The lung is an organ that contains a vast system of airways carefully constructed to achieve maximal surface area in a confined space, requiring guidance from a multitude of developmental factors. The Shh pathway is one such signaling mechanism that is critical to proper lung formation, guiding branching morphogenesis and cellular proliferation through its downstream Gli transcription factors. Additionally, Foxf1 has been shown to be a key developmental factor required for proper lung formation during embryogenesis. Although theorized that the Gli transcription factors are responsible for regulating foxf1 levels, their exact relationship has yet to be revealed. Using five different models for Shh signaling (gli2 null, gli2 over-expressor [hVER-Gli2], gli3 null, Gli3 constitutive repressor [Gli3Δ699] and cyclopamine treated lung explants), I compared and contrasted the role of Gli2 and Gli3 in terms of their effect on cell cycle regulation, and on the expression levels of foxf1 and its potential downstream target genes tbx4, tbx5 and fgf10. I found that ectopic over-expression of gli2 resulted in increased Shh pathway activation, and increased expression of G1/S phase cyclins, which was associated with increased cellular proliferation and lung growth. However, no change in the levels of G1/S phase cyclins due to altered Gli3 signaling was observed. Foxf1 levels positively correlate with the levels of gli2, and appear to be independent of Gli3 activity. The amount of tbx4, tbx5, and fgf10 transcripts were observed to follow the levels of gli2 in the different gli2 mouse models, however, there was no significant change in gli3 null or Gli3Δ699 mice. Finally, by analyzing gene expression at different time points during gestation, I found that while gli2 levels affect foxf1 throughout gestation, the relationship to tbx4, tbx5 and fgf10, occurs only during the latter stages of lung development. I conclude, that Gli2 and not Gli3 appears to be the primary transducer of Shh signaling influencing cyclin regulation, leading to changes in embryonic lung growth. Furthermore, that Gli2 and not Gli3 appears to regulate foxf1 expression levels, and that this may extend downstream to influence tbx4, tbx5 and fgf10 expression.

As a part of our program to test the unitarity of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, the decay of the superallowed 0⁺ --> 0⁺ beta emitters ³⁸Ca and ⁴⁶V has been studied in this dissertation. For ³⁸Ca, the half-life, 443.88(36) ms, and superallowed branching ratio, 0.7738(41), have been measured. In our half-life experiment, pure sources of ³⁸Ca were produced and the decay positrons detected in a high-efficiency 4[pi] proportional gas counter. Since the beta⁺ decay of ³⁸Ca feeds ³⁸K^m, which is itself a superallowed beta⁺ emitter, the data were analyzed as a linked parent-daughter decay. Our result for the half-life of ³⁸Ca, with a precision of 0.08%, is a factor of five improvement on the best previous result. The branching-ratio of ³⁸Ca depended on beta-delayed gamma-ray intensities being measured with a high-purity germanium detector calibrated for absolute efficiency to 0.2% precision. This branching-ratio result represents our first step in bringing the ft value for the superallowed ³⁸Ca transition into the desired range of 0.1%. With our half-life and superallowed branching ratio results for ³⁸Ca, we obtain the Ft to be 3072(17) s, in good agreement with the conserved vector current expectation. The half-life of ⁴⁶V has been measured to be 422.66(6) ms, a factor of two more precise than the best previous measurement. Our present result determines the corresponding Ft value to be 3074.5(26) s, which is consistent with the average $\overline{\mathcal{F}t}$ value of 3072.08(79) s established from the 13 best-known superallowed transitions. This demonstrates that previously accepted half-lives of ⁴⁶V were correct in their contribution to a precision test of the conserved vector current hypothesis.

No description available.

We use a global fit to determine the form factor slopes and branching fractions of the decays B --> Dlnu and B --> D*lnu. We reconstruct Dl pairs and construct a 3-dimensional distribution binned in lepton momentum, D momentum and cosTheta(B-Dl). These kinematic variables provide good separation between the signal and background. We fit electron and muon samples separately and combine them after calculating systematic uncertainties. The form factor slopes, rhoD^2 for B --> Dlnu and rho^2 for B --> D*lnu decays, are measured to be rhoD^2 = 1.22 +- 0.04 +- 0.07 and rho^2 = 1.21 +- 0.02 +- 0.07, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. Branching fractions are fitted to be B(B+ --> D0lnu) = (2.36 +- 0.03 +- 0.12) % and B(B^+ --> D*0lnu) = (5.37 +- 0.02 +- 0.21) %. We use these results to determine the products, G(1)|Vcb| = (43.8 +- 0.8 +- 2.3)*10^{-3} and F(1)|Vcb| = (35.7 +- 0.2 +- 1.2)*10^{-3} of the form factors at zero recoil and the CKM matrix element |Vcb|, from which |Vcb| can be extracted using theoretical input.

Using the general, model indepenent form of the effective Hamiltonian, the general expressions of the longitudinal, normal and transversal polarization asymmetries for l+ and l- for the effective B -&gt / K(K*)l+l- decays has been calculated. Existence of regions of Wilson coefficients for which the branching ratio coincides with the Standard Model result, while the lepton polarizations differ from the standard model prediction is expected. Hence, studying lepton polarizations in these regions of Wilson coefficients may be helpful in establishing new physics beyond standard model.

We use a global fit to determine the form factor slopes and branching fractions of the decays B --> Dlnu and B --> D*lnu. We reconstruct Dl pairs and construct a 3-dimensional distribution binned in lepton momentum, D momentum and cosTheta(B-Dl). These kinematic variables provide good separation between the signal and background. We fit electron and muon samples separately and combine them after calculating systematic uncertainties. The form factor slopes, rhoD^2 for B --> Dlnu and rho^2 for B --> D*lnu decays, are measured to be rhoD^2 = 1.22 +- 0.04 +- 0.07 and rho^2 = 1.21 +- 0.02 +- 0.07, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. Branching fractions are fitted to be B(B+ --> D0lnu) = (2.36 +- 0.03 +- 0.12) % and B(B^+ --> D*0lnu) = (5.37 +- 0.02 +- 0.21) %. We use these results to determine the products, G(1)|Vcb| = (43.8 +- 0.8 +- 2.3)*10^{-3} and F(1)|Vcb| = (35.7 +- 0.2 +- 1.2)*10^{-3} of the form factors at zero recoil and the CKM matrix element |Vcb|, from which |Vcb| can be extracted using theoretical input.

No description available.

L'architecture de la panicule de riz est l'un des caractères morphologiques majeurs du potentiel de rendement, sélectionné lors de sa domestication. Une panicule est une structure ramifiée, composée d'un axe principal (rachis), de branches primaires, et d'ordres supérieurs de branchement (branches secondaires et tertiaires) et enfin les épillets. Cette structure, qui dépend de l'activité des méristèmes axillaires au cours du développement de la panicule, montre une grande diversité à la fois inter-spécifique (espèces cultivées vs espèces sauvages apparentées) et intra-spécifiques (riz asiatique et / ou africain). Plusieurs gènes/QTL importants ont été caractérisés chez Oryza sativa pour le contrôle de l'architecture de la panicule en régulant l'identité des méristèmes, la division cellulaire et la signalisation hormonale. Cependant, les mécanismes liés à la diversité de la panicule de riz et son évolution dans le contexte de la domestication sont encore largement inconnus. Durant ma thèse, j'ai principalement contribué à l'étude des bases histologique et moléculaires de la diversité de la panicule entre l'espèce africaine Oryza glaberrima et Oryza barthii, l'espèce sauvage apparentée. J'ai analysé les profils d'expression d'orthologues à des gènes de O. sativa liés au développement de la panicule et participé à l'analyse transcriptomique de petits ARN dans les premiers stades de développement de la panicule. Ce travail a révélé une différence de période d'initiation et de niveau d'expression de ces gènes au cours du développement de la panicule entre les deux espèces, conjointement avec une forte conservation de leurs domaines d'expression. Les gènes qui favorisent l'activité des méristèmes sont sur-accumulés sur une période plus longue au cours du développement de la panicule chez l'espèce cultivée, tandis que les gènes liés au développement des épillets se comportent de manière opposée. Ces travaux ont également montré une altération similaire de l'expression des membres de la voie de siRNA phasés initiés par miR2118, voie connue pour être impliquée dans la gamétogenèse mâle. L'ensemble de ces résultats suggère que la diversité de complexité de la panicule chez les riz africains reposerait sur des altérations hétérochroniques de l'activité de ramification et de déterminisme des méristèmes d'épillets. / Rice panicle architecture is one of the most important morphological traits specifying rice yield potential, which was under selection during rice domestication. A panicle is a branched structure composed of a rachis, primary branches, higher order branches (i.e. secondary and tertiary branches) and finally spikelets. This morphology, depending on the activity of axillary meristems during its development, shows a wide diversity in both inter-specific (i.e. crops vs. wild-relatives) and intra-specific (Asian or/and African rice) levels. Several important genes/QTLs have been characterized in Oryza sativa as controlling panicle architecture by regulating meristem fate, cell division and hormone signaling. However the mechanisms related to rice panicle diversity and its evolution in the context of domestication are still largely unknown. During my PhD, I mainly investigated the histological and molecular bases of panicle diversity between the African species Oryza glaberrima and its wild-relative Oryza barthii. I analyzed the expression patterns of orthologs of O. sativa landmark genes related to panicle development and was involved in small RNA transcriptomic analysis in early stages of panicle development. This work revealed a high conservation of the spatial expression pattern of the landmarks genes studied but have highlighted a differential timing and level of the expression of these genes during the panicle development between two species. The genes promoting meristem activity were upper-accumulated over a longer period during the panicle development in the crop species, whereas the gene promoting spikelet/floret meristem fate behaved in opposite way. This work also has shown similar heterochronic alteration of the expression of members of the miR2118-triggered 21-nt phased siRNA pathway, known to be involved in male gametogenesis. Together, these findings suggest that variation of panicle complexity in African rice may rely on heterochronic changes in branching activity as well as spikelet/floret meristem determinacy.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:50:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-01-26 / Uma grande quantidade dos vírus de importância médica, como o HIV, o vírus sincicial respiratório, o vírus da hepatite C, o vírus influenza A (H1N1), e o vírus da poliomielite, possui genoma RNA. Estes vírus apresentam taxas mutacionais extremamente altas, rápida cinética replicativa, população numerosa de partículas, e grande diversidade genética. Manifestas durante o processo infeccioso, tais características permitem a população viral adaptar-se rapidamente a ambientes dinâmicos, escapar ao sistema imunológico, desenvolver resistência às vacinas e drogas antivirais, e exibir dinâmica evolutiva complexa cuja compreensão representa um desafio para a genética de populações tradicional e para as estratégias de intervenção terapêutica efetiva. Para descrever biológica e matematicamente a evolução dos vírus RNA, modelos teóricos de evolução viral têm sido propostos, e muitas de suas predições foram confirmadas experimentalmente. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo simular computacionalmente e analisar um modelo de evolução viral que represente relações evolutivas existentes entre a população viral de genoma RNA e as diferentes pressões seletivas exercidas sobre ela na sua interação com o organismo hospedeiro. Também objetivou desenvolver um software de simulação computacional personalizado para o modelo de evolução viral, e demonstrar a possibilidade de descrever o modelo como um processo de ramificação de Galton-Watson. Entre os resultados e discussões delineados, encontram-se um critério analítico para estudo do tempo de recuperação e do regime crítico de um processo de ramificação de Galton-Watson aplicado à evolução viral; predições sobre a correlação entre fatores do organismo hospedeiro e a dinâmica evolutiva da população viral; predições sobre a contribuição da taxa mutacional, do tamanho e da capacidade replicativa máxima da população viral para o prognóstico e quatro fases da infecção: o tempo de recuperação, o equilíbrio mutação-seleção, o limiar da extinção, e a mutagênese letal. / A large amount of viruses of medical importance such as HIV, respiratory syncytial virus, the hepatitis C virus, influenza A (H1N1) and polio virus, has RNA genome. These viruses exhibit extremely high mutational rate, fast replicative kinetics, large population of particles and high genetic diversity. Manifested during the infectious process, these features allow the virus population to adapt quickly to dynamic environments, escape from the immune system, develop resistance to vaccines and antiviral drugs, and display complex evolutionary dynamics whose understanding represents a challenge to the traditional population genetics and for effective therapeutic intervention strategies. To describe mathematically and biological evolution of RNA viruses, theoretical models of virus evolution have been proposed, and many of their predictions were experimentally confirmed. This study aimed to simulate and analyze computationally a model of viral evolution that represents evolutionary relationships between the population of viral RNA genome and the different selective pressures on it in its interaction with the host organism. It also aimed to develop computational simulation software for the viral evolution model, and demonstrate the possibility of describing the model as a Galton-Watson branching process. Among the results and discussions outlined, there are an analytical criterion to study the recovery time and the critical regime of a Galton-Watson branching process applied to viral evolution; predictions about the correlation between factors of the host organism and the evolutionary dynamics of viral population; predictions about the contribution of mutational rate, the size and maximum replicative capacity of viral population for the prognosis and four stages of infection: recovery time, mutation-selection equilibrium, extinction threshold, and lethal mutagenesis. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Submitted by Jean Medeiros (jeanletras@uepb.edu.br) on 2017-07-12T13:01:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Gyslaynne Gomes da Silva Costa.pdf: 8445352 bytes, checksum: c68746ee165997cbcd4f291c73ca2286 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Secta BC (secta.csu.bc@uepb.edu.br) on 2017-07-20T12:19:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Gyslaynne Gomes da Silva Costa.pdf: 8445352 bytes, checksum: c68746ee165997cbcd4f291c73ca2286 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-20T12:19:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Gyslaynne Gomes da Silva Costa.pdf: 8445352 bytes, checksum: c68746ee165997cbcd4f291c73ca2286 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The canopy architecture study of species with morphologic, physiological and anatomical conditions of arid climates environments can bring understanding of the dynamics of growth of individuals in these environments. This study aimed to represent the archi tecture of the Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul) L.P. Queiroz canopy, through a network of knots and connectors, in order to show differences between individuals at different stages of plant development. The research was conducted in a forest fragment located in the city of Barra de Santana-PB in the Brazilian semiarid region. A network of knots and connectors represented the tree canopy of five individuals in three developmental stages: young, intermediate and adult. The height and diameter at ground level of the individuals was the criteria used to establish the plant developmental stages. The adult trees showed the highest values of knots and connectors and longer distances between knots indicating greater complexity of the tree canopy compared to young and intermediate trees. The knot types that occurred more frequently in all subjects in the three categories studied were the final and regular knots. The variable heights and diameter at ground level of individuals showed a positive correlation with the values of the architectural parameters. Therefore, this species does not maintain a standard in canopy architecture during its development, with different models of canopy architecture among young and adult plants showing adaptive features to the conditions of competition for resources. / O estudo da arquitetura de copa de espécies com adaptações morfológicas, fisiológicas e anatômicas às condições de ambientes de climas áridos pode trazer o entendimento da dinâmica do crescimento de indivíduos nestes ambientes. Este trabalho teve como obje tivo representar a arquitetura da copa de Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul) L.P. Queiroz, através de uma rede formada por nós e conectores, no intuito de mostrar diferenças entre indivíduos em diferentes estádios de desenvolvimento vegetal. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em um fragmento florestal localizado no município de Barra de Santana-PB no semiárido brasileiro. Uma rede composta por nós e conectores representou a copa de cinco indivíduos em três estádios de desenvolvimento: juvenil, intermediário e adulto. A altura e diâmetro ao nível do solo dos indivíduos foi o critério utilizado para estabelecer os estádios de desenvolvimento vegetal. Os indivíduos adultos apresentaram os maiores valores de nós e conetores e maiores distâncias entre os nós indicando maior complexidade da copa em relação aos indivíduos jovens e intermediários. Os tipos de nós que ocorreram com maior frequência em todos os indivíduos nas três categorias estudadas foram os nós finais e nós regulares. As variáveis alturas e diâmetro ao nível do solo dos indivíduos mostraram correlação positiva com os valores dos parâmetros de arquitetura. Portanto, esta espécie não mantém um padrão na arquitetura da copa durante o seu desenvolvimento, apresentando modelos diferenciados de arquitetura de copa entre as plantas jovens e adultas evidenciando características adaptativas as condições de competição por recursos.