Riot or rebellion: media framing and the 1967 Detroit uprising

Frames make sense of complex issues and events, including identifying who is to blame and who or what is responsible for overcoming the problem. This research builds on the growing list of framing research, but takes the focus in a new direction, focusing on the longevity of frames and how they may transition over time. This dissertation offers an in-depth case study of framing effects by analyzing media coverage from the 30 days following the 1967 Detroit uprising and comparing that coverage with the 40th anniversary coverage of the same event. By analyzing the uprising through a 40-year lens, this dissertation embarks on an area that has not been addressed in framing research: the long-term implications of framing and reframing a significant event. In addition, the research offers an instrument for future framing research

The Tropical Transition of the October 1996 Medicane in the Western Mediterranean Sea: A Warm Seclusion Event

The processes leading to the tropical transition of the October 1996 medicane in the western Mediterranean are investigated on the basis of a 50-member ensemble of regional climate model (RCM) simulations. By comparing the composites of transitioning and nontransitioning cyclones it is shown that standard extratropical dynamics are responsible for the cyclogenesis and that the transition results from a warm seclusion process. As the initial thermal asymmetries and vertical tilt of the cyclones are reduced, a warm core forms in the lower troposphere. It is demonstrated that in the transitioning cyclones, the upper-tropospheric warm core is also a result of the seclusion process. Conversely, the warm core remains confined below 600 hPa in the nontransitioning systems. In the baroclinic stage, the transitioning cyclones are characterized by larger vertical wind shear and intensification rates. The resulting stronger low-level circulation in turn is responsible for significantly larger latent and sensible heat fluxes throughout the seclusion process

Modelling aspects of oviduct fluid formation in vitro

© 2017 Society for Reproduction and Fertility. Oviduct fluid is the microenvironment that supports early reproductive processes including fertilisation, embryo cleavage and genome activation. However, the composition and regulation of this critical environment remain rather poorly defined. This study uses an in vitro preparation of the bovine oviduct epithelium to investigate the formation and composition of in vitro-derived oviduct fluid (ivDOF) within a controlled environment. We confirm the presence of oviduct-specific glycoprotein 1 in ivDOF and show that the amino acid and carbohydrate content resembles that of previously reported in vivo data. In parallel, using a different culture system, a panel of oviduct epithelial solute carrier genes and the corresponding flux of amino acids within ivDOF in response to steroid hormones were investigated. We next incorporated fibroblasts directly beneath the epithelium. This dual culture arrangement represents more faithfully the in vivo environment and impacts on ivDOF composition. Lastly, physiological and pathophysiological endocrine states were modelled and their impact on the in vitro oviduct preparation was evaluated. These experiments help clarify the dynamic function of the oviduct in vitro and suggest a number of future research avenues, such as investigating epithelial-fibroblast interactions, probing the molecular aetiologies of subfertility and optimising embryo culture media

Interplay between Kondo effect and Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction

The interplay between the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction and the Kondo effect is expected to provide the driving force for the emergence of many phenomena in strongly correlated electron materials. Two magnetic impurities in a metal are the smallest possible system containing all these ingredients and define a bottom up approach towards a long term understanding of concentrated / dense systems. Here we report on the experimental and theoretical investigation of iron dimers buried below a Cu(100) surface by means of low temperature scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS) combined with density functional theory (DFT) and numerical renormalization group (NRG) calculations. The Kondo effect, in particular the width of the Abrikosov-Suhl resonance, is strongly altered or even suppressed due to magnetic coupling between the impurities. It oscillates as function of dimer separation revealing that it is related to the RKKY interaction mediated by the conduction electrons. Simulations based on density functional theory support this concept showing the same oscillation period and trends in the coupling strength as found in the experiment

Comparison of the Effects of Early Pregnancy with Human Interferon, Alpha 2 (IFNA2), on Gene Expression in Bovine Endometrium

Interferon tau (IFNT), a type I IFN similar to alpha IFNs (IFNA), is the pregnancy recognition signal produced by the ruminant conceptus. To elucidate specific effects of bovine IFNT and of other conceptus-derived factors, endometrial gene expression changes during early pregnancy were compared to gene expression changes after intrauterine application of human IFNA2. In experiment 1, endometrial tissue samples were obtained on Day (D) 12, D15, and D18 postmating from nonpregnant or pregnant heifers. In experiment 2, heifers were treated from D14 to D16 of the estrous cycle with an intrauterine device releasing IFNA2 or, as controls, placebo lipid extrudates or PBS only. Endometrial biopsies were performed after flushing the uterus. All samples from both experiments were analyzed with an Affymetrix Bovine Genome Array. Experiment 1 revealed differential gene expression between pregnant and nonpregnant endometria on D15 and D18. In experiment 2, IFNA2 treatment resulted in differential gene expression in the bovine endometrium. Comparison of the data sets from both studies identified genes that were differentially expressed in response to IFNA2 but not in response to pregnancy on D15 or D18. In addition, genes were found that were differentially expressed during pregnancy but not after IFNA2 treatment. In experiment 3, spatiotemporal alterations in expression of selected genes were determined in uteri from nonpregnant and early pregnant heifers using in situ hybridization. The overall findings of this study suggest differential effects of bovine IFNT compared to human IFNA2 and that some pregnancy-specific changes in the endometrium are elicited by conceptus-derived factors other than IFNT

Neue Methoden zur Bekämpfung des Echten Mehltaus im Ökologischen Landbau

Blattoberflächen-modifizierende Salzapplikationen sollten als Bekämpfungsmittel gegen Echten Mehltau an Tomaten und Gurken getestet werden hinsichtlich folgender Eigenschaften: - Wirkung verschiedener Salze - Blattverträglichkeit - Untersuchung der unterschiedlichen Wirkungsmechanismen mittels REM - Übertragbarkeit in praxisnahe Versuche. Die verschiedenen Salzlösungen und Kombinationen aus diesen Salzen unterschieden sich deutlich in ihrer Wirkung auf Gurkenmehltau. Die beste Wirkung ergab sich mit allenfalls geringer Schädigung des Blattes mit 0,1% MnCl2, 1 % Patentkali (K2SO4/MgSO4) und 1% Knöterichextrakt. MnCl2 liegt auf Grund seines niedrigen Deliqueszenzpunktes ständig gelöst auf der Blattoberfläche vor, wogegen sich Knöterichextrakt und Patentkali auf der Blattoberfläche in einer Art „Salzkriechen“ verteilen durch häufigen Wechsel zwischen Trocknen und Wiederverflüssigung. Salzschäden ließen sich verringern durch Zusatz von Netzmitteln zur Sprühlösung. Rasterelektronische Visualisierung zeigte für alle untersuchten Lösungen einen direkt toxischen Effekt auf die Mehltausporen und ihre Hyphen in jeder Entwicklungsphase des Pilzes. Eine Verbesserung des Nährstoffstatus der Pflanzen scheidet als Wirkungsmechanismus aus, da alle Pflanzen optimal ernährt waren und die Behandlungen zu keinen signifikanten Veränderungen der Nährstoffgehalte in den Blättern führten. Besonders chloridische Salze führten z.T. zu erheblicher Nekrotisierung der Blätter. Da diese Salzlösungen jedoch auch in geringer Konzentration in der Lage waren, die Ausbreitung des Echten Mehltau effektiv zu verhindern, sollten Möglichkeiten zur Mikrodosierung dieser Salze geprüft werden. Extreme Witterungsbedingungen im Sommer 2003 führten dazu, dass Praxistests nicht ausgeführt oder normal beendet werden konnten. Es gilt jedoch als sicher, dass einige der untersuchten Salzmischungen in geringen Konzentrationen (zw. 0,1 und 1%) den Befall mit Echten Mehltaupilzen effektiv reduzieren können, ohne Blattoberflächen zu schädigen

Changing European storm loss potentials under modified climate conditions according to ensemble simulations of the ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GCM

International audienceA simple storm loss model is applied to an ensemble of ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GCM simulations in order to estimate changes of insured loss potentials over Europe in the 21st century. Losses are computed based on the daily maximum wind speed for each grid point. The calibration of the loss model is performed using wind data from the ERA40-Reanalysis and German loss data. The obtained annual losses for the present climate conditions (20C, three realisations) reproduce the statistical features of the historical insurance loss data for Germany. The climate change experiments correspond to the SRES-Scenarios A1B and A2, and for each of them three realisations are considered. On average, insured loss potentials increase for all analysed European regions at the end of the 21st century. Changes are largest for Germany and France, and lowest for Portugal/Spain. Additionally, the spread between the single realisations is large, ranging e.g. for Germany from ?4% to +43% in terms of mean annual loss. Moreover, almost all simulations show an increasing interannual variability of storm damage. This assessment is even more pronounced if no adaptation of building structure to climate change is considered. The increased loss potentials are linked with enhanced values for the high percentiles of surface wind maxima over Western and Central Europe, which in turn are associated with an enhanced number and increased intensity of extreme cyclones over the British Isles and the North Sea

Changing European storm loss potentials under modified climate conditions according to ensemble simulations of the ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GMC

A simple storm loss model is applied to an ensemble of ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GCM simulations in order to estimate changes of insured loss potentials over Europe in the 21st century. Losses are computed based on the daily maximum wind speed for each grid point. The calibration of the loss model is performed using wind data from the ERA40-Reanalysis and German loss data. The obtained annual losses for the present climate conditions (20C, three realisations) reproduce the statistical features of the historical insurance loss data for Germany. The climate change experiments correspond to the SRES-Scenarios A1B and A2, and for each of them three realisations are considered. On average, insured loss potentials increase for all analysed European regions at the end of the 21st century. Changes are largest for Germany and France, and lowest for Portugal/Spain. Additionally, the spread between the single realisations is large, ranging e.g. for Germany from −4% to +43% in terms of mean annual loss. Moreover, almost all simulations show an increasing interannual variability of storm damage. This assessment is even more pronounced if no adaptation of building structure to climate change is considered. The increased loss potentials are linked with enhanced values for the high percentiles of surface wind maxima over Western and Central Europe, which in turn are associated with an enhanced number and increased intensity of extreme cyclones over the British Isles and the North Sea