Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Orientador: Ricardo Cardoso Benine / Resumo: O gênero Gymnocorymbus Eigenmann 1908, pertencente à família Characidae, se distribui ao longo da Amazônia, Orinoco e Paraguai, e pode ser diagnosticado dos outros pertencentes à família por meio de alguns caracteres específicos para este gênero. Uma espécie importante dentro desse grupo é o Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, também conhecida como tetra negro ou black skirt tetra. Esta espécie vem sendo amplamente utilizada em estudos gerais de biologia, genética e fisiologia, porém apenas recentemente foi alvo de um estudo taxonômico abrangente cujos resultados levaram a necessidade de um maior entendimento dos estados dos caracteres envolvidos. Assim, o objetivo do presente projeto foi de descrever o processo de desenvolvimento ontogenético – dos componentes dos esqueletos axial e apendicular de Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, com ênfase nas características informativas do ponto de vista filogenético, assim como a osteologia de exemplares adultos visando complementar a informação existente e o entendimento das prováveis sinapomorfias previamente propostas. Os espécimes de G. ternetzi utilizados neste estudo foram adquiridos comercialmente e mantidos em tanques comunitários de 300 litros com temperatura de 26 a 28°C e pH entre 6,5 e 6,8. Após a entrada no período reprodutivo, machos e fêmeas foram colocados dois a dois (casais) em aquários de 30 litros, com temperatura em torno de 28°C. Situações para estimular a desova foram simuladas e após a desova os adultos foram retirados... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The genus Gymnocorymbus Eigenmann 1908, belongs to the Characidae family, is distributed along the Amazon, Orinoco and Paraguay, and can be diagnosed from other belonging to the family through some specific characters for this genus. An important species within this group is the black tetra, also known as black skirt tetra. This species has been widely used in general studies of biology, genetics and physiology, but only recently has undergone a comprehensive taxonomic study whose results have led to the need for greater understanding of the states of the characters involved. The objective of this project was to describe the ontogenetic development process - the components of the axial and appendicular skeletons of Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, with emphasis on informative features of the phylogenetic point of view, as well as the osteology of adult to complement existing information and understanding of the likely synapomorphies previously proposed. The specimens of G. ternetzi used in this study were commercially purchased and kept in community tanks of 300 liters with temperature 26 to 28 ° C and pH between 6.5 and 6.8. After entering the breeding season, males and females were placed in pairs (couples) in aquariums of 30 liters, with temperatures around 28 ° C. Situations to stimulate spawning were simulated and after spawning adults were taken to avoid possible predation of eggs. Our results provide important information on the development of the appendicular and axial skeleto... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

<p> Much speculation has been made about the relative importance of changes in developmental regulation of gene expression in determining major phylogenetic patterns observed both in extant and extinct species. However, most of these hypotheses have been formulated based on data obtained from the comparison of very distantly related organisms (e.g., between animal phyla). Another approach to answering questions about development (ontogeny) in the context of evolution (phylogeny) is to observe how developmental patterns diverge between closely related species, in order to obtain a better understanding of the population level processes underlying phyletic change. With the intent of addressing this possibility, the principle work outlined in this thesis investigated patterns of divergence between closely related species of Drosophila at the level of both the nucleotide coding sequence as well as gene expression levels in the context of ontogeny. The results show that the stage during which genes are expressed has a significant impact on their patterns of divergence, acting both to constrain (earlier stages) and accelerate (later stages) their rates of evolution - the latter being largely the result of sexual selection pressure. However, we also find that intermediate stages of fly development, such as metamorphosis, may experience a greater degree of conservation of the elements regulating gene expression than other stages. Nonetheless, we do find evidence that both gene expression and coding sequences may be subject to similar selection pressures, yet there also appears to be substantial uncoupling of the two, as evidenced by our observation of stage-specific, autonomous patterns of hybrid misexpression manifested in interspecific hybrids. The data presented herein shed new light on patterns of divergence between species, specifically with regards to how various selection pressures affect different stages of ontogeny.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Understanding the changes undergone during the life of an organism is often crucial to properly interpreting the evolutionary history of a group. For extinct organisms, this process can only be directly studied through growth series of fossils representing individuals at different stages of maturity. The growth patterns of the earliest dinosaurs (230–190 million years ago), in particular the morphological changes undergone during the life history of an individual (i.e., ontogeny) is poorly understood. To tackle this problem, I studied the changes undergone during growth of two early theropod dinosaurs, Coelophysis bauri and Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis. To reconstruct the growth of these dinosaurs I used ontogenetic sequence analysis (OSA). I found that, unlike living birds, early dinosaurs possessed an extremely high amount of intraspecific variation in growth. This variation had been previously interpreted as sexual difference; however, I found no evidence of this. Because this variation is widespread among early dinosaurs and their relatives, I hypothesize that this is the ancestral condition of dinosaurian growth, and that this was lost along the evolution to birds. These ontogenetic events are conserved through evolution, and I used this to assess the maturity of large Triassic theropods: I suggest that all known large-bodied Triassic theropods were still growing rapidly at death, and that the maximum body size of Triassic theropods was higher than previously supposed. Theropods were large before the end Triassic mass extinction, unlike what has been previously hypothesized. / Master of Science

Les macrophages sont des cellules de l’immunité innée et sont localisés dans la majorité des organes du corps, présentant des fonctions spécifiques dépendant de leur lieu de résidence.Les macrophages d’origine embryonnaire sont la source majeure des macrophages tissulaires et sont capables de se maintenir à long terme dans la plupart des organes adultes.Cependant, il reste certains organes comme le testicule, où l’origine des macrophages n’est pas clairement déterminée. Le testicule est considéré comme un organe immuno-privilégié et a cette nécessité de protéger de tous contacts les spermatozoïdes des cellules immunitaires, qui pourraient induire une auto-immunité.Les macrophages testiculaires (tMφ) contribuent à maintenir ce statut d’organe immuno-privilégié en produisant des cytokines immunosuppressives. Pour ces raisons, les tMφ peuvent être considérés comme des “ gardiens de la fertilité”. Dans les testicules adultes, deux différentes populations de macrophages, nommées interstitielles et péritubulaires, ont été identifiées en se basant sur leurs morphologies et localisations distinctes, mais leur origine et leur mode de développement et de maintenance restent encore inconnus. En combinant des méthodes de traçage cellulaire et la mise au point d’un modèle de transfert adoptif dans des souriceaux, j’ai démontré que les macrophages d’origine embryonnaire contribuaient exclusivement à la population de tMφ interstitielle dès la naissance et que les tMφ péritubulaires proviennent exclusivement de la moelle osseuse. Après avoir caractérisé les tMφ, mes prochaines investigations se porteront sur l’étude des fonctions de chacune de ces deux populations. / Macrophages are innate immune cells residing in most of the organs of the body and ensure proper organ function. Traditionally, it has been known that macrophages can be derived from HSC progenitors in the bone-marrow (BM), but technology using fate-mapping tools has revealed that macrophages can already be generated from embryonic progenitors. Embryo-derived macrophages are a major source of tissue-resident macrophages and can self-maintain during adulthood. The origin of resident macrophages in the testis, however, so far has not been well studied.Importantly, the testis is considered as an immune-privileged organ by protecting the highly immunogenic spermatozoa sequestrated in the seminiferous tubules from the entrance of immune cells. In the adult testis, macrophages participate in the creation of an immune suppressive microenvironment preventing auto-immune attack. Therefore, testicular macrophages tMφ could be considered as the guardians of fertility. Recently,two different macrophage populations have been identified in the adult testis, called interstitial and peritubular, based on their distinct localization and morphology,but their developmental origin and homeostatic maintenance were unknown.Combining the genetic lineage tracing and the neonatal adoptive transfer model, I could demonstrate that the embryo-derived macrophages give rise exclusively to interstitial tMφ. Peritubular tMφ, however, only emerge postnatally from BM-derived progenitors. .My findings provide framework for future investigations into the distinct functions of these two tMφ populations in establishment of immune-privilege as well as the support of spermatogenesis and male hormone production.

The field of evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) focuses on understanding the evolution of ontogeny and mechanisms of evolutionary change. Recently, taxonomic comparisons of the sequence of skeletal ossification have become prominent in evo-devo. However, most of these studies fail to consider two major issues: how the technique used to assay ossification and ontogenetic variation and variability may affect comparisons among taxa. This study focuses on the onset of ossification in the skeleton of Monodelphis domestica and quantifies the affects of variation, variability, and technique bias on reconstructions of ontogeny. Previous comparisons among mammalian taxa have used both computed tomography (CT) and clearing-and-staining (CS) to assess the presence or absence of skeletal elements (i.e., skeletal maturity). In this study, CT and CS were used on the same specimen to compare how these methods assess skeletal maturity. The comparisons of the same individual under reveal significant differences in how skeletal maturity is assessed by CT and CS techniques. Further, significant biases were recovered between techniques. CT is more likely to reveal cranial elements that CS does not, whereas CS is more likely to reveal appendicular elements that CT does not. To assess levels of variation and variability, Ontogenetic Sequence Analysis (OSA) was used to characterize the ontogeny of Monodelphis domestica. This revealed significant levels of variation with over 800 different ontogenetic pathways recovered for the onset of ossification of all skeletal elements studied. Additionally, high levels of variability were also reconstructed because the majority of specimens were found to exhibit non-modal ontogenetic sequences. This variability is more highly concentrated in the sequence of cranial ossification, suggesting potential modularity in ontogenetic variation and variability. Finally, OSA revealed that technique bias could importantly affect reconstructions of skeletal ossification sequences because no identical sequences were recovered by the CT and CS datasets. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of considering the primary nature of developmental studies, the specimen. Only by recognizing and quantifying the complexities of evo-devo research, especially natural variation and methodological biases, can more complete understandings of the evolution of ontogeny be had. / text

A unique pattern of pedal loading from heel-strike at touchdown to hallucal propulsion at toe-off is a distinct feature of mature human bipedalism, however, its first appearance in the fossil record is debated. The main goal of this dissertation is to identify anatomical correlates to a modern human heel-strike, rigid foot, and propulsive hallucal toe-off. First, a biomechanical analysis of toddler walking is used as a 'natural experiment' to investigate the influence of non heel-strike (NHS, n = 11) and immature heel-strike (IHS, n = 7) on the location of the center of pressure and orientation of the ground reaction force resultant in relation to specific foot bones during stance phase. With an expanded knowledge of foot bone loading in toddlers, a microarchitectural approach is used to test the influence of a heel-strike, rigid foot, and propulsive hallucal toe-off on trabecular bone fabric properties in an ontogenetic series of human and African ape (chimpanzee, bonobo, and gorilla) calcanei, tali, first metatarsal heads and hallucal distal phalanges. This dissertation presents the first ontogenetic analysis of pedal trabecular bone in primates. Heel-strike and toe-off are developmentally independent from one another. Although most toddlers lack a hallucal toe-off, NHS and IHS apply equally high propulsive forces when the entire width of their forefoot is in contact with the ground. Biomechanical and fossil evidence suggest that a generalized active propulsion may have preceded the evolution of a propulsive hallucal toe-off. Although pedal trabecular fabric properties are more complex than predicted, trabecular correlates to heel-strike and hallucal toe-off are identified within adult human foot bones. Compared to toddlers and African apes, adult humans have a unique combination of relatively thick trabecular struts and an anteroplantar to posterodorsal primary trabecular orientation in the plantar aspect of the calcaneal tuber. In the calcaneal tendon volume of interest, adult humans have a unique anteroplantar to posterodorsal primary trabecular orientation associated with a propulsive hallucal toe-off. This dissertation provides the comparative context necessary to begin assessing the evolution and developmental timing of foot function and specific bipedal gait events in juvenile and adult fossil hominins. / text

Thesis (MSc.(Anatomy)--Faculty of Health Sciences)-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Ph.D. / Information technology (IT) system development faces increasing challenges as a result of the complexity involved in the large number of interacting, distributed and concurrently executing components of systems. These components range from operating systems and virtual machines, through to the various frameworks, servers and libraries. To continue delivering on the current trend in resource requirements, hardware is increasingly parallel. The parallelisation of hardware indicates that software systems must be enabled to exploit these multicore, symmetric multiprocessing and distributed architectures as they become more mainstream. Parallelisation of IT systems adds to the number, distribution and concurrency of interacting components. In addition, dynamic self-optimising, selfhealing, self-configuring and self-protecting characteristics are required if systems are to continue operating effectively. The environment into which a system is eventually deployed is often either unknown or dynamic. An unknown environment is one where the exact details of resource availability, along with knowledge or control over concurrently executing systems, is not available beforehand. Added to this is a lack of foreknowledge surrounding the system’s environment, which may be dynamic, meaning it is likely to change during the system’s lifetime. Changes to the system’s environment include new infrastructure, different architectures, replacing old hardware and installing or upgrading software. The current approaches to overcoming unknown and dynamic environments tend to be top-down and centralised as is seen in the use of control theory by autonomic computing. There is, however, a growing realisation that centralised approaches add to the brittleness and complexity of the systems. What is needed is the self-adaptivity of an agent based approach, which is able to overcome these challenges relating to unknown and dynamic environments. Nature has dealt with the same challenges in a far more robust way by employing the principles of self-organising systems underpinning the control of complex adaptive systems. An example of nature’s solution is the self-organising system presented by the gene regulatory system coupled to cell fate and the cell cycle in multicellular organisms. Organisms are self-healing, self-protecting, self-optimising and self-configuring. They are also able, through ontogenesis, to self-adapt to their environments and grow to maximise their performance whilst still maintaining function.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-02-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:14:56Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveira_jhg_me_botib.pdf: 703074 bytes, checksum: ad0e0ca537f3372f90f04f7b7f9694b1 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O presente trabalho descreve os aspectos estruturais e ontogenéticos dos frutos e sementes de Manihot caerulescens Pohl. e M. tripartita Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae, Crotonoideae), espécies arbustivas que ocorrem freqüentemente no cerrado sensu lato. Os objetivos deste trabalho são: descrever a morfologia, a anatomia e o desenvolvimento dos frutos e sementes de M. caerulescens e M. tripartita; identificar as estruturas relacionadas ao processo de deiscência dos frutos e à dispersão das sementes; e verificar a ocorrência de padrões estruturais comuns às espécies estudadas, comparando-as com as demais Euphorbiaceae registradas na literatura. Para tanto, foram adotados procedimentos usuais em Anatomia Vegetal. No estudo do pericarpo, foi possível o enquadramento em quatro estágios de desenvolvimento, típicos dos frutos secos: I – ovário; II – frutos bem jovens, com atividade meristemática acentuada; III – frutos jovens até seu tamanho definitivo, caracterizado pelo evidente alongamento celular; e IV – fase de amadurecimento e lignificação do estrato esclerenquimático. Verificou-se que, no estágio I, as duas espécies estudadas apresentam ovário típico de Euphorbiaceae, com algumas diferenças sutis entre elas, como, por exemplo, o aspecto anguloso de M. caerulescens, devido à presença de seis projeções longitudinais; em M. tripartita, são observados inúmeros tricomas tectores unicelulares e o ovário em secção transversal é mais circular. No estágio II, inicia-se a diferenciação de diversos feixes laterais no mesocarpo mediano; em sua porção mais interna, destaca-se um estrato de células alongadas tangencial e obliquamente. Divisões periclinais intensas indicam a presença de um meristema subadaxial, que forma o mesocarpo interno, e de um meristema adaxial, que produz o endocarpo de ambas as espécies. No estágio III,... / The present work describes structural and ontogenetic aspects of the fruits and seeds of Manihot caerulescens Pohl. e M. tripartita Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae, Crotonoideae), shrub species that occur frequently in cerrado sensu lato. The aims of this work are: to describe the morphology, anatomy and development of the fruits and seeds of M. caerulescens and M. tripartita; to identify the structures related to the process of dehiscence of the fruits, and to seed dispersion; and to verify the occurrence of structural standards between the studied species, comparing with others Euphorbiaceae registered in the literature. For this, usual techniques in Plant Anatomy were adopted. In the study of pericarp, it was possible define four development stages that are typical of dry fruits: I – ovary; II – very young fruits, with intensive meristematic activity; III – young fruits until their final size, characterized for evident cellular elongation; and IV – phase of maturity and lignification of the sclerenchymatous stratum. In the stage I, we verify that the two studied species present ovary structure typical of Euphorbiaceae, with some subtle differences between them, as, e.g., the angular aspect of M. caerulescens, due to the presence of six longitudinal projections; in M. tripartita, several unicellular non-glandular trichomes are observed, and the ovary has more circular transverse section. In stage II, it is initiated the differentiation of diverse lateral bundles in medium mesocarp; in its inner portion, a layer of tangential and obliquely elongated cells is distinguished. Intensive periclinal divisions indicate the presence of one subadaxial meristem, that forms the inner mesocarp, and of one adaxial meristem, that produces the endocarp of the both species. In stage III, the final size of the fruits is defined; the most inner region of medium ...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)