Dynamic regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is required for synapses to form and maintain their shape. The actin cytoskeleton is regulated by Rho GTPases in response to genetic and extracellular signals. Rho GTPases are regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors and GTPase activating proteins (GAPs). Syd-1 is a protein that has been identified as necessary for synapse formation in worms, with similar proteins in flies, and mice. Little is known about the molecular mechanism by which Syd-1 is acting. While genetic techniques are great tools for examining synapse development, they are limited by their inability to consider the molecular nature of the protein product. By studying the biochemical nature of synaptic proteins, we can begin to understand their function with a new level of clarity. Syd-1 has a predicted Rho GAP domain; however it is thought to be inactive. The activity of the fly protein, Dsyd-1, has never been examined although it has been speculated that it is inactive in all invertebrates. Recently the mouse version was reported to have Rho GAP activity. By performing GTPase activity assays on purified proteins, I found the GAP domain of Dsyd-1 increased the GTPase activity of Rac-1 and Cdc42 but not RhoA. Members of our lab found the activity of Dsyd-1 is necessary for proper synapse formation both at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction as well as in R7 neurons. In Caenorhabditis elegans, Syd-1 was found to interact with presynaptic protein RSY-1. Since RSY-1 is evolutionarily conserved, I tested whether or not RSY-1 has a similar effect on R neurons in Drosophila. I also isolated mRNA from R neurons and evaluated the possibility of analyzing mutant neurons using comparative transcriptomics. This dissertation includes previously unpublished coauthored material.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:12:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2006-Andrea Simone Gomes Rente.pdf: 3625015 bytes, checksum: 7b6af838afbe9d1b02c310b4329bba14 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-03-10 / This dissertation had as foundation the case study: the creation APA - Alter do Ch?o, located in the area of the Eixo Forte, in the district of Alter do Ch?o, in Santar?m, Par?, Amazonian. The used methodological base was a Bibliographical Revision that it allowed a dialogue of the main themes and, a Research of Field, where we took place open interviews and collection of information in municipal and federal government institutions. The field research had as last end the characterization of the area and the rebuilding of the process of creation of APA - Alter of the Ground through oral report and of participant observation. It was looked for, to leave of those methods, to reach the objectives ends. Such objectives are related with the understanding attempt of as the process of creation of an Area of Environmental Protection - APA, in the case APA - Alter do Ch?o, can be or no seen as inspiration for the maintainable development with freedom in a given area, taking into account aspects political, economical, social and environmental that you/they permeate such process. That process that, in all of the levels, it is sustained starting from the relationship society-nature and starting from the faith that Unit of Conservation - UC of Maintainable Use, as APA's and the development can be configured as possible relationships since there is a perception that the society has freedom and she needs to acquire capacities to do choices, making possible to the members of this to reach a landing in that you/they recognize that his/her survival and of other generations they depend on these choices. In this sense, they are two the main results of this study: the first is related to the perception that APA's while strategies of environmental public politics can be seen as means of making possible the relationship society-nature starting from a democratic participation process in that the main involved actors agree and stimulated her use the same ones in the search of the development. And, according to the positive vision of the development, harnessing it to processes that unchain creation of UC's of Maintainable Use, like APA - Alter do Ch?o. / Esta disserta??o teve como fundamento o estudo de caso: a cria??o APA Alter do Ch?o, situada na regi?o do Eixo Forte, no distrito de Alter do Ch?o, em Santar?m, Par?, Amaz?nia. A base metodol?gica utilizada foi uma Revis?o Bibliogr?fica que permitiu um di?logo das principais tem?ticas referenciadas e, uma Pesquisa de Campo, onde se realizou entrevistas abertas e coleta de informa??es em institui??es governamentais municipais e federais. A pesquisa de campo teve como fim ?ltimo a caracteriza??o da ?rea e a reconstitui??o do processo de cria??o da APA Alter do Ch?o atrav?s de relato oral e de observa??o participante. Buscou-se, a partir desses m?todos, atingir os objetivos fins. Tais objetivos est?o relacionados com a tentativa de compreens?o de como o processo de cria??o de uma ?rea de Prote??o Ambiental - APA, no caso a APA Alter do Ch?o, pode ser ou n?o visto como inspira??o para o desenvolvimento sustent?vel com liberdade em uma dada regi?o, levando em conta aspectos pol?ticos, econ?micos, sociais e ambientais que permeiam tal processo. Esse processo que, em todos os n?veis, se sustenta a partir da rela??o sociedade-natureza e a partir da cren?a de que Unidade de Conserva??o UC de Uso Sustent?vel, como as APA s e o desenvolvimento podem configurar-se como rela??es poss?veis desde que haja uma percep??o que a sociedade tem liberdade e precisa adquirir capacidades de fazer escolhas, possibilitando aos membros desta atingir um patamar em que reconhe?am que a sua sobreviv?ncia e de outras gera??es dependem destas escolhas. Neste sentido, s?o dois os principais resultados deste estudo: o primeiro est? relacionado ? percep??o de que as APA s enquanto estrat?gias de pol?ticas p?blicas ambientais podem ser vistas como meios de viabilizar a rela??o sociedade-natureza a partir de um processo de participa??o democr?tico em que os principais atores envolvidos estejam de acordo e estimulados a usarem as mesmas na busca do desenvolvimento. E, segundo a vis?o positiva do desenvolvimento, atrelando-o a processos que desencadeiam cria??o de UC s de Uso Sustent?vel, como a APA Alter do Ch?o.

Free play is a term that often common in educational activities. The definition of the term is difficult, but it is about the children themselves decides the scope, content and process in their play. On an after-school, this may mean that it is the children are given the opportunity to freely choose their own activity in the leisure constraints. Free play can be an alternative to other, more controlled activities where adults control framework. The purpose of this study is to investigate the variations in how some children perceive and experience the phenomenon of free play in the after-school and how the children perceive the teacher´s role in the free game. The study empirical data is limited to a class, in a department in an after-school center in the inner suburbs of Stockholm. School centers and schools are integrated with each other and operations are in close cordinations and cooperation in common areas. Study based in two qualitative semi-structured focus group interviews with three children in each other group. To analyze the material used a phenomenographic analysis model. The result show that children feel that it is imortant to have free play in the school center. The children experience a degree of freedom, because you yourself may determine the content of their play. Pedagogue role in the free game perceive children as a role, where the adults keep order and ensure that the children needs are met and to avoid conflict. Educators will alto be assisting with activities to inspire creativity. Free play is also linked to emotions such as desire and curiosity and to friends enriches free play greatly.