Asthma is a common complex disease that affects millions of people around the world. Studies indicate the increase in prevalence of asthma worldwide during the past century and report asthma as an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Asthma can be considered as an important health condition in the UK that ranks amongst the countries with the highest rate of asthma prevalence, hospital admissions and mortality due to asthma. Asthma is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Genetics has an important role in development of asthma with the heritability of around 70% in most studies. To date, more than 100 asthma . associated genes have been identified but they account for only a small proportion of the heritability of asthma. The centerpiece of this thesis is the investigation of genetic association of cystatin and cathepsin genes with asthma and associated phenotypes including atopy and IgE levels. Cathepsinsl cystatins, as proteases and the related antiproteases have been suggested to have a role in airway remodeling. The investigation included three phases; initial association study, replication study in two independent samples sets and complementary analyses. Three sample panels were used in the studies; AUS1/UK1, MRC- AlMRC-E and DLM-4264. The results of this work identified CSTL 1 (cystatin like-1) associated with asthma and IgE levels.

Orientador: Antônio Orlando Di Mauro / Coorientador: Sandra Helena Unêda-Trevisoli / Banca: Luís Fernando Alliprandini / Banca: Vanoli Fronza / Banca: Gustavo Vitti Moro / Banca: João Carlos de Oliveira / Resumo: Atualmente, a soja destaca-se como a mais importante oleaginosa cultivada no mundo. Os investimentos em pesquisa levaram à "tropicalização" da soja, permitindo, pela primeira vez na história, que o grão fosse plantado com sucesso, em regiões de baixas latitudes, entre o Trópico de Capricórnio e a linha do Equador. Em função disso tem-se buscado o desenvolvimento de genótipos com ampla adaptabilidade, o que implica em uma baixa interação genótipo x ambiente. O entendimento do tipo de interação permite um melhor posicionamento e indicação de regiões de plantio da cultivar em questão facilitando o trabalho do melhorista. A presença desse fenômeno pode acarretar uma redução da produtividade global de uma área para a qual se faça uma indicação geral de uma dada cultivar. Por outro lado, pode-se tirar proveito de sua existência usando-se procedimentos estatísticos que identifiquem o padrão dessa interação, e gerem informações que possibilitem o agrupamento de locais em zonas dentro das quais a magnitude da interação não seja significativa, permitindo indicações específicas de cultivares para tais zonas. O uso de ferramentas moleculares tem se apresentado como uma opção para seleção de características com base no genótipo e eliminando assim o efeito do ambiente na expressão da característica em questão. O melhoramento assistido por marcadores moleculares tem sido tema de inúmeros trabalhos de seleção assistida, cujos resultados variam de concretos e positivos a controversos e pouco significativos em termos de ganhos genéticos, econômicos e eficiência, quando comparados com a seleção fenotípica. Os capítulos seguintes permitem apresentar resultados de metodologias moleculares e convencionais aplicadas em um programa de melhoramento para seleção de genótipos superiores de soja. / Abstract: Nowadays, soybean highlights as the most important oilseed cultivated in the world. The investments in research led to soybean "tropicalization", allowing, for the first time in history, that the grain was seeded with success, in low latitudes, between the tropic of Capricorn and the Equator. Due to this, researchers have tried to develop wide adaptability genotypes, which implies in a low genotype x environment interaction. The comprehension of the type of interaction allows a better placement and indications of cultivar planting regions, facilitating the breeder's work. The presence of this phenomenon may result in a global productivity decrease of an area that make up an overall indication of a given cultivar. On the other hand, it is possible to take advantage of their existence using statistical procedures to identify the pattern of this interaction, and generate information that allow the grouping of local areas within which the magnitude of the interaction is not significant. Specific cultivar indication for these zones. The use o molecular tools have shown as an option for characteristics selection base on genotype and then eliminating the environment effect in the expression of the characteristic in question. The molecular marker-assisted breeding has been the subject of numerous works assisted selection, whose results varies from concrete and positive to controversial and little significant in terms of genetic gains, and economic efficiency compared to phenotypic selection. The following chapters present results provide molecular and conventional methodologies applied in a breeding program for superior genotypes selection. / Doutor

"September 2002" / Bibliography: leaves 142-159. / viii, 159, [17] leaves : ill. (some col.), plates, photograph ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Investigates self- and cross-compatibility using 5 common commercial cultivars of olive. Frantoio is found to b a good general polliniser for the other cultivars. The sex ratio of flowers, pollen viability, and male sterility were also examined Another objective was the construction of a molecular linkage map for olives, using a cross between Frantoio and Kalamata and microsatellite markers using the pseudo-testcross strategy. Approximately 45% of the genome was mapped. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Horticulture, Viticulture and Oenology, 2002

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on January 26, 2010) Thesis advisor: Dr. Timothy P. Holtsford. Includes bibliographical references.

Includes publications and manuscripts by the author. / Bibliography: leaves 196-215. / 1 v. : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The goal of the human genome project addressed in this thesis, was the construction of a genetric linkage map with a resolution of between 2-5 cM by the year 1995. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Paediatrics, Women's and Children's Hospital, 1995

Copies of author's previously published articles inserted. / Amendments pasted onto back-end paper. / Bibliography: leaves 255-286. / ix, 286, [15] leaves, [5] leaves of plates : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Aims to isolate the gene(s) responsible for Fancomi anaemia and breast cancer using a positional cloning strategy / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics, 1999

Contains copies of author's previously published articles. / Includes bibliographic references. / 1 v. various foliations : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Paediatrics, 1992

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2006. / "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences." Title from title page of PDF document. Bibliography: p. 89-95, p. 127-131, p. 184-192, p.198-233.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Paediatrics, 1985. / Offprints of several author's journal articles inserted. Includes bibliographical references.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.