No description available.

The phenomenon of the homunculus as an aspect of creating life in the laboratory is a documented attribute of Western premodern and medieval Arabic alchemy. Early alchemical texts can be seen to reveal the archetypes and myths present in the contemporary practice of creating life in the laboratory. Current genetics research endeavours to create ever-more complex genetic chimeras using human DNA and the creation of such creatures can be seen to constitute a return to the homunculus mythology. The extent to which this creature, this genetic homunculus, manifests in contemporary society is revealed in popular visual culture and the arts to be a prominent feature of the contemporary psyche. Ontological means of negotiation of a genetically engineered being falls to arguments of natural versus artificial in terms of post-humanism. The homunculus is shown to be impossible to arbitrate in terms of a transcendent mythology in this sense and the provided examples from visual culture reveal that this marvel is, as a result, myriad in teleological outcomes. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Visual Arts / unrestricted

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2005. / [School of Medicine] Department of Genetics. Includes bibliographical references. Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

No description available.

<p> Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is the predominant mode of DNA double strand break (DSB) repair pathway in mammalian cells. At the heart of this repair pathway is Xrcc4-DNA ligase IV complex, which mediates ligation of the broken DNA strands. The C-terminal tandem BRCT repeats of human DNA ligase IV spanning residues 654-911 in complex with the functional fragment of Xrcc4 comprised of residues 1-203 were crystallized by the hanging drop vapour diffusion method at 20°C. Generation of single, well-packed, diffraction quality crystals suitable for structure determination involved usage of an Xrcc4 point mutant (A60E). Arriving at the crystallization condition included optimization of pH, variation of the precipitant concentration, investigation of the effects of small molecules, and alteration of the amount of crystal seed used as initial nuclei. A Crystal of selenomethionine-derived protein complex was grown using the above optimization steps and diffracted to 2.4 A resolution. Data processing revealed that the crystal belonged to space group P1 with unit cell dimensions a= 67.33 b = 86.00 c = 111.52; a= 67.37 ~ = 83.00 y = 74.56. The crystal structure of Xrcc4-DNA ligase IV complex was solved by single-wavelength anomalous diffraction using data collected at a wavelength of 0.9785A corresponding to peak energy. </p> <p> The structure maintains a 2:1 stoichiometry of Xrcc4 to the C-terminal domain of DNA ligase IV. The structure of the complex not only confirms the overall novel mode of interaction first observed in the 3.9 A structure of the yeast ortholog liflp-lig4p complex, but it also discloses additional key features such as the DNA binding surface of the complex and the striking conformational changes occurring within Xrcc4 upon interaction with DNA ligase IV. Together, the structural information procured forms an important basis for a better understanding of the mechanism involved in the NHEJ repair pathway. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how discussions in archaeology and genetics influence the consensus on human origins and migrations in the South Pacific. By analyzing the genetic research on chicken- and sweet potato-DNA, I present a general overview of how genetics and archaeology shape the understanding of how humans have colonized the Pacific. By deconstructing a review on how the Pacific was settled based on aDNA, I analyze a geneticist’s perspective on archaeological problems. Through this analysis I suggest how archaeology should be approached on a theoretical level in order to be relevant in understanding human migrations in the Pacific. I propose that archaeology’s strength lie in interpreting material culture through an agency perspective in order to reach a dimension not obtainable by biological perspectives / Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur diskussioner i arkeologi och genetik påverkar hur vi ser på mänskliga migrationer i Oceanien. Genom att analysera den genetiska forskning som gjorts på kyckling och sötpotatis ges en övergripande bild av hur genetik och arkeologi formar den förståelse som finns för hur människan koloniserat Söderhavet. Genom att dekonstruera en sammanställning av den genetiska forskning som gjorts på mänskligt DNA i Oceanien analyseras en genetikers synsätt på arkeologiska problemställningar. Genom analysen i denna uppsats föreslår jag hur arkeologi borde arbeta på ett teoretiskt plan för att vara relevant i hur vi förstår Oceaniens migrationsmönster. Jag föreslår att arkeologins styrka ligger i att tolka den materiella kulturen genom ett agency-perspektiv för att komma åt en dimension av migrationsproblematiken som inte går att nås genom biologiska perspektiv.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-05-02T12:07:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos Eduardo Martins Lima_.pdf: 1564333 bytes, checksum: d04dcebeec6d821012bef08eb5834707 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-02T12:07:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos Eduardo Martins Lima_.pdf: 1564333 bytes, checksum: d04dcebeec6d821012bef08eb5834707 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-01-21 / Nenhuma / A presente dissertação de mestrado versa sobre a utilização dos bancos de perfis genéticos para fins de persecução criminal no Brasil, analisando os pressupostos da Bioética, os direitos e garantias fundamentais elencados na Constituição Federal de 1988 e a possível afetação dos princípios basilares no processo penal que é o princípio da não autoincriminação, isto é, o direito constitucional de não produzir prova contra si mesmo. Diante disso, será analisada uma possível colisão do princípio da coletividade em relação à individualidade do ser humano, buscando dessa forma uma possível amenização e/ou solução, diante dos prováveis benefícios que a tecnologia do DNA humano possa trazer em termos de avanços na Biotecnologia e no campo do Direito, como ciência social e jurídica. Será feita ainda uma análise crítica do advento da lei 12.654/2012, buscando entender melhor a forma de aplicação e atuação da mesma em termos jurídicos, biopolíticos e sociais. Ao final, será feita uma abordagem sobre a política criminal atuarial e a expansão do fenômeno do Direito Penal na contemporaneidade, buscando correlacionar esse avanço com a tecnologia dos bancos de perfis genéticos para fins de investigação criminal. Através disso, a pesquisa será sustentada e ao final buscar-se-á uma resposta quanto à possível afetação do princípio da autonomia da vontade e da questão crucial do consentimento prévio, livre e esclarecido. / This master's thesis deals with the use of bank of genetic profiles for criminal prosecution purposes in Brazil, analyzing the assumptions of bioethics, the rights and guarantees listed in the Federal Constitution of 1988 and the possible allocation of basic principles in criminal proceedings It is the principle of non-self-incrimination, and the constitutional right not to produce evidence against himself. Therefore, a possible collision of the principle of collectivity over individuality of the human being will be analyzed, thus seeking a possible softening and / or solution on the likely benefits that the human DNA technology can bring in terms of advances in Biotechnology and in the field of law as a social and legal science. It will be even made a critical analysis of the advent of Law 12.654 / 2012, seeking to better understand the application form and performance of it on legal, bio-political and social terms. At the end, an approach on actuarial criminal policy and the expansion of criminal law phenomenon in contemporary times will be made an attempt to correlate this advance with the technology of banks genetic profiling for criminal investigation purposes. Through this, the research will be sustained and the end will be sought for an answer about the possible affectation of the principle of freedom of choice and the crucial issue of prior, free and clear.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-20T12:31:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Isabel da Mota Pontes.pdf: 2179836 bytes, checksum: 0b2f33d44ee029fbf560b3505ea884b2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-14 / The present work presents the development of a new system called multiplex Pentaplex-ised, composed of 5 microsatellite loci STR type (D5S198498, D3S18773, GH15, D8S82535 and D11S118590). Such microsatellites have been identified in the human genome, using the program BLAST-N (GenBank). Specific primers were designed for amplification via PCR. Fluorescent primers were synthesized to allow simultaneous analysis of multiple amplicons (multiplex analysis). All microsatellite loci were genotyped confirming the high degree of polymorphism. In the validation, the minimum DNA concentration of for amplification was estimated at 0.25 ng. Several types of biological samples (blood, saliva, urine and semen) were acquired satisfactorily. We built a database of microsatellite allele frequencies for three Brazilian populations -Amazonas, Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. The distributions of allele frequencies showed little variation between population groups. By means of statistical tests of χ2 using the program Arlequim 3.1 most alleles do not adhere to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium if performed separately for each of the populations. However, in the analysis performed with the whole set of three populations, there is high adherence to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The three populations were grouped and compared pair-to-pair, showing that the genetic variation is greater within populations than between them. Statistical data about the power of exclusion, discrimination power and polymorphism information content for the five loci were determined for each STR and together to assess the potential of the system Pentaplex-ised in human identification. We observed that this multiplex system is suitable for human identification and that can be used in a complementary method with other systems for genetic analysis, by having a cumulative power of discrimination of 99.996% and 93.436% cumulative exclusion / O presente trabalho consiste no desenvolvimento de um novo sistema multiplex denominado PentaPlex-ISED, composto por 5 loci tipo microssatélites STR (D5S198498, D3S18773, GH15, D8S82535 e D11S118590). Esses microssatélites foram identificados no genoma humano, por meio do programa BLAST-N (GenBank). Primers específicos foram desenhados para amplificação via PCR. Primers fluorescentes foram sintetizados para permitir análise simultânea de vários amplicons (análise multiplex). Todos os loci microssatélites foram genotipados confirmando-se o alto grau de polimorfismo. Na validação do sistema, a concentração mínima de DNA para a amplificação dos loci incluídos nesse multiplex foi estimada em 0,25 ng. Diversos tipos de amostras biológicas (sangue, saliva, urina e sêmen) foram adquiridas satisfatoriamente. Foi construído um banco de dados de freqüências dos alelos microssatélites para três populações brasileiras (Amazonas, Rio de Janeiro e Espírito Santo). Confirmou-se a independência dos loci. As distribuições das freqüências alélicas apresentaram pouca variação entre os grupos populacionais. Por meio dos testes estatísticos de χ2, utilizando o programa Arlequim 3.1 verificou-se que a maioria dos loci não adere as condições do equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg se análise for feita separadamente em cada uma das populações. No entanto, na análise feita com o conjunto total das três populações, há aderência ao Equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg. As três populações foram agrupadas e comparadas par-a-par; mostrando-se que a variação genética é maior dentro das populações que entre elas. Os dados estatísticos sobre o poder de exclusão, poder de discriminação e o conteúdo de informação do polimorfismo, para os 5 loci foram determinados para cada STR e em conjunto para avaliar o potencial do sistema PentaPlex-ISED na identificação humana. Observou-se que este sistema multiplex é adequado para identificação humana e que pode ser usado de forma complementar com os outros sistemas de análises genéticas, por possuir um poder de discriminação acumulado em 99,996 % e o poder de exclusão acumulado em 93,436 %.