Abstract Human prostatic acid phosphatase (hPAP) was the first laboratory parameter used for prostate cancer diagnosis, whereas the mechanisms behind the androgen regulation and tissue-specific expression of this prostate epithelium-specific differentiation antigen are not yet clear. In this study, a transient transfection model and transgenic animal model have been set up for functional analysis of the promoter and first intron region of the hPAP gene. The promoter constructs covering the region-734/+467 of the gene were functional in both prostatic and nonprostatic cells. Although hPAP constructs included two putative AREs with in vitro AR-binding ability at -178 and +336, androgen treatment had little effect on the promoter activity of the gene in transiently transfected cells. The hPAP fragment -734/+467 could trigger the expression of the CAT reporter gene and restrict the expression mainly in the prostates of transgenic mice. The DNA-binding site with the sequence GAAAATATGATA of a regulatory protein involved in prostate-specific and androgen receptor-dependent gene expression was identified from rPB promoter. The exact same 12 bp sequence was found in the first intron +1144/+1155 of the hPAP gene. Five homologous sequence, A, B, C, D and E, were located in the -734/+467 region of the hPAP gene, where site C and E could bind the regulatory protein in EMSA. Deletion of site C decreased the transcriptional activities significantly compared to those of corresponding wild-type constructs in LNCaP cells when androgens were present. Deletion of site E or both sites D and E increased the promoter activity in LNCaP when androgens were absent. In conclusion, androgens could not directly regulate hPAP expression via receptor-binding to the AREs in LNCaP cells. The promoter and first intron fragment -734/+467 of the hPAP gene could direct and restrict the gene expression mainly in prostate epithelium. A prostatic regulatory protein binds to multiple sites with the GAAAATATGATA or homologous sequences along the regulatory areas of the hPAP gene with different affinities, modulating the prostate-specific expression of the gene in a bidirectional manner, depending on the hormone status.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The aim of this thesis was to investigate the cellular role of the mouse RBBP6 gene using the interference RNA (RNAi) gene targeting technology and also to understand the relevance of two promoters for the RBBP6 gene. / South Africa

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / It was postulated that each gene has three main sets of transcriptional elements: one which is gene-specific, one which is family-specific, and a third which is tissue-specific.The starting hypothesis for this project had been: “Each family of genes has a distinct set of transcriptional elements that is unique onto this family”. The primary aim of this project was therefore the identification of the family-specific set of transcriptional elements within the AMPA receptor gene family. The question then is how does one measure or identify this uniqueness within the promoters of this family of genes. The answer seemed to lie in making an assessment of the promoters of this family of genes against a background of a comprehensive set of promoter sequences and in the process,to try to find the transcriptional elements that were present in the AMPA receptor gene promoters but were not so common in the general population of gene promoters.To achieve the primary aim of this project, it was essential that a comprehensive dataset of promoter sequences was available. There are ample data freely available through the web. However, it is often not available in a form that we might want it in. Another problem that one constantly encounters is the lack of general consensus among the research community in agreeing on a standard annotation. For example, a gene can sometimes be given 2 or 3 different names by different laboratories which have successfully cloned the same gene. This, in turn, hinders the data collection process. At the start of this project, there was an existing curated database of experimentally-verified eukaryotic promoter sequences called the Eukaryotic Promoter Database (EPD) and a software called Promoter Extraction from GenBank (PEG) which, as its name implies, extracts promoter sequences available through GenBank (Cavin Périer et al., 1998;Zhang & Zhang, 2001; Praz et al., 2002; Schmid et al., 2004). However, limitations existed in both these resources. For EPD, the number of curated promoter sequences available was low and also, the length of these promoter sequences was short. For PEG,the main limitation was that the extraction from GenBank would result in extraction of sequences of variable lengths.Therefore, the 5’-end Information Extraction (FIE)system was developed for the expressed purpose of collecting promoter sequences without the limitations of PEG. This software relies on the alignment of multiple mRNA/cDNA sequences that are representative of a gene on the human genomic sequence to determine the transcription start site (TSS) of the gene and thus, with this information, extract the promoter sequence for the gene from the available human genomic sequence. This was the first promoter extraction software to work on this principle (Chong et al., 2002). This method was later supported by experimental work carried out by Coleman and colleagues (2002). Using the FIE2 software (Chong et al.,2003), some 10,000-odd human promoter sequences was extracted, starting at 1500bp uptream and ending at 1000bp downstream of the 5’-most TSS.Following the collection of the human promoter sequences, the approach developed by Bajic et al. (2004) was applied to study the promoters of the AMPA receptor genes. This approach relies on both the MATCH program to map putative transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) to the promoter sequences and a software developed by Bajic etal. (2004) that calculates to the density for each TFBS or composite element. Having calculated the densities for the TFBSs and composite elements for both the target promoters (in this case, the AMPA receptor gene promoters) and the background promoters (the 10,000-odd human promoters), the software then calculates the degree of over-representation of each TFBS and composite element in the target promoters(measured against the background promoters) and then ranks the “singles”, “pairs” and “triplets” in the order of their degree of over-representation. Using this method, I identified the top 3 ranked “single”, “pair” and “triplet” transcriptional elements found commonly within the AMPA receptor promoters. In addition, a conventional phylogenetic footprinting study was also carried out for the human, mouse and rat GRIA1 promoter to identify key transcriptional elements within this subunit’s promoter.While the approach developed by Bajic et al. (2004) identifies key family-specific transcriptional elements, the phylogenetic footprinting study helps identify key genespecific transcriptional elements. Thus, they complement one another.The approach developed by Bajic et al. (2004) yielded an interesting result. It was found that the combination of the top 3 ranked “single”, “pair” and “triplet” transcriptional elements found in the AMPA receptor promoters were also found in 47 other genes. It was postulated that these 47 genes might, in fact, be co-regulated / co-expressed with the GRIAs and thus, explaining the existence of a shared promoter profile with the GRIA promoters. In support of this hypothesis, supporting evidence was found in published literature that 7 of these 47 genes (VAMP4, Rab3B, FKBP8, 3-OST-3A, CLSTN3,SOCS1 and IκBβ) might indeed be involved in the expression and functioning of the AMPA receptors.

Transcription by RNA polymerase can induce the formation of hypernegatively supercoiled DNA both in vivo and in vitro. This phenomenon has been explained by a “twin-supercoiled-domain” model of transcription where a positively supercoiled domain is generated ahead of the RNA polymerase and a negatively supercoiled domain behind it. In E. coli cells, transcription-induced topological change of chromosomal DNA is expected to actively remodel chromosomal structure and greatly influence DNA transactions such as transcription, DNA replication, and recombination. In this study, an IPTG-inducible, two-plasmid system was established to study transcription-coupled DNA supercoiling (TCDS) in E. coli topA strains. By performing topology assays, biological studies, and RT-PCR experiments, TCDS in E. coli topA strains was found to be dependent on promoter strength. Expression of a membrane-insertion protein was not needed for strong promoters, although co-transcriptional synthesis of a polypeptide may be required. More importantly, it was demonstrated that the expression of a membrane-insertion tet gene was not sufficient for the production of hypernegatively supercoiled DNA. These phenomenon can be explained by the “twin-supercoiled-domain” model of transcription where the friction force applied to E. coli RNA polymerase plays a critical role in the generation of hypernegatively supercoiled DNA. Additionally, in order to explore whether TCDS is able to greatly influence a coupled DNA transaction, such as activating a divergently-coupled promoter, an in vivo system was set up to study TCDS and its effects on the supercoiling-sensitive leu-500 promoter. The leu-500 mutation is a single A-to-G point mutation in the -10 region of the promoter controlling the leu operon, and the AT to GC mutation is expected to increase the energy barrier for the formation of a functional transcription open complex. Using luciferase assays and RT-PCR experiments, it was demonstrated that transient TCDS, “confined” within promoter regions, is responsible for activation of the coupled transcription initiation of the leu-500 promoter. Taken together, these results demonstrate that transcription is a major chromosomal remodeling force in E. coli cells.

Le premier objectif a été de sélectionner des promoteurs de gènes cellulaires actifs spécifiquement dans les HCC à l’aide d’une recherche bibliographique puis en utilisant la base de donnée UniGene. Leur activité a été vérifiée par RT-qPCR et CHIP dans des lignées modèles HCC et dans des hépatocytes. Ces promoteurs ont été clonés en amont de la luciférase dans la région intergénique 20 du génome HSV-1 afin d’étudier leur force d’activité, 2 types de cinétiques et leur activité différentielle en fonction du type cellulaire et dans le contexte d’une infection virale. Le deuxième objectif a été de construire des virus oncolytiques ciblés pour l’expression de la protéine Us3, une protéine virale impliquée dans le contrôle de la réponse apoptotique induite par HSV-1. L’expression de la protéine Us3 est placée sous contrôle d’un promoteur cellulaire spécifique d’HCC. L’hypothèse est qu’en l’absence d’activité du promoteur cellulaire dans les cellules non HCC, la protéine Us3 ne sera pas synthétisée et, par conséquent, l’apoptose qui ne sera pas réprimée, inhibera le cycle de réplication et par conséquent, la production virale dans les cellules saines. Dans les cellules HCC, le promoteur actif permettra la réplication virale aboutissant à la destruction de lamasse tumorale. Un virus HSV-1 Us3- a été construit en utilisant la technique de recombinaison en plasmide BAC (Bacterial artificial chromosome), puis 2 virus oncolytiques en réintroduisant le gène Us3 sous contrôle du promoteur ANGPTL3 ou du promoteur HRE (hypoxia responsive element). Leur comportement oncolytique a été étudié en réalisant des courbes de croissance sur lignées cellulaires d’HCC et cellules hepatocyte-like. / Our long-term purpose is to develop transcriptionally targeted oncolytic vectors, derived from herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), designed to eradicate hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). We have identified several HCC-specific promoters, as well as other cancer-specific promoters, that maintain their specificity when expressed from the virus genome. More precisely, we have demonstrated that these promoters are able to drive reporter gene (luciferase) expression from the virus genome in HCC-derived cells, both in cultured cells and in nude mice, but not in fresh human hepatocytes or in the WRL38 hepatocyte-like cells. HSV-1 infection induces, but then inhibits, a cellular antiviral apoptotic response, and the early virus protein US3 is a key actor in inhibiting apoptosis. We have hypothesized that inhibition of US3 expression in hepatocytes should led to early apoptotic death of these cells, therefore precluding virus multiplication and spread. In contrast, expression of US3 in cancer cells is expected to block apoptosis, leading to the achievement of the virus life cycle, cell lysis, and virus spread within the tumours. We report in this communication the construction and properties of two different potentially oncolytic HSV-1 vectors. One of them expresses US3 protein under the control of the HCC-specific promoter ANGPTL3, while the second promoter contains 9 repeats of the hypoxia responsive elements of vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (9xHRE promoter). Growth curves of these viruses were performed on different HCC cell lines to show their oncolytic properties.

This thesis describes and analyzes the most important areas of bank controlling. Amongst them are: cost management, planning and budgeting, and performance management. The thesis focuses on the newest knowledge in bank controlling and on best practice examples. The thesis also includes practice examples of some bank controlling areas of a particular Czech bank, ČSOB.

Devido as suas características funcionais, as proteínas vêm sendo cada vez mais utilizadas em diferentes áreas e atividades da sociedade humana como: alimentícia, indústria, têxtil, papel e celulose, química e médica. A produção industrial de proteínas de valor comercial para diversas aplicações, vem sendo cada vez mais conduzida através do desenvolvimento de sistemas de expressão em diferentes hospedeiros, como Saccharomyces cerevisiae. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo desenhar um sistema de expressão metabolicamente independente induzido pelo hormônio estradiol que, em S. cerevisiae, seja capaz de produzir e secretar com eficiência proteínas homólogas e/ou heterólogas de interesse industrial. Para tanto, foi desenhado e construído um plasmídeo regulador (que expressa o fator de transcrição quimérico c-mycGal4(DBD)hERα(LBD)VP16(AD) e um plasmídeo de expressão (que contém o promotor quimérico p5xUASGAL-UARcb1, o qual será induzido pelo fator de transcrição quimérico, regulando a expressão da proteína repórter celobiohidrolase I - cbh1 de Trichoderma reesei). Ambos plasmídeos foram utilizados para transformar a cepa ScW303-1A/pdr5Δ(construída neste trabalho) e induzido com diferentes concentrações de estradiol. Para analisar a habilidade do promotor em dirigir a expressão da proteína repórter cbh1, foi feito o teste de DNS, com os transformantes selecionados, utilizando carboximetilcelulose 1% como substrato. A maior atividade enzimática ocorre na indução do sistema com 5 μM de 17-β-estradiol e DES (dietilestilbestrol). Os resultados mostram que o sistema de expressão induzido por 17-β-estradiol e DES, funciona de forma eficiente em S. cerevisiae e que o mesmo pode ser utilizado na produção biotecnológica de outras proteínas de interesse. / Due to its functional characteristics, the proteins are being increasingly used in different areas and activities of human society: food, industry, textile, pulp and paper, chemical and medical. The industrial production of commercially valuable proteins for various applications is increasingly being conducted through the development of systems of expression in different hosts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study aimed to design a metabolically independent expression system induced by estradiol hormone in S. cerevisiae is able to produce and secrete effectively homologous proteins and / or heterologous of industrial interest. Thus, it was designed and built a regulatory plasmid (expressing the chimeric transcription factor c-myc-Gal4 (DBD) -hERα (LBD) - VP16 (AD) and an expression plasmid (which contains the chimeric promoter 5xUASGAL- UARcb1, which is induced by the chimeric transcription factor, regulating the expression of the reporter protein cellobiohydrolase I - cbh1 of Trichoderma reesei). Both plasmids were used to transform ScW303-1A / pdr5Δ strain (constructed in this work) and induced with different concentrations of estradiol. To analyze the ability of the promoter to direct the expression of the reporter protein cbh1, the DNS testing, with the selected transformants was done using 1% carboxymethylcellulose as a substrate. The highest enzymatic activity occurs in the induction system with 5 μM of 17-β-estradiol and DES (diethylstilbestrol). The results show that the expression system induced by 17-β-estradiol and DES operates efficiently in S. cerevisiae and that it can be used for the biotechnological production of other proteins of interest.

Tato diplomová práce je zaměřená na možnosti posílení loajality zákazníků společnosti Atlas Copco Compressor Technique. Teoretická část objasňuje pojmy jako marketingový výzkum, dotazník, zákazník či loajalita. Závěr první části je věnován modelu Net Promoter Score, programu, který je také použit k vypracování samotné analýzy součastné spokojenosti a loajality zákazníků. Výsledky z této analýzy spolu s pozorováním, které autor v podniku provedl, slouží v závěrečné části práce k návrhům, které by měly mít za následek zvýšení počtu loajálních zákazníků této společnosti.

This master’s thesis deals with clients' satisfaction and loyalty to the company Kooperativa Inc., Vienna Insurance Group and its product, investment life insurance Perspektiva. The theoretical part explains the basic concepts related to this topic, analytical part, introduces the company, the product and carried out research. Final part, based on modern methods of investigation, proposes the recommendations of steps which increase the level of customer satisfaction.

En el presente trabajo de investigación se realiza un Plan de Negocios para la construcción y comercialización de 35 departamentos que conforman un Edificio multifamiliar, distribuidos en (7) pisos, (1) semisótano, (1) azotea y áreas comunes. La obra se ejecutará en un terreno de 575.68 m2 ubicado en la Urbanización Recaudadores del distrito de Ate. El proyecto será construido bajo un concepto que incorpora criterios de sostenibilidad ambiental denominado Mivivienda Verde, el cual forma parte del programa Mi Vivienda y es impulsado por el Estado Peruano. Actualmente, existe en el mercado una tendencia creciente en el otorgamiento de créditos mediante los programas Mi Vivienda. Los beneficios que generan estos proyectos eco sostenibles como (i) ahorro de hasta el 30% en consumos mensuales de agua y luz, (ii) cuota mensual más baja ya que tiene una tasa preferencial que va desde un 6.99% y un bono que varía entre 3% y 4% del monto de financiamiento (iii) y promoción de la sostenibilidad de recursos en el tiempo, han generado un impulso de las viviendas eco sostenibles y gran expectativa en el sector inmobiliario. El avance ha sido notorio, la gran demanda de las personas por obtener estos beneficios ha impulsado el interés de las constructoras e inmobiliarias para desarrollar este tipo de proyectos y en respuesta a esta tendencia, la empresa constructora inmoboliaria Acrecer ha identificado esta oportunidad de mercado que le permitirá tener mayor velocidad en la venta de los departamentos que conforman el proyecto, generando mayor rentabilidad para la empresa. Para el desarrollo de esta idea de negocio y lograr la justificación del proyecto, así como la validación del mismo, se emplearon tres fuentes de recolección primaria; entrevistas a expertos (constructoras e inmobiliarias), técnica de sondeo dentro del area de influencia y sondeo en las Ferias inmobiliarias. El levantamiento de la información se aplica en un radio de acción cercano a la localización del proyecto, los alrededores de la Urbanización Recaudadores en el distrito de Ate, asimismo en la feria inmobiliaria ExpoUrbania 2019 llevada a cabo en el Centro Comercial Jockey Plaza en el distrito de Surco, los resultados obtenidos nos lleva a confirmar que nuestro proyecto no solo es deseable, es factible y rentable, dado que, obtenemos validez y se ratifica la viabilidad del proyecto mediante indicadores económicos descritos en los criterios del Valor Actual Neto y la Tasa Interna de Retorno, después de incorporar la tasa de descuento promedio ponderada de las fuentes de financiamiento, que incorpora los riesgos no sólo del proyecto sino también del sector construcción. Como conclusión, luego de determinar la viabilidad del proyecto inmobiliario, se confirma la existencia de un nicho de mercado en el sector construcción como alternativa de inversión. / In the present research work, a Business Plan is made to propose the construction and commercialization of 35 departments that make up a multifamily housing, distributed over 7 floors and social areas. The project will be built under a concept that incorporates environmental sustainability criteria named Mivivienda Verde promoted by the peruvian state in response to the deficit of housing in Lima Metropolitana and the environmental impact as a result of man's actions. The project will be executed on a 575.68 m2 plot located in the Recaudadores Urbanization of the district of Ate. Currently, there is a growing trend in the market in granting credits through the Fund Mivivienda, Techo propio and Mivivienda Verde programs. Mivivienda Verde Fund has shown an increasing demand and dynamism in the real estate sector with 45% of the bonds placed between banks and financiers only at the beginning of 2019. The benefits generated by these eco-sustainable projects such as (i) savings of up to 30% in monthly consumption of water and electricity, (ii) lower monthly payment for credit (iii) and promotion of sustainability criteria by the| proper use of resources over time is part of the dynamism of the sector since the end of 2018 and, in response to this trend, the company Acrecer SAC has identified this market opportunity and offers to its clients the construction of a project of 35 departments under this concept, with high quality finishes in its design and construction and a post-sale service to address your doubts or needs, which makes them the pioneers in the execution of a real estate project under the concept of sustainability in the Recaudadores Urbanization in the district of Ate. For the development of this business idea and achieve the justification of the project, as well as its validation, three sources of data collection were used, described in interviews with experts, surveys to the target public and construction and real estate companies through the sounding technique. The gathering of information is applied within a radius of action of the location of the project, the surroundings of the Recaudadores urbanization in the district of Ate, as well as the ExpoUrbania 2019 real estate fair held at the Jockey Plaza Shopping Center in the district of Surco. The results obtained lead us to confirm that our project is not only desirable, but also feasible and profitable, given that, We obtain validity and the viability of the project is ratified by means of economic indicators described in the Current Value criteria Net and the Internal Rate of Return, after incorporating the weighted average discount rate of the financing sources, which incorporates the risks not only of the project but also of the construction sector. Finally; as a final conclusion, after determining the viability of the real estate project, the existence of a niche market in the construction sector as an investment alternative is confirmed. / Tesis