The initial focus of this PhD project was on comparative gene mapping. Comparative gene mapping is facilitated by consensus PCR primers which amplify homologous gene fragments in many species. As a part of an international co-ordinated programme of comparative mapping in pigs, 47 CATS (Comparative Anchor Tagged Sequence) consensus primer pairs for loci located on human chromosomes 9, 10, 20, and 22, were used for amplifying homologous loci in pigs. After optimization of PCR conditions, 23 CATS products have confirmed by comparison with homologous sequences in GenBank. A French somatic cell hybrid panel was used to physically map the 6 porcine CATS products distinguishable from rodent background product, namely ADRA1A, ADRA2A, ARSA, GNAS1, OXT and TOP1. Of these, the map location of ADRA1A and OXT showed inconsistency with the previously recognised conserved relationship between human and pig. The other four loci mapped to positions consistent with known syntenic relationships. Despite low levels of polymorphism, frequently indistinguishable rodent and porcine products in somatic hybrids and some confusion of identity of gene family members, these CATS primers have made a useful contribution to the porcine-human comparative map. The focus of the project then changed to genetic and molecular characterisation of endogenous retroviruses in pigs and their relatives. Pigs are regarded as a potentially good source of organs and tissues for transplantation into humans. However, porcine endogenous retroviruses have emerged as a possible problem as they can infect cultured human cells. Two main types of pig retrovirus, determined by envelope protein, PERV-A and PERV-B, are widely distributed in different pig breeds and a third less common type, PERV-C, has also been recognised. Endogenous retroviruses were analyzed from the Westran (Westmead transplantation) inbred line of pig, specially bred for biomedical research. Thirty-one 1.8 kb env PCR product clones were sequenced after preliminary screening with the restriction enzymes KpnI and MboI. Five recombinant clones between A and B were identified. 55% of clones (17/31) sequenced had stop codons within the envelope protein-encoding region, which would prevent the retrovirus from making full-length envelope protein recognizable by cell-surface receptors of the virus. The endogenous viruses were physically mapped in Westran pigs by FISH (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation) using PERV-A and PERV-B envelope clones as probes. Preliminary FISH data suggest that there are at least 22 PERVs (13 PERV-A and 9 PERV-B) and the chromosomal locations of these in the Westran strain are quite different from European Large White pigs. The sequences and mapping results of inbred Westran pig suggest that there are relatively few PERV integration sites compared with commercial pigs and further that a large proportion of clones are defective due to premature stop codons in the envelope gene. To investigate the relationship of endogenous retroviruses in peccaries and pigs, a set of degenerate primers was used to amplify peccary retroviral sequences. The sequences of two putative retroviral clones showed close homology, albeit with a 534 bp deletion, to mouse and pig retroviral sequences. Also, four non-target sequences were amplified from peccary with the degenerate retroviral primers. They are a part of the peccary cofilin gene, a SINE, and a sequence containing a microsatellite. The peccary endogenous retroviral sequences are significant in that they are the first such sequences reported in peccary species and repudiate old claims in the literature that peccaries do not have C-type retroviral sequences.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2007. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-127).

Researchers tend to disagree on the direction of the relation among R&D and economic growth, suggesting that if economic performance determines R&D investments countries might overinvest in their R&D expenditure. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to shed new light to this question by first establishing a relation among the variables and thereafter investigate the Granger causality between them. This paper is based on a panel study consisting of 60 countries, with various levels of income during the period 1996-2015. Using a fixed effects model, we can establish a positive relation between growth in R&D expenditure and GDP growth and using Granger causality tests and the Toda-Yamamoto augmented Granger causality tests, we can conclude that the growth of R&D expenditure determines economic performance in the short-run for countries in all income levels, however no conclusions can be made regarding the direction of Granger causality in the long-run. Hence, our results show that R&D investments stimulate economic growth and should, to some extent, be favoured by policy regardless of a nation's level of development.

The thesis sheds light on key policy issues emerging from the recent Global Financial Crisis. The first chapter studies whether expansionary monetary policy contributes to bank risk-taking, in the case of Asia. I rely on panel data analysis covering 432 banks in 9 Asian countries over the year 2000-2011. The ratio of risky assets to total assets serves as a risk-taking indicator. The results support the existence of the bank risk-taking channel, which is more pronounced for banks listed on the stock market. I also report new findings with respect to how banks take more risk following monetary expansion. Importantly, evidence of excessive leverage is not found. The second chapter constructs a model for analyzing bank risk-taking. I embed firm heterogeneity, endogenous default risk and capital adequacy regulation into both RBC and NK DSGE models. A subset of the firms can partially default on their loans obligation but subject to non-pecuniary default penalty. With those financial frictions in place, I find that standard macroeconomic shocks can induce banks to engage in higher risk-taking. The chapter then explores the effectiveness of several macro-prudential tools in mitigating risk-taking. I find countercyclical capital buffers and risky to total asset ratio targeting to be effective. The third chapter emphasises the spillover effects of shocks originating in the housing and financial market on the real economy. I embed endogenous mortgage default into a New Keynesian model that features housing and the banking sector. The latter faces capital regulation. We study two key shocks, namely shocks to the variance of idiosyncratic housing shock and shocks to the penalty on capital regulation. Both are instrumental in causing a surge in mortgage default and loans risk premium, which constrains bank lending activity. The chapter later introduces three macroprudential measures to explore whether they improve economic stability and welfare.

abstract: This study purposed to determine the effect of an endogenously designed instructional game on conceptual understanding of the associative and distributive properties of multiplication. Additional this study sought to investigate if performance on measures of conceptual understanding taken prior to and after game play could serve as predictors of game performance. Three versions of an instructional game, Shipping Express, were designed for the purposes of this study. The endogenous version of Shipping Express integrated the associative and distributive properties of multiplication within the mechanics, while the exogenous version had the instructional content separate from game play. A total of 111 fourth and fifth graders were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (endogenous, exogenous, and control) and completed pre and posttest measures of conceptual understanding of the associative and distributive properties of multiplication, along with a questionnaire. The results revealed several significant results: 1) there was a significant difference between participants' change in scores on the measure of conceptual understanding of the associative property of multiplication, based on the version of Shipping Express they played. Participants who played the endogenous version of Shipping Express had on average higher gains in scores on the measure of conceptual understanding of the associative property of multiplication than those who played the other versions of Shipping Express; 2) performance on the measures of conceptual understanding of the distributive property collected prior to game play were related to performance within the endogenous game environment; and 3) participants who played the control version of Shipping Express were on average more likely to have a negative attitude towards continuing game play on their own compared to the other versions of the game. No significant differences were found in regards to changes in scores on the measure of conceptual understanding of the distributive property based on the version of Shipping Express played, post hoc pairwise comparisons, and changes on scores on question types within the conceptual understanding of the associative and distributive property of multiplication measures. The findings from this study provide some support for a move towards the design and development of endogenous instructional games. Additional implications for the learning through digital game play and future research directions are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Technology 2012

Esta pesquisa investiga a relação entre o contexto institucional de um destino turístico e o desenvolvimento local endógeno do ponto de vista da produção de conhecimento e inovação. Como objeto de análise e aplicação teórica, foi utilizado o município turístico de Bonito (MS), visto que o sistema gestor do turismo implantado na cidade é reconhecido nacionalmente como inovador e endógeno. A metodologia foi organizada em três etapas. A etapa um contemplou a revisão de literatura a respeito das diferentes abordagens da Economia Institucional e a descrição da trajetória institucional do turismo no Brasil. A etapa dois incumbiu-se de caracterizar o ambiente e o arranjo institucional do destino turístico e analisar sua efetividade. A etapa três consistiu na elaboração de matrizes institucionais e na construção da escala de avaliação de indicadores. O estudo resultou em um referencial metodológico que fornece a estrutura básica para avaliar a correlação entre contexto institucional (ambiente e arranjo institucionais) e desenvolvimento endógeno da atividade turística, servindo como ferramenta para qualquer processo de planejamento de destino turístico pautado na gestão descentralizada da atividade. / This research investigates the relation between the institutional context of a tourist destination and the endogenous local development from the point of view of the knowledge production and innovation. As object of analysis and theoretical application was used the Bonito (MS) tourist city, in function of the tourism management system implanted in the city be nationwide recognized as innovative and endogenous. The methodology was organized in three stages. Stage one contemplated the review of literature regarding the different approaches of the institutional economy and the description of the institutional trajectory of tourism in Brazil. Stage two was charged to characterize the environment and the institutional arrangement of the tourist destination and to analyze its effectiveness. Stage three consisted of the elaboration of the institutional matrices and of the construction of the scale of evaluation of indicators. The study resulted in a methodological frame that supplies the basic structure to evaluate the correlation between institutional context and endogenous development of the tourist activity, serving as a tool for any process of planning a tourist destination in the decentralized management of the activity.

As cidades constituem-se num fator estratégico na evolução das sociedades e onde se dá o processo de difusão das inovações e desenvolvimento do setor produtivo. Cabe ao seu funcionamento promover economias de aglomeração e explorar o universo da diversidade produtiva, comercial e cultural a fim de suscitar alternativas de organização às empresas para obterem maiores ganhos e competitividade. Tem-se que estudar detalhadamente o papel das inovações e avaliar as estratégias do sistema produtivo e as variáveis dos métodos de aglomeração no desenvolvimento urbano. Dentro dessa perspectiva a presente dissertação analisa as condições favoráveis e desfavoráveis de crescimento do setor industrial de Santiago, cidade de 49.082 habitantes, localizada no Rio Grande do Sul/Brasil, levantando necessidades e possíveis oportunidades, considerando sua localização geográfica alheia aos fluxos de trocas promovidos pelos núcleos urbanos mais desenvolvidos. Foram calculados vários índices comparativos de crescimento e caracterização das principais atividades produtivas, níveis de emprego, geração de renda de Santiago e do Corede Vale do Jaguari e constatou-se que Santiago só cresceu dentro da média do Estado, não se destacando em nenhuma atividade industrial e não conseguindo articular algum setor com base na cooperação e construção de aglomerações produtivas. / Cities are a strategic factor in the evolution of societies and where the diffusion process of innovations and development of the productive sector occur. Its functioning promotes agglomeration economies and explores the universe of diversified production, trade and cultural in order to offer organizational alternatives to companies to be more competitive. The study of the role of innovations and the evaluation of the agglomeration characteristics are of great value to assess urban development. In this perspective this dissertation analyzes the favorable and unfavorable conditions to growth of the industrial sector of Santiago, a city of 49,082 inhabitants, located in Rio Grande do Sul / Brazil, raising needs and potential opportunities, considering its geographical location eccentric to the major economic flows, which are based on the more developed urban centers. Different measures of growth and comparative characterization of the main productive activities, employment levels, income generation in Santiago and in the the region of the Regional Development Council (Corede) of the Vale do Jaguari have been calculated. The results show that Santiago has only grown in the state average, and it’s not outstanding in any industrial activity and failed in articulating cooperation within its main sectors in the way to promote cluster building.

Submitted by Daniella Santos (daniella.santos@fgv.br) on 2009-08-07T12:39:31Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Marcelo_Zouain_Pedroni.pdf: 659759 bytes, checksum: 3609c2455d6be1829e847dd880a510b3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Antoanne Pontes(antoanne.pontes@fgv.br) on 2009-08-07T17:39:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Marcelo_Zouain_Pedroni.pdf: 659759 bytes, checksum: 3609c2455d6be1829e847dd880a510b3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2009-08-07T17:39:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Marcelo_Zouain_Pedroni.pdf: 659759 bytes, checksum: 3609c2455d6be1829e847dd880a510b3 (MD5) / Lucas (2009) has proposed a two-sector model to account for patterns in growth data. However, Lucas’s analysis does not involve any inter-temporal decision by the consumers. The behavior of the variables is determined a priori by the technology that is chosen. Rodriguez (2006) proposed a model with the twosector technology presented by Lucas adding an inter-temporal decision process for the consumer. In addition to the results obtained by Rodriguez, we characterize sufficiency and provide elucidating examples of particular cases of the model. Moreover, we make an effort to derive new insights from the model and clarify some technical points. Finally, we obtain conditions under which the economy invests in human capital even though benefits are deferred. / Lucas (2009) propôs um modelo com dois setores para explicar padrões observados em dados de crescimento. Entretanto, a análise de Lucas não envolve uma decisão intertemporal para o consumidor. O comportamento das variáveis é determinado à priori pela tecnologia escolhida. Rodriguez (2006) propôs um modelo com a tecnologia com dois setores apresentada por Lucas adicionando um processo de decisão intertemporal para o consumidor. Adicionalmente aos resultados obtidos por Rodriguez, nós caracterizamos suficiência e apresentamos exemplos esclarecedores de casos particulares do modelo. Ademais, nós fazemos um esforço para derivar novos insights e esclarecer alguns pontos técnicos. Finalmente, nós obtemos condições sob as quais a economia investe em capital humano mesmo com benefícios diferidos.