Les orientations de la politique agricole marocaine, notamment le Plan Maroc Vert, encouragent la valorisation des zones arides et le développement de cultures qui s’adaptent au réchauffement climatique. Le figuier de Barbarie est une plante qui s'adapte au climat aride et semi-aride mais il reste encore sous-exploité au Maroc. Les cladodes du figuier de Barbarie sont largement consommées au Mexique et elles contiennent des composants bioactifs qui ont des effets bénéfiques sur la santé. Le jus extrait à partir des cladodes des deux espèces Opuntia ficus-indica (inerme) et Opuntia megacantha (épineuse) a fait l’objet de ce travail. Les cladodes ont été récoltées dans la région de Marrakech (commune rurale Ouled Dlim) au Maroc durant trois saisons entre 2013 et 2014 (printemps, été et hiver) afin d’évaluer l’effet du temps de récolte sur la composition physico-chimique et biochimique ainsi que sur les propriétés antioxydantes. Le rendement en jus des cladodes varie en fonction des saisons et des espèces (20,83 – 63,39 %). Les analyses physico-chimiques et biochimiques ont montré que le jus de cladode est riche en polyphénols (455,65 ± 7,63 – 542,70 ± 1,35 µg EGA/ mL), en acide ascorbique (17,60 ± 1,87 – 22,88 ± 0,62 mg /100 mL) et en potassium (44,23 – 409,35 mg /100 mL), mais pauvre en sucre (0,66 ± 0,01 – 1,45 ± 0,03 g /100 mL). L’analyse HPLC sur les composés phénoliques a montré que le jus de cladode est riche en flavonols à savoir l’isoquercetine et l’hyperoside (645,90 µg/mL et 164,50 µg/mL respectivement). L’activité antioxydante du jus de cladode a été mesurée avec le test FRAP (1,74 ± 0,07 – 3,33 ± 0,02 µmol ET/mL) et l’activité antiradicalaire a été réalisée avec le test DPPH (1,78 ± 0,03 – 4,10 ± 0,02 µmol ET/mL) et le test ABTS (12,78 ± 1,69 – 23,10 ± 0,17 µmol ET/mL). La corrélation entre les analyses a montré qu'il y avait une relation significative (p<0,05) entre les méthodes d’analyses, les espèces et les saisons. Le jus de cladode extrait à partir de l’espèce épineuse (Opuntia megacantha) et la récolte effectuée au mois d’août nous ont donné les plus grandes valeurs en composants biochimiques et pour l’activité antioxydante. L’analyse quantitative du jus de cladode du mois de mars par HPLC-DAD à montré la présence d’une quantitié importante de flavonoïdes essentiellement l’isoquercetine et l’hyperoside. Les résultats de cette étude ont montré la richesse du jus en nutriments et son potentiel antioxydant. Le jus de cladode peut être conservé durant 42 jours à 4°C, après une pasteurisation à 95°C pendant 3 min dans un bain-marie et un abaissement du pH à 3,5 avec de l’acide citrique. Le jus peut être commercialisé sous forme de nectar, thé glacé ou boisson gazeuse, sans oublier une valorisation de ses coproduits (confiture, soupe, poudre, etc.). / The orientations of the Moroccan agricultural policy concerning the Green Morocco Plan, promote the development of the arid zones and the development of crops that adapt to global warming. The prickly pear cactus is a plant which is adapted to the arid climate and still untapped in Morocco. Prickly pear cladodes contain bioactive components that have beneficial health effects. The juice extracted from cladodes of both species Opuntia ficus-indica(spineless) and Opuntia megacantha(spiny) was the subject ofthis work. The cladodes were harvested in the region of Marrakech (Ouled Dlim) in Morocco for three seasons (spring, summer and winter) between 2013 and 2014 to assess the effect of harvest time on the physico-chemical and biochemical composition and antioxidant activity. The yield of cladode juice varies within the seasons and species (63,39 –20,83 %). The physico-chemical and biochemical analyzes showed that cladode juice is rich in polyphenols (543 ± 1–456 ± 8mg GAE/mL), in ascorbic acid (17,60 ± 1,87 –22,88 ± 0,62 mg/100 mL) and in potassium (409,35 –44,23 mg/100mL) but poor in sugar (0,66 ± 0,01–1,45 ± 0,03 g/100 mL). HPLC analysis of phenolic compounds has shown that cladode juice is rich in flavonols namely isoquercetin and hyperoside (645,90 mg/mL and 164,50 mg/mL respectively). The antioxidant activity of cladode juice was measured with FRAP test (1,74 ± 0,07 –3,33 ± 0,02 μmol TE/mL) and the antiradical activity was carried out with the DPPH test (1,78 ± 0,03 –4,10 ± 0,02 μmol TE/mL ) and the ABTS test (12,78 ± 1,69 –23,10 ± 0,17 μmol TE/mL ). The correlation analysis indicated that there was a significant relationship (p<0,05) between the methods of analysis, species and seasons.Quantitative analysis of cladode juice harvested in March HPLC-DAD showed the presence of a significant quantity of flavonoids essentially isoquercetin and hyperoside. Results of these analyzes showed that cladode juice is rich in nutriments and has an antioxidant activity potential. The juice can be stored for 42 days at 4°C, after pasteurization at 95°Cfor 3 min in a water bath and lowering the pH to 3,5 with citric acid. Cladode juice can be used as nectar, iced tea or soft drink and with a valorization of its coproducts (jam, soup, powder etc.).

In this paper we study packet delay and loss rate at the University of Fort Hare network. The focus of this paper is to evaluate the information derived from a multipoint measurement of, University of Fort Hare network which will be collected for a duration of three Months during June 2011 to August 2011 at the TSC uplink and Ethernet hubs outside and inside relative to the Internet firewall host. The specific value of this data set lies in the end to end instrumentation of all devices operating at the packet level, combined with the duration of observation. We will provide measures for the normal day−to−day operation of the University of fort hare network both at off-peak and during peak hours. We expect to show the impact of delay and loss rate at the University of Fort Hare network. The data set will include a number of areas, where service quality (delay and packet loss) is extreme, moderate, good and we will examine the causes and impacts on network users.

Esta tesis se refiere a una planta sagrada de la región andina: el San Pedro o “cacto de los cuatro vientos”, también conocido como achuma, gigantón, aguacolla y otros nombres de acuerdo a la región. Es un cactus de ramas columnares que alcanzan hasta 15 cm de diámetro y algunos metros de altura. El examen químico del San Pedro ha revelado la presencia de mescalina (que constituye el 2% del peso seco de los tallos) y otros alcaloides (Schultes y Hofmann, 1993: 58, 154-157). / Tesis

Cacti (Cactaceae) represent a family of highly specialized angiosperm plants with a native range of distribution restricted to the American continents. Columnar cacti of the sub-family Cactoideae evolved in adaptation to their arid or semi-arid habitats characteristics that distinguish them from most other dicot plants, e.g. the stem succulence with a strongly vascularized storage parenchyma and the presence of the spine wearing areoles. Although cacti have been in cultivation since the discovery of America, some studies even suggest the agricultural use in pre-colombian times, and many scientific investigations were carried out on the functional morphology and anatomy with regard to biomechanical adaptations of the found structures, no research focused on the branch-stem attachment. The most conspicuous features of such a ramification are the pronounced constrictions at the branch-stem junctions that are also present in the lignified vascular structures within the succulent cortex. Based on Finite Element Analyses of ramification models it could be demonstrated that these indentations in the region of high flexural and torsional stresses are not regions of structural weakness, e.g. allowing vegetative propagation. On the contrary, they can be regarded as anatomical adaptations to increase the stability by fine-tuning the stress state and stress directions in the junction along prevalent fiber directions. The development of the woody support structure within the succulent cortex of the parental shoot can be traced back to the leaf and bud traces of the dormant axillary buds. Surprisingly, these initials also develop into another woody structure supporting the flowers of the cacti. As these two support structures differ significantly in their macroscopic and microscopic anatomy and as they develop from the same initial state as leaf/bud traces, another objective of this work was to analyze the secondary growth of the two structures with traditional botanic investigation methods. The results of these investigations reveal a wood dimorphism consisting of an early parenchymatous phase followed later by fibrous wood in both kind of support structure. In vegetative branches, the woody support structures have the typical ringlike arrangement as found in the stele of the parental shoot, whereas the flower support structures have a reticular arrangement of interconnected woody strands. This fundamentally different anatomy of the support structures results from the formation of an interfascicular cambium between the leaf/bud traces when a vegetative branch forms or its absence in the case of a flower. After shedding light on the functional morphology and anatomy of the cactus ramification and their development the question arises if the found load adaptation strategies may serve to improve technical fiber composite structures analogue to the design recommendation developed from the biomechanical analyses of tree ramifications. Such a biomimetic transfer from the cactus ramification as biological role model to a technical implementation and the adaptation of the fine-tuned geometric shape and arrangement of lignified strengthening tissues might contribute to the development of alternative concepts for branched fiber-reinforced composite structures within a limited design space.

The wettability and phase change phenomena of water are ubiquitous on biological and artificial surfaces. Properties like water repellency, self-cleaning, coalescence induced condensation jumping, anti-frosting, and dew harvesting arise on surfaces with particular structures and chemistry and are of particular interest for energy and water saving. This thesis collects different studies of wettability and phase change on natural and artificial surfaces: growth and self-ejection of condensation droplets on micro and nanostructured surfaces we fabricated, their applications, the Sliding on Frost of condensation droplets observed on the Cotinus Coggygria leaf, the dew harvesting property of the Old Man of the Andes Cactus enhanced by distance coalescence through microgrooves and finally, a theoretical study of viruses viability in sessile droplets. The first chapter introduces the theoretical framework of wettability and phase changes on surfaces. In the second chapter, we present the self-ejection of condensation droplets from hydrophobic nanostructured microstructures. We modelled analytically the droplets jumping and fabricated surfaces to verify the predictions. The fabricated geometry was inspired by the modelling and the available fabrication techniques. We tested the surfaces in condensation conditions. Using a high frame rate camera coupled with a long working distance microscopy objective, we investigated the growth and ejection transient. We then compared the experimental self-ejection velocity for various structures geometry with our analytical models. In Chapter 3, we investigated the applications of the fabricated surfaces reported in Chapter 2. In Chapter 4, we explore the condensation frosting on the leaf of Cotinus Coggygria, native of our woods and with interesting hydrophobic properties. Covered by wax nanotubules, it exhibits coalescence-induced condensation jumpings that may be a useful cleaning tool. Furthermore, the frost is delayed but not only for the jumping. Surprisingly, at temperatures some degrees below zero, we observed what we called ‘droplet Sliding on Frost bridges’, that further delays frosting. We described the feasibility of this sliding in terms of dynamic contact angles of the surface and contact angles of supercooled water on ice. By capturing high temporal and spatial resolution videos we investigated the sliding on frost and droplet recalescence (fast dendrite growth that partially solidify the liquid). The responsible for the failure of sliding for temperatures from about -8 ° C down appears to be the advancing angle of water on ice that increases with the subcooling rather than the recalescence that blocks the drop in place. These results add a piece to the fundamental research on the supercooled water-ice-vapour interfaces. As it often happens, biological surfaces offer a starting point for the study of fundamental mechanisms and the development of artificial surfaces with optimized properties. In the Chapter 5, the multifunctional roles of hairs and spines in Old Man of the Andes Cactus (Oreocereus trolli) are studied. We study the morphology of the appendages, the hairs wettability, mechanical properties of both, and the dew formation on spines. The longitudinal microgrooves on the spines cause a particular phenomenon of distant coalescence (DC), in which smaller droplets flow totally or partially into larger ones through the microgrooves, with consequent accumulation of water in a few large drops. An earlier study has shown artificial micro-grooved surfaces that exhibit DC are more efficient than flat ones at collecting and sliding dew, and thus these cactus spines could act as soil dew conveyors. The agreement between our analytical model and experimental data verifies that the flow is driven by the Laplace pressure difference between the drops. This allowed us to obtain a general criterion for predicting the total or partial emptying of the smaller drops as a function of the dynamic contact angles of a surface. Based on this criterion, an hydrophilic material with small contact angle hysteresis would allow a greater number of complete drops emptying. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the problem of contagion from airborne and deposited droplets. In the last chapter, we report the state of the art of experiments on the viability of viruses in deposited droplets. Up to date, it has been experimentally highlighted that the relative viability of some viruses (RV) depends on the material chemistry, temperature, and interestingly, on relative humidity (RH) with a U-shaped trend. One of the current hypotheses is that the cumulative dose of salt concentration (CD) affects RV. We model the RV of viruses in sessile droplets by inserting a RV-CD relation in a model of droplet evaporation. By considering a saline water droplet (one salt) as the simplest approximation of real solutions, we analytically simulate the time evolution of salt concentration, vapor pressure, and droplet volume varying contact angles, droplet sizes, and RH in the range 0–100%. The results elucidate some previously not yet well-understood dynamics, demonstrating how three main regimes—directly implicated in nontrivial experimental trends of virus RV—can be recognized as the function of RH. The proposed approach could suggest a chart of a virus fate by predicting its survival time at a given temperature as a function of RH and contact angle. We found a good agreement with experimental data for various enveloped viruses and predicted in particular for the Phi6 virus, a surrogate of coronavirus, the characteristic U-shaped dependence of RV on RH. Given the generality of the model, once experimental data are available that link the vulnerability of a certain virus (such as SARS-CoV-2) to the concentrations of salts or other substances in terms of CD, it is envisioned that this approach could be employed for antivirus strategies and protocols for the prediction/reduction of human health risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses.