Molecular Systematics of Noctuoidea (Insecta, lepidoptera)

In this thesis, I conduct a series of molecular systematic studies on the large phytophagous moth superfamily Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) to clarify deep divergences and evolutionary affinities of the group, based on material from every zoogeographic region of the globe. Noctuoidea are the most speciose radiations of butterflies and moths on earth, comprising about a quarter of all lepidopteran diversity. The general aim of these studies was to apply suitably conservative genetic markers (DNA sequences of mitochondrial—mtDNA—and nuclear gene— nDNA—regions) to reconstruct, as the initial step, a robust skeleton phylogenetic hypothesis for the superfamily, then build up robust phylogenetic frameworks for those circumscribed monophyletic entities (i.e., families), as well as clarifying the internal classification of monophyletic lineages (subfamilies and tribes), to develop an understanding of the major lineages at various taxonomic levels within the superfamily Noctuoidea, and their inter-relationships. The approaches applied included: i) stabilizing a robust family-level classification for the superfamily; ii) resolving the phylogeny of the most speciose radiation of Noctuoidea: the family Erebidae; iii) reconstruction of ancestral feeding behaviors and evolution of the vampire moths (Erebidae, Calpinae); iv) elucidating the evolutionary relationships within the family Nolidae and v) clarifying the basal lineages of Noctuidae sensu stricto. Thus, in this thesis I present a wellresolved molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for higher taxa of Noctuoidea consisting of six strongly supported families: Oenosandridae, Notodontidae, Euteliidae, Erebidae, Nolidae, and Noctuidae. The studies in my thesis highlight the importance of molecular data in systematic and phylogenetic studies, in particular DNA sequences of nuclear genes, and an extensive sampling strategy to include representatives of all known major lineages of entire world fauna of Noctuoidea from every biogeographic region. This is crucial, especially when the model organism is as species-rich, highly diverse, cosmopolitan and heterogeneous as the Noctuoidea, traits that represent obstacles to the use of morphology at this taxonomic level.

Detection and phylogenetic analysis of porcine enteric calicivirus, genetically related to the Cowden strain of sapovirus genogroup III, in Brazilian swine herds

Sapovirus of the Caliciviridae family is an important agent of acute gastroenteritis in children and piglets. The Sapovirus genus is divided into seven genogroups (G), and strains from the GIII, GVI and GVII are associated with infections in swine. Despite the high prevalence in some countries, there are no studies related to the presence of porcine enteric sapovirus infections in piglets in Brazil. In the present study, 18 fecal specimens from piglets up to 28 days were examined to determine the presence of sapovirus genome by RT-PCR assay, using primers designed to amplify a 331 bp segment of the RNA polymerase gene. In 44.4% (8/18) of fecal samples, an amplified DNA fragment was obtained. One of these fragments was sequenced and submitted to molecular and phylogenetic analysis. This analysis revealed high similarity, with nucleotides (87%) and amino acids (97.8%), to the Cowden strain, the GIII prototype of porcine enteric calicivirus. This is the first description of sapovirus in Brazilian swine herds.

Trust in inter-organisational dyadic relationships

Understanding the trust in organisations and the business relationships have been an emerging trend in past years. Researchers and executives and subject matter experts in companies have recognised the importance of managing the trust in inter-organisational relationships. Further, the interest both in academia and in business has raised an interest to under-stand dyadic relationships. The objective of this thesis was to examine trust in inter-organisational and inter-personal dyadic relationships. Trust and the dyadic relationships were analysed in information technolo-gy services and outsourcing industry. Dyads were established between the supplier company operating in the industry and its customers. The empiric part of the study was carried out by an email survey that was sent to 331 respondents resulting with effective response rate of 48.7 per cent. Statistical analyses were applied to analyse the data sample. In general, results indicated reputation, trustworthiness, capability and collaboration in dyadic trust relationships. Experience grown in duration of the relationship affected the trust positively. No drastic differences in trust were recognised when comparing supplier and customer responses.

Occurrence of virulence-related sequences and phylogenetic analysis of commensal and pathogenic avian Escherichia coli strains (APEC)

The presence of iron uptake (irp-2, fyuA, sitA, fepC, iucA), adhesion (iha, lpfA O157/O141, lpfA O157/O154, efa, toxB) and invasion (inv, ial-related DNA sequences and assignment to the four main Escherichia coli phylogenetic groups (A, B1, B2 e D) were determined in 30 commensal E. coli strains isolated from healthy chickens and in 49 APEC strains isolated from chickens presenting clinical signs of septicemia (n=24) swollen head syndrome (n=14) and omphalitis (n=11) by PCR. None of the strains presented DNA sequences related to the inv, ial, efa, and toxB genes. DNA sequences related to lpfA O157/O154, iucA, fepC, and irp-2 genes were significantly found among pathogenic strains, where iucA gene was associated with septicemia and swollen head syndrome and fepC and irp-2 genes were associated with swollen head syndrome strains. Phylogenetic typing showed that commensal and omphalitis strains belonged mainly to phylogenetic Group A and swollen head syndrome to phylogenetic Group D. Septicemic strains were assigned in phylogenetic Groups A and D. These data could suggest that clonal lineage of septicemic APEC strains have a multiple ancestor origin; one from a pathogenic bacteria ancestor and other from a non-pathogenic ancestor that evolved by the acquisition of virulence related sequences through horizontal gene transfer. Swollen head syndrome may constitute a pathogenic clonal group. By the other side, omphalitis strains probably constitute a non-pathogenic clonal group, and could cause omphalitis as an opportunistic infection. The sharing of virulence related sequences by human pathogenic E. coli and APEC strains could indicate that APEC strains could be a source of virulence genes to human strains and could represent a zoonotic risk.

Phylogenetic and pathotype analysis of Escherichia coli swine isolates from Southern Brazil

The current study evaluated the presence of virulence factors by a multiplex PCR technique and then phylogenetically classified the studied strains into groups A, B1, B2 and D, according to Clermont et al. (2000), in 152 intestinal and extraintestinal swine isolates of Escherichia coli. Seventy seven isolates tested were positive for virulence factors. Phylogenetic characterization placed 21 samples into group A, 65 into B1, 19 into B2 and 47 into D. Fourteen urine samples were classified as uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), nine were both UPEC and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and four were ETEC only. The most common phylogenetic classifications were B1 and D groups. Of the analyzed fecal samples, 25 were classified as ETEC. Phylogenetically, the group of higher occurrence was B1, followed by B2, A and D. For the small intestine samples, 20 were classified as ETEC. Phylogenetic analysis found groups B1 and A to be the most commons in these samples. Six isolated tissue samples were classified as ETEC and most of them were designated as group D by phylogenetic classification. The phylogenetic analysis could be employed in veterinary laboratories in the E. coli isolates screening, including the possibility of vaccine strain selection and epidemiological searches.

Knowledge, processes and relationships in organizational change: Understanding how to facilitate management of intellectual capital in diverse organization structures and cultures.

This study examined relationships of organizational dependencies, change management and developed intellectual knowledge resources, in different intellectual capital based development programs on ICT-sector. Study was carried out in a research context, where high degree of external organizational contingencies existed and lots of changes in several development programs had taken place in the last years. From a scientific perspective the main contribution was that evidence between relationships of organizational dependencies, change model portfolio and developed knowledge resources could be suggested. From managerial perspective the primary implication was that in situations where sustainable competitive advantage is pursued by means of increasing knowledge based productivity of labor, firms should seek to pursue organizational settings where external dependencies have minimal amount of effect.

A phylogenetic study of canine parvovirus type 2c in midwestern Brazil

Since the late 1970s, canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) has emerged as a causative agent of fatal severe acute hemorrhagic enteritis in dogs. To date, three antigenic types of CPV-2 were described worldwide (CPV-2a/b/c). This study was conducted to determine the variants of CPV-2 circulating in dogs from the Cuiabá Municipality in Midwestern Brazil. Out of 50 fecal samples, collected between 2009 and 2011, 27 tested positive for CPV-2. A 583 bp fragment of the VP2 gene was amplified by PCR, 13 representative samples were analyzed further by DNA sequencing. All strains were characterized as CPV-2c, displayed a low genetic variability although observed several amino acid substitution. These findings indicated that CPV-2c has been circulating in dogs from the Cuiabá Municipality in Midwestern Brazil.

In silico phylogenetic and virulence gene profile analyses of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli genome sequences

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) infections are responsible for significant losses in the poultry industry worldwide. A zoonotic risk has been attributed to APEC strains because they present similarities to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) associated with illness in humans, mainly urinary tract infections and neonatal meningitis. Here, we present in silico analyses with pathogenic E. coli genome sequences, including recently available APEC genomes. The phylogenetic tree, based on multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of seven housekeeping genes, revealed high diversity in the allelic composition. Nevertheless, despite this diversity, the phylogenetic tree was able to cluster the different pathotypes together. An in silico virulence gene profile was also determined for each of these strains, through the presence or absence of 83 well-known virulence genes/traits described in pathogenic E. coli strains. The MLST phylogeny and the virulence gene profiles demonstrated a certain genetic similarity between Brazilian APEC strains, APEC isolated in the United States, UPEC (uropathogenic E. coli) and diarrheagenic strains isolated from humans. This correlation corroborates and reinforces the zoonotic potential hypothesis proposed to APEC.

Long term dietary deficiency in steers: vital functions and T3 and IGF-1 relationships

To evaluate the influence of diets with different degrees of energy deficiency on the hormonal profile and vital functions, 12 steers were randomly distributed into 3 groups of 4 animals. For 140 days, each group received (G1) a diet to promote a weight gain of 900gr/day (17.7 Mcal/d DE and 13% CP), (G2) 80% of the maintenance requirements (5.8 Mcal/d DE and 7% CP), or (G3) 60% of the maintenance requirements (4.7 Mcal/d DE and 5% CP). In G2 and G3, the energy deficit caused a marked decrease in the heart rate and respiratory rate and a reduction in the blood levels of Insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and triiodothyronine (T3). The decrease in heart rate, respiratory movement and, to a lesser extent, reduction of the rectal temperature, reflected the low status of energy and was negatively impacted by the low levels of T3. There was a strong correlation between the hormones T3 and IGF-1 (r=0.833). There were also strong correlations between T3 and HR (r=0.701), T3 and RR (r=0.632), IGF-1 and HR (r=0.731), and IGF-1 and RR (r=0.679). There were intermediate correlations between T3 and TºC (r=0.484), T3 and insulin (r=0.506), IGF-1 and insulin (r=0.517), and IGF-1 and TºC (r=0.548). This study showed the influence of a long period of providing an energy-deficient diet on animal performance, correlating hormonal status and vital functions in growing cattle. The results indicated that the evaluated parameters represent an important tool for the early detection of dietary deficiency.

Intended Quality: Relationships between Development, Testing and Quality

An empirical study was conducted in the area of software engineering to study relationships between development, testing and intended software quality. International standards served as a starting point of the study. For analysis a round of interviews was kept and transcribed. It was found that interaction between humans is critical, especially in transferring knowledge and standards’ processes. The standards are communicated through interaction and learning processes are involved before compliance. One of the results was that testing is the key to sufficient quality. The outcome was that successful interaction, sufficient testing and compliance with the standards combined with good motivation may provide most repeatable intended quality.

Culture in business interaction: an individual perspective : empirical studies in Finnish-Russian business relationships

The main objective of this doctoral dissertation is to reach a holistic and indepth understanding of the intercultural interaction within dyadic business relationships through the perspective of individual managers. The empirical setting is dyadic business relationships between Russian and Finnish firms in construction and engineering industries. The motivation for the study mainly arose from: 1) the lack of business marketing literature considering cultural and individual perspectives; 2) the need to find ways to study intercultural issues in business relationships, other than through the application of models derived from the work of Hofstede (1980). The study consists of two parts, an introductory essay containing the research objectives, theoretical foundations, methodological choices, limitations and contributions, and original research articles. The four articles each address a sub-objective: 1) to develop an understanding of intercultural business relationships development, cultural adaptation, and its role in the development of trust (Article 1); 2) to develop an appropriate methodological framework for studying business interaction from a cultural and individual perspective (Article 2); 3) to develop an understanding of the role of culture in individual manager’s sensemaking of interaction events in business relationships (Article 3); and 4) to develop an appropriate theoretical framework for studying interactive intercultural business relationships in international industrial markets (Article 4). The ontological and epistemological foundations are built on the interpretivist/ social constructivist view of reality. Interaction, in this study, is seen as being conducted between individuals, who are the key representative actors of their firms. In turn, culture is regarded both as an independent context existing prior to the individuals’ participation in it, and as knowledge incorporated by the individuals, who use it in sensemaking and interaction across cultures. The methods applied in the articles are: an interpretive qualitative study (Article 1), a literature review and conceptual analysis (Article 2), a structural analysis of the narratives and a metaphor analysis (Article 3), and a literature review and conceptual analysis (Article 4). The main contributions are the following. First, it contributes to business marketing literature by developing the theoretical, conceptual, and methodological underpinning of IMP theories in relation to culture. Second, the thesis contributes to the growing literature on managerial sensemaking in industrial markets by looking at it from a cultural perspective, as well as emphasizing the importance of figurative language in cultural sensemaking.