Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-06-14T12:02:13Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Ailce Moreira_dissertação versão final_sem assinaturas.pdf: 4525291 bytes, checksum: a240422a8d93f2b583fc33c8c4a3b78c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-14T12:02:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Ailce Moreira_dissertação versão final_sem assinaturas.pdf: 4525291 bytes, checksum: a240422a8d93f2b583fc33c8c4a3b78c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-27 / CAPEs / A presente pesquisa investiga como se desenvolve o processo de construção dramatúrgica em videodanças, tendo como objeto de análise a videodança Maxixe, da Cia. Etc. A pesquisa está inserida no Mestrado Acadêmico em Artes Visuais das Universidades Federais de Pernambuco e da Paraíba (UFPE/UFPB) e configura-se como aprofundamento de uma pesquisa histórica sobre a produção de videodanças em Recife, realizada no Acervo RecorDança. Durante o desenvolvimento da pesquisa, interessou-me estudar como o processo criativo, as instâncias dramatúrgicas e as circunstâncias de produção da obra contribuíram para a construção da dramaturgia nessa videodança. Essas instâncias a que me refiro estão divididas em: proposições corporais, textura espacial, figurino, sonorização, filmagem e edição. Para isso, desenvolvo um estudo de caso, utilizando como fundamentação teórica, principalmente, bibliografias que contemplam o campo da videodança, da dramaturgia e dos processos criativos. Nesse estudo, considero como dramaturgia o conjunto de elementos de uma criação, incluindo tanto às escolhas estéticas quanto às ideológicas, que contribui para a coerência dramatúrgica da obra (HERCOLES, 2005; PAVIS, 1999). E ressalto que cada um desses elementos estudados possui potencialmente uma parcela contributiva na construção dos nexos de sentido da videodança. A escolha de uma obra da Cia. Etc. dá-se por ser esta uma companhia atuante na cidade do Recife, que, além de produzir espetáculos e outros produtos artísticos, possui uma ação sistemática de estudo e produção de videodanças, configurando-se como única companhia de dança profissional que mantém tal prática na cidade. Dessa forma, me propus a fazer entrevistas com integrantes e ex-integrantes da companhia, a fim de realizar coleta e cruzamento de dados. Assim, considerando aspectos do processo criativo e dos resultados estéticos, foi possível entender as peculiaridades da forma como a dramaturgia é construída especificamente em Maxixe. / La presente pesquisa investiga cómo se desarrolla el proceso de construcción dramatúrgica en videodanzas, teniendo como objeto de análisis la videodanza Maxixe, de la Cia. Etc. La pesquisa está inserida en la Maestría Académica en Artes Visuales de las Universidades Federales de Pernambuco e de Paraíba (UFPE/UFPB) y es caracterizada como profundización de una pesquisa histórica acerca de la producción de videodanzas en Recife, hecha en el Acervo RecorDança. Durante el desarrollo de la pesquisa, me interesó estudiar como el proceso creativo, las instancias dramatúrgicas y las circunstancias de producción de la obra, contribuyeron para la construcción de la dramaturgia en esa videodanza. Las instancias las cuales me refiero están divididas en: proposiciones corporales, textura espacial, figurín, sonorización, filmación y edición. Para eso, desarrollo un estudio de caso, utilizando como fundamentación teórica, principalmente, bibliografías que contemplan el campo de la videodanza, de la dramaturgia y de los procesos creativos. En este estudio, considero como dramaturgia el conjunto de elementos de una creación, incluyendo tanto las selecciones estéticas cuanto las ideológicas, que contribuye para la coherencia dramatúrgica de la obra (HERCOLES, 2005; PAVIS, 1999). Resalto también que cada uno de esos elementos estudiados tiene potencialmente una parcela contributiva en la construcción de los nexos de sentido de la videodanza. La elección de una obra de la Cia Etc. es por esta ser una compañía actuante en la ciudad de Recife, que, además de producir espectáculos y otros productos artísticos, tiene una acción sistemática de estudio y producción de videodanzas, configurándose como única compañía de danza profesional que mantiene tal práctica en la ciudad. De esa forma, hice entrevistas con integrantes y ex-integrantes de la compañía, para realizar la colecta y el cruzamiento de los datos. Así, considerando aspectos del proceso creativo y de los resultados estéticos, fue posible entender las peculiaridades de como la dramaturgia es construida específicamente en el Maxixe.

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A rapidly expanding literature in International Relations theory researches how certain domestic entities both craft and implement important security policies that have direct implications to either domestic or international environments. The study of the role of the Intelligence Service in securitisation processes best fits into this characterisation, as the Intelligence Service is specially designed to collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information about domestic and international environments. Moreover, being an entity that has a particularly intimate relationship with political power, Intelligence Services also actively participate in implementing policies, explicitly performing its Instrumentality. This project provides a general framework for conceptualising the role – Agency and Instrumentality – of Intelligence Services in securitisation processes through assessing how the Intelligence Service behaves in various stages and phases of securitisation. In order to achieve the main aim – determining and assessing the Agency and Instrumentality of Intelligence in securitisation, the dissertation adopts a reformulated securitisation theory as an analytical framework. Securitisation is a special form of decision/policy making and implementation process that involves complex activities, like interactions, between a securitising actor and the targeted audience – whose receptivity is vital for the outcome of these interactions. What is known as securitisation is a routine and daily activity for the Intelligence Service in its interactions with the decision/policy makers and it is always prone to initiate securitisation, because securitisation grants Intelligence centrality and an undiminished access to resources. Applying a blended logic of inquiry, the thesis adopts an anti-foundationalist ontology and interpretivist/constructivist epistemology, qualitative methodology and triangulation technique to underpin the theoretical arguments. Moreover, out of the adopted ontological-epistemological positions and methodology, the thesis employs qualitative operationalisation. In order to substantiate the presented analytical claims with factual findings, the dissertation assesses the role of the CIA and SIS-MI6 in recent interconnected securitisation cases. The first pair of cases looks at the role (Agency and Instrumentality) of the CIA and SIS-MI6 in the securitisation of religion based terrorism, the “War on Terror” and the Invasion of Afghanistan. The second pair of cases scrutinises the role of the CIA and SIS-MI6 in the securitisation of Saddam’s regime and the Invasion of Iraq. The results of these case studies demonstrate that the Intelligence Service is one of the key constituents in securitisation processes and performs its Agency or Instrumentality depending on the phases of securitisation.

In 1954, the United States rescinded its Good Neighbor Policy toward Latin America when it conducted a covert operation, known as PBSUCCESS, in Guatemala that forced the resignation of democratically-elected President Jacobo Arbenz. Since then, scholars have written a wide array of books and articles pertaining to the subject. While most authors have focused attention on who was to blame for the coup, this research project takes a new approach by examining the roles of religion and entertainment in facilitating Arbenz's overthrow. Instead of investigating causes or motives of U.S. intervention, this project seeks to answer questions about the operation itself. It focuses on the role of culture in covert operations and combines political, economic, technological, religious, and cultural history to set scholarship on this event in a new direction. <br>From April-June 1954, the CIA employed psychological intelligence and propaganda to quickly destabilize Guatemalan politics. The CIA intelligence gathered before the psychological warfare campaign was used two ways: first by Catholic priests in Sunday homilies and second by a clandestine radio station (codenamed SHERWOOD). Together these forms of propaganda helped sway an ambivalent public (sixty percent of the Guatemalan population was indifferent toward its leader less than a month before the launch of the radio station) to support an "invasion" by a band of approximately 1,500 Guatemalan exiles led by Castillo Armas against the sitting government. / McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts / History / MA / Thesis

The aim of this thesis was to investigate genes involved in the late steps of the Cytosolic Iron sulfur cluster Assembly (CIA) pathway in procyclic T. brucei, to determine their cellular localization and find their possible interaction partners and substrates.

Submitted by LUIZ EDUARDO FRIN null (edufrin@uol.com.br) on 2017-06-27T15:27:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese de Doutorado Final Entregue para Depósito 26-06-2016 versão digital.pdf: 5809065 bytes, checksum: 4ae7dc71f7677f12c7e2960c62328664 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-06-28T19:51:03Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 frin_le_dr_ia.pdf: 5809065 bytes, checksum: 4ae7dc71f7677f12c7e2960c62328664 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-28T19:51:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 frin_le_dr_ia.pdf: 5809065 bytes, checksum: 4ae7dc71f7677f12c7e2960c62328664 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-02 / Este trabalho consolida-se na observação, em procedimento que se aproxima da pesquisa participativa, dos processos de criação dos espetáculos Maria que virou Jonas ou a força da imaginação (2015), da Cia. Livre, e Cabras – Cabeças que voam, cabeças que rolam (2016), da Cia. Teatro Balagan. Apesar de as Companhias paulistanas em epígrafe apresentarem práxis com características próprias, verificou-se um conjunto de proposições e procedimentos comuns na criação de espetáculos e, também, em uma série de atividades correlatas, como a publicação de material reflexivo, a realização de debates, palestras e cursos. A partir de tal verificação, propõe-se a existência, na cidade de São Paulo, nesta segunda década do século XXI, de forma de produção determinada historicamente. Isto é, a mobilização e a criação de um conjunto de parâmetros práxicos que está na base de realização teatral de caráter eminentemente épico, premida por pressupostos colaborativos de criação. Forma que, também, prevê a hierarquização horizontal nas relações em companhias e grupos teatrais. Tal conjunto de parâmetros constitui-se em orientação metodológica para uma significativa parcela da produção teatral na cidade, atinente ao sujeito histórico teatro de grupo. Coligindo determinada bibliografia e observação práxica, indica-se ponto de inflexão originário de tal forma de produção: os meados de 1970, em contexto da luta contra a ditadura civil-militar então vigente no Brasil. Coletivos teatrais surgidos à época, em comunhão com outros já em existência, ao priorizarem pressupostos colaborativos de criação e hierarquização horizontal, inseriram-se em amplo escopo de transformações na sociedade brasileira no período e, assim, redimensionaram a perspectiva social da produção teatral. Para se analisar os meandros de tal forma de produção, são utilizados preceitos de Fayga Ostrower (2013), principalmente no que diz respeito à associação direta entre criação e formalização. As teses de Ostrower são apresentadas em cotejamento, principalmente, às de Mikhail Bakhtin (1987, 2010) acerca de certa onipresença de elementos histórico-sociais em qualquer processo criativo. No sentido de observar e refletir dialeticamente sobre práticas teatrais (objetos e sujeitos desta pesquisa), apropria-se então de determinadas proposições. Teses, prioritariamente, de Eduardo Viveiros de Castro (2002), Darcy Ribeiro (2015), Antonio Candido (1970) e Roberto DaMatta (1997), que são consideradas para associar certas idiossincrasias, da referida forma, com alguns preceitos de sociedades ameríndias e, outros, fundantes do nomeado povo brasileiro. Destacando-se: o perspectivismo, a valorização da alteridade, a miscigenação e a malandragem. / This piece of work is consolidated through the observation, in a procedure close to participatory research, of the procedures adopted by the theatre groups Cia. Livre and Cia. Teatro Balagan, to create the plays Maria que viu Jonas, ou a força da imaginação (2015) and Cabras - Cabeças que voam, cabeças que rolam (2016). Despite of having their own praxis and owning specific characteristics, both São Paulo theatre groups mentioned above presented an ensemble of same propositions and procedures not only to create a performance, but also to organize other activities related to the plays, such as publicising reflective material, the organization of debates, lectures and courses. Once verified the characteristics previously mentioned, it is proposed the existence of the historically determined form of production in the city of São Paulo during the second decade of the XXI century. This means the mobilization and the creation of an ensemble of praxis parameters which are the basis to create epical theatrical performances urged by assumed collaborative creation. This approach to a theatrical production also previews the horizontal hierarchy in theatre groups relationships. These parameters determine a methodological guidance to a significant part of the theatrical production in town, concerning the historical entity: theatre group. Collecting specific bibliography and observation under adopted praxis, we determine the point of inflection originated from this form of production: the early 1970’s, under the scenario of civil-military dictatorship in force in Brazil. Theatrical collectives that emerged at the time, in communion with others that already existed, prioritizing collaborative creation presuppositions and horizontal hierarchization, became part of a broad scope of transformations in Brazilian society in the period and, thus, re-dimensioned the social perspective of theatrical production. In order to analyse the intricacies of this production method, Fayga Ostrower (2013) precepts are applied, mainly in what concerns the direct association between creation and formalization. Ostrower’s theses are presented in comparison to Mikhail Bakhtin’s (1987, 2010) about the omnipresence of basic historical-social elements in any creative process. In order to dialectically observe and portray the theatrical procedures (objects and subjects of this research), we take over some propositions. Theses, mainly by Eduardo Viveiros de Castro (2002), Darcy Ribeiro (2015), Antonio Candido (1970), and Roberto DaMatta (1997) are considered to associate some idiosyncrasies, according to the referred format, with some precepts of Amerindian societies, and others, roots of Brazilian people. Enphasizing: the perspectivism, the appreciation of contrast, the miscegenation and the malice.

Iron sulfur (FeS) clusters are ubiquitous metallocofactors required by a large number of proteins involved in myriad cellular processes. Nuclear and cytosolic FeS proteins depend on the cytosolic iron sulfur cluster assembly (CIA) pathway for cluster acquisition. The CIA pathway begins with a scaffolding complex, comprising Nbp35 and Cfd1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nbp35 and Cfd1 each harbor a deviant Walker A domain for nucleotide hydrolysis that is essential for their FeS cluster scaffolding activity. Since there is little information about the CIA scaffold’s nucleotide hydrolysis activity, it has been challenging to discern the role nucleotide is playing in FeS cluster biogenesis. This thesis investigates the nucleotide driven steps of FeS cluster assembly and transfer, and the individual roles of the scaffold subunits Nbp35 and Cfd1. First addressed was answering the question of why two different scaffold subunits are needed for CIA function, and identifying the scaffold’s quaternary structure. Size exclusion chromatography revealed that the CIA scaffold exists as homodimers and heterodimers. Only Nbp352 and Nbp35-Cfd1 exhibited detectable ATPase activity. Though Cfd12 did not have detectable ATPase activity, it bound nucleotide with an affinity comparable to Nbp352 and Nbp35-Cfd1. Site directed mutagenesis and nucleotide binding studies revealed that the Cfd1 subunit is the high affinity binding site for ATP in Nbp35-Cfd1, and that the Nbp35 subunit binds nucleotide at saturating concentrations. Cfd1 therefore controls nucleotide binding in Nbp35-Cfd1. Additionally, it was found that the Cfd1 subunit is hydrolysis competent when complexed with Nbp35, identifying Nbp35 as an activator of Nbp35-Cfd1’s ATPase activity. Next, ATP’s role in FeS cluster biogenesis by CIA was identified. Mutation of the ATPase domain of Nbp35 impaired the ability of the scaffold to assemble and transfer FeS clusters in vivo. Four phenotypes were identified by observing how each mutation affected the scaffold’s nucleotide binding and hydrolysis. In vitro experiments established that cluster occupancy of the bridging cluster site of Nbp35-Cfd1 decreased the scaffold’s affinity for nucleotide. These results support a model of FeS cluster biogenesis in which nucleotide binding and FeS cluster binding regulate one other, with the bridging cluster site translating information to the ATPase site and vice versa. Nucleotide binding is also proposed to drive a conformational change that mediates interaction with another CIA component, later identified as Dre2. Dre2 was found to stimulate the rate of ATP hydrolysis by Nbp35-Cfd1 in an FeS cluster dependent manner. It is likely that nucleotide hydrolysis is then needed for the scaffold to assemble and/or transfer the FeS cluster. The results of these experiments have allowed us to describe the critical role of nucleotide in FeS biogenesis by CIA and explain the requirement for two distinct scaffold subunits. Finally, a fluorescent [Fe4S4] cluster sensor based on bacterial FNR (fumarate and nitrate reductase transcription factor) was designed, developed, and tested for practicality. FNR was fused to a SNAP tag protein which was then covalently labeled with a fluorescent molecule. The loss of cluster by the sensor resulted in an increase in fluorescence intensity, due to the cluster’s ability to quench fluorescence. As such, cluster decay rates could be measured as a function of increasing fluorescence intensity. The rates observed via fluorescence followed the same trends as the rates obtained by measuring the decay of clusters via absorbance. Encouragingly, the rates observed for the cluster decay were similar to decay rates determined previously via alternative methods.

Os microRNAs são pequenos RNAs, não-codificantes que funcionam como reguladores a nível pós-transcricional da expressão gênica. Nos últimos anos, novas evidências demonstram o papel importante dos microRNAs na regulação e desenvolvimento do sistema imune. Apesar da função de poucos microRNAs ser conhecida, a sua expressão alterada vêm sendo associada a patogênese de diversas doenças autoimunes, incluindo a artrite reumatóide (AR). Recentemente a expressão desregulada de uma série de microRNAs está sendo descrita em pacientes com AR, e o papel patogênico de apenas uma parte deles foi investigada em modelos animais. A artrite reumatóide é uma doença autoimune sistêmica caracterizada por um intenso processo inflamatório na sinóvia, podendo causar destruição óssea e articular. Os linfócitos T apresentam papel importante na indução, manutenção e progressão da doença. A artrite induzida por colágeno é um modelo animal amplamente utilizado por suas características fisiopatológicas muito similares à doença em humanos. A linhagem de camundongos DBA-1/J desenvolve a doença após imunização e booster com colágeno do tipo II, enquanto que a linhagem DBA-2/J se mostra refratária. Isso confere um sistema modelo de susceptibilidade/resistência à artrite, que pode ser estudado em diferentes abordagens. O objetivo do nosso estudo foi identificar o perfil transcricional e as redes de interação entre um grupo de microRNAs e seus respectivos alvos nos timócitos e linfócitos T CD3+ periféricos nos camundongos da linhagem DBA-1/J e DBA-2/J. Para a avaliação da expressão gênica, utilizou-se a tecnologia de microarrays. O uso de programas de análise e para a construção das redes foi imprescindível. Os resultados encontrados evidenciam uma expressão diferenciada de mRNAs e microRNAs em timócitos e linfócitos T CD3+ periféricos entre as duas linhagens utilizadas. Novos microRNAs foram encontrados nos diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento do linfócito T. Nas redes de interação microRNA-RNAm obtidas, genes importantes associados aos processos de sistema imune, adesão e diferenciação celular, apoptose, recombinação, ativação de linfócitos T e resposta inflamatória, foram encontrados como potenciais alvos. Além disso, em uma perspectiva clínica, baseados nos resultados obtidos em camundongo, nos encontramos a expressão do miR-505 nos linfócitos T de pacientes com AR. Nossos resultados contribuem para a melhor compreensão dos mecanismos molecular envolvidos na resistência/susceptibilidade a CIA. / MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that modulate the expression of multiple protein-encoding genes at the post-transcriptional level. During the last several years, evidence has emerged to show their critical role for the regulation and development of immune system. Although the function of most mammalian miRNAs has yet to be determined, their aberrant expression has been associated with several autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, the deregulated expression of a dozen miRNAs has been reported in patients with RA, and the pathogenic role of only a few of these has been investigated in experimental mouse models. RA is a systemic autoimmune disorder mainly characterized by the inflammation of synovial tissue that can lead to destruction of bone and cartilage. The role of effectors T cells in induction, maintenance and progression of the disease is now becoming better understood. Collagen-induced arthritis is an animal model widely studied due to its similarities to human disease. The DBA-1/J mouse strain develops arthritis after immunization process and booster with Type II collagen, and the DBA-2/J strain is refractory to the disease induction. This offers an useful susceptibility/resistance model-system to study RA. The aim of this study was to identify the expression profiles and interaction networks between a set of microRNAs and their mRNA targets in thymocytes and peripheral CD3+ T lymphocytes in DBA-1/J and DBA-2/J mice strain. For this purpose we used the microarray technology to evaluate the expression of the miRNAs and mRNAs as possible targets involved in this process. The use of bioinformatics software to reconstruct the networks was essential. The results show differential expression of mRNAs and miRNAs in thymocytes and peripheral CD3+ T lymphocytes between both strains. New miRNAs were found during all the stages of T cells development. The microRNA-mRNA interaction networks obtained in this study showed that important genes related to apoptose, immune system, recombination, cell adhesion and differentiation, inflammatory process and T cell activation were found as potential targets. In addition, in a clinical prospects, based on the results obtained in mice, we found the expression of the miRNA miR-505 in T cells of RA patients. Our results contribute to a better understand of the molecular mechanisms evolved in the resistance/susceptibility to CIA.

Alors que la République Démocratique du Congo devient indépendant en juin 1960 seulement quelques semaines après le pays va connaitre une crise politique et sociale qui va durer sept ans. Cette "crise du Congo" qui durera sept ans voit l'arrivée de mouvements sécessionnistes, de rébellions populaires et des forces militaires externes. Dans le cas de le province de Katanga, le moteur économique de la DRC, ces forces militaires externes sont composées de mercenaires européens, sud-africains et/ou rhodésiens embauchés et payés par les sociétés minières belges. Bien que les Nations-unies obligent le départ des mercenaires et arrivent à restaurer l'intégrité de la DRC, dès leur départ en 1963 le pays sombre de nouveau dans le désordre. En effet, une rébellion rurale d'inspiration marxiste et soutenue par la République Populaire de Chine gagne deux tiers du pays. Pire, en juillet 1964, la deuxième ville de la DRC, Stanleyville, est capturé par les forces rebelles et ces Simba menacent la vie de quelques centaines d'Européens, la plupart des citoyens belges.Pour les Etats-Unis qui tentent depuis quatre ans de faire régner la stabilité au Congo, les Simba représentent un vrai danger du fait de leur soutien par la Chine et d'autres pays africains radicaux. Aux yeux des Etats-Unis ce soutien signale que le communisme risque de prend pied dans l'Afrique centrale. En respect des idéologies telles que de Containment et de l'Effet Domino ce n'est pas une situation qui peut perdurer.En manque de forces armées capables de lutter efficacement contre les rebelles tout en gardant leur intervention secrète, les Etats-Unis forment une alliance avec la Belgique et une Armée nationale congolaise (ANC) renforcée par le retour de centaines de mercenaires blancs. D'ailleurs, les Etats-Unis fournissent leurs propres forces clandestines constituées d'exilés cubains recrutés par la CIA. Ces Exilés ont participé dans un nombre d'opérations clandestines montées par la CIA et, notamment, l'invasion de la Baie des Cochons qui visait à déposer Fidel Castro. En participant à ces opérations en avril 1961, ils rejoignent la liste de combattants anti-communistes utilisée par la CIA en Chine, et au Guatemala.Composé de pilotes d'avion et aussi d'une petite force commando, ces Exiles nommées collectivement le Makasi contribuent aux opérations qui visent à libérer Stanleyville et vaincre la rébellion. D'ailleurs, à partir de septembre 1965, une force navale composée d'Exilés va aussi mener des opérations sur le Lac Tanganyika. Ces opérations consistent empêcher l'arrivée dans les zones rebelles des vives et de munitions nécessaires pour la suite de la rébellion. Fournies par les pays tels que la Chine et l'Algérie, les forces rebelles reçoivent de l'aide de la part de Che Guevara. Envie de provoquer une révolution populaire en Afrique, Guevara restera au Congo que six mois. Sa présence dans ce pays ayant été vite détectée par les Etats-Unis, les Exilés cubains en sont avertis et considèrent que la guerre au Congo leur offre la possibilité de prendre une revanche sur Castro et la défaite à la Baie des Cochons. / Whereas the Democratic Republic of the Congo became independent in June 1960 within a very short space of time the country will be torn apart by a series of secession and rebellions. In Katanga, secession is supported by the arrival of a mercenary army and the United Nations is sent to restore order by ridding the Congo of these foreign forces.The UN mission complete and its forces having been withdrawn by July 1963, the Congolese government will then be confronted by a popular rebellion in rural areas of the Congo. Supported by the People's Republic of China and radical African nations this communist-inspired rebellion makes rapid progress and soon two-thirds of the Congo is in the hands of the Simbas, the name adopted by the rebels. By August 1964 the Simbas have reached Stanleyville, the Congo's second largest city, and threaten to kill hundreds of mainly Belgian hostages. With the Congolese National Army being unfit to defeat the rebellion alone, it is reinforced by hundreds of white mercenaries. Seeing the rebellion and its communist support as a threat to its ideologies of Containment and the Domino Theory, the United States also provides military assistance in the shape of an air force and a small commando unit. Known collectively as the Makasi, these US covert forces comprise of Cuban Exiles recruited and paid by the CIA. Many of these Exiles took part in the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961. These Exiles join the list of CIA covert forces who have taken part in secret operations in China and in Guatemala. They will be joined by more veterans of the failed invasion in 1965 when a naval force is created to patrol Lake Tanganyika. It is from here that rebel forces are being supplied with food and weapons provided by communist-bloc nations and supporters. Moreover, from April 1965, the rebel forces will also be joined by Che Guevara who has hopes of starting up a popular revolution in the heart of Africa. Guevara's presence in the Congo being rapidly detected by the US, the Exiles are informed and see the Congo as an opportunity to gain revenge for the Bay of Pigs.

Os microRNAs são pequenos RNAs, não-codificantes que funcionam como reguladores a nível pós-transcricional da expressão gênica. Nos últimos anos, novas evidências demonstram o papel importante dos microRNAs na regulação e desenvolvimento do sistema imune. Apesar da função de poucos microRNAs ser conhecida, a sua expressão alterada vêm sendo associada a patogênese de diversas doenças autoimunes, incluindo a artrite reumatóide (AR). Recentemente a expressão desregulada de uma série de microRNAs está sendo descrita em pacientes com AR, e o papel patogênico de apenas uma parte deles foi investigada em modelos animais. A artrite reumatóide é uma doença autoimune sistêmica caracterizada por um intenso processo inflamatório na sinóvia, podendo causar destruição óssea e articular. Os linfócitos T apresentam papel importante na indução, manutenção e progressão da doença. A artrite induzida por colágeno é um modelo animal amplamente utilizado por suas características fisiopatológicas muito similares à doença em humanos. A linhagem de camundongos DBA-1/J desenvolve a doença após imunização e booster com colágeno do tipo II, enquanto que a linhagem DBA-2/J se mostra refratária. Isso confere um sistema modelo de susceptibilidade/resistência à artrite, que pode ser estudado em diferentes abordagens. O objetivo do nosso estudo foi identificar o perfil transcricional e as redes de interação entre um grupo de microRNAs e seus respectivos alvos nos timócitos e linfócitos T CD3+ periféricos nos camundongos da linhagem DBA-1/J e DBA-2/J. Para a avaliação da expressão gênica, utilizou-se a tecnologia de microarrays. O uso de programas de análise e para a construção das redes foi imprescindível. Os resultados encontrados evidenciam uma expressão diferenciada de mRNAs e microRNAs em timócitos e linfócitos T CD3+ periféricos entre as duas linhagens utilizadas. Novos microRNAs foram encontrados nos diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento do linfócito T. Nas redes de interação microRNA-RNAm obtidas, genes importantes associados aos processos de sistema imune, adesão e diferenciação celular, apoptose, recombinação, ativação de linfócitos T e resposta inflamatória, foram encontrados como potenciais alvos. Além disso, em uma perspectiva clínica, baseados nos resultados obtidos em camundongo, nos encontramos a expressão do miR-505 nos linfócitos T de pacientes com AR. Nossos resultados contribuem para a melhor compreensão dos mecanismos molecular envolvidos na resistência/susceptibilidade a CIA. / MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that modulate the expression of multiple protein-encoding genes at the post-transcriptional level. During the last several years, evidence has emerged to show their critical role for the regulation and development of immune system. Although the function of most mammalian miRNAs has yet to be determined, their aberrant expression has been associated with several autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, the deregulated expression of a dozen miRNAs has been reported in patients with RA, and the pathogenic role of only a few of these has been investigated in experimental mouse models. RA is a systemic autoimmune disorder mainly characterized by the inflammation of synovial tissue that can lead to destruction of bone and cartilage. The role of effectors T cells in induction, maintenance and progression of the disease is now becoming better understood. Collagen-induced arthritis is an animal model widely studied due to its similarities to human disease. The DBA-1/J mouse strain develops arthritis after immunization process and booster with Type II collagen, and the DBA-2/J strain is refractory to the disease induction. This offers an useful susceptibility/resistance model-system to study RA. The aim of this study was to identify the expression profiles and interaction networks between a set of microRNAs and their mRNA targets in thymocytes and peripheral CD3+ T lymphocytes in DBA-1/J and DBA-2/J mice strain. For this purpose we used the microarray technology to evaluate the expression of the miRNAs and mRNAs as possible targets involved in this process. The use of bioinformatics software to reconstruct the networks was essential. The results show differential expression of mRNAs and miRNAs in thymocytes and peripheral CD3+ T lymphocytes between both strains. New miRNAs were found during all the stages of T cells development. The microRNA-mRNA interaction networks obtained in this study showed that important genes related to apoptose, immune system, recombination, cell adhesion and differentiation, inflammatory process and T cell activation were found as potential targets. In addition, in a clinical prospects, based on the results obtained in mice, we found the expression of the miRNA miR-505 in T cells of RA patients. Our results contribute to a better understand of the molecular mechanisms evolved in the resistance/susceptibility to CIA.