Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 168 p.; also includes graphics (some col.). Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-168). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Göttingen, 2004. / English summary: International liability for damage caused by genetically modified organisms. Copyright by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V., to be exercised by Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht, Heidelberg. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. [393]-410) and index.

For milennia, agricultural genetics were common-pool, open access (or res nullius) resources, unencumbered by the assignment of property rights. Beginning in 1930, a series of legislative and judicial actions incrementally altered the legal definition of agricultural genetics and, ultimately, permitted the application of utility patents to a resource that was once free to all. In the factitious process of creating ownable property from that which was previously shared, the potential consequences of privatizing these res nullius resources were often unanticipated, underappreciated or entirely dismissed. Ramifications include not only the widely publicized concerns of environmental contretemps and the potentially insalubrious effects of consuming transgenic foods, but also more obscure implications, many of which are economically counterproductive and socially undesirable (e.g., promoting farmers onto a technology treadmill that requires them to implement successive iterations of evolving technologies or risk becoming noncompetitive; creating hostilities between technology adopters and non-adopting farmers which, in turn, complexifies social relationships and diminishes the quality of rural life; encouraging questionable corporate behaviors; promoting strategic hold-ups whereby broadly applied patents constrain the widespread use of licenses and consequently inhibit further evolution of technologies, and; creating patent thickets that produce bottlenecks, slow innovation, and increase transaction costs). Proponents of biotechnology seek to strengthen the inchoate property to the point of adoption by minimizing or negating controversial aspects while emphasizing potentially positive outcomes. Opposing interests attempt to exploit potentially negative implications or outcomes in an attempt to weaken the propertization to the point of abandonment. (According to Radin (2000b), the term, propertization, refers to the creation of property, often intangible, or at least less tangible than traditional chattel assets, through a socially sanctioned, uncertain and malleable process.) The success of any attempt to privatize agricultural genetics is not assured, and opportunistic stakeholders opposing or promoting the creation of the property will attempt to exploit this incertitude to influence the outcome of the inchoate propertization. Thus, unlike ownership of conventional, tangible properties (e.g., land or chattel), the successful (or, equally, unsuccessful) privatization of agricultural genetic sequences is dependent upon the process of creating the property, itself. Employing grounded theory methodologies, this dissertation analyzes five case studies to develop a unique model describing the uncertain process of creating property from agricultural genetics and facilitate explaining why certain propertization attempts are successful while others are not.

Heart failure induced by cardiac hypertrophy is a cause of high mortality in the world and has been the fastest growing cardiovascular disease over the past decade. Cardiac hypertrophy is characterised as a reactive increase in cardiac mass growth with a complex of ventricular remodelling. It occurs initially as a compensatory response to an increased workload but eventually leads to cardiac dysfunction. An in-depth understanding of cardiac hypertrophy and the capacity to regulate it has profound clinical implications. The MAPK pathways provide an important connection between external stimuli and intracellular signals for cardiac hypertrophic response. At least four MAPK subfamilies have been identified: extracellular-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), ERK5, c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinases (JNKs) and p38 MAPKs. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4), a vital activator of JNK and p38 is implicated as an important mediator of hypertrophy. ERK5, an atypical MAPK, is also involved in both hypertrophic growth and cardiomyocyte survival. However, conflicting data have been yielded from previously-published studies, since the results are based entirely on experiments conducted in cultured cardiomyocytes or transgenic and conventional knockout mouse models. To elucidate their biological roles and underlying signalling mechanisms in hypertrophy, mice with a cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of MKK4 or ERK5 (MKK4cko and ERK5cko mice) were generated in the present study. In response to pathological hypertrophic stresses including pressure overload or isoprenaline stimulation, MKK4cko mice developed exacerbated pathological hypertrophy with increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis, impaired cardiac function and remarkably upregulated NFAT (nuclear factor of T-cell) transcriptional activity. However, MKK4cko mice exhibited a similar extent of swimming exercise-induced physiological hypertrophy compared with the controls. In response to pathological hypertrophic stimuli, ERK5cko mice were resistant to hypertrophic growth, foetal gene induction and ventricular fibrosis, which is associated with repressed activation of MEF2 (myocyte enhancer factor 2). ERK5 deficiency also caused a profound increase in cardiomyocyte apoptosis which accounted for the impaired cardiac function. In conclusion, the present study provides biological evidence that clarifies in vivo functions of MKK4 and ERK5 in hypertrophy. MKK4 acts a protective role against pathological hypertrophy through inhibiting NFAT signalling, but it is not necessary for the regulation of physiological hypertrophy. ERK5 is essential for pathological hypertrophic remodelling and cardiomyocyte survival and its function in hypertrophic remodelling is mediated through regulation of MEF2 activity. Taken together, these data presented in my thesis advances knowledge about biological functions of MAPK pathways in the heart.

This study aims at the checking of effectiveness of international and national legal and institutional frameworks for the control of environmental and socioeconomic risks resulting from the use of genetically modified organisms before the largest commitment to guarantee the right to an ecologically balanced environment and the right to food sovereignty. This issue is relevant because of the serious environmental and socioeconomic threats that may result from implementation of such risks, considering the hypothesis that they were not studied and controlled by a rigorous precautionary approach. In order to achieve this goal, both bibliographic and documentary research were required. The bibliographic research allowed a better comprehension of the Theory of Risk Society and of the social and environmental risks associated with genetically modified crops. This bibliographic research also supports the analysis of international and national legal system, the judicial control of administrative discretion and the historic of the release of transgenic soybeans in Brazil. The basis of the documentary research are the Brazilian judgments dedicated to the release/ban of genetically modified organisms in the country and a specific contract for the commercial exploitation of transgenic soybeans. A number of relevant problems, arising from risk control exercised by administrative, legislative, judicial and contractual means, was duly identified. Based on this study, it was concluded the urgent need to reform these legal instruments, given their inability in achieving adequate precaution procedures so that these risks are effectively understood and controlled. / O presente trabalho objetiva analisar a eficácia do aparato jurídico-institucional internacional e nacional, para o controle dos riscos socioambientais derivados do uso de organismos geneticamente modificados, perante o compromisso maior de garantir o direito ao meio ambiente ecologicamente equilibrado e à soberania alimentar. Esse tema é relevante em virtude das graves ameaças ambientais e socioeconômicas que podem resultar da concretização de tais riscos, caso eles não sejam estudados e controlados a partir de uma abordagem precaucionária rigorosa. Para alcançar o objetivo proposto foram realizadas tanto pesquisa bibliográfica como documental. Com a pesquisa bibliográfica pretende-se, em primeiro lugar, auxiliar a compreensão da Teoria da Sociedade de Risco e dos riscos socioambientais associados aos transgênicos. Essa pesquisa bibliográfica também auxilia a análise do aparelho legislativo internacional e nacional, do controle judicial da discricionariedade administrativa e do histórico de liberação da soja transgênica no Brasil. A pesquisa documental tem por base decisões judiciais brasileiras dedicadas à liberação/proibição de transgênicos no país e um contrato específico de exploração comercial da soja transgênica. Foi identificada uma série de problemas derivados do controle de riscos exercido pelas vias administrativa, legislativa, judiciária e contratual. Com fundamentações nesse estudo, conclui-se pela premente necessidade de reforma desses instrumentos jurídicos, dado sua inabilidade na consecução de procedimentos precaucionários adequados, para que esses riscos sejam efetivamente compreendidos e controlados.

The diploma thesis focuses on investigating attitudes of czech high school students toward genetically modified organisms (= GMO). The main objectives of this thesis are to investigate students' attitudes toward, and knowledge of GMO, to find out any relation between attitudes toward, and knowledge of GMO. I found out if there is any relation between students' attitudes toward GMO and other factors like family environment (level and type of eduction of parents, religion), school environment (teachers who teach students, school) or place of residence. Data colletion was carried out by quantitative questionnaire survey among 185 Czech students of Prague's and out-of-town's grammar schools from 10 different classes. My findings show that the attitudes of Czech students toward GMO are positive and are not influenced by gender, parents' education, the students' attitudes toward biology, type of students' planned studies at university or the location of their school. However, at the same time, a statistically significant difference was found in the case of free-time activities, the teacher who teaches students and the purchase of organic food. In the case of the students' knowledge, a significant difference was found in the case of the type of the father's education, the type of the students' planned...

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:50:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-05-28. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:25:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 Publico-10921a.pdf: 1592777 bytes, checksum: 7d854c386b05884268c8e4a74b23d1dd (MD5). Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:25:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 2 Publico-10921a.pdf: 1592777 bytes, checksum: 7d854c386b05884268c8e4a74b23d1dd (MD5) Publico-10921b.pdf: 1890621 bytes, checksum: 9a2c7c7f503afda64c4ccccb296a2193 (MD5). Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:25:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 3 Publico-10921a.pdf: 1592777 bytes, checksum: 7d854c386b05884268c8e4a74b23d1dd (MD5) Publico-10921b.pdf: 1890621 bytes, checksum: 9a2c7c7f503afda64c4ccccb296a2193 (MD5) Publico-10921c.pdf: 1802078 bytes, checksum: abe7bcfbf5434d049fa4830000c4afab (MD5). Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:25:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 4 Publico-10921a.pdf: 1592777 bytes, checksum: 7d854c386b05884268c8e4a74b23d1dd (MD5) Publico-10921b.pdf: 1890621 bytes, checksum: 9a2c7c7f503afda64c4ccccb296a2193 (MD5) Publico-10921c.pdf: 1802078 bytes, checksum: abe7bcfbf5434d049fa4830000c4afab (MD5) Publico-10921d.pdf: 1224466 bytes, checksum: f4c12de814a5b8f7d7e0b7dec3980e89 (MD5) / Introdução: Alterações no tamponamento do cálcio citosólico (Ca+2 c) podem levar à desordens neurodegenerativas como a Doença de Huntington (DH). Vários mecanismos estão relacionados esses processos tais como a excitotoxicidade, o estresse oxidativo e as interações da proteína huntintina mutante (mhtt) com outras proteínas como a transglutaminase 2 (TG2). Essas alterações podem estar relacionadas com a ativação de mecanismos de morte celular ou autofagia. Objetivo: O objetivo deste projeto foi investigar os mecanismos celulares e moleculares envolvidos no processo de neurodegeneração da DH tais como alterações dos níveis de Ca+2 c relacionados com o transporte de Ca+2 mitocondrial (Ca+2 m) e reticular (Ca+2 RE), disfunção mitocondrial e morte celular, em três modelos experimentais: a) animais transgênicos da linhagem R6/1; b) linfoblastos provenientes de pacientes com DH; c) células MEFs (fibroblastos) normais e knock-outs para a TG2, na presença ou ausência da mhtt. Resultados e Conclusões: Nos camundongos transgênicos R6/1 houve um aumento significante do Ca+2 c em relação aos controles aos 9 meses de idade. Essa alteração parece ser devido a um aumento da liberação do Ca+2 m, do estresse oxidativo, do potencial de membrana mitocondrial (DYm) e do consumo de oxigênio. Os transgênicos não apresentaram diferença quanto à SDH, muito embora haja um aumento desta com o envelhecimento. Além disso, os linfoblastos de pacientes com DH apresentaram alterações do Ca+2 m e do Ca+2 RE, bem como um aumento na taxa de células autofágicas. Por outro lado, nas células de fibroblastos de camundongos embrionários (MEFs), a presença de mhtt parece não afetar a homeostase celular de Ca2+. A ausência da TG2 nestas células, influenciou não somente os níveis de Ca2+ c como também protegeu as células contra autofagia, mesmo na presença de mhtt. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-11-04Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:42:19Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000756745.pdf: 1138398 bytes, checksum: 0ec92173455c89e083b0acce53faaebd (MD5) / Uma das razões para a rápida adoção de milho transgênico no Brasil foi o benefício econômico que essa tecnologia pode proporcionar aos produtores, como redução nos custos de aplicação de inseticidas e aumento da renda, através da redução de perda de produtividade por ataques de insetos. Esses benefícios superam os custos da adoção de tal tecnologia, que é o valor (R$) pago pelos produtores ao usar a semente de milho geneticamente modificada (GM). Foi objetivo deste estudo dimensionar o retorno econômico e os riscos para os adotantes de milho GM em uma das principais regiões produtoras do Estado de São Paulo (Guaíra/SP), a partir da análise de variação das quantidades e preços de inseticidas 10 utilizados, ganhos em produtividade e variação das diferenças de preços de sementes de milho GM em relação aos híbridos convencionais, levando-se em consideração a variação dos preços de milho durante o período de estudo. A metodologia utilizada foi a de avaliação dos benefícios líquidos, ou seja, os ganhos econômicos menos os custos da tecnologia transgênica, sob condições de risco. Os benefícios líquidos podem oscilar em função de quatro variáveis críticas: (1) produtividade do milho transgênico; (2) custos de controle de lagartas; (3) preço do milho; (4) custo de sementes transgênicas. As funções de distribuição de probabilidade dessas variáveis críticas foram estimadas e incluídas na equação de benefícios líquidos. Utilizando o método de simulação de Monte Carlo, foram estimados os seguintes conjuntos de indicadores: medidas de tendência central, variabilidade dos benefícios líquidos (benefícios totais menos custos totais), análise de sensibilidade dos benefícios líquidos em relação às variáveis críticas e, por fim, mapeamento de risco dos adotantes da tecnologia transgênica. Esses indicadores permitiram desenhar cenários econômico... / One of the reasons for the rapid adoption of transgenic corn in Brazil was the economic benefit this technology can provide to the producers, such as a reduction in the costs of applying insecticides and increased income due to the reduction in productivity losses caused by insect attacks. These benefits outweigh the costs of adopting such technology, which is the value (R$) paid by the farmers to use genetically modified (GM) seeds. The objective of this study was to dimension the economic risks and returns to the adopters of GM corn in one of the major corn producing regions of the state of São Paulo, as from the analysis of variation of the quantities and prices of insecticides used, 12 productivity gains and variation in the price differentials of the GM corn seeds in relation to conventional hybrids, taking into account the variation in corn prices during the period studied. The methodology used was the analysis of the net benefits, that is, the economic gains minus the costs of GM technology under conditions of risk. Net benefits can fluctuate as a function of four critical variables: 1) GM corn productivity; 2) costs of caterpillar control; 3) the price of corn; 4) the cost of GM seeds. The probability distribution functions of these critical variables were estimated and included in the net benefit equation. Using the Monte Carlo simulation methodology, the following indicator sets were estimated: central tendency measurements, variability in net benefits (total benefits minus total costs), sensitivity analysis of the net benefits in relation to the critical variables, and finally, the mapping of the risk to GM technology adopters. These indicators allow one to design economic scenarios associated with their probability of occurring. In general, it appeared that farmers who adopted the planting of transgenic corn showed positive profitability levels. The probability of positive ...

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-07-24Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:58:00Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 costa_ll_me_jabo.pdf: 384581 bytes, checksum: 9399a91772503c1f48c8f0c1334b8197 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Objetivou-se estudar a dinâmica populacional de Alabama argillacea, (Hübner), o parasitismo natural dos ovos da referida praga por Trichogramma pretiosum Riley e a ocorrência de predadores em cultivares convencionais e transgênica de algodoeiro na região de Ipameri, GO. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos constituídos pelas cultivares convencionais DeltaOPAL, FMX 966, FMX 993; FMX 910 e a transgênica NuOPAL, com quatro repetições. As avaliações foram realizadas semanalmente após a emergência das plantas, examinando-se 5 plantas inteiras ao acaso, por parcela. Em relação à preferência de oviposição e ao parasitismo dos ovos de A. argillacea por T. pretiosum, verifica-se que não ocorreram diferenças siginificativas entre as cultivares. As lagartas do curuquerê ocorreram a partir dos 34 dias após a emergência das plantas (DAE), mas a densidade populacional nas cultivares convencionais foi mais intensa dos 89 aos 114 DAE, enquanto na cultivar transgênica observou-se apenas lagartas pequenas, em baixa densidade. Dos artrópodes predadores observados nas cultivares avaliadas, os coccinelídeos e aranhas foram os mais abundantes. A população de coccinelídeos foi maior no início do desenvolvimento do algodoeiro, com pico populacional sincronizado com o de Aphis gossypii Glover. Os pentatomídeos e forficulídeos predominaram dos 99 aos 128 DAE, enquanto as aranhas ocorreram em todo ciclo da cultura. Verificou-se também que não houve interação negativa entre os artrópodes predadores e não foi constatado efeito negativo da cultivar transgênica sobre os predadores observados. / The objective was to study the population dynamics of Alabama argillacea (Hueb.), natural egg parasitism of the mentioned pest by Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and the occurrence of predators in conventional and transgenic varieties of cotton in the region of Ipameri, GO. The experimental design was randomized blocks with five treatments consisting of the conventional cultivars DeltaOPAL, FMX 966, FMX 993, FMX 910 and transgenic NuOPAL, with four replications. Evaluations were performed weekly after emergence of plants, observed 5 entire plants at random per plot. Regarding the preference of oviposition and egg parasitism of A. argillacea by T. pretiosum it appears that there weren’t significant differences among cultivars. The larvae of cotton leafworm occurred from 34 days after plant emergence (DAE), but the population density of larvae in the conventional cultivars, was more intense from 89 to 114 DAE, while in transgenic cultivar was observed only small larvae, in low population density. Of the arthropods sampled in the cotton crop, the coccinellids and spiders were most abundant in the cultivars evaluated. The population of coccinellids was higher early in the development of cotton, with synchronized with the peak population of aphids, Aphis gossypii Glover. The predominant pentatomid and forficulid of 99 to 128 DAE, while the spiders occurred throughout the culture cycle. It was not found negative interactions between predatory arthropod and wasn’t observed negative effect of the transgenic cultivar on predator observed.

Orientador: Maura Seiko Tsutsui Esperancini / Banca: Luiz Cesar Ribas / Banca: Carmen Ozana de Melo / Banca: Ivana Marinho Barbaro / Banca: Izabel Cristina Takitane / Resumo: Uma das razões para a rápida adoção de milho transgênico no Brasil foi o benefício econômico que essa tecnologia pode proporcionar aos produtores, como redução nos custos de aplicação de inseticidas e aumento da renda, através da redução de perda de produtividade por ataques de insetos. Esses benefícios superam os custos da adoção de tal tecnologia, que é o valor (R$) pago pelos produtores ao usar a semente de milho geneticamente modificada (GM). Foi objetivo deste estudo dimensionar o retorno econômico e os riscos para os adotantes de milho GM em uma das principais regiões produtoras do Estado de São Paulo (Guaíra/SP), a partir da análise de variação das quantidades e preços de inseticidas 10 utilizados, ganhos em produtividade e variação das diferenças de preços de sementes de milho GM em relação aos híbridos convencionais, levando-se em consideração a variação dos preços de milho durante o período de estudo. A metodologia utilizada foi a de avaliação dos benefícios líquidos, ou seja, os ganhos econômicos menos os custos da tecnologia transgênica, sob condições de risco. Os benefícios líquidos podem oscilar em função de quatro variáveis críticas: (1) produtividade do milho transgênico; (2) custos de controle de lagartas; (3) preço do milho; (4) custo de sementes transgênicas. As funções de distribuição de probabilidade dessas variáveis críticas foram estimadas e incluídas na equação de benefícios líquidos. Utilizando o método de simulação de Monte Carlo, foram estimados os seguintes conjuntos de indicadores: medidas de tendência central, variabilidade dos benefícios líquidos (benefícios totais menos custos totais), análise de sensibilidade dos benefícios líquidos em relação às variáveis críticas e, por fim, mapeamento de risco dos adotantes da tecnologia transgênica. Esses indicadores permitiram desenhar cenários econômico ... / Abstract: One of the reasons for the rapid adoption of transgenic corn in Brazil was the economic benefit this technology can provide to the producers, such as a reduction in the costs of applying insecticides and increased income due to the reduction in productivity losses caused by insect attacks. These benefits outweigh the costs of adopting such technology, which is the value (R$) paid by the farmers to use genetically modified (GM) seeds. The objective of this study was to dimension the economic risks and returns to the adopters of GM corn in one of the major corn producing regions of the state of São Paulo, as from the analysis of variation of the quantities and prices of insecticides used, 12 productivity gains and variation in the price differentials of the GM corn seeds in relation to conventional hybrids, taking into account the variation in corn prices during the period studied. The methodology used was the analysis of the net benefits, that is, the economic gains minus the costs of GM technology under conditions of risk. Net benefits can fluctuate as a function of four critical variables: 1) GM corn productivity; 2) costs of caterpillar control; 3) the price of corn; 4) the cost of GM seeds. The probability distribution functions of these critical variables were estimated and included in the net benefit equation. Using the Monte Carlo simulation methodology, the following indicator sets were estimated: central tendency measurements, variability in net benefits (total benefits minus total costs), sensitivity analysis of the net benefits in relation to the critical variables, and finally, the mapping of the risk to GM technology adopters. These indicators allow one to design economic scenarios associated with their probability of occurring. In general, it appeared that farmers who adopted the planting of transgenic corn showed positive profitability levels. The probability of positive ... / Doutor