The mountain pine beetle (MPB, Dendroctonus ponderosae), a tree-killing bark beetle, has historically been part of the normal disturbance regime in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests. In recent years, warm winters and summers have allowed MPB populations to achieve synchronous emergence and successful attacks, resulting in widespread population outbreaks and resultant tree mortality across western North America. We develop an age-structured forest demographic model that incorporates temperature-dependent MPB infestations: the Susceptible-Infested-Juvenile (SIJ) model. Stability of fixed points is analyzed as a function of population growth rates, and indicates the existence of periodic outbreaks that intensify as growth rates increase. We devise analytical methods to predict outbreak severity and duration as well as outbreak return time. To assess the vulnerability of natural resources to climate change, we develop a thermally-driven mechanistic model to predict MPB population growth rates using a distributional model of beetle phenology in conjunction with criteria for successful tree colonization. The model uses projected daily minimum and maximum temperatures for the years 2025 to 2085 generated by three separate global climate models. Growth rates are calculated each year for an area defined by latitude range 42° N to 49° N and longitude range 108° W to 117° W on a Cartesian grid of approximately 4km resolution. Using these growth rates, we analyze how the optimal thermal window for beetle development is changing with respect to elevation as a result of climate change induced warming. We also use our combined model to evaluate if thermal regimes exist that would promote life cycle bivoltinism and discuss how yearly growth rates would change as a result. Outbreaks of MPB are largely driven by host tree stand demographics and spatial effects of beetle dispersal. We augment the SIJ model to account for the spatial effects of MPB dispersal throughout a forest landscape by coupling it with a Gaussian redistribution kernel. The new model generates a train of sustained solitary waves of infestation that move through a forest with constant speed. We convert the resulting integrodifference equation into a partial differential equation and search for travelling wave solutions. The resulting differential equation provides predictions of the shape of an outbreak wave profile and of peak infestation as functions of wave speed, which can be calculated analytically. These results culminate in the derivation of an explicit formula for predicting the severity of an outbreak based on the net reproductive rate of MPB and host searching efficiency.

Human activities worldwide have altered nature in ways that create new combinations of species and environmental processes. To understand so-called "novel ecosystems" it is important to consider both the natural and the societal factors that shape them, and how those factors are interconnected or "coupled." We used such an approach to explore options for managing a non-native invasive frog, the coqui, which has become established on the island of Hawaii and threatens to spread to other parts of the state. The nighttime calls of the coqui create a nuisance for property owners when populations become dense enough, as often occurs in Hawaii where the frogs have no natural enemies. Humans have tried various ways to eliminate coqui on the island of Hawaii with little success. Therefore we studied how property owners cope with their presence, both through management practices and psychological coping strategies. We also examined results of those efforts. People whose properties had more frogs were more likely to take action to reduce their numbers, but also attitudes toward the coqui were less negative when people had grown used to having to share their properties with the frogs. For those who cannot cope psychologically, we found it would be possible to manage properties to reduce densities but only when leaf litter and low shrubs were completely removed from near a home. Information campaigns about managing coqui should be different when targeting people that already host frogs and those that do not.

Nous voulions déterminer les facteurs de l'anthropisation impliqués dans le commensalisme de la souris, selon une approche phylogéographique et historique.<br />La quantification de la variabilité actuelle des morphologies dentaires (analyses de Fourier) du genre Mus en Méditerranée a montré qu'il est possible de discriminer les espèces et sous-espèces du genre à partir du matériel fossile et qu'elle pouvait être un marqueur des flux géniques. <br />L'application archéozoologique nous a permis d'identifier l'émergence des pratiques de l'économie agricole néolithique (stockage des grains, champs cultivés...) au Proche-Orient comme le facteur déterminant dans l'adaptation de la souris à la niche commensale.<br />Enfin, nous avons montré que la souris domestique colonisa la Méditerranée occidentale lors de l'intensification conjointe des échanges et de l'urbanisation du premier millénaire av. J.-C., lui permettant de surmonter les barrières écologiques et génétiques qui, auparavant, empêchaient son invasion.

<p>Försvarsmakten har sedan sekelskiftet gått ifrån att vara ett invasionsförsvar till att bli ett insatsförsvar. Under denna omvandling har Försvarsmakten blivit allt mindre och fått en mer internationell inriktning. Förband har lagts ned, personal sagts upp och materiel skrotats. Författaren är intresserad av att se hur detta har påverkat Försvarsmakten som en samhällsresurs.</p><p>Problemet som ställs i uppsatsen är huruvida regeringen har anpassat Försvarsmaktens uppgift att stärka det svenska samhället vid svåra påfrestningar i fred, mot bakgrund av den omvandling som skett. Syftet med denna uppsats är sålunda att undersöka och jämföra om uppgiften att stärka det svenska samhället vid svåra påfrestningar i fred har förändrats, utvecklats eller anpassats till det nya insatsförsvaret som Sverige har idag.</p><p>Som metod används en komparativ och kvalitativ textanalys av utvalda propositioner, departementsserier och regleringsbrev. De fakta i dokumenten som berör uppsatsämnet analyseras och jämförs, för att sedan sammanfattas och diskuteras. </p><p>Resultatet i uppsatsen påvisar att regeringen inte har ändrat uppgiften att stärka det svenska samhället vid svåra påfrestningar i fred, som ställs till Försvarsmakten. Men det påvisar även att en kontinuerlig anpassning av uppgiften sker i form av ett samarbete med andra myndigheter, denna utveckling kan följas på olika sätt i de utvalda källorna.</p><p>Författaren har dragit slutsatser kring det presenterade resultatet och kommit fram till att regeringen inte behövt ändra uppgiften. Men för att kunna effektivisera utnyttjandet av de resurser som Försvarsmakten kan tillföra vid svåra påfrestningar bör regeringen utveckla och precisera hur Försvarsmakten skall utnyttjas med störst effektivitet.</p> / <p>The Swedish Armed Forces has, since the turn of the century, transformed from an invasion defence to a type of mission oriented defence. This means that the Swedish armed forces have become smaller in volume, material has been terminated, a lot of personnel have been terminated and the amount of conscripts heavily reduced. The author is interested in how this has affected the Swedish armed force as recourse to the Swedish society.</p><p>Before and under the transformation, one of the Swedish armed forces duties has been to strengthen the Swedish society when hard tensions have emerged in peacetime. This duty has been presented in the regulations that the Swedish government give to the Swedish Armed Forces every year.  The duty is also one of the duties presented in the regulation that controls the Swedish Armed Forces activities.</p><p>The problem that is presented in the essay is how the Swedish government has adjusted this duty to the Swedish Armed Forces with this transformation in mind. The purpose of this essay is therefore to investigate and compare if the duties have been changed, developed and/or adjusted to the new Swedish armed forces as it is today.</p><p>The result of this paper shows that the government has not changed the duty to strengthen the society when hard tensions come. However, it also shows that there is a continuing adjustment to the duty in form of cooperation with other authorities. This development can be seen in different ways in the varying sources that have been presented in the essay.</p><p>The author has drawn some conclusions concerning the presented results and reached a conclusion that the government does not have to change the duty. It can be preserved as it is today. In order to use the resources that the Swedish armed forces contribute more efficiently, the government has to develop and specify how the Swedish armed forces can be used with the greatest efficiency.</p>

Försvarsmakten har sedan sekelskiftet gått ifrån att vara ett invasionsförsvar till att bli ett insatsförsvar. Under denna omvandling har Försvarsmakten blivit allt mindre och fått en mer internationell inriktning. Förband har lagts ned, personal sagts upp och materiel skrotats. Författaren är intresserad av att se hur detta har påverkat Försvarsmakten som en samhällsresurs. Problemet som ställs i uppsatsen är huruvida regeringen har anpassat Försvarsmaktens uppgift att stärka det svenska samhället vid svåra påfrestningar i fred, mot bakgrund av den omvandling som skett. Syftet med denna uppsats är sålunda att undersöka och jämföra om uppgiften att stärka det svenska samhället vid svåra påfrestningar i fred har förändrats, utvecklats eller anpassats till det nya insatsförsvaret som Sverige har idag. Som metod används en komparativ och kvalitativ textanalys av utvalda propositioner, departementsserier och regleringsbrev. De fakta i dokumenten som berör uppsatsämnet analyseras och jämförs, för att sedan sammanfattas och diskuteras.  Resultatet i uppsatsen påvisar att regeringen inte har ändrat uppgiften att stärka det svenska samhället vid svåra påfrestningar i fred, som ställs till Försvarsmakten. Men det påvisar även att en kontinuerlig anpassning av uppgiften sker i form av ett samarbete med andra myndigheter, denna utveckling kan följas på olika sätt i de utvalda källorna. Författaren har dragit slutsatser kring det presenterade resultatet och kommit fram till att regeringen inte behövt ändra uppgiften. Men för att kunna effektivisera utnyttjandet av de resurser som Försvarsmakten kan tillföra vid svåra påfrestningar bör regeringen utveckla och precisera hur Försvarsmakten skall utnyttjas med störst effektivitet. / The Swedish Armed Forces has, since the turn of the century, transformed from an invasion defence to a type of mission oriented defence. This means that the Swedish armed forces have become smaller in volume, material has been terminated, a lot of personnel have been terminated and the amount of conscripts heavily reduced. The author is interested in how this has affected the Swedish armed force as recourse to the Swedish society. Before and under the transformation, one of the Swedish armed forces duties has been to strengthen the Swedish society when hard tensions have emerged in peacetime. This duty has been presented in the regulations that the Swedish government give to the Swedish Armed Forces every year.  The duty is also one of the duties presented in the regulation that controls the Swedish Armed Forces activities. The problem that is presented in the essay is how the Swedish government has adjusted this duty to the Swedish Armed Forces with this transformation in mind. The purpose of this essay is therefore to investigate and compare if the duties have been changed, developed and/or adjusted to the new Swedish armed forces as it is today. The result of this paper shows that the government has not changed the duty to strengthen the society when hard tensions come. However, it also shows that there is a continuing adjustment to the duty in form of cooperation with other authorities. This development can be seen in different ways in the varying sources that have been presented in the essay. The author has drawn some conclusions concerning the presented results and reached a conclusion that the government does not have to change the duty. It can be preserved as it is today. In order to use the resources that the Swedish armed forces contribute more efficiently, the government has to develop and specify how the Swedish armed forces can be used with the greatest efficiency.

Les Bartonelles sont des bactéries hémotropes responsables de zoonoses émergentes. Ces Alphaprotéobactéries sont auxotrophes pour l'hème et doivent donc l'importer du milieu extérieur pour croître. Les Bartonelles possèdent un système complet de transport de l'hème permettant de transporter ce composé dans le cytoplasme. Chez Bartonella, il a été montré que l'hème pouvait être utilisé comme source de fer. Comme pour d'autres bactéries utilisant l'hème comme une source de fer, Bartonella doit dégrader l'hème pour libérer le fer. Chez Bartonella, un ensemble de gènes codant pour le système de transport de l'hème, contient un gène codant pour un polypeptide (HemS) présentant des homologies avec des protéines liant ou dégradant l'hème. En utilisant des expériences de complémentation de mutants d'E. coli incapables de dégrader l'hème, nous avons mis en évidence que HemS de Bartonella henselae permet la libération du fer de l'hème. HemS purifié lie l'hème et le dégrade en présence de donneurs d'électrons. La diminution du niveau de HemS chez B. henselae décroit sa capacité de survivre à une exposition à H2O2. Les Bartonelles expriment quatre ou cinq protéines de la membrane externe ayant la capacité de fixer l'hème. Les gènes de structure de ces protéines sont exprimés différemment en fonction de paramètres comme la température ainsi que la concentration en oxygène ou en hème. Ces protéines ont été proposées comme étant impliquées dans divers processus cellulaires étant donné leur profil d'expression. Dans ce manuscrit, nous montrons que ces protéines sont impliquées dans la défense contre le stress oxydatif, la colonisation des cellules endothèliales et la survie dans la puce

Les gliomes sont les tumeurs cérébrales primitives les plus fréquentes. Dérivant des cellules gliales et majoritairement des astrocytes, les gliomes malins évoluent rapidement et sont associés à un très mauvais pronostic, en partie causé par leur nature invasive. Les cellules de gliomes infiltrent activement le parenchyme cérébral, ce qui leur permet d'échapper aux thérapies focales (chirurgie et radiothérapie), et de donner naissance à de nouveaux foyers tumoraux au voisinage direct ou à distance de la tumeur initiale. En analysant le transcriptome de plus de 130 gliomes de différents grades et en me focalisant uniquement sur les variations d'expression de gènes connus pour être impliqués dans la migration, l'invasion, l'adhérence et la polarité astrocytaire, j'ai mis en évidence une altération des jonctions adhérentes dans les gliomes et suggéré une corrélation inverse entre le niveau de la p120ctn et l'invasivité des gliomes in vitro et in vivo.. En contrôlant une boucle de recyclage inédite de la N-cadhérine dans les cellules en migration, la p120ctn régule spatialement les forces d'adhérence intercellulaire, et assure une migration collective dirigée. L'altération de sa fonction dans les astrocytes sains entraîne une augmentation de la dispersion des cellules, la perturbation de leur directionnalité et in fine une augmentation de leur vitesse de migration ; des caractéristiques identiques aux cellules de gliomes en migration. L'ensemble de ces résultats définit la p120ctn comme une nouvelle cible thérapeutique potentielle pour le traitement des gliomes diffus et comme un potentiel marqueur de l'invasivité des gliomes.

In the lung, epithelial cell migration plays a key role in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. When the respiratory epithelium is injured, the epithelial lining in the respiratory system can be seriously damaged. Spreading and migrating of the surviving cells neighboring a wound are essential for airway epithelial repair. When the repair process is affected, aberrant remodeling may occur, which is important in the pathogenesis of lung diseases. However, in comparison with other cellular and molecular functions in the respiratory system, our understanding on lung epithelial cell migration and invasion is limited. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms that govern these cellular processes, I asked whether normal (non-cancerous) human airway epithelial cells can form podosomes, a cellular structure discovered from cancer and mesenchymal cells that controls cell migration and invasion. I found that phorbol-12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, induced podosome formation in primary normal human bronchial epithelial cells, and in normal human airway epithelial BEAS2B cells. PDBu-induced podosomes were capable of degrading fibronectin-gelatin-sucrose matrix. PDBu also increased the invasiveness of these epithelial cells. I further demonstrated that PDBu-induced podosome formation was mainly mediated through redistribution of conventional PKCs, especially PKCα, from the cytosol to the podosomes, whereas atypical PKCζ played a dominant role in the proteolytic activity of podosomes through recruitment of MMP-9 to podosomes, and MMP-9 secretion and activiation. I also found that that PDBu can activate PI3K/Akt/Src and ERK1/2 and JNK but not p38. PI3K, Akt and Src were critical for podosome formation, whereas ERK1/2 and JNK mediated the proteolytic activity of podosomes via MMP-9 recruitment, gene expression, release and activation without affecting podosome assembly. Podosomes are important for epithelial cell migration and invasion, thus contributing to respiratory epithelial repair and regeneration. My thesis work unveils the molecular mechanisms that regulate podosomal formation and proteolytic function in normal human bronchial epithelial cells. These novel findings may enhance our understanding of cell migration and invasion in lung development and repair. Similar mechanisms may be also applicable to other cell types in distinct organs.

Multiphase flow and transport in fractured rock is of importance to many practical and engineering applications. In the field of groundwater hydrology an issue of significant environmental concern is the release of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) which can cause long-term groundwater contamination in fractured aquifers. This study deals with two fundamental processes – fluid displacement and interphase mass transfer – concerning the behavior of the multiphase contaminants in fractured media. The focus of this work has been placed on improving the current understanding of small-scale (single fracture) physics by a combined effort of numerical modeling analysis, laboratory experiments and model development. This thesis contributes to the improved understanding through several aspects. Firstly, the effect of aperture variability, as characterized by geostatistical parameters such as standard deviation and correlation length, on the DNAPL entrapment, dissolution and source-depletion behaviors in single fractures was revealed. Secondly, a novel, generalized approach (adaptive circle fitting approach) to account for the effect of in-plane curvature of fluid-fluid interfaces on immiscible fluid displacement was developed; the new approach has demonstrated good performance when applied to simulate previously published experimental data. Thirdly, the performance of a continuum-based two-phase flow model and an invasion percolation model was compared for modeling fluid displacement in a variable-aperture fracture and the dependence of fracture-scale capillary pressure – saturation relationships on aperture variability was studied. Lastly, through experimental studies and mechanistic numerical modeling of DNAPL dissolution, kinetic mass transfer characteristics of two different entrapment configurations (residual blobs and dead-end pools) were investigated. The obtained understanding from this thesis will be useful for predictive modeling of multiphase contaminant behavior at a larger (fracture network) scale. / Flerfasflöde och ämnestransport i sprickigt berg är av betydelse för många praktiska och tekniska problem. Tunga, svårlösliga organiska vätskor (engelska: dense non-aqueous phase liquids: DNAPLs; t.ex. klorerade lösningsmedel) kan orsaka långvarig förorening av vattenresurser, inklusive akviferer i sprickigt berg, och utgör ett viktigt miljöproblem inom grundvattenhydrologin. Denna studie behandlar två fundamentala processer för spridning av flerfasföroreningar i sprickiga medier – utbredning av den organiska vätskan och massöverföring mellan organisk vätska och vatten. Arbetet har fokuserat på att förbättra nuvarande kunskap om de fysikaliska processerna på liten skala (enskilda sprickor) genom en kombination av numerisk modellering, laboratorieexperiment och modellutveckling. Avhandlingen har bidragit till utökad processförståelse i flera avseenden. För det första har arbetet belyst effekterna av sprickaperturens variabilitet, uttryckt med geostatistiska parametrar som standardavvikelse och rumslig korrelationslängd, på fastläggning och lösning av organiska vätskor i enskilda sprickor, samt utmattningsbeteendet hos dessa källor till grundvattenförorening. För det andra har en ny, generell metod (adaptiva cirkelpassningsmetoden) för att ta hänsyn till effekten av krökningen av gränsytan mellan organisk vätska och vatten i sprickplanet utvecklats; denna metod har visats fungera väl i simuleringar av tidigare publicerade experimentella data. För det tredje, har en jämförelse gjorts mellan en kontinuumbaserad tvåfasflödesmodell och en invasions-perkolationsmodell med avseende på hur väl de kan simulera tvåfasflöde i en spricka med varierande apertur. Här studerades även hur relationen mellan kapillärtryck och mättnadsgrad på sprickplansskala beror av variabiliteten i sprickapertur. Till sist undersöktes lösning av den organiska vätskan i grundvatten för två fastläggningsscenarier (fastläggning i immobila droppar och ansamling i fällor – ”återvändssprickor”) både genom experiment och mekanistisk numerisk modellering. Kunskapen som tagits fram i denna avhandling bedöms vara användbar även för att modellera spridningen av flerfasföroreningar på större (spricknätverks-) skalor.

In the lung, epithelial cell migration plays a key role in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. When the respiratory epithelium is injured, the epithelial lining in the respiratory system can be seriously damaged. Spreading and migrating of the surviving cells neighboring a wound are essential for airway epithelial repair. When the repair process is affected, aberrant remodeling may occur, which is important in the pathogenesis of lung diseases. However, in comparison with other cellular and molecular functions in the respiratory system, our understanding on lung epithelial cell migration and invasion is limited. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms that govern these cellular processes, I asked whether normal (non-cancerous) human airway epithelial cells can form podosomes, a cellular structure discovered from cancer and mesenchymal cells that controls cell migration and invasion. I found that phorbol-12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, induced podosome formation in primary normal human bronchial epithelial cells, and in normal human airway epithelial BEAS2B cells. PDBu-induced podosomes were capable of degrading fibronectin-gelatin-sucrose matrix. PDBu also increased the invasiveness of these epithelial cells. I further demonstrated that PDBu-induced podosome formation was mainly mediated through redistribution of conventional PKCs, especially PKCα, from the cytosol to the podosomes, whereas atypical PKCζ played a dominant role in the proteolytic activity of podosomes through recruitment of MMP-9 to podosomes, and MMP-9 secretion and activiation. I also found that that PDBu can activate PI3K/Akt/Src and ERK1/2 and JNK but not p38. PI3K, Akt and Src were critical for podosome formation, whereas ERK1/2 and JNK mediated the proteolytic activity of podosomes via MMP-9 recruitment, gene expression, release and activation without affecting podosome assembly. Podosomes are important for epithelial cell migration and invasion, thus contributing to respiratory epithelial repair and regeneration. My thesis work unveils the molecular mechanisms that regulate podosomal formation and proteolytic function in normal human bronchial epithelial cells. These novel findings may enhance our understanding of cell migration and invasion in lung development and repair. Similar mechanisms may be also applicable to other cell types in distinct organs.