Der Beitrag reflektiert die Erfahrungen mit einem neuen Weiterbildungsformat, den Digital Workspaces, welche im Frühjahr 2020 im Rahmen des Verbundprojektes Digitalisierung der Hochschulbildung in Sachsen (DHS) eingeführt wurden. Dabei werden neben pandemiebedingten Herausforderungen und Charakteristika des Formats Potenziale der Digital Workspaces aufgezeigt und ein Blick in die Zukunft dieses hochschuldidaktischen Angebots geworfen.
Electrical and thermal measurements were conducted during the plasma electrolytic polishing (PEP) of cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) materials to characterize energetic aspects of the process in relation to the temporal development of the gaseous layer near the workpiece. The power transferred to the workpiece is determined using a calorimetric probe and employing the time derivative of the temperature curve. It shows distinct heating phases due to the generation of the gaseous layer. At the beginning of the process, a typical power of 367 ± 17 W is transferred to the workpiece of a surface area of 14 cm2. At longer process times, a stabilized gaseous layer limits the power transferred to the workpiece to 183 ± 3 W. In an attempt to describe the heat transferred to the electrolyte, the electrolyte temperature was measured using a thermocouple situated 15 mm away from the workpiece. The local electrolyte temperature increases from 70 to 81 °C for an immersion depth of 20 mm. Moreover, the spatiotemporal development of the electrolyte temperature was obtained by 2D-hydrodynamic modeling using COMSOL Multiphysics®. The modeling results for the local temporal temperature development are in excellent agreement with the experimental values when the turbulent model is applied up to t = 65 s. Afterward, the laminar model leads to a better agreement. Furthermore, line scan x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that aliphatic carbon was preferentially removed. Only a slight compositional gradient in the vertical direction after the PEP process was observed.
The electrical conduction mechanism of resistive switching Prussian white (PW) thin films obtained by the electrodeposition method was examined by AC impedance spectroscopy and DC current–voltage measurements. Using an electrode tip to contact PW grown over Au, robust unipolar resistive switching was observed with a current change of up to three orders of magnitude, high repeatability, and reproducibility. Moreover, electrical impedance spectroscopy showed that the resistive switching comes from small conductive filaments formed by potassium ions before the establishment of larger conductive channels. Both voltammetry and EIS measurements suggest that the electrical properties and conductive filament formation are influenced by defects and ions present in the grain boundaries. Thus, PW is a potential material for the next generation of ReRAM devices.
Prussian blue (PB) layers were electrodeposited for the fabrication of Au/PB/Ag stacks to study the resistive switching effect. The PB layers were characterized by different techniques to prove the homogeneity, composition, and structure. Electrical measurements confirmed the bipolar switching behavior with at least 3 orders of magnitude in current and the effect persisting for the 200 cycles tested. The low resistance state follows the ohmic conduction with an activation energy of 0.2 eV.
Certifying Fully Dynamic Algorithms for Recognition and Hamiltonicity of Threshold and Chain Graphs
(2023)
Solving problems on graphs dynamically calls for algorithms to function under repeated modifications to the graph and to be more efficient than solving the problem for the whole graph from scratch after each modification. Dynamic algorithms have been considered for several graph properties, for example connectivity, shortest paths and graph recognition. In this paper we present fully dynamic algorithms for the recognition of threshold graphs and chain graphs, which are optimal in the sense that the costs per modification are linear in the number of modified edges. Furthermore, our algorithms also consider the addition and deletion of sets of vertices as well as edges. In the negative case, i.e., where the graph is not a threshold graph or chain graph anymore, our algorithms return a certificate of constant size. Additionally, we present optimal fully dynamic algorithms for the Hamiltonian cycle problem and the Hamiltonian path problem on threshold and chain graphs which return a vertex cutset as certificate for the non-existence of such a path or cycle in the negative case.
Background: Proctoring represents a cornerstone in the acquisition of state‐of‐the‐art cardiovascular interventions. Yet, travel restrictions and containment measures during the COVID‐19 pandemic limited on‐site proctoring for training and expert support in interventional cardiology.
Methods and Results: We established a teleproctoring setup for training in a novel patent foramen ovale closure device system (NobleStitch EL, HeartStitch Inc, Fountain Valley, CA) at our institution using web‐based real‐time bidirectional audiovisual communication. A total of 6 patients with prior paradoxical embolic stroke and a right‐to‐left shunt of grade 2 or 3 were treated under remote proctorship after 3 cases were performed successfully under on‐site proctorship. No major device/procedure‐related adverse events occurred, and none of the patients had a residual right‐to‐left shunt of grade 1 or higher after the procedure. Additionally, we sought to provide an overview of current evidence available for teleproctoring in interventional cardiology. Literature review was performed identifying 6 previous reports on teleproctoring for cardiovascular interventions, most of which were related to the current COVID‐19 pandemic. In all reports, teleproctoring was carried out in similar settings with comparable setups; no major adverse events were reported.
Conclusions: Teleproctoring may represent a feasible and safe tool for location‐independent and cost‐effective training in a novel patent foramen ovale closure device system. Future prospective trials comparing teleproctoring with traditional on‐site proctoring are warranted.
Liquid deposition modeling is an energy-efficient, additive manufacturing process for pasty materials. Physical material properties were determined for a water-based paste consisting of the binder carboxymethyl cellulose and wood flour. A continuously operating dual screw extruder was developed, which was used to manufacture a table frame with a height of 18 cm.
The intention of the paper is to consider the role of technologies used to overcome the COVID-19’s challenges in higher education. On investigating, it has been found that the digital strategies utilizing innovation technologies help students to adapt to pandemic consequences. This study enlightens the various technologies that assist systems of healthcare and education in diverse aspects to outlive against COVID-19. Furthermore, the technological shift of world economy that happened during the pandemic and its influence in the society is discussed. Besides the considered innovation technologies, this paper also deals with changes that have taken place in education system of Kazakhstan in pandemic circumstances. Alongside our suggested solution for further educational process issues is also presented.
A detailed review of the literature is done on COVID-19, digital technologies in education, blended learning using appropriate keywords on SCOPUS, Springer, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. To get insights some relevant sites and blogs are also taken into account. We have identified technologies used in Kazakhstan that play an important role now.
There have been chosen exploratory and conclusive research design. Fifty-nine students provided qualitative responses; ninety-eight students and graduates participated in quantitative survey. The results of study has shown students’ increased awareness concerning blended learning.
The scientific novelty lies in the description of the experience gained by higher schools during the quarantine. We believe that in the future, blended learning should be used largely. The innovations in the learning process cover two areas. The first is related to software used. It is like creation of a virtual university that facilitates communication between students and teachers. The second area correlates with content, without which any innovation will fail.
Hintergrund/Zielstellung: Aufgrund des gestiegenen Informationsbedürfnisses von Patienten wird für Ärzte ein eigener Webauftritt als Informationsmittler mit dem Ziel der Patientengewinnung und -bindung zunehmend bedeutsam. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde daher die Patientenorientierung der Internetauftritte niedergelassener Fachärzte für Orthopädie und/oder Unfallchirurgie in Sachsen untersucht.
Methode/Stichprobe: Alle Websites der im Arztregister der Kassenärztlichen Vereinigung Sachsen gelisteten Fachärzte für Orthopädie und/oder Unfallchirurgie wurden mithilfe einer standardisierten Checkliste analysiert.
Ergebnisse: Von allen untersuchten Fachärzten (n = 349) besaßen 140 (40,1 %) einen eigenen Internetauftritt. In der Arztpraxis durchgeführte diagnostische Methoden und Therapiemaßnahmen wurden auf je ca. 90,0 % der Websites genannt und auf ca. der Hälfte hiervon erklärt. Der Kontrast konnte auf 10 Websites angepasst werden. Eine Meinungsäußerung wurde den Patienten auf 28 Websites ermöglicht. Rechtlich verpflichtende Impressuminhalte wurden auf 45,0 % der Internetauftritte nicht hinreichend beachtet.
Diskussion/Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass die Gestaltung der Internetauftritte sowie deren Informationsgehalt differieren und Verbesserungspotenziale existieren. Ein standardisierter Kriterienkatalog könnte ein einheitliches Qualitätsniveau gewährleisten und von den Ärzten als Handlungsempfehlung genutzt werden.
Emotionale Kompetenzen und psychische Gesundheit: Eine Querschnittstudie in Gesundheitsberufen
(2021)
Hintergrund
Im Jahr 2020 waren 5,7 Mio. Menschen in Gesundheits- und Pflegeberufen tätig. Der Kontakt mit anderen Menschen ist in diesen Berufen Teil des Arbeitsauftrags und der Mensch ist der Arbeitsgegenstand.
Ziel der Arbeit
Das Ziel der Arbeit ist die Untersuchung der Auswirkung von psychischer Belastung (Arbeitsintensität, Spielräume), emotionaler Erschöpfung und emotionalen Kompetenzen (Regulation) auf das psychische Wohlbefinden bei Beschäftigten in Gesundheitsberufen.
Material und Methoden
Die Erhebung der Querschnittstudie von 624 Beschäftigten aus der Altenpflege und dem Rettungsdienst (72,5 % weiblich) erfolgte im Rahmen zweier Projekte zur betrieblichen Gesundheitsförderung. Zum Einsatz kamen standardisierte validierte Verfahren, welche mittels Korrelationsanalysen sowie einer hierarchischen Regressionsanalyse zur Vorhersage des psychischen Wohlbefindens ausgewertet wurden.
Ergebnisse
Hohe Arbeitsintensität, hohe Spielräume, hohe emotionale Erschöpfung und eine hohe emotionale Kompetenz (Regulation) tragen zur Aufklärung des psychischen Wohlbefindens bei (R2 = 33 %).
Schlussfolgerung
Anhand der Ergebnisse wird deutlich, dass neben dem Erleben von Arbeit und Gesundheit auch emotionale Kompetenzen einen Einfluss auf die psychische Gesundheit bei Beschäftigten in Gesundheitsberufen haben. Damit leistet die Studie einen wichtigen Beitrag für die Entwicklung von Maßnahmen des betrieblichen Gesundheitsmanagements in diesen Berufsgruppen.
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between contextual work-related factors in terms of job demands (workload-WL) and job resources (work flexibility-WF), work-life conflict (WLC) and the burnout dimension emotional exhaustion (EE) in a large population-based sample. Building on the job demands resources model (JDRM), we have developed the hypothesis that WL has an indirect effect on EE that is mediated by WLC. We conducted a secondary analysis using data from the Dresden Burnout Study (DBS, N = 4246, mean age (SD) = 42.7 years (10.5); 36.4% male). Results from structural equation modelling revealed that EE is positively associated with WL (β = 0.15, p = 0.001) and negatively associated with WF (β = -0.13, p = 0.001), also after accounting for potential confounding variables (demography, depressive symptoms, and lifetime diagnosis of burnout). Both effects are mediated by WLC (β = 0.18; p = 0.001 and β = 0.08; p = 0.001, respectively) highlighting the important role of WLC in employee health. In summary, WF may help to reduce burnout symptoms in employees, whereas WL may increase them. Study results suggest that both associations depend on WLC levels.
The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of different disinfection protocols in a novel Enterococcus faecalis biofilm model based on a visualization method and to evaluate the potential alteration of dentinal surface. A total of 120 extracted human premolars were allocated to 6 groups with different irrigation protocols. The assessment of the effectiveness of each protocol and the alteration of dentinal surface were visualized by using SEM and fluorescence microscopy (DAPI). A dense E. faecalis biofilm with a penetration depth of 289 μm (medial part of the root canal) and 93 μm (apical part) validated that the biofilm model had been successfully implemented. A significant difference between the 3% NaOCl groups and all the other groups in both observed parts of the root canal (p < 0.05) was detected. However, the SEM analysis revealed that the dentinal surface in the 3% NaOCl groups was severely altered. The established biofilm model and the visualization method based on DAPI are appropriate for bacterial quantification and evaluation of the depth effect of different disinfection protocols in the root canal system. The combination of 3% NaOCl with 20% EDTA or MTAD with PUI allows the decontamination of deeper dentine zones within the root canal but simultaneously alters the dentinal surface.
Hintergrund: Der überwiegende Teil der Patienten in Deutschland verstirbt entgegen ihres Wunsches nicht zu Hause. Eine Entscheidungshilfe für das notfallmedizinische Team kann nachfolgende Klinikeinweisungen von Patienten am Lebensende vermeiden.
Material und Methoden: Die Entscheidungshilfe Notarzt wurde im Rahmen des G-BA-Projektes AVENUE-Pal basierend auf einem Expertenkonsens mittels qualitativer und quantitativer Befragungen entwickelt. Sie stellt einen Teilaspekt des Gesamtprojektes dar.
Ergebnisse: Die EH Notarzt definiert 7 Ziele, die durch die Dimensionen „Information“, „Beratung“, „Unterstützung“, „Schulung“, „Anleitung“, „Übung“, „Kooperation“ und „Dokumentation“ erreicht werden sollen. Die EH Notarzt stellt eine Möglichkeit der Optimierung der notfallmedizinischen Behandlung von Patienten am Lebensende dar.
Diskussion: Die EH Notarzt ist eine Entwicklung zur Verbesserung der präklinischen Versorgung von Patienten am Lebensende und zur Vermeidung von Klinikeinweisungen am Lebensende. Derzeit ist die EH Notarzt ein theoretisches Hilfsmittel, welches in die praktische Anwendung überführt werden und weiterhin an die Notwendigkeiten der täglichen Patientenversorgung angepasst werden muss.
Der General
(2022)
Sieg/Maschmann, Unternehmensumstrukturierung – Arbeitsrecht, Datenschutz, Due Diligence, 3. Aufl.
(2022)
Context: VR as an application to enhance well-being is sparsely researched in the elderly population. The aim of the pilot study was to analyze the effect of 360° videos of different categories on the state of mind of seniors in nursing facilities. Furthermore, for the implementation in everyday life, the usability of the system and the experience for seniors should be evaluated.
Methods: The VR experience was used as a supplement to existing care services in three facilities on eight subjects. Mood state was assessed using the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Happiness before and after the intervention. Demographic data and technology acceptance were collected beforehand. After the intervention, subjects were interviewed about confounding factors and side effects, and nursing home staff were interviewed about the usability of the system and the organizational concept of implementation.
Results: There was a positive effect on state of mind. Gender and spatial mobility turned out to be influencing factors. Categories containing people, animals and action achieved the highest increases in the state of mind. Interest in using technical devices correlated negatively with the change in mood state. None of the subjects found the VR goggles distracting or reported motion sickness. Very good usability was indicated by the employees.
Conclusion: A very high willingness to use this technology was found among nursing staff and residents. The tendencies of the positive effect of 360° videos on the state of mind, as well as differentiation based on the mentioned characteristics gender and spatial mobility, should be verified by a larger sample to empirically validate the use of this technology to increase the quality of life.
This article reconstructs the path of the German economist Friedrich A. Lutz (1901–75) to American economics. The correspondence with his former teacher Walter Eucken, the founder of the Freiburg school, constitutes a crucial yet unexplored source for the article. Through Lutz's case, this article demonstrates the growing gulf between German and Anglo-Saxon economics during the late 1930s. In his native Germany, Lutz was trained in methodologically and institutionally focused economics, which differed fundamentally from the mathematical economics dominating Anglo-Saxon academia. He realized that an academic career in the United States would be impossible if he did not adapt to the new methods and if he did not abandon the methods of the German tradition. This gave rise to his internal Methodenstreit. After his emigration in 1938, he constantly experienced doubts and tensions because he was convinced that without considering institutions, mathematical economics could never explain the occurrence and essence of macroeconomic phenomena. Despite his stellar career at Princeton, it was only after his move to Zurich in 1953, where he taught history and theory of socioeconomics for the rest of his life, that Lutz could reconcile this internal Methodenstreit.
Effect of acoustic excitation on fiber-reinforced polypropylene and the influence on melt viscosity
(2021)
The paper describes a novel technological approach to influencing the rheological properties of thermoplastic materials exposed to acoustic energy. The flow behavior of polypropylene with different mass percentages of glass fibers is investigated in a parallel plate rheometer under high-frequency longitudinal excitation. The influence of oscillation frequency on the melt viscosity is explained by means of shear thinning criteria. The dependence of the oscillation shape using sinusoidal excitation on shear thinning as a function of different fiber reinforcement percentages is also investigated. A phenomenological view describes the mutually influencing parameters with regard to different material compositions and different excitation frequencies over the time course of the rheometric measurement. Interacting relationships are analyzed and discussed and the potential of the actuator system to influence the plastic melt is worked out. Based on this, a technological approach follows which describes the transfer of an oscillating mold surface to plastics processing methods, which, especially in the case of energy-intensive injection molding technology, leads to the expectation of possible resource efficiency in energy and material.
Die Automobilindustrie befindet sich seit Jahren im Ausnahmezustand, da der Wechsel von einer Einheitsantriebsart hin zu einem Mix an Antriebsarten parallel zu globalen Krisen bewältigt werden muss. Der vorliegende Beitrag liefert dazu beispielhafte Betrachtungen zur indikativen Bewertung der gegensätzlichen Produktionsstrategien Mix- oder sortenreiner Produktion von Fahrzeugen mit alternativen und konventionellen Antrieben. Die Erkenntnisse können genutzt werden, um Modelle zur Wahl der richtigen Produktionsstrategien abzuleiten.
Die Automobilproduktion steht aktuell vor der Herausforderung, einen sich weiter diversifizierenden Antriebsmix effizient zu produzieren. Der vorliegende Beitrag erläutert die grundsätzlichen Einflüsse alternativer Antriebsarten auf die Fahrzeugproduktion, welche mithilfe umfangreicher Experteninterviews ermittelt wurden. Diese Erkenntnisse können genutzt werden, um langfristig die richtigen Produktionsstrategien für die Gestaltung effizienter Produktionsnetzwerke abzuleiten.
Multiplikatorenkonzepte zu Stress- und Emotionsregulation im Rettungsdienst – ein Scoping-Review
(2024)
Hintergrund: Beschäftigte im Rettungsdienst sind einem erhöhten Risiko ausgesetzt, psychische Beeinträchtigungen zu entwickeln, da sie in ihrem Berufsalltag hohen körperlichen und emotionalen Stressoren ausgesetzt werden. Der Umgang mit diesen Stressoren stellt eine wichtige Ressource dar, um im Sinne der Salutogenese eine Bewältigung vorzunehmen. Damit die Förderung der Stress- und Emotionsregulation nicht nur auf einer Verhaltensebene wirksam wird, bieten sich Multiplikatorenkonzepte mit einer verhältnisbezogenen Verzahnung in die Arbeitssysteme an.
Ziel der Arbeit: Die Überprüfung der verfügbaren Evidenz von Multiplikatorenkonzepten zur Stress- und Emotionsregulation im Rettungsdienst ist das Ziel des Scoping-Reviews.
Material und Methoden: Die Übersicht orientiert sich inhaltlich am Modell der Salutogenese und methodisch am Konzept des Joanna Briggs Institute zur Durchführung von Scoping-Reviews. Die Recherche basierte auf den Suchoberflächen PubMed sowie PubPsych (alle Evidenzquellen) und erstreckte sich auf deutsch- und englischsprachige Literatur im Zeitraum von 1997 bis 2023. Alle Schritte der Datensichtung und -extraktion wurden von zwei Reviewern unabhängig voneinander durchgeführt.
Ergebnisse: Für die Überprüfung der verfügbaren Evidenz wurden insgesamt 22.345 Datensätze identifiziert und gesichtet. Abschließend konnten vier Volltexte eingeschlossen werden. Die Interventionen richten sich neben Mitarbeitenden des Rettungsdiensts auch an andere Berufsgruppen. Alle Trainings sind modular aufgebaut. Die psychosozialen Widerstandsressourcen sind vielfältig. In drei von vier Studien können kleine Ergebnisse belegt werden; eine Intervention erhöht die Selbstwirksamkeit der Teilnehmenden.
Diskussion: Es gibt weltweit keine spezifischen Konzepte, die sich explizit an Mitarbeitende des Rettungsdiensts richten. Gezielte Interventionen sind aufgrund der hohen Belastungen der Berufsgruppe erforderlich.
The research was carried out for the selection of optimal options for the heat supply of multi-apartment buildings, taking as an example several new buildings in Yerevan. The purpose of the study is to confirm the choice of the best method of providing heat in apartment complexes. It was used to calculate and analyze the energy-economic and operational-technical indicators of individual heating boilers, small centralized systems, and hybrid systems to solve this problem. The calculations considered both natural gas tariffs and fluctuations in the value of the Armenian dram against the US dollar. The value of 1 kWh of thermal energy or specific heat capacity has been determined as an important criterion for choosing the most efficient method of heat supply, considering the careful analysis of almost all variable factors.
The science of ergonomics studies the conditions and effects of human labour in order to obtain rules for assessment and design. As working life changes, the general working conditions also change dynamically. The causes of such change processes are changes in working and lifestyle, human-technology-interaction, working time, as well as the demands on flexibility, mobility, decision-making skills and self-organization. The consequences of this development are a constant increase in the complexity of work-related requirements. The burdens associated with work can no longer be considered in a situational and detached way, as in many classical methods of work analysis, but should be taken into account in their holistic effect of mutual relations.
This article theoretically and empirically deals first with the question of whether the use of wearables provides support and assistance for the analysis of working conditions. Second it asks whether the application of wearables is a way to investigate complex stress conditions more effectively and whether it might supplement, substitute or further develop established and esteemed methods of work system analysis.
Hintergrund: Die Studienzeit ist eine Phase, in der die jungen Erwachsenen mit spezifischen Anforderungen konfrontiert werden. Studierende der Medizin gelten als besonders psychisch belastet. Untersuchungen, in denen sie diesbezüglich mit Studienfächern der gleichen Branche verglichen werden, sind jedoch rar.
Fragestellung: Ziel der Untersuchung war es, die psychische Gesundheit von Medizinstudierenden sowie von Gesundheits- und Pflegemanagementstudierenden zu untersuchen und zu vergleichen.
Material und Methoden: Untersucht wurden Studierende der Studiengänge Gesundheits- sowie Pflegemanagement (WHZ) und Medizinstudierende der (TU Dresden). Verschiedene Aspekte psychischer Gesundheit wurden mithilfe eines Online-Fragebogens erhoben. Dieser beinhaltete die Instrumente zur Erfassung der Prüfungsängstlichkeit (TAI-G-Kurzskala) und psychischen Belastung (BSI-18), sowie ein Item zur Ermittlung der subjektiv wahrgenommenen Studienbelastung. 258 Studierende nahmen an der Befragung teil.
Ergebnisse: Es konnten keine signifikanten Unterschiede hinsichtlich des Gesamtscores der Prüfungsängstlichkeit und der psychischen Belastung zwischen den Studierenden beider Studienfächer festgestellt werden. Dahingegen gaben Medizinstudierende an, dass sie im Vergleich zu Studierenden der anderen beiden Studienfächer eine signifikant höhere Studienbelastung wahrnehmen.
Schlussfolgerung: Die ermittelten Gesamtscores lagen teilweise über den Werten in vergleichbaren Studien. Die Studierenden sollten bereits präventiv unterstützt werden, um eigene Bewältigungsstrategien zu entwickeln. Nicht nur die Bereitstellung von Hilfen ist notwendig, sondern vielmehr das aktive Eingreifen mithilfe von gesundheitsfördernden Maßnahmen durch die Institution Hochschule, in die die Studierenden frühzeitig integriert werden sollten.
This paper provides a critical reading of Janek Wasserman’s The Marginal Revolutionaries: How Austrian Economists Fought the War of Ideas. Wasserman depicts the evolution of the Austrian School from the 1860s until today, a particularly illuminating narrative for the readers of this journal. The breadth of portrayed economists, their cultural embeddedness in Austrian and US contexts, and the complexity of configurations across the school’s generations create a rich and readable story. The last third of the book suffers from allegations about the ideological agenda and institutional power of the Austrian economists which sometimes lack sufficient substantiation. The paper indicates how both in their theorizing and in their political activities, the Austrian economists can be seen as reformers instead of revolutionaries, and as constitutionalists instead of anti-democrats. Despite these disagreements, Wasserman’s portrayals evoke largely fair and challenging impulses both to scholars working in the Austrian research program and to those interested in the Austrian School’s long history, regardless of one’s ideological positions.
This paper embeds the early political economy of Friedrich August von Hayek in the intellectual milieu of German ordoliberalism. The urgency during the 1930s and 1940s to stabilize the disintegrating societal orders is identified as a crucial driver behind the parallelisms between Hayek and the ordoliberals. Their shared theoretical position is that in such moments, liberty can thrive sustainably only after a framework of general and stable rules has been established. Hayek’s proximity to ordoliberalism was most explicitly discernible in The Road to Serfdom and at the founding meeting of the Mont Pèlerin Society in 1947, culminating in the shared politico-economic vision of the competitive order. The contextual nature of Hayek’s ordoliberalism surfaced in the years after The Constitution of Liberty when his focus shifted, along with the postwar intellectual and institutional stabilization of the West: from how stable orders enable liberty, to how liberty enables the evolution of orders.
Introduction
(2022)
Sometimes cranioplasty is necessary to reconstruct skull bone defects after a neurosurgical operation. If an autologous bone is unavailable, alloplastic materials are used. The standard technical approach for the fabrication of cranial implants is based on 3D imaging by computed tomography using the defect and the contralateral site. A new approach uses 3D surface scans, which accurately replicate the curvature of the removed bone flap. For this purpose, the removed bone flap is scanned intraoperatively and digitized accordingly. When using a design procedure developed for this purpose creating a patient-specific implant for each bone flap shape in short time is possible. The designed skull implants have complex free-form surfaces analogous to the curvature of the skull, which is why additive manufacturing is the ideal manufacturing technology here. In this study, we will describe the intraoperative procedure for the acquisition of scanned data and its further processing up to the creation of the implant.
Lewis–Mogridge Points: A Nonarbitrary Method to Include Induced Traffic in Cost-Benefit Analyses
(2020)
We propose a new method to estimate benefits of road network improvements, which allows to include the induced demand without arbitrary assumptions. Instead of estimating induced demand (which is nontrivial and hardly possible in practice), we search for demand induction where initial benefits are mitigated to zero. Such approach allows to formulate a dual measure of benefit, covering both the potential benefits and the likelihood of consuming them by the induced traffic. We first estimate benefits of road network improvement assuming that traffic demand is fixed. Consequently, we find demand model configurations at which the benefits of the new investment become null, i.e., all the initial benefits are consumed by the traffic demand growth. We call such states of induced demand the Lewis–Mogridge points of the analysed improvement. We select the most probable of such points and use it to calculate the proposed novel indicator μ, for which the initial benefits (obtained under a fixed-demand assumption) are multiplied with a demand increase rate needed to consume them. We believe that such measure allows to include the critical phenomena of induced traffic and, at the same time, to overcome problems associated with reliable estimation of induced demand. As we illustrate with the case of two alternative road improvement schemes in Kraków, Poland, the proposed method allows to estimate maximal threshold of induced traffic and to select scenario more resilient to induced traffic.
Structures made of the thermoplastic polymer polyether ether ketone (PEEK) are widely used in dynamically-loaded applications due to their high-temperature resistance and high mechanical properties. To design these dynamic applications, in addition to the well-known stiffness and strength properties the vibration-damping properties at the given frequencies are required. Depending on the application, frequencies from a few hertz to the ultrasonic range are of interest here. To characterize the frequency-dependent behavior, an experimental approach was chosen and applied to a sample polymer PEEK. The test setup consists of a piezoelectrically driven base excitation of the polymeric specimen and the non-contact measurement of the velocity as well as the surface temperature. The beam’s bending vibrations were analyzed by means of the Timoshenko theory to determine the polymer’s storage modulus. The mechanical loss factor was calculated using the half-power bandwidth method. For PEEK and a considered frequency range of 1 kHz to 16 kHz, a storage modulus between 3.9 GPa and 4.2 GPa and a loss factor between 9 × 10−3 and 17 × 10−3 were determined. For the used experimental parameters, the resulting mechanical properties were not essentially influenced by the amplitude of excitation, the duration of excitation, or thermal degrad.ation due to self-heating, but rather slightly by the clamping force within the fixation area.
Models of artificial root canals are used in several fields of endodontic investigations and pre-clinical endodontic training. They allow the physical testing of dental treatments, the operating of instruments used and the interaction between these instruments and the tissues. Currently, a large number of different artificial root canal models exist whose geometry is created either on the basis of selected natural root canal systems or to represent individual geometrical properties. Currently, only a few geometric properties such as the root canal curvature or the endodontic working width are taken into consideration when generating these models. To improve the representational capability of the artificial root canal models, the aim of the current study is therefore to generate an artificial root canal based on the statistical evaluation of selected natural root canals. Here, the approach introduced by Kucher for determining the geometry of a root canal model is used, which is based on the measurement and statistical evaluation of the root canal center line’s curvatures and their cross-sectional dimensions. Using the example of unbranched distal root canals of mandibular molars (n = 29), an artificial root canal model representing the mean length, curvature, torsion and cross-sectional dimensions of these teeth could be derived.
Dynamically loaded structures made of thermoplastic polymers have been extensively exploited in several demanding industries. Due to the viscoelastic and thermal properties of thermoplastic polymers, self-heating is generally inevitable, especially during dynamic deformations at high frequencies. Therefore, the thermoplastic polyether ether ketone (PEEK), with its high temperature resistance and high specific strength, is a particularly ideal candidate for dynamically loaded applications. Using scanning laser Doppler vibrometry and infrared thermography, an experimental study of the vibration characteristics and the vibration-induced heating of flat-sheet PEEK specimens was carried out. The specimens were base-excited by means of a piezoelectric actuator at high frequencies in the range between 1 and 16 kHz. As a result, a maximum temperature rise of approximately 6.4 K was detected for the highest investigated excitation. A high correlation between the spatial distribution of the velocity along the beam’s axial direction and the resulting temperature increase was measured. To summarize, the occurring self-heating of PEEK due to the dissipation of vibrational energy has to be critically considered for dynamically loaded structural applications, especially areas with high displacement amplitudes, such as antinodes, which yield the highest temperature increase.
Die für die Planung des Materialflusses relevanten Fertigungsprozesse lassen sich sehr genau planen, beispielsweise über die Leistung der Maschine (Durchsatz je Zeiteinheit). Bei der Planung eines Projektes spielen logistische Prozesse, die zu den Kernprozessen eines Unternehmens gehören, eine wichtige Rolle. Jedoch werden sie meist nur grob terminiert und mit großen Puffern kalkuliert. Dies kann zu einer Verlängerung der Projektdauer führen. Für eine genauere Terminierung eines Projektes ist es daher entscheidend, die Dauer der logistischen Prozesse mindestens in dem Maße wie die Fertigungsprozesse zu ermitteln, um das Risiko einer Projektverzögerung zu minimieren.In diesem Beitrag wird deshalb eine Methode zur datenbasierten Schätzung von Prozessdauern mit dem Ziel der Wiederverwendung von Projektwissen vorgestellt, die es dem Projektmanagement ermöglichen soll, Dauern von logistischen Prozessen präziser zu schätzen als das aktuell basierend auf Erfahrungswissen erfolgt. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt dabei auf der Herleitung der Entwurfsaktivitäten. Durch die Anwendung der Methode soll das Projektmanagement von einer genaueren, datenbasierten Schätzung von (Logistik‑)Prozessdauern profitieren und so entstandenes Wissen über einen Ontologieansatz wiederverwenden können.
Die Publikation untersucht die Einordnung der Führung in den Managementkontext und stellt das Konzept "Digital Leadership" als neue Managementkompetenz vor. Sie identifiziert Grundanforderungen an die Führungsrolle und betont die Herausforderungen für Führungskräfte in der digitalen Arbeitswelt. Dabei wird die Vielfalt der Grundanforderungen an die Führung aufgezeigt, indem die Wahl des Führungsstils, der Faktor „Motivation“ und das KLARA-Prinzip hervorgehoben werden. Der digitale Wandel erfordert die Anpassung der führenden Personen an die Herausforderungen der digitalen Transformation und die Fähigkeit, sich in verschiedene Führungsrollen hineinzuversetzen.
Die Publikation untersucht Home-Office im Kontext des "Digital Leadership", erörtert technische, organisatorische und führungspolitische Anforderungen und beleuchtet Chancen sowie Risiken dieser Arbeitsform. Es wird ein Überblick zur aktuellen Home-Office Situation in Deutschland gegeben. Zudem werden die Unternehmen "Compart AG" und "Microsoft" als Best-Practice-Beispiele hervorgehoben. Ziel ist es, die Voraussetzungen und erfolgreiche Umsetzungsmöglichkeiten des Home-Office zu analysieren.
Die Publikation analysiert die Arbeitssituation im Home-Office in Deutschland und identifiziert Anforderungen an Führungskräfte und Mitarbeiter. Führungskräfte sollten den partizipativen Führungsstil anwenden, die Fähigkeit zu motivieren besitzen sowie moderne Technologien nutzen. Mitarbeiter werden zu Eigenmotivation, Feedback und eigenverantwortlichem Arbeiten angehalten. Positive Aspekte der Telearbeit sind Flexibilität und Zeitersparnis, während fehlende Tätigkeitseignung und mangelnde Interaktion als Nachteile gelten. Die Handlungsempfehlungen, welche in Form von Checklisten gestaltet sind, beschreiben die Anforderungen an Führungskräfte und Mitarbeiter an die Telearbeit. Das Fazit in Kapitel drei rundet die Ergebnisse ab.
Das Hauptziel der Arbeit ist die Analyse der o.g. Anforderungen und die Ableitung von Handlungsempfehlungen für das Home-Office.
Based on a real-world application in the semiconductor industry, this article models and discusses a hybrid flow shop problem with time dependencies and priority constraints. The analyzed problem considers a production where a large number of heterogeneous jobs are processed by a number of machines. The route that each job has to follow depends upon its type, and, in addition, some machines require that a number of jobs are combined in batches before starting their processing. The hybrid flow model is also subject to a global priority rule and a “same setup” rule. The primary goal of this study was to find a solution set (permutation of jobs) that minimizes the production makespan. While simulation models are frequently employed to model these time-dependent flow shop systems, an optimization component is needed in order to generate high-quality solution sets. In this study, a novel algorithm is proposed to deal with the complexity of the underlying system. Our algorithm combines biased-randomization techniques with a discrete-event heuristic, which allows us to model dependencies caused by batching and different paths of jobs efficiently in a near-natural way. As shown in a series of numerical experiments, the proposed simulation-optimization algorithm can find solutions that significantly outperform those provided by employing state-of-the-art simulation software.
This paper presents numerical analysis of the discrete fundamental solution of the discrete Laplace operator on a rectangular lattice. Additionally, to provide estimates in interior and exterior domains, two different regularisations of the discrete fundamental solution are considered. Estimates for the absolute difference and lp‐estimates are constructed for both regularisations. Thus, this work extends the classical results in the discrete potential theory to the case of a rectangular lattice and serves as a basis for future convergence analysis of the method of discrete potentials on rectangular lattices.
Background: Stroke is one of the most frequent causes of death in Germany and the developed countries. After a stroke, those affected often suffer particularly from functional motor restrictions of the upper extremities. Newer techniques such as the BCI-FES systems aim to establish a communication channel between the brain and external devices with a neuromuscular intervention. The electrical activity of the brain is measured, processed, translated into control signals and can then be used to control an application.
Methods: As a mixed-methods design (exploratory design), eight guideline-based expert interviews were conducted first. For the quantitative expert survey, 95 chief physicians from the field of neuromedicine in rehabilitation facilities nationwide were subsequently invited to participate in an online survey.
Results: In our data analysis, we found that doctors are largely open-minded towards new technical rehabilitation systems. In addition to the proper functioning of the system, they consider the understanding of the functionality and the meaningfulness of the system to be particularly important. In addition, the system should be motivating for individuals, generate meaningful movements, be easy to use, evidence-based and quick to set up. Concerns were expressed regarding the understanding of the system’s processes, especially in the acute phase after a stroke, as well as the excessive expectation of results from the system on the part of the persons. The experts named stroke patients in rehabilitation phase C, which is about mobilization and recovery, as well as all persons who can understand the language requirements as benefiting groups of people.
Conclusion: The present study shows that more research should and must be done in the field of BCI-FES interfaces, and various development trends have been identified. The system has the potential to play a leading role in the rehabilitation of stroke patients in the future. Nevertheless, more work should be done on the improvement and implementation as well as the system’s susceptibility to interference in everyday patient life.
Hintergrund: Die COVID-19(„coronavirus disease 2019“)-Pandemie hat die Ad-hoc-Digitalisierung an Hochschulen vorangetrieben. Zugleich stand die digitale Hochschullehre vor der Herausforderung der Ausgestaltung der Lehre im Zusammenhang mit den vorbestehenden Ressourcen, der digitalen und didaktischen Kompetenzen sowie der zur Verfügung stehenden technischen Infrastruktur.
Ziel der Arbeit/Fragestellung: Das Ziel der Umfrage war die Einschätzung der digitalen Lehre, die die Präsenzlehre infolge der COVID-19-Pandemie zum großen Teil bzw. gänzlich ersetzt hat, aus der Perspektive der Lehrenden in Public Health, Medizin und Pflege.
Material und Methode: Die Querschnitterhebung fand online von Juni bis August 2020 statt und die Daten wurden über www.soscisurvey.de erhoben. Die schriftliche Befragung wurde unter Mitgliedern der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Public Health (DGPH) und des Ausschusses Digitalisierung der Gesellschaft für medizinische Ausbildung (GMA) und der Sektionen Bildung und Beratung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pflegewissenschaft (DGP) sowie der Arbeitsgruppe Lehre der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Soziologie (DGMS) durchgeführt (n = 100).
Ergebnisse: Bei der Nutzung der digitalen Technologien in den Veranstaltungen rangieren auf der obersten Stelle Präsentationstools, gefolgt von Lernmanagementsystemen, Videoangeboten sowie digitalen Texten. Die Teilnehmenden geben hinsichtlich der Nutzung unterschiedliche (Konferenz‑)Tools an. Das Erstellen von Lehrvideos bejahen 53 % der Befragten, Abstimmungstools) werden bis 50 % als unbekannt genannt. Als Herausforderungen werden digitale Infrastruktur der Hochschulen, fehlende didaktische Beratung/Unterstützung sowie rechtliche Fragen (Nutzungsrechte, Datenschutz) angegeben.
Schlussfolgerung: Neue Technologie werden vorwiegend für Wissenserwerb, Wissensvermittlung genutzt, selten zur Aktivierung von Studierenden und zur Gestaltung kollaborativer Lehr- und Lernarrangements sowie Neugestaltung von Lernaufgaben und Lernprozessen (individualisiertes Lernen). Welche der aktuell erprobten digitalen Lehr- und Lernformate zukünftig in der Hochschullehre zunehmend eingesetzt werden, hängt von vielen Faktoren ab, u. a. von digitaler Kompetenz sowie der Bereitschaft der Lehrenden und Lernenden die digitale Lernkultur mitzugestalten.
Die Arbeitswissenschaft untersucht die Bedingungen und Auswirkungen menschlicher Arbeit, um daraus Beurteilungs- und Gestaltungsregeln zu gewinnen. Mit dem Wandel des Arbeitslebens verändern sich auch die Rahmenbedingungen der Arbeit selbst dynamisch. Auslöser solcher Prozesse sind Veränderungen von Arbeits- und Lebensstil, der Mensch-Technik-Interaktion, der Arbeitszeit sowie den damit verbundenen Anforderungen an Flexibilität, Mobilität, Entscheidungsfähigkeit und Selbstorganisation. Als Folge dieser Entwicklung lässt sich ein Anstieg der Komplexität arbeitsbezogener Anforderungen feststellen. Eine korrekte Einordnung entsprechender Arbeitsbelastungen bedarf einer ganzheitlichen Betrachtung der Wirkung gegenseitiger Beziehungen. Damit schließen sich eine Vielzahl klassischer Verfahren der Arbeitsanalyse, die die einzelnen Sachverhalte situativ und losgelöst voneinander betrachten, aus.
Da eine Beurteilung komplexer Anforderungssituationen für den einzelnen Arbeitsanalytiker nur bedingt beherrschbar sein kann, setzt sich der Beitrag theoretisch und empirisch mit der Frage auseinander, ob durch den Einsatz von Wearables eine analytische Begleitung und Assistenz menschlicher Arbeit möglich ist. Es wird der Frage nachgegangen, ob mittels Wearables objektive und belastbare Aussagen zur Wirkung dynamischer Bündel unterschiedlicher Belastungen möglich sind, um anerkannte Verfahren der Arbeitssystemanalyse zu ergänzen, zu substituieren bzw. weiterzuentwickeln.
Während eines Betriebsrundgangs mit dem Werkleiter zur Beurteilung der Ergonomie an Arbeitsplätzen verweilte dieser on einer lärmintensiven Anlage, zog sein Smartphone aus der Jackettasche und hielt es in Richtung der Maschine, um deren Schallpegel zu messen. Augenblicke später recherchierte er über die Suchfunktion des Gerätes nach zulässigen Grenzwerten. Am Ende des Rundgangs entspann sich eine Diskussion über die Aussagefähigkeit und Zuverlässigkeit Smartphone-gestützter Messungen von Arbeitsumweltfaktoren. Eine Studie am Institut für Produktionstechnik der Westsächsischen Hochschule Zwickau sollte klaren, ob es überhaupt noch des Einsatzes spezifischer Messtechnik bedarf. Das Ergebnis der Studie zeigt deutlich, dass sowohl die eingesetzte Hardware aktueller Smartphones und Tablets als auch die zur Verfügung stehen Programme bislang nicht den Ansprüchen einer Messung aus arbeitswissenschaftlicher Sicht entsprechen. Angesichts der Begeisterung vieler Gerätebesitzer in Kombination mit der Unkenntnis tatsächlicher Fähigkeiten solcher Apps ist es dringend notwendig, Aufklärungsarbeit zu leisten. Unabhängig von diesen Analyseergebnissen sollte die Chance betrachtet werden, dass durch zertifizierte messtechnische Erweiterungen von Smartphones eine engmaschigere und einfachere Überprüfung ergonomischer Arbeitsbedingungen möglich ist. Da es sich bei Smartphones vordergründig um Geräte zur Aufbereitung von Informationen handelt, verweist die Studie auf die Kopplung geeigneter Messsonden mit einem Smartphone. In dieser Kombination könnten Messsysteme zur Arbeitssystembeurteilung mit integrierter Anleitung entstehen, welche es vor allem ermöglichen, nicht nur korrekt zu messen, sondern die Ergebnisse auch richtig zu interpretieren und einzuordnen.
Dissipation energy based parameter identification of anisotropic linear viscoelastic composites
(2020)
The current work presents a relaxation analysis based procedure to identify effective material parameters of the multiaxial generalized Maxwell model (GMM) by a numerical homogenization of the microscopic dissipation energy density for anisotropic linear viscoelastic composites. The employed GMM enables the derivation of a thermodynamically consistent constitutive law and a function of the dissipation energy density for direction‐dependent viscoelastic materials. The identity of this energy function to the microstructure's homogenized dissipation energy density is utilized for the identification of effective relaxation times. Furthermore, the identified relaxation times enable a simple determination of the remaining stiffness parameters. Finally, the presented procedure is demonstrated and evaluated for a randomly endless fibre‐reinforced plastic with a polymer matrix exhibiting a significant viscoelastic behaviour.
Die Autoren bringen langjährige Erfahrung in verschiedenen Industriebranchen und der akademischen Ausbildung im Lean- und Project and Process Management mit sich. Im Rahmen der beruflichen Tätigkeit und der akademischen Arbeit hat sich immer wieder die Frage gestellt, wie die Philosophie des Lean Management mit den Aufgaben des Projekt Management Office interagieren können. Viele Ansätze des Lean Management, vor allem organisatorische Methoden zeigen eine breite Anwendungsmöglichkeit und sollten somit auch dem Projekt Management Office (PMO) hilfreich sein. Vor einiger Zeit hat sich schon der Begriff des Lean Office [YDF01] etabliert, der aber sowohl in der Büroorganisation als auch der Dokumentenpflege Ansatz findet. Im Rahmen des PMO soll dieser Lean Office auf die bereitzustellenden Prozesse und deren Integration ins Enterprise Ressource Planning Anwendung finden. Je schlanker und effizienter die Projekt- und Programmprozesse einer Organisation aufgestellt werden, desto leichter können diese abgebildet und in die Enterprise Ressource Planning (ERP)-Datenlandschaft übertragen werden. Somit wird ein solider Grundstein über den gesamten Produktprozess gelegt - von der Entwicklung, über die Herstellung bis hin zur schlussendlichen Verwertung schlank, effizient, automatisiert und digitalisiert abgebildet zu sein.
Hybrid manufacturing of titanium Ti-6Al-4V combining laser metal deposition and cryogenic milling
(2020)
Hybrid manufacturing, which, e.g., combines additive manufacturing with conventional machining processes, can be a way of overcoming limitations currently encountered in additive manufacturing. Cryogenic milling might be a viable option for hard-to-cut materials, as it leaves a contamination-free surface and can increase surface quality and tool life compared to conventional cooling concepts. In this study, the influence of cryogenic milling with carbon dioxide on titanium Ti-6Al-4V specimens manufactured with laser metal deposition (LMD) was investigated regarding tool wear and surface integrity in comparison to dry machining and machining with cooling lubricants. Moreover, additional layers of material were deposited on top of conventionally and cryogenically machined surfaces by means of LMD. The interface zone was then examined for defects. The milling process was closely monitored by means of thermal and high-speed imaging. Optical and tactile surface analysis provided evidence that lower roughness values and improved surface qualities could be obtained with cryogenic machining in comparison to dry machining. Moreover, significantly less tool wear was observed when a cryogenic cooling medium was applied. Although the utilization of conventional cooling lubricants resulted in satisfying surface qualities, substantial residual contamination on the milled surface was detected by means of fluorescence analysis. These contaminants are suspected to cause defects when the next layer of material is deposited. This is supported by the fact that pores were found in the weld bead applied on top of the milled specimens by means of LMD. Conversely, cryogenic machining resulted in very clean surfaces due to the residue-free evaporation of the coolant. Hence, a good metallurgical bonding between the weld bead and the milled substrate could be achieved. The results indicate the great potential of cryogenic milling in hybrid manufacturing, especially in terms of intermediate machining, as it provides residue-free surfaces for subsequent material deposition without an additional cleaning step and can significantly prolongate tool life.
The purpose of this article is to revise the literature on how theories have been utilized in investigating third-parties (for example, Non-Governmental Organizations, certifying organizations, among others) in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. Based on that, we derive future research directions. For revising the literature in a structured manner, the articles use the systematic literature review as the method of choice. Only half of the identified articles utilize theories for investigating third-parties in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. In addition, major theories are overweighed. This predomination leads to influencing the conceptualization of third-parties in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. Future research opportunities exist in broadening the utilization of theories and methods applied in the field, investing in under-explored aspects and broadening the scope of testing and building frameworks. Based on the synthesizing, propositions supplement future research directions. The novelty of this article lies in its investigation of how theories have been used in investigating and conceptualizing third-parties in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. By that, it contributes with a state-of-the-art view on the important topic of sustainability and how third-parties could solve sustainability challenges. With that, the article is a first attempt and step for extending the academic literature and practice with rethinking classic ways of managing sustainability and utilize out of the box ideas.
Analysis of a Film Forming Process through Coupled Image Correlation and Infrared Thermography
(2022)
The aim of the present investigation was to determine the dependence of the material and process parameters of the bending process of thermoplastic films. In this context, parameter combinations leading to high resulting forming ratios were identified. To measure the relevant parameters within the hot bending process, a coupled evaluation of infrared thermography (IRT) and deformation measurement using digital image correlation (DIC) was performed. The coupled measurement enables the identification of the actual mechanically stressed bending area of the film as a result of the bending process. This allows for the specification of the local forming temperatures required for the desired forming ratios. Furthermore, the mechanical and thermal strain along the defined measuring sections and their deviation in individual tests as well as the effect of thermal strain on process control on a larger scale were determined. Based on the results, a process window was defined for the film materials investigated, which will serve as a starting point for future efforts to develop a continuous manufacturing process.
In this work, a new method for selecting suitable materials is presented. This method has a high potential for a variety of engineering applications, such as the design of sound-absorbing and vibration-loaded structures, where a large number of different requirements have to be met. The method is based on the derivation of functional dependencies of selected material parameters. These dependencies can be used in parameter studies to consider parameter combinations that lie in the range of real existing and targeted material groups. This allows the parameter space to be reduced, the calculation to be accelerated, and suitable materials to be (pre-)selected for the respective application, which contributes to a more target-oriented design. The method is applied to the example of a plate resonator. For this purpose, a semi-analytical model is implemented to calculate the transmission loss as well as the reflected and dissipated sound power of plate silencers, taking into account the influence of flow velocity and fluid temperature on the performance of plate silencers.
This article aims to identify the status quo of sustainability covenants firstly, secondly analyze their possibilities in enhancing sustainability performance and thirdly present further research directions. Covenants are additional contractual agreements mainly used in financial contracts, e.g. loans. They often focus on financial performance indicators, e.g., equity and net debt ratio, which the borrower must fulfil. However, the purpose of this article is to present a new approach to non-financial covenants, so-called sustainability covenants. Therefore, also nowadays ecological and social challenges are addressed. Banks have a huge impact on sustainable development by introducing more non-financial indicators in evaluating the creditability of borrowers. As a key hypothesis, this article argues that the approach of integrating ecological and social objectives through non-financial covenants is underrepresented in economic and business practice. Therefore, this article wants to examine how those objectives can be integrated into the financial concept of covenants and rely on research towards an integrative sustainability approach. In addition, a systematic literature review was conducted from October 2022 to July 2023 to analyze the status quo and derive future research directions. The review was based on two databases – Google Scholar and Scopus. As one key result, it was revealed that there is scarce existing literature on sustainability covenants, which refers to them as a policy measure. Only a few publications analyze their usage in financial contracts. However, this study implies the necessity for further research on sustainability covenants, emphasizing that they are powerful indicators to enhance the sustainability performance of the borrower.
Objectives: Evidence-based clinical guidelines play an important role in healthcare and can be a valuable source for quality indicators (QIs). However, the link between guidelines and QI is often neglected and methodological standards for the development of guideline-based QI are still lacking. The aim of this qualitative study was to get insights into experiences of international authors with developing and implementing guideline-based QI.
Setting: We conducted semistructured interviews via phone or skype (September 2017–February 2018) with guideline authors developing guideline-based QI.
Participants: 15 interview participants from eight organisations in six European and North American countries.
Methods: Organisations were selected using purposive sampling with a maximum variation of healthcare settings. From each organisation a clinician and a methodologist were asked to participate. An interview guide was developed based on the QI development steps according to the ‘Reporting standards for guideline-based performance measures’ by the Guidelines International Network. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis with deductive and inductive categories.
Results: Interviewees deemed a programmatic approach, involvement of representative stakeholders with clinical and methodological knowledge and the connection to existing quality improvement strategies important factors for developing QI parallel to or after guideline development. Methodological training of the developing team and a shared understanding of the QI purpose were further seen conducive. Patient participation and direct patient relevance were inconsistently considered important, whereas a strong evidence base was seen essential. To assess measurement characteristics interviewees favoured piloting, but often missed implementation. Lack of measurability is still experienced a serious limitation, especially for qualitative aspects and individualised care.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that developing guideline-based QI can succeed either parallel to or following the guideline process with careful planning and instruction. Strategic partnerships seem key for implementation. Patient participation and relevance, measurement of qualitative aspects and piloting are areas for further development.
Trial registration number: German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS00013006).
Analgesic drug use of recreational and competitive badminton players: Starting points for prevention
(2021)
Conceptual Approach to an AI-Based Adaptive Study Support System for Individualized Higher Education
(2023)
In the context of the digital transformation, the targeted implementation of AI-based or AI-supported technologies in "teaching & learning" as well as "administration & service" holds considerable potential for organizational change and quality enhancement for higher education institutions. The use of AI in higher education teaching and services lags behind the level in research. Therefore, holistic solutions must be planned and implemented in unity of teaching and research for the AI-based support of the stakeholders’ inclusive administration, the further development or the establishment of new digital study programs and offers as well as the prospective qualification of university staff in the field of AI. The solutions must be analyzed, systematized, and structured to generate a conceptual approach via an integrated architecture with adaptive services.
This paper is an evolution of the concept presented at the Learning Ideas Conference 2022 and includes, in addition to explanations of the current state of the arts, the presentation of a systems-oriented approach for AI in higher education as well as the conception of the student lifecycle management at the author’s university. The paper ends with the presentation of a concept regarding a decision support system for individualized studying.
En 1985 inició el Ministerio de Educación en Venezuela el Modelo de Atención Integral al Niño Sordo, un cambio de la práctica oralista a un modelo bilingüe en las escuelas de sordos. Eso implicaba eliminar la enseñanza del español hablado como objetivo principal e introducir la Lengua de Señas Venezolana (LSV) a las escuelas. Se desencadenó así un intenso período de cambios que marcó indeleblemente a la comunidad sorda. Aquí se aborda el Modelo desde la perspectiva de la planeación lingüística, describiendo sus objetivos y sus efectos sobre la adquisición, la estructura (el corpus) y el estatus de la LSV: La LSV y el español señado fueron reubicados en la diglosia existente hasta entonces; surgió una variante académica de la LSV y aumentó el número de usuarios de la LSV. El estudio se basó en el análisis cualitativo de entrevistas realizadas a cinco testigos de aquel proceso.