues that affect ultimately the conservation of the species. However, in order to formulate accurate and unbiased conclusions in studies of movement ecology with GPS-tracking systems, it is necessary to understand the sources of potential bias and error associated with this technology, under specific environmental conditions and taking into account the behavioural patterns of the species monitored. In chapter I, I first present the results of a field trial with stationary collars scheduled to attempt a location fix every 30 min during 24 hours cycles. The collars were positioned in 64 locations throughout the study area in order to sample different land cover categories and topographic conditions. GPS collars performances were influenced mainly by available sky view. When sky view was higher than 70%, acquired as respect to scheduled locations were close to 100%, and location accuracy was within 10 m for 75% of acquired locations. When sky view was below 70 %, the proportion of acquired locations dropped to 75% and location error increased to within 20 m for 75% of locations acquired. I then examined a database of more than 90.000 attempted locations from 11 GPS-tagged females of Alpine ibex to assess the temporal trends in fix acquisition rate, and how it was influenced by habitat features of daily areas used, by individual activity, and by climate and weather variables. I found that fix acquisition rate was very good and scarcely variable in summer, but could drop to less than 85% during the coldest months and at night in winter. Fix acquisition rate was strongly and positively influenced by individual activity and declined, especially in winter, in periods of adverse weather and lower than average temperatures. Most probably female ibex, when inactive and seeking for shelter, use microhabitats providing cover that obstructs the satellites signal, so reducing fix acquisition rate. I concluded that, although with an adequate screening procedure for identifying outliers the accuracy of locations received from different habitat conditions may remain good, the acquired locations underestimate the use of habitats providing shelter and the periods of adverse weather. In general, the results underline the importance of combining stationary tests with tests on free-ranging animals when assessing GPS bias and accuracy in field conditions. Chapter II: Determinants of home range size across spatio-temporal scales in a high mountain ungulate. The high seasonality of Alpine habitats might have strong effects on the spatial strategies of large herbivores. In the second chapter, I obtained a database of 672 estimates of weekly home ranges (232 in summer and 440 in winter) and 160 estimates of monthly home ranges (64 in summer and 96 in winter) from 15 female ibexes, and analysed it to describe intra-annual patterns of spatial use and to asses how it was influenced by climate, food resources and individual conditions. I used the k-LoCoH method to calculate the areas used at two spatial scales: the home range (HR; calculated on 95% of locations) and the core area (CA, calculated on 50% of the locations). At all temporal and spatial scales, the areas used by females were very small in deep winter, progressively increased until a peak in mid-summer, and then dropped again. This pattern was very marked, with a 15-20-fold increase in size from the winter minimum to the summer maximum. The HR and CA size was positively correlated with daylight, but was more synchronized with indexes of climate and vegetation phenology, as absolute temperature and average NDVI of the study area. After having defined biologically meaningful seasons with a clustering approach based on step distances and habitat features associated with locations, I then analysed, within seasons and correcting for temporal trends, the effects of the stochastic variability of climatic and weather conditions and of food resources on the size of ranges used. I found that, in winter, HRs and CAs at all temporal scales decreased strongly when snow was deeper, or precipitations more abundant, while in summer they decreased with increasing food resources (indexed by the average NDVI value or proportion of vegetation in the HRs or CAs). Also slope, which I used as an index of refuge areas from predators but also of snow accumulation, had a marked negative effect on the size of areas used. In contrast, individual conditions, as age class and reproductive status, did not influence with consistent patterns the spatial behaviour of females. These results highlight the peculiar strategy of spatial use of female ibex, which appear to be extremely energy conservative in winter and aimed at optimizing the use of food resources in summer. The understanding of factors driving spatial behaviour of female ibex is fundamental to conserve key wintering areas and habitats, and to predict how future climate changes might impact on the species. Chapter III: Validation of a non-invasive technique for estimating diet quality in an alpine ungulate. In seasonal environments, the behavioural patterns of large herbivores are shaped by the availability of forage resources, which affect the individual performance and reproduction success. Faecal nitrogen (FN) and Faecal Neutral Detergent Fibre (FNDF) have been proposed as indicators of diet quality in wildlife species. In the study reported in chapter III, I aimed at evaluating the use of faecal N, and secondarily of faceal NDF, to describe patterns of diet quality in Alpine ibex. Since chemical analyses are costly and time consuming, I also verificed whether NIRS estimates of faecal N might provide results as accurate as those of chemical analyses. From late June to November, I collected fresh samples of female and male ibex faeces, which were analyzed for FN and FNDF using Chemical analysis and three different NIRS instruments with variable wavelength ranges and approach (reflectance or transmittance). In order to verify possible relationships, I also associated to each sample the NDVI index of greenness of a surrounding buffer area. NIRS analyses gave good predictions for N, and only slightly lower for NDF, provided that the instrument used operated over a wide spectral range and in reflectance. Faecal N decreased, and FNDF increased, with Julian date, suggesting a reduction in diet quality thorugh summer and autumn. Females tended to have higher FN and lower FNDF contents than males, suggesting the ability to select a diet of better quality. These patterns were best described by data from chemical analyses, but were closely approximated by those from the best NIRS method. The NDVI of the buffer area surrounding faecal samples did not influence indexes of diet quality. I concluded that FN estimated with NIRS techniques could be a useful tool for studying patterns of diet quality in Alpine ibex. The declining FN and increasing FNDF values from summer to autumn suggest that ibex do not have the ability to contrast, with alternative food sources or with increasing selectivity, the decline in vegetation quality. This emphasizes the importance of energy-saving strategies during the winter, and of exploiting the short availability of good food resources in spring.
Questa tesi riporta I risultati di tre studi condotti sulla colonia di stambecco alpino dei gruppi “Marmolada-Monzoni”. Una sintesi per ciascuno studio è riportata di seguito. Contributo I: Morfologia del suolo, stagione e attività individuale influenzano la probabilità di acquisizione e l’errore associato alle localizzazioni con sistema GPS in un ungulato alpino. L'applicazione della tecnologia “GPS-tracking” nella ricerca sulla fauna selvatica ha offerto nuove, ampie opportunità per affrontare questioni ecologiche che riguardano in definitiva la conservazione delle specie. Tuttavia, per sfruttare a pieno le potenzialità della tecnologia e formulare conclusioni corrette, è necessario approfondire le conoscenze sulle cause di errore in essa implicite, nelle specifiche condizioni ambientali e con le specie su cui si opera. Nel primo capitolo, ho studiato come le peculiarità dell’ambiente alpino e il comportamento di femmine di stambecco influiscano sulla probabilità di acquisizione delle localizzazioni e sulla loro accuratezza. Ho prima condotto una prova sul campo, utilizzando collari programmati a tentare una localizzazione (fix) ogni 30 minuti durante cicli di 24 ore, e posizionati in 64 punti, di cui era stata determinata la posizione con un errore di 2.0 (ds = 2.8) m, scelti in modo da rappresentare le diverse condizioni di cielo visibile e di vegetazione (bosco o area aperta) dell’area occupata dalle femmine di stambecco oggetto del mio studio. Le prestazioni dei collari sono state influenzate soprattutto dalla percentuale di cielo visibile (skyview). Con skyview superiori al 70%, le localizzazioni acquisite sono state prossime al 100% di quelle attese, e l’errore di localizzazione si è mantenuto entro i 10 m per il 75% di esse. Con skyview minori di tale soglia, tuttavia, le localizzazioni acuisite sono scese al 75% di quelle attese e l’errore è aumentato fino a 20 m, sempre per il 75% delle localizzazioni. Ho poi analizzato un database di oltre 85.000 localizzazioni tentate, su 11 femmine munite di collare GPS durante un periodo di tre anni, al fine di individuare l’effetto delle caratteristiche ambientali dell’area usata giornalmente, del livello di attività degli animali (misurato dai sensori di movimento dei collari), e della variabilità climatica e meteorologica sulla probabilità di acquisizione delle localizzazioni attese. In estate, tale probabilità è rimasta molto buona (intorno al 95%) durante tutti i mesi e nell’arco di tutta la giornata. In inverno, invece, è diminuita fino a meno dell’85% nei mesi più freddi e nelle ore notturne. L’attività degli animali ha influenzato positivamente la probabilità di acquisizione delle localizzazioni, che è stata invece penalizzata dalle giornate con precipitazioni e da temperature inferiori alla media del periodo, soprattutto d’inverno. L’effetto positivo dell’attività si spiega molto probabilmente con il fatto che gli animali, quando sono attivi per spostarsi o per alimentarsi, tendono a frequentare aree aperte, mentre quando sono inattivi, sia di notte che di giorno se cercano rifugio dalle intemperie, tendono a frequentare aree riparate dove la skyview diminuisce. In conclusione, sebbene con un adeguato screening per eliminare gli outliers dalle localizzazioni ricevute sia possibile assicurare una buona accuratezza dei fix provenienti da habitat diversi, le localizzazioni ricevute sottostimano l’uso di habitat che forniscono riparo e i periodi climaticamente sfavorevoli. In generale, inoltre, i risultati di questo contributo sottolineano l’importanza di abbinare alle prove con collari statici anche l’analisi di database provenienti dagli animali oggetto di studio, al fine di individuare meglio i fattori che influiscono sulle prestazioni della tecnologia. Contributo II: Fattori determinanti le variazioni dell’home range a diverse scale spazio-tamporali in un ungulato Alpino L'elevata stagionalità degli ambienti alpini può incidere fortemente sulle strategie di uso dello spazio da parte dei grandi erbivori che le abitano. Nel secondo contributo ho prodotto e utilizzato un database di 672 home range settimanali (232 in estate and 440 in inverno) e uno di 160 home range mensili (64 in estate e 96 in inverno), derivante dal monitoraggio con collari GPS di 15 femmine di stambecco alpino nell’arco di tre anni, per individuare i pattern di variazione intra-annuale delle aree usate individualmente e per verificare come le variabili climatiche, gli indici di disponibilità alimentare, e fattori individuali agissero su tali pattern. Ho utilizzato, per il calcolo delle aree usate, il metodo k-LoCoH con due scale spaziali: l’home range (HR, calcolato sul 95% delle localizzazioni) e la core area (CA, calcolata sul 50% delle localizzazioni). Con tutte le scale temporali e spaziali, le aree usate dalle femmine sono risultate molto ridotte in inverno, per aumentare poi progressivamente fino a un picco in estate, e diminuire poi nuovamente. Questo andamento si è rivelato molto marcato, con un aumento fino a 15-20 volte di dimensione degli HR e delle CA passando dal minimo invernale al massimo estivo. L’area degli HR e delle CA è risultata così correlata positivamente con il fotoperiodo, ma le sue variazioni si sono sincronizzate maggiormente con l’andamento della temperatura e dell’indice NDVI medio dell’area di studio. Successivamente, dopo aver individuato stagioni biologicamente sensate sulla base di una cluster analisi della “step distance” e delle variabili ambientali associate alle localizzazioni, ho analizzato HR e CA, entro stagione e correggendo per il trend temporale, al fine di verificare gli efetti della varibilità stocastica degli indici climatici, degli indici di abbondanza trofica, e delle caratteristiche individuali degli animali. Le aree di HR a CA sono risultate negativamente influenzate dalla variabilità del manto nevoso o dall’abbondanza delle precipitazioni in inverno, e dalla disponibilità alimentare individuale (indicizzata dall’NDVI medio o dalla prevalenza di vegetazione su rocce e ghiaioni entro HR e CA). Anche la pendenza, che può indicare la disponibilità di zone di rifugio, ha influito negativamente sull’area di HR e CA. Invece, i fattori individuali, cioè la classe di età e lo stato di lattazione o meno, non hanno influito in misura apprezzabile sul comportamento spaziale. Questi risultati sottolineano la peculiarità delle strategie di uso dello spazio da parte delle femmine di stambecco alpino, che appaiono estremamente conservative nei riguardi dei dispendi energetici d’inverno e improntate a ottimizzare l’uso delle risorse alimentari, anche con rilevanti spostamenti, durante l’estate. La comprensione dei fattori che determinano tali strategie è di fondamentale importanza per la conservazione di aree e habitat chiave e per prevedere come la specie possa reagire al loro modificarsi, ad esempio in seguito al cambiamento climatico. Contributo III: Validazione di una tecnica non invasiva per la stima indiretta della qualità della dieta in un ungulato alpino Uno dei principali fattori che determinano i modelli di comportamento dei grandi erbivori è il variare stagionale della disponibilità di risorse alimentari, soprattutto in ambienti estremi come quelli frequentati dallo stambecco alpino. I contenuti fecali di azoto (FN) e, in minor misura, di NDF (FNDF) sono stati suggeriti come indicatori della qualità della dieta negli erbivori selvatici. Lo studio considerato dal terzo contributo ha valutato l’uso di questi indicatori per descrivere i pattern di qualità della dieta di stambecchi maschi e femmine dall’inizio dell’estate all’autunno. Dato che le analisi chimiche sono onerose in termini di costi e tempo richiesto, lo studio ha anche verificato in che misura i dati provenienti da strumenti NIRS diversi per ampiezza della gamma spettrale e per principio (riflettanza o assorbanza) potessero sostituire quelli dell’analisi chimica. Da giugno avanzato fino a novembre ho raccolto campioni freschi di feci di stambecchi maschi e femmine, su tutta l’area occupata dalla colonia. I campioni sono stati poi analizzati per N e NDF con metodo chimico tradizionale e con NIRS. Le predizioni NIRS sono risultate soddisfacenti, soprattutto per l’N, solo con lo strumento caratterizzato da ampia banda (350-1050 nm) e basato sulla riflettanza. I valori di FN sono diminuiti con il crescere della data giuliana, e quelli di FNDF sono aumentati, suggerendo un progressivo peggioramento della qualità della dieta ingerita da entrambi i sessi. Le femmine hanno tuttavia tendenzialmente mostrato valori di FN superiori e di FNDF inferiori a quelli dei maschi. Anche se questi andamenti sono stati descritti nella maniera più puntuale dai dati dell’analisi chimica, i dati prodotti dallo strumento NIRS rivelatosi più affidabile hanno prodotto patterns molto simili. Al fine di evidenziare eventuali correlazioni, ciascun campione fecale era stato caratterizzato anche con il valore medio dell’indice NDVI di un’area buffer circostante la sua localizzazione. Tuttavia, nessuna relazione è stata trovata tra indici di qualità della dieta e NDVI. In conclusione, i risultati ottenuti dimostrano che adeguate tecnologie NIRS possono sostituire le analisi chimiche per la stima dell’N e dell’NDF fecali. I patterns osservati per questi indicatori suggeriscono che, anche se le femmine sembrano capaci di selezionare una dieta migliore di quella dei maschi, entrambi i sessi sperimentano nel corso dell’estate e dell’autunno un declino progressivo della qualità della dieta ingerita. Questo risultato sottolinea l’importanza delle strategie di riduzione dei dispendi energetici messe in atto dalla specie in inverno, sia di quelle intese a massimizzare l’uso delle risorse trofiche messe in atto durante la primavera.

The thesis begins with a general introduction to population genetics in chapter 1. I review the fundamental processes of evolution - mutation, recombination, selection, gene flow and genetic drift - and give an overview of Bayesian inference in statistical population genetics. Later, I introduce the studied species, Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ), and its recent history. This history is intimately linked to the structured population in the Swiss Alps that provides the source of genetic data for this thesis. A particular focus is devoted to approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) in chapter 2, a method of inference that has become important over the last 15 years and is convenient for complex problems of inference. In chapter 3, the biological focus is on estimating the distribution of mutation rates across neutral genetic variation (microsatellites), and on inferring the proportion of male ibex that obtain access to matings each breeding season. The latter is an important determinant of genetic drift. Methodologically, I compare different methods for the choice of summary statistics in ABC. One of the approaches proposed by collaborators and me and based on boosting (a technique developed in machine learning) is found to perform best in this case. Applying that method to microsatellite data from Alpine ibex, I estimate the scaled ancestral mutation rate (THETA anc = 4Neu) to about 1:288, and find that most of the variation across loci of the ancestral mutation rate u is between 7.7*10 -4 and 3.5*10 -3. The proportion of males with access to matings per breeding season is estimated to about 21%. Chapter 4 is devoted to the estimation of migration rates between a large number of pairs of populations. Again, I use ABC for inference. Estimating all rates jointly comes with substantial methodological problems. Therefore, I assess if, by dividing the whole problem into smaller ones and assuming that those are approximately independent, more accuracy may be achieved overall. The net accuracy of the second approach increases with the number of migration rates. Applying that approach to microsatellite data from Alpine ibex, and accounting for the possibility that a model without migration could also explain the data, I find no evidence for substantial gene flow via migration, except for one pair of demes in one direction. While chapters 3 and 4 deal with neutral variation, in chapter 5 I investigate if an allele of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) has been under selection over the last ten generations. Short- and medium-term methods for detecting signals of selection are combined. For the medium-term analysis, I adapt a matrix iteration approach that allows for joint estimation of the initial allele frequency, the dominance coefficient, and the strength of selection. The focal MHC allele is shared with domestic goat, and an interesting side issue is if this reflects an ancestral polymorphism or is due to recent introgression via hybridization. I find most evidence for asymmetric overdominance (selection coefficient s: 0.974; equilibrium frequency: 0.125) or directional selection against the `goat' allele (s: 0.5) with partial recessivity. Both scenarios suggest a disadvantage of the `goat' homozygote, but differ in the relative fitness of the heterozygotes. Overall, two aspects play a dominating role in this thesis: the biological questions and the process of inference. They are linked, yet while the proximate motivation for the biological component is given by a specific system - the structured population of Alpine ibex in the Swiss Alps - the methods used and advanced here are fairly general and may well be applied in different contexts.

This thesis analyses the concept of 'chance' as it is understood by two Muslim philosophers, Ibn Sīnā (Lat. Avicenna, CE 980-1037) and Ibn Rushd (Lat. Averroes, CE 1126-1198). On the philosophical plane, I seek to ascertain whether they are determinists, i.e., whether they hold that everything that happens is necessarily conditioned by its causes so that it could not have been otherwise. This analysis discusses chance from a physical and a metaphysical perspective. Physics is here understood in the Aristotelian sense as the study of nature and change, and metaphysics as the study of being qua being (ontology) and of the divine (theology). Hence a particular stress on natural causation and on divine providence and causation. On the historical-philosophical plane I endeavour to determine the historical/philosophical sources of their views, namely the Graeco-Arabic philosophical tradition - Aristotelian and Neoplatonic on the one Band, and the tradition of Islamic theology (kalām) on the other. Particular emphasis is laid upon the original way in which Ibn Sīnā and Ibn Rushd combine these two traditions.

La gestion des maladies infectieuses dans la faune sauvage se heurte à de nombreuses limites, et le développement de stratégies efficaces représente un défi de taille. Pour atteindre cet objectif, une compréhension fine des facteurs influençant la transmission et la persistance de l’infection est nécessaire. Parmi ces facteurs, l’hétérogénéité de transmission est une caractéristique importante des populations sauvages. En effet, la diversité des comportements, des structures sociales et spatiales, ou encore des espèces peut conduire à des contributions très variables au nombre de nouvelles infections. Par conséquent, quantifier l’hétérogénéité de transmission pourrait permettre d’améliorer l’efficacité des mesures de gestion sanitaire dans la faune sauvage, en ciblant les individus ou les unités de population qui sont responsables de la majorité des évènements de transmission. L’objectif de cette thèse était d’améliorer les connaissances sur la gestion des maladies infectieuses dans des populations sauvages hétérogènes, en utilisant la brucellose à Brucella melitensis dans une population de bouquetin des Alpes (Capra ibex) comme modèle d’étude. En effet, la biologie de la brucellose et l’écologie de l’espèce hôte se prêtent bien à l’existence et donc à l’étude d’une hétérogénéité de transmission à différentes échelles. A l’aide de cultures bactériennes, nous avons tout d’abord montré que seulement 58 % des individus séropositifs sont à risque d’excréter la brucellose, et que ce risque diminue avec l’âge. Ensuite, mettant à profit l’existence d’informations détaillées sur la dynamique de population et le comportement du bouquetin, et de données épidémiologiques dans la population d’étude, nous avons développé un modèle individu-centré afin de quantifier l’hétérogénéité individuelle et spatiale de la transmission. Nous avons démontré que la transmission de la brucellose était hétérogène entre individus, les femelles provoquant environ 90% des nouvelles infections, et entre unités spatiales, plus de 80% des cas de transmission ayant lieu dans les trois sous-unités socio-spatiales qui forment la zone cœur du massif. Nous avons également estimé l’évolution temporelle de la séroprévalence et de la force d’infection, en utilisant différents modèles statistiques. Les résultats suggèrent que l’importante opération de capture menée en 2015, avec test systématique et élimination des individus séropositifs, a permis de diminuer la transmission de la brucellose dans la population. Sur la base de l’ensemble de ces résultats, nous avons évalués une série de stratégies de gestion sanitaire qui pourraient être utilisées à l’avenir dans la population. Les résultats, issus du modèle individu-centré, confirment que la stratégie prioritaire devrait être d’éliminer le plus d’individus séropositifs, et que cibler les femelles et/ou la zone cœur permet d’améliorer l’efficacité des mesures. Bien qu’il n’y ait pas de solution évidente pour la gestion de la brucellose dans notre cas d’étude, les stratégies de gestion ciblées sont très prometteuses et permettent de raffiner les mesures sanitaires classiquement utilisées. Il est donc primordial de bien comprendre l’hétérogénéité de transmission dans les populations sauvages infectées, et de rechercher des stratégies ciblées qui peuvent permettre d’améliorer la gestion en termes d’efficacité et d’acceptabilité
The management of infectious diseases in wildlife reservoirs is particularly challenging and faces several limitations. The development of appropriate management strategies requires a detailed understanding of the factors affecting the transmission and persistence of the infectious agent in the population. Among these factors, heterogeneity of transmission is a common characteristic in natural host-pathogen systems. Indeed, wild animals express a broad range of behaviours, are organised in a variety of social and spatial structures, occupy many areas with very different characteristics and belong to a large diversity of species. Such heterogeneities, from between-individuals to between-species, may result in different contributions to the overall number of new cases of infections. Thus, understanding transmission heterogeneity could provide valuable insights on how to effectively manage these systems, by targeting the individuals or areas that are responsible for most transmissions. The aim of this thesis was to provide insights on the monitoring and management of infectious diseases in heterogeneous wild populations, using Brucella melitensis infection in a French population of wild Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) as a case study. The biology of brucellosis and the ecology of Alpine ibex makes this case study a good candidate for transmission heterogeneity at several levels. Using bacterial examinations, we first established that only 58% of seropositive individuals were at risk to excrete Brucella, and that this risk decreased with increasing age. Then, we took advantage of detailed information available on ibex population dynamics, behaviour, and habitat use, and on epidemiological surveys, to build an individual-based model in order to quantify heterogeneity at the individual and spatial levels. The transmission is extremely heterogeneous between individuals, with females generating around 90% of the new cases of brucellosis infection, and between spatial units, three of the five socio-spatial units (the core area) accounting for more than 80% of brucellosis transmission. Using statistical models to estimate the temporal dynamics of the seroprevalence and of the force of infection in the population, we found evidence that the massive captures with test-and-remove operations that were conducted in 2015 managed to reduce brucellosis transmission in the population. Based on these results, we evaluated several predictive disease management strategies in the individual-based model. Our results confirmed that the primary strategy should be to remove as many seropositive individuals as possible, and that strategies targeting females and/or the core area are more effective than untargeted management. Although there is no silver bullet for the management of brucellosis in the population of study, targeted strategies offer a wide range of promising refinements to classical sanitary measures. We therefore encourage to look for heterogeneity in other infection-wildlife systems and to evaluate potential targeted strategies for improving management schemes in terms of efficiency and acceptability

There is now ample evidence of the ecological impacts of recent climate change on Alpine ecosystems. Animal populations, and in particular herbivores, can be affected directly, through modifications of the environmental temperature, and indirectly, through alteration of both distribution and phenology of plant communities. Understanding the behavioral strategies and tactics that populations and individuals use to buffer climatic variability and its impacts are particularly relevant in order to evaluate their vulnerability to climate change and develop incisive management and conservation actions. This dissertation investigates how females of Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) taken as a model for specialized Alpine large herbivore species, shape their behavior to deal with environmental and climatic variation and reproductive constraints during summer, a crucial period for the fitness of females of a capital breeder species. For this purpose, I used GPS locations and activity data of 22 females monitored in the Marmolada massif (northeastern Italian Alps) from 2010 to 2016. I tested for differences in space use and activity patterns of female ibex at different temporal scales (annual, intra-seasonal and hourly), in relation with changes in temperature, habitat type, and food resource availability -productivity (NDVI) and green up (?NDVI) of vegetation-. In addition, I evaluated anti-predator behavior contrasting the tactics of use of refuge areas and habitat types of females with different reproductive status. My findings showed how female ibex vary the use of space, habitat selection and rhythms of activity in a continuous trade off that allow them to fulfill different physiological needs in response to variation in environmental and climatic conditions, and under reproductive constraint. Ibex females responded to the altitudinal gradient in vegetation productivity with an altitudinal shift in spring and summer, to exploit the vegetation in earlier phenological stages. At the same time, females avoided thermal stress and maintained constant the daily foraging time through adjustments in circadian activity rhythms and altitudinal shifts. Moreover, during the reproductive period females with kids modified their movement patterns, feeding activity, and habitat use cope with increased energetic demands and the need of protecting kids with their limited locomotion capacity. My results have shown that the spatial behaviors that act at different scales were an effective strategy to optimize thermoregulation needs and forage acquisition while reducing predation risk. This thesis enriches knowledge on the influence of resources, climate, and reproductive constraints on behavioral strategies and tactics of female ibex. It represents the first attempt for this species, to my knowledge, to describe these behavioral responses as part of a complex trade-off mechanism, which occurs across different temporal scales, highlighting a presence of behavioral plasticity in ibex females. Such behavioral plasticity may allow them to buffer the environmental variations associated with current climate change.
Risulta ormai evidente come il cambiamento climatico in atto stia avendo un forte impatto sull’ecosistema alpino. Le popolazioni animali, ed in particolare su gli erbivori possono essere influenzati direttamente, delle variazioni delle temperature ambientali, e indirettamente, dalle alterazioni nella distribuzione e nelle fasi fenologiche della vegetazione. La comprensione delle strategie comportamentali, utilizzate dagli animali per rispondere al cambiamento climatico è particolarmente rilevante per valutare la loro vulnerabilità a tali modifiche, permettendo così di sviluppare azioni di gestione e conservazione efficaci. Questa tesi esamina come le femmine di stambecco Capra ibex (prese come specie modello specializzata all’ambiente alpino di alta quota) variano il loro comportamento spaziale e i ritmi di attività in risposta ai cambiamenti ambientali e climatici, nonché ai vincoli riproduttivi durante il periodo primaverile e estivo. Per raggiungere gli obiettivi della mia tesi, ho utilizzato le localizzazioni raccolte attraverso collari GPS e i dati di attività del sensore di movimento posizionato sui collari di 22 femmine monitorate dal 2010 al 2016 nel massiccio della Marmolada (Alpi nord-orientali). Ho analizzato le variazioni a diverse scale temporali (annuale, intra - stagionale e oraria) del comportamento spaziale e dei pattern di attività delle femmine di stambecco in relazione ai cambiamenti nella disponibilità delle risorse trofiche - produttività (NDVI) e green-up (?NDVI) della vegetazione -, della temperatura ambientale e all’uso dei diversi tipi di habitat. Inoltre, ho valutato il comportamento anti-predatorio confrontato l'uso delle aree di rifugio delle femmine a diverso stato riproduttivo. I risultati dimostrano come le femmine di stambecco abbiano variato l'uso dello spazio, della selezione degli habitat e dei ritmi di attività, in un meccanismo di trade-off, per soddisfare diverse esigenze fisiologiche in risposta alla variazione delle condizioni ambientali, climatiche e al loro stato riproduttivo. Durante la stagione primaverile e estiva le femmine di stambecco hanno risposto al gradiente altitudinale della produttività della vegetazione con uno spostamento verso le quote più alte, per sfruttare la vegetazione nei primi stadi fenologici. Allo stesso tempo, hanno evitato lo stress termico e hanno mantenuto costante l'attività di alimentazione regolando, a scala giornaliera, i ritmi di attività e gli spostamenti altitudinali. Lo studio ha premesso di descrivere come la variazione circadiana e stagionale dell’uso dei diversi tipi di habitat rappresenti una strategia ottimale di uso dello spazio, minimizzando lo stress termico e massimizzando l'acquisizione delle risorse trofiche. Inoltre è stato messo in luce come, durante il periodo riproduttivo le femmine con il piccolo modifichino il loro comportamento spaziale e l’attività di alimentazione, variando altresì l’uso dell’habitat in risposta all'aumento delle esigenze energetiche e delle necessità di protezione dei piccoli, nonché la loro minore capacità di locomozione. I risultati hanno dimostrato come strategie comportamentali che agiscono a diverse scale rappresentano un modo efficace per ottimizzare le esigenze di termoregolazione, l'acquisizione di risorse alimentari e per ridurre il rischio di predazione. Questa tesi arricchisce le conoscenze sull'influenza delle risorse trofiche, del clima e dei vincoli riproduttivi sulle strategie e tattiche comportamentali delle femmine di stambecco. Essa rappresenta il primo tentativo per questa specie, secondo le mie conoscenze, di descrivere queste risposte comportamentali come parte di un complesso trade-off che si verifica a diverse scale temporali, evidenziando una presenza di plasticità comportamentale nelle femmine di stambecco. Tale plasticità comportamentale potrebbe consentire a questa specie di tamponare le variazioni ambientali associate agli attuali cambiamenti climatici.

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This research proposes a study about the intersection between personal life and professional life in the work of the Odin Teatret actresses, Else Marie Laukvik, Iben Nagel Rasmussen, Julia Varley and Roberta Carreri. Were raised during the trajectory of each of the four actresses, moments where interference of personal life in professional life culminated in the creation of new methods of creation and training. One of the axes of this study was to think that the new methods created by the four actresses would allow to locate the space within each group and to identify different ways to practice understanding of the theater. Through analysis of the space established by every actress in the group, discusses gender relations involving these actresses do theater. Purpose of this study was also to bring to public the research of the actresses in an attempt to analyze his work to bring up discussions on the presence of women in theater history
Esta pesquisa propõe um estudo sobre intersecções entre vida pessoal e vida profissional no trabalho das atrizes do Odin Teatret, Else Marie Laukvik, Iben Nagel Rasmussen, Roberta Carreri e Julia Varley. Foram levantados durante a trajetória de cada uma das quatro atrizes, momentos onde interferências da vida pessoal na vida profissional culminaram na criação de novas metodologias de criação e treinamento. Um dos eixos deste estudo foi pensar que as novas metodologias de criadas pelas quatro atrizes possibilitariam localizar o espaço de cada uma delas dentro do grupo bem como identificar diferentes maneiras de compreensão da prática teatral. Através da análise do espaço estabelecido por cada uma das atrizes no grupo, discute relações de gênero que envolvem o fazer teatral destas atrizes. Também foi propósito deste trabalho trazer à público a pesquisa das atrizes do grupo, numa tentativa de analisando seu trabalho trazer à tona discussões sobre a presença das mulheres na história do teatro

O presente trabalho é uma proposição sobre as possibilidades cênicas das quatro peças que compõe o último ciclo da obra de Henrik Ibsen (Solness, o Cons-trutor, John Gabriel Borkman, O Pequeno Eyolf e Quando nós, os mortos, desper-tarmos) para além dos limites normalmente estabelecidos pelo Realismo. A questão da fidelidade ao texto é relativizada pela noção de ponto de vista que estabelece o diálogo com referências de outros criadores, circunscritos por um campo de coerência.
The present work is a proposition on the scenic possibilities of the four plays that make up the last cycle of the work of Henrik Ibsen (Solness the Builder, John Gabriel Borkman, Little Eyolf and When we dead awaken) beyond the limits normally set by Realism. The issue of fidelity to the text is relativized by the notion of a point of view es-tablishing dialogue with references from other breeders, circumscribed by a field of coherence.

This thesis is an attempt to study Ibn Jama'ah's approach to educational reform as illustrated in his Tadhkirat al-Sami' wa al-Mutakallim fi Adab al-'Alim wa al Muta'allim. Ibn Jama'ah (639-733 A.H. / 1241-1333 A.D.) was a distinguished Shafi'i Chief Judge and prominent scholar of Islamic studies during the Bahri Mamluk's Sultanate in Egypt and Syria. Ibn Jama'ah's theory of education reflects an emphasis on the Qur'an and hadith as primary sources of knowledge. Specifically, his suggestions for curriculum composition are designed to facilitate the evolution of a pious, religiously oriented generation of scholars. Ibn Jama'ah emphasizes the need for the teacher to foster motivation among his student body. Furthermore, he recommends that the teacher carefully gauge his students' abilities and limits. Another critical component of Ibn Jama'ah's educational program is the need for the teacher to realize the influence he has on his students; consequently, he must carry himself in a respectable and pious manner. He also addresses the various duties needed for a student to excell in his studies. In his evaluation of the teacher and student relationship, one can detect his affiliation with the Sufi khanqah tradition.

La sarna sarcóptica es una enfermedad parasitaria causada por el ácaro Sarcoptes scabiei. Afecta a mamíferos de todo el mundo, incluyendo al ser humano. En la fauna salvaje se considera una enfermedad emergente, pudiendo causar graves consecuencias poblacionales. La cabra montés (Capra pyrenaica) es un ungulado de montaña endémico de la Península Ibérica. Desde finales de los años 80, las poblaciones de cabra montés del sur y del este peninsular se han visto afectadas por esta parasitosis, con mortalidades variables que han llegado a superar el 90%. La mayoría de los estudios sobre la sarna en la cabra montés se han centrado en la epidemiología y los efectos poblacionales, por lo que no se conoce totalmente la fisiopatología y la patogenia de esta enfermedad en esta especie. En los dos primeros estudios de esta tesis, se analizaron las proteínas de fase aguda (PFA) (Estudio I) y se validó una prueba para la detección de inmunoglobulinas G (IgG) frente S. scabiei (Estudio II) en cabras monteses en libertad, tanto sanas como afectadas por sarna sarcóptica. En el Estudio I, se observó el aumento de las concentraciones de la proteína amiloide sérica tipo A y de la alfa-1 glicoproteína ácida, aunque en menor medida, en función de la extensión de las lesiones causadas por la sarna sarcóptica. Por el contrario, la concentración de haptoglobina no varió entre las cabras monteses sanas y las infestadas. Debido a la falta de un método diagnóstico de laboratorio efectivo, en el Estudio II se evaluaron tres ensayos por inmunoabsorción ligada a enzimas (ELISAs) para detectar IgG frente a S. scabiei en cabra montés, validando uno de los tres ELISAs que mostró una elevada especificidad y sensibilidad, al emplear el sistema de avidina-biotina. Los Estudios III y IV se llevaron a cabo con cabras monteses que presentaban diferentes alelos del gen DRB1 del complejo mayor de histocompatibilidad (MHC) clase II, infestadas experimentalmente con S. scabiei. Aunque todas las cabras infestadas desarrollaron lesiones compatibles con sarna sarcóptica, la evolución clínica varió desde lesiones extensas que afectaron la mayor parte de la superficie corporal hasta lesiones leves y recuperación clínica de la enfermedad (Estudio III). Sin embargo, estas diferencias clínicas no parecieron estar relacionadas con diferencias en el MHC. En las cabras monteses que desarrollaron cuadros clínicos graves de sarna se observó anemia, posiblemente relacionada con la inflamación causada por el ácaro, así como neutrofilia y linfopenia, probablemente debidas a las infecciones secundarias facilitadas por la sarna sarcóptica. La concentración de IgG también aumentó en función de la gravedad de las lesiones. Finalmente, en el Estudio IV se estudió la respuesta genómica de las cabras monteses frente a la infestación experimental con S. scabiei. En las cabras monteses con cuadros clínicos graves se observó un aumento de la expresión génica de vías relacionadas con la inmunidad y la inflamación, reflejo de la respuesta inmune generalizada, exacerbada e ineficaz inducida por el ácaro y de la respuesta frente las infecciones secundarias. Asimismo, las cabras monteses que se recuperaron mostraron un aumento de la expresión de genes relacionados con la presentación de antígeno y de activación de linfocitos T en la piel. Como resumen, la sarna sarcóptica produce cambios tanto sistémicos como locales, causando un aumento de PFA y anticuerpos, así como alteraciones hematológicas y en la expresión génica local y sistémica. Aunque las causas de las diferencias encontradas en la evolución clínica no han podido ser completamente dilucidadas, la inmunidad celular local cutánea puede ser clave en el control de la infestación. La detección de IgG mediante ELISA puede ser útil como método diagnóstico efectivo de la sarna sarcóptica en cabra montés, mientras que las PFA son un indicador pronóstico.
Sarcoptic mange is a parasitic skin disease caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei. It affects mammals worldwide, including humans. Sarcoptic mange in wildlife is considered an emerging disease, and can cause severe population declines. Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) is a medium-sized mountain ungulate endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Since the end of the ‘80s, the Iberian Ibex populations of Southern and Eastern Spain have been affected by mange, suffering variables mortalities reported to reach up to 90%. Most of the studies on sarcoptic mange in Iberian ibex have focused on the epidemiology and the population consequences of the diseases, thus existing a lack of knowledge about the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of this disease in this species. The two first studies of this thesis analysed the acute phase proteins (APP) (Study I) and validated a test for the detection of immunoglobulins G (IgG) against S. scabiei (Study II) in free-ranging Iberian ibexes, both healthy and affected by sarcoptic mange. In the Study I, an increase of serum amyloid protein type A (SAA) and in lower magnitude of alpha-1 acid glicoprotein (AGP) concentrations was observed, in correlation with the extent of the skin lesions caused by sarcoptic mange. Conversely, haptoglobin (Hp) concentration was not different between the healthy and infested ibexes. Since there is not an effective laboratory diagnostic method, in the Study II three enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were evaluated for IgG detection against S. scabiei in Iberian ibex, and one of the three showed high specificity and sensitivity by using the avidin-biotin system, which allowed it to be validated. The Studies III and IV were carried out on Iberian ibexes with different alleles of the DRB1 gen of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, experimentally infested with S. scabiei. Although all the infested ibexes developed lesions compatible with sarcoptic mange, the clinical evolution varied from extensive lesions affecting most of the body surface to mild lesions and clinical recovering of the disease (Study III). However, such clinical differences seemed unrelated to MHC differences. The severely affected ibexes showed anaemia, possibly related to the inflammation caused by the mite, as well as neutrophilia and lymphopenia, probably due to secondary infections favoured by sarcoptic mange. Immunoglobulin G concentration also increased in agreement with the severity of the lesions. Finally, the Study IV addressed the genomic response of Iberian ibexes to the experimental infestation with S. scabiei. The severely affected Iberian ibexes showed an increase in the gene expression of pathways related to immunity and inflammation, agreeing with the exacerbated and non-effective generalized immune response induced by the mite and the response to secondary infections. Moreover, the Iberian ibexes that recovered showed an increase in the local skin expression of genes related with antigen presentation and T-lymphocytes activation. To summarize, sarcoptic mange induces both systemic and local changes in the Iberian Ibex, causing an increase in APP and antibodies, as well as haematological and local and systemic gene expression disorders. Although the causes of the differences found in the clinical evolution have not been completely elucidated, local skin cellular immunity may be key in controlling the infestation. Immunoglobulin G detection by ELISA can be a useful and effective diagnostic tool for sarcoptic mange in Iberian Ibex, while APP are a prognostic indicator.

This thesis traces Ibsen's development as a writer of tragedy through lykke. contingency and happiness. Chapter I explains why notions of chance and happiness are so central to tragedy, and shows how the interests of tragedy and ethics converge in these concepts. Aristotle's arguments in the Poetics for the secularisation of tragedy are examined, along with basic ethical and tragic categories of eudaimonia (happiness) and tuche (luck). The case is then made for seeing Norwegian lykke as a concept straddling both these notions. This leads to the argument that Ibsen performs an analogous secularising gesture on his own tragedies, which explains the development from an excessive reliance on external agencies in his historical tragedies to the highly sophisticated accounts of lykke in later works. Chapter II presents the early historical tragedies from Catilina to Kejser og GaiJlceer, dramas written in 'high tragic' mode, dependent on notions of fate and other forces hostile to human happiness. Chapter ill argues that with Brand, Ibsen turns away from manifestations of contingency, and is more concerned with human agency. Here the spiritual discipline of the hero, not contingency, is pitted against happiness, and the move towards secularisation is discernible. Chapters IV, V and VI focus on Ibsen's realist tragedies Et Dukkehjem, Gengangere and Rosmersholm, secularised tragedies par excellence. Through their explorations of happiness, they participate in philosophical debates such as the affirmation of the ordinary life and utilitarianism. The last two chapters examine Bygmester Solness and John Gabriel Borkman, in which Ibsen returns to an analysis of notions of extra-human agencies and chance as determiners of happiness, not as a return to the cosmologies of his historical tragedies, but as a part of the dramatization of the hero's search for truth.

Mestrado em Engenharia e Gestão Industrial
Num mercado cada vez mais competitivo, torna-se essencial que as empresas apostem na otimização dos seus processos produtivos. Para se tornarem mais flexíveis e responderem melhor às exigências do mercado. Neste contexto surge o Lean, cujo objetivo é criar valor, eliminando desperdícios de modo a envolver a empresa numa cultura de melhoria contínua. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é otimizar processos na empresa IBEROLEFF, que se dedica à produção de componentes em plástico para o sector automóvel, através da aplicação de conceitos e ferramentas da filosofia Lean. A primeira vertente do trabalho incidiu na pesquisa dos temas fulcrais deste projeto. Possibilitou entender os principais conceitos e ferramentas do pensamento Lean, destacando-se para este projeto o SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) e o 5S. A utilização da ferramenta SMED surgiu como a solução para a necessidade de reduzir o tempo de mudança de um projeto e consequentemente aumentar o tempo disponível para produção. Esta aplicação resultou numa redução de 20% relativamente ao tempo total da mudança. Ao nível da utilização da ferramenta 5S, como solução para organizar e arrumar o armazém das tintas, registaram-se melhorias significativas na organização, arrumação e identificação do armazém, do posto de trabalho e complementando com a otimização, rapidez e facilidade dos processos.
In an increasingly competitive market, it is essential for companies to engage in optimizing their production processes so as to become more flexible and responsive to market needs. In this context, Lean arises. Its goal is to originate value though the elimination of waste and create a culture of continuous improvement within the company. The main objective of this project is to optimize processes in the company IBER-OLEFF, dedicated to the production of plastic components for the automotive industry through the application of the concepts and tools of the Lean philosophy. In the first part of this project, research was carried out on its core issues. This enabled the understanding of the key concepts and tools of the Lean philosophy, namely SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) and 5S. The use of the SMED tool has emerged as the solution for the need to reduce the time of change between projects and consequently increase the time available for production. This application resulted in a reduction of 20% when compared to the total time of the change. Regarding the use of the tool 5S as a solution for the organisation and rearrangement of the paint warehouse, there were significant improvements in terms of organization, storage and identification of the warehouse and the workplace as well as the optimization, easiness and speed of processes.

This thesis explores the epistemology and theology of a Sufi theorist Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 1240) and one of the most controversial Muslim scholars Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328) comparatively. Although scholars have long emphasized the differences between these two influential and significant figures, the purpose of this thesis is to focus on their potential similarities. The present work at the outset shows that both Ibn al-ʿArabī and Ibn Taymiyya regard revelation, the human intellect, and inspiration – unveiling (ilhām – kashf) to be the main epistemological means for acquiring religious knowledge. However, they differ over the relative value of these means or tools. Both Ibn al-ʿArabī and Ibn Taymiyya place revelation at the top of the hierarchy, but after that Ibn al-ʿArabī places inspiration – unveiling ahead of reason while Ibn Taymiyya reverses the order. The other main subject elaborated in this thesis is the theological issue of the divine names and attributes. This subject is connected to many other theological problems, and both Ibn al-ʿArabī and Ibn Taymiyya pay considerable attention to it. Just as many similar approaches, ideas, and interpretations may be seen concerning their epistemological stances, it is possible to see similarities in their theological positions although there are crucial distinctions as well. The unique way of finding out this similarity is to keep in mind the existence of the duality found in the thought and expression of Ibn al-ʿArabī. Briefly, the main finding of the thesis is that Ibn al-ʿArabī and Ibn Taymiyya are more similar in their epistemologies and theologies than many scholars have thought. They are benefitting from the same epistemological means while putting them in different order. Also, they share similar theological points concerning the divine names and attributes, creation, the divine will, and the incomparability of God while expressing them through different conceptions and styles.

We studied the dynamic of nine populations of Alpine ibex ( Capra ibex ibex ) in five protected areas. We showed a strong effect of age on demographic parameters, with a marked decrease of survival after 10-12 years of age. We also found a high variability of old females' reproduction between populations. Contrary to what is expected for a highly dimorphic species like ibex, males survived as well as females except for old individuals. Winter harshness had a negative impact on survival of old individuals but not on reproduction and survival of young. We conclude that ibex have evolved a highly conservative life-history tactic compared to other ungulates studied to now. From a management viewpoint we also showed that under some circumstances ground counts might provide reliable estimates of ibex population trends.

Le bouquetin des alpes (capra ibex ibex) est un ongule sauvage dont les populations se caracterisent par un taux d'accroissement variable au cours du temps ainsi qu'une lenteur a coloniser de nouveaux habitats. L'opportunite de preciser le fonctionnement des populations, permettant d'elaborer des mesures appropriees de gestion, du fait de la presence de cet animal au sein du parc national de la vanoise, a conduit a suivre la demographie et l'utilisation de l'espace des animaux peuplant cet espace protege. Des mecanismes de limitation naturelle des effectifs ont ete mis en evidence, avec une reduction du taux de reproduction par femelle, une augmentation de l'age de primiparite et un taux de survie des adultes eleve. Ces parametres interviendraient dans la diminution du taux de multiplication des populations lorsque les effectifs sont proches de la saturation du milieu. D'un point de vue spatial, l'observation d'individus marques a permis de souligner des tendances generales similaires d'utilisation de l'habitat, mais avec des variations plus discretes entre les sexes et les saisons. Le mode d'occupation de l'espace (distance et direction de migration, taille des quartiers saisonniers) a varie selon les individus, en relation avec leur age (instabilite des males de moins de 5 ans). La lenteur de la colonisation pourrait etre expliquee par l'existence, pendant plusieurs annees, de migrations allers-retours entre le site originel et celui a coloniser, avec une arrivee sur le site plus tardive des femelles, garantes de l'implantation perenne de la nouvelle population. Une influence de l'organisation sociale sur la repartition spatiale des individus est apparue, la localisation des animaux sur un quartier particulier pouvant etre reliee au type de groupe frequente. Par contre, l'intensite des relations interindividuelles etait generalement faible. La constitution des groupes pourrait, ainsi, etre basee sur des exigences similaires vis-a-vis de la structure de l'habitat.

Ibsen Sitat is an artwork consisting of 69 quotations shaped in steel, placed in the pavement between Grand Café in the “Karl Johans gate” and the museum of Ibsen at “Arbins gate 1”. They are placed where Ibsen took his daily walk in the last 11 years of his life, and are selected from Henrik Ibsen’s plays, poems, letters and one speech. Several quotations ”communicate” with the buildings around them. This may lead to a limited reading, but the buildings can also add interesting dimensions to the analysis. In the transformation from play, scripts and other text to the pavement, the quotations lose their originally context. Many transforms from lines in a play to direct enquiry to the viewer. In this way they become words of wisdom and advice for the passersby. Several quotations deal with language, poetry and reading, which create a meta-level that affects the reading of the whole piece. As an extension we can also find quotations that deal with poetry and the home. Ibsen Sitat is connected to Ibsen as a person, and the meta-level are made stronger by his signature in the pavement by the Ibsen museum. In the 19th century, Norway needed to build the nation and mark their distance to Denmark and Sweden. This is no longer a need, but I argue that Ibsen Sitat is part of what I call modern nation building. This emphasizes the history and what is worth preserving. A piece of the past is passed on to modern people, in shape of the artwork on the street. With Ibsen Sitat placed by the Norwegian Parliament, the University of Oslo, the National theatre and the Norwegian royal castle, one underline that Ibsen was Norwegian and important for Norway. Ibsen was partly critical to the national romanticism, but is, despite of some ambiguity, used in branding of Norway and is part of modern nation building. My problem for discussion is: When quotations by Ibsen are placed on the street, they address the reader directly. New contexts appear around the quotations, and the art piece creates a meta-level throughout comments on poetry and the homelike. Ibsen Sitat is placed in the capital’s main street, and surrounded by symbolic buildings for the nation of Norway. In this way the piece build a connection between past and future. Ibsen Sitat is included in, despite ambiguities, in what we may call modern nation building.
Ibsen Sitat er eit kunstverk som består av 69 sitat som er forma i stål og fresa ned i granitten på fortaua mellom Grand Café på Karl Johans gate og Ibsenmuseet i Arbins gate 1. Sitata fylgjer ruta Henrik Ibsen gjekk kvar dag i dei siste 11 åra av livet, og er henta frå Ibsen sine dramastykke, dikt, brev og ein tale. Fleire sitat spelar på omgjevnadane og "kommuniserar" med omkringliggande bygningar. Dette kan føre til ei avgrensing av lesinga, men bygningane kan òg tilføre interessante dimensjonar. På vegen frå drama og anna tekst til fortauet mistar sitata sin opphavlege kontekst. Mange går frå å vere replikkar i skodespel til å vende seg direkte til betraktaren. Slik tek dei form som råd og visdomsord til den som går forbi. Fleire sitat omhandlar språk og dikting, og det blir det skapt eit metanivå i verket som spelar inn på lesinga av heile Ibsen Sitat. Som ei forlenging av dette finn vi òg sitat som omhandlar dikting og heimen. Sitatgata blir knytt til Ibsen som person, og det metatekstlege blir ytterlegare forsterka av signaturen hans i fortauet utanfor Ibsenmuseet. På 1800-talet hadde Noreg behov for å bygge nasjonen og skape avstand til Danmark og Sverige. Dette behovet har ein ikkje lenger, men eg meinar at Ibsen Sitat inngår i det eg kallar moderne nasjonsbygging. Denne legg vekt på historia og det bevaringsverdige. Ein bit av fortida blir overlevert til moderne menneske, i form av kunstverket på gata. Med Ibsen Sitat plassert langs Stortinget, Universitetet, Nationaltheatret og Slottet, understrekar ein at Ibsen var norsk og viktig for Noreg. Ibsen var til dels ein skarp kritikar av nasjonalromantikken, men blir, trass tvitydigheiter, brukt som ein merkevare for nasjonen Noreg og er del av moderne nasjonsbygging. Problemformuleringa mi er: Når sitat av Ibsen blir lagt på gata, vender dei seg direkte til lesaren. Nye kontekstar oppstår rundt sitata, og kunstverket skaper eit metanivå gjennom kommentarar om dikting og det heimlege. Sitatgata ligg i hovudstaden si paradegate, omkransa av historiske og symbolske bygningar for nasjonen Noreg. Slik bygger verket bru mellom fortid og framtid. Ibsen Sitat inngår, til trass for tvitydigheiter, i det vi kan kalle moderne nasjonsbygging.

The thesis is based on scene designs for the play Lady from the sea. I focused on the concept of the game from the perspective of the actual playwright, Henrik Ibsen. To get a wider range of designs I decided to choose a modern staging by Robert Wilson and Luboš Hrůza. My goal was to accommodate the production as a source of inspiration and guidance on how to dispose the scene in my own design.

Considerado um dos grandes nomes da dramaturgia moderna, Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) dedicou boa parte de sua obra a explicitar os problemas da família burguesa, concedendo destaque à mulher, que não usufruía da liberdade nem dos benefícios capitalistas destinados ao homem. Com a publicação de Casa de bonecas, provoca alvoroço nos palcos e na sociedade. Os movimentos conservadores e os progressistas/feministas – tanto os do século XIX quanto os do século XX – combatem ou ratificam suas obras. Nossa tese repousa na concepção de que, em sua maioria, suas personagens femininas são sujeitos (históricos e de direito) que se sobrepõem às mulheres (reais) do século XIX. A construção da imagem da mulher (silenciada por mecanismos de dominação simbólica, (re)transmitidos e (re)produzidos por meio da Igreja, da Educação e do Trabalho) e a concepção da mulher-sujeito ocorrem pela perspectiva de, entre outros, Michelle Perrot, Michel Foucault, Alain Touraine, Pierre Bourdieu e Simone de Beauvoir. A propriedade sobre o corpo e a vida integra o patrimônio do marido/sujeito/proprietário a quem cabe as decisões sobre a mulher/objeto/propriedade. Nas obras analisadas – Casa de bonecas (1879), Um inimigo do povo (1882), O pato selvagem (1884), A dama do mar (1888), Hedda Gabler (1890), Solness, o construtor (1892), John Gabriel Borkman (1896) – independentemente da condição de protagonista ou de personagem secundária, os modelos femininos opõem-se aos da história: as personagens femininas têm voz (recorrem ao discurso, ferramenta de libertação), vez (instauram espaços) e liberdade (sexual e afetiva, aplicando suas escolhas ao casamento, à família, à maternidade e ao corpo). A emancipação ocorre pelo discurso, trajeto de definição de si por si mesmo e de si pelo, com, para e contra o outro, construindo-se identidades por meio de conflitos internos e externos. A definição do sujeito dramatúrgico ocorre pelo modelo actancial de base greimasiana e aprofundado, no âmbito dramatúrgico, por Anne Ubersfeld, acompanhado do referencial teórico da Análise do Discurso e da Semiótica de Linha Francesa. A constituição do sujeito histórico erige-se na comparação das práticas e representações da mulher do século XIX, geralmente delineada como mulher-objeto, às das mulheres ibsenianas, construídas como mulher-sujeito cujas ações ainda seriam consideradas ousadas até mesmo após o início da Guerra Fria.
Considered one of the great names of modern drama, Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) dedicated a lot of his work to explicit the problems of the bourgeois family, granting an emphasis to the woman, which didn’t enjoy the freedom or the capitalist benefits destined to the man. With the publication of Casa de bonecas, causes rampage in stages and in society. The conservative movements and the progressives / feminists fight or ratify their works. Our thesis establish on the conception that, in most cases, their female characters are subjects (historic and by law) that overlap to women (real) of the nineteenth century. The construction of the image of women (silenced by symbolic domination mechanisms, (re) transmitted and (re) produced by the Church, Education and Labour) and the idea of women-subject occurs by the perspective of, among others, Michelle Perrot, Michel Foucault, Alain Touraine, Pierre Bourdieu and Simone de Beauvoir. The property of the body and of the life is part of the heritage of the husband/subject/owner, which is responsible for decisions about the woman/object/property. Front of the works analyzed - Casa de bonecas (1879), Um inimigo do povo (1882), O pato selvagem (1884), A dama do mar (1888), Hedda Gabler (1890), Solness, o construtor (1892), John Gabriel Borkman (1896) - regardless of the condition of the protagonist or of the secondary character, female models are opposed to the story ones: the female characters have voice (resort to the speech, a freedom tool), time (establish spaces) and freedom (sexual and affective, applying their choices to marriage, the family, motherhood and the body). The emancipation happens by the speech, path to definition of you by yourself and of you by, with, for and against other, building up identities through internal and external conflicts. The definition of the dramaturgical subject is in the actantial model from Anne Ubersfeld. The constitution of the historical subject is erected on the comparison of practices and representations of nineteenth-century woman, generally delineated as a woman-object, to the ibsenianas women, built as a woman-subject, whose actions would still be considered bold even after the beginning of the Cold War.

This thesis highlights a new interpretation of the writings of Ibn Taymiyya. Previous scholarship has stressed the legalistic, social or religious aspect, often at the expense of the philosophical content of Ibn Taymiyya's works. The explanatory insight of a study on the theory of knowledge, hitherto neglected, is evidenced by its capability to demonstrate the convergence of elementary, religious, intuitive and rational principles. The theory illustrates the concerns of a synthetic mind whose attempt was to broaden and not restrict the domain of knowledge vis-a-vis the Divine. Knowledge is not man's privilege and is available to all of creation. All created entities have the capacity to know their Creator. This thesis attempts to shed light on the mechanisms of the acquisition of knowledge about the Divine in their modes of availability to the creatures and to man. Tensions of the human predicament thus participate in the logical framework of the discussion. The attempt is to define the domain of knowledge, its components, and its parameters in the quest for a perfect acquisition of knowledge.

The Iban of Sarawak, East Malaysia, are the inhabitants of a vast equatorial rain forest which not only plays a crucial role in satisfying their material needs, but also provides them with a rich source of imagery for the portrayal of key cultural concerns and social values. That is to say, one finds that Iban collective representations are characterized by a profusion of floral and botanical forms, while the ritual use of plants features strongly in Iban religious life. Often these 'sacred' and 'profane' aspects of the plant world coincide, as in the case of Iban rice farming which both provides them with their staple diet, and at the same time is imbued with a deeply religious significance. The primary interest of this study, then, lies in its examination of the special relationship between man and plant in Iban culture. The research is based on library materials and takes, as its epistemological starting point, the idea that an understanding of metaphor can be usefully employed in the interpretation of symbolic phenomena. This approach works on two levels. On the one hand, there is the idea that a systematic examination of recurrent metaphorical forms - be they expressed in mythological narrative, ritual imagery, or everyday language - can be linked to dominant cultural values and social orientations. On the other hand, there is also the idea that a theory of metaphor - as developed in the field of literary criticism and semantics - can provide valuable insight into the way in which so-called 'symbolic phenomena' are 'actualized', or 'understood', by those for whom they operate. In the last instance, the study seeks to transcend the formal strictures of conventional structural analysis by suggesting ways in which the elaborate structures that are revealed by the latter are actually realized, or at least represented, in daily life - whether it be in the rarefied atmosphere of a religious ceremony or the more mundane setting at some commonplace activity. In doing so, the study raises a number of issues that are of a metaphysical nature - among them the question of indigenous notions of causation - thereby providing not just simply a re-evaluation of the existing ethnographic record, but also a point of departure for future inquiries in the field.

This thesis is a study of Ibn Qayyim's approach to the fatwa as defined in his $I sp{c}l bar am al$-$Muwaqqi sp{c}in.$ This treatise deals primarily with the role of the mufti/ the procedure of issuing a fatwa and the necessary sources for a fatwa. Lawful application of these criteria ensures a proper and viable fatwa. Ibn Qayyim, however, highlights the misuse of fatwas, specifically those on hiyal. By questioning this misapplication, Ibn Qayyim hoped to redefine the entire use of the fatwa in Islamic jurisprudence. This argumentation is supplemented by a section addressing the dynamic essence of the fatwa. By examining the underlying $ sp{c}illa$ of a ruling and the maslaha as the main goal of its application, Ibn Qayyim believed that most rulings were, in some way, influenced by the surrounding elements of time and space. If the $ sp{c}illa$ changed due to changing circumstances, Ibn Qayyim surmised that the fatwa itself could undergo changes. This line of discourse helped establish the fatwa as an adaptable tool of law, further indicating the ability of Islamic law to accommodate unprecedented situations.

This thesis investigates the relationship between third/ninth century Muslim rhetorical exegesis of the Qur'an and the emergence of a stylistically based demonstration of the Qur'an's miraculous inimitability (i'jaz al-qur'an) in the fourth/tenth century. After first introducing the problem to be discussed, it examines relevant aspects of four interrelated disciplines: tafsir, i'jaz al-qur'an, Arabic literary theory and criticism, as well as Arabic grammar. Then the thesis explores the specific understanding of brevity according to the third/ninth century literary critic and exegete, Ibn Qutayba (d. 276/889), as found in the chapter of ellipsis and abbreviation (bab al-hadhf wa'l-'ikhtisar) in his Ta'wil mushkil al-qur'an (The Interpretation of the Difficulties of the Qur'an) as a representative example of this relationship. Through this examination of brevity, the thesis argues that the evaluative process involved in the stylistic demonstration of the Qur'an's inimitability, like the formal discipline of Arabic literary theory and criticism, possesses its technical origins within the philological Quranic studies of formative Muslim exegesis.

Ibn Sina has been the object of many contemporary studies, all of which have attempted to examine various angles of the possible connection between Ibn Sina and mysticism. These studies, however, have not fully explored Ibn Sina's understanding of mysticism; he is generally seen as the most rational philosopher who ever lived and, therefore, unlikely to have been a mystic in any sense. In response to this claim, the present study aims to reconsider Ibn Sina's connection with mysticism and to examine his own perception of this tradition.
This thesis first looks at the various factors which may possibly have contributed to Ibn Sina's mystical thought. Two of these were his spiritual consciousness and the Shi'ite milieu of his times. The intellectual tradition in which Ibn Sina lived, and his exposure to different aspects of Islamic intellectual tradition, were another factor that shaped his mystical thought. This thesis also attempts to reread Ibn Sina's mystical works in order to reveal his methodological perspective on mysticism. Ibn Sina incorporates mystical experience in a symbolic narrative into his work. He also theorized about mystical experience, using S&dotbelow;ufi terms like mystical knowledge ('irfan) and love ('ihsq), and tried to explain these experiences in a systematic fashion.
Ibn Sina's main contribution to the field of mysticism is his attempt to reconcile and to connect the different traditions of Neoplatonism, gnosticism, and S&dotbelow;ufism. It is remarkable how these ideas fit into a common framework---that of mysticism. These ideas may possibly stem from his close understanding of and sympathy with S&dotbelow;ufi discourse. Ibn Sina also contributed to a new literary genre in S&dotbelow;ufi literature, most notably in his visionary recitals, which express a sort of mystical experience.

In this present thesis, we are concerned with the distinguished scholar Ibn Qutaybah al-Dinawari who wrote on several fields of knowledge, such as Qur'=anic studies, Traditions of the Prophet, Theology and Arabic literature and language. The field of Ibn Qutaybah's Qur'=anic studies (exegesis and the other Qur'=anic sciences) has not received much attention from modern scholars. There is therefore a need to investigate this, especially those points which may have been discussed by him for the first time in Islamic scholarship. Thus this thesis will be concerned with Ibn Qutaybah's contribution to Qur'=anic studies. He wrote two books concerning the interpretation of the obscure passages of the Qur'=an (Ta'wil Mushkil al-Qu'=an) and the difficult words of it (Tafsir Gharib al-Qur'=an). Other books which have a bearing on this matter are al-Ikhtil=af fi al-Lafz wa-al-Radd 'Al=a al-Jahmiyyah wa-al-Mushabbihah, in which he gives a clear account of the dispute concerning the creation of the Qur'=an and its utterances; al-Mas=a'il wa-al-Ajwibah and Ta'wil Mukhtalif al-Hadith, in which he generally discusses some of the Qur'=anic verses. He also wrote other books on Qur'=anic sciences which have been mentioned in early sources; these are: Ma'=an=i al-Qur'=an; I'r=ab al-Qur'=an; al-Qir=a'=at; and =Ad=ab al-Qir=a'ah. In this thesis we shall discuss these works in general, and in particular we will give a general account of Ibn Qutaybah's life and works, and an investigation of certain subjects to which he pays particular attention. These will include the science of the obscure and ambiguous verses of the Qur'=an; exegesis by relation; Arabic grammar, philology and figure of speech (including i'j=az al-Qur'=an); the readings of the Qur'=an; the Qur'=anic sciences; and finally the issue of the creation of the Qur'=an and its utterances. In the course of his discussion, Ibn Qutaybah details most of the accusations against the Qur'=an in these areas, gives a clear account and refutes them all. The thesis will investigate all these matters in detail in order to elucidate his views and his contributions to Qur'=anic studies.

Early Arab writers have little to say about Ibn al-Rùm and his poetry. His life and his poetry are, indeed, different from early Arabic poets and poetry in general. Those who have written on Ibn al-Rùm have covered neither the whole of his life nor the whole of his works. There are, consequently, in my opinion, many aspects of his life and poetry which need to be studied. I have approached Ibn al-Rùm's life through his poetry and have used this as my primary source, attempting to see the relevance of his poetry to his life and hopefully, the relevance of his life to his poetry. I have not devoted a separate chapter to the period during which Ibn al-Rùm lived and wrote; I have attempted to study this period through Ibn al-Rùm's poetry and life. This thesis consists of an Abstract, a short introductory notice, three chapters and a brief summation. My main concern has been to translate the poetry into English and to assist it to speak in its own voice, adding notes and comments only when strictly necessary. In the first chapter (one) Ibn al-Rùm's ancestry, education and emotionally fraught life are studied, as well as his relationship with Caliphs and princes, his intellectual and physical malaise, his effeminacy and the milieu in which he lived. In chapter two; I study Istiqsa' before Ibn al-Rùm and his poetry Tashkis, his quotations from al-Qur'an and from the Jahli and 'Abbasid poetry. His relationship with the other poets of his period and the role played by the realm of the senses in his Dwan. Chapter three is a study of the genres: panegyrics, lampoons, elegies and love poetry. The work ends with a short summary of the principal findings of this study of Ibn al-Rùm through his poetry.

Ibn Sina was born in 980 C.E. in the village of Afshana near Bukhara wich today is located in Uzbekistan. He turned his attention to Medicine at the age of 17 years and found it, in his own words, “not digfficult”. By the age of 18 he had built up a reputation as a physician. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/5312