Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Economics, June 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are autonomous eukaryotic repetitive elements which may elicit prolonged genomic and immunological stress on their host organism. LTR retrotransposons comprise approximately 10 % of the mammalian genome, but previous work identified only 1.35 % of the chicken genome as LTR retrotransposon sequence. This deficit appears inconsistent across birds, as studied Neoaves have contents comparable with mammals, although all birds contain only one LTR retrotransposon class: endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). One group of chicken-specific ERVs (Avian Leukosis Virus subgroup E; ALVEs) remain active and have been linked to commercially detrimental phenotypes, such as reduced lifetime egg count, but their full diversity and range of phenotypic effects are poorly understood. A novel identification pipeline, LocaTR, was developed to identify LTR retrotransposon sequences in the chicken genome. This enabled the annotation of 3.01 % of the genome, including 1,073 structurally intact elements with replicative potential. Elements were depleted within coding regions, and over 40 % of intact elements were found in clusters in gene sparse, poorly recombining regions. RNAseq analysis showed that elements were generally not expressed, but intact transcripts were identified in four cases, supporting the potential for viral recombination and retrotransposition of non-autonomous repeats. LocaTR analysis of seventy-two additional sauropsid genomes revealed highly lineage-specific repeat content, and did not support the proposed deficit in Galliformes. A second, novel bioinformatic pipeline was constructed to identify ALVE insertions in whole genome resequencing data and was applied to eight elite layer lines from Hy-Line International. Twenty ALVEs were identified and diagnostic assays were developed to validate the bioinformatic approach. Each ALVE was sequenced and characterised, with many exhibiting high structural intactness. In addition, a K locus revertant line was identified due to the unexpected presence of ALVE21, confirmed using BioNano optic maps. The ALVE identification pipeline was then applied to ninety chicken lines and 322 different ALVEs were identified, 81 % of which were novel. Overall, broilers and non-commercial chickens had a greater number of ALVEs than were found in layers. Taken together, these two analyses have enabled a thorough characterisation of both the abundance and diversity of chicken ERVs.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo geral analisar se e de que modo o cooperativismo pode ser um meio eficiente para auxiliar a concretização do ideal democrático de uma economia de mercado com inclusão econômica e social, oportunizando o desenvolvimento de caráter endógeno, em um modelo desenvolvimentista com participação da sociedade civil e novas formas de organização econômica, favorecendo a emergência de uma nova classe empresarial. Como objetivos específicos, figuram analisar as origens do cooperativismo e as conformações específicas deste sistema, enquanto valores e ideais de sociedade; analisar os aspectos econômicos e institucionais do cooperativismo; analisar o cooperativismo na atual Constituição brasileira, de acordo com os valores que regem essa norma e sua relevância teleológica; bem como, formular sugestões de princípios de organização institucional do cooperativismo, para potencializar seu emprego como meio de concretizar os ideais democráticos e suprir carências brasileiras, como as existentes nas áreas de educação, infraestrutura e saúde. São empregadas conjuntamente diretrizes teóricas tanto da área econômica quanto de áreas correlatas ao tema, com o intuito de demonstrar a possibilidade de adoção do cooperativismo como ferramenta de desenvolvimento social. O trabalho é composto por quatro partes, sendo a primeira focada na análise das origens do cooperativismo. Na segunda parte, são analisados os aspectos econômicos e institucionais do cooperativismo. Esse item do trabalho foi complementado por três anexos de cunho jurídico: um sobre a evolução da legislação referente ao cooperativismo no Brasil, o segundo sobre a personalidade jurídica das cooperativas e o terceiro sobre as sociedades cooperativas no Código Civil. Na terceira parte, consta a análise do cooperativismo na Constituição Federal de 1988. Na quarta seção, são formuladas propostas de princípios de organização institucional do cooperativismo. Mais precisamente, dado que o ambiente e os arranjos institucionais têm acentuada influência sobre o comportamento dos agentes econômicos, são citadas propostas para mitigar eventuais dificuldades microeconômicas próprias das cooperativas, bem como para constituir incentivos na adoção do cooperativismo como ferramenta auxiliar na concretização dos ideais democráticos e na supressão das carências atuais existentes no Brasil. / This paper has as its main objective to analyze whether and how cooperativism can be an efficient means to assist the realization of the democratic ideal of a market economy with economic and social inclusions, providing opportunities for the development of endogenous character, in a developmental model with participation of civil society and new forms of economic organization, favoring the emergence of a new entrepreneurial class. Specific objectives include analyzing the origins of the cooperativism and the specific conformations of this system, while values and ideals of society; analyze the economic and institutional aspects of cooperativism; analyze cooperativism in the current Brazilian Constitution, in accordance with the values that govern this standard and its teleological significance; as well as make suggestions of principles of institutional organization of cooperativism to enhance their employment as a means of achieving democratic ideals and meet Brazilian needs, as those existing in the areas of education, infrastructure and health. They are employed together both theoretical guidelines of the economic area as well as of those related to correlated areas, in order to demonstrate the possibility of adoption of cooperativism as a tool for social development. The paper consists of four parts, the first focused on the analysis of the origins of cooperativism. In the second part, the economic and institutional aspects of cooperativism are analyzed. This item was complemented by three appendixes of legal nature: one on the evolution of the legislation on cooperativism in Brazil, the second about the legal status of cooperatives and the third on the cooperative societies in the Civil Code. The third part consists in the analysis of cooperativism in the Federal Constitution of 1988. In the fourth section, proposed principles of institutional organization of cooperativism are formulated. More precisely, since the environment and institutional arrangements have marked influence on the behavior of economic agents, proposals are cited to mitigate eventual microeconomic difficulties characteristic of cooperatives, as well as provide incentives for the adoption of cooperativism as an auxiliary tool in the realization of democratic ideals and suppression of current deficiencies in Brazil.

The endogenous development of the rabbit coccidium Eimeria exigua was studied by light and electron microscopy in coccidia-free rabbits.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo geral analisar se e de que modo o cooperativismo pode ser um meio eficiente para auxiliar a concretização do ideal democrático de uma economia de mercado com inclusão econômica e social, oportunizando o desenvolvimento de caráter endógeno, em um modelo desenvolvimentista com participação da sociedade civil e novas formas de organização econômica, favorecendo a emergência de uma nova classe empresarial. Como objetivos específicos, figuram analisar as origens do cooperativismo e as conformações específicas deste sistema, enquanto valores e ideais de sociedade; analisar os aspectos econômicos e institucionais do cooperativismo; analisar o cooperativismo na atual Constituição brasileira, de acordo com os valores que regem essa norma e sua relevância teleológica; bem como, formular sugestões de princípios de organização institucional do cooperativismo, para potencializar seu emprego como meio de concretizar os ideais democráticos e suprir carências brasileiras, como as existentes nas áreas de educação, infraestrutura e saúde. São empregadas conjuntamente diretrizes teóricas tanto da área econômica quanto de áreas correlatas ao tema, com o intuito de demonstrar a possibilidade de adoção do cooperativismo como ferramenta de desenvolvimento social. O trabalho é composto por quatro partes, sendo a primeira focada na análise das origens do cooperativismo. Na segunda parte, são analisados os aspectos econômicos e institucionais do cooperativismo. Esse item do trabalho foi complementado por três anexos de cunho jurídico: um sobre a evolução da legislação referente ao cooperativismo no Brasil, o segundo sobre a personalidade jurídica das cooperativas e o terceiro sobre as sociedades cooperativas no Código Civil. Na terceira parte, consta a análise do cooperativismo na Constituição Federal de 1988. Na quarta seção, são formuladas propostas de princípios de organização institucional do cooperativismo. Mais precisamente, dado que o ambiente e os arranjos institucionais têm acentuada influência sobre o comportamento dos agentes econômicos, são citadas propostas para mitigar eventuais dificuldades microeconômicas próprias das cooperativas, bem como para constituir incentivos na adoção do cooperativismo como ferramenta auxiliar na concretização dos ideais democráticos e na supressão das carências atuais existentes no Brasil. / This paper has as its main objective to analyze whether and how cooperativism can be an efficient means to assist the realization of the democratic ideal of a market economy with economic and social inclusions, providing opportunities for the development of endogenous character, in a developmental model with participation of civil society and new forms of economic organization, favoring the emergence of a new entrepreneurial class. Specific objectives include analyzing the origins of the cooperativism and the specific conformations of this system, while values and ideals of society; analyze the economic and institutional aspects of cooperativism; analyze cooperativism in the current Brazilian Constitution, in accordance with the values that govern this standard and its teleological significance; as well as make suggestions of principles of institutional organization of cooperativism to enhance their employment as a means of achieving democratic ideals and meet Brazilian needs, as those existing in the areas of education, infrastructure and health. They are employed together both theoretical guidelines of the economic area as well as of those related to correlated areas, in order to demonstrate the possibility of adoption of cooperativism as a tool for social development. The paper consists of four parts, the first focused on the analysis of the origins of cooperativism. In the second part, the economic and institutional aspects of cooperativism are analyzed. This item was complemented by three appendixes of legal nature: one on the evolution of the legislation on cooperativism in Brazil, the second about the legal status of cooperatives and the third on the cooperative societies in the Civil Code. The third part consists in the analysis of cooperativism in the Federal Constitution of 1988. In the fourth section, proposed principles of institutional organization of cooperativism are formulated. More precisely, since the environment and institutional arrangements have marked influence on the behavior of economic agents, proposals are cited to mitigate eventual microeconomic difficulties characteristic of cooperatives, as well as provide incentives for the adoption of cooperativism as an auxiliary tool in the realization of democratic ideals and suppression of current deficiencies in Brazil.

Neste trabalho realizou-se estudos comparativos da fototransformação da protoporfirina IX (PpIX) sintética e endógena, extraída de glândulas Harderianas dos ratos da espécie Rattus Novergicus Albinus, quando irradiada pela luz visível. A fototransformação foi analisada através de monitoramento dos espectros de absorção ótica e de fluorescência em soluções aquosas homogêneas de tampão fosfato e na presença de micelas e albumina de soro bovino (ASB) e em soluções não aquosas de Acetonitrila e Dimetilsulfóxido na proporção 3:1 e em acetona, todos na presença e ausência de oxigênio. Além disso, foram obtidos através de técnica de flash fotólise as curvas cinéticas da absorção do Tripleto da PpIX e da fosforescência do oxigênio singleto. Observamos que sob ação de luz visível, a PplX sobre fototransformação cujas características dependem tanto da natureza da PplX qunto do ambiente onde a PplX se encontra. Devido a sua alta hidrofobicidade a PplX sintética em solução aquosa está presente em forma de agregados o que diminui a velocidade da sua fototransformação. Já a PplX endógena, quando em soluções aquosas, não sofre agregação, pois continua ligada com algumas estruturas biológicas de natureza anfifílica, que sobraram após sua extração de glândulas, e sua velocidade de fototransformação é elevada. A ligação com essas estruturas aumenta a afinidade da PplX endógena com micelas e dificulta sua ligação com a ASB. Os processos de fototransformação de ambas as PplX na interação com as micelas, com ASB e em tecidos glandulares in vivo são semelhantes. Isso mostra que o processo de fototransformação em meio micelar e na interação com ASB modela com sucesso o processo dentro de tecidos.Baseando-se nos fatos que a taxa de fototransformação da PplX aumenta na presença do oxigênio e que foi observada a formação do oxigênio singleto pela transferência de energia do estado tripleto da PplX para o oxigênio molecular, podemos dizer que o mecanismo tipo II contribui na fototransformação da PplX e esse mecanismo é responsável pela formação de fotoproduto, caracterizado pelos novos picos nos espectros de absorção óptica e de fluorescência. Entretanto, a existência de fototransformação da PplX na ausência do oxigênio mostra a participação de outros mecanismos de fototransformação. / In this work we carried out comparative studies of phototransformation of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) both synthetic and endogenous, extracted from the Harderian glands of the Rattus Novergicus Albinus, when irradiated by visible light. The phototransformation was analyzed by monitoring the PpIX optical absorption and fluorescence spectra in homogeneous aqueous solution (phosphate buffer) and in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA), micelles, formed from different surfactants, in non-aqueous acetonitrile and dimethyl sulfoxide 3:1 solutions, and in acetone, both in the presence and absence of oxygen. Besides, the kinetic curves of the PpIX Triplet state absorption and the singlet oxygen phosphorescence were obtained using the flash photolysis technique. It was observed that when irradiated with visible light PplX suffers phototransformation with characteristics depending on its nature and on the environment. Due to high hydrophobicity the synthetic PplX forms aggregates, which reduces its phototransformation rate, while the endogenous PplX is not aggregated due to its interaction with the residues of some biological amphiphilic structures, which continue after it extraction from glands, and its phototransformation rate is elevated. Besides, the interaction with these structures increases the endogenous porphyrin affinity with micelles and reduces that with BSA. The characteristics of both PplX phototransformation in micellar media, at the interaction with BSA and in the gland tissues in vivo are similar. This demonstrates that the phototransformation process in micellar media and at the interaction with BSA may successfully simulate the process in the tissue.Basing on the facts that the phototransformation rate increases in the presence of molecular oxygen and that the singlet oxygen formation due to energy transfer from the PplX triplet state to oxygen was observed we can conclude that the type II mechanism contributes on the PplX phototransformation and is responsible on the formation of a photoproduct with observed new optical absorption and fluorescence peaks. At the same time, the PplX phototransformation in the oxygen absence shows the participation of other mechanisms on the PplX phototransformation.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo geral analisar se e de que modo o cooperativismo pode ser um meio eficiente para auxiliar a concretização do ideal democrático de uma economia de mercado com inclusão econômica e social, oportunizando o desenvolvimento de caráter endógeno, em um modelo desenvolvimentista com participação da sociedade civil e novas formas de organização econômica, favorecendo a emergência de uma nova classe empresarial. Como objetivos específicos, figuram analisar as origens do cooperativismo e as conformações específicas deste sistema, enquanto valores e ideais de sociedade; analisar os aspectos econômicos e institucionais do cooperativismo; analisar o cooperativismo na atual Constituição brasileira, de acordo com os valores que regem essa norma e sua relevância teleológica; bem como, formular sugestões de princípios de organização institucional do cooperativismo, para potencializar seu emprego como meio de concretizar os ideais democráticos e suprir carências brasileiras, como as existentes nas áreas de educação, infraestrutura e saúde. São empregadas conjuntamente diretrizes teóricas tanto da área econômica quanto de áreas correlatas ao tema, com o intuito de demonstrar a possibilidade de adoção do cooperativismo como ferramenta de desenvolvimento social. O trabalho é composto por quatro partes, sendo a primeira focada na análise das origens do cooperativismo. Na segunda parte, são analisados os aspectos econômicos e institucionais do cooperativismo. Esse item do trabalho foi complementado por três anexos de cunho jurídico: um sobre a evolução da legislação referente ao cooperativismo no Brasil, o segundo sobre a personalidade jurídica das cooperativas e o terceiro sobre as sociedades cooperativas no Código Civil. Na terceira parte, consta a análise do cooperativismo na Constituição Federal de 1988. Na quarta seção, são formuladas propostas de princípios de organização institucional do cooperativismo. Mais precisamente, dado que o ambiente e os arranjos institucionais têm acentuada influência sobre o comportamento dos agentes econômicos, são citadas propostas para mitigar eventuais dificuldades microeconômicas próprias das cooperativas, bem como para constituir incentivos na adoção do cooperativismo como ferramenta auxiliar na concretização dos ideais democráticos e na supressão das carências atuais existentes no Brasil. / This paper has as its main objective to analyze whether and how cooperativism can be an efficient means to assist the realization of the democratic ideal of a market economy with economic and social inclusions, providing opportunities for the development of endogenous character, in a developmental model with participation of civil society and new forms of economic organization, favoring the emergence of a new entrepreneurial class. Specific objectives include analyzing the origins of the cooperativism and the specific conformations of this system, while values and ideals of society; analyze the economic and institutional aspects of cooperativism; analyze cooperativism in the current Brazilian Constitution, in accordance with the values that govern this standard and its teleological significance; as well as make suggestions of principles of institutional organization of cooperativism to enhance their employment as a means of achieving democratic ideals and meet Brazilian needs, as those existing in the areas of education, infrastructure and health. They are employed together both theoretical guidelines of the economic area as well as of those related to correlated areas, in order to demonstrate the possibility of adoption of cooperativism as a tool for social development. The paper consists of four parts, the first focused on the analysis of the origins of cooperativism. In the second part, the economic and institutional aspects of cooperativism are analyzed. This item was complemented by three appendixes of legal nature: one on the evolution of the legislation on cooperativism in Brazil, the second about the legal status of cooperatives and the third on the cooperative societies in the Civil Code. The third part consists in the analysis of cooperativism in the Federal Constitution of 1988. In the fourth section, proposed principles of institutional organization of cooperativism are formulated. More precisely, since the environment and institutional arrangements have marked influence on the behavior of economic agents, proposals are cited to mitigate eventual microeconomic difficulties characteristic of cooperatives, as well as provide incentives for the adoption of cooperativism as an auxiliary tool in the realization of democratic ideals and suppression of current deficiencies in Brazil.

Depopulation is a well-known phenomenon in peripheral rural regions. The most identified problems are based on structural weaknesses in terms of decreasing business activities and a lack of public infrastructure. In such regions population is mainly older causing major changes in social infrastructure. For instance many schools and kindergartens close down for lack of demand, which hinders young families to migrate to such regions. The result is typically a negative cumulative process of loss of population, loss of jobs, loss of infrastructure, further outmigration. It is an enormous challenge for such regions to overcome this vicious circle. Regional identity can be seen as an important factor to overcome such structural weaknesses. The paper will discuss the concept of regional identity in order to define the term and how it is embedded in regional development theory. The empirical analysis is presenting results focusing on regional identity coming out of a qualitative data analysis and a postal survey. We designed a regional identity index, which measures the intensity of personal and social relationships of both in-migrants and out-migrants.

Recent studies of heterothermy in free-ranging mammals have revealed that solar radiation is an important variable influencing torpor patterns. The interaction between solar radiation (SR) and arousal costs can be thought of as a continuum from passive increases in body temperature (Tb) (rewarming at a slower rate but energetically less costly), to supplementation of endogenous heat production (rewarming more rapidly but with costs similar to that in the absence of solar radiation). To better understand the importance of solar radiation I experimentally manipulated its availability for E. myurus rewarming from torpor under natural conditions of air temperature and photoperiod. Tb was recorded for E. myurus housed in deep shade (20 % SR), partial shade (40% SR) or full sun (100% SR), and torpor frequency, rewarming rates, minimum body temperature, torpor bout duration and heterothermy index compared among treatments. Animals in unshaded cages rewarmed more rapidly than individuals in partially shaded cages. Torpor bouts were less frequent, but overall levels of heterothermy were higher in E. myurus receiving natural solar radiation compared to those in partially shaded treatments. This study, as far as I am aware, is the first demonstrating that solar heat gain, separated from the effects of an increase in ambient temperature (Ta), plays an important role in torpor arousal. Taken with the direct evidence for elephant shrews basking while rewarming, this demonstrates that animals in the unshaded treatment used solar radiation to supplement, rather than replace, endogenous metabolic thermogenesis. It is clear that E. myurus does not necessarily depend on solar radiation for rewarming, but will take advantage of this resource if available, primarily by reducing time taken to rewarm. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Zoology and Entomology / MSc / Unrestricted

This paper establishes theoretical relations between the level of unemployment and the economic growth rate. In a model with a monopolistically competitive manufacturing sector and a competitive innovation sector, which both pay efficiency wages, we find that the unemployment rate exhibits an unambiguously negative impact on the long-run growth performance, as it reduces the innovative capacity of the economy. Only if efficiency levels are different across sectors, we can also establish a causal relation from the growth rate to the rate of unemployment, since less innovation shifts the burden to induce efficiency towards the manufacturing sector, thus fostering unemployment. (author's abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series