Understanding the local conformations of DNA at the level of individual nucleic acid bases is important for the study of the mechanism of DNA sequence-dependent behavior. Here we apply linear absorption, circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence spectroscopy to study the DNA local base conformation using 6-methyl Isoxanthopterin (6-MI) labeled DNA. We interpret excitation–emission peak shift (EES) measurements of the 6-MI, both as a ribonucleotide monophosphate in solution and as a site-specific substituent for guanine in various DNA constructs, by implementing a simple two-state model. We show that the spectroscopic properties of the 6-MI probe in DNA can be used to obtain detailed information about local base conformations and conformational heterogeneity and fluctuations. Based on these findings, we apply a simple theoretical model to calculate CD of 6-MI substituted DNA constructs. We find that our model can be used to extract basesequence- dependent information about the local conformation of the 6-MI probe as modulated by the local base or base-pair environment. We next apply 6-MI to probe the ligand insertion of small molecules to duplex DNA, further extending the potential of 6- MI as a useful reporter of local nucleic acid base conformation. These studies served to establish a new level of sophistication in qualitatively analyzing 6-MI structural behavior in terms of local base stacking and unstacking conformations. v This dissertation contains previously published and unpublished co-authored material.

A boundedness structure (bornology) on a topological space is an ideal of subsets containing all singletons, that is, closed under taking subsets and unions of finitely many elements. In this paper we deal with the structure of the whole family of bounded subsets rather than the specific properties of them by means of certain functions that we define on a metrizable topological group. Our motivation is twofold: on the one hand, we obtain useful information about the structural features of certain remarkable classes of bounded systems, cofinality, local properties, etc. For example, we estimate the cofinality of these boundedness notions. In the second part of the paper, we apply duality methods in order to obtain estimations of the size of a local base for an important class of groups. This translation, which has been widely exhibited in the Pontryagin-van Kampen duality theory of locally compact abelian groups, is often very relevant and has been extended by many authors to more general classes of topological groups. In this work we follow basically the pattern and terminology given by Vilenkin in 1998.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Parting from Schumpeter s determinants of investment, an Evolutionary Theory is developed and with a base on the gene, identifying elements that encode routines and develop skills, establishing control, copying and imitation. Scientific technological knowledge, thus generated, can be created or replicated locally, creating what is called a "cluster of knowledge", leading to a dynamic Local Base of Innovation. A Federal Institution (FI) has two complementary roles: training human resources and accumulating techno-scientific knowledge to contribute to the implementation of a local socio-economy. These functions require a pattern of financing, which on the internal side, are derived by the application of "models of partition of OCC (Other Expenses and Capital)" by MEC / SESu determined by the Student-Equivalent Model, that is insufficient to take account the expansion plans of IFES. On the other hand, IFES seek external support to complement funding limitations via Projects, Programs, Parliamentary Amendments, among others, as was the case with UFS. To give consistency to our analysis, the case of the UFS was investigated, by historically analyzing results of approximately 10 years based on critical variables and parameters that make up the Student-Equivalent Model. We detected, despite the rapid growth of these variables, that elements of external and extra-budgetary partnerships were essential, illustrated by the examples of the NUPEG-SE and REUNI. The patterns of internal funding, allied by external partnerships, helped pave the way to consolidate UFS in its role as the Base of Local Innovation. / A partir dos determinantes Schumpeterianos do Investimento, desenvolvemos a Teoria Evolucionária e, com base no gene, apontamos os elementos que codificam a rotina e desenvolvem habilidades, estabelecendo o controle, a cópia e a imitação. O conhecimento científico-tecnológico, assim gerado, pode ser criado ou replicado localmente, originando o chamado cluster de conhecimento , dinamizando uma Base Local de Inovação. Uma Instituição Federal de Esnsino Superior (IFES) cumpre dois papéis complementares: formar recursos humanos e aportar conhecimentos tecnicocientíficos para a implementação de uma socioeconomia local. Essas funções exigem um padrão de financiamento que, pelo lado interno, resultam na aplicação de modelos de partição de OCC (Outros Custeios e Capital) pelo MEC/ SESu, sendo determinante o Aluno Equivalente ao se mostrar insuficiente para dar conta das pretensões de expansão das IFES . Por outro lado, as IFES buscam apoio externo e complementares para as suas carências de financiamento, mediante projetos, programas, emendas parlamentares, entre outras, como foi o caso da UFS. Para dar consistência à nossa análise aprofundamos o caso da UFS, recuperando historicamente, numa trajetória aproximada de 10 anos, as variáveis críticas e os parâmetros que compõem o Modelo Aluno-Equivalente. Detectamos, apesar do vigor de crescimento, que foram essenciais os elementos de parcerias externas e extra-orçamentárias, como o NUPEG-SE e o REUNI. Os padrões de financiamento interno, aliado às parcerias permitiram pavimentar o papel da UFS, para consolidação da Base Local de Inovação.