<p>Abstract</p><p>Title: Communicating diversity – A study about communication and involvement in The National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations.</p><p>Number of pages: 58</p><p>Author: Frida Samuelsson</p><p>Tutor: Peder Hård af Segerstad</p><p>Course: Media and Communication Studies C</p><p>Period: Autumn 2006</p><p>University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science,Uppsala University</p><p>Purpose/Aim: The general purpose of this essay is to analyse how the member organizations of LSU – The National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations, see the communication,activities and their influence over the organization. I aim to do an analysis of the target group to find out if the lack of involvement in LSU is caused by communication problems.</p><p>Material/Method: The method of this essay is quantitative and is based upon a web-survey.The chairmen of the member organizations have been asked to answer a survey about the communication in LSU. To get an idea of how widespread different opinions about LSU are the empirical data has been made into graphs to show the frequencies and also cross tabulations to find out if there are any correlations between the variables.</p><p>Main result: This study has shown that the problem with involvement in LSU is only partly a communication problem. One important result is that many member organizations feel that LSU doesn’t listen to their opinions and they express a wish to have more influence over the organization. The broad target group is both a strength and a weakness to the organization. It is a hard task to communicate in such a differentiated organization, since the members have many views on LSU and have different degrees of involvement. But it is also a strength to be able to create meeting points where different organizations can learn from each other.</p><p>Keywords: Communication problems, internal communication, involvement, non-profit, organizations, umbrella organization, youth organizations.</p>

Abstract Title: Communicating diversity – A study about communication and involvement in The National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations. Number of pages: 58 Author: Frida Samuelsson Tutor: Peder Hård af Segerstad Course: Media and Communication Studies C Period: Autumn 2006 University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science,Uppsala University Purpose/Aim: The general purpose of this essay is to analyse how the member organizations of LSU – The National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations, see the communication,activities and their influence over the organization. I aim to do an analysis of the target group to find out if the lack of involvement in LSU is caused by communication problems. Material/Method: The method of this essay is quantitative and is based upon a web-survey.The chairmen of the member organizations have been asked to answer a survey about the communication in LSU. To get an idea of how widespread different opinions about LSU are the empirical data has been made into graphs to show the frequencies and also cross tabulations to find out if there are any correlations between the variables. Main result: This study has shown that the problem with involvement in LSU is only partly a communication problem. One important result is that many member organizations feel that LSU doesn’t listen to their opinions and they express a wish to have more influence over the organization. The broad target group is both a strength and a weakness to the organization. It is a hard task to communicate in such a differentiated organization, since the members have many views on LSU and have different degrees of involvement. But it is also a strength to be able to create meeting points where different organizations can learn from each other. Keywords: Communication problems, internal communication, involvement, non-profit, organizations, umbrella organization, youth organizations.

Landscape fragmentation poses a major threat to biodiversity world-wide. The goal of my dissertation research was to determine the effects of landscape fragmentation on a lizard community in the Mescalero-Monahans shinnery sands, New Mexico and the extent to which conservation efforts might protect biodiversity in this ecosystem. My research relied heavily on data collected from a large-scale spatially-replicated comparative study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impacts of landscape fragmentation as a result of oil and gas development on the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus). Results from analysis of lizard community structure indicate that fragmented sites are less diverse than non-fragmented sites. In particular, two species are found in lower density and occupancy in the fragmented locations (Holbrookia maculata and Sceloporus arenicolus). Analysis of landscape configuration at the scale of a trapping grid indicated that sand dune blowout shape and size differed between fragmented and non-fragmented locations. Differences in landscape pattern were associated with reduced lizard diversity. Because of this association between lower diversity and altered landscape pattern, extensive alterations to landscape pattern may cause disassembly at the ecosystem level. The maintenance of existing landscape pattern may be important to the maintenance of diversity in this ecosystem. Evaluations of habitat use patterns of the lizards in this community demonstrate that a few species have narrow preferences for certain habitats. In particular, H. maculata, Phrynosoma cornutum, and S. arenicolus all demonstrated narrow habitat use patterns. Effect size of fragmentation for each species indicated that the same three species showed a large effect when comparing their average abundances between fragmented and non-fragmented locations. Thus species that are most likely to benefit or be harmed by landscape fragmentation are those with the most specific habitat requirements. Umbrella species represent one of many approaches to conservation using surrogate species. I used data on ants, beetles, small mammals, lizards, and endemic species to test the use of the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) as an umbrella for endemism and biodiversity of the Mescalero-Monahans shinnery sands ecosystem. I applied a comparative approach at three spatial scales to examine how conservation practices at different scales may affect biodiversity and endemism in this ecosystem. At the largest scale, the frequency of occurrence for endemic species increased though no other patterns emerged because S. arenicolus was present at all sites and there were no relationships between relative abundances of S. arenicolus and the other taxonomic groups. At the smallest scale, both beetle species richness, diversity, and endemic species richness were higher in the presence of S. arenicolus. To protect biodiversity in this ecosystem, conservation efforts should focus on protection at the scale of the species distribution rather than on the small-scale placement of individual well pads.

Molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the permeation of four different solutesthrough different cholesterol containing lipid bilayers. In all bilayers the limiting permeationbarrier shifted towards the hydrophobic core, as the cholesterol concentration was increased.Cholesterols reducing effect on the permeation rate was observed, but under certainconditions results indicating an increased permeation rate with increasing cholesterolconcentration were also obtained.

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) disorder commonly involves musculoskeletal widespread pain and other symptoms like fatigue, sleep disruption, depression and anxiety and is associated with disability, work disability and high health care utilization. An integrated approach combining pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments is advised to manage the disorder. Among the non-pharmacological interventions exercise has been shown to help; however, details about effectiveness of different types of interventions remain unknown. Objectives: The objective of this dissertation was to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of: a) Aquatic exercise interventions for adults with FM as reported in randomized control trials (RCTs), and b) any physical activity interventions for adults with FM as reported in systematic reviews. This was done by conducting a Cochrane systematic review of an aquatic training intervention and second, synthesizing the effectiveness of a variety of exercise interventions. Methods: For the Cochrane systematic review, nine electronic databases were searched. Selection criteria included full text publication of a RCT including an aquatic exercise intervention (AQ) (exercise in water was >50% of the full intervention) and provision of between-group outcome data. Pairs of reviewers independently screened and selected articles, assessed risk of bias, and extracted data on 24 outcomes. Effects of the interventions were evaluated using mean, standardized mean differences and 95% confidence interval (MD/SMD [95% CI]). Specific computer software designed for meta-analysing and evaluating the quality of evidence were used (i.e RevMan, GradePro). The second review, the synthesis of a variety of exercise interventions or umbrella systematic review, inspected six electronic databases for the January 1st 2007 to March 31st 2012 period. We included systematic Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews that reported on the effects of any physical activity intervention for adults with FM. Pairs of reviewers independently screened and selected articles, assessed quality of the reviews using a valid and reliable tool (AMSTAR tool), and extracted data on four outcomes. Effects of the interventions were evaluated using standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (SMD [95% CI]). We planned to use RevMan software for meta-analysis but due to heterogeneity of the reviews this was not done. Results: The Cochrane review examined 16 aquatic exercise training studies (n = 881). Nine studies compared aquatic exercise to control, five studies compared aquatic exercise to land-based exercise, and two compared aquatic to a different aquatic program. The aquatic vs control studies provided low to moderate quality evidence suggesting that aquatic training is beneficial for wellness, symptoms and fitness in adults with FM. The aquatic vs land group results suggested very low to low quality evidence that there are no differences in benefits between aquatic and land-based exercise except in muscle strength (very low quality evidence favoring land). In examining aquatic vs aquatic meta-analyses was not possible and only one difference in a major outcome was found. The umbrella systematic review synthesis of information (n-= nine systematic reviews) found positive results for diverse exercise interventions on pain, multidimensional function, and self-reported physical function and no conclusive evidence for new (to FM) physical activity mode (i.e. qigong, tai chi). There are however, methodological weaknesses in some of the reviews which reduce applicability of the research to clinical practice. Adverse effects reported suggest there was no serious harm performing physical activity for individuals with FM. Conclusions: Exercise interventions have the potential to positively impact individuals with FM including several outcomes like quality of life, physical functioning and pain. While some interventions had statistically significant results, methodological limitations prevented us from arriving at conclusions regarding particular elements and modes of exercise that will help inform health professional’s clinical practice. On the other hand, some preliminary analysis showed that variables like age, disease duration, disease severity and pain intensity warrant further exploration. A rigorous scientific process (or quality research) as the precursor of quality evidence is crucial for validity and credibility of the information and our future understanding of the effectiveness of exercise interventions for individuals with FM.

This is an autoethnographic account of the performative practices in the Umbrella Movement (2014, Hong Kong), a struggle that I myself and some fellow artists participated in. Instead of making a discursive analysis of postcolonial identity, this thesis focuses on performative practices and the performativity of artists and their activist counterparts in the Umbrella Movement. This thesis starts with an overview of the political situation in Hong Kong before relating it to the social turn in contemporary art practice and the performative turn in art and research practices. Instead of using performance as a metaphor for understanding cultural phenomena, I persevere with the notion of performance per se, of artists taking part in activism and examining the performativity involved in the process. As an artist/researcher, I have been seeking a research methodology that is compatible with the means and ends of activism being studied and can nourish a reflexive account on the performative practices of resistance in postcolonial Hong Kong. I propose a methodology of 'performative autoethnography' which accentuates the co-performative and intersubjective process as well as the non-textual aspects of embodied experience and of performing struggle in activism. Reviewing the performative practices on macro- and micro-levels, I borrow the term 'microutopia' to depict the imaginary space created by micro-performances used to cope with the discrepancies between utopian ideals and reality. Specifically, I examine the transformative power of some performative tactics employed in the Umbrella Movement: parodic performance of 'over-identification,' improvisation accomplished by collective connectivity and kinetic responsiveness of the performers, and the artist as an intersubjective mediator. Among these tactics, there are recurring claims and recurring forms that add up to a repertoire of protest. Through microutopian interventions staged at the site of protest, the identities of the multitude are constructed through critical engagement. I suggest that we use the concept of 'critical identities' to study how identities are constructed within an open-ended network of social relations, using a critical reflexive lens of performance studies at a precarious moment in which Hong Kong finds itself at a crossroads.

abstract: Private labels command a growing share of food retailers' shelf space. In this dissertation, I explain this phenomenon as resulting from "umbrella branding," or the ability of a single brand to reach across categories. Conceptually, I define umbrella branding as a behavioral attribute that describes a shopper's tendency to ascribe a performance bond to a brand, or to associate certain performance characteristics to a private label brand, across multiple categories. In the second chapter, I describe the performance bond theory in detail, and then test this theory using scanner data in the chapter that follows. Because secondary data has limitations for testing behavioral theories, however, I test the performance bond theory of umbrella branding using a laboratory experiment in the fourth chapter. In this chapter, I find that households tend to transfer their perception of private label performance across categories, or that a manifestation of umbrella branding behavior can indeed explain private labels' success. In the fifth chapter, I extend this theory to compare umbrella branding in international markets, and find that performance transference takes its roots in consumers' cultural backgrounds. Taken together, my results suggest that umbrella branding is an important behavioral mechanism, and one that can be further exploited by retailers across any consumer good category with strong credence attributes. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Agribusiness 2014

Chondrichthyans—sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras—influence top down control of food webs and connect disparate ecosystems, yet populations of many species around the world have experienced sharp declines in abundance. Marine protected areas (MPAs) have a long history of conserving marine biodiversity, but their effectiveness to protect representative and critical habitat for threatened species on a global scale is controversial and hindered by a lack of biological and ecological data for the majority of chondrichthyan species. In this thesis, I use non-invasive baited remote underwater video (BRUV) and citizen science diver data to explore diverse chondrichthyan communities in two countries, South Africa and Costa Rica, with data-poor chondrichthyan fisheries and limit conservation funding, and the relationships of these chondrichthyans to biotic and abiotic factors in their habitats in and around MPAs. First, through a literature review, I find substantial taxonomic and geographic biases in understanding of reef shark biology, ecology, and conservation, which impair ability to implement effective conservation measures for these species. After identifying these research gaps, I used BRUVs to explore the diversity of a chondrichthyan hotspot in South Africa, finding many poorly understood endemic chondrichthyans. I discovered strong associations of the chondricthyan community to different habitat types (sand versus reef and kelp habitat), which resulted in poor diversity within one of the region’s larger MPAs—a whale sanctuary whose focus on large charismatic whales left mostly poorer quality sand habitat protected. However, a high occurrence of chondrichthyans within a neighbouring MPA suggested even small MPAs can conserve a high abundance of smaller species, especially if residency can be demonstrated. I then used the BRUV data to examine the relationships amongst these chondrichthyans and the community of other marine animals within the region, finding strong co-occurrence patterns that suggest chondrichthyans, particularly the endemic catsharks, could serve as effective ‘umbrella’ species for conservation in this region where little other information is available for conservation planning and monitoring. Finally, at Cocos Island, an MPA off Costa Rica, I discovered similarly strong, species-specific associations to another aspect of habitat: temperature. I found significant and species-specific responses to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). For example, the scalloped hammerhead Sphryna lewini counts declined by 224.7% during strong El Niño conditions and by 14.7% with just a 1°C rise in SST, while the benthic whitetip reef shark Triaenodon obesus had a weaker response, dropping by only 7.9% and 4.4%, respectively. In general, strong El Niño events reduced sightings within the MPA, providing some of the first indications of how a rising frequency and intensity of these events will impact the spatial distribution of both chondrichthyans and their habitat in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Overall, this thesis provides insight into the factors influencing chondrichthyan abundance and diversity, demonstrating the importance of considering both biotic and abiotic factors during MPA design and the need to study these factors across diverse taxonomic groups and ecosystems. / Graduate / 2021-05-08

Due to heavily managed forests in Sweden, there has been a rapid decline of deadwood and deciduous-rich areas since the 1950s. As a result of this, 2000 forest species are now red-listed of which 700 is in heavy need of deadwood. The white-backed woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, an umbrella species whose food choice consists of insects living in dead and decaying wood, has become critically endangered due to the lack of food and nesting areas. Preservation actions aimed towards saving the white-backed woodpecker are not only essential for itself but for 200 other species dependent on the same environmental requirements. The purpose of this study was to determine if the restoration for deciduous trees has favoured the white-backed woodpecker in four different areas: Ängsbacka, Degersjön, Ålidberget, and Kvillträsk in Västerbotten. By placing two different kinds of insect traps (window traps, and malaise traps) to analyze the different insects in restoration areas compared with control areas, I could investigate if there had been an increase in the number of insects preferred by the white-backed woodpecker. I could also investigate if there was a higher diversity of these preferred insects. There was no sign of an increase in numbers of preferred insects nor in numbers of preferred species. A higher diversity could neither be proven, however all four forests were deciduous-rich with high amount of dead-wood and has proven to show good potential for a future increase in saproxylic insects if restoration continues.

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