Orientador: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T08:13:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bassalo_MarceloColika_M.pdf: 8530833 bytes, checksum: 675d7e6b45b1284552a7e3f9939d929a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: A sociedade atual é fundamentalmente dependente do petróleo, recurso natural inserido na grande maioria dos setores da economia. Entretanto, fatores como a limitada disponibilidade deste recurso, sua instabilidade no mercado devido a problemas de natureza geopolítica e a emissão de dióxido de carbono ocasionada pela utilização deste combustível, acentuaram as iniciativas para substituir o petróleo por fontes alternativas e renováveis de matéria prima. A bactéria Propionibacterium acidipropionici surge como uma excelente candidata para a substituição de compostos petroquímicos, através da produção do ácido propiônico. No entanto, antes de transformar esta bactéria em uma plataforma industrial, é necessário aprofundar a compreensão do metabolismo deste microrganismo e desenvolver ferramentas de manipulação genética. No que diz respeito à compreensão do metabolismo, poucos estudos avaliaram o perfil aeróbico desta bactéria, considerada anaeróbica estrita até recentemente. No presente trabalho, foi identificada nesta bactéria a presença de todos os componentes de uma cadeia transportadora de elétrons. No entanto, a citocromo c oxidase identificada apresenta-se mutada e os testes realizados confirmaram a não funcionalidade deste complexo. A existência de uma oxidase alternativa, a citocromo bd oxidase, caracterizada pela alta afinidade ao oxigênio, surge então como uma hipótese promissora acerca da microaerofilia desta bactéria. O trabalho também avaliou o perfil fermentativo dessa bactéria em condições aeróbicas com diferentes fontes de carbono, o que ressaltou a enorme flexibilidade metabólica apresentada por P. acidipropionici, capaz de redirecionar o fluxo de carbono para diferentes produtos finais a depender da necessidade de manutenção do balanço redox. Este estudo também revelou uma propriedade bastante peculiar e industrialmente relevante do xarope de cana-de-açúcar. A fermentação aeróbica com este substrato, ao contrário de todas as outras fontes de carbono, apresentou um crescimento superior ao das condições anaeróbicas e, adicionalmente, exibiu um perfil fermentativo próximo ao observado em ausência de oxigênio. A identificação do composto presente no xarope de cana-de-açúcar, responsável por simular o metabolismo anaeróbico, poderia viabilizar a produção do ácido propiônico em dornas de fermentação aeróbicas, o que traria enormes benefícios para a produção economicamente viável do ácido propiônico e na implementação de P. acidipropionici como uma plataforma industrial / Abstract: The dependence of contemporary society on petroleum is axiomatic, and this natural resource could be found intrinsically embedded in the vast majority of economic sectors. Nonetheless, the limited availability of this natural resource, the instability in the stock market due to geopolitical problems, and also the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the use of fossil fuels have highlighted the need to search for renewable energy sources. The bacteria Propionibacterium acidipropionici arises as an excellent strategy for the substitution of petrochemical compounds, through the production of propionic acid. Before we could implement this bacterium as an industrial platform, however, it becomes necessary to enhance the knowledge regarding the metabolism of P. acidipropionici, and thus create a backbone for the development of genetic manipulation tools. Regarding the metabolism of this bacterium, there aren't comprehensive studies about its aerobic metabolism, thus being considered strict anaerobes until recently. In the present work, it was identified that P. acidipropionici has all required components for a functional electron transport chain. However, the cytochrome c oxidase of this bacterium has a frameshift mutation, and the functional studies proved that this complex is not operative. The presence of an alternative oxidase of high oxygen affinity, called cytochrome bd oxidase, is then suggested as a hypothesis to explain the microaerofilic habit of this bacterium. This work has also shed light into the fermentative profile showed by this bacterium under aerobic cultivation with different carbon sources, bringing attention to the highly flexible metabolism of P. acidipropionici. This bacterium has shown to be capable of completely changing its carbon flux to different end products, as a strategy to maintain the redox balance. In addition, this work has also unveiled an interesting and industrially-relevant property of the sugar cane syrup. It was demonstrated that the aerobic cultivation of P. acidipropionici with sugar cane syrup increased the culture growth, as well as it changed the fermentation end products in a way more similar to the anaerobic cultivation. It was hypothesized that this unusual property found in the sugar cane syrup was due to the presence of a mineral compound that could be used as a final electron acceptor by P. acidipropionici. The identification of this specific compound would allow the aerobic production of propionic acid in industrial conditions, and thus could be a major breakthrough to turn its industrial production into an economically viable process / Mestrado / Genetica de Microorganismos / Mestre em Genética e Biologia Molecular

Cette thèse s'est déroulée dans le cadre du projet TOLEDO (Tolérance aux dommages par impact des réservoirs hyperbares) piloté par Air Liquide en partenariat avec le CEA Le Ripault et l'institut PPRIME.L'hydrogène est stocké au sein de réservoirs de type IV à une pression de service de 700 bar.Ces structures composites présentent comme particularités d'être épaisses (> 30 mm), d'avoir une forte courbure et d'être préchargées en pression lors d'un éventuel impact.Notre travail a montré que ces particularités modifient le type, la quantité et la localisation des différents endommagements couramment observés (rupture de fibres, délaminage et fissuration matricielle).Les endommagements ont pu être quantifiés par le biais de méthodes simples et originales.L'influence des particularités sur le comportement à l'impact a pu être déterminée par l'utilisation de deux dispositifs expérimentaux conçus et réalisés au cours de cette thèse.Le premier permet de précontraindre en tension uniaxiale des plaques composites épaisses.Le second permet de précharger en état de membrane un tube composite ce qui a permis de montrer que le cas d'impact le plus critique vis-à-vis des réservoirs est lorsque ces derniers sont vides.Cette étude a permis de mettre en évidence la criticité des ruptures de fibres sur les pertes de performance au sein des réservoirs hyperbares.Un modèle numérique prenant en compte la dispersion des contraintes à rupture et des différents types d'endommagements a été développé.Il permet d'introduire un endommagement initial et a confirmé certains résultats expérimentaux. / This thesis took place within the framework of the project TOLEDO (Tolerance in the damage by impact of the hyperbaric reservoirs) managed by Air Liquide in partnership with the CEA Le Ripault and PPRIME institute.The hydrogen is stored within the type IV vessel at a servive pressure of 700 bar.These composite structures present as peculiarities to be thick (> 30 mm), to have a strong curvature and to be precharged in pressure during a possible impact.Our work showed that these peculiarities modify the type, the quantity and the localization of the various usually observed damages (fiber breakage, délamination and matrix cracking).The damages were able to be quantified by means of simple and original methods.The influence of the peculiarities on the behavior in the impact was able to be determined by the use of two experimental devices designed and realized during this thesis.The first one allows to preload a thick composite plates in uniaxial tension thick composite plates.The second allows to preload in state of membrane a composite pipe and allowed to show that the most critical impact towards reservoirs is when they are empty.This study allowed to highlight the criticality of the fiber breakage on the loss of performance within the hyperbaric reservoirs.A digital model taking into account the dispersal of the failure stress and various types of damages was developed.It also allows to introduce an initial damage and confirm some experimental results.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / In this work the synthesis and a detailed crystallochemical study of a series of complexes salts of Te(IV), with general formula [R3Te][PhTeX4] and [R3Te]2[TeX6], in which Te(IV) atoms appears in both cationic and anionic species, are presented. (R= phenyl or methyl, and X = Cl, Br or I). Diphenylditelluride (PhTe)2 was adopted as starting material for the preparation of phenyltellurium(IV) trihalides (PhTeX3) and also for the obtaintion of dimethylphenyltellurium(IV) derivatives ([PhMe2Te]X). The triphenyltelluronium derivatives were obtained from the direct reaction between benzene, TeCl4 and AlCl3, producing [Ph3Te]Cl, that is converted to the bromide and iodide analogues by ion exchange with the proper silver halide. The complexes [PhMe2Te][PhTeCl4] (1), [PhMe2Te][PhTeBr4] (2), [PhMe2Te][PhTeI4] (3), [Ph3Te][PhTeCl4] (4), [Ph3Te][PhTeBr4] (5) and [Ph3Te][PhTeI4] (6) were obtained from the mixture of methanolic solutions of the phenyltellurium(IV) trihalides with the proper triorganyltelluronium halide. The complexes [PhMe2Te]2[TeCl6] (7), [PhMe2Te]2[TeBr6] (8), and [Ph3Te]2[TeBr6] (9) were obtained from the solution of the tellurium(IV) tetrahalide in the proper halohidric acid followed by the addition of the respective triorganyltelluronium halide. Monocrystalls were obtained from acetonitrile. The complexes synthesized show secondary bonds between tellurium and halogen atoms, and these interactions are responsible for the different structural arrangement of each compound. The degree of extension of the Te...X secondary bonds is controlled by nature of the halogen bonded to tellurium and by the volume of the cation. / Este trabalho apresenta a síntese e o estudo cristaloquímico detalhado de uma série de sais complexos de telúrio(IV), de fórmulas gerais [R3Te][PhTeX4] e [R3Te]2[TeX6], nos quais átomos de telúrio(IV) estão presentes tanto no cátion como no ânion, com R= fenila ou metila, e X = Cl, Br ou I. O ditelureto de difenila, (PhTe)2, foi utilizado como reagente de partida para a obtenção dos trialetos de feniltelúrio(IV) e, também, para a síntese dos sais que contém a espécie monocatiônica de dimetilfeniltelúrio(IV). Os sais derivados do cátion trifeniltelurônio são obtidos através da reação direta de benzeno com TeCl4 e AlCl3, gerando [Ph3Te]Cl, que é convertido em bromo- e iodo- derivados por troca iônica. Os complexos [PhMe2Te][PhTeCl4] (1), [PhMe2Te][PhTeBr4] (2), [PhMe2Te][PhTeI4] (3), [Ph3Te][PhTeCl4] (4), [Ph3Te][PhTeBr4] (5) e [Ph3Te][PhTeI4] (6) são obtidos através da mistura dos trialetos de feniltelúrio(IV) com os respectivos haletos de triorganiltelúrio(IV) em metanol. Os complexos [PhMe2Te]2[TeCl6] (7), [PhMe2Te]2[TeBr6] (8), and [Ph3Te]2[TeBr6] (9) são obtidos pela dissolução do tetra-haleto de telúrio(IV) em meio de ácido haloídrico apropriado, e posterior adição do derivado de telúrio(IV) catiônico na forma sólida. Todos os monocristais utilizados para difração de raios-X foram obtidos por recristalização em acetonitrila. Todos os complexos sintetizados apresentam ligações secundárias entre os átomos de telúrio e halogênio, sendo estas o fator determinante do arranjo estrutural apresentado por cada composto. O grau de ocorrência das ligações secundárias Te...X é controlado pela natureza do átomo de halogênio e pelo volume do cátion.

Les membranes basales (MB) jouent un rôle majeur au cours des processus morphogénétiques. Elles et sont principalement composées de Collagène de type IV, de Perlecan et de Laminine. Les récepteurs d'adhésions/signalisations (Intégrines/Dystroglycans) localisés au pôle basal des cellules épithéliales, interagissent directement avec les MBs. De nombreuses études montrent l'importance de la composition des MBs dans le devenir cellulaire. Cependant, le rôle mécanique de la MB au cours du développement d'un organe multicouche n'est pas connu. Comme modèle de morphogenèse épithéliale, nous avons choisi d'étudier l'épithélium du follicule ovarien chez Drosophila melanogaster. La MB entoure chaque follicule ovarien qui est composé d'une monocouche de cellules épithéliales cuboïdes entourant un groupe interne formé de 16 cellules de la lignée germinale (15 cellules nourricières en postérieur et 1 ovocyte en antérieur). Au cours du développement folliculaire, les cellules épithéliales s'aplatissent suivant une vague antéro-postérieur. Cette transition cellulaire cuboïde – aplatie dépend du remodelage des jonctions d'adhérence et du cytosquelette. Mes travaux de thèse ont porté sur l'étude du rôle mécanique et moléculaire de la MB au cours de la morphogenèse épithéliale chez la Drosophile. J'ai ainsi pu montrer (i) que la rigidité de la MB augmente au fur et à mesure du développement du follicule, (ii) que l'aplatissement dépend de la structure de la MB et de la liaison a cette MB grâce aux intégrines (iii) que la MB s'assouplie lors de la transition cuboïde-squameux et que cette assouplissement dépend de ce processus. Ces résultats démontrent un dynamisme mécanique et moléculaire de la MB au cours de l'ovogenèse et de la morphogenèse, révélant le rôle central de la MB lors de ces processus. Parallèlement j'ai développé une approche par segmentation cellulaire afin d'extraire les valeurs métriques (hauteur, anisotropie, surface basale, volume) des cellules épithéliales et de mesurer les variations de ces paramètres au cours de la morphogenèse épithéliale (MARS-ALT) / Epithelial cell morphogenesis is an essential process for animal development. Epithelia are composed of polarized cells with a basal side interacting through Integrins, with a basement membrane (BM) and a lateral side containing cadherin-based junctional complexes. Integrins and Cadherins are, both, linked to actin filaments and are thus involved in cell shape regulation. While these links are well documented, it remains unclear how the components of the BM and the 3D organisation of this tissue influence epithelial cell morphogenesis. The model we are using to study this influence is the follicular epithelium in Drosophila melanogaster. It consists of a monolayer of 800 epithelial cells surrounding the egg chamber consisted of an internal cluster of 16 germline cells (15 nurse cells and one posteriorly-localized oocyte). An extracellular matrix (ECM), composed mainly of Collagen IV and Laminins, surrounds each follicle, directly secreted by follicular cells. During follicle development, the cuboidal epithelial cells become squamous around the nurse cells and columnar around the oocyte. The cuboidal-to-squamous transition depends on both Integrins (formed by the subunits aPS2/bPS) and Cadherin-based adherens junction remodelling. Here we designed an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) approach to investigate the elastic modulus of the ECM in a living ovarian follicle at different stages of development and particularly during epithelial cell morphogenesis. First, we found that the stiffness changes temporally during oogenesis with an increase of stiffness during Collagen IV deposition. Second, during cell morphogenesis, we observed a gradient of ECM stiffness. Third, by measuring the stiffness in mutants delaying or promoting cell flattening, we showed that the regional differences occurs in function of the cell ability to flatten. Fourth, to assess the involvement of Collagen IV or its structure for the ECM rigidity properties, we measured the stiffness of ECM produced by follicles mutant for Collagen IV or after collagenase treatment and concluded that collagen fibrils are the source of rigidity properties.Altogether, these results demonstrate the role of the regulation of the ECM stiffness for epithelial cell morphogenesis and highlight a new mechanical aspect in the comprehension of developmental processes

The objective of this work is to develop catalysts that are active in simultaneous conversion of triacylglycerides and fatty acids into fatty acid methyl esters. Three Sn(IV) complexes, named butyl stannoic acid (BTA), di-n-butyl-oxo-stannane (DBTO) and dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), were initially tested as catalysts for esterification reaction of fatty acids in the presence of methanol as alcoholysis agent. Parameters like reaction time, temperature, and catalyst amount were systematically evaluated in this work. All complexes were active at relative high reaction temperatures, but BTA displayed the highest activity. Former studies have already demonstrated that these same complexes display good catalytic activity in methanolysis of triacylglycerides (TAGs). These results prompted us to test BTA catalyst also in simultaneous esterification/transesterification reactions from a mixture of free fatty acids (FFAs) and TAGs in the presence of methanol. The BTA was able to convert mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) with excellent yields of up to 96% during 4 hours with simple isolation procedures. The BTA was also tested in the hydrolysis of TAG and conversions were quite satisfactory, reaching approximately 98% at 160 ° C. From the results obtained it was possible to determine that, in comparison to hydroesterification reactions, the simultaneous esterification/transesterification is the best route to obtain FAMEs using this type of catalyst. The complexes exhibiting general formula R4-xSn(C11H20O2)x, wherein R = C4H9 or CH3 and x= 1 ou 2, were tested in order to evaluate the influence of the nature of different ligands bearing the metal center, on the esterification conversion. The results obtained in this study may suggest the following catalytic activity order: dimetildiundecenoate tin > dibutildiundec-10-enoate tin > tributilundecenoate tin, supporting a significant influence of the stereo effect in esterification reaction. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O objetivo deste trabalho foi testar e desenvolver catalisadores que sejam ativos tanto em reações de esterificação quanto transesterificação. Compostos de Sn(IV), denominados n-butil hidroxioxi de estanho (BTA), óxido de dibutil estanho (DBTO) e dibutildilaurato de estanho (DBTDL), foram inicialmente testados como catalisadores para a reação de esterificação de ácidos graxos (AG) na presença de metanol como agente de alcoólise. Parâmetros como o tempo de reação, temperatura e quantidade de catalisador, foram sistematicamente avaliadas. Todos os complexos foram ativos a temperaturas de reação entre 80 e 160 ºC, sendo que o BTA apresentou maior atividade com conversões de aproximadamente 96 % em ésteres metílicos de ácidos graxos (% EMAGs). Estudos anteriores já demonstraram que estes mesmos complexos exibem boa atividade catalítica na metanólise de triacilglicerídeos (TAG). Esse conjunto de resultados nos levou a testar o catalisador BTA também em reações simultâneas de esterificação/transesterificação de uma mistura de AG e TAG, na presença de metanol. O BTA foi capaz de converter as misturas em ésteres metílicos de ácidos graxos (EMAGs) com excelentes rendimentos, de até 96% durante 4 horas, com processos de purificação simples. O BTA também foi testado na hidrólise de TAG e as conversões em AG foram bastante satisfatórias, chegando aproximadamente 100 % a 160 ºC durante 10 horas. A partir dos resultados obtidos pôde-se determinar que, comparativamente à hidroesterificação, a reação de esterificação/transesterificação simultânea é a melhor rota a ser empregada na obtenção de EMAGs em presença de matérias primas de baixo custo, utilizando este tipo de catalisador. Foram sintetizados e testados novos complexos, a fim de avaliar a influência da natureza de diferentes ligantes em torno do centro metálico sobre a conversão em reações de esterificação. Com os resultados obtidos neste estudo pode-se sugerir uma ordem de atividade catalítica: dimetil diundecenoato de estanho > dibutildiundecenoato de estanho > tributilundecenoato de estanho, evidenciando uma influência significativa de efeitos estéreos na reação de esterificação.

L'asthme équin est une maladie inflammatoire chronique des voies respiratoires inférieures caractérisée principalement par des changements structuraux menant à un épaississement de la paroi des bronches et à l’obstruction du débit d'air. Le traitement de l'asthme équin inverse partiellement ce remodelage. Dans l’asthme, chez l’humain, la démonstration que l'angiogenèse contribue à l'épaississement de la paroi bronchique en augmentant la vascularisation de la muqueuse respiratoire ouvre une nouvelle fenêtre pour un traitement plus ciblé. Cependant, peu d'information est disponible sur le rôle potentiel exercé par l'angiogenèse dans l'asthme équin. L'objectif de cette étude est de documenter la présence d'angiogenèse dans les voies respiratoires inférieures des chevaux asthmatiques. Des échantillons bronchiques récoltés chez sept chevaux asthmatiques éprouvant une exacerbation de la maladie, sept chevaux asthmatiques en rémission clinique et chez sept chevaux sains du même âge ont été étudiés. L'analyse immunohistochimique a été réalisée en utilisant le collagène de type IV comme biomarqueur pour les membranes basales des vaisseaux sanguins. Le nombre de vaisseaux, la densité vasculaire, l'aire vasculaire et les valeurs moyennes de taille des vaisseaux ont été mesurés par histomorphométrie à l'aide d'un logiciel d'analyse d’images (Image J) et les valeurs provenant des trois groupes comparés à l'aide d'une ANOVA à une voie (p <0,05). Un test post hoc Benjamini-Hochberg par paire a été effectué pour corriger le niveau alpha pour les mesures répétées. Une augmentation significative du nombre de vaisseaux chez les chevaux asthmatiques en exacerbation (p = 0,007) et chez les chevaux en rémission (p = 0,02) a été observée par comparaison aux chevaux sains. De plus, l'aire vasculaire était augmentée chez les chevaux souffrant d'asthme en exacerbation comparativement aux chevaux sains (p = 0,02) et ceux en rémission (p = 0,04). Aucune autre différence significative n'a été observée. En conclusion, les voies respiratoires centrales des chevaux asthmatiques présentent des indices d'angiogenèse, ce qui suggère qu'elle puisse contribuer à l'épaississement de la paroi des bronches. D'autres études sont justifiées afin d'évaluer la réponse à un traitement ciblé. / Equine asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower airways characterized by structural changes that lead to bronchial wall thickening and airflow obstruction. Treatment for equine asthma partially reverse these remodeling changes. Angiogenesis has been shown to increase vascularization of the bronchial mucosa, which contributes to the thickening of the bronchial wall in humans with asthma, opening a new window for a targeted treatment. However, little information is available related to the occurrence of angiogenesis in asthmatic horses. The objective of this study is to document the presence of angiogenesis in the bronchi of asthmatic horses. Bronchial samples from seven asthmatic horses collected during an episode of exacerbation of the disease, seven asthmatic horses in clinical remission, and seven agematched healthy horses were studied. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed with type IV collagen as a biomarker for basement membranes. The number of vessels, vascular density, vascular area and mean vessel size values were measured by histomorphometry using an image analysis software (Image J) and values from all three groups were compared using a one-way ANOVA (p <0.05). A Benjamini-Hochberg pairwise post hoc-test was performed to correct the alpha level for repeated measurements. A significant increase in the number of vessels in asthmatic horses in exacerbation (p = 0.007) and in horses in remission (p = 0.02) was observed in comparison to controls. Similarly, the vascular area was increased in horses with asthma in exacerbation when compared to controls (p = 0.02) and to horses in remission (p = 0.04). No other significant differences were observed. In conclusion, angiogenesis is present in the central airways of asthmatic horses, suggesting that it may contribute to the thickening of the airway wall. Further studies are warranted in order to assess the response to a targeted treatment.

This diploma thesis concerns itself with fabrication and characterization of Schottky solar cell on the graphene/silicon interface. Schottky solar cells were manufactured using a front collector electrode from gold, silver and carbon. On the graphene/silicon interface of the Schottky solar cell an interlayer of Al2O3 or SiO2. For the purpose of IV characterization of the manufactured Schottky solar cell a measuring apparatus was assembled.

Aims: To investigate the gender differences in the patterns of cannabis use (CU), namely frequency, times of day, social context and methods and in their association with DSM-IV cannabis dependence. Methods: A sample of 3,904 students from German universities was recruited via an internet survey. Logistic regressions and associated areas under the ROC curve (AUC) were calculated among current cannabis users (at least once a month, n = 843). Results: CU using a water pipe was more often reported by males (50 vs. 34.6%). Usual CU ‘before going to sleep at night’ was more often reported by females (47.3 vs. 35.7%). Most CU patterns showed a similar association with DSM-IV cannabis dependence in both genders. The association of CU ‘with strangers’ was stronger in females (AUC 0.68 vs. AUC 0.56). Slightly different multiple models were found (females AUC 0.86, males AUC 0.77). Conclusions: There are considerable gender differences in the CU patterns and, thus, in the way CU functions. In the association of CU patterns with cannabis dependence, the similarities are rather great. Examining the CU patterns might make a considerable contribution to the better detection of high-risk population segments for prevention and early intervention in both genders. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

The form of Karlstejn Castle at the time of Charles IV. Diploma thesis "The form of Karlstejn Castle at the time of Charles IV." deals at first with historical reports not only about the foundation of the castle itself but also about additional events during the life of Charles IV. These events are put in context of the construction form of the castle. The main part of this text is focused on the comprehensive description of the building taking into account previous research and construction plans. Then its construction form is compared with other castles founded by Charles IV. In particular castles Kasperk, Radyne, Karlshaus and Lauf an der Pegnitz are studied in detail. Since in general, castles in the 14th century served primarily residential purposes, this thesis also mentions Karlstejn's indoor arrangements and such building components as heating systems, windows, etc.

The Diploma thesis "The Illuminated Manuscripts of Jan IV of Dražice" is devoted to a set of illuminated manuscripts connected with a last bishop of Prague Jan IV of Dražice. After briefly summary and assesment of topical literature is in the next part of thesis appreciation of donation activities of Jan IV of Dražice. The emphasis is on his sojourn in Avignon and his donation activities in Prague and Roudnice nad Labem. Jan IV had an important influence to the development of illumination production in the Czech Countries. The goal of this diploma work is differentiation and monographic interpretation of manuscript's corpse connected with a figure of Jan IV of Dražice. Appreciation of donation activities of Jan IV z Dražic in cultural and historical time framework is mainly focused on explanation of his contribution to the development of illumination production in the Czech Countries. Work is mainly based on combination of methods of formal, iconographic and basic codicological analysis and where possible on iconological intepretation.