Organização da clandestinidade política do PCP: da Ditadura militar ao 25 de Abril de 1974

A presente dissertação demonstra a evolução da organização clandestina do PCP ao longo do período ditatorial português do Século XX (1926-1974). Tendo em conta o período de clandestinidade de um partido de oposição à ditadura como foi o PCP, importa verificar como ao longo dos anos o partido adaptou a sua organização à conjuntura política interna e externa. Estudar o PCP na clandestinidade é certamente abordar a capacidade de recuperação de uma organização política sujeita à frequente repressão e violência política. A organização clandestina do PCP, apesar de passar por períodos de maior ou menor crescimento orgânico, teve uma estratégia de organização das suas casas clandestinas que foi variando ao longo do período de tempo abordado nesta dissertação.

Portuguese strengths and fragilities on safety and health practices

Despite improvements over the years, accidents continue to be a scourge in the construction sector, leading to an increase in the number of journal articles addressing the issue, in an attempt to help construction industry to increase safety performance [1]. This paper aims to, helping construction industry and particulary tunneling community, describe the Portuguese approach to most typical health and safety problems in underground excavations performed with the Sequential Excavation Method (SEM). The article will address various topics, from safety management and organizational practices, to collective and personal protection equipment, to emergency planning. nt problems in safety and health matters are similar to several other countries, the paper will expose a compilation of Portuguese best practices used to solve that problems. This enunciation of best practices describes experience from most important and recognized Project Owners and Contractors in Portugal. In a second phase it will be analysed Portuguese weaknesses, identifying preventive measures, and their comparative importance, that should be adopted in Portugal in order to reduce accidents and health diseases.

Rockburst laboratory tests database - Application of data mining techniques

Rockburst is characterized by a violent explosion of a block causing a sudden rupture in the rock and is quite common in deep tunnels. It is critical to understand the phenomenon of rockburst, focusing on the patterns of occurrence so these events can be avoided and/or managed saving costs and possibly lives. The failure mechanism of rockburst needs to be better understood. Laboratory experiments are undergoing at the Laboratory for Geomechanics and Deep Underground Engineering (SKLGDUE) of Beijing and the system is described. A large number of rockburst tests were performed and their information collected, stored in a database and analyzed. Data Mining (DM) techniques were applied to the database in order to develop predictive models for the rockburst maximum stress (σRB) and rockburst risk index (IRB) that need the results of such tests to be determined. With the developed models it is possible to predict these parameters with high accuracy levels using data from the rock mass and specific project.

Identificação de fendilhamento de pavimentos e propriedades volumétricas das misturas betuminosas utilizando um Georadar

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Civil

Modelação numérica de túneis com consideração explícita das heterogeneidades do maciço

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Civil

Feeding ecology in the small neotropical amphisbaenid Amphisbaena munoai (Amphisbaenidae) in southern Brazil

We analyzed the alimentary tract of 66 specimens of Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1969 from the Serra do Sudeste, state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Forty specimens (60.6%) had prey items in their gut. The diet consisted mainly of small invertebrate prey, such as termites, insect larvae and ants. The most abundant prey item was termites, found in 62.5% of the non empty stomachs. The high number of individual prey items in the majority of stomachs, the small size of the regular prey items, and the absence of gut content in specimens of A. munoai kept alive for about two days, indicate that this species forages very frequently. The predominance of fossorial prey items and the occasional records of nomadic ants lead us to suggest that A. munoai usually feeds underground, and occasionally forages on the surface.

Demand and revenue implications of an integrated public transport policy: the case of Madrid

One of the most popular options for promoting public transport use is the provision of an integrated and high quality public transport system. This was the strategy adopted by the regional government in Madrid in 1986 and since then public transport patronage has increased by more than 50%. This paper has two objectives. The first is to identify the factors underlying the significant increase in the demand for public transport in Madrid. To do this we estimate an aggregate demand function for bus and underground trips, which allows us to obtain the demand elasticities with respect to the main attributes of public transport services and also to calculate the long-term impact of changes in those explanatory variables on patronage. The second objective is to evaluate the impact on revenue derived from the introduction of the travel card scheme, and to discuss the consequences on revenue of changes in the relative fare levels of different types of ticket without substantially affecting patronage. This latter issue is addressed by estimating a matrix of own and cross-price elasticities for different ticket types.

Plancto e hidrobiologia sanitária de tanques tropicais com dáfnias e rotíferos

The engineers of the modern University City are constructing a graceful bridge, named PONTE OSWALDO CRUZ, that crosses a portion of the Guanabara Bay (Fig. 1). The work at west pillar stopped for 3 years (The concret structure in Est. 1). As it will be seen from n.º 1 — 5 of the fig. 1, Est. I, the base of the structure will have five underground boxes of reinforcement, but, to-day they are just like as five uncovered water ponds, until at present: May 1963. (Est. I — fig. 3, n.º 3 — pond n.º 3; A. — old level of the water; B.— actual level of the water; c.— green water; E.— mass of bloom of blue algae Microcystis aeruginosa). Soon after SW portion, as 5 cells in series, of the pillar abutments, and also the NE portion nearly opposite in the Tibau Mount will be filled up with earth, a new way will link Rio City and the University City. We see to day Est. I, fig. 1 — the grasses on the half arenous beach of the Tibau Point. These natural Cyperaceae and Gramineae will be desappear because of so a new road, now under construction, when completed will be 33 feet above the mean sea level, as high as the pillar, covering exactly as that place. Although rainfall was the chief source of water for these ponds, the first water (before meterorological precipitations of whatever first rain it might fall) was a common tap water mixed with Portland Cement, which exuded gradually through the pores of the concret during its hardenning process. Some data of its first cement water composition are on the chemical table, and in Tab. n.º 4 and "Resultado n.º 1". The rain — receiving surface of each pond were about 15 by 16 feet, that is, 240 square feet; when they were full of water, their depth was of 2 feet 3", having each pond about 4,000 gallons. Climatic conditions are obviously similar of those of the Rio de Janeiro City: records of temperature, of precipitation and evaporation are seen on the graphics, figs. 2, 3, 4. Our conceptions of 4 phases is merely to satisfy an easy explanation thus the first phase that of exudation of concrete. We consider the 2nd. phase formation of bacterian and cyanophycean thin pellicel. 3rd. phase - dilution by rains, and fertilisation by birds; the 4th phase - plankton flora and fauna established. The biological material arrived with the air, the rains, and also with contaminations by dusts; with big portion of sand, of earth, and leaves of trees resulted of the SW wind actions in the storming days (See - Est. I, fig. 3, G. - the mangrove trees of the Pinheiro Island). Many birds set down and rest upon the pillar structure, its faeces which are good fertilizers fall into the ponds. Some birds were commonly pigeons, black ravens, swallows, sparrows and other sea mews, moor hens, and a few sea birds of comparatively rare occurence. We get only some examples of tropical dust contaminated helioplankton, of which incipient observations were been done sparcely. See the systematic list of the species of plankters. Phytoplankters - Cyanophyta algae as a basic part for food of zooplankters, represented chiefly by rotiferse, water-fleas Moinodaphnia and other Crustacea: Ostracoda Copepoda and Insecta: Chironomidae and Culicidae larvae. The polysaprobic of septic irruptions have not been done only by heating in summer, and, a good reason of that, for example: when the fifth pond was in polysaprobic phase as the same time an alike septic phase do not happened into the 3rd. pond, therefore, both were in the same conditions of temperature, but with unlike contaminations. Among the most important aquatic organisms used as indicatiors of pollution - and microorganisms of real importance in the field of sanitary science, by authorities of renown, for instance: PALMER, PRESCOTT, INGRAM, LIEBMANN, we choose following microalgae: a) The cosmopolite algae Scenedesmus quadricuada, a common indicator in mesosaprobio waters, which lives between pH 7,0 and it is assimilative of NO[3 subscripted] and NH[4 subscripted]. b) Species of the genus Chlamydomonas; it is even possible that all the species of theses genus inhabit strong-mesosaprobic to polysaprobic waters when in massive blooms. c) Several species of Euglenaceae in fast growing number, at the same time of the protozoa Amoebidae, Vorticellidae and simultaneous with deposition of the decaying cells of the blue algae Anacystis cyanea (= Microcystis) when the consumed oxygen by organic matter resulted in 40 mg. L. But, we found, among various Euglenacea the cosmopolite species (Euglena viridis, a well known polysaprobic indicatior of which presence occur in septic zone. d) Analcystis cyanea (= M. aeruginosa) as we observed was in blooms increasing to the order of billions of cells per litter, its maximum in the summer. Temperatures 73ºF to 82ºF but even 90ºF, the pH higher than 8. When these blue algae was joined to the rotifer Brachionus calyflorus the waters gets a milky appearance, but greenished one. In fact, that cosmopolite algae is used as a mesosaprobic indicator. Into the water of the ponds its predominance finished when the septic polysaprobic conditions began. e) Ankistrodesmus falcatus was present in the 5th pond from 26the. April untill the 26th July, and when N.NH[4 subscripted] gets 1.28 mg. L. and when chlorinity stayed from 0.034 to 0.061 mg. L. It never was found at N.NH[4 subscripted] higher than 1 mg. L. The green algae A. falcatus, an indicatior of pollution, lives in moderate mesosaprobic waters. f) As everyone knows, the rotifer eggs may be widely dispersed by wind. The rotifer Asplanchna brightwelli in our observation seemed like a green colored bag, overcharged by green cells and detritus, specially into its spacious stomach, which ends blindly (the intestine, cloaca, being absent). The stock of Asplanchna in the ponds, during the construction of the bridge "PONTE OSWALDO CRUZ" inhabits alkaline waters, pH 8,0 a 8,3, and when we observed we noted its dissolved oxygen from 3.5 to 4 mg. L. In these ponds Asplanchna lived in 0,2 P.PO[4 subscripted]. (Remember the hydobiological observations foreign to braslian waters refer only from 0.06 to 0,010 mg. L. P.PO[4 subscripted]; and they refer resistance to 0.8 N.NH[4 subscripted]). By our data, that rotiger resist commonly to 1.2 until 1.8 mg. L.N.NH[4 subscripted]; here in our ponds and, when NO[2 subscripted] appears Asplanchna desappears. It may be that Asplanchna were devoured by nitrite resistant animals of by Culicidae or other mosquitoes devoured by Due to these facts the number and the distribution of Asplanchna varies considerabley; see - plates of plankton successions. g) Brachionus one of the commonest members of class Rotatoria was frquently found in abundance into the ponds, and we notice an important biological change produce by the rotifer Brachonus colyciflorus: the occurence of its Brachionus clayciflorus forms pallas, is rare in Brazil, as we know about this. h) When we found the water flea MOinodaphnia we do not record simultanous presence of the blue algae Agmenellun (= Merismopedia).

Contact metamorphism and emplacement of the western Adamello tonalite

The geodynamic forces acting in the Earth's interior manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Volcanoes are amongst the most impressive examples in this respect, but like with an iceberg, they only represent the tip of a more extensive system hidden underground. This system consists of a source region where melt forms and accumulates, feeder connections in which magma is transported towards the surface, and different reservoirs where it is stored before it eventually erupts to form a volcano. A magma represents a mixture of melt and crystals. The latter can be extracted from the source region, or form anywhere along the path towards their final crystallization place. They will retain information of the overall plumbing system. The host rocks of an intrusion, in contrast, provide information at the emplacement level. They record the effects of thermal and mechanical forces imposed by the magma. For a better understanding of the system, both parts - magmatic and metamorphic petrology - have to be integrated. I will demonstrate in my thesis that information from both is complementary. It is an iterative process, using constraints from one field to better constrain the other. Reading the history of the host rocks is not always straightforward. This is shown in chapter two, where a model for the formation of clustered garnets observed in the contact aureole is proposed. Fragments of garnets, older than the intrusive rocks are overgrown by garnet crystallizing due to the reheating during emplacement of the adjacent pluton. The formation of the clusters is therefore not a single event as generally assumed but the result of a two-stage process, namely the alteration of the old grains and the overgrowth and amalgamation of new garnet rims. This makes an important difference when applying petrological methods such as thermobarometry, geochronology or grain size distributions. The thermal conditions in the aureole are a strong function of the emplacement style of the pluton. therefore it is necessary to understand the pluton before drawing conclusions about its aureole. A study investigating the intrusive rocks by means of field, geochemical, geochronologi- cal and structural methods is presented in chapter three. This provided important information about the assembly of the intrusion, but also new insights on the nature of large, homogeneous plutons and the structure of the plumbing system in general. The incremental nature of the emplacement of the Western Adamello tonalité is documented, and the existence of an intermediate reservoir beneath homogeneous plutons is proposed. In chapter four it is demonstrated that information extracted from the host rock provides further constraints on the emplacement process of the intrusion. The temperatures obtain by combining field observations with phase petrology modeling are used together with thermal models to constrain the magmatic activity in the immediate intrusion. Instead of using the thermal models to control the petrology result, the inverse is done. The model parameters were changed until a match with the aureole temperatures was obtained. It is shown, that only a few combinations give a positive match and that temperature estimates from the aureole can constrain the frequency of ancient magmatic systems. In the fifth chapter, the Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility of intrusive rocks is compared to 3D tomography. The obtained signal is a function of the shape and distribution of ferromagnetic grains, and is often used to infer flow directions of magma. It turns out that the signal is dominated by the shape of the magnetic crystals, and where they form tight clusters, also by their distribution. This is in good agreement with the predictions made in the theoretical and experimental literature. In the sixth chapter arguments for partial melting of host rock carbonates are presented. While at first very surprising, this is to be expected when considering the prior results from the intrusive study and experiments from the literature. Partial melting is documented by compelling microstructures, geochemical and structural data. The necessary conditions are far from extreme and this process might be more frequent than previously thought. The carbonate melt is highly mobile and can move along grain boundaries, infiltrating other rocks and ultimately alter the existing mineral assemblage. Finally, a mineralogical curiosity is presented in chapter seven. The mineral assemblage magne§site and calcite is in apparent equilibrium. It is well known that these two carbonates are not stable together in the system Ca0-Mg0-Fe0-C02. Indeed, magnesite and calcite should react to dolomite during metamorphism. The presented explanation for this '"forbidden" assemblage is, that a calcite melt infiltrated the magnesite bearing rock along grain boundaries and caused the peculiar microstructure. This is supported by isotopie disequilibrium between calcite and magnesite. A further implication of partially molten carbonates is, that the host rock drastically looses its strength so that its physical properties may be comparable to the ones of the intrusive rocks. This contrasting behavior of the host rock may ease the emplacement of the intrusion. We see that the circle closes and the iterative process of better constraining the emplacement could start again. - La Terre est en perpétuel mouvement et les forces tectoniques associées à ces mouvements se manifestent sous différentes formes. Les volcans en sont l'un des exemples les plus impressionnants, mais comme les icebergs, les laves émises en surfaces ne représentent que la pointe d'un vaste système caché dans les profondeurs. Ce système est constitué d'une région source, région où la roche source fond et produit le magma ; ce magma peut s'accumuler dans cette région source ou être transporté à travers différents conduits dans des réservoirs où le magma est stocké. Ce magma peut cristalliser in situ et produire des roches plutoniques ou alors être émis en surface. Un magma représente un mélange entre un liquide et des cristaux. Ces cristaux peuvent être extraits de la source ou se former tout au long du chemin jusqu'à l'endroit final de cristallisation. L'étude de ces cristaux peut ainsi donner des informations sur l'ensemble du système magmatique. Au contraire, les roches encaissantes fournissent des informations sur le niveau d'emplacement de l'intrusion. En effet ces roches enregistrent les effets thermiques et mécaniques imposés par le magma. Pour une meilleure compréhension du système, les deux parties, magmatique et métamorphique, doivent être intégrées. Cette thèse a pour but de montrer que les informations issues de l'étude des roches magmatiques et des roches encaissantes sont complémentaires. C'est un processus itératif qui utilise les contraintes d'un domaine pour améliorer la compréhension de l'autre. Comprendre l'histoire des roches encaissantes n'est pas toujours aisé. Ceci est démontré dans le chapitre deux, où un modèle de formation des grenats observés sous forme d'agrégats dans l'auréole de contact est proposé. Des fragments de grenats plus vieux que les roches intru- sives montrent une zone de surcroissance générée par l'apport thermique produit par la mise en place du pluton adjacent. La formation des agrégats de grenats n'est donc pas le résultat d'un seul événement, comme on le décrit habituellement, mais d'un processus en deux phases, soit l'altération de vieux grains engendrant une fracturation de ces grenats, puis la formation de zone de surcroissance autour de ces différents fragments expliquant la texture en agrégats observée. Cette interprétation en deux phases est importante, car elle engendre des différences notables lorsque l'on applique des méthodes pétrologiques comme la thermobarométrie, la géochronologie ou encore lorsque l'on étudie la distribution relative de la taille des grains. Les conditions thermales dans l'auréole de contact dépendent fortement du mode d'emplacement de l'intrusion et c'est pourquoi il est nécessaire de d'abord comprendre le pluton avant de faire des conclusions sur son auréole de contact. Une étude de terrain des roches intrusives ainsi qu'une étude géochimique, géochronologique et structurale est présente dans le troisième chapitre. Cette étude apporte des informations importantes sur la formation de l'intrusion mais également de nouvelles connaissances sur la nature de grands plutons homogènes et la structure de système magmatique en général. L'emplacement incrémental est mis en évidence et l'existence d'un réservoir intermédiaire en-dessous des plutons homogènes est proposé. Le quatrième chapitre de cette thèse illustre comment utiliser l'information extraite des roches encaissantes pour expliquer la mise en place de l'intrusion. Les températures obtenues par la combinaison des observations de terrain et l'assemblage métamorphique sont utilisées avec des modèles thermiques pour contraindre l'activité magmatique au contact directe de cette auréole. Au lieu d'utiliser le modèle thermique pour vérifier le résultat pétrologique, une approche inverse a été choisie. Les paramètres du modèle ont été changés jusqu'à ce qu'on obtienne une correspondance avec les températures observées dans l'auréole de contact. Ceci montre qu'il y a peu de combinaison qui peuvent expliquer les températures et qu'on peut contraindre la fréquence de l'activité magmatique d'un ancien système magmatique de cette manière. Dans le cinquième chapitre, les processus contrôlant l'anisotropie de la susceptibilité magnétique des roches intrusives sont expliqués à l'aide d'images de la distribution des minéraux dans les roches obtenues par tomographie 3D. Le signal associé à l'anisotropie de la susceptibilité magnétique est une fonction de la forme et de la distribution des grains ferromagnétiques. Ce signal est fréquemment utilisé pour déterminer la direction de mouvement d'un magma. En accord avec d'autres études de la littérature, les résultats montrent que le signal est dominé par la forme des cristaux magnétiques, ainsi que par la distribution des agglomérats de ces minéraux dans la roche. Dans le sixième chapitre, une étude associée à la fusion partielle de carbonates dans les roches encaissantes est présentée. Si la présence de liquides carbonatés dans les auréoles de contact a été proposée sur la base d'expériences de laboratoire, notre étude démontre clairement leur existence dans la nature. La fusion partielle est documentée par des microstructures caractéristiques pour la présence de liquides ainsi que par des données géochimiques et structurales. Les conditions nécessaires sont loin d'être extrêmes et ce processus pourrait être plus fréquent qu'attendu. Les liquides carbonatés sont très mobiles et peuvent circuler le long des limites de grain avant d'infiltrer d'autres roches en produisant une modification de leurs assemblages minéralogiques. Finalement, une curiosité minéralogique est présentée dans le chapitre sept. L'assemblage de minéraux de magnésite et de calcite en équilibre apparent est observé. Il est bien connu que ces deux carbonates ne sont pas stables ensemble dans le système CaO-MgO-FeO-CO.,. En effet, la magnésite et la calcite devraient réagir et produire de la dolomite pendant le métamorphisme. L'explication présentée pour cet assemblage à priori « interdit » est que un liquide carbonaté provenant des roches adjacentes infiltre cette roche et est responsable pour cette microstructure. Une autre implication associée à la présence de carbonates fondus est que la roche encaissante montre une diminution drastique de sa résistance et que les propriétés physiques de cette roche deviennent comparables à celles de la roche intrusive. Cette modification des propriétés rhéologiques des roches encaissantes peut faciliter la mise en place des roches intrusives. Ces différentes études démontrent bien le processus itératif utilisé et l'intérêt d'étudier aussi bien les roches intrusives que les roches encaissantes pour la compréhension des mécanismes de mise en place des magmas au sein de la croûte terrestre.

Innovació tecnològica a la construcció subterrània

Report for the scientific sojourn carried out in the International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) –state agency – from February until November 2007. The work within the project Technology innovation in underground construction can be grouped into the following tasks: development of the software for modelling underground excavation based on the discrete element method - the numerical algorithms have been implemented in the computer programs and applied to simulation of excavation using roadheaders and TBM-s -; coupling of the discrete element method with the finite element method; development of the numerical model of rock cutting taking into account of wear of rock cutting tools -this work considers a very important factor influencing effectiveness of underground works -.

Ecoepidemiological aspects of american cutaneous leishmaniasis in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

The aim of this study is to review some of the ecoepidemiological aspects of american cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. During the first half of this century ACL occured in São Paulo, predominantly on the bank of the Tietê river, where there were railroad constructions and there was inevitable contact between and forested areas. Man's activities resulted in a drastic reduction of the forested regions of the state and molded the present landscape found in São Paulo, which brought a gradual change in the epidemiology of ACL during this century. Currently ACL can be considered as an endemic disease. Nowadays, ACL is found in different regions of São Paulo state, and is no longer limited to the bank of the Tietê river. The disease occurs in all age groups and sexes. Lack of knowledge about wild reservoir hosts of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis has simulated speculation about the possible role played by domestic animals (dogs and equines). Man's activities also favoured Lutzomyia intermedia a sandfly species which can clearly thrive in changed environments L. (V.) braziliensis continues to be transmitted, even after decades of forest destruction in São Paulo.

Influència del context geològic i hidrogeològic en l'eficiència energètica dels sistemes geotèrmics de molt baixa entalpia

L’elevat consum energètic de les societats actuals, així com la impossibilitat de sostenir-lo a llarg termini implica la cerca de noves fonts d’energia. D’aquesta manera, en el camp de la climatització residencial, l’energia geotèrmica de molt baixa entalpia es posiciona com una alternativa als recursos energètics actuals. Així, els primers metres de subsòl presenten una temperatura adequada per al seu aprofitament calorífic, mitjançant els sistemes geotèrmics de bomba de calor. Si bé a nivell energètic, són sistemes, intrínsecament, molt eficients, el seu rendiment pot patir importants variacions davant dels canvis en les condicions del medi geològic i hidrogeològic. Especialment, els col·lectors de calor verticals, treballen, amb freqüència, en el si de les formacions hidrogeològiques. En aquest sentit, els canvis del nivell hidràulic i de la temperatura de l’aigua de l’aqüífer es manifesten amb variacions de la conductivitat tèrmica equivalent i del flux subterrani d’aigua, que alhora, aquestes, es tradueixen en alteracions del flux subterrani de calor. Davant d’aquest fet, l’avaluació quantitativa de l’efecte d’aquestes fluctuacions que es presenta en aquest treball mostra petites variacions del nivell hidràulic i de la temperatura de l’aigua comporten canvis molt notables en l’eficiència dels sistemes verticals de bomba de calor geotèrmica.

Conservation genetics and population monitoring of the Alpine Salamander (Salamandra Atra) :

SUMMARYIn the context of the biodiversity crisis, amphibians are experiencing the most severe worldwide decline of all vertebrates and are in urgent need of better management. Efficient conservation strategies rely on sound knowledge of the species biology and of the genetic and demographic processes that might impair their welfare. Nonetheless, these processes are poorly understood in amphibians. Delineating population boundaries remains consequently problematic for these species, while it is of critical importance to define adequate management units for conservation. In this study, our attention focused on the alpine salamander (Salamandra atra), a species that deserves much interest in terms of both conservation biology and evolution. This endemic alpine species shows peculiar life-history traits (viviparity, reduced activity period, slow maturation) and has a slow population turnover, which might be problematic for its persistence in a changing environment. Due to its elusive behaviour (individuals spend most of their time underground and are unavailable for sampling), dynamic processes of gene and individuals were poorly understood for that species. Consequently, its conservation status could hardly be reliably assessed. Similarly the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) also poses special challenges for conservation, as no clear demarcation of geographical populations exists and dispersal patterns are poorly known. Through a phylogeographic analysis, we first studied the evolutionary history of the alpine salamander to better document the distribution of the genetic diversity along its geographical range. This study highlighted the presence of multiple divergent lineages in Italy together with a clear genetic divergence between populations from Northern and Dinaric Alps. These signs of cryptic genetic differentiation, which are not accounted for by the current taxonomy of the species, should not be neglected for further definition of conservation units. In addition, our data supported glacial survival of the species in northern peripheral glacial réfugia and nunataks, a pattern rarely documented for long-lived species. Then, we evaluated the level of gene flow between populations at the local scale and tested for asymmetries in male versus female dispersal using both field-based (mark-recapture) and genetic approaches. This study revealed high level of gene flow between populations, which stems mainly from male dispersal. This corroborated the idea that salamanders are much better dispersers than hitherto thought and provided a well- supported example of male-biased dispersal in amphibians. In a third step, based on a mark- recapture survey, we addressed the problem of sampling unavailability in alpine salamanders and evaluated its impact on two monitoring methods. We showed that about three quarters of individuals were unavailable for sampling during sampling sessions, a proportion that can vary with climatic conditions. If not taken into account, these complexities would result in false assumptions on population trends and misdirect conservation efforts. Finally, regarding the daunting task of delineating management units, our attention was drawn on the fire salamander. We conducted a local population genetic study that revealed high levels of gene flow among sampling sites. Management units for this species should consequently be large. Interestingly, despite the presence of several landscape features often reported to act as barriers, genetic breaks occurred at unexpected places. This suggests that landscape features may rather have idiosyncratic effects on population structure. In conclusion, this work brought new insights on both genetic and demographic processes occurring in salamanders. The results suggest that some biological paradigms should be taken with caution when particular species are in focus. Species- specific studies remain thus fundamental for a better understanding of species evolution and conservation, particularly in the context of current global changes.RESUMEDans le contexte de la crise de la biodiversité actuelle, les amphibiens subissent le déclin le plus important de tous les vertébrés et ont urgemment besoin d'une meilleure protection. L'établissement de stratégies de conservation efficaces repose sur des connaissances solides de la biologie des espèces et des processus génétiques et démographiques pouvant menacer leur survie. Ces processus sont néanmoins encore peu étudiés chez les amphibiens.Dans cette étude, notre attention s'est portée sur la salamandre noire (Salamandra atra), une espèce endémique des Alpes dont les traits d'histoire de vie atypiques (viviparité, phase d'activité réduite, lent turnover des populations) pourraient la rendre très vulnérable face aux changements environnementaux. Par ailleurs, en raison de son comportement cryptique (les individus passent la plupart de leur temps sous terre) la dynamique des gènes et des individus est mal comprise chez cette espèce. Il est donc difficile d'évaluer son statut de conservation de manière fiable. La salamandre tachetée {Salamandra salamandra), pour qui il n'existe aucune démarcation géographique apparente des populations, pose également des problèmes en termes de gestion. Dans un premier temps, nous avons étudié l'histoire évolutive de la salamandre noire afin de mieux décrire la distribution de sa diversité génétique au sein de son aire géographique. Cela a permis de mettre en évidence la présence de multiples lignées en Italie, ainsi qu'une nette divergence entre les populations du nord des Alpes et des Alpes dinariques. Ces résultats seront à prendre en compte lorsqu'il s'agira de définir des unités de conservation pour cette espèce. D'autre part, nos données soutiennent l'hypothèse d'une survie glaciaire dans des refuges nordiques périglaciaires ou dans des nunataks, fait rarement documenté pour une espèce longévive. Nous avons ensuite évalué la différentiation génétique des populations à l'échelle locale, ce qui a révélé d'important flux de gènes, ainsi qu'une asymétrie de dispersion en faveur des mâles. Ces résultats corroborent l'idée que les amphibiens dispersent mieux que ce que l'on pensait, et fournissent un exemple robuste de dispersion biaisée en faveur des mâles chez les amphibiens. Nous avons ensuite abordé le problème de Γ inaccessibilité des individus à la capture. Nous avons montré qu'environ trois quarts des individus sont inaccessibles lors des échantillonnages, une proportion qui peut varier en fonction des conditions climatiques. Ignoré, ce processus pourrait entraîner une mauvaise interprétation des fluctuations de populations ainsi qu'une mauvaise allocation des efforts de conservation. Concernant la définition d'unités de gestion pour la salamandre tachetée, nous avons pu mettre en évidence un flux de gènes important entre les sites échantillonnés. Les unités de gestion pour cette espèce devraient donc être étendues. Etonnamment, malgré la présence de nombreuses barrières potentielles au flux de gènes, les démarcations génétiques sont apparues à des endroits inattendus. En conclusion, ce travail a apporté une meilleure compréhension des processus génétiques et démographiques en action chez les salamandres. Les résultats suggèrent que certains paradigmes biologiques devraient être considérés avec précaution quand il s'agit de les appliquer à des espèces particulières. Les études spécifiques demeurent donc fondamentales pour une meilleure compréhension de l'évolution des espèces et leur conservation, tout particulièrement dans le contexte des changements globaux actuels.

Characterization of Triatoma guasayana biotopes in a hardwood forest of Santiago del Estero, Argentina

Triatoma guasayana is a silvatic triatomine species distributed in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. The study was performed in a secondary forest of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. The abundance of T. guasayana was evaluated by census in the following wild biotopes: quimiles (Opuntia quimilo), chaguares (dry bromeliads), logs and underground burrows. Ten biotopes of each type were dismantled in winter (August) and another 40 in summer (January); all fauna was recorded. The biotopes most infested by T. guasayana were quimiles (65%), followed by chaguares (55%), and logs (25%). Quimiles and chaguares were infested in both seasons, whereas logs were positive only in summer and burrows were never infested. Infestation and abundance were higher in summer than in winter. The biotope structure is a key factor for T. guasayana colonization. The larger number of refuges, the constant presence of blood sources and suitable inner microclimatic conditions offered by quimiles may favour the persistence of T. guasayana colonies. The richness of invertebrate fauna per type of biotope was ranked in the same order as that of T. guasayana, suggesting similar microhabitat requirements for all studied arthropods.

Eleutherinone, a novel fungitoxic naphthoquinone from Eleutherine bulbosa (Iridaceae)

The dichloromethane extract prepared from the underground parts of Eleutherine bulbosa (Miller) Urban (Iridaceae) showed strong activity in the direct bioautography assay with the phytopathogenic fungus Cladosporium sphaerospermum. This assay was used to guide the fractionation of this extract and allowed the isolation of four compounds: the new naphthoquinone eleutherinone[8-methoxy-1-methyl-1,3-dihydro-naphtho(2,3-c)furan-4,9 -dione] and the known compounds, previously isolated from this species, eleutherin [9-methoxy-1(R),3(S)-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-1H-benzo(g)isochromene-5,10-dione], isoeleutherin [9-methoxy-1(R),3(R)-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-1H-benzo(g)isochromene-5,10-dione], and eleutherol [4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3(R)-methyl-3H-naphtho(2,3-c)furan-1 -one]. All quinonoid compounds showed strong antifungal activity in the bioautography assay at 100 µg/spot, while eleutherol was inactive.