Nematodes are highly diverse animals capable of interacting with almost every other form of life on Earth from general trophic interactions to intimate and persistent symbiotic associations. Much of their recognition originates from their various parasitic lifestyles. From an agricultural standpoint, plant parasitic nematodes are widely known for the destruction they can cause to crop plants, such as the case of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, or livestock animals, like the Trichinella spiralis, which infects pigs and other animals. From a human health perspective, nematodes can cause many debilitating diseases, for example Wuchereria bancrofti, which is a causative agent of lymphatic filariasis or elephantiasis. However, not all parasitic nematodes have bad implications for human health. For instance, the diverse interactions of insect parasitic nematodes can be used to our benefit. Many of these species have been considered as biological control alternatives to different insect pests that wreak havoc on human, animal, and plant health. There still remain many questions surrounding their evolution, ecology, and physiological capabilities. Many of these taxa are hard to cultivate in the lab due to their complex and intimate lifestyles. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are of great interest in agriculture because they vector insect pathogenic bacteria, which are capable of causing death to an insect host within 48 hours post-infection. Much of the molecular underpinnings in this system still remain to be discovered, from understanding the basic ability of these two organisms to associate with one another to genetically engineering more robust and host specific pathogens for application in the field. The focus of the research presented herein is on Steinernematidae nematodes and their bacterial symbionts. Specifically, it focused on the relationship between Xenorhabdus bovienii and its Steinernema hosts. Bioassays were designed to investigate insect virulence of X. bovienii alone in two Lepidoptera insect species with known differential susceptibility to Steinernema-Xenorhabdus pairs. A comparative genomic analysis was performed to compare different Xenorhabdus bovienii strains with observed variation in insect virulence. Results from this analysis demonstrated that virulent strains possess a type VI secretion system (T6SS) locus that is completely absent in strains with attenuated virulence. Bacterial competition assays between T6SS+ and T6SS- strains suggest this locus is involved in bacterial competition. Additionally, symbiont preference assays were carried out to investigate whether Steinernema hosts are able to discern between virulent and attenuated X. bovienii strains. Results from these assays revealed that Steinernema nematodes are able to distinguish between cognate and non-cognate X. bovienii symbionts, giving preference to virulent strains over those with attenuated virulence. Altogether these results provide further evidence that supports the notion that symbiont-switching events have occurred over the Steinernema-Xenorhabdus co-evolutionary history. Specifically, the competitive virulence of certain X. bovienii strains may have conferred them the ability to be selected by different Steinernema hosts, therefore contributing to the success of the nematode-bacterium partnership in being pathogenic to diverse insect hosts.

No description available.

The acquisition of remote sensing data having an investigated quality level constitutes an important step to advance our understanding of the vegetation response to environmental factors. Spaceborne sensors introduce additional challenges that should be addressed to assure that derived findings are based on real phenomena, and not biased or misguided by instrument features or processing artifacts. As a consequence, updates to incorporate new advances and user requirements are regularly found on most cutting edge systems such as the MODIS system. In this dissertation, the objective was to design, characterize and assess any possible departure from current values, a MODIS VI algorithm for restoring the continuity 16-day 1-km product, based on the new 8-day 500-m MODIS SR product scheduled for MODIS C6. Additionally, the impact of increasing the time resolution from 16 to 8 days for the future basic MODIS C6 VI product was also assessed. The performance of the proposed algorithm was evaluated using high quality reference data and known biophysical relationships at several spatial and temporal scales. Firstly, it was evaluated using data from the ASRVN, FLUXNET-derived ecosystem GPP and an analysis of the seasonality parameters derived from current C5 and proxy C6 VI collections. The performance of the 8-day VI version was evaluated and contrasted with current 16-day using the reported correlation of the EVI with the GPP derived from CO2 flux measurements. Secondly, we performed an analysis at spatial level using entire images (or "tiles") to assess the BRDF effects on the VI product, as these can cause biases on the SR and VIs from scanning radiometers. Lastly, we evaluated the performance of the proposed algorithm for detecting inter-annual VI anomalies from long-term time series, as compared with current MODIS VI C5. For this, we analyzed the EVI anomalies from a densely vegetated evergreen region, for the period July-September (2000-2010). Results showed a high general similarity between results from both algorithms, but also systematic differences, suggesting that proposed algorithm towards C6 may represent an advance in the reduction of uncertainties for the MODIS VI product.

This paper is about the construction of a ”Swedish” identity in the novel Montecore: en unik tiger by Jonas Hassen Khemiri (translated in English to Montecore: the silence of the tiger). In the paper I start by, after a short introduction, introducing the theoretical background against which the novel will be analyzed. The main focus is postcolonial theories with Edward Saids work about making “the Other” as a base. I then go through some contemporary Swedish studies about race as a category and internalized racism, make a brief introduction to performativity, to finish with the thought provoking theories about the cyborg by Donna J. Haraway. In the section about method I present discourse analysis and the social constructionism that permeates postcolonial studies and discourse analysis and therefore the paper. Finally I analyze the material. In this section I use made-up dialogues to illustrate the different positions the characters take when responding to the imagined community that is Sweden, and the conditions imposed on those wanting to be accepted as Swedes. I use policy documents of a Swedish political party, Sverigedemokraterna (the Sweden Democrats) as a counterpart in the dialogues. Thereafter I have a short conclusion, and then you’re free.

To categorise people is by society viewed as a basic cognitive process. The process is described to occur frequently. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers experience and views concerning the categorization "we and them", and its relationship to the education of religion. The study aims to explore how the categorisation is expressed and valued. The study also aims to investigate the relationship between the teaching and the student groups heterogeneity/homogeneity, but also the relationship between the categorisation and the teaching. The data was conducted true semi-structured interviews with experienced teachers. The results of the study showed that "we and them" exist in the education of religion. The results of the study did not show an unambiguous perception of how the categorisation is expressed and viewed. The result also showed that the heterogeneity, alternatively homogeneity, of the student groups affects the education. The result also showed that the categorisation is affected by the heterogeneity or homogeneity, of the student groups. / Att kategorisera människor betraktas i den samtida kontexten som en av människans grundläggande kognitiva processer. Kategoriseringen och därmed indelning av människor är en ständigt pågående process. Syftet med denna studie är där av att undersöka i vilken utsträckning kategoriseringen av ett "vi" tillika ett "dom" är påtaglig i dagens religionsundervisning. Studien ämnar att undersöka religionslärares erfarenheter och åsikter kring en eventuell kategorisering av "vi och dom " i religionsundervisningen. Studien syftar till att undersöka hur en eventuell kategorisering av "vi och dom" yttrar sig och hur kategoriseringen värderas. Tillika syftar studien till att undersöka hur religionsundervisningen påverkas om elevgruppen är heterogen alternativt homogen, samt vilken betydelse heterogena-/homogena elevgrupper spelar för den eventuella kategoriseringen. Empirin erhölls genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med erfarna religionslärare. Studiens resultat visade att kategoriseringen "vi och dom" existerar i religionsundervisningen. Resultatet visade inte på någon entydig uppfattning rörande hur kategoriseringen yttrar sig tillika värderas. Vidare visade resultatet att religionsundervisningen påverkas utifrån elevgruppens heterogenitet alternativt homogenitet. Resultatet visade tillika att kategoriseringen "vi och dom" yttrar sig på olika vis, beroende på om religionsundervisningen bedrivs i en heterogen- eller en homogen elevgrupp.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

HOPE VI, instituted in 1993 and subsequent related policies, resulted in the demolition of traditional public housing and the relocation of former residents. For former residents living on low incomes, combining housing subsidy and other social services is important to survival. One crucial type of social services support provides food supplements. Research indicates that among low-income families, many do not receive necessary food social services. For example, among eligibles, food stamp utilization is at 50 to 60%, and for Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) rates vary from 38 to 73%. Research indicates that 35% of food insecure older adults are ineligible for the Elder Nutrition Program, and approximately 60% of eligibles are wait-listed upon application. Social services utilization patterns among eligibles are affected by neighborhood contexts. Relocation due to public housing transformation policies has been shown to change neighborhood context. This in turn has affected former public housing resident’s cultural capital and social capital. But how this affects food social services utilization has not been studied. I use Klinenberg’s (2002) activist client thesis as a framework to investigate the effect of cultural capital and social capital for housing subsidy recipients (relocated public housing residents) in Atlanta on their utilization of food social services using secondary longitudinal data from the Georgia State University Urban Health Initiative analyzed using ordered logistic regression. Most specifically, my research investigated how varying neighborhood contexts affect food social services utilization for former public housing residents in Atlanta. This research informs public policy on the provision of housing subsidy and the provision of food social services.

In 1997 the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority received a HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of $26.9 million to revitalize the Blackwell scattered site public housing community. The mixed income approach of HOPE VI calls for a reduction of public housing units, thus requiring all households to relocate to other neighborhoods. This research analyzed socioeconomic data to examine the relocation of households, assess whether they moved to better neighborhoods, and compare them to other poor households. Over half of all households moved to other distressed neighborhoods in the Northside, East End, and Southside sections of Richmond. While voucher households moved to better neighborhoods, public housing households appeared to move to neighborhoods of similar and worse quality than Blackwell. Overall, relocated households moved to less stable communities than other poor households. Research suggests that a regional approach is needed to open suburban housing options to low-income families in order to effectively deconcentrate poverty.

De flyktingströmmar som drabbat både Europa och Sverige på senare år har gjort att integrationsarbetet i kommunerna kommit att bli en viktig del i deras arbete att inkludera nya individer i samhället. Syftet med vår uppsats är att lyfta fram hur integrationen av nyanlända ser ut i olika kommuner i Sverige och målet är att belysa de svårigheter och ambitionen är att påvisa vikten av att inkluderas i samhället på ett tidigt stadie. Studien är kvalitativ och med hjälp av intervjuer tolkades sedan materialet. Vi bearbetade materialet utifrån teorierna Elias & Scotsons etablerade och outsiders och Bourdieus sociala kapital samt Ahrne & Papakostas om organisationer där studien visar att det finns svårigheter med fördomar och rykten, socialt kapital och organisationers samt politikens betydelse för inkludering i samhället. Materialet visade både på ett positivt och negativt sätt om hur kommunerna arbetar med integration och inkludering av nyanlända. Vår studie tyder på att kommunerna arbetar intensivt med integrationsarbetet men de befinner sig på olika nivåer. Sammantaget visar det sig att ett mindre samarbete förekommer mellan organisationerna Migrationsverket och kommunen vilket kan resultera till en sämre integration av de nyanlända. / The refugees suffered both in Europe and Sweden in recent years and has made integration work in the municipalities to become an important part of their work to include new individuals in society. The purpose of this essay is to highlight how the integration of immigrants looks in different municipalities in Sweden and the aims is to demonstrate the importance of being included in the community at an early stage. The study is qualitative and with the help of our interviews we interpreted the material. We processed the material based on the theories Elias & Scotsons established and outsiders and Bourdieu's social capital and Ahrne & Papakostas about organizations and the study shows that there are difficulties with prejudice and rumors, social capital and organizations and policy essential for inclusion in society. The material showed both positive and negative ways on how municipalities work with integration and inclusion of immigrants. Our study suggests that municipalities are working intensively on integration, but they are at different levels over all. It turns out that there are a minor co-operation between the organization Immigration Service and the municipality, which may result in a lower integration of the immigrants.

Den här studien har undersökt hur framställningar görs av individer med utländsk härkomst, etniska grupper och icke-västerländska kulturer görs i svenska läroböcker för samhällskunskap. Det undersöks också om det görs framställningar av ett ”vi” och ”de andra” i läroböckerna. I resultatet får läsaren följa fem olika teman som kommit fram genom läsning av sex läroböcker. Resultatet har analyserats med en postkolonial teori för att göra analyser om framställningarna som görs i läroböckerna kan tolkas som diskriminerande. I studien har också en läromedels teori använts för att analysera om framställningarna som görs i läroböckerna har en funktion av att förmedla diskriminerande diskurser. Vad resultatet av studien visar är att funktionen med läroböckerna inte är att göra diskriminerande framställningar, dock gör framställningarna att det görs ett ”vi” och ”de andra”. Av resultatet framkommer också att det förekommer tveksamma framställningar i läroböckernas innehåll.