Ontology of opposition online: Representing antagonistic structures on the Internet

Research on cooperative social structures and particular types of conflict behavior online is readily available. However, the field lacks a framework to analyze how antagonistic structures are represented on online platforms. Social structures can be represented formally (manifestly) or informally (in open verbal or visual forms) or remain latent-a distinction that has received little scholarly attention in the analysis of computer-mediated communication. Based on an interpretative analysis of relational structures and types of acts, we distinguish structural elements that lead us to empirical typologies of antagonistic structures and an analysis of whether and how they are represented online. We develop theses about why some structures are formally represented more often than others and theorize the consequences of this selective representation

Conceptualizing viewpoint diversity in news discourse

Journalistic news coverage plays an essential role for providing an audience with a diverse, multifaceted perspective upon public affairs. However, in the scholarly debate, most measures of viewpoint diversity do not distinguish between statements raising commensurable interpretations, and contributions that construct different meaning in a consequential sense. We provide an operationalization of viewpoint diversity that builds upon a tradition of identifying distinct interpretations through framing analysis. Going beyond frame diversity, we then distinguish between equivalent, complementary and competing, diverse interpretations: we consider as commensurable those frames that derive from the same 'interpretative repertoire', a notion borrowed from discourse studies. We propose a strategy for operationalization and the measurement of viewpoint diversity. Our focus on meaningfully different interpretations contributes to advancing research into journalism, political opinion formation, audience elaboration, and other important fields of study

Zur Einführung: Bedeutung und Transformation von Journalismus und Journalismusforschung

Relevanz und Fülle der Journalismusforschung sind in den letzten Jahren international enorm gestiegen. Dies hat einerseits mit dem Wandel durch die Digitalisierung von Medien und Gesellschaft zu tun - und andererseits mit der damit verbundenen Transformation und dem Bedeutungszuwachs ihres Forschungsgegenstands. Die Journalismusforschung hat sich aus dem Korsett "Kommunikatorforschung" befreit, das ihr die allgemeine Kommunikationswissenschaft einst zugeschrieben hat: Mit neuem Selbstbewusstsein rückt sie einen ganzheitlichen Ansatz zur Erforschung und Analyse des Journalismus in der Gesellschaft in den Mittelpunkt. Sie entwickelt Theorien und Methoden weiter - und überdenkt ihr Verhältnis zum Journalismus. Diese Entwicklungen werfen einen neuen Bedarf an Selbstreflexion auf. Genau das hat die Fachgruppe Journalistik/Journalismusforschung der DGPuK auf ihrer Jahrestagung im September 2019 in Eichstätt getan. Unter dem Titel "Neujustierung der Journalistik/Journalismusforschung in der digitalen Gesellschaft" gab die Eichstätter Tagung auch den Anstoß, ein Selbstverständnispapier zu entwickeln. Dieser Beitrag diskutiert den größeren Kontext der Tagung und führt in die Proceedings ein, in denen zentrale Tagungsbeiträge veröffentlicht sind.The relevance and richness of journalism studies have increased enormously in recent years - both nationally and internationally. On the one hand, this increase can be attributed to the changes brought about by societal as well as media digitalization; on the other, this growth results from the transformation and increasing importance of the research object. Journalism studies freed itself from the assigned corset of being communicator-focused, a perspective traditionally found in communication science. With newly gained self-confidence, journalism researchers focus on a holistic approach to study and analyze journalism and its role in society. Journalism studies continue to develop theories and methods - and reconceptualize their relationship to journalism practice. These developments raised a new need for self-reflection; a call that the Journalism Studies Division of the German Communication Association answered throughout its annual conference in September 2019 in Eichstätt. The Eichstätt conference on "Journalism research’s adjustments in a digital society" also inspired the development of a mission statement. In this introduction, we outline the larger context of the conference and establish the connection to the conference contributions published in these proceedings

Oxidation of bacillithiol during killing of Staphylococcus aureus USA300 inside neutrophil phagosomes

Targeting immune evasion tactics of pathogenic bacteria may hold the key to treating recalcitrant bacterial infections. Staphylococcus aureus produces bacillithiol (BSH), its major low-molecular-weight thiol, which is thought to protect this opportunistic human pathogen against the bombardment of oxidants inside neutrophil phagosomes. Here, we show that BSH was oxidized when human neutrophils phagocytosed S. aureus, but provided limited protection to the bacteria. We used mass spectrometry to measure the oxidation of BSH upon exposure of S. aureus USA300 to either a bolus of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) or a flux generated by the neutrophil enzyme myeloperoxidase. Oxidation of BSH and loss of bacterial viability were strongly correlated (r = 0.99, p < 0.001). BSH was fully oxidized after exposure of S. aureus to lethal doses of HOCl. However, there was no relationship between the initial BSH levels and the dose of HOCl required for bacterial killing. In contrast to the HOCl systems, only 50% of total BSH was oxidized when neutrophils killed the majority of phagocytosed bacteria. Oxidation of BSH was decreased upon inhibition of myeloperoxidase, implicating HOCl in phagosomal BSH oxidation. A BSH-deficient S. aureus USA300 mutant was slightly more susceptible to treatment with either HOCl or ammonia chloramine, or to killing within neutrophil phagosomes. Collectively, our data show that myeloperoxidase-derived oxidants react with S. aureus inside neutrophil phagosomes, leading to partial BSH oxidation, and contribute to bacterial killing. However, BSH offers only limited protection against the neutrophil's multifaceted killing mechanisms

Unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC) from human umbilical cord blood display uncommitted epigenetic signatures of the major stem cell pluripotency genes

AbstractUnrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC) from human cord blood display a broad differentiation potential for ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal cell types. The molecular basis for these stem cell properties is unclear and unlike embryonic stem cells (ESC) none of the major stem cell factors OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG exhibits significant expression in USSC. Here, we report that these key stem cell genes hold an epigenetic state in between that of an ESC and a terminally differentiated cell type. DNA methylation analysis exhibits partial demethylation of the regulatory region of OCT4 and a demethylated state of the NANOG and SOX2 promoter/enhancer regions. Further genome-wide DNA methylation profiling identified a partially demethylated state of the telomerase gene hTERT. Moreover, none of the pluripotency factors exhibited a repressive histone signature. Notably, SOX2 exhibits a bivalent histone signature consisting of the opposing histone marks dimeH3K4 and trimeH3K27, which is typically found on genes that are "poised" for transcription. Consequently, ectopic expression of OCT4 in USSC led to rapid induction of expression of its known target gene SOX2. Our data suggest that incomplete epigenetic repression and a "poised" epigenetic status of pluripotency genes preserves the USSC potential to be able to react adequately to distinct differentiation and reprogramming cues

Involving individuals with disorders of sex development and their parents in exploring new models of shared learning: Proceedings from a DSDnet COST Action workshop

The level of connection between health care professionals and people who experience a condition that affects sex development is variable. These people and associated support groups need to be included in discussions about research and healthcare delivery. The aim of this study was to understand the experiences of individuals with disorders of sexual development (DSD), their parents, health care providers, and support groups. Workshop planning, preparation, delivery, and evaluation involved members of working groups from the COST Action DSDnet. A coordinator, in collaboration with a support group representative, led the workshop design and delivery. Our successful, facilitated workshop involved 33 attendees from 8 EU countries. The workshop provided individuals with DSD, parents, advisory groups, and professionals with an opportunity for shared learning. Outputs focused on 7 key areas, including diagnosis, childhood, and transition to adult care as well as fostering discussion around registries, future research topics, consent processes, and information needs across the life course. The importance of trustworthy and knowledgeable providers, time to understand such rare conditions, and the place support groups have in a life course approach were valuable learning points for all attendees. In conclusion, workshops can be designed and delivered in meaningful ways for all those involved in care of individuals with rare conditions

The Grizzly, October 24, 2002

Cloudy Weather Fails to Dampen Spirits for Homecoming 2002 • You Break it! You Buy it! • President Bush Warns of War as Situation in Iraq Intensifies • Psychology Department Welcomes Dr. DaCosta • Ursinus Awarded Gold Star for Excellence from DEEP Researchers • Career Services Offers Graduate Programs for Students • Student Profile: Ursinus Freshman a World Traveler • Opinions: Homecoming 2002 a Blast or a Bust?; Academic Dishonesty: Growing Wise to the Problem; Should our Newspaper Have a Sex Column? • Vandalism at Ursinus College • First Ever Ursinus Women\u27s Magazine • Walter Annenberg Remembered • 70th Anniversary of the Lantern • Poem-palooza 2002 • The Daniel Boone Homestead Holds Heritage Day • Field Hockey Continues to Dominate • Women\u27s Rugby Score a Successful Homecoming • Borsdorf Warrants Achievement • Quitting Frenzy! What\u27s Going on with the Football Team? • Comparative Price Report: Haunted Attractions • Alcohol Awareness Week • Got Beer?https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1523/thumbnail.jp

Drowning and aquatic injuries dictionary

Background Drowning is a significant public health issue with more than 320,000 deaths globally every year. These numbers are greatly underestimated, however, due to factors such as inadequate data collection, inconsistent categorization and failure to report in certain regions and cultures. The objective of this study was to develop a standardised drowning dictionary using a consensus-based approach. Through creation of this resource, improved clarity amongst stakeholders will be achieved and, as a result, so will our understanding of the drowning issue. Methodology A list of terms and their definitions were created and sent to 16 drowning experts with a broad range of backgrounds across four continents and six languages. A review was conducted using a modified Delphi process over five rounds. A sixth round was done by an external panel evaluating the terms’ content validity. Results The drowning dictionary included more than 350 terms. Of these, less than 10% had been previously published in peer review literature. On average, the external expert validity endorsing the dictionary shows a Scale Content Validity index (S-CVI/Ave) of 0.91, exceeding the scientific recommended value. Ninety one percent of the items present an I-CVI (Level Content Validity Index) value considered acceptable (> 0.78). The endorsement was not a universal agreement (S-CVI/UA:0.44). Conclusion The drowning dictionary provides a common language, and the authors envisage that its use will facilitate collaboration and comparison across prevention sectors, education, research, policy and treatment. The dictionary will be open to readers for discussion and further review at www.idra.world