Tripterygium wilfordii (T. wilfordii , TW ), a wildly used herb medicine,was tested for anticancer effect on human myeloid leukemia cells, HL60 in this study. The extract powder of T. wilfordii induced the apoptosis of HL60 cells was demonstrated by morphological change, cell viability, DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity. However, normal human peripheral mononuclear cells remained viable under the same treatment. The T. wilfordii induced apoptosis of HL60 cells was associated with the increased Bax gene expression and decreased Bcl-2 gene expression. In addition, the gene expression of c-Myc, and hTERT, TP1, but not TR was downregulated in TW treatedHL60 cells in dose-dependent manner. Telomerase activity in HL60 cell was inhibited by the T. wilfordii . C-Myc protein is reported as a positive regulator of hTERT gene in HL60 cells. Therefore, proto-oncogene c-myc might play an essential role in the regulation of telomerase activity in HL60cells exposed to theT. wilfordii . All the treated cells showed a decrease in telomerase activity after T. wilfordii treatment. Taken togather, these results indicate that theT. Wilfordii-induced apoptosis in HL60 is mediated through mitochondrial pathway in parallel with the decrease expression of hTERT gene.

Nesfatin-1 is an eighty two amino acid long peptide cleaved from the N-terminal of its precursor protein, nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2). In addition to its metabolic actions, nesfatin-1 is also involved in modulating cardiovascular functions in rodents. Intracereberoventricular injection of nesfatin-1 increased mean arterial pressure in rats. In rats, nesfatin-1 acts as a post-conditioning agent and elicits cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury. It also affects the contraction and relaxation of the heart in rats in a dose dependent manner. Nesfatin-1 is emerging as a regulator of cardiovascular functions in rodents. However, whether nesfatin-1 regulates the cardiovascular system of non-mammals remain unknown. We hypothesized that nesfatin-1 is a modulator of cardiovascular functions in zebrafish. Here we characterized endogenous nesfatin-1 in zebrafish heart, and its effects on zebrafish cardiovascular physiology. We found that zebrafish cardiomyocytes express NUCB2 mRNA and nesfatin-1-like immunoreactivity. While NUCB2 mRNA was lower in unfed fish at 1 hour post-regular feeding time compared to the fish at 0 hour time point, it was observed that chronic food deprivation did not alter NUCB2 mRNA expression in zebrafish heart. Ultrasound imaging of zebrafish heart at 15 minutes post-intraperitoneal injection of nesfatin-1 (50 ng/g, 250 ng/g and 500 ng/g body weight) showed a dose-dependent inhibition of end-diastolic volume, but not end-systolic volume, while a significant increase in end-diastolic volume was found at the lowest dosage. However, these combined effects did not alter the stroke volume. A dose dependent decrease in heart rate and cardiac output was observed in zebrafish that received nesfatin-1. Nesfatin-1 caused a significant increase in the expression of Atp2a2a mRNA encoding the calcium-handling pump, SERCA2a, while it has no effects on the expression of calcium handling protein RyR1b encoding mRNA. NUCB2 mRNA and NUCB2/nesfatin-1 like immunoreactivity was detected in the cytoplasm of mouse HL-1 cardiomyocytes. High glucose increased NUCB2 mRNA expression in HL-1 cells. Genes involved in apoptosis, including Akt1, Caspases 1, 2, 3, and TNF were upregulated in the presence of 10 nM nesfatin-1. We also observed that NUCB2 mRNA expression was significantly increased in C57BL/6 mice heart in the presence of high glucose, whereas in diet induced obese C57BL/6 mice, NUCB2 mRNA expression was not altered. Together, our data supports the hypothesis that nesfatin-1 is expressed in the cardiovascular system of mouse and fish, and that nesfatin-1 modulates cardiovascular physiology in zebrafish.

För tredjelandsmedborgare är universitets- och högskoleutbildningen i Sverige avgiftsbelagd. En person som vill studera i Sverige betalar först en anmälningsavgift för att kunna bli antagen, och sedan studieavgiften för att få tillträde till utbildningen. Alla högre utbildningar, som leder till en examen, ska hålla hög kvalitet, enligt HL. Frågor som uppstår är huruvida en betalande student har rätt till prisavdrag eller hävning till följd av att en utbildning inte håller hög kvalitet, och, om svaret är jakande, följaktligen enligt vilka regler påföljden kan aktualiseras. För att utreda detta har ett antal rättsfall analyserats, där avtalsrättsliga spörsmål uppkommit mellan den offentliga sektorn och privatpersoner. Av dessa prejudikat dras slutsatsen att, trots inslag av myndighetsutövning, förhållanden av övervägande privaträttslig karaktär ska bedömas enligt civilrättsliga regler. I förhållandet mellan en student och en högskola, torde de privaträttsliga inslagen överväga de offentligrättsliga, varför civilrättsliga bestämmelser bör reglera förhållandet. Denna typ av rättsligt förhållande omfattas dock varken av KKöpL, KtjL eller KöpL, varför jag undersökt huruvida analogier från nyss uppräknade lagar kan göras. Att göra analogislut från KtjL på en utbildning torde inte vara främmande, men inte heller optimalt. Vidare måste frågan när en utbildning är så bristfällig att det kan anses utgöra fel besvaras. Här har jag utgått bland annat från UKÄ:s granskning och utvärdering av kvalitet på högre utbildningar i Sverige. Bedömning att en utbildning håller ifrågasatt kvalitet bör kunna leda till påföljder för högskolan på grund av kontraktsbrott mot studenten. UKÄ:s bedömning torde dock inte vara den enda grunden för påföljd. Brist i kvaliteten bör även kunna åberopas utan sådan granskning, men bevisbördan ligger hos studenten. De påföljder som blir aktuella är i första hand prisavdrag, och vid väsentliga brister hävning. Avhjälpande torde vara svårt att genomföra i dessa fall. Avslutningsvis diskuteras huruvida dagens lagstiftning är tillräcklig eller om ny behövs. Att analogier från exempelvis KtjL kan göras står klart, men det är inte en tillfredsställande lösning i det långa loppet. Med tanke främst på studenternas intresse av att ha en tydlig lagstiftning kring studieavgiften och rättigheterna kring denna, men även högskolans intresse av att erbjuda utbildning av hög kvalitet och vara medvetna om vad som förväntas av dem, torde det mest önskvärda vara ny lagstiftning som reglerar studenternas rättigheter när högskolan inte uppfyller kvalitetskraven.

The Large Hadron Electron Collider (LHeC) is a proposal for a TeV scale, 10^33 cm^−2 s^−1 luminosity electron-proton collider at CERN. In the proposal, an electron accelerator collides a beam of electrons with one of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) proton beams at one LHC interaction point (IP). At the time of writing, the project has been approved as part of the CERN mid-term plan. The LHeC project is planned for the 2020s, around the time of the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) upgrade. The LHeC thus depends upon the success of the HL-LHC project, which plans to deliver p-p luminosity of L=5×10^34 cm^−2 s^−1. Unique challenges are presented by the LHeC, particularly by the interaction region (IR) and long straight section (LSS), and constraints must be considered from beam, particle and detector physics and engineering. This thesis presents the study and design of a complete collision insertion solution for a ring-ring LHeC. This provides a solution at a conceptual level to the problem of delivering TeV scale e−p collisions at L∼10^33 cm^−2 s^−1 for the first time, with detector coverage within 1 degree of the beam. This high acceptance, high luminosity solution substantially increases the value of the project, allowing high statistics across an unprecedented kinematic range. Further studies are presented into optimising the optical flexibility of the LHC LSSs, and into the effects of fringe fields in the HL-LHC large aperture quadrupoles. Modifications are proposed which maximise LSS flexibility, and fringe effects are found to be significant but manageable.

Bisfenol A (BPA) é um insumo largamente utilizado na produção de plástico policarbonato e amplamente difundido no meio ambiente, levando o ser humano à exposição crônica desde o período intrauterino. A literatura aponta a possibilidade de BPA aumentar o risco de diversos tipos de câncer, mas são necessários estudos que possibilitem o entendimento de mecanismos pelos quais isso pode ocorrer. Neste trabalho foram investigados os efeitos do BPA ou nitro-BPA em células HL-60, MCF-7 e tecidos de ratos. Células HL-60 foram expostas ao BPA ou nitro-BPA nas concentrações de 25, 100 e 250 µM (0,1 % DMSO v/v) por 2, 24 ou 48 horas na presença ou ausência de H2O2 (40 nmol/5 x 104 células). Células MCF-7 foram expostas da mesma forma, sem o uso de H2O2, mas na presença e ausência de agonista (PCB) de receptor Ah. Ratos Sprague-Dawley machos receberam BPA diariamente ao longo de 4 semanas (50 mg/kg de peso corpóreo) por gavagem, na vigência e ausência de diabetes, com subsequente coleta de urina, fígado, rins, medula óssea e sangue. Nos experimentos com as células, a viabilidade, ciclo celular, fragmentação do DNA e a produção intracelular de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ROs) foram avaliadas por citometria de fluxo, a atividade da cadeia respiratória mitocondrial pelo ensaio do XTT, e a atividade de MPO de células HL-60 por ensaio de fluorescência, bem como a produção de •NO. A metilação e hidroximetilação global do DNA e os adutos 8-oxodG, CEdG, 1,N6-εdA, 1,N2-εdG e BPA-Gua no DNA das células, tecidos, meio de cultura e urina foram analisados por HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. O hemograma e mielograma dos animais foram obtidos no Laboratório de Hematologia Experimental da FCF USP. Observou-se que tanto BPA quanto nitro-BPA induziram a geração de ROS em células HL-60 logo após 2h de incubação. BPA levou subsequentemente à perda de atividade da cadeia respiratória mitocondrial, aumento da permeabilidade da membrana plasmática, fragmentação do DNA, parada na fase G2/M do ciclo celular e hipermetilação acompanhada de hipohidroximetilação global do DNA. A citotoxicidade induzida pelas mesmas concentrações de nitro-BPA em células HL-60 foi menos pronunciada, sem perda de atividade da cadeia respiratória mitocondrial, com pouca fragmentação do DNA, mas com parada na fase G0/G1 do ciclo celular e indução de hipohidroximetilação global do DNA na presença de H2O2. Não foi observada a indução de adutos de DNA nas células HL-60 incubadas com BPA, mas sim de CEdG nas células incubadas com nitro-BPA. Os dados obtidos a partir da exposição das células HL-60 a BPA e nitro-BPA nos indicam que as duas moléculas provocam alterações metabólicas distintas nesse tipo celular, independentes da via estrogênica, que levam a alterações predominantemente epigenéticas (BPA) ou genéticas e epigenéticas (nitro-BPA), que podem ter consequências fenotípicas, como progressão maligna, que precisam ser investigadas. Foi observado que as células MCF-7 são mais resistentes que as células HL-60 à citotoxicidade induzida por BPA e nitro-BPA. Como resultado da exposição das células MCF-7 a BPA, houve pequeno aumento da permeabilidade da membrana plasmática (250 µM), indução dos níveis de ROS após 24 h (25 µM) e aumento da população de células em sub G1, ou seja, com DNA fragmentado (100 µM e 250 µM), mas sem alteração do ciclo celular. No caso de nitro-BPA, foi observada parada do ciclo celular em G2/M (25 µM, 100 µM e 250 µM), assim como aumento de permeabilidade da membrana plasmática após 24 h de incubação (25 µM, 250 µM), sem indução de ROS ou aumento de células em sub G1. Entretanto, observou-se aumento dos níveis de CEdG e 8-oxodG no DNA das células incubadas com BPA (100 µM, 250 µM) sem a ativação prévia de receptores Ah. A ativação dos receptores Ah com PCB levou a menor aumento do nível das lesões após as incubações com BPA. A maior resistência das células MCF-7 aos efeitos citotóxicos do BPA está provavelmente relacionada à ação estrogênica desse xenobiótico. A sinalização estrogênica juntamente com o aumento dos níveis de lesões no DNA aumenta a chance de mutações e de transformação maligna. Nas células com ativação do receptor Ah, BPA levou ainda ao aumento da hidroximetilação global, sem alteração da metilação global do DNA. Os animais não diabéticos expostos ao BPA apresentaram quantidades diminuídas de promielócitos, blastos e bastonetes na medula óssea (aplasia medular), sem alteração no hemograma. Houve aumento dos níveis de CEdG no fígado, da metilação e hidroximetilação global do DNA hepático, e não foi observada alteração das marcas epigenéticas e adutos de DNA no rim ou na urina. Os animais diabéticos expostos ao BPA apresentaram aumento do número de eosinófilos e linfócitos na medula óssea, podendo-se sugerir a indução de um estado inflamatório alérgico, e aumento do número total de hemácias circulantes e do hematócrito. Houve aumento dos níveis de CEdG, da metilação e hidroximetilação global do DNA hepático, aumento dos níveis de 8-oxodG no DNA renal, sem alteração das marcas epigenéticas no rim, e não foi observada alteração dos adutos de DNA na urina. Os dados obtidos apontam para a geração de ROS como uma importante via de cito- e genotoxicidade induzidas por BPA. Sua biotransformação para BPA-3,4- quinona nos modelos utilizados parece ter menor importância para os efeitos, uma vez que não foi detectada a lesão BPA-Gua em nenhuma amostra de DNA, meio de cultura das células ou urina dos animais. Alterações metabólicas induzidas por BPA e ROS podem favorecer as alterações das marcas epigenéticas observadas no DNA das células HL-60, MCF-7 e fígado dos animais. Todas essas alterações podem contribuir para a transformação maligna de células expostas ao BPA. / Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound widely used in polycarbonate plastic production and widespread in the environment, humans are chronic exposed to BPA in intrauterine period and entire life. The literature suggests the possibility of BPA increase the risk of developing cancers, but studies are required to enable the understanding of mechanisms by which this can occur. HL -60 cells were exposed to BPA or nitro-BPA at concentrations of 25, 100 and 250 uM (0.1% DMSO v/v) for 2, 24 or 48 hours in presence or absence of H2O2 (40 nmol/5x104 cells), MCF-7 cells followed a similar profile of exposure without the use of H2O2, but in presence or absence of Ah agonist receptor (PCB126). Male Sprague-Dawley rats received BPA daily over 4 weeks (50 mg/kg body weight) by gavage in presence and absence of diabetes, with subsequent collection of urine, liver, kidney, bone marrow and circulating blood. The viability, cell cycle, DNA fragmentation and the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was evaluated by flow cytometry, MPO activity and NO production was evaluated by fluorescence assay for HL- 60 cells, mitochondrial activity by XTT assay, and the global DNA methylation was checked by HPLC-PDA. DNA adducts 8-oxodG, CEdG, 1,N6-εdA, 1,N6-εdG and BPA-Gua were quantified by HPLC- ESI-MS/MS in DNA of cells, culture medium, urine and tissue collected from Sprague-Dawley rats. Blood count and bone marrow examination were obtained in collaboration with Experimental Hematology Laboratory of University of Sao Paulo We observed that both BPA and BPANO2 induced ROS generation in HL- 60 cells after 2 hours of incubation. BPA subsequently led to failure of mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, increased permeability of the plasma membrane, DNA fragmentation, arrest in G2/M phase of cell cycle, DNA hypermethylation with global hipohydroxymethylation. We saw low cytotoxicity in HL-60 cells induced by nitro-bpa n the same concentration, without loss of mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, discrete DNA fragmentation, but leading cell cycle to stopping at G0/G1 phase, and induction of DNA global hypermethylation. No lesions were observed in the DNA of HL-60 cells.The results obtained from the exposure of HL-60 cells to BPA and nitro-BPA indicate that these two molecules induce different metabolic abnormalities in this cell line, independent of estrogen pathway, leading to changes in epigenetic (BPA) or genetic and epigenetic (nitro-BPA) profile, that can induce phenotypic consequences such as malignant progression. It was observed along the study that MCF-7 cells are more resistant than HL-60 cells to cell damage induced by BPA and nitro-BPA. As a result of MCF-7 cells exposure to BPA, we saw a slight increase in membrane permeability (250 mM), ROS generation after 24h (25 mM) and increase in cell population in sub G1, so we had DNA fragmentation (100 uM and 250 uM), but with no effect on cell cycle. However, we observed increased levels of CEdG and 8-oxodG on DNA of cells incubated with BPA (100 uM, 250 mM) without prior activation of Ah receptors. The activation of Ah receptors with PCB took a small increase in the level of DNA lesions after incubations with BPA. MCF-7 cells resistance to the cytotoxic effects of BPA is probably related to estrogen action of this compound. Estrogen signaling in addition with the increased levels of DNA damage increases the chance of mutations and malignant transformation. In cells with Ah receptor activation, BPA also led to increased DNA global hydroxymethylation, without changing the global DNA methylation. Nondiabetic animals exposed to BPA had decreased amounts of promyelocytes, blasts and rods in the bone marrow, with any change in blood count. There were an increase of CEdG levels in liver, methylation and global hydroxymethylation on hepatic DNA, and was observed any alteration on epigenetic markers and DNA adducts in kidney or urine. On the other hand diabetic animals exposed to BPA showed increased numbers of eosinophils and lymphocytes in bone marrow, suggesting the induction of an allergic inflammatory state. There were increased levels of CEdG, methylation and global hydroxymethylation on hepatic DNA, increased 8-oxodG levels on kidney DNA without changing epigenetic markers, was not observed DNA adducts in urine. The data obtained indicate that the generation of ROS could be the major route of cytotoxic and genotoxic induced by BPA exposure. BPA biotransformation to BPA-3,4-quinone used in the models seem to have poor effects, since we was not detected BPA-Gua lesion in any DNA sample, culture medium of cells or urine of the animals. Metabolic changes induced by BPA and ROS can enable changes in epigenetic markers observed in the DNA of HL-60 cells, MCF-7 and liver tissue. All these changes may contribute to malignant transformation of cells that were exposed to BPA.

Bisfenol A (BPA) é um insumo largamente utilizado na produção de plástico policarbonato e amplamente difundido no meio ambiente, levando o ser humano à exposição crônica desde o período intrauterino. A literatura aponta a possibilidade de BPA aumentar o risco de diversos tipos de câncer, mas são necessários estudos que possibilitem o entendimento de mecanismos pelos quais isso pode ocorrer. Neste trabalho foram investigados os efeitos do BPA ou nitro-BPA em células HL-60, MCF-7 e tecidos de ratos. Células HL-60 foram expostas ao BPA ou nitro-BPA nas concentrações de 25, 100 e 250 µM (0,1 % DMSO v/v) por 2, 24 ou 48 horas na presença ou ausência de H2O2 (40 nmol/5 x 104 células). Células MCF-7 foram expostas da mesma forma, sem o uso de H2O2, mas na presença e ausência de agonista (PCB) de receptor Ah. Ratos Sprague-Dawley machos receberam BPA diariamente ao longo de 4 semanas (50 mg/kg de peso corpóreo) por gavagem, na vigência e ausência de diabetes, com subsequente coleta de urina, fígado, rins, medula óssea e sangue. Nos experimentos com as células, a viabilidade, ciclo celular, fragmentação do DNA e a produção intracelular de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ROs) foram avaliadas por citometria de fluxo, a atividade da cadeia respiratória mitocondrial pelo ensaio do XTT, e a atividade de MPO de células HL-60 por ensaio de fluorescência, bem como a produção de •NO. A metilação e hidroximetilação global do DNA e os adutos 8-oxodG, CEdG, 1,N6-εdA, 1,N2-εdG e BPA-Gua no DNA das células, tecidos, meio de cultura e urina foram analisados por HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. O hemograma e mielograma dos animais foram obtidos no Laboratório de Hematologia Experimental da FCF USP. Observou-se que tanto BPA quanto nitro-BPA induziram a geração de ROS em células HL-60 logo após 2h de incubação. BPA levou subsequentemente à perda de atividade da cadeia respiratória mitocondrial, aumento da permeabilidade da membrana plasmática, fragmentação do DNA, parada na fase G2/M do ciclo celular e hipermetilação acompanhada de hipohidroximetilação global do DNA. A citotoxicidade induzida pelas mesmas concentrações de nitro-BPA em células HL-60 foi menos pronunciada, sem perda de atividade da cadeia respiratória mitocondrial, com pouca fragmentação do DNA, mas com parada na fase G0/G1 do ciclo celular e indução de hipohidroximetilação global do DNA na presença de H2O2. Não foi observada a indução de adutos de DNA nas células HL-60 incubadas com BPA, mas sim de CEdG nas células incubadas com nitro-BPA. Os dados obtidos a partir da exposição das células HL-60 a BPA e nitro-BPA nos indicam que as duas moléculas provocam alterações metabólicas distintas nesse tipo celular, independentes da via estrogênica, que levam a alterações predominantemente epigenéticas (BPA) ou genéticas e epigenéticas (nitro-BPA), que podem ter consequências fenotípicas, como progressão maligna, que precisam ser investigadas. Foi observado que as células MCF-7 são mais resistentes que as células HL-60 à citotoxicidade induzida por BPA e nitro-BPA. Como resultado da exposição das células MCF-7 a BPA, houve pequeno aumento da permeabilidade da membrana plasmática (250 µM), indução dos níveis de ROS após 24 h (25 µM) e aumento da população de células em sub G1, ou seja, com DNA fragmentado (100 µM e 250 µM), mas sem alteração do ciclo celular. No caso de nitro-BPA, foi observada parada do ciclo celular em G2/M (25 µM, 100 µM e 250 µM), assim como aumento de permeabilidade da membrana plasmática após 24 h de incubação (25 µM, 250 µM), sem indução de ROS ou aumento de células em sub G1. Entretanto, observou-se aumento dos níveis de CEdG e 8-oxodG no DNA das células incubadas com BPA (100 µM, 250 µM) sem a ativação prévia de receptores Ah. A ativação dos receptores Ah com PCB levou a menor aumento do nível das lesões após as incubações com BPA. A maior resistência das células MCF-7 aos efeitos citotóxicos do BPA está provavelmente relacionada à ação estrogênica desse xenobiótico. A sinalização estrogênica juntamente com o aumento dos níveis de lesões no DNA aumenta a chance de mutações e de transformação maligna. Nas células com ativação do receptor Ah, BPA levou ainda ao aumento da hidroximetilação global, sem alteração da metilação global do DNA. Os animais não diabéticos expostos ao BPA apresentaram quantidades diminuídas de promielócitos, blastos e bastonetes na medula óssea (aplasia medular), sem alteração no hemograma. Houve aumento dos níveis de CEdG no fígado, da metilação e hidroximetilação global do DNA hepático, e não foi observada alteração das marcas epigenéticas e adutos de DNA no rim ou na urina. Os animais diabéticos expostos ao BPA apresentaram aumento do número de eosinófilos e linfócitos na medula óssea, podendo-se sugerir a indução de um estado inflamatório alérgico, e aumento do número total de hemácias circulantes e do hematócrito. Houve aumento dos níveis de CEdG, da metilação e hidroximetilação global do DNA hepático, aumento dos níveis de 8-oxodG no DNA renal, sem alteração das marcas epigenéticas no rim, e não foi observada alteração dos adutos de DNA na urina. Os dados obtidos apontam para a geração de ROS como uma importante via de cito- e genotoxicidade induzidas por BPA. Sua biotransformação para BPA-3,4- quinona nos modelos utilizados parece ter menor importância para os efeitos, uma vez que não foi detectada a lesão BPA-Gua em nenhuma amostra de DNA, meio de cultura das células ou urina dos animais. Alterações metabólicas induzidas por BPA e ROS podem favorecer as alterações das marcas epigenéticas observadas no DNA das células HL-60, MCF-7 e fígado dos animais. Todas essas alterações podem contribuir para a transformação maligna de células expostas ao BPA. / Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound widely used in polycarbonate plastic production and widespread in the environment, humans are chronic exposed to BPA in intrauterine period and entire life. The literature suggests the possibility of BPA increase the risk of developing cancers, but studies are required to enable the understanding of mechanisms by which this can occur. HL -60 cells were exposed to BPA or nitro-BPA at concentrations of 25, 100 and 250 uM (0.1% DMSO v/v) for 2, 24 or 48 hours in presence or absence of H2O2 (40 nmol/5x104 cells), MCF-7 cells followed a similar profile of exposure without the use of H2O2, but in presence or absence of Ah agonist receptor (PCB126). Male Sprague-Dawley rats received BPA daily over 4 weeks (50 mg/kg body weight) by gavage in presence and absence of diabetes, with subsequent collection of urine, liver, kidney, bone marrow and circulating blood. The viability, cell cycle, DNA fragmentation and the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was evaluated by flow cytometry, MPO activity and NO production was evaluated by fluorescence assay for HL- 60 cells, mitochondrial activity by XTT assay, and the global DNA methylation was checked by HPLC-PDA. DNA adducts 8-oxodG, CEdG, 1,N6-εdA, 1,N6-εdG and BPA-Gua were quantified by HPLC- ESI-MS/MS in DNA of cells, culture medium, urine and tissue collected from Sprague-Dawley rats. Blood count and bone marrow examination were obtained in collaboration with Experimental Hematology Laboratory of University of Sao Paulo We observed that both BPA and BPANO2 induced ROS generation in HL- 60 cells after 2 hours of incubation. BPA subsequently led to failure of mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, increased permeability of the plasma membrane, DNA fragmentation, arrest in G2/M phase of cell cycle, DNA hypermethylation with global hipohydroxymethylation. We saw low cytotoxicity in HL-60 cells induced by nitro-bpa n the same concentration, without loss of mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, discrete DNA fragmentation, but leading cell cycle to stopping at G0/G1 phase, and induction of DNA global hypermethylation. No lesions were observed in the DNA of HL-60 cells.The results obtained from the exposure of HL-60 cells to BPA and nitro-BPA indicate that these two molecules induce different metabolic abnormalities in this cell line, independent of estrogen pathway, leading to changes in epigenetic (BPA) or genetic and epigenetic (nitro-BPA) profile, that can induce phenotypic consequences such as malignant progression. It was observed along the study that MCF-7 cells are more resistant than HL-60 cells to cell damage induced by BPA and nitro-BPA. As a result of MCF-7 cells exposure to BPA, we saw a slight increase in membrane permeability (250 mM), ROS generation after 24h (25 mM) and increase in cell population in sub G1, so we had DNA fragmentation (100 uM and 250 uM), but with no effect on cell cycle. However, we observed increased levels of CEdG and 8-oxodG on DNA of cells incubated with BPA (100 uM, 250 mM) without prior activation of Ah receptors. The activation of Ah receptors with PCB took a small increase in the level of DNA lesions after incubations with BPA. MCF-7 cells resistance to the cytotoxic effects of BPA is probably related to estrogen action of this compound. Estrogen signaling in addition with the increased levels of DNA damage increases the chance of mutations and malignant transformation. In cells with Ah receptor activation, BPA also led to increased DNA global hydroxymethylation, without changing the global DNA methylation. Nondiabetic animals exposed to BPA had decreased amounts of promyelocytes, blasts and rods in the bone marrow, with any change in blood count. There were an increase of CEdG levels in liver, methylation and global hydroxymethylation on hepatic DNA, and was observed any alteration on epigenetic markers and DNA adducts in kidney or urine. On the other hand diabetic animals exposed to BPA showed increased numbers of eosinophils and lymphocytes in bone marrow, suggesting the induction of an allergic inflammatory state. There were increased levels of CEdG, methylation and global hydroxymethylation on hepatic DNA, increased 8-oxodG levels on kidney DNA without changing epigenetic markers, was not observed DNA adducts in urine. The data obtained indicate that the generation of ROS could be the major route of cytotoxic and genotoxic induced by BPA exposure. BPA biotransformation to BPA-3,4-quinone used in the models seem to have poor effects, since we was not detected BPA-Gua lesion in any DNA sample, culture medium of cells or urine of the animals. Metabolic changes induced by BPA and ROS can enable changes in epigenetic markers observed in the DNA of HL-60 cells, MCF-7 and liver tissue. All these changes may contribute to malignant transformation of cells that were exposed to BPA.

ATLAS est l'une des deux principales expériences du LHC dans le but d'étudier les propriétés microscopiques de la matière afin de répondre aux questions les plus fondamentales de la physique des particules. Après les réalisations accomplies lors de la première prise de données, le potentiel de nouvelles découvertes et de mesures précises au LHC est étendu en repoussant les limites en matière d’énergie dans le centre de masse et de luminosité grâce à trois mises à niveau de l’accélérateur aboutissant au LHC à haute luminosité (HL-LHC). Pour tirer pleinement parti de l'augmentation de la luminosité, deux mises à niveau principales du détecteur interne ATLAS sont prévues. La première mise à niveau était déjà achevée au début de l'année 2015 avec l'insertion de l'IBL, une quatrième couche de pixels située à seulement 3,2 cm de la ligne de faisceau. Dans la deuxième mise à niveau majeure, prévue pour 2024, le détecteur interne complet sera remplacé par un tout nouveau dispositif de suivi interne entièrement constitué de dispositifs en silicium pour faire face à la forte densité de particules et à l’environnement de rayonnement intense du HL-LHC, qui pendant son fonctionnement période fournira 3000 fb-1, près de dix fois la luminosité intégrée du programme complet du LHC. Cette thèse aborde l’étude de nouveaux détecteurs de pixels de bord actifs n + -in-p en développant deux nouvelles méthodes d'analyse du profil du dopage pour étudier les effets des dommages d’irradiation sur les performances des détecteurs de pixels. Ces méthodes sont la méthode d'imagerie 3D sims et la méthode TLM. La simulation TCAD a été utilisée pour simuler les profils de dopage, le comportement électrique et les dommages dus au rayonnement. La validation des modèles de simulation avec les données a été effectuée. De plus, la caractérisation de la salle blanche ainsi que la mesure sur un faisceau de test ont été effectuées pour tester les différentes conceptions de détecteurs. Dans la deuxième partie de la thèse, je discute de l'observation de la désintégration du boson de Higgs en une paire de quarks b à l’aide des données collectées par ATLAS lors du Run 2 du LHC à une énergie de 13 TeV dans le centre de masse et une luminosité intégrée de 79.8 $fb^{-1}$. J'ai contribué à l'analyse où le boson de Higgs est produit en association avec un boson de jauge W ou Z. L'analyse VH(bb) ne considérant pas les leptons tau, j'ai réalisé une étude estimant l'impact de leur utilisation sur l'analyse. De plus, pour l’analyse VH (bb), j’ai travaillé sur l’estimation de fond multi-jets dans le canal à 1 lepton en utilisant la méthode d’analyse dijet-masse. / ATLAS is one of the two main experiments at LHC with the purpose of investigating the microscopic properties of matter to address the most fundamental questions of particle physics. After the achievements of the first years of running, the potential reach for new discoveries and precise measurements at LHC is being extended by pushing further the energy and luminosity frontiers through three upgrades of the accelerator culminating in the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC). To fully profit from the increased luminosity, two main upgrades of the ATLAS inner detector are planned. The first upgrade was already completed at the beginning of 2015 with the insertion of the IBL, a fourth pixel layer located at just 3.2 cm from the beam line. In the second major upgrade, foreseen for 2024, the full inner detector will be replaced by a completely new inner tracker fully made of silicon devices to cope with the high particle density and the harsh radiation environment at the HL-LHC, which during its operational period will deliver 3000 fb-1, almost ten times the integrated luminosity of the full LHC program. This thesis addresses the study of new n+-in-p active edge pixel detectors by developing two novel doping profile analysis methods to study the radiation damage effects on the pixel detectors performance. These methods are the 3D sims imaging method and the TLM Method. TCAD simulation has been used to simulate the doping profiles, the electrical behavior and the radiation damage. Validating the simulation models with data have been done. Moreover, clean-room characterization, as well as testbeam measurement have been performed to test the different detector designs. In the second part of the thesis, I discuss the observation of the standard model Higgs boson bb decay mode using the data collected by ATLAS during the LHC Run2 at center-of-mass energy 13 TeV and an integrated luminosity 79.8 fb-1 of a proton-proton collision. I contributed specifically to the search of the standard model Higgs boson in VH(bb) production mode. In the VH(bb) analysis we don't have any channel that considers the tau leptons in the final state. I have performed a feasibility study to verify the gain of using the taus in the analysis. In addition, for the VH(bb) analysis I have worked on the multi-jet background estimation in the 1-lepton channel using the dijet-mass analysis method.

Student Number : 9000554P - PhD thesis - School of Molecular Medicine and Haematology - Faculty of Science / Dynamic cellular activity is fundamental to all life. Virtually all life processes, are modulated by the reversible phosphorylation of proteins, mediated by protein kinases and phosphoprotein phosphatases, respectively. This thesis focuses on three enzymes, namely: phosphoprotein phosphatase 1, phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B. Temporal variations in the expression of the enzyme proteins were examined in the human acute promyelocytic leukaemic cell line, HL-60. The cells were induced to differentiate along the macrophage pathway using phorbol-12-myristate- 13-acetate and along the granulocytic pathway using dimethyl sulfoxide, all-trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid. Modulation of the rhythmic patterns of protein and messenger RNA was monitored in the absence and presence of inducing agents. Expression of protein in cell extracts prepared at various time intervals was determined by western immunoblotting, while mRNA expression was assessed by northern blotting and RT-PCR. The probe used for northern blotting was generated during the RT-PCR procedure. In addition, PTP-1B mRNA was cloned into an expression vector to produce recombinant protein. Results indicate that the expression of phosphoprotein phosphatase 1, phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B protein is dynamically regulated in proliferating HL-60 cells and modulated after being induced to differentiate along either the macrophage or granulocytic pathway. Similar changes were also noted with PTP-1B mRNA when using northern blot analysis. Using molecular cloning techniques, PTP-1B mRNA was successfully cloned into pGex-4T-1 expression vector to produce recombinant PTP-1B protein, which was checked by sequence and western blot analysis.

Silicon radiation detectors fabricated at the IMB-CNM (CSIC) Clean Room facilities using the most innovative techniques in detector technology are presented in this thesis. TCAD simulation comprises an important part in this work as becomes an essential tool to achieve exhaustive performance information of modelled detectors prior their fabrication and subsequent electrical characterization. Radiation tolerance is also investigated in this work using TCAD simulations through the potential and electric field distributions, leakage current and capacitance characteristics and the response of the detectors to the pass of different particles for charge collection efficiencies. Silicon detectors investigated in this thesis were developed for specific projects but also for applications in experiments which can benefit from their improved characteristics, as described in Chapter 1. Double-sided double type columns 3D (3D-DDTC) detectors have been developed under the NEWATLASPIXEL project in the framework of the CERN RD50 collaboration for the ATLAS Inner Detector upgrades and the introduction of a new pixel layer called Insertable B-Layer. The radiation tolerance of slim-edge (“edgeless”) detectors, whose current terminating structure reduces the insensitive area of detectors to 50 μm, for close-to-beam experiments like the TOTEM experiment at HL-LHC, have been simulated under the EU TOSTER project. Ultra-thin 3D detectors, which combine 3D detector technology and thin membrane fabrication process, are also studied in this work. They provide an alternative to the present Neutral Particle Analyzers at the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in the ions detection for plasma diagnosis, and they are also being used in neutron detection experiments after being covered with any layer containing 10B whose high capture cross-section of thermal neutrons allows their detection through the emitted alpha. Finally, active-edge detectors have been studied for applications in X-ray beam positioning, X-ray sensors for beamstops and detectors with pad, microstrip and Medipix2 designs for research purposes.

Histonų potransliacinės modifikacijos sąlygoja chromatino struktūros pakitimus, lemiančius genų, atsakingų už ląstelėje vykstančių įvairių procesų, tokių kaip proliferacija, diferenciacija, apoptozė reguliavimą. Šiame darbe įvertinome chromatino baltymų, histonų H3 ir H4, modifikacijų dinamiką HL-60 ląstelėse, indukuotose granuliocitinei diferenciacijai su retinoine rūgštimi (RA) ir histonų deacetilazių slopikliais, fenilo butiratu (PB) ir vitaminu B3 (vitB3) bei jų kombinacijomis. Aktyvaus chromatino baltymų kompleksai proliferuojančiose ir diferenciacijai indukuotose ląstelėse buvo analizuojami chromatino imunoišsodinimo metodu, naudojant antikūnus prieš histonus - hiperacetilintą H4 ir trimetil-Lys4 H3, esančius aktyvaus chromatino vietose mononukleosomų frakcijoje. Atlikta baltymų, esančių komplekse su modifikuotais histonais H3 ir H4 proteominė analizė vienmatėje (SDS/PAGE) ir dvimatėje (2DE) elektroforezės sistemose. Nustatyti baltymai, sąveikaujantys su hiperacetilintu H4 ir trimetil-Lys4 H3. Tai baltymai, dalyvaujantys genų raiškos iniciavime bei chromatino modifikacijose, t.y. transkripcijos faktorius Sp1, metionino acetiltransferazė, DNR metiltransferazė ir kt. Taip pat patodyta, kad HL-60 ląstelėse p21 WAF1/CIP geno raiška priklauso nuo pasirinkto induktoriaus. Apibendrinant manome, kad poveikio variantas - 3mM PB su 5mM vit.B3 6 val., nuplovus tolesnis poveikis su 1μM RA ir 5mM vit.B3 24 val., galėtų būti tinkamas leukeminių ląstelių diferenciacinei terapijai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Recently, a novel strategy for the treatment of leukemia’s through the modulation of chromatin structure is applicable. In this study, we conducted a detailed analysis of anti-leukemia effects of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and their combinations with retinoic acid using human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. We have shown that HDAC inhibitors - phenyl butyrate and vitamin B3, cause rapid histone H3 and H4 modifications. Further we examined how HDACI and retinoic acid (RA) can modulate gene expression via acetylation and other modifications of histones associated with targeted genes. We performed Chip assay to identify proteins associated with hyperacetylated histone H4. Immunoprecipitated proteins were fractionated by SDS/PAGE and 2DE. Proteomic analysis was performed by using mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF and ESI MS/MS). We identified Sp1 transcriptional activation, DNA methyltransferase, methionine acetyltransferase and other proteins that were associated with modified histones H3 and H4. To evaluate the changes ofp21 gene expression affected by hyperacetylation of histone H4 during HL-60 cell granulocytic differentiation we performed PGR of active chromatin immunoprecipitated with hyperacetylated H4 by using different primers of p21 gene. In this study we have shown that p21 gene expression changes during granulocytic differentiation and depends on inducer. Our results suggest that the chromatin remodeling caused by HDAC inhibitors could be a promising... [to full text]