<p>C₄-dicarboxylic acids appear to be metabolized via the TCA cycle in N₂-fixing bacteria (bacteroids) within legume nodules. In <em>Sinorhizobium meliloti</em> bacteroids from alfalfa, NAD⁺-malic enzyme (DME) is required for symbiotic N₂-fixation and this activity is thought to be required for the anaplerotic synthesis of pyruvate. In contrast, in the pea symbiont <em>Rhizobium leguminosarum</em> pyruvate synthesis can occur via either the DME pathway or a pathway catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK), pyruvate kinase (PYK), and pyruvate dehydrogenase. Here we report that <em>dme</em> mutants of <em>Sin</em>or<em>hizobium sp</em>. NGR234 formed root nodules on a broad range of plants and that the level of N₂-fixation varied from 90% to 20% of wild type depending on the host plants inoculated. NGR234 bacteroids had significant PCK activity and while single <em>pckA</em> and single <em>dme</em> mutants fixed N₂ on <em>Macroptilium atropurpureum</em> and <em>Leucaena leucocephala</em> (albeit at a reduced rate), a <em>pckA</em> <em>dme</em> double mutant had no N₂-fixing activity (Fix^-). Thus, NGR234 bacteroids appear to synthesize pyruvate from TCA cycle intermediates via DME or PCK pathways. These NGR234 data, together with other reports, suggested that the completely Fix^- phenotype of <em>S. meliloti dme </em>mutants may be specific to the alfalfa-<em>S. meliloti </em>symbiosis. We therefore examined the ME-like genes <em>azc3656 </em>and <em>azc0119 </em>from <em>Azorhizobium caulinodans</em>, as <em>azc3656 </em>mutants were previously shown to form Fix^- nodules on the tropical legume <em>Sesbania rostrata</em>. We found that purified AZC3656 protein is an NAD (P)⁺-malic enzyme whose activity is inhibited by acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and stimulated by succinate and fumarate. Thus, whereas DME is required for symbiotic N₂ fixation in <em>A. caulinodans </em>and <em>S. meliloti</em>, in other rhizobia this activity can be bypassed via another pathway(s).</p> <p>In <em>S. meliloti</em> both malic enzymes DME and TME share similar apparent <em>K_m</em>s for substrate and cofactors, but differ in their responses to TCA cycle intermediates, with DME activity inhibited by acetyl-CoA and induced by succinate and fumarate. Previous results in our laboratory indicated that DME is essential for symbiotic N₂ fixation, while TME fails to functionally replace DME. One possible reason for it is that a high ratio of NADPH/NADP⁺in<em> S. meliloti </em>bacteroids prevents TME from functioning in nodules. We sought to lower the<em> </em>NADPH/NADP⁺ratio by overexpressing a soluble pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (STH). However, metabolite measurements indicated that overproducing STH failed to lower the ratio of NADPH/NADP⁺ in<em> S. meliloti</em>.</p> <p>Previous studies assumed that DME and TME might play different roles in central carbon metabolism. To gain insight of their physiological functions, genome-wide microarray analysis was conducted in <em>S. meliloti</em> single<em> dme and</em> <em>tme</em> mutants grown on glucose or succinate. The most striking changes of gene expression were observed in <em>S. meliloti</em> <em>dme</em> mutants grown on succinate. The functions of upregulated genes suggested that DME might play an important role in regulating TCA cycle intermediates, important for the maintenance of metabolic flux through TCA cycle during C₄-dicarboxylate oxidation. However, changes of gene expression found in <em>tme </em>mutants were not significant enough to predict the physiological functions of TME protein in central carbon metabolism.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Previous empirical research of co-workership focuses on experiences of implementation or development programs. This study particularly intends to examine co-workership itself as there are no studies with the same focus. The purpose of this study was to shed light on employees’ perceptions of co-workership after an implementation of the topic and describe employees’ perceptions of sustainable and health-promoting working life factors in relation to co-workership. This is a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews based on ten employees from the same organization. The data collection is analyzed according to a phenomenographic approach to highlight significantly different perceptions. The outcome space describes employees’ perceptions of co-workership. Categories which highlight interactions &amp; relationships and organizational insight &amp; awareness as central perceptions of co-workership in this study. The category harmony emerged from perceptions of sustainable and health-promoting working life factors. Finally, the category symbiotic relationship, refers to perceptions of the relationship between sustainable and health-promoting working life factors and co-workership. This research contributes to increasing knowledge about how employees and work groups perceive co-workership where the implementation has taken place. Which also highlight the topics importance in promoting a sustainable and healthy working life.

Research into the mechanism of symbiotic nitrogen fixation between legumes and rhizobia involves a complex interaction between the organisms, and many genes involved in this remain either uncharacterized or undiscovered. Using forward genetics, mutant plant lines are screened to find new genes without reliance on software-based gene prediction. A large population of Tnt1-mutagenized Medicago truncatula lines is used for this purpose. Herein, the aid of tools like whole genome sequencing (WGS) in this process is explored so that new methods and tools are elucidated. The use of WGS data allows for rapid prediction of all insertions in the genome and has been shown to predict insertion locations that were missed by the TAIL-PCR-based Tnt1 mutant database already in existence. This WGS strategy has been successfully used to find the causal mutations in multiple plant lines. Two WGS strategies are used to analyze insertions in nine sequenced lines and compared with each other and the existing Tnt1 mutant database. It appears that using either WGS method will yield similar results, but the TAIL-PCR-based predictions have much less overlap. The use of the latest R108 genome appears to decrease the degree of disagreement between the methods, while the correlation in the A17 genome update is less clear. There is also a demonstration of the use of other tools in addition to the WGS prediction output. Combining transcription data from previous experiments with the predicted insertions allowed for the creation of more holistic tables, which could better assist in screening the predictions made for the most likely candidate by highlighting those with expression profiles consistent with the observed mutation phenotype. Each of these tools and methods has been shown to be effective in screening Tnt1-mutagenized M. truncatula lines to find novel genes. Without further experimental data, determining the most accurate method is not possible. The best practice may be to use multiple methods and align them in comparison tables, leveraging all the predictive power of each of the methods into a single table.

The purpose of the research was to determine how educators could be motivated to implement internet technology in education. The literature study highlighted the need for e-learning while suggesting that educator support would not be achieved easily. The empirical study, however, revealed that at the international school examined, educators accept internet learning and demonstrate a willingness to introduce it into their pedagogy, were a blended approach to be adopted. Technological and psychological barriers had already been breached, as e-learning was taking place in a non-threatening environment. Educators were being empowered to experiment with e-learning in their subject areas. The study revealed that, having already embraced e-learning methodology educators would continue to do so if they could clearly perceive the benefits to be achieved. The study also showed that given a technologically nurturing environment, it would not be difficult to motivate educators to introduce internet technology into their pedagogy. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Adult Education)

Nas últimas décadas, a incidência de infecções hospitalares causadas por bactérias Gramnegativas multidrogarresistentes (MDR) vem crescendo de maneira vertiginosa em todo o mundo, de modo que a Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) recentemente reconheceu essas infecções como uma preocupação mundial devido ao seu impacto negativo sobre as taxas de mortalidade intra-hospitalar e dos custos da assistência à saúde, afetando tanto os países desenvolvidos quanto os em desenvolvimento. Atualmente considera-se que a higienização das mãos, o uso racional de antimicrobianos e o isolamento de contato são as principais medidas disponíveis para contenção desse avanço. Porém, elas são apenas parcialmente efetivas e de implementação trabalhosa e onerosa. Assim, considera-se necessário o desenvolvimento de formas mais simples e eficientes paralidar com esse problema. No presente estudo, nos propusemos a avaliar o impacto da administração de um produto simbiótico a pacientes colonizados e/ou infectados por bactérias Gram-negativas MDR sobre as taxas de descolonização desses patógenos no trato digestivo. Trata-se de um ensaio clínico randomizado, duplamente cego, controlado com placebo, envolvendo 101 pacientes hospitalizados com colonização prévia por bactérias Gram-negativas MDR, demonstrada por meio de cultura seletiva de swab retal, cuja intervenção consistiu na administração oral ou enteral diária de 1010 unidades de Lactobacillus bulgaricus e 1010 unidades de Lactobacillus rhamnosus associados a fruto-oligossacarídeos durante (FOS) 7 dias. O desfecho primário do estudo foi a descolonização completa do trato digestivo posterior à intervenção, que, na análise do tipo \"intenção de tratar modificada\" foi de 16,7% (8/48) no grupo experimental e 20,7% (11/53) no grupo controle (p=0,600). Na análise \"per protocol\", a descolonização completa do trato observada foi de 18,9% (7/37) no grupo experimental e 23,3% (7/30) no grupo controle (p=0,659). Em uma análise multivariada por meio de modelo de regressão logística o uso do simbiótico não influenciou significativamente o risco de descolonização completa do trato digestivo (OR= 0,80, IC 95%= 0,28-2,27, p= 0,678). A ocorrência de eventos adversos de natureza leve a moderada foi semelhante entre os grupos: 7,55% no grupo que utilizou placebo e 6,25% no grupo sob intervenção (p= 1,000). Nenhum evento adverso grave potencialmente relacionado às medicações de estudo foi observado. Nas condições estudadas, os dados obtidos pelo estudo nos levam à conclusão de que o simbiótico estudado demonstrou-se inefetivo na descolonização do trato digestivo de pacientes previamente colonizados por bactérias Gram-negativas MDR. / In recent decades the incidence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative nosocomial infections has been dramatically raising in the whole world. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently recognized nosocomial infections due to MDR pathogens as a global concern due to its negative impact on patients, health-care workers and health-care institutions, affecting developed countries as well as developing ones. They negatively impact in-hospital mortality and health-care related costs. Hand hygiene promotion, antibiotic stewardship and contact precautions are the main available measures to control such MDR Gram-negative organisms in hospitals. However, they are only partially effective as well as difficult to be implemented and expensive. Therefore, simpler and more effective actions are thought to be helpful and urgent. In the present study, we analyzed the impact of the administration of a symbiotic product on patients harboring Gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria upon the subsequent rates of decolonization of these pathogens from the gastro-intestinal tract.This is a double-blinded and placebo controlled randomized clinical trial evaluating the oral/enteral daily administration of 1010 units of Lactobacillus bulgaricusplus 1010 units of Lactobacillus rhamnosus associated with fructo-oligosacharide (FOS), or placebo, for 7 days, to 101 patients previously colonized by MDR Gram-negative bacteria, identified through selective culture of rectal swab. The primary study outcome was the rate of complete decolonization of the MDR microorganism from the gastro-intestinal tract following the intervention. In the \"modified intention to treat\" analysis, decolonization rates observed were 16.7% (8/48) in the experimental group and 20.7% (11/53) in the placebo group (p=0,600). In the \"per protocol\" analysis, decolonization rates were 18.9% (7/37) in the experimental group and 23.3% (7/30) in the placebo group (p=0,659). In a logistic regression model, symbiotic use did not produce any impact on the chance of decolonization (OR=0.80, CI95%=0.28-2.27, p=0.678). Mild to moderate adverse events occured similarly in both the placebo (7.55%) and the experimental group (6.25%), (p=1,000). No severe adverse event potentially related to the medications was detected during the study period. In the present study conditions, the results obtained lead to the conclusion that the studied symbiotic proved to be ineffective to decolonize patients harboring multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacilli.

A degradação de extensas áreas devido às atividades mineradoras a céu aberto tem trazido sérios prejuízos econômicos e, principalmente, graves danos ao ambiente. Esse tipo de atividade, além de alterar as características originais dos solos, levam a perda de grande parte de seus conteúdos de matéria orgânica e da biodiversidade natural, condições básicas para uma atividade biológica sustentável. A revegetação dos solos dessas áreas, com o objetivo de restabelecer suas características químicas, físicas e biológicas a um nível mínimo que permita o desenvolvimento de espécies vegetais e da atividade microbiana, tão importante no estabelecimento e sucessão da macrobiota, constitui-se numa prática muito recomendada. O objetivo dessa tese foi avaliar o potencial de reabilitação do solo degradado de uma área de mineração de cassiterita na região da Floresta Nacional do Jamari-RO, através de ensaios experimentais em casa-devegetação, utilizando-se a revegetação do rejeito com seis espécies de crescimento rápido e o manejo de microrganismos simbiontes fixadores do N2 e fungos micorrízicos arbusculares, associados ou não à adubação com composto orgânico e termofosfato. As espécies avaliadas foram Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Acacia mangium, Parkia multijuga, Schinus terebinthifolia e Inga edulis. Em casa-de-vegetação, os ensaios mostraram efeito significativo da aplicação do composto orgânico para todas as espécies cultivadas. A associação da adubação orgânica com a inoculação micorrízica produziu maiores incrementos no peso da matéria seca da parte aérea de C. cajan, A. mangium e S. terebinthifolia do que a adubação com composto orgânico sem inoculação micorrízica. As leguminosas nodulíferas C. cajan e A. mangium também produziram mais matéria seca de nódulos quando associadas à adubação orgânica e fungos micorrízicos. À exceção de P. multijuga, a acumulação de N e P na parte aérea foi aumentada na presença do composto orgânico em todas as espécies porém, em C. cajan, A. mangium e S. terebinthifolia, esse acúmulo foi maior nas plantas micorrizadas. Na ausência de adubação com composto orgânico algumas espécies micorrizadas mostraram maior eficiência na utilização do termofosfato. O pH do rejeito após cultivo foi sempre maior do que aquele do rejeito original. Entretanto, nos vasos que continham plantas inoculadas com FMA e adubadas com composto orgânico, este incremento foi menor. A inoculação com FMA contribuiu para o aumento da quantidade de micélio externo total para a maioria das espécies cultivadas no rejeito. Pelos resultados obtidos, podemos concluir que, para o sucesso da revegetação do rejeito de mineração de cassiterita, a adição de composto orgânico é essencial para o estabelecimento das plantas e da microbiota do solo. As plantas inoculadas com fungos micorrízicos e adubadas com composto orgânico se desenvolvem melhor no rejeito do que as plantas não micorrizadas. As espécies vegetais devem ser selecionadas preferencialmente entre as micotróficas e as nodulíferas, uma vez que podem se estabelecer no ambiente com um menor aporte de insumos e com práticas de manejo menos onerosas. / The increasing degraded soil areas caused by open cast mining activities has brought critical damages to the environment. The mine spoil must be ameliorated with anthropogenic interferences, consisting of revegetating soils, introducing organic matter and microbial diversity, basic conditions for a sustainable soil biological activity. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate the rehabilitation potential of a mine spoil area by cultivating fast growing plant species and inoculating rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in the presense or absence of organic compost or thermophosphate. Thus, six plant species were cultivated under green-house conditions, to evaluate the potential of plant establishment on a cassiterite mining waste. Shoot height and dry weight, substrate pH, N and P shoot content, external mycelium and root nodule numbers and dry weight were determined. Fertilization with organic compost and mycorrhizal inoculation improved shoot dry weight of C. cajan, A. mangium and S. terebinthifolia and root nodule dry weight of the nodulating legumes. N and P shoot contents were higher in plants that were inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fertilized with organic compost. The soil pH after cultivation was always much higher than the initial pH, somewhat in the presense of organic compost and mycorrhizal inoculation of plants. External mycelium in the mining waste increased with mycorrhizal inoculation. We can conclude that for a successful revegetation of cassiterite mining spoil the addition of organic matter is essencial for plant and microrganism establishment. It provides a better nutrient cycling and improves chemical and physical substrate characteristics. Plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and growing in the presense of compost developded much better than non-mycorrhizal plants. Species selected for revegetation should be preferencially mycotrohphic and nodulating legumes as they will grow well even without the use of expensive fertilizers and management practices.

Dans le contexte de la transition agroécologique en faveur de systèmes de culture plus économes en intrants azotés, la réintroduction des légumineuses a un rôle majeur à jouer pour atteindre la durabilité de ces systèmes. Peu de références sont actuellement disponibles sur les intérêts agronomiques et écologiques des différentes espèces, notamment à l’échelle de la rotation. Dans ce cadre, notre objectif principal consiste à mieux quantifier les flux d’azote impliqués au cours et après culture de légumineuses, et ce pour une gamme élargie d’espèces. Notre travail expérimental porte donc sur la caractérisation des flux d’azote induits dans le sol et dans les cultures de légumineuses aux caractéristiques morphologiques contrastées en parallèle de la mesure des déterminants de ces flux. Les objectifs spécifiques consistent à : i) quantifier la fixation symbiotique en fonction du niveau du stock d’azote minéral du sol, la minéralisation de l’azote des résidus de légumineuses après enfouissement et les pertes d’azote en dehors du système sol-plante (lixiviation, émission de protoxyde d’azote), ii) identifier les « traits de plantes » explicatifs des fonctions liées à ces flux d’azote. Pour atteindre ces objectifs, les différents flux d’azote ont été quantifiés au cours d’une expérimentation au champ avec implantation d’une culture de légumineuses en première année suivie par une culture de blé en année 2 qui a été menée en 2014-2015 et reconduite sur la campagne 2016-2017. En parallèle, les traits des plantes, notamment racinaires, ont été caractérisés plus finement au cours d’expérimentations conduites en conditions contrôlées / In the context of agroecological transition, the reintroduction of legume crops should play a key role in cropping system sustainability by allowing a reduction of nitrogen (N) inputs. But few references are available concerning the agronomical and ecological services provided by a wide range of legume crops, particularly within crops succession scale. Thus, the main objective of our study is to quantify the N fluxes during and after the legume crops taking into account 10 legume crops (peas, lupin, faba bean, soybean...). Our experiment consists in i) quantifying symbiotic N fixation depending on the amount of soil inorganic N, the mineralisation of N present in legume crop residues after soil incorporation and N losses outside of the soil-plant system (leaching, emission of nitrous oxide), ii) identifying plant biological traits associated to N fluxes. Thus, different N fluxes were quantified during a two-year field experiment, i.e. the first year (2014) legume crops were implanted and followed by wheat the second year (14-15) after incorportation of legume residues. This experiment was repeated in 2016-2017.In parallel, plant root traits were characterised during greenhouse hydroponic experiments

Nas últimas décadas, a incidência de infecções hospitalares causadas por bactérias Gramnegativas multidrogarresistentes (MDR) vem crescendo de maneira vertiginosa em todo o mundo, de modo que a Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) recentemente reconheceu essas infecções como uma preocupação mundial devido ao seu impacto negativo sobre as taxas de mortalidade intra-hospitalar e dos custos da assistência à saúde, afetando tanto os países desenvolvidos quanto os em desenvolvimento. Atualmente considera-se que a higienização das mãos, o uso racional de antimicrobianos e o isolamento de contato são as principais medidas disponíveis para contenção desse avanço. Porém, elas são apenas parcialmente efetivas e de implementação trabalhosa e onerosa. Assim, considera-se necessário o desenvolvimento de formas mais simples e eficientes paralidar com esse problema. No presente estudo, nos propusemos a avaliar o impacto da administração de um produto simbiótico a pacientes colonizados e/ou infectados por bactérias Gram-negativas MDR sobre as taxas de descolonização desses patógenos no trato digestivo. Trata-se de um ensaio clínico randomizado, duplamente cego, controlado com placebo, envolvendo 101 pacientes hospitalizados com colonização prévia por bactérias Gram-negativas MDR, demonstrada por meio de cultura seletiva de swab retal, cuja intervenção consistiu na administração oral ou enteral diária de 1010 unidades de Lactobacillus bulgaricus e 1010 unidades de Lactobacillus rhamnosus associados a fruto-oligossacarídeos durante (FOS) 7 dias. O desfecho primário do estudo foi a descolonização completa do trato digestivo posterior à intervenção, que, na análise do tipo \"intenção de tratar modificada\" foi de 16,7% (8/48) no grupo experimental e 20,7% (11/53) no grupo controle (p=0,600). Na análise \"per protocol\", a descolonização completa do trato observada foi de 18,9% (7/37) no grupo experimental e 23,3% (7/30) no grupo controle (p=0,659). Em uma análise multivariada por meio de modelo de regressão logística o uso do simbiótico não influenciou significativamente o risco de descolonização completa do trato digestivo (OR= 0,80, IC 95%= 0,28-2,27, p= 0,678). A ocorrência de eventos adversos de natureza leve a moderada foi semelhante entre os grupos: 7,55% no grupo que utilizou placebo e 6,25% no grupo sob intervenção (p= 1,000). Nenhum evento adverso grave potencialmente relacionado às medicações de estudo foi observado. Nas condições estudadas, os dados obtidos pelo estudo nos levam à conclusão de que o simbiótico estudado demonstrou-se inefetivo na descolonização do trato digestivo de pacientes previamente colonizados por bactérias Gram-negativas MDR. / In recent decades the incidence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative nosocomial infections has been dramatically raising in the whole world. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently recognized nosocomial infections due to MDR pathogens as a global concern due to its negative impact on patients, health-care workers and health-care institutions, affecting developed countries as well as developing ones. They negatively impact in-hospital mortality and health-care related costs. Hand hygiene promotion, antibiotic stewardship and contact precautions are the main available measures to control such MDR Gram-negative organisms in hospitals. However, they are only partially effective as well as difficult to be implemented and expensive. Therefore, simpler and more effective actions are thought to be helpful and urgent. In the present study, we analyzed the impact of the administration of a symbiotic product on patients harboring Gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria upon the subsequent rates of decolonization of these pathogens from the gastro-intestinal tract.This is a double-blinded and placebo controlled randomized clinical trial evaluating the oral/enteral daily administration of 1010 units of Lactobacillus bulgaricusplus 1010 units of Lactobacillus rhamnosus associated with fructo-oligosacharide (FOS), or placebo, for 7 days, to 101 patients previously colonized by MDR Gram-negative bacteria, identified through selective culture of rectal swab. The primary study outcome was the rate of complete decolonization of the MDR microorganism from the gastro-intestinal tract following the intervention. In the \"modified intention to treat\" analysis, decolonization rates observed were 16.7% (8/48) in the experimental group and 20.7% (11/53) in the placebo group (p=0,600). In the \"per protocol\" analysis, decolonization rates were 18.9% (7/37) in the experimental group and 23.3% (7/30) in the placebo group (p=0,659). In a logistic regression model, symbiotic use did not produce any impact on the chance of decolonization (OR=0.80, CI95%=0.28-2.27, p=0.678). Mild to moderate adverse events occured similarly in both the placebo (7.55%) and the experimental group (6.25%), (p=1,000). No severe adverse event potentially related to the medications was detected during the study period. In the present study conditions, the results obtained lead to the conclusion that the studied symbiotic proved to be ineffective to decolonize patients harboring multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacilli.

A degradação de extensas áreas devido às atividades mineradoras a céu aberto tem trazido sérios prejuízos econômicos e, principalmente, graves danos ao ambiente. Esse tipo de atividade, além de alterar as características originais dos solos, levam a perda de grande parte de seus conteúdos de matéria orgânica e da biodiversidade natural, condições básicas para uma atividade biológica sustentável. A revegetação dos solos dessas áreas, com o objetivo de restabelecer suas características químicas, físicas e biológicas a um nível mínimo que permita o desenvolvimento de espécies vegetais e da atividade microbiana, tão importante no estabelecimento e sucessão da macrobiota, constitui-se numa prática muito recomendada. O objetivo dessa tese foi avaliar o potencial de reabilitação do solo degradado de uma área de mineração de cassiterita na região da Floresta Nacional do Jamari-RO, através de ensaios experimentais em casa-devegetação, utilizando-se a revegetação do rejeito com seis espécies de crescimento rápido e o manejo de microrganismos simbiontes fixadores do N2 e fungos micorrízicos arbusculares, associados ou não à adubação com composto orgânico e termofosfato. As espécies avaliadas foram Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Acacia mangium, Parkia multijuga, Schinus terebinthifolia e Inga edulis. Em casa-de-vegetação, os ensaios mostraram efeito significativo da aplicação do composto orgânico para todas as espécies cultivadas. A associação da adubação orgânica com a inoculação micorrízica produziu maiores incrementos no peso da matéria seca da parte aérea de C. cajan, A. mangium e S. terebinthifolia do que a adubação com composto orgânico sem inoculação micorrízica. As leguminosas nodulíferas C. cajan e A. mangium também produziram mais matéria seca de nódulos quando associadas à adubação orgânica e fungos micorrízicos. À exceção de P. multijuga, a acumulação de N e P na parte aérea foi aumentada na presença do composto orgânico em todas as espécies porém, em C. cajan, A. mangium e S. terebinthifolia, esse acúmulo foi maior nas plantas micorrizadas. Na ausência de adubação com composto orgânico algumas espécies micorrizadas mostraram maior eficiência na utilização do termofosfato. O pH do rejeito após cultivo foi sempre maior do que aquele do rejeito original. Entretanto, nos vasos que continham plantas inoculadas com FMA e adubadas com composto orgânico, este incremento foi menor. A inoculação com FMA contribuiu para o aumento da quantidade de micélio externo total para a maioria das espécies cultivadas no rejeito. Pelos resultados obtidos, podemos concluir que, para o sucesso da revegetação do rejeito de mineração de cassiterita, a adição de composto orgânico é essencial para o estabelecimento das plantas e da microbiota do solo. As plantas inoculadas com fungos micorrízicos e adubadas com composto orgânico se desenvolvem melhor no rejeito do que as plantas não micorrizadas. As espécies vegetais devem ser selecionadas preferencialmente entre as micotróficas e as nodulíferas, uma vez que podem se estabelecer no ambiente com um menor aporte de insumos e com práticas de manejo menos onerosas. / The increasing degraded soil areas caused by open cast mining activities has brought critical damages to the environment. The mine spoil must be ameliorated with anthropogenic interferences, consisting of revegetating soils, introducing organic matter and microbial diversity, basic conditions for a sustainable soil biological activity. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate the rehabilitation potential of a mine spoil area by cultivating fast growing plant species and inoculating rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in the presense or absence of organic compost or thermophosphate. Thus, six plant species were cultivated under green-house conditions, to evaluate the potential of plant establishment on a cassiterite mining waste. Shoot height and dry weight, substrate pH, N and P shoot content, external mycelium and root nodule numbers and dry weight were determined. Fertilization with organic compost and mycorrhizal inoculation improved shoot dry weight of C. cajan, A. mangium and S. terebinthifolia and root nodule dry weight of the nodulating legumes. N and P shoot contents were higher in plants that were inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fertilized with organic compost. The soil pH after cultivation was always much higher than the initial pH, somewhat in the presense of organic compost and mycorrhizal inoculation of plants. External mycelium in the mining waste increased with mycorrhizal inoculation. We can conclude that for a successful revegetation of cassiterite mining spoil the addition of organic matter is essencial for plant and microrganism establishment. It provides a better nutrient cycling and improves chemical and physical substrate characteristics. Plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and growing in the presense of compost developded much better than non-mycorrhizal plants. Species selected for revegetation should be preferencially mycotrohphic and nodulating legumes as they will grow well even without the use of expensive fertilizers and management practices.

A GIRL, forced to marry her father after he sees her playing in his dead wife’s wedding gown, runs away wearing five dresses. Four dresses are of silk and they are beautiful. The last dress is of wood. It is in this dress that the girl escapes, throwing herself into the river to float away. A prince saves the girl but treats her badly, for she wears an ugly wood frock. Her suffering is eased at night when the girl takes off the wood dress and dances in her silk ones. The prince discovers the girl in the silk dresses and falls in love. They live happily ever after. This thesis is based on a fairy tale in which a girl’s life is changed by what she wears. In Fair Maiden Wood clothing is a means to identity. Costume is what identifies this girl as her father’s new bride, and it reveals to the shallow prince who his true love is. It is through clothing that we identify the fairy tale. But more significantly, it is through clothing that the girl experiences the outside world. The girl lives through her wood frock – it is the vessel by which she escapes the threat of incest, it is the prison that disguises her beauty from the prince; it is her armor, her cage, her temporary home. The wood frock becomes the girl’s first architecture, protecting and sheltering the girl in the most intimate manner, controlling her most immediate environment. But its role is not limited to enclosure; the wood dress also changes the girl’s experience of her surroundings, extending her bodily influence while also constraining it. The wood dress dictates how the girl moves, how much space she needs, how others see her, and how they treat her. It is an environment, elusively defined by the dialogue between her moving body and the surface of the wood shell surrounding her, which changes the girl’s quality of existence. In this in-between silhouette is a most potent, and poetic, form of architecture. In my thesis I continue the story of the girl in the wood frock through the design of three of her five gowns. The gowns reference the work of designers such as Cristobal Balenciaga or Issey Miyake whose clothes, by virtue of their construction and materiality, affect wearer and observer in startling and profound fashion. Their garments show a symbiotic relationship between body and shell, where the shell is not simply a passive enclosure but a responsive and independent extension of the body. My dresses are made with this symbiosis in mind, and I use their (painstaking) construction in order to propose that in clothing is the potential to create spatial environments that change fundamental perceptions by filtering and extending the wearer’s experience of the world and her effect on it. These dresses and the spaces they create are unique. They are not costumes of the everyday, used to suppress sensation in order to function; instead they are of the special day, when the girl seeks to be stimulated, enlightened, and also saved. They are dresses of heightened awareness, integrating both sense and action within their shifting boundaries, shaping a dynamic, albeit fleeting, architecture.