This thesis aims to investigate the attitudes towards organic farming and how agricultural space is understood among organic farmers in the Swedish region of Halland and then to relate this to the ongoing discussion on multifunctional agricultural transition. The research is based on a field study on nine different organic farms in Halland, where qualitative interviews have been conducted for the creation of the empirical results. Using the theory of planned behavior and the concept of the “good farmer”, the thesis has revealed that the organic farming community in Halland is heterogeneous and different perspectives and attitudes are expressed about organic farming and agriculture. While the farmers are driven by many aspects of organic farming, the attitudes towards agriculture are often in line with traditional productivist ideals highlighting clean fields and high yields, even though many organic farmers have started to question the traditional norms often due to the different conditions met by organic farmers. Due to the various attitudes represented, the range within the multifunctional agricultural spectrum is rather wide were some organic farmers understand agricultural space more in line with productivist ideals while others express attitudes in line with organic farming principles, suggesting a strong multifunctional understanding of agricultural space.

Grassroots urban agriculture projects are highly interactive spaces, allowing people from different socio-cultural and economic backgrounds to learn, play and work together. They offer unconventional urban greenspace and recreational opportunities and contribute to urbanites’ understanding of how food is grown. Landscape architects can contribute numerous professional strengths to the design of these food-oriented landscapes. Case study research at Hackney City Farm, UK, and Prinzessinnengarten, Germany, illustrates that grassroots projects could benefit from a strong spatial design and increased layering of on-site uses in order to serve a greater cross-section of the community than at present. This research culminates in the design of a multifunctional food-oriented landscape at Brant Avenue Public School, Guelph, and is shaped by the case study findings and literature on participatory design and facilitation. The research demonstrates how landscape architects can work with community groups to provide a high diversity of on-site uses and user experience.

No description available.

Food protein-derived peptides have increasingly become important sources of ingredients for the formulation of therapeutic products. The main aim of this work was to study the in vitro and in vivo bioactive properties of structurally diverse group of peptides produced through enzymatic hydrolysis of flaxseed proteins (FP). Hydrolysis of FP with seven proteases followed by fractionation into low-molecular-weight (LMW) cationic fractions yielded multifunctional peptides that inhibited angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and renin activities, which are molecular targets for antihypertensive agents. The LMW peptides also exhibited antioxidant properties by scavenging free radicals and inhibiting amine oxidase activity. The peptide fractions showed inhibition of calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase, an enzyme that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases. Moreover, FP hydrolysis with thermolysin and pronase followed by mixing with activated carbon yielded branched-chain amino acids (BCAA)-enriched multifunctional peptide mixture (Fischer ratio of 23.65) with antioxidant properties and in vitro ACE inhibition; Fischer ratio of 20.0 is considered minimum for therapeutic purposes. The BCAA-enriched peptide product can be used in clinical nutrition to treat muscle wasting symptoms associated with hepatic diseases. Furthermore, an arginine-rich peptide mixture (31% arginine versus 11% in the original flaxseed protein) was produced by hydrolysis of FP with trypsin and pronase followed by separation using electrodialysis-ultrafiltration. Arginine plays important physiological roles especially as precursor to vasodilator, nitric oxide. The arginine-rich peptide mixture exhibited in vitro ACE and renin inhibition and led to decreased systolic blood pressure (–17.9 and –11.7 mmHg, respectively at 2 and 4 h) after oral administration to spontaneously hypertensive rats. For the first time in the literature, we showed that arginine peptides have superior physiological effects when compared to the amino acid form of arginine. Lastly, quantitative structure-activity relationship studies using partial least squares (PLS) regression yielded two predictive models for renin-inhibiting dipeptides with z-scales amino acid descriptors. The PLS models indicated that hydrophobic and bulky side chain-containing amino acids contribute to renin inhibition if present at the amino- and carboxyl-terminal of dipeptides, respectively. Based on this study, Ile-Trp was discovered as potent renin-inhibiting dipeptide, and may serve as a useful template for the development of potent antihypertensive peptidomimetics.

<p>The structural plasticity conferred by conformational flexibility has increasingly been recognized as a likely determinant of function. For example, multiscale heterogeneity in the calmodulin central helix most likely helps it in binding over 100 protein targets, and a concerted motion seen in both nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and crystal structures of ubiquitin is proposed to underlie its functional plasticity of promiscuous binding to many different proteins with high affinity. However, flexibility is manifested in a variety of ways, depending both on the protein itself and on how it is observed. Conformational heterogeneity (the term we use for flexibility when studied by X-ray crystallography) is evident in electron density, either as fully separated peaks or as anisotropic density shapes showing fluctuation of atom groupings. Many phenomena contribute to conformational heterogeneity in crystal structures, from diverse crystal contacts to functionally relevant conformational fluctuations on a wide range of time and size scales.</p><p>In addition to ubiquitin and calmodulin, the Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor staphylococcal protein A (SpA) is an example of a highly heterogeneous protein. SpA is a major contributor to bacterial evasion of the host immune system, through high-affinity binding to host proteins such as antibodies, von Willebrand factor, and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). The protein includes five small three-helix-bundle domains (E-D-A-B-C) separated by conserved flexible linkers. Prior attempts to crystallize individual domains in the absence of a binding partner were apparently unsuccessful. There are also no previous structures of tandem domains. In this thesis, I report the high-resolution crystal structures of a single C domain (collected at both cryogenic and room temperatures), a single A domain, and two B domains connected by the conserved linker. All four apo structures exhibit extensive multiscale conformational heterogeneity, which required novel modeling protocols. Comparison of domain structures shows that helix1 orientation is especially heterogeneous, coordinated with changes in sidechain conformational networks and contacting protein interfaces.</p><p>The interaction between a SpA domain and the Fc fragment of IgG was partially elucidated previously in the crystal structure 1FC2. Although informative, the previous structure wasn't properly folded and left many substantial questions unanswered, such as a detailed description of the tertiary structure of SpA domains in complex with Fc and the structural changes that take place upon binding. In this thesis, I report the 2.3-A structure of a fully folded SpA domain in complex with Fc. My structure indicates that there are extensive structural rearrangements necessary for binding Fc, including concerted rotamer changes and coupled backbone rearrangements that lead to a difference in helix1 angle. The conformational heterogeneity of the helix1/2 interface is also eliminated in the complex, with previously poly-rotameric interfacial residues locking into single rotamer conformations. Such a loss of conformational heterogeneity upon formation of the protein-protein interface may occur in SpA and in its multiple binding partners and may be an important structural paradigm in other functionally plastic proteins.</p> / Dissertation

Food protein-derived peptides have increasingly become important sources of ingredients for the formulation of therapeutic products. The main aim of this work was to study the in vitro and in vivo bioactive properties of structurally diverse group of peptides produced through enzymatic hydrolysis of flaxseed proteins (FP). Hydrolysis of FP with seven proteases followed by fractionation into low-molecular-weight (LMW) cationic fractions yielded multifunctional peptides that inhibited angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and renin activities, which are molecular targets for antihypertensive agents. The LMW peptides also exhibited antioxidant properties by scavenging free radicals and inhibiting amine oxidase activity. The peptide fractions showed inhibition of calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase, an enzyme that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases. Moreover, FP hydrolysis with thermolysin and pronase followed by mixing with activated carbon yielded branched-chain amino acids (BCAA)-enriched multifunctional peptide mixture (Fischer ratio of 23.65) with antioxidant properties and in vitro ACE inhibition; Fischer ratio of 20.0 is considered minimum for therapeutic purposes. The BCAA-enriched peptide product can be used in clinical nutrition to treat muscle wasting symptoms associated with hepatic diseases. Furthermore, an arginine-rich peptide mixture (31% arginine versus 11% in the original flaxseed protein) was produced by hydrolysis of FP with trypsin and pronase followed by separation using electrodialysis-ultrafiltration. Arginine plays important physiological roles especially as precursor to vasodilator, nitric oxide. The arginine-rich peptide mixture exhibited in vitro ACE and renin inhibition and led to decreased systolic blood pressure (–17.9 and –11.7 mmHg, respectively at 2 and 4 h) after oral administration to spontaneously hypertensive rats. For the first time in the literature, we showed that arginine peptides have superior physiological effects when compared to the amino acid form of arginine. Lastly, quantitative structure-activity relationship studies using partial least squares (PLS) regression yielded two predictive models for renin-inhibiting dipeptides with z-scales amino acid descriptors. The PLS models indicated that hydrophobic and bulky side chain-containing amino acids contribute to renin inhibition if present at the amino- and carboxyl-terminal of dipeptides, respectively. Based on this study, Ile-Trp was discovered as potent renin-inhibiting dipeptide, and may serve as a useful template for the development of potent antihypertensive peptidomimetics.

Une des plus grande cause de mortalité aujourd'hui est le cancer. Acutellement, les nanotechnologies ont permis le développement de nouvelles approches dans le traitement du cancer. Ainsi, il est devenu nécessaire de concevoir et modeler des nanoparticules (NPs) multimodales et d'évaluer leur application thérapeutique potentielle. Les nanoparticules inorganiques étudiées dans le cadre de ce travail sont basées sur des oxydes métalliques (e.g. TiO2 et HfO2) et présentent plusieurs fonctionnalités permettant leur localisation et leur quantification en utilisant différentes techniques telles que l'IRM et l'imagerie optique. Notamment grâce à l'insertion de terres rares dans la matrice NPs. D'autre part, comme la température des cellules saines et cancéreuse diffère, la détermination locale de la température peut être intéressante et obtenue par l'étude de la luminescence d'une paire de terres rares judicieusement choisie.Ainsi des NPs de TiO2 et de HfO2 ont été synthétisées par voie hydrothermale, permettant un contrôle de leur taille et de leur morphologie. De plus, des terres rares, comme l'europium, le terbium et le gadolinium ont été insérées au sein des matrices d'oxyde d'hafnium permettant d'obtenir des nanoparticules multifonctionnelles, basées sur la détection par imagerie optique et magnétique et la détection de la température (nanothermomètre). Les NPs ont été caractérisées et des mesures de relaxivité ont été effectuées. La luminescence de ces NPs a été étudiée et a permis la mise au point d'un nanothermomètre avec une sensibilité de 0.1%.K-1. / Cancer is one of the main cause of mortality in the world. Recently, nanotechnologies have led tonew approaches in cancer therapy. In this context, it is important to design multimodal nanoparticles (NPs) andassess their therapeutic potential. The inorganic NPs studied here are based on metal oxides (e.g., TiO2 and HfO2)exhibiting functionalities that allow their localization and tracking using various techniques (MRI, luminescence),as well as their quantification. For this purpose, rare-earth elements are inserted in the metal oxide matrices. Asthe lethal temperatures for healthy and tumor cells are different, it is also important to ascertain thetemperature of the cells during ionizing radiation treatment. This may be achieved based on the light emissionof suitable pairs of rare-earth elements.Thus, titania and hafnia nanoparticles were synthesized by the hydrothermal method enabling the control ofmorphology and size. Furthermore, the hafnia matrices were doped with rare-earth elements, such as europium,terbium and gadolinium, endowing NPs with functionalities such as luminescence tracking, magnetic resonanceimaging and nanothermometry. The chemical characterizations were performed and the relaxivity constantswere assessed. The luminescence response was also studied, and one nanothermometer with a sensitivity atroom temperature ca. 0.1 %.K-1 was obtained.

Submitted by Valquíria Barbieri (kikibarbi@hotmail.com) on 2017-06-09T21:48:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2014_Sebastiana Almeida Souza.pdf: 1629850 bytes, checksum: 1888240af5ed4d76931ed9a21b5cdc71 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jordan (jordanbiblio@gmail.com) on 2017-06-10T16:38:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2014_Sebastiana Almeida Souza.pdf: 1629850 bytes, checksum: 1888240af5ed4d76931ed9a21b5cdc71 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-10T16:38:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISS_2014_Sebastiana Almeida Souza.pdf: 1629850 bytes, checksum: 1888240af5ed4d76931ed9a21b5cdc71 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-05 / A presente pesquisa almeja demonstrar, sob a luz de teorias que serão explicitadas, como as metodologias aplicadas na Sala de Recurso Multifuncional da EMEB Maria Dimpina Lobo Duarte, em Cuiabá-MT, contribuíram para o processo de desenvolvimento linguístico do aluno surdo em sala de aula. Em face disso, traçamos os seguintes objetivos: 1) Compreender de que maneira as professoras da SRM desenvolvem e aplicam os 03 momentos didático-pedagógicos na educação do surdo, e quais as contribuições destes para a aprendizagem em sala de aula; 2) Entender, ainda, como se dá a interação entre o aluno e professores nesse processo de ensino- aprendizagem. Para tanto, elencamos duas questões de pesquisa: Quais são as metodologias desenvolvidas nos 03 momentos didático–pedagógicos aplicados pelas professoras da SRM no ensino para alunos surdos na EMEB Maria Dimpina? Como se dá o processo interacional entre professor-aluno, e como isso interfere no processo de ensino-aprendizagem no contexto da SRM? Desenvolvemos, em nosso trabalho, uma pesquisa qualitativa embasada nos estudos bakhtinianos sobre a linguagem (BAKHTIN/VOLOCHINOV, 1929; BAKHTIN, 1952-1953). Para ancoragem da nossa metodologia, seguimos as considerações da Metodologia das Ciências Humanas com Bakhtin (2006) e Amorim (2001); para a análise das práticas pedagógicas das professoras da SRM, utilizamos, essencialmente, a teoria sócio histórica da aprendizagem de Vygotsky (1930), com ênfase no conceito Zona de Desenvolvimento Proximal. Para a geração dos dados, foram utilizadas informações provenientes de observação de 08 aulas; entrevista com os sujeitos envolvidos, bem como filmagem em áudio e vídeo. A análise dos dados foi realizada tendo em vista algumas categorias baseadas no arcabouço teórico descrito, com base na Análise Dialógica do Discurso, concebida por Brait (2006). Os resultados de nossa investigação, em termos de observação e análise, mostraram que a implantação desses 03 momentos didático-pedagógicos na SRM: Atendimento Educacional Especializado para o Ensino em LIBRAS; Atendimento Educacional Especializado para o Ensino de LIBRAS e o Ensino Educacional Especializado em Língua Portuguesa são importantes e necessários para o aluno surdo, uma vez que os conhecimentos ali desenvolvidos contribuem para a efetivação do seu aprendizado em sala de aula. / This study aims to demonstrate, in the light of theories which will be made explicit, how the methodologies applied in the Multifunctional Resource Room of EMEB Maria Dimpina Lobo Duarte, in Cuiabá-MT, contributed to the linguistic development process of deaf students in the classroom. Given this, we draw the following objectives: 1) To understand how the teachers of the MRR develop and apply the 03 didactic and pedagogical moments in the education of the deaf, and which are the contributions of these to learning in the classroom; 2) To understand how is the interaction between students and teachers in this teaching-learning process. To this end, we selected two research questions: What are the methodologies developed in the 03 didactic-pedagogical moments applied by the teachers of the MRR in teaching of deaf students in EMEB Maria Dimpina? How does the interactional process between teacher and student happen, and how this affects the teaching-learning process in the context of the MRR? We developed in our work, a qualitative research grounded in the Bakhtinian studies on language (BAKHTIN/VOLOSHINOV, 1929; BAKHTIN, 1952-1953). So we could anchor our methodology, we followed the considerations of Methodology of Human Sciences with Bakhtin (2006) and Amorim (2001); for the analysis of the pedagogical practices of teachers of the MRR, we used, essentially, the socio-historical learning theory of Vygotsky (1930), with emphasis on the concept Zone of Proximal Development. Information from observation of 08 lessons were used to generate the data; interviews with the people involved, as well as audio and video footage. Data analysis was performed focusing on some categories based on the theoretical framework described, based on Dialogical Analysis of Discourse, designed by Brait (2006). The results of our research, in terms of observation and analysis, showed that the deployment of these 03 didactic-pedagogical moments in the MRR: Specialized Educational Support Services for the Education in LIBRAS; Specialized Educational Support Services for the Education of LIBRAS and Specialized Education in Portuguese are important and necessary for the deaf student, since the knowledge developed there contributes to the fulfillment of their learning in the classroom.

Submitted by KEILA CÁSSIA SANTOS ARAÚJO null (keilacaraujo@hotmail.com) on 2016-06-01T18:21:45Z No. of bitstreams: 1 KEILA_TESE_DEFINITIVA_PDF.pdf: 42830949 bytes, checksum: 2119cf312f3fac7a768974d4a27c0220 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-06-02T16:19:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 araujo_kcs_dr_rcla.pdf: 42841455 bytes, checksum: a3909dde61766e2dcbd3e6588af62c6f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T16:19:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 araujo_kcs_dr_rcla.pdf: 42841455 bytes, checksum: a3909dde61766e2dcbd3e6588af62c6f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-15 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em assentamentos rurais da reforma agrária paulista, localizados no município de Teodoro Sampaio, na porção oeste do estado de São Paulo, região denominada Pontal do Paranapanema. Essa região possui características peculiares, especialmente, devido ao histórico de devastação de florestas, grilagem, concentração de terras e luta de movimentos sociais do campo. Atualmente, a região conta com poucos fragmentos florestais, o pouco que restou da Grande Reserva do Pontal, que se constituem no Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo, extensas áreas de monocultura da agroindústria canavieira e com muitos assentamentos rurais. Partindo dessa realidade, objetivou-se compreender e analisar a multifuncionalidade da paisagem rural, nas áreas dos assentamentos rurais, no entorno da unidade de conservação Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo e da usina de cana Alcídia. Para a coleta de dados, foram utilizadas abordagens quantitativas e qualitativas, utilizando-se da aplicação de questionários semiestruturados e de entrevistas, dentre outras ferramentas e técnicas metodológicas. Os questionários foram formados por blocos fechados, com questões relacionadas às expressões da multifuncionalidade concernentes à preservação dos recursos naturais e da paisagem rural, à reprodução socioeconômica das famílias, à segurança alimentar e à manutenção do tecido social. Buscou-se compreender, por meio de entrevistas, as percepções e interpretações dos assentados e de outros entrevistados do IPÊ e ITESP a respeito das transformações e impactos na paisagem ao longo de suas vivências, conhecimento e utilização de práticas agrícolas sustentáveis no local, assistência técnica e extensão rural, as relações dos assentados com a unidade de conservação e a usina de cana-de-açúcar, o entendimento sobre as funções e serviços ecossistêmicos provenientes do PEMD, modos de valoração da paisagem, mudanças e permanências no local e ainda questões referentes ao processo de luta pela conquista da terra. Os resultados foram apresentados em gráficos, seguidos das falas dos agricultores e demais entrevistados com os relatos sobre a percepção destes relacionados à paisagem rural. Verificou-se que os assentamentos rurais abrangem as quatro expressões da multifuncionalidade, no tocante à preservação dos recursos naturais, segurança alimentar, reprodução socioeconômica e manutenção do tecido social. No entanto, essas expressões se apresentaram de maneira diferenciada nas áreas avaliadas, sendo mais evidentes e efetivas no entorno do Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo. / The research was conducted in rural settlements of São Paulo agrarian reform, in the municipality of Teodoro Sampaio, in the western portion of the state of São Paulo, Pontal do Paranapanema region called. This region has unique characteristics, especially due to the historical devastation of forests, land grabbing, land concentration and struggle of social movements. Currently, the region has few forest fragments, what little was left of the Grande Reserva do Pontal, which constitute State Park Morro do Diabo, large areas of monoculture of sugar cane industry and many rural settlements. Based on this reality, the objective was to understand and analyze the multifunctionality of the countryside in the areas of rural settlements in the vicinity of the protected area Morro do Diabo State Park and usine of cane Alcídia. To collect data quantitative and qualitative approaches were used, using the application of semi-structured questionnaires and interviews, among other technical research and methodological techniques. Questionnaires were formed by closed blocks with issues related to expressions of multifunctionality concerning the conservation of natural resources and the countryside, socioeconomic reproduction of families, food security and maintaining the social fabric. He sought to understand through interviews perceptions and interpretations of the settlers and others interviewed the IPE and ITESP, about the changes and impacts on the landscape along their experiences, knowledge and use of sustainable agricultural practices in place, technical assistance and rural extension the relations of the settlers to the conservation unit and the sugar cane plant, the understanding of the ecosystem functions and services from PEMD, valuation modes of landscape changes and stays in place and still issues about the process of struggle for land. The results were presented in graphs, followed by speeches of farmers and other respondents to the reports on the perception of these related to the countryside. It was found that the rural settlements cover the four expressions of multifunctionality, concerning the preservation of natural resources, food security, socio-economic reproduction and maintenance of the social fabric. However, these expressions are presented differently in the evaluated areas, being more evident and effective in the vicinity of Morro do Diabo State Park.

The purpose of this work was to analyze the current state of agricultural undertaking from the perspective of where the firm draws fund from the EU and national resoureces. Based on this analysis, the proposed new financial incentives for the development of selected farm and also has developed a pilot project proposal.