This paper describes the development of Congo since its beginnings until today and focuses on the influence of the Western world on the country. Congo was founded by the Belgian king Leopold II and became his personal colony. Leopold's regime was orientated on the expoitation of Congo's natural resources, above all rubber and ivory. The inhuman treatment of Africans caused international criticism and Leopold was forced to hand over the colony to Belgium. Under belgian rule the economic development of Congo started, even though congolese people were still considered second category citiziens. After gaining independence the country was caught in total chaos until the revolution by general Mobutu. After taking over the government, he ruled Congo for 32 years, supported by the West, and the country was systematically ruined. In 1997, during the first Congo war, Mobutu was overthrown by Laurent Kabila. One year later another war started and though it officialy ended in 2003, a regional conflict in Kivu is still going on. The motivation of armed groups is the mineral wealth of the region. Western companies are indirectly financing the conflict through importing conflict minerals.

A methodology is developed to estimate comparable international migration flows between a set of countries. International migration flow data may be missing, reported by the sending country, reported by the receiving country or reported by both the sending and receiving countries. For the last situation, reported counts rarely match due to differences in defnitions and data collection systems. In this thesis, reported counts are harmonized using correction factors estimated from a constrained optimization procedure. Factors are applied to scale data known to be of a reliable standard, creating an incomplete migration flow table of harmonized values. Cells for which no reliable reported flows exist are then estimated from a negative binomial regression model fitted using the Expectation- Maximization (EM) type algorithm. Covariate information for this model is drawn from international migration theory. Finally, measures of precision for all missing cell estimates are derived using the Supplemented EM algorithm. Recent data on international migration between countries in Europe are used to illustrate the methodology. The results represent a complete table of comparable ows that can be used by regional policy makers and social scientist alike to better understand population behaviour and change.

Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been characterized in swine workers and other high-risk groups in the United States, but little is known about non-high risk groups. We intend to determine the prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA colonization in Iowans at baseline, observe incident colonization events during follow-up, and determine the frequency of transmission within family units. We will also assess the oropharynx as a distinct colonization site within our population of healthy community members. A prospective, longitudinal cohort study was conducted, enrolling 263 individuals, comprising 95 family units, from Johnson County and Keokuk County. Participants self-collected swabs weekly, with adults providing nasal and oropharyngeal samples and minors providing nasal samples. S. aureus isolates were confirmed with catalase and coagulase tests, and StaphLatex agglutination assays. Molecular characteristics were determined through mecA and PVL polymerase chain reaction, and spa typing. Demographic and risk factor data were collected via self-report questionnaire at baseline. Of the 263 enrolled individuals, 78 adults (9 with MRSA) and 31 minors (1 with MRSA) were positive for S. aureus at baseline. This gives an overall S. aureus prevalence of 44.1% and 36.1% for adults and children respectively, with 5.1% and 1.2% of these isolates being MRSA respectively. Sensitivity for the nares was 57.7% while sensitivity for the oropharynx was 85.9%. Of adults submitting 14 or more sets of swabs, 13 (8.44%) were colonized in the oropharynx greater than 50% of samples while being colonized in the nares less than 50% of samples, indicating preferential oropharynx colonization. Risk factors identified for preferential oropharynx colonization were the number of positive environmental sites within the participant's home, size of the household, and race of the participant. Transmission events were observed for both adults and minors, with 3.95 events observed per participant year of follow-up for adults and 3.04 events per person year of follow-up for minors. Familial transmission events were observed at a rate of 0.77 events per person year of follow-up for adults, and 1.22 events per person year of follow-up for minors. We hypothesized oropharyngeal colonization would be important in healthy community members. This hypothesis is supported by the greater sensitivity observed at baseline when compared to the nares. The identification of 13 preferential oropharynx carriers also supports the hypothesis. Utilizing the results from this dissertation, our findings of the importance of environmental contamination in colonization of both the oropharynx and the nares support the use of environmental decontamination to prevent familial transmission of S. aureus. The results of this study confirm the oropharynx as a distinct and unique colonization site for S. aureus, but further studies are needed to determine the clinical ramifications.

UNIVERZITA KARLOVA V PRAZE FILOZOFICKÁ FAKULTA HISTORICKÉ VĚDY ABSTRAKT DISERTAČNÍ PRÁCE 2021 Jan KONŮPEK UNIVERZITA KARLOVA V PRAZE FILOZOFICKÁ FAKULTA HISTORICKÉ VĚDY ABSTRAKT DISERTAČNÍ PRÁCE JAN KONŮPEK DĚJINY STŘEDOVĚKÉHO OSÍDLENÍ V KONTEXTU ČESKÉ HISTORIOGRAFIE MINULOST A PERSPEKTIVA HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL SETTLEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF CZECH HISTORY AND PERSPECTIVE Doubrava 2021 prof. PhDr. Zdeněk Beneš, CSc. Abstract: The dissertation thesis intends to affect changes within the studies of medieval settlement in context with Czech historiography. It focuses on the relationship between the character of historiographical discourse and applied methods of research. The subject of relational analysis is both linguistic branches of Bohemian historiography. Changes in the specific field discourse are observed against the background of changes in Bohemian historical culture. Thus, the ways of multiplication of historical knowledge and the connection to the socio-political, cultural and institutional context of the observed issues are also monitored. The work mainly takes into account the territory of the wider historical Cheb region, which is used as a model example of changes in historical questioning depending on changes in historical awareness and social context of the time. Special...

The Kel Tamachek and Hassanya are nomadic people who live in Sahel‐Sahara but some of them have become semi‐nomad or sedentary throughout the time. Since the independence they were divided in five countries. In Mali they occupy the 75% with 932 490 sqm of the territory which is 1 241 238 sqm5 and 10% of the population’s 13 millions.6 Their area is the north Mali which is administratively divided in three regions: Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal called also respectively the 6th region, 7th region and 8th region. They share the area with other ethnic groups such as Fulbe which are nomadic peoples and indigenous peoples and the Songhai or Sonrhai, Sorko and Bambara. The Kel Tamachek as other indigenous peoples of the world were discriminated and marginalized which started since the colonization. The colonizers tried to exterminate them because of their resistance and their refusal to be dominated and assimilated. The Frenchmen after establishing their power on the colonies started to ‘civilize’ their subjects. However, the nomads were forgotten in these programs because no school was created in their area. And when an exceptional leader Mohamed Ali Ag Attaher Alansary11understood that the best arm for combating the colonizers was to learn their knowledge which will ensure also the success for the future. / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Law University of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Law (LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa). Prepared under the supervision of Ms Odile L. Tung, Faculty of Law & Management, University of Mauritius, Mauritius. 2010. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/ / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons aux mécanismes précurseurs de la formation d'un biofilm dans le cas de la cyanobactérie Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, en tant que micro-organisme modèle. Nous avons en premier lieu observé la motilité de cellules qui sédimentent puis diffusent librement sur une surface en verre. De plus, nous avons relevé les détails de la motilité des bactéries, qui est intermittente : des périodes de mouvements directionnels (les ``runs'') alternent avec des périodes de mouvements localisés (les ``tumbles''). Le coefficient de diffusion résultant décroît avec le temps, avant de se stabiliser; en revanche des souches mutantes relarguant moins de substance extracellulaire gardent un coefficient de diffusion constant au cours de l'expérience. Nous proposons un modèle de ralentissement basé sur une marche aléatoire à "temps continu" influencée par le recouvrement progressif de la surface par les exopolysaccharides secrétés par les bactéries. Les bactéries pourraient ainsi "reconnaître" le type de surface sur lequel elles évoluent et adapter leur motilité en conséquence, ce qui constitue une étape préliminaire dans la formation d'un biofilm. Nous avons vérifié ce point avec une étude de la diffusion sur des surfaces de différentes rigidités. L'expérience est cette fois prolongée pour étudier l'effet de la dureté du substrat sur la morphologie du biofilm. La proportion de bactéries non motiles est plus importante sur les surfaces molles. Cet effet à l'échelle de la particule conditionne en grande partie la morphologie des micro-colonies émergentes après plusieurs jours de culture, avec davantage de micro-colonies et une densité cellulaire plus hétérogène sur les surfaces molles. Nous construisons un modèle qui prend en compte la division cellulaire et le ralentissement de la dynamique individuelle, et permettant de conclure sur le lien entre rigidité de surface, dynamique cellulaire, et formation de micro-colonies. Le troisième chapitre expérimental aborde la réponse du système à des changements de conditions lumineuses, d'abord de manière isotrope puis en introduisant une lumière directionnelle. En conditions isotropes, les échelons d'intensité lumineuse perturbent les temps caractéristiques de ``run'' et de ``tumble''. Nous analysons ces variations dans le cadre de la théorie de la réponse linéaire. Nos données suggèrent qu'il est possible de décrire la réponse à une perturbation d'intensité lumineuse de manière similaire à des "stimuli" chimiques, avec la même fonction réponse. Sous un flux lumineux directionnel, nous observons une phototaxie complexe pour laquelle une fraction des cellules a un mouvement aléatoire pendant qu'une autre est sensible à l'anisotropie de l'éclairage. L'orientation des déplacements s'effectue dès l'introduction du flux lumineux, mais les temps de ``run'' et de ``tumble'' continuent d'évoluer pendant la période du flux lumineux suivant une tendance proche de celle observée en conditions isotropes. Ces résultats mettent en évidence le couplage entre l'intensité lumineuse et l'anisotropie de l'éclairage dans les mécanismes responsables de la phototaxie. / In this work, we focus on the early stages of biofilm formation, using the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as a model micro-organism. First, we observe the motility of cells that have just reached the surface after sedimentation, and are then let free to diffuse on a glass surface. The resulting diffusion coefficient decreases with time, until it reaches a plateau value; whereas mutant strains secreting less extracellular substance do not exhibit such a slowdown. To explore the mechanism at work, we investigate the details of bacterial motility, which is intermittent: periods of directional movements (``runs'') alternate with periods of localized movements (``tumbles''). We propose a slowdown model based on a continuous-time random walk, influenced by the progressive surface coverage with the exopolysaccharides secreted by the bacteria. They could then ``recognize'' the surface onto which they are diffusing and adapt consequently their motility, which establishes a preliminary step for the biofilm formation. We have adressed this issue by studying diffusion onto surfaces with different stiffnesses. The experimentation is extended in order to analyze the effect of surface toughness on the biofilm morphology. The proportion of non-motile bacteria is higher on softer surfaces. This effect on the individual particle affects the shape of emergent microcolonies after several days of growth, with more microcolonies and a more heterogeneous surface density on soft surfaces. We build a model that takes into account cellular division and individual dynamics slowdown that enables us to point out the relation between surface rigidity, cellular dynamics, and microcolonies formation. The third experimental chapter tackles the response of the system to changes in light conditions, first in an isotropic way, then by introducing a directional light. For isotropic conditions, steps of light intensity disrupt the characteristic ``run'' and ``tumble'' times. We analyze these variations in the framework of the linear response theory. Our data suggest that it is possible to describe the response to light disruptions in the same way as what has been done for chemical ``stimuli'', with a similar response function. With a directional luminous flux, we observe complex phototaxis, in which some fraction of the cellular population displays random movements, whereas another one is sensitive to the lighting anisotropy. The displacements are oriented as soon as the luminous flux is switched on, and the ``run'' and ``tumble'' times also respond this change. Our results show that light intensity triggers bacterial motility, whether it is oriented or not.

It has been suggested that polyploidization affects the ecological niche of a species, possibly ultimately leading to a shift in the distribution of the species, such as in geographical parthenogenesis. The phenomenon describes the wider distribution and shift of asexuals towards higher altitudes, northern latitudes and more extreme habitats when compared with their closely related sexual relatives. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain such patterns with lacking empirical evidence because investigations rather focused on single hypotheses, which were rather tested several times independently on multiple organisms than vice versa. Therefore, the present study aimed to tackle the phenomenon of geographical parthenogenesis from multiple angles, i.e. testing several hypotheses simultaneously using Hieracium alpinum as a model system. In the arcto-alpine Asteraceae H. alpinum sexually reproducing diploid individuals occur in a small isolated area in the Eastern and Southern Carpathians, while apomictically reproducing, i.e. asexual reproduction via seeds, triploid plants occupy the remaining and much larger part of the range from the Balkans to the arctic parts of Europe. This implies that asexual triploids have had some fitness / colonization advantage(s), leading to a replacement of sexual diploids...

In recent years, while China has become one of the global power in the world, it has also been accused of its activities, and some of them have been referred to bear neocolonial intention in Africa. While China has also increased its engagement in the South American and Asian countries in the last two decades, its engagement in Africa has led to more concerns in the world due to the claims on China's neocolonial activities and exploitation of African resources. On the other hand, African countries have also started to form a much deeper relationship with China, especially after 2000. One of the main reasons for the development of this relationship has been China's non-interference principle within its 'Soft Power' policy and its emphasis on 'South-South' solidarity against the EU's 'North-South' relationship in Africa. Consequently, China has increased its development policy with no-strings-attached aids and loans to Africa. However, this increasing engagement raised a serious question as to whether China's activities purely target African countries' improvement or those are self- interested activities. As a result, in light of these arguments, this thesis attempts to analyze China's development policy and shed light on the claims of neocolonialism with the comparison of the EU's development policy...

Thickets of Rhododendron maximum (Rm) in the southern Appalachians impose severe limitations on the regeneration of hardwood and coniferous seedlings. Interactions between Rm thickets and ectomycorrhizal colonization were examined to explain seedling inhibition. Experimental blocks were established in and out of Rm thickets in a mature, mixed hardwood/conifer forest in Macon County, North Carolina. Planted seedlings of red oak (Quercus rubra) and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) were harvested at the end of the first and second growing seasons. Litter manipulation had no effect on total mycorrhizal colonization. Mycorrhizal colonization and ramification index (# mycorrhizae cm-1) were depressed and colonization by Cenococcum geophilum increased in blocks with versus without Rm. After the first year, percent colonization of T. canadensis not in Rm thickets (62 %) was three times higher than in Rm thickets (19%), and the ramification index was increased by more than a factor of four (2.83 versus 0.61). Mycorrhizal colonization levels were correlated with root weight and shoot weight in both hemlock and oak seedlings, but did not explain most of the variation observed. Sporocarps of 69 putatively ectomycorrhizal species were collected on the blocks. Species diversity and overall community structure was similar in and out of Rm thickets. Individual species, i.e. Lactarius speciosus and Russula krombholzii, were significant indicators of forest without Rm thickets. Rhododendron maximum thickets probably affect the process of mycorrhization. The reduced level of mycorrhizal capacity under Rm thickets could be a factor in the increased seedling failure in Rm thickets. / Master of Science

The study of population biology and genetic diversity provides insights to the potential for colonization and can detect geographic patterns of invasion and range expansion, which is essential to predict how species might react to dynamic environments and the global climate change. An outstanding example for a successful colonizer is the Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.). It is closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana, the “lab rat“ of plant scientists, and originated 100-300 kya from the hybridization between an ancestral C. orientalis and an ancestor from the C. grandiflora/rubella lineage according to the current literature (Douglas et al., 2015). Many species invasions are the direct or indirect consequence of human activities, and the worldwide distribution of the Shepherd’s Purse is partially associated with prehistorical human migration (e.g. Neuffer & Hurka, 1999; Cornille et al., 2016). With the novel genome-wide restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) it is possible to perform population genetic studies of unprecedented depth and complexity and allowed the exploration of evolutionary history, range expansion and invasion patterns of this plant species. I will show here that a large number of loci and a wide global sampling area, using seed collections from nearly all over the world covering a large part of the whole distribution area of this ubiquitous weed, reveal finer-scale population structure of C. bursa-pastoris than has previously been detected. The work proposed here generates a comprehensive picture of phenotypic diversity in relationship to genetic variation within C. bursa-pastoris. Genetic variation is clearly geographically structured and split into two lineages apparently adapted to different environments, with one population predominantly distributed in Mediterranean climate regions and the other predominantly in temperate climate regions. The worldwide distribution patterns of the genetic variation can be explained by intra- and intercontinental migration, but environmental filtering due to climate pre-adaption seems also involved. The two clusters point to an early diversification into two lineages or may even suggest multiple origins of the species.This dissertation consists of three papers and manuscripts written during my time as a doctoral student at the Osnabrück University.