O uso de composto de lixo (CL) e de lodo de esgoto (LE) na agricultura é uma alternativa viável para a melhor disposição destes resíduos urbanos em solos. Estudos de longo prazo podem melhorar o entendimento da dinâmica e as modificações que estes materiais ocasionam no solo e na resposta de plantas. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar os efeitos residuais (aplicações entre 2002 e 2006) e imediatos (reaplicação em 2015, após pousio) dos resíduos CL e LE, em dois solos [Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico (LVd) e um Argissolo Vermelho distrófico (PVd)], quanto às modificações em atributos químicos do solo, elementos-traços (ET) e resposta de plantas de aveia (Avena sativa) e milho (Zea mays). O experimento consta de colunas de solo, com aplicação de duas doses dos resíduos, CL e LE, com base no suprimento de nitrogênio, sendo a maior repetida e enriquecida com ET (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb e Zn), além de tratamentos com adubação mineral e testemunha. Quanto aos efeitos residuais, na camada de 0-20 cm de ambos os solos, os resíduos promoveram maiores teores de C orgânico e P disponível e valores de CTC, porém o CL resultou em maiores valores de pH do solo. Com exceção do Cu, os teores de ET no solo diminuíram com o tempo. A produção de matéria seca de aveia diminuiu expressivamente após o longo período de pousio, possivelmente pela limitação em N. Os tratamentos com LE enriquecido com ET resultaram em maior acúmulo destes elementos na parte aérea da aveia. Após a reaplicação dos resíduos, o LE resultou em maior produção de matéria seca e maior acúmulo de macronutrientes (N, P, Ca e Mg) pelas plantas de milho em comparação ao CL. Os tratamentos com CL e LE enriquecidos determinaram nas plantas teores de ETS não essenciais considerados fitotóxicos. / The use of urban solid waste compost (SWC) and sewage sludge (SS) in agriculture is a viable alternative for better disposal of these urban residues in soils. Long-term studies may improve the understanding of the dynamic and changes caused by these materials in soils and plant responses. The aim of this study was to evaluate residual effects (applications from 2002 to 2006) and immediate effects (application in 2015, after a fallow time) of SWC and SS residues in two soils [Typic Haplorthox (LVd) and Arenic Paleudult (PVd)], regarding soil chemical attributes and trace elements (ET) and oat (Avena sativa) and corn (Zea mays) plant responses. The experiment is carried out in soil columns with application of two doses of both SWC and SS and also with the major dose enriched with ET (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn), besides mineral fertilization and control treatments. Residue doses were established according N supply. Regarding residual effects in the 0-20 cm layer of both soils SWC and SS materials improved organic C and available P contents and CEC values, but soil pH was higher for SWC treatments. Except for Cu, soil ET contents decreases with time. Oat dry matter production was very small after the fallow time possibly due to low residual N supply. Treatments enriched with ET resulted in higher contents of these elements in oat shoots. After residue reapplication SS caused higher corn dry matter production and macronutrient (N, P, Ca and Mg) contents than SWC. Non-essential metal in levels possibly toxic for corn plants resulted from treatments with SWC and SS enriched with ET.

Un changement de pH peut induire une modification des propriétés chimiques et physiques des molécules, par exemple leur interaction avec la lumière. La modélisation de tels phénomènes est complexe en raison de l’ensemble statistique des états de protonation microscopiques et de la nature quantique de la propriété étudiée. Dans cette thèse, nous présentons un protocole de calcul qui associe une méthode capable d'échantillonner à la fois ces micro-états et les changements structuraux à un pH donné, et un cadre traitant la partie pertinente de la macromolécule avec des traitements avancés de mécanique quantique et le reste du système avec la mécanique moléculaire classique. Nous rapportons également la validation de ce protocole sur le relativement petit peptide M et son application à la rhodopsine sensorielle d'Anabaena, une protéine microbienne. Nous avons pu révéler quels sont les acides aminés titrables responsables du spectre d'absorption dépendant du pH de cette biomolécule / A change in the pH can modify the chemical and physical properties of molecules such as the way they interact with light. Modeling such phenomena is complex, because of the statistical ensemble of microscopic protonation states and of the very quantum nature of the property of interest. In this thesis, we present a computational protocol which merges a method capable of sampling at the same time these microstates and the structural changes at a given pH, and a framework treating the relevant portion of the macromolecule with advanced quantum mechanics treatments and the rest of the system with classical molecular mechanics. We also report the validation of this protocol on the relatively small peptide M and its application to the anabaena sensory rhodopsin, a microbial protein. We have revealed which are the titratable amino-acids responsible for the pH-dependent absorption spectrum of this biomolecule

Carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation lowers brain pH and induces anxiety, fear, and panic responses in humans. In mice, CO2 produces freezing and avoidance behavior that has been suggested to depend on the amygdala. However, a recent study in humans with bilateral amygdala lesions revealed that CO2 can trigger fear and panic even in the absence of amygdalae, suggesting and important role for extra-amygdalar brain structures. Because the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) contributes to fear- and anxiety-related behaviors and expresses acid sensing ion channel-1A (ASIC1A), we hypothesized that the BNST plays an important role in CO2-evoked fear-related behaviors in mice. We found that BNST lesions decreased both CO2-evoked freezing and CO2-conditioned place avoidance. In addition, we found that CO2 inhalation caused BNST acidosis, and that acidosis was sufficient to depolarize BNST neurons and induce freezing behavior; both responses depended on ASIC1A. Finally, disrupting Asic1a specifically in the BNST reduced CO2-evoked freezing whereas viral vector mediated expression of ASIC1A in the BNST of Asic1a-/- and Asic1a+/+ mice increased CO2-evoked freezing. Together, these findings identify the BNST as an extra-amygdalar fear circuit structure important in CO2-evoked fear-related behavior. Genetic disruption of the acid-sensing ion channel-1A (ASIC1A) in mice results in deficits in several fear- and anxiety-related behaviors. These deficits have been largely attributed to the loss of ASIC1A in neurons. However, recent studies have identified ASIC1A in several types of non-neuronal cells, including glia. To test the hypothesis that it is the loss of ASIC1A in neurons that results in the behavioral deficits seen in Asic1a-/- mice, we generated SynCre+Asic1aloxP/loxP mice, in which ASIC1A is disrupted specifically in neurons. To validate these mice, we confirmed by PCR that the Asic1a floxed allele was disrupted in brain, but not tail DNA. We further detected a reduction in ASIC1A protein in the SynCre+Asic1aloxP/loxP mice by western blotting and ASIC1A immunohistochemsitry. Further characterization of cre expression with a Rosa26 cre reporter mouse revealed that cre expression did not occur in all neurons, but verified that cre expression was neuron-specific. This neuron-specific knockout of ASIC1A led to behavioral deficits in several models of fear and anxiety, including cued and context fear conditioning, predator odor-evoked freezing and CO2-evoked freezing. Together, these findings suggest that it is ASIC1A in neurons that mediates these fear- and anxiety-related behaviors. Trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a predator odor isolated from fox feces, elicits freezing and avoidance responses in rodents. This TMT-evoked freezing behavior depends on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a brain region thought to contribute to anxiety in both humans and mice. Because the acid-sensing ion channel-1A (ASIC1A) is robustly expressed in the BNST and has been previously implicated in TMT-evoked freezing, we hypothesized that the BNST might be a site of ASIC1A action in the TMT-evoked freezing response. Consistent with previous studies, we found that TMT-evoked freezing depended both on the olfactory bulb and on ASIC1A. Viral-mediated disruption of ASIC1A in the BNST reduced TMT-evoked freezing, whereas, viral mediated expression of ASIC1A in the BNST of Asic1a-/- mice increased TMT-evoked freezing. We further observed that TMT exposure induces a modest acidosis, likely due to TMT-induced respiratory suppression. However, this respiratory suppression was not unique to odors that evoke freezing, suggesting that it does not drive the TMT-evoked freezing response. Together, these findings suggest that the BNST is a key site of ASIC1A action in TMT-evoked freezing. Regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is critical to insure that the brain has adequate resources to maintain normal function. One of the strongest regulators of CBF is carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 and acidosis are thought to induce vasodilation and increase CBF by initiating nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, though the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Recent unpublished studies have suggested that the acid-sensing ion channel-1A (ASIC1A) plays a role in hypercapnia-induced vasodilation. Therefore, we hypothesized that CO2-induced NO production would depend on ASIC1A. We found that CO2 induced robust NO production in Asic1a+/+ but not Asic1a-/- mice. To test the role of neuronal ASIC1A in CO2-induced NO production, we generated SynCre+Asic1aloxP/loxP mice, in which ASIC1A is disrupted specifically in neurons. We found that CO2 did not induce significant NO production in the SynCre+Asic1aloxP/loxP mice, suggesting that it is ASIC1A in neurons that mediates this response. Together, these studies suggest that ASIC1A may mediate neurovascular coupling and regulate CBF.

Coral reefs are faced and will be faced with many challenges this century. One danger is the rapid decline of oceanic pH due to anthropogenic sources. The more acidic the environment becomes, the harder reefs and coral (order: scleractinia) in particular will be hit. Experiments to measure the effect on scleractinian coral were performed to glean a better understanding of the processes that will be affected by our acidifying oceans. Additionally, the search for and analysis of coral microstructure and micromorpholgy were carried out in an attempt to understand homology within an environmentally responsive taxa.

La première partie de ce mémoire est consacrée à l'étude d'une cavité gravitationnelle pour atomes de césium. L'élément principal de cette cavité est le miroir à atomes, formé d'une onde évanescente se propageant à la surface d'un prisme de verre. Une étude détaillée des propriétés du miroir et en particulier des phénomènes d'émission spontanée lors du rebond est menée. Les résultats expérimentaux obtenus dans notre groupe sont alors présentés et analysés. La deuxième partie de cette thèse est consacrée à l'étude d'un processus Sisyphe élémentaire susceptible d'intervenir lors du rebond d'un atome sur le miroir. Lors de ce processus, une transition Raman spontanée entre les deux niveaux hyperfins de l'atome entraine un refroidissement particulièrement efficace. Ce refroidissement nous a permis l'observation de longs temps de vie dans la cavité gravitationnelle. Dans la troisième partie de ce mémoire, plus théorique, est proposé un mécanisme de chargement d'un gaz bidimensionnel d'atomes, mécanisme qui repose sur un processus Sisyphe semblable à celui étudié dans la partie précédente. Les atomes du gaz sont piégés au voisinage du prisme sur le niveau fondamental d'un potentiel de Morse réalisé à l'aide de deux ondes évanescentes. Nous montrons que ce mécanisme permet un chargement efficace du piège, et discutons brièvement des propriétés de statistique quantique attendus dans ce gaz bidimensionnel

Dans le champ de recherche très général de l'optique atomique, allant de la fabrication de lentilles par masques matériels, à l'interférométrie sur jet ou à partir d'un piège, nous avons développé une technique utilisant un miroir lumineux à onde évanescente à atomes et la gravité, permettant de générer de nombreux éléments optiques, dont la succession et le développement sont temporels. Il a notamment été possible de fabriquer des lentilles pour ondes atomiques, un modulateur de phase, des fentes de diffraction ainsi qu'un interféromètre à fentes d'Young dans le domaine temporel.

No description available.

La méthode des franges de Ramsey dans le domaine optique, nouvelle technique de spectroscopie laser sub-Doppler, est décrite en détail, à la fois théoriquement et expérimentalement. Nous proposons en particulier une nouvelle géométrie d'interaction pour les franges, qui comporte quatre ondes progressives au lieu des trois ondes stationnaires employées jusqu'à présent. Une description théorique simple permet de comparer les deux méthodes et de souligner les différences avec les échos de photons stimulés. Sur un plan expérimental, sont exposés les derniers développements du spectromètre de saturation à ultra-haute résolution fonctionnant dans la région spectrale de 9 à 11 microns, qui ont été réalisés en vue d'observer ces franges de Ramsey en cuve et sur un jet moléculaire : éléments optiques de grandes dimensions et de haute planéité, stabilisation en fréquence de lasers à CO2 conventionnels ou guides d'ondes au niveau de la dizaine de Hertz, verrouillage en phase de deux lasers, pilotage de l'expérience par ordinateur, et pouvoir de résolution de l'ordre de 5 x 10^10. Diverses applications de ces recherches, en particulier à la spectroscopie des structures fines, superfines et superhyperfines des toupies sphériques sont évoquées. Enfin, les signaux de franges de Ramsey obtenus sur un jet supersonique de SF6 , illustrent le potentiel de la technique des franges de Ramsey pour la spectroscopie à ultra-haute résolution et les étalons optiques de fréquence.

Cette thèse rapporte les mesures de violation de parité effectuées sur deux composantes hyperfines ΔF = 0 et 1 de la transition très interdite 6S-7S du Cs, excitées à résonance. La mesure porte sur le dipôle électrique de transition violant la parité, déduit d'une composante de l'orientation électronique de l'état 7S se comportant comme un vecteur polaire par inversion de la chiralité de l'expérience. Des mesures auxiliaires fournissent des tests de fiabilité des résultats et de leur interprétation. Celle-ci conduit à la charge faible du noyau QW(Cs) = - 67 ± 10 . L'expérience est un test à basse énergie des théories électrofaibles prédisant une interaction faible neutre électron-nucléon violant la parité, associée à l'échange d'un Z0 . Le résultat confirme la prédiction du modèle standard.

No description available.