O núcleo basolateral anterior da amígdala (BLAa) tem sido extensivamente investigado em estudos de condicionamento pavloviano envolvendo estímulos aversivos físicos. Até o presente momento não há descrição funcional específica do BLAa frente aos estímulos etologicamente relevantes. Neste trabalho, inicialmente revisitamos as conexões aferentes e eferentes do BLAa. Nossos achados confirmam em grande medida relatos anteriores da literatura e mostram que o núcleo integra informações de sistemas relacionados ao alerta emocional (tais como o locus coeruleus, dorsal da rafe e substância inominada). Este também se relaciona intimamente a estruturas ligadas à circuitaria do córtex pré-frontal, como o núcleo acúmbens, o caudo-putamen dorsomedial além dos córtices pré-límbico e cingulado anterior. Além disso estabelece conexões bidirecionais importantes com o córtex insular e com a região para-hipocampal. Testamos ainda o papel específico do BLAa frente à ameaça predatória e vimos que este influencia respostas de medo inato e contextual à ameaça predatória. Primeiramente, sugerimos que o BLAa responde ao estímulo do predador pelos sistemas de controle de alerta emocional, dado que ele recebe aferências de estruturas responsivas à presença do predador, como o locus coeruleus, que estão ligadas ao controle do alerta. Sugerimos também que através de suas projeções para o núcleo acúmbens, a região estudada, possa influenciar as respostas de defesa inata. Ademais as respostas de medo aprendido, ao contexto em que o rato foi exposto ao predador, podem ser afetadas por meio das relações do BLAa com os córtices pré-limbico, cingulado anterior e com a região para-hipocampal. / The anterior basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLAa) has been extensively investigated in studies of Pavlovian conditioning involving physical aversive stimuli. To date, there is no specific functional study of the BLAa regarding its functional roles on responses to ethologically relevant threats. In this work, we initially revisited the afferent and efferent connections of the BLAa. Our findings largely confirm previous reports in the literature, and show that the nucleus integrates information from systems related to emotional alertness (such as the locus coeruleus, dorsal raphe and innominate substance), and is also closely related to the prefrontal cortex circuitry, including the nucleus accumbens, the dorsomedial caudoputamen, and the prelimbic and anterior cingulate cortices. It also establishes important bi-directional connections with the insular cortex and parahippocampal region. We also tested the specific role of BLAa in innate and contextual responses to predatory threat. Thus, we have seen that BLAa influences innate and contextual fear responses to predatory menace. Firstly, we suggest that the BLAa responds to the predator\'s stimulus by the emotional arousal systems, given that it receives inputs from alert related structures highly responsive to the predator threat, such as the locus coeruleus. We also suggest that through its projections to the nucleus accumbens, the BLAa may influence innate defensive responses. In addition, we suggested that the BLAa influences contextual fear responses mostly through its relationships with the prelimbic, anterior cingulate and parahippocampal cortices.

This thesis challenges the conventional wisdom that tends to conflate Arab foreign fighters with Islamist terrorists, and ‘martyrdom operations' with ‘suicide attacks.' Overlaps notwithstanding, it aims to draw distinctions between Arab foreign fighters engaged in defensive jihad defending co-religionists against a military foe, and Islamist terrorists engaged in terrorism that indiscriminately targets civilians and non-combatants. Critically, while disaggregating the two transnational cohorts, this thesis also illuminates the nexus between them. It draws on a thesis dataset of 3,010 Arab foreign fighters compiled using biographies, martyrdom eulogies, and postings on ‘jihadi' websites, in both English and Arabic. This dataset is then used to support three case studies involving the defensive jihads in 1980s Afghanistan, Iraq (post 2003), and Syria (post 2011). It leverages a theoretical framework based on the concept of radicalisation and the language of political Islam, whilst concurrently drawing on theories from psychology and historical military examples of combat, germane to defensive jihad and Islamist terrorism. The thesis concludes that Arab foreign fighters involved in defensive jihad employ martyrdom operations against military targets, through tactical necessity. Conversely, Islamist terrorists employ suicide attacks against civilians and non-combatants, through ideological necessity. The trajectory between the two transnational mobilisations appears to be broadly underpinned by facets of the Lucifer Effect – the situational factors encountered whilst participating in defensive jihad, including but not limited to, the experience of close combat in a war zone; being subjected to ideological indoctrination; and being exposed to charismatic authority and obedience to it. This suggests that subsequent involvement in Islamist terrorism by some Arab foreign fighters is primarily forged in the crucible of defensive jihad. Such findings should result in the crafting of more individualised de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programmes for returning foreign fighters, in both the West and the Arab world.

Orientador: Felipe Wanderley Amorim / Resumo: As plantas oferecem recurso alimentar a muitas espécies animais através de diferentes estruturas. Dentre tais estruturas estão os nectários, que são glândulas multicelulares especializadas na produção e secreção de néctar. Estes nectários podem ocorrer tanto em partes reprodutivas como vegetativas, e podem ser florais ou extraflorais. Entretanto, também podem ser classificados quanto a sua função em relação com a polinização, sendo do tipo nupcial (quando sua função está relacionada à polinização) ou extranupcial (quando sua função está relacionada à defesa). Tocoyena formosa (Rubiaceae) é uma espécie comum do Cerrado, cujos nectários extraflorais são visitados por formigas. Entretanto, T. formosa tem um único nectário que desempenha funções multivalentes, podendo ser tanto nupcial, quanto extranupcial. Adicionalmente, a espécie também atrai formigas aos botões no início da fase de desenvolvimento cujas corolas são abortadas. Neste contexto, para melhor compreender a interação entre T. formosa e formigas, este trabalho teve como objetivos: a) caracterizar as estruturas das distintas fases do nectário da espécie e a composição química de seus açúcares; b) determinar se existe mudança estrutural e/ou química que seja correspondente com o papel ecológico de cada estágio; c) analisar a dinâmica de secreção do néctar em cada um dos estágios de atividade do nectário; e d) quantificar o investimento da planta no recurso para a atração de formigas e o efeito destas no êxito reproduti... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Plants offer food resources to many animal species through different structures. Among such structures are the nectaries, which are multicellular glands specialized in nectar production and secretion. Nectaries can occur in both reproductive and vegetative parts, and depending on the location can be regarded as floral or extra-floral. However, they can also be classified according to their function in relation to pollination, being nuptial (when their function is related to pollination) or extranupcial (when their function is related to the defense). Tocoyena formosa (Rubiaceae) is a common species of the Cerrado vegetation, whose extrafloral nectaries are visited by ants. However, T. formosa has a single nectary that performs multivalent functions, which can be both nuptial and extranuptial. In addition, the species also attracts ants to the flower buds at the beginning of the development, whose corollas are prematurely aborted. In this context, to better understand the interaction between T. formosa and ants, the main goals of this study were: a) to characterize the nectary structure as well as the sugar chemical composition during the distinct stages of the organ; b) assess whether nectary structure and nectar sugar composition present changes which correspond to the ecological function of each stage of the nectary; c) analyze nectar secretion dynamics of each phase of the nectary; and d) quantify plant investment in the attraction of ants and the effectivity of ants in pl... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Com o objetivo da redução do tempo de desenvolvimento de produtos comerciais, hardwares padronizados, como microcontroladores e microprocessadores dedicados, têm sido largamente empregados em aplicações críticas, transferindo para o software elementos até então de responsabilidade exclusiva do hardware. Técnicas de programação defensiva são mecanismos preventivos contra a ocorrência de falhas de hardware ou de software. Para a verificação da segurança de sistemas de aplicações críticas, técnicas de injeção de falhas foram desenvolvidas, propiciando o teste dos mecanismos de tolerância a falhas em condições muito semelhantes às do ambiente operacional real. A introdução de técnicas de programação defensiva aumenta a segurança dos sistemas de aplicações críticas. Não há, na literatura pesquisada, qualquer referência a uma avaliação quantitativa das técnicas de programação defensiva. Esta tese é a descrição de um trabalho experimental, que visa esta avaliação quantitativa, e se organiza em algumas etapas. Primeiro, algumas técnicas de programação defensiva são apresentadas, caracterizadas e eleitas como objeto de avaliação. A seguir, técnicas de injeção de falhas são descritas e uma delas é eleita como meio de teste do trabalho experimental. A partir daí, as técnicas de programação defensiva são verificadas sob o enfoque da técnica de injeção de falhas escolhida. O resultado é uma avaliação quantitativa relativa da eficácia de algumas técnicas de programação defensiva na capacidade de tolerância a falhas inseguras de sistemas de aplicações críticas. Ao final, indicações de continuidade do trabalho são apresentadas. O ambiente metroferroviário, em que trabalha o autor, foi utilizado como estudo de caso. Entretanto, as considerações e conclusões desta tese se aplicam a qualquer sistema de missão critica. / Aiming the reduction of commercial systems` time to the market, standardized hardware, as microcontrollers and embedded microprocessors, has been broadly employed for critical applications, transferring to the software issues that once exclusively relied on the hardware design. Defensive programming techniques are preventive engines against hardware and software faults. In order to verify the safety of critical application systems, fault injection techniques were developed, allowing for the testing of fault tolerant techniques under conditions quite close to actual operational environments. The introduction of defensive programming techniques increases the safety of critical application systems. There are no references, on a large research base, on quantitative evaluations of defensive programming techniques. This thesis describes an experimental work towards a relative quantitative evaluation, organized in a few stages. First, some defensive programming techniques are shown, characterized and selected as the evaluation target. Following, fault injection techniques are described and one of them is selected as the agent of the experimental work. From this point on, the defensive programming techniques are verified under the fault injection technique chosen. The result is a relative quantitative evaluation on the efficiency of some defensive programming techniques on the unsafe fault tolerance capacity of critical application systems. Finally, indications for further work are presented. The railway environment, where the author works, was employed as a case study. However, the reasoning and the conclusions of this thesis are applicable to any critical mission system.

O colículo superior (CS) é conhecido por ser responsável pela detecção e orientação da cabeça e olhos em direção a estímulos visuais. Ainda o CS funciona na detecção e guia de respostas iniciais a objetos inesperados no campo visual e orientação da cabeça no sentido de estímulos apetitivos ou afastamento de estímulos potencialmente ameaçadores. Estudos prévios mostraram que a predação de insetos está associada à expressão da proteína Fos nas porções laterais do colículo superior (CSl) e ratos com lesões bilaterais de NMDA na região do CSl tipicamente falham em orientarem-se e caçarem insetos usando a sequência de movimentos estereotipados comumente vistos na caça predatória de insetos. Parece que as porções mediais do colículo superior (CSm) está envolvida com a organização de respostas defensivas, uma vez que estimulações nesse sítio elicia respostas de esquiva adicionadas de ajustes viscerais relacionados as respostas defensivas. Interessantemente, um aumento de imunorreatividade à proteína Fos foi observada no CSm enquanto ratos foram expostos ao predador natural (Comoli and Cedraz-Mercez, 2009). Um estudo sistemático com o rastreador neuronial FluoroGold realizado no nosso laboratório mostrou diferenças no padrão de conexões aferentes sugerindo que o CSm recebe informações principalmente de vários setores do córtex associativo que refletem uma maior integração de informações cognitivas referentes ao predador e do circuito hipotalâmico relacionado com a defesa, enquanto o CSl integra informações principalmente relacionadas ao sistema somatossensorial das vibrissas e da região orofacial que sabidamente são muito importantes para o comportamento de aproximação. Essas diferenças anatômicas podem ser importantes para influenciar o CS na modulação de respostas comportamentais aos estímulos relevantes biologicamente. Baseado no exposto acima sugerimos que haja uma distinção funcional entre o CSm e CSl de ratos. Nossos resultados mostraram que 100% dos ratos expostos ao predador natural ou as baratas e ao predador ao mesmo tempo desempenharam respostas de defesa e tiveram aumento da proteína Fos no CSm. A inativação do CSm com muscimol mostrou um aumento de comportamento exploratório e redução da resposta de congelamento motor quando esses animais foram expostos as baratas e ao predador natural ao mesmo tempo. Interessantemente na situação em que o rato encontra-se fisicamente ameaçado pela presença do predador e também fisiologicamente ameaçado por um déficit nutricional elevado (devido à privação alimentar) e defronta-se com presas observamos que 50% desses animais desempenham respostas defensivas e apresentam aumento da proteína Fos no CSm e setores do circuito de defesa; e 50% dos animais desempenham respostas predatórias e apresentam aumento de proteína Fos no CSl e pouca atividade no circuito de defesa. Sugerimos que o CSm é um sítio muito importante na integração de informações referentes à atenção voltada ao predador e que deve exercer um papel no processo de seleção comportamental ao nível dos gânglios da base. Ainda sugerimos que existe uma interação importante entre os sistema colicular e o sistema hipotalâmico de defesa. / The Superior Colliculus (SC) is well known to be responsible for detecting and orienting the head and eyes toward visual stimuli. Moreover SC works in the detection and guidance of initial responses to unexpected objects in the visual field, in addition to the orienting the head towards appetitive and away from potentially threatening stimuli. Previous studies have shown that insect predation in rats is associated with the expression of Fos protein at the lateral part of intermediate layer of Superior Colliculus (SCl) and rats with local bilateral NMDA lesions in the SCl typically fail to orient towards and chase the roaches with the series of stereotyped movements commonly seen in the predatory hunting of intact controls. It seems that the medial region of Superior Colliculus (SCm) is involved in the organization of defensive behavior once stimulation in this site elicits avoidance responses in addition to visceral adjustments related to defensive responses. Interestingly, an increase of Fos immunoreactivity was found in the medial region of SC (SCm) while rats were exposed to the cat (Comoli and Cedraz-Mercez, 2009). A systematic study with the retrograde tracer FluoroGold conducted in our laboratory showed the differences in the pattern of afferent connections suggesting that SCm mostly integrates inputs coming from associative cortical areas and key sites of the defensive circuitry while SCl integrates inputs from whiskers and orofacial-related somatosensory information which is important for approaching behaviors. These anatomical differences might be very important to influence SC in modulating behavioral responses to biologically relevant stimuli. Based on the mentioned above we propose that SCm and SCl could be functionally distinct. Our results showed that rats exposed to the natural predator or exposed to the roaches and the natural predator together performed fear responses and Fos upregulation at the SCm. Muscimol inactivation of SCm showed an increase of exploratory behaviors and reduction of freezing responses when the animals were exposed o both the roaches and the predator together. In a challenging experiment rats were food deprived and were exposed to both, the roaches and the natural predator and Fos protein was detected. Fifty percent of the rats showed predatory behavior and did not show the fear responses commonly seen when exposed to the natural predator. Moreover an increase of Fos protein levels was observed at the SCl of these rats. The other fifty percent of the rats showed fear responses and did not hunt the preys. In contrast an increase of Fos protein was detected at SCm and at the hypothalamic defensive circuitry of these rats. We suggest that SCm is very important for integration of information concerning the predator and might influence the behavioral selection process at the level of basal ganglia. We also suggest there is a relation between collicular and hypothalamic defensive circuits.

The present study examines predictors and consequences of self-handicapping and defensive pessimism (comprising defensive expectations and reflectivity) from a self-worth motivation perspective. Consistent with self-worth motivation theory, self-handicapping and defensive expectations are proposed as two strategies students use to protect their self-worth in the event of potential failure, and in some cases to enhance their worth in the event of success. Using longitudinal data derived from undergraduate students from three institutions in their first and second years at university, quantitative analyses, involving confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling, tested models in which a set of affective and motivational factors was proposed to predict self-handicapping, defensive expectations, and reflectivity. These three strategies were in turn proposed to predict a variety of academic outcomes including self-regulation, persistence, future academic plans, and grades. Both quantitative and qualitative data hold implications not only for current understanding and existing theory regarding self-handicapping and defensive pessimism, but also for educational practice and research dealing with these phenomena. On a more general level, data derived from the various studies provide new perspectives on defensive manoeuvring and the lengths to which students will go to protect their self-worth, the many reasons they pursue their studies in such a fashion and the diversity (and complexity) of consequences that follow from such behaviour / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Dans le cadre de ce travail, nous avons poursuivi l’étude de la biosynthèse d’alcaloïdes défensifs des coccinelles. Trois espèces ont été plus particulièrement étudiées : Adalia bipunctata (qui produit l’adaline [32]), Coccinella septempunctata (contenant la coccinelline [29]) et Harmonia axyridis (produisant l’harmonine [34]). Afin d’identifier le (ou les) acide(s) gras précurseur(s) de ces alcaloïdes, nous avons dans un premier temps synthétisé des acides gras spécifiquement marqués. Nous avons ainsi préparé les acides [14-3H]myristique, [16-3H]palmitique, [18-3H]stéarique, [18-13C]stéarique et [11,11,12,12,13,13,14,14,15,15,16, 16,17,17,18,18,18-2H]stéarique. Les différents acides gras marqués au tritium sur le méthyle terminal ont ensuite été incorporés successivement chez les trois espèces de coccinelles mentionnées ci-dessus, en utilisant la technique d’incorporation in vitro mise au point par Laurent et al. ( ) Les incorporations chez Adalia bipunctata ont montré que l’acide myristique est incorporé préférentiellement dans l’adaline. Chez Coccinella septempunctata par contre, l’acide stéarique est incorporé dans la coccinelline environ 25 fois plus efficacement que les acides myristique et palmitique. Enfin, les incorporations chez Harmonia axyridis ont établi que l’acide stéarique est le précurseur de l’harmonine. De plus, grâce à l’incorporation de l’acide [11,11,12,12,13,13,14,14,15,15,16,16,17,17,18,18,18-2H]stéarique, le mécanisme de formation de l’amine secondaire a été précisé. / In spite of their red-orange colors, which could increase risks of predation, Coccinellidae are rarely exploited as food sources by predators. Many of them owe their protection, at least in part, to the presence of repellents and, in some cases, toxic alkaloids in the hemolymph emitted during a process called "reflex bleeding". Previous studies have shown that the biosynthesis of these alkaloids is related to fatty acid metabolism. In our doctoral thesis, we wanted to clarify what are the fatty acids precursors of adaline (Adalia bipunctata), coccinelline (Coccinella septempunctata) and harmonine (Harmonia axyridis), with the use of various techniques of labelling (3H, D, 13C, etc.).

Significant research has investigated Jack Gibb’s model of defensive and supportive communication, but little has explored the influence of the type of talk -- defensive or supportive -- on perceptions of communication climate and the role that verbal aggressiveness may play in influencing both the types of talk and these perceptions. This thesis explored the relationship between defensive and supportive talk, verbal aggressiveness and communication climate using a mixed-method approach. Specifically, the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale was used to group participants for a dyadic problem solving exercise which generated conversational data that was analyzed qualitatively. Then, the Communication Climate Inventory was used to measure participants’ perceptions of the communication climate that emerged in their problem-solving dyad. The findings highlight factors that may influence the perception of communication climate. Examples of supportive talk that builds positive communication climates and limits the effects of verbal aggressiveness and examples of defensive talk that leads to negative communication climates are provided. This research demonstrates that language has an influence on communication climate through the words that shape the complex ways people perceive and understand each other and, interestingly, that the negative impact of defensive communication overrides the positive impact of supportive communication on the emergent communication climate.

Significant research has investigated Jack Gibb’s model of defensive and supportive communication, but little has explored the influence of the type of talk -- defensive or supportive -- on perceptions of communication climate and the role that verbal aggressiveness may play in influencing both the types of talk and these perceptions. This thesis explored the relationship between defensive and supportive talk, verbal aggressiveness and communication climate using a mixed-method approach. Specifically, the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale was used to group participants for a dyadic problem solving exercise which generated conversational data that was analyzed qualitatively. Then, the Communication Climate Inventory was used to measure participants’ perceptions of the communication climate that emerged in their problem-solving dyad. The findings highlight factors that may influence the perception of communication climate. Examples of supportive talk that builds positive communication climates and limits the effects of verbal aggressiveness and examples of defensive talk that leads to negative communication climates are provided. This research demonstrates that language has an influence on communication climate through the words that shape the complex ways people perceive and understand each other and, interestingly, that the negative impact of defensive communication overrides the positive impact of supportive communication on the emergent communication climate.

Based on Austin and Searle¡¦s speech act theory and Argyris¡¦ organizational learning theory, this study investigates how defensive speech routines impact the level of communication comprehension by information system professionals. Relying on the eye tracker as tool to measure information attention of participating IS professionals, the present researcher has conducted experiments to evaluate how indirect and direct speech acts as well as defensive speech routines influence subjects¡¦ understanding of illucotionary forces embedded in the speeches. The findings suggest that the different speech acts exert significant influence on subjects¡¦ comprehension and information attention, and information attention in turn significantly influences comprehension. The results of this study may help researchers to further investigate the congitive processes involved in IS professionals¡¦ communication and aid practitioners in reducing dysfunctional organizational learning due to defensive speech routines.