ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF INLAND LAKES IN MICHIGAN

The aim of this study was to validate and apply a lake model for predicting the susceptibility of small inland lakes in Michigan to changes in thermal regime and increased cyanobacteria growth as a result of future climate conditions. The Freshwater Lake Model was selected, tested for sensitivity to various inputs, and validated through comparison to observed conditions. The sensitivity analysis showed that the lake model was most sensitive to solar radiation, air temperature, and air humidity. Comparison of predicted climate data with observed conditions revealed highly variable climate model error. The lake model validation was conducted using 10 lakes in Wisconsin with observed and modeled meteorological data from 1998 through 1999. The model was valid for predicting surface water temperature, but not for mean temperature, and modeling proceeded with only surface water temperature. The lake model validation resulted in over-prediction when using modeled climate data inputs, which is likely due to inaccuracy in the climate model. The study area included 517 inland lakes in Michigan. These lakes were divided into 27 groups based on climate, size, and trophic state. Thirteen lake groups were modeled on a daily time step from 2020 to 2099 using prototype lakes and regionally downscaled, modeled climate data. The climate parameters forcing the lake model predictions were analyzed for long-term trends and differences across climates, lake size, and trophic state. The trends in surface water temperature for the entire period and each season from 2020 to 2099 were significant for all modeled lake groups, and lake model surface temperature predictions closely followed modeled air temperature. For all lake groups, the largest increases in surface temperature were observed in spring while the smallest increases occurred in winter. No statistical differences in long-term trends of surface temperature were found between any of the groups regardless of location, size, or trophic state. We analyzed the relationship between changes in periods of minimum and optimum algal growth conditions and climate, lake size, and trophic state. The largest increase in the period with surface temperature above minimum growth temperatures was predicted for small, oligotrophic lakes in the southern Lower Peninsula. This result can mainly be attributed to inherently warmer temperature earlier in the year in more southern latitude positions and the quicker response of small lakes to warming temperatures in comparison to larger lakes. The largest increase in the period with surface temperature above optimal growth temperatures was predicted for large, oligotrophic lakes in the Upper Peninsula. The predicted increase in the number of days the surface temperatures exceeded the optimum growing temperature in the colder Upper Peninsula was greater because of the relatively low number of days at the onset of the modeling period in comparison to lakes in more southern latitudes, and large lakes are able to uptake more heat for longer periods of time. The results of this study illustrated the future trends in surface water temperature and the potential implications for cyanobacteria growth, and can be used to develop plans to prevent and mitigate the spread of cyanobacteria as a result of climate change

Transnational Solidarity Within the EU: Public Support for Risk-Sharing and Redistribution

This paper aims to discover underlying, as yet theoretically and empirically unexplored, distinctions in citizens' views of transnational solidarity within the European Union (EU). Building on literature regarding national welfare states, the paper presents an original concept of transnational solidarity consisting of two latent, not directly measurable, dimensions: first, citizens' preferences for risk-sharing among EU states and, second, their preferences for intra-EU redistribution. The diverse types of transnational solidarity examined in previous research should be assignable to either one or the other dimension. Moreover, previous research is based on the idea that the concept of transnational solidarity is comparable across EU countries;however, this premise has not been empirically examined so far. To test both these assumptions, I analyze data collected in Austria, Germany, and Greece in 2019 or 2020. The study runs multi-group confirmatory factor analysis to test whether the presented concept of transnational solidarity (a) applies and (b) is comparable between these nations. The empirical analysis supports both these assumptions. The populations of the three countries share the same understanding of transnational solidarity even though the willingness to express cross-country risk-sharing and redistribution varies significantly between the states. The study contributes to current research in the fields of European integration, political sociology, and survey methodology

A Study on the Role and Regulation of the Na+-Leak Channel, Non-Selective (NALCN) in Myometrial Function

Uterine contractions are tightly regulated throughout pregnancy, remaining relatively quiescent for the majority of pregnancy to promote fetal development, while becoming highly activated at term to effectively expel the fetus. Contractions are coordinated through electrical and mechanical coupling of myometrial smooth muscle cells (MSMCs). Ion channel activity, which alters the electrical activity of MSMCs, can directly affect the contraction profile. Thus there is great interest in the field of reproduction to understand which ion channels regulate uterine excitability, and particularly how they may enable the transition from uterine quiescence to uterine activation for labor. The focus thus far has been primarily on Ca2+ and K+ channels, however, in these studies, we identified the expression of a novel Na+ leak channel (NALCN) in the human and mouse myometrium that has a direct effect on uterine excitability. In the human myometrium, NALCN contributes to a Gd3+-sensitive, Na+-dependent leak current. To study its role in vivo, we created a smooth muscle specific NALCN knockout mouse. These mice had reduced myometrial excitability exemplified by shortening of action potential bursts, and an increased rate of prolonged and dysfunctional labor. Further implicating a role for NALCN in parturition, we found that NALCN protein levels were negatively regulated by progesterone, an important hormone in sustaining uterine quiescence, and that progesterone upregulates a novel, glycosylated isoform of NALCN. Our findings are significant in that we found NALCN contributes to the myometrial action potential, and that Na+ channel contributions are important for successful labor outcomes

Wire Ropes in Crane Applications – Current State of the Standardization Work of ISO/WD 16625

Nowadays, modern standards apply the proof of competence method to prove that a design force does not exceed a certain limit to ensure a certain safety level. Furthermore, standards elaborated during the last years apply a cycle-based approach instead of a time-based approach. The shortcomings of the standard ISO 16625:2013 need to be addressed in a revision. Therefore, a working group WG3 of ISO/TC 96 SC3 has been established in 2015 to prepare a new working draft ISO/WD 16625. Objectives are to adopt a cycle-based approach and to incorporate proofs of competence for static strength and fatigue strength for running ropes and stationary ropes, based on scientific inputs. The research work about steel wire ropes by the University of Stuttgart and the Technical University of Dresden developed the method Stuttgart and the method Leipzig, both representing regression models to determine the attainable number of bending cycles of a wire rope. The present paper briefly explains the method Leipzig and the method Stuttgart in chapter 3. In chapter 4, the partly implementation of findings from the method Stuttgart to the standard EN 13001-3-2:2014 is discussed and shortcomings are identified. Those shortcomings have also been addressed by the new developed concept of ISO/WD 16625 that is outlined in chapter 5. Finally, chapter 6 provides an overview on the revised ISO/WD 16625 to conclude the current state of the standardization work

Der Ruf nach nationaler Souveränität in Zeiten europäischer Krisen und der politischen Zeitenwende

The recent periods of multiple crises go hand in hand with calls for more national sovereignty. Drawing on data provided by the Manifesto Project, this contribution seeks to study empirically how widespread the wish to ‘take back control’ is reflected through political parties all over Europe. We show that although ‘sovereignist’ issues across EU member states were not among the political top priorities in the past, parties’ issue emphasis has increased in the shadow of the last decade’s multiple crises. On top of that, we argue that sovereignist aspirations have the potential to further increase alongside upcoming international challenges. In particular, events such as the Russian-Ukrainian war and the declared Zeitenwende may raise calls for more national sovereignty.Die jüngsten Krisenzeiten gehen Hand in Hand mit dem Ruf nach mehr nationaler Souveränität. Auf der Grundlage von Daten des ManifestoProjekts soll in diesem Beitrag empirisch untersucht werden, wie weit verbreitet der Wunsch nach mehr nationalstaatlicher Kontrolle seitens der politischen Parteien in ganz Europa ist. Es wird gezeigt, dass Souveränitäts-bezogene Themen in den EU-Mitgliedsstaaten in der Vergangenheit zwar nicht zu den politischen Prioritäten gehörten, dass die Parteien jedoch im Schatten der zahlreichen Krisen des letzten Jahrzehnts zunehmend Gewicht auf diese Themen legen. Darüber hinaus wird argumentiert, dass Bestrebungen hin zu mehr Souveränität das Potenzial haben, mit den kommenden internationalen Herausforderungen weiter anzusteigen. Insbesondere Ereignisse wie der russisch-ukrainische Krieg und die erklärte Zeitenwende könnten den Ruf nach mehr nationaler Souveränität weiter verstärken

The Brexit learning effect? Brexit negotiations and attitudes towards leaving the EU beyond the UK

Britain's decision to leave the EU did not go unnoticed by the remaining EU states. Previous studies have shown that the assessment of the Brexit decision shortly after the referendum took place influenced the voting behaviour of citizens in a hypothetical EU referendum held in their country. This research note goes one step further by examining whether citizens' willingness to leave the EU changed during the following three years of prolonged Brexit negotiations. To this end, Eurobarometer and ESS data are used to descriptively trace public votes in hypothetical referendums on EU membership over time. In addition, a cross-sectional analysis of Eurobarometer data collected two years after the referendum finds that citizens' assessment of the British Brexit experience is strongly associated with attitudes towards EU membership. If Brexit is seen as the right decision for Britain, withdrawal of one's own country from the EU is seen as more attractive although reassuringly for the EU, most people in the EU do not hold this belief

What the new German government means for the country’s European policy

How will German European policy change under the country’s new government? Drawing on new data, Ann-Kathrin Reinl and Stefan Wallaschek show that the three coalition partners – the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and the Free Democrats (FDP) – are not nearly as close to each other on EU issues as one might assume. Much will depend on how the government can reconcile the pro-EU positions of the Greens with the soft Euroscepticism of the FDP