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Les cellules souches embryonnaires (ESCs) sont dérivées d'embryons au stade blastocyste. Elles sont caractérisées par la capacité de se diviser et de maintenir un phénotype indifférencié et en présence de stimuli, de se différencier en cellules spécialisées dérivées des trois feuillets embryonnaires, c'est la pluripotence. Elles sont un outil puissant pour modéliser des maladies génétiques à des fins de découvertes en recherche fondamentale et aussi dans un but d’applications cliniques. Les mESCs sont maintenues pluripotentes in vitro en présence de LIF (Leukemia Inhibitor Factor), une cytokine de la famille des Interleukines 6 (IL6) présentant des effets pléiotropes en fonction du type et de la maturité cellulaire. Le retrait de LIF conduit à la différenciation hétérogène des mESCs dont une partie meurt par apoptose. Lors du retrait de LIF, les cellules entrent séquentiellement dans des phases d'engagement réversible (jusqu'à 36h après retrait du LIF) et irréversible, au cours desquelles la re-stimulation par le LIF induit des effets différents. Afin de mieux caractériser cet effet de LIF, nous avons mis au point un « test de plasticité » in vitro et avons étudié l'impact de paramètres environnementaux qui pourraient moduler cette plasticité dans les mESCs. Nous avons montré que la MMP1 (Matrix Metalloproteinase 1), qui peut remplacer le LIF dans le maintien de la pluripotence, est moins efficace pour le maintien de la plasticité cellulaire des mESCs. Nous avons aussi montré que les mESCs restent pluripotentes et plastiques à 3% d'O2, in vitro, et qu’elles se caractérisent par un nouvel équilibre d'expression des gènes et des protéines en comparaison à 20% d'O2. / Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) are derived from embryo at the blastocyst stage. These cells are characterized by their properties of self-renewal and pluripotency: ability to divide and maintain an undifferentiated phenotype and to differentiate into specialized cells of the three primary germ layers in the presence of stimuli. ESCs are a powerful tool to modelize genetic diseases for fundamental research and clinical applications. Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells (mESCs) are maintained pluripotent in vitro in the presence of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF), an Interleukin 6 (IL6) cytokine family member which displays pleiotropic functions, depending on both maturity and type of cells. LIF withdrawal leads to heterogeneous differentiation of mESCs and part of the differentiated cells die by apoptosis. During the kinetics of LIF withdrawal, we show that cells enter a LIF-dependent reversible (up to 36h of LIF withdrawal) and irreversible phase of differentiation in which LIF-restimulation induces differential effects. To better characterize this period and LIF-dependent processes, we settled up an in vitro « plasticity test » and investigated the impact of environmental parameters that could regulate cell plasticity in mESCs. Our results reveal that the Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1), which can replace LIF cytokine for maintenance of mESCs pluripotency, mimics its effects in the plasticity window, but with less efficiency. In addition, we demonstrate that mESCs maintain plasticity and pluripotency potentials in vitro, under 3% O2 (physioxic condition) with a new equilibrium of gene and protein expression levels compared to 20% O2.

Albatross populations are currently in decline around the world. Survival and reproduction of these large pelagic birds depends mostly on the conditions they encounter in their marine environment. Their ability to range far across ocean basins exposes them to a variety of anthropogenic threats. It is thus crucial to understand spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution and habitat use of each albatross species during different stages of their annual cycle in the context of seasonally changing demands as well as environmental constraints, in order to develop effective conservation measures. Using Global Location Sensing (GLS) loggers I investigated the non-breeding movements and habitat associations of three threatened or near-threatened albatross species breeding in New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, the Chatham Albatross (Thalassarche eremita), Northern Buller’s Albatross (T. bulleri platei) and Northern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora sanfordi), within South American waters. Chatham and Northern Buller’s Albatrosses mainly occupied waters with mean sea surface temperatures (SST) of 17-18ºC along the coasts of Chile and Peru, while Northern Royal Albatrosses were mostly found in 10-12ºC waters off southern Chile and Argentina. Monthly movement patterns were linked to seasonal shifts in temperature range, suggesting SST was an important environmental factor in explaining the observed spatial and temporal patterns. GLS loggers were also applied to study the patterns of movement and habitat use of Chatham Albatrosses when migrating across the South Pacific between breeding and non-breeding grounds. The route and timing of migration were consistent over the three year period of the study, although subject to individual variation. Stopovers on migration were found to be common, lasting between 3 and 26 days. Activity patterns suggested that birds stopped in order to forage en route. Lastly, I used high resolution Global Positioning Sensing (GPS) loggers to address the fine-scale movements and habitat selection of foraging Chatham Albatrosses over three years during early chick rearing. This is a time when their behaviour is expected to respond to increased energetic demands as they are feeding young chicks. Foraging trips lasted between 1 and 6 days and the foraging range rarely exceeded 400 km. The location of potential foraging spots varied between years, but followed non-random patterns in bathymetry, slope, SST and Chlorophyll a. The results presented here suggest that albatrosses rely on predictable habitat features but are flexible to respond to fine scale changes within their marine environment. The dynamic nature of both birds and environment may prove challenging but has to be taken into account in conservation planning.

As the world is moving towards a more digital world with the majority of people having tablets, smartphones and smart objects, solving real-world computational problems with handheld devices seems more common. Detection or tracking of objects using a camera is starting to be used in all kinds of fields, from self-driving cars, sorting items to x-rays, referenced in Introduction. Object detection is very calculation heavy which is why a good computer is necessary for it to work relatively fast. Object detection using lightweight models is not as accurate as a heavyweight model because the model trades accuracy for inference to work relatively fast on such devices. As handheld devices get more powerful and people have better access to object detection models that can work on limited-computing devices, the ability to build their own small object detection machines at home or at work increases substantially. Knowing what kind of factors that have a big impact on object detection can help the user to design or choose the correct model. This study aims to explore what kind of impact distance, angle and light have on Inceptionv2 SSD, MobileNetv3 Large SSD and MobileNetv3 Small SSD on the COCO dataset. The results indicate that distance is the most dominant factor on the Inceptionv2 SSD model using the COCO dataset. The data for the MobileNetv3 SSD models indicate that the angle might have the biggest impact on these models but the data is too inconclusive to say that with certainty. With the knowledge of knowing what kind of factors that affect a certain model’s performance the most, the user can make a more informed choice to their field of use.

As cidades hoje são planejadas a partir da perspectiva dos seus planos diretores, orientados pelo Estatuto da Cidade (Lei Federal Nº 10.257/2001); dependendo das características das cidades, as suas leis ambientais não possuem integração com o regime urbanístico, havendo inclusive conflitos na legislação. Indicar áreas do solo urbano onde se poderão realizar usos e ocupações é uma situação complexa para o planejamento urbano e ambiental. Além disso, promover o ordenamento territorial, no que diz respeito aos municípios, é outra difícil tarefa quando se tem os interesses privados próximos aos gabinetes de técnicos das prefeituras municipais. Do ponto de vista das cidades, na questão ambiental, as leis federais, estaduais e municipais regem parâmetros e índices sem necessariamente ter a dimensão de sua adequabilidade, haja vista que as minutas dessas leis são, muitas vezes, consultadas e/ou copiadas de outros municípios. Diante disso, este trabalho tem o intuito de sistematizar um conjunto de parâmetros ambientais a serem considerados nos Planos Diretores dos municípios, aliando a política ambiental à política urbana. A fim de alcançar tal objetivo, buscou-se referenciar as relações da sociedade com a natureza nos ambientes urbanos e como que essa coexistência pode ser promovida de forma equilibrada pelos poderes públicos. Foi analisado de que forma o planejamento territorial e a gestão ambiental ocorrem em diferentes escalas e o processo paradoxo que a elas se impõe na vida real urbana Com o recorte para o Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, foram selecionados onze municípios, a partir de critério estabelecido na metodologia, nos quais foram analisados o seu histórico de ocupação, as legislações urbanas e ambientais, e leitura paralela às legislações federais e estaduais, tanto no que se refere aos regimes urbanísticos, quanto às políticas ambientais. Percebeu-se nos municípios selecionados que aqueles onde os Planos Diretores eram denominados urbano-ambientais, no Plano Ambiental, haviam somente referências a zoneamentos ou equivalentes, relegando este tema a um segundo plano que não leva à uma política efetiva de integração ambiental e urbana. A partir disso, se estabeleceu um conjunto de 32 parâmetros considerados viáveis para a implementação junto ao Plano Diretor nos municípios, avançando nos instrumentos propostos pelo Estatuto da Cidade. Esses parâmetros constituem elementos ambientais que atingem diretamente o cotidiano das cidades e, sobretudo, a segurança das diferentes formas de vida existentes no espaço urbano, onde a relação da sociedade com a natureza ocorre de forma mais intensa. / Cities today are planned from the perspective of their master plans, guided by the City Statute (Federal Law No. 10.257/2001). Depending on the characteristics of cities, their environmental laws are not integrated with the urban regime, and there are also conflicts in the legislation. Indicating areas of urban land where uses and occupations can be made is a complex situation for urban and environmental planning. In addition, promoting spatial planning with regard to municipalities is another difficult task when one has private interests close to the offices of technicians of municipal municipalities. From the point of view of cities, in environmental matters, federal, state and municipal laws govern parameters and indices without necessarily having the dimension of their adequacy, since the drafts of these laws are often consulted and/or copied from others counties. Therefore, this work intends to systematize a set of environmental parameters to be considered in the municipal Master Plans, combining environmental policy with urban policy. In order to achieve this objective, it was sought to refer to the relations of society with nature in urban environments and how this coexistence can be promoted in a balanced way by the public authorities. It was analyzed how territorial planning and environmental management take place at different scales and the paradoxical process imposed on them in urban real life. With the cut for the State of Rio Grande do Sul, eleven municipalities were selected, based on criteria established in the methodology, which analyzed their occupation history, urban and environmental legislations, and reading parallel to federal and state legislations, both in terms of urban planning and environmental policies. It was noticed in the selected municipalities that those where the Master Plans were denominated urban-environmental, in the environmental plane, had only references to zoning or equivalent, relegating this subject to a second plane that does not lead to an effective policy of environmental and urban integration. From this, a set of 32 parameters considered viable for the implementation with the Master Plan in the municipalities was established, advancing in the instruments proposed by the City Statute. These parameters constitute environmental elements that directly affect the daily life of cities and, above all, the safety of the different forms of life existing in urban space, where the relationship of society with nature occurs more intensely.

Em seu habitat natural as algas estão sujeitas a ação simultânea de vários fatores, como radiação (fotossinteticamente ativa e ultravioleta), temperatura, salinidade e disponibilidade de nutrientes, entre outros. A variação desses fatores no ambiente natural ocorre de forma coletiva e uma rápida resposta do organismo é determinante pra sua sobrevivência. Neste trabalho foram conduzidos experimentos relacionados aos efeitos da variação nos parâmetros ambientais sobre a macroalga Gracilaria domingensis. Três linhagens cromáticas dessa espécie foram cultivadas no mar, em diferentes épocas do ano (estações chuvosa e seca). Os dados fotossintéticos e bioquímicos foram acessados em uma escala de tempo referente às variações observadas durante o período de luz do dia e em uma escala referente às variações observadas em semanas. Os resultados obtidos a partir de análises dos parâmetros fotossintéticos, conteúdo pigmentar, concentração de glutationa, concentração de aminoácidos tipo micosporina, conteúdo tecidual de carbono, nitrogênio e fósforo, teor de lipídeos e ácidos graxos e rendimento do ágar mostraram alterações no perfil bioquímico e fisiológico da macroalga. Essas alterações foram correlacionadas com os fatores abióticos e sugerem alterações no metabolismo como uma das estratégias de aclimatação da espécie. / In their natural habitat algae are exposed to simultaneous action of various factors, as radiation (photosynthetically active radiation and ultraviolet), temperature, salinity, nutrient availability and others. The variation in these factors in the natural environment occurs collectively and the algae capability for quick response is determinant for survival. In this work, studies related to the effects of environmental variation on the macroalgae Gracilaria domingensis were performed. Three chromatic strains were cultivated in the sea, at different times of the year (dry and rainy seasons). Biochemical and photosynthetic responses were accessed on a daylight time scale and on a week time scale. The reached results for photosynthetic parameters, pigment content, glutathione concentrations, mycosporine-like amino acids concentrations, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus tissue content, lipids and fatty acids levels and agar yield, revealed the altered biochemical and physiological profile of macroalgae. These changes were environment related and suggest metabolism changes as a strategy used by this organism to acclimate.

Bacteria play important roles in the transformation of nutrients in wetlands, but few studies have examined parameters affecting variation in bacterial community composition between wetlands. We compared the composition of eubacterial and denitrifying bacterial biofilm communities in 32 agricultural constructed wetlands in southern Sweden, and the extent to which wetland environmental parameters could explain the observed variation. Structure and richness of the eubacterial 16S rRNA gene and three denitrifying bacterial enzyme genes (nirK, nirS and nosZ), analysed by molecular fingerprinting methods, varied among the constructed wetlands, which could be partly explained by different environmental parameters. Results from the enzyme gene analyses were also compared to determine whether the practice of using a single denitrifying bacterial gene could characterize the overall community composition of denitrifying bacteria. We found that nirK was more diverse than both nirS and the nosZ, and the band structure and richness of the three genes were not related to the sam environmental parameters. This suggests that using a single enzyme gene may not suffice to characterize the community composition of denitrifying bacteria in constructed agricultural wetlands. / <p>Included in doctoral thesis: Milenkovski, Susann. Structure and Function of Microbial Communities in Constructed Wetlands - Influence of environmental parameters and pesticides on denitrifying bacteria. Lund University 2009.</p>

This study aims to find out major factors acting on steppe biodiversity of Inner Anatolia by focusing on one million hectares of mountainous land. Quantitative data on common plants, breeding birds and butterflies as well as environmental and land use data were collected at 33 sites determined by environmental stratification. Data has been analyzed with Spearman&rsquo / s rank correlation, canonical correspondence analysis, detrended correspondence analysis, two-way indicator species analysis and hierarchical partitioning. Results show that elevation, current grazing intensity, distance to woodlands and arable lands are the main determinants of richness and diversity. Other important factors are soil Magnesium and organic matter for plants / local heterogeneity and shrub/tree density for birds / plant richness and mud-puddling sites or wind shelters attracting butterflies. Altitude and grazing intensity have negative effects on biodiversity whereas soil Magnesium and proximity to other vegetation types have positive effects. In sites with more than 90% herbaceous coverage, shrub/tree density is a good indicator for the richness patterns of all groups. The richest sites are low mountain shrubby steppes close to woodlands and arable lands, ploughed 30-100 years ago but then abandoned and experienced light or no grazing afterwards. Six major plant communities are distinguished by gypsum bedrock, altitude and years since land abandonment. Four main bird assemblages are differentiated with landscape and local heterogeneity and composition and wood density of the sites. Various factors act on richness and diversity patterns on steppes, differing for species groups and assemblages. Conservation actions should encompass conservation priority species, represent different species assemblages, consider all major factors mentioned above especially landscape and local heterogeneity including different seral stages and sustaining conservation through nature-friendly land use. Planning afforestation in the way not to destroy rich steppes and building awareness on steppes as a value are important conservation actions.

Η παρούσα μελέτη υλοποιήθηκε με σκοπό την μελέτη των περιβαλλοντικών παραμέτρων της λίμνης Παμβώτιδας - Ιωάννινα. Συγκεκριμένα διερευνάται η πιθανή περιβαλλοντική επιβάρυνση του λιμναίου πυθμένα της περιοχής από βαρέα μέταλλα. Στα πλαίσια της μελέτης έγιναν ορυκτολογικές και γεωχημικές αναλύσεις, κοκκομετρία καθώς και στατιστική επεξεργασία των αποτελεσμάτων (R-τύπου Παραγοντική Ανάλυση). Τα Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, K2O, Y, V, Rb, Co, Ni και Zn συνδέονται με τα αργιλικά ορυκτά. Η ύπαρξη P2O5 σχετίζεται με φωσφορικά λιπάσματα. Το ίδιο ισχύει και για το Th και U. Βέβαια η σταθερή κατακόρυφη κατανομή αυτών πιθανών σχετίζεται με τροφοδοσία από τα υλικά αποσάθρωσης των φωσφοριτών που υπάρχουν στο Μιτσικέλι. Τα As και Pb σχετίζονται με πιθανή ανθρωπογενή ρύπανση αν και η κατακόρυφη κατανομή του As δεν συμβαδίζει με αυτό. Η ύπαρξη του Cr συνδέεται με απόβλητα από βυρσοδεψεία. / This study was carried out to study environmental issues of lake Pamvotida - Ioannina. It investigates the potential environmental impact of lake bottom area by heavy metals. The study took mineralogical and geochemical analysis, particle size and statistical analysis of results (R-type Factor Analysis). The Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, K2O, Y, V, Rb, Co, Ni and Zn associated with clay minerals. Being associated with P2O5 phosphate fertilizers. The same is true for Th and U. Of course, the constant vertical distribution of these probably associated with a supply of materials of weathering phosphorites present in Mitsikeli. The As and Pb associated with possible anthropogenic pollution, although the vertical distribution of As is not consistent with it. The existence of Cr associated with waste from tanneries.

As cidades hoje são planejadas a partir da perspectiva dos seus planos diretores, orientados pelo Estatuto da Cidade (Lei Federal Nº 10.257/2001); dependendo das características das cidades, as suas leis ambientais não possuem integração com o regime urbanístico, havendo inclusive conflitos na legislação. Indicar áreas do solo urbano onde se poderão realizar usos e ocupações é uma situação complexa para o planejamento urbano e ambiental. Além disso, promover o ordenamento territorial, no que diz respeito aos municípios, é outra difícil tarefa quando se tem os interesses privados próximos aos gabinetes de técnicos das prefeituras municipais. Do ponto de vista das cidades, na questão ambiental, as leis federais, estaduais e municipais regem parâmetros e índices sem necessariamente ter a dimensão de sua adequabilidade, haja vista que as minutas dessas leis são, muitas vezes, consultadas e/ou copiadas de outros municípios. Diante disso, este trabalho tem o intuito de sistematizar um conjunto de parâmetros ambientais a serem considerados nos Planos Diretores dos municípios, aliando a política ambiental à política urbana. A fim de alcançar tal objetivo, buscou-se referenciar as relações da sociedade com a natureza nos ambientes urbanos e como que essa coexistência pode ser promovida de forma equilibrada pelos poderes públicos. Foi analisado de que forma o planejamento territorial e a gestão ambiental ocorrem em diferentes escalas e o processo paradoxo que a elas se impõe na vida real urbana Com o recorte para o Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, foram selecionados onze municípios, a partir de critério estabelecido na metodologia, nos quais foram analisados o seu histórico de ocupação, as legislações urbanas e ambientais, e leitura paralela às legislações federais e estaduais, tanto no que se refere aos regimes urbanísticos, quanto às políticas ambientais. Percebeu-se nos municípios selecionados que aqueles onde os Planos Diretores eram denominados urbano-ambientais, no Plano Ambiental, haviam somente referências a zoneamentos ou equivalentes, relegando este tema a um segundo plano que não leva à uma política efetiva de integração ambiental e urbana. A partir disso, se estabeleceu um conjunto de 32 parâmetros considerados viáveis para a implementação junto ao Plano Diretor nos municípios, avançando nos instrumentos propostos pelo Estatuto da Cidade. Esses parâmetros constituem elementos ambientais que atingem diretamente o cotidiano das cidades e, sobretudo, a segurança das diferentes formas de vida existentes no espaço urbano, onde a relação da sociedade com a natureza ocorre de forma mais intensa. / Cities today are planned from the perspective of their master plans, guided by the City Statute (Federal Law No. 10.257/2001). Depending on the characteristics of cities, their environmental laws are not integrated with the urban regime, and there are also conflicts in the legislation. Indicating areas of urban land where uses and occupations can be made is a complex situation for urban and environmental planning. In addition, promoting spatial planning with regard to municipalities is another difficult task when one has private interests close to the offices of technicians of municipal municipalities. From the point of view of cities, in environmental matters, federal, state and municipal laws govern parameters and indices without necessarily having the dimension of their adequacy, since the drafts of these laws are often consulted and/or copied from others counties. Therefore, this work intends to systematize a set of environmental parameters to be considered in the municipal Master Plans, combining environmental policy with urban policy. In order to achieve this objective, it was sought to refer to the relations of society with nature in urban environments and how this coexistence can be promoted in a balanced way by the public authorities. It was analyzed how territorial planning and environmental management take place at different scales and the paradoxical process imposed on them in urban real life. With the cut for the State of Rio Grande do Sul, eleven municipalities were selected, based on criteria established in the methodology, which analyzed their occupation history, urban and environmental legislations, and reading parallel to federal and state legislations, both in terms of urban planning and environmental policies. It was noticed in the selected municipalities that those where the Master Plans were denominated urban-environmental, in the environmental plane, had only references to zoning or equivalent, relegating this subject to a second plane that does not lead to an effective policy of environmental and urban integration. From this, a set of 32 parameters considered viable for the implementation with the Master Plan in the municipalities was established, advancing in the instruments proposed by the City Statute. These parameters constitute environmental elements that directly affect the daily life of cities and, above all, the safety of the different forms of life existing in urban space, where the relationship of society with nature occurs more intensely.