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Institute
Chitin is an abundant waste product from shrimp and mushroom industries and as such, an appropriate secondary feedstock for biotechnological processes. However, chitin is a crystalline substrate embedded in complex biological matrices, and, therefore, difficult to utilize, requiring an equally complex chitinolytic machinery. Following a bottom-up approach, we here describe the step-wise development of a mutualistic, non-competitive consortium in which a lysine-auxotrophic Escherichia coli substrate converter cleaves the chitin monomer N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) into glucosamine (GlcN) and acetate, but uses only acetate while leaving GlcN for growth of the lysine-secreting Corynebacterium glutamicum producer strain. We first engineered the substrate converter strain for growth on acetate but not GlcN, and the producer strain for growth on GlcN but not acetate. Growth of the two strains in co-culture in the presence of a mixture of GlcN and acetate was stabilized through lysine cross-feeding. Addition of recombinant chitinase to cleave chitin into GlcNAc2, chitin deacetylase to convert GlcNAc2 into GlcN2 and acetate, and glucosaminidase to cleave GlcN2 into GlcN supported growth of the two strains in co-culture in the presence of colloidal chitin as sole carbon source. Substrate converter strains secreting a chitinase or a β-1,4-glucosaminidase degraded chitin to GlcNAc2 or GlcN2 to GlcN, respectively, but required glucose for growth. In contrast, by cleaving GlcNAc into GlcN and acetate, a chitin deacetylase-expressing substrate converter enabled growth of the producer strain in co-culture with GlcNAc as sole carbon source, providing proof-of-principle for a fully integrated co-culture for the biotechnological utilization of chitin.
Objectives
Cervical movement impairment has been identified as a core component of cervicogenic headache evaluation. However, normal range of motion values in children has been investigated rarely and no study has reported such values for the flexion–rotation test (FRT). The purpose of this study was to identify normal values and side-to-side variation for cervical spine range of motion (ROM) and the FRT, in asymptomatic children aged 6–12 years. Another important purpose was to identify the presence of pain during the FRT.
Methods
Thirty-four asymptomatic children without history of neck pain or headache (26 females and 8 males, mean age 125.38 months [SD 13.14]) were evaluated. Cervical spine cardinal plane ROM and the FRT were evaluated by a single examiner using a cervical ROM device.
Results
Values for cardinal plane ROM measures are presented. No significant gender difference was found for any ROM measure. Mean difference in ROM for rotation, side flexion, and the FRT were less than one degree. However, intra-individual variation was greater, with lower bound scores of 9.32° for rotation, 5.30° for side flexion, and 10.89° for the FRT. Multiple linear regression analysis indicates that movement in the cardinal planes only explains 19% of the variance in the FRT. Pain scores reported following the FRT were less than 2/10.
Discussion
Children have consistently greater cervical spine ROM than adults. In children, side-to-side variation in rotation and side flexion ROM and range recorded during the FRT indicates that the clinician should be cautious when using range in one direction to determine impairment in another. Range recorded during the FRT is independent of cardinal movement variables, which further adds to the importance of the FRT, as a test that mainly evaluates range of movement of the upper cervical spine.
Currently, the treatment of musicians is an interprofessional approach. Playing-related health complaints may impact the performance of a musician. In Germany, a medical consulting hour for musicians exists, but those for athletes in sports medicine are not so common. The diagnosing and treatment procedure within the physiotherapy consultation for musicians follows a specific concept-b and requires knowledge of instruments and musician-specific complaints. Based on the consulting hour in a clinic in Osnabrueck, 614 case reports were part of this sample, of which 558 data sets were complete. The focus of the analysis is the instrument and the primary complaint. Also, the type of therapy is characterized, and the amount is calculated. Primary complaints of musicians, in general, are found most frequently in the spine and upper extremity. Musician complaints are different between instruments. Instrumentalists have a significantly higher chance to suffer from a primary complaint in the area of the upper extremity. Furthermore, the groups without an instrument (e.g., singing or dancing) are developing complaints in the anatomical area which they primarily use. Therefore, these types of therapy were used: physiotherapy, manual therapy, and osteopathy with an average of 5.9 treatment units. This study underpinned the importance of musician-specific physiotherapy as a profession to treat musicians. Also, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to treat all aspects of complaints.
The objective of this review is a global assessment of the economics of second‐generation biorefineries, with a focus on the use of food waste and agricultural residues for chemical production by applying biotechnological processes. Analyses are conducted on feedstock and product distribution, applied economic models, and profitability figures for the period 2013–2018. In a study of 163 articles on different biorefinery systems, the production of chemicals is identified as the second major product class, after bioenergy. Bagasse and straw are frequently analyzed second‐generation feedstocks. Based on the evaluation of 22 articles, second‐generation biorefineries producing chemicals by applying biotechnological processes proves to be economically feasible. On average, both the internal rate of return (IRR) and the return on investment (ROI) are 20% and the payback period (PP) is 6 years. The cost share of feedstock in biorefineries is between 0–50%. The price of the end product and the fermentation yields have the most impact on profitability. The processing of food waste that has industrial and municipal origins appears more economical than the processing of agricultural residues. Scientists, policy makers and entrepreneurs with an appropriate risk tolerance are advised to pay particular attention to municipal food waste and the potential economic production of carboxylic acids. For various economic issues related to biorefineries, dynamic‐deterministic models are recommended, which can be extended by a stochastic model. This review provides an initial overview of the economic feasibility of second‐generation biorefineries. Further techno‐economic analyses are required to produce statistically significant statements on key profitability figures. © 2020 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining published by Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Business-driven development favors the construction of process models
at different abstraction levels and by different people. As a consequence, there is a demand for consolidating different versions of process models by merging them. In this paper, we study a basic scenario, derive requirements and present a prototype for detecting and resolving changes between process models.
Transport operations are climate sensitive. Despite this, scientific literature and corporate practice present little evidence on how corporate actors use climate adaptation measures to prepare their transport operations for climate change. This paper explores two research questions: How can the acceptance among corporate decision-makers towards climate adaptation measures for their transport operations be explained? Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Diffusion of Innovations we develop a theoretical framework for dealing with climate adaptation measures for transport operations (step 1). We support the use of this framework through a literature review (1989–2020) (step 2) and semi-structured interviews with German companies that have implemented best practice measures (step 3). The results show that the handling of climate adaptation measures for transport operations can be described in three acceptance phases: acceptance of attitude, action, and use. We conclude that these phases determine the approaches required for promoting climate change adaptation.
Objective:
To compare the short- and long-term effects of a structural-oriented (convential) with an activity-oriented physiotherapeutic treatment in patients with frozen shoulder.
Design:
Double-blinded, randomized, experimental study.
Setting:
Outpatient clinic.
Subjects:
We included patients diagnosed with a limited range of motion and pain in the shoulder region, who had received a prescription for physiotherapy treatment, without additional symptoms of dizziness, a case history of headaches, pain and/or limited range of motion in the cervical spine and/or temporomandibular joint.
Interventions:
The study group received treatment during the performance of activities. The comparison group was treated with manual therapy and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (conventional therapy). Both groups received 10 days of therapy, 30 minutes each day.
Main measures:
Range of motion, muscle function tests, McGill pain questionnaire and modified Upper Extremity Motor Activity Log were measured at baseline, after two weeks of intervention and after a three-month follow-up period without therapy.
Results:
A total of 66 patients were randomized into two groups: The activity-oriented group (n = 33, mean = 44 years, SD = 16 years) including 20 male (61%) and the structural-oriented group (n = 33, mean = 47 years, SD = 17 years) including 21 male (64%). The activity-oriented group revealed significantly greater improvements in the performance of daily life activities and functional and structural tests compared with the group treated with conventional therapy after 10 days of therapy and at the three-month follow-up (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Therapy based on performing activities seems to be more effective for pain reduction and the ability to perform daily life activities than conventional treatment methods.
Adaptivity is prevalent in today’s software. Mobile devices
self-adapt to available network connections, washing machines
adapt to the amount of laundry, etc. Current approaches for engineering such systems facilitate the specification of adaptivity in the analysis and the technical design. However, the modeling of platform independent models for adaptivity in the logical design phase remains rather neglected causing a gap between the analysis and the technical design phase.
To overcome this situation, we propose an approach called Adapt Cases. Adapt Cases allow the explicit modeling of adaptivity with domain-specific means, enabling adaptivity to gather attention early in the software engineering process.
Since our approach is based on the concept of use cases it
is easy adoptable in new and even running projects that
use the UML as a specification language, and additionally,
can be easily incorporated into model-based development
environments.
Chronic illness can have a profound impact on couples’ relationships. In dealing with relational changes, new constructions and forms of relationships may arise. In the context of a larger grounded theory study on relational processes and practices in couples faced with chronic illness, this article focuses on concurrent relationships as an alternative form of relationship construction which embodies an additional relationship existing parallel to that of the couple confronted with chronic illness. Based on qualitative interviews with a subsample of five persons within the larger study, conditions for the development and characteristics of concurrent relationships are presented. From an individual and shared life questioned by chronic illness, concurrent relationships are formed in the attempt to be able to live on together in a new partner relationship and a continued care relationship. This can lead to new constructions of relationships, family life, and social relations in everyday life.
Organic pot-based production of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) often has lower biomass yield than conventional cultivation. Previous investigations indicate that this growth impairment is related to high ammonium (NH4+) concentrations in the growing media released by the mineralization of organic nitrogen (N) fertilizers. However, as a result of this ammonification process substrate pH may also increase. Under neutral to alkaline conditions NH4+ is converted to ammonia (NH3), which is known to be phytotoxic even at low concentrations. Therefore, we investigated the impact of both ammonical N species on basil grown in a peat substrate. In total, three fertilization pot experiments were conducted in a greenhouse in order to compare the effect of different organic base dressings [250 and 750 mg N (L substrate)-1 mainly supplied by a liquid amino acid fertilizer (AAF)] and two initial substrate pH levels (5.5 and 6.5). In two treatments, 5% (v/v) mature compost was mixed into the peat 1 day and 12–days before the substrate was used for sowing, respectively. The aim of this procedure was to stimulate nitrification in this way to reduce ammonical N concentration. Ammonia concentration in the aerial plant surrounding environment was measured by using NH3 detector tubes in combination with an open-top chamber method. The results showed that the growth of basil (number of plants, fresh matter yield, plant height) was significantly inhibited in the second and third week of cultivation by rising NH3 and NH4+ exposure, as well as by a substrate pH ≥ 7.0. These adverse effects were reduced by lowering the organic base dressing rate and adjusting the initial substrate pH to 5.5. Furthermore, the addition of mature compost to peat in combination with a 12-day storage was proven to be effective for promoting nitrification in the organically fertilized substrate. As a result, plant growth was improved by both lower NH3 and NH4+ exposure as well as a faster supply of nitrate (NO3-) as an additional N source. Using this approach, it was possible to feed organically fertilized basil right from the seedling stage with a NO3--N/NH4+-N-balanced and later on providing a predominant NO3--N supply.
The relevance of cross-industry innovation has increased in recent decades with a growing number of inter-industry fields emerging on the borderline between formerly distinct industries. The aim of this paper is to analyse industry convergence in four probiotics innovation value chains based on the following indicators: cross-industry relationships along the innovation value chain as well as knowledge, technological, regulatory and competence convergence. In so doing, the study delivers a framework of indicators for scrutinising industry convergence processes. In order to identify industry convergence, we analyse companies in the converging area of foods and drugs based on products containing the four bacteria strains: Lactobacillus caseii DN 114001, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Hence, the commercial availability of the strains on the market serves as a selection criterion. Altogether 12 companies stemming from four industrial backgrounds, food and agriculture (5), pharmaceutics (5), chemistry (1) and personal care (1), as well as one research organisation are identified. Cross-industry relationships occur along the innovation value chains of the four strains. Clear signs of knowledge and technological convergence are found as companies are not only publishing and patenting in the usual area of their own industrial field but also in the area of other industrial fields. Companies with different industrial backgrounds show activities in obtaining health claims indicating regulatory convergence. Companies' competence bases seem to converge as companies with different industrial backgrounds are involved in acquisitions, licencing agreements and strategic alliances (competence convergence). We contribute to the existing body of literature by assessing industry convergence from an innovation value chain perspective with a set of indicators reflecting the intensity of industry convergence. This framework of indicators stemming from literature has not yet been used in a combined comprehensive analysis. Furthermore, we tried to show the characteristics of strategic types driving industry convergence in probiotics.
Soil seed banks have a high potential for vegetation re-establishment in restoration projects. We studied the soil seed bank in an oxbow system of a disconnected floodplain of the Danube River in Southern Germany. The aim of the study was to analyze if floodplain target species were still present in the seed bank after more than 150 years of embankment and disconnection from fluvial dynamics. In this context we investigated seed density, seed bank species richness and species composition in four broad habitat types with and without water-level fluctuations during the time of embankment (permanent water, fluctuating water, reed bed, hardwood floodplain forest). In addition, the similarity between seed bank and above-ground vegetation in these habitat types was studied in order to predict the success of future restoration measures. In total, 124 vascular plant species were determined in the seed bank samples. More than 50 % (66 species) were target species typical for floodplain habitats and 26 of these target species were lost or very rare in the above-ground vegetation. The four habitat types differed significantly in mean seed density and mean species richness. Mean species richness and the number of target species in the seed bank as well as the mean seed density were greatest in the habitats with fluctuating water level whereas mean seed density was much lower in the parts with more or less stable conditions like permanently standing water and hardwood floodplain forest. Sørensen similarity between seed bank and above-ground vegetation was very low in habitats with more or less stable water levels and desirable floodplain target species were very rare or completely absent. Our results indicate that the soil seed bank can be an important seed reservoir for the ecological restoration of floodplain plant communities especially for habitats with unstable environmental conditions during the period of disconnection. Restoration of water level dynamics is important to maintain the seed bank of populations of floodplain target species.
Background:
Contact tracing apps are potentially useful tools for supporting national COVID-19 containment strategies. Various national apps with different technical design features have been commissioned and issued by governments worldwide.
Objective:
Our goal was to develop and propose an item set that was suitable for describing and monitoring nationally issued COVID-19 contact tracing apps. This item set could provide a framework for describing the key technical features of such apps and monitoring their use based on widely available information.
Methods:
We used an open-source intelligence approach (OSINT) to access a multitude of publicly available sources and collect data and information regarding the development and use of contact tracing apps in different countries over several months (from June 2020 to January 2021). The collected documents were then iteratively analyzed via content analysis methods. During this process, an initial set of subject areas were refined into categories for evaluation (ie, coherent topics), which were then examined for individual features. These features were paraphrased as items in the form of questions and applied to information materials from a sample of countries (ie, Brazil, China, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom [England and Wales]). This sample was purposefully selected; our intention was to include the apps of different countries from around the world and to propose a valid item set that can be relatively easily applied by using an OSINT approach.
Results:
Our OSINT approach and subsequent analysis of the collected documents resulted in the definition of the following five main categories and associated subcategories: (1) background information (open-source code, public information, and collaborators); (2) purpose and workflow (secondary data use and warning process design); (3) technical information (protocol, tracing technology, exposure notification system, and interoperability); (4) privacy protection (the entity of trust and anonymity); and (5) availability and use (release date and the number of downloads). Based on this structure, a set of items that constituted the evaluation framework were specified. The application of these items to the 10 selected countries revealed differences, especially with regard to the centralization of the entity of trust and the overall transparency of the apps’ technical makeup.
Conclusions:
We provide a set of criteria for monitoring and evaluating COVID-19 tracing apps that can be easily applied to publicly issued information. The application of these criteria might help governments to identify design features that promote the successful, widespread adoption of COVID-19 tracing apps among target populations and across national boundaries.
Abstract
Background
The clinical presentation of neck-arm pain is heterogeneous with varying underlying pain types (nociceptive/neuropathic/mixed) and pain mechanisms (peripheral/central sensitization). A mechanism-based clinical framework for spinally referred pain has been proposed, which classifies into (1) somatic pain, (2) neural mechanosensitivity, (3) radicular pain, (4) radiculopathy and mixed pain presentations. This study aims to (i) investigate the application of the clinical framework in patients with neck-arm pain, (ii) determine their somatosensory, clinical and psychosocial profile and (iii) observe their clinical course over time.
Method
We describe a study protocol. Patients with unilateral neck-arm pain (n = 180) will undergo a clinical examination, after which they will be classified into subgroups according to the proposed clinical framework. Standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST) measurements will be taken in their main pain area and contralateral side. Participants will have to complete questionnaires to assess function (Neck Disability Index), psychosocial factors (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Depression, anxiety and stress scale), neuropathic pain (Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions, PainDETECT Questionnaire) and central sensitization features (Central Sensitization Inventory). Follow-ups at three, six and 12 months include the baseline questionnaires. The differences of QST data and questionnaire outcomes between and within groups will be analyzed using (M)AN(C)OVA and/or regression models. Repeated measurement analysis of variance or a linear mixed model will be used to calculate the differences between three, six, and 12 months outcomes. Multiple regression models will be used to analyze potential predictors for the clinical course.
Conclusion
The rationale for this study is to assess the usability and utility of the proposed clinical framework as well as to identify possible differing somatosensory and psychosocial phenotypes between the subgroups. This could increase our knowledge of the underlying pain mechanisms. The longitudinal analysis may help to assess possible predictors for pain persistency.
Despite the high significance of the Western Siberian grain belt for crop production in Russia, its weed communities are largely unknown. In this region spring wheat is grown on fertile Chernozem soils with large field sizes but land-use intensity per area is low compared to Central Europe. By usin a randomized sampling design we studied arable weed assemblages in the northern forest-steppe zone of Tyumen region on 99 within-field sampling plots of 100 m² size. Surprisingly, with average of 9.8 ± 3.8 species 100 m-2 species richness was low when compared with low-input farming in Central Europe and did not differ between areas of different land-use intensity. Against expectations species composition was not predominantly controlled by soil characteristics and climate, most likely due to short natural gradients. Instead, management factors such as fertilization and tillage intensity seemed to be important factors. Except for two species the Tyumen weed flora consisted mainly of species that are widespread throughout the temperate zone. We found only 10 species with an origin or core area in North Asia or Eastern Europe. The species pool was generally small and with 26% the proportion of non-native spe cies (archaeophytes) was low, when compared to Central European weed communities. Given that weed communities with higher species richness are described from neighboring Bashkiria, we conclude that arable land-use intensity in Tyumen region is high enough to reduce community species richness within arable fields estimated by a randomized sampling design. Since measured soil nutrient values did not affect species richness, herbicide use is most likely the crucial management factor. Furthermore, species-richness was vitally restricted by the small species pool. The low proportion of thermophilous arable weed species that originate from the Mediterranean or Middle-Eastern area and contribute signif icantly to the Central European weed diversity indicate that climatic dispersal limitations may be re sponsible for the small number of weed species in the Tyumen flora. An additional constraint was the short history of arable farming in Western Siberia, where considerable arable land use was started only by the end of the 17th century.
Are natural floods accelerators for streambank vegetationdevelopment in floodplain restoration?
(2021)
Riverbanks are very dynamic habitats for riparian vegetation strongly influenced byfluvial and geomorphic processes. This habitat type was severely reduced in the pastby river straightening and bank stabilisation. Restoration and establishment of newfloodplain streams promote this habitat, but a directed succession to later stages wasobserved many times. Our study aimed to analyse whether the often observeddirected succession of the streambank vegetation after restoration implementationcould be reversed by a natural flood along a newly created floodplain stream. Weinvestigated the effects of a natural flood in 2013 and different prerestorationconditions on species development in the riparian zone. Vegetation was studiedalong 12 transects in four different sections from 2011 to 2014. Species composi-tion differed strongly between the sections. Species richness was lowest in a newlydug steep section with high morphological dynamics and highest on wider flatstreambanks. Changes during the years reflecting different hydrological eventsvaried between sections. The high natural flood in 2013 reduced the cover of theherb layer and increased bare ground, which led in most sections to a loss of non-target species. Total target species richness did not change due to the natural flood,while target species showed a high turnover rate. In the following year, however,the flood‐induced development of species composition, in general, was reversed.Natural floods changed abiotic and biotic conditions along the streambank, but theydid not accelerate ecological restoration towards predefined target ecosystems.However, they were necessary to preserve the needed dynamic vegetation changesand species turnover to hinder the succession to later stages dominated by a fewspecies. Our study shows that riparian vegetation near the streambank can bemonitored most effectively in cross‐profile transects, both in the long‐term andevent‐related.
In the past few years, studies have been carried out to record and analyse the consumer behaviour of manual dishwashing. Manual dishwashing in households is performed in many ways that influence the use of resources. Furthermore, knowledge has been gained on the basis of experiments on how to optimize the use of resources in manual dishwashing. Optimization here means achieving the best possible cleaning performance with a minimum input of resources. This experimental knowledge, combined with the experience of everyday life, was transferred into Best Practice Tips.
The aim of this study is to verify whether it is possible to save resources while applying these Best Practice Tips in comparison with the consumers' previous behaviour.
In a laboratory study, 53 consumers from Europe (23 Germans, 30 other Europeans) were asked to apply the Best Practice Tips while washing up 12 place settings of dishes. The data gained were compared with that of previous studies recording consumers' everyday behaviour while washing up the same amount of dishes. The sample consisted of 113 European consumers and the sample of the second study consisted of 60 Europeans.
On average, the 53 test participants applying the Best Practice Tips used around 60% less water, 70% less energy and 30% less detergent compared with the average everyday behaviour the other subjects used. Additionally, they achieved a slightly better cleaning result. An evaluation questionnaire showed that the Best Practice Tips were, in general, highly accepted; however, some concerns were given about their exact application in everyday life. Because of the wide variation of washing-up habits and resource consumption among individuals, the confidence intervals of the studies are rather large. The results should therefore be seen as tendencies on how resource savings are possible when people are trained how to optimize resources in manual dishwashing. Nevertheless, this study should be the basis for further ones in which the learning is verified in everyday life and over a longer period of time.
Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to determine the motor function of the abdominal muscles in singers with and without functional voice disorders and to examine them for possible differences. Additionally, the breathing behaviour and posture control was investigated.
Study Design
Observational study.
Methods:
Female subjects (n = 20) with differing levels of professional competence were used to provide the data for analysis. By using the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) the grade of dysphonia could be measured, and the subjects were organized in groups. The change of muscle thickness of the M. transversus abdominis (TVA) and the M. obliquus internus abdominis (OIA) during different singing tasks was measured by using ultrasound. The subjects were then asked to perform the Abdominal Hollowing Test (AHT) with the STABILIZER. Finally, the subjects were all filmed while singing. The videos recordings of the singing sessions were analysed by an independent clinical expert regarding breathing and secondary motor activities (SMA). For the statistical analysis, the Mann-Whitney-U Test and the Chi-Square-Test was mainly used.
Results:
The results showed a significantly thinner TVA in the group with dysphonia in comparison to the group without dysphonia. Ultrasound measurements showed significantly higher changes of muscle thickness of the TVA during singing tasks in the group with dysphonia. Regarding the AHT there was a significant difference between the two groups. The group with dysphonia was not able to increase the pressure by 15mmHg. Furthermore, the healthy subjects demonstrated abdominal breathing, while the group with dysphonia present with thoracic breathing. Additionally, it was noted that the subjects with dysphonia showed a higher level of associated movements especially at and/or on the lumbar spine, cervical spine and the left arm and shoulder.
Conclusion:
Differences in TVA-recruitment, breathing behaviour and secondary motor activities while singing were found. This study sparks new ideas for neuromusculoskeletal assessments and therapy.
Key Words
Transversus abdominis, Abdominal muscles, Dysphonia, Ultrasound, Singing voice, Singers
Die Landwirtschaft ist ein Wirtschaftszweig mit massiven Auswirkungen auf die biologische und agrobiodiverse Vielfalt. Nachhaltige Ernährung ist ein entscheidender politischer Hebel und eine realistische Chance, die Umweltauswirkungen des Agrar- und Ernährungssektors zu verringern und gleichzeitig die menschliche Gesundheit zu verbessern. Auswärts essen ist für viele Verbraucher eine immer häufiger anzutreffende Gewohnheit, und indem sie nachhaltige Gerichte anbieten, können Catering-Unternehmen eine zentrale Rolle spielen. Dazu müssen sie die Nachhaltigkeit ihres Lebensmittelangebots verstehen und richtig einschätzen können, aber es gibt noch keine gut etablierten Bewertungsinstrumente. Im Rahmen des NAHGAST-Projekts, zu dem diese Studie gehörte, wurde ein Instrument zur Bewertung der Nachhaltigkeit für Catering-Unternehmen entwickelt und getestet, das auf konkreten, pro Mahlzeit definierten Zielen basiert. Diese Studie befasst sich mit dem Mangel an Methoden zur Bewertung der Auswirkungen von Lebensmitteln auf die biologische Vielfalt, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf der Agrobiodiversität liegt. Die Arbeit veranschaulicht eine kontextspezifische Anwendung eines erweiterten DPSIR-Modells zur Strukturierung von Informationen und Auswahl von Indikatoren und schlägt eine transdisziplinäre Nutzung bestehender Messgrößen vor. Weitere Forschungsarbeiten sind erforderlich, um wissenschaftlich fundierte Zielwerte oder Nachhaltigkeitsspannen für jeden Indikator pro Mahlzeit zu definieren, damit diese berechnet werden können.
Die Stärken und Grenzen der Studie werden diskutiert.
The management of patients experiencing chronic orofacial pain is a great challenge, due to the complexity of chronic pain itself, combined with an increased peripheral sensitization in the craniofacial itself. Therefore, patients with orofacial pain may present a clear distortion of the somatorepresentation after some time. In this review, the authors develop a neurophysiological explanation of orofacial distortion, as well as propose assessment and treatment options, based on scarcely available scientific evidence and their own clinical experience. The assessments of facial somatosensory, cognitive-affective and motor dysfunctions are crucial to establish the most accurate treatment; the assessment tools are described in the article. Two-point discrimination, laterality recognition and emotion recognition are altered in patients with orofacial pain. Other sensorimotor assessment tools, such as motor acuity and auditory acuity, are also explained. Finally, the authors review their treatment proposals, based on the integration of brain training techniques and biobehavioral interventions. Somatosensory reintegration (tactile acuity training), facial emotion recognition, movement representation techniques, orofacial motor training and therapeutic patient education are explained in detail, and this may challenge new directions in rehabilitation and research.
Background/Aim
This study aimed to establish the somatosensory profile of patients with lumbar radiculopathy at pre-and post-microdiscectomy and to explore any association between pre-surgical quantitative sensory test (QST) parameters and post-surgical clinical outcomes.
Methods
A standardized QST protocol was performed in 53 patients (mean age 38 ± 11 years, 26 females) with unilateral L5/S1 radiculopathy in the main pain area (MPA), affected dermatome and contralateral mirror sites and in age- and gender-,and body site-matched healthy controls. Repeat measures at 3 months included QST, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and numerous other clinical measures; at 12 months, only clinical measures were repeated. A change <30% on the ODI was defined as ‘no clinically meaningful improvement’.
Results
Patients showed a significant loss of function in their symptomatic leg both in the dermatome (thermal, mechanical, vibration detection p < .002), and MPA (thermal, mechanical, vibration detection, mechanical pain threshold, mechanical pain sensitivity p < .041) and increased cold sensitivity in the MPA (p < .001). Pre-surgical altered QST parameters improved significantly post-surgery in the dermatome (p < .018) in the symptomatic leg and in the MPA (p < .010), except for thermal detection thresholds and cold sensitivity. Clinical outcomes improved at 3 and 12 months (p < .001). Seven patients demonstrated <30% change on the ODI at 12 months. Baseline loss of function in mechanical detection in the MPA was associated with <30% change on the ODI at 12 months (OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.09–6.37, p = .032).
Conclusion
Microdiscectomy resulted in improvements in affected somatosensory parameters and clinical outcomes. Pre-surgical mechanical detection thresholds may be predictive of clinical outcome.
Significance
This study documented quantitative sensory testing (QST) profiles in patients with lumbar radiculopathy in their main pain area (MPA) and dermatome pre- and post-microdiscectomy and explored associations between QST parameters and clinical outcome. Lumbar radiculopathy was associated with loss of function in modalities mediated by large and small sensory fibres. Microdiscectomy resulted in significant improvements in loss of function and clinical outcomes in 85% of our cohort. Pre-surgical mechanical detection thresholds in the MPA may be predictive of clinical outcome.
Atopic dermatitis, STAT3- and DOCK8-hyper-IgE syndromes differ in IgE-based sensitization pattern
(2014)
Attitudes Concerning Postmortem Organ Donation : A Multicenter Survey in Various German Cohorts
(2015)
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to characterize postmortem organ donation attitudes in various German cohorts.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Employees of 2 German cities and 2 German university hospitals, employees of a German automobile enterprise, and members of a German Medical Society were administered a questionnaire about postmortem organ and tissue donation attitudes. Demographic data and general attitudes were questioned and focused on: I) willingness to donate organs, II) holding a donor card, and III) having discussed the topic with the family.
RESULTS
Of 5291 participants, 65.2% reported favoring postmortem organ donation. Missing negative experiences, the idea that donation is helpful, a non-medical professional environment, excellent general health, gender, agreement with the brain-death paradigm, and age significantly influenced the participants’ attitudes. Participants were more likely to possess donor cards and had discussed more often with family members if they agreed with the brain-death paradigm and considered donation to be helpful. Males and older participants were the most likely to neglect donor cards, and Catholics, Protestants, and participants with poor health were the least likely to donate organs. Interest in receiving more information was expressed by 38.1% and 50.6% of participants refusing donation of all or of specific organs, respectively, and suggested the internet (60.0%) and family doctors (35.0%) as preferred sources of information.
CONCLUSIONS
Public campaigns in Germany should focus on males and older people as regards donor cards, and females, younger, and religiously affiliated persons as regards the general willingness to donate organs postmortem.
Purpose:
To analyse the willingness for postmortem cornea donation in Germany.
Methods:
Employees in two cities (UKM, UKS), and university hospitals (STM, STE), members of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG), and employees of an automobile company (BO) participated in a questionnaire about postmortem cornea donation attitudes. The questionnaire consisted of demographic items, motives concerning postmortem cornea donation, general attitudes toward donation, and questions concerning the perceived needs for information about donation. The statistical analyses included logistic regression with the target parameter of 'willingness to donate cornea postmortem'.
Results:
Of the participants, 67.7 % (UKM, UKS), 70.9 % (STM, STE), 70.8 % (BO), and 79.4 % (DOG) declared their intention to donate their corneas postmortem. Younger age (p < 0.001), poorer general health (p < 0.05), faith in an eternal life (p < 0.05), disagreement with brain death diagnostics (p < 0.001), fear of receiving worse medical treatment (p < 0.001), and fear of the commercialization of organs (p < 0.001) were found to be risk factors for a negative attitude toward postmortem cornea. The majority of participants (57.4 %) indicated that additional information about donation would be appreciated, and the internet (69.9 %) was considered the most appropriate means for conveying this information.
Conclusions:
Emotional items were revealed to be the most relevant factors influencing the willingness to donate cornea postmortem, which may be counteracted by means of public education. The relatively low willingness among the medical staff contrasts with previous observations in a professional ophthalmologic society.
Making solar thermal systems less expensive, often results in a lower system efficiency. However, the cost-benefit ratio is relevant from the perspective of the consumer. The complex impact of component-related and system-related design parameters on the economics of a complete system makes the evaluation and economical optimization difficult.
Therefore, a complete simulation environment has been developed, which can automatically optimize solar-thermal systems,including collector and system parameters. The main collector module consists of a one-dimensional thermal model that was validated with a commercial solar collector. The efficiency curve and the production cost werecalculated as a function of several design and construction parameters. The collector module was linked to the commercial software Polysun®, so that parametric studies can be performed with minimaleffort. Optimization problems can be solved by using the Matlab® optimization toolbox.
The simulation environment wasused for sensitivity studies and optimization problems in order to analyze the impact of collector design-parameters with respect to system cost, system yield andeconomic values. We will demonstrate how a collector can be optimized and how the ideal system parameters like collector number and storage volume can be easily calculated. Finally, we will show how the optimizer is used for a given system in order to find ideal values for the absorber-sheet thickness and the number of pipes. Due to the holistic approach, the application of this tool set can be used for collector development as well as for system planning.
Greenwashing, defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image” can cause multifarious problems for companies. The phenomenon of greenwashing has, however, not attracted much attention in the event marketing literature to date. The purpose of this paper is twofold. It first describes and analyses the specific characteristics and features of greenwashing in event marketing. It then seeks to identify the current fundamental approaches of how to avoid greenwashing in event marketing and to assess their potential. A two-step literature analysis with complementary search approaches served as a methodical framework. First, journals related to event marketing were screened for the keywords “greenwashing” and “greenwash”. Next, the general literature was consulted for the same keywords. The results clearly demonstrate that the subject of greenwashing has been widely neglected in the event literature. There appears to be no overall concept or approach that allows event actors to avoid greenwashing, albeit various individual initiatives exist. However, it also became clear that initiatives against greenwashing in event marketing can be developed and implemented in the short and long term, for example by integrating different stakeholders. Additional political and juridical efforts based on specific guidelines are also necessary to prevent greenwashing in the future. The study is the first one to provide a systematic approach to the topic of greenwashing in the context of event marketing, including relevant approaches for its avoidance. It can thus help practitioners to better detect and avoid greenwashing in the event industry and to guide similar research in the future.
Aims
Understanding fine-grain diversity patterns across large spatial extents is fundamental for macroecological research and biodiversity conservation. Using the GrassPlot database, we provide benchmarks of fine-grain richness values of Palaearctic open habitats for vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and complete vegetation (i.e., the sum of the former three groups).
Location
Palaearctic biogeographic realm.
Methods
We used 126,524 plots of eight standard grain sizes from the GrassPlot database: 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1,000 m2 and calculated the mean richness and standard deviations, as well as maximum, minimum, median, and first and third quartiles for each combination of grain size, taxonomic group, biome, region, vegetation type and phytosociological class.
Results
Patterns of plant diversity in vegetation types and biomes differ across grain sizes and taxonomic groups. Overall, secondary (mostly semi-natural) grasslands and natural grasslands are the richest vegetation type. The open-access file ”GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks” and the web tool “GrassPlot Diversity Explorer” are now available online (https://edgg.org/databases/GrasslandDiversityExplorer) and provide more insights into species richness patterns in the Palaearctic open habitats.
Conclusions
The GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks provide high-quality data on species richness in open habitat types across the Palaearctic. These benchmark data can be used in vegetation ecology, macroecology, biodiversity conservation and data quality checking. While the amount of data in the underlying GrassPlot database and their spatial coverage are smaller than in other extensive vegetation-plot databases, species recordings in GrassPlot are on average more complete, making it a valuable complementary data source in macroecology.
One challenge of the EU energy transition is the integration of renewable electricity generation in the distribution system. EU energy law proposes a possible solution by introducing “citizen energy communities” (Directive 2019/944/EU) which may be open for “cross-border participation”. This article proposes an innovative way of implementing such cross-border communities by linking distribution systems via a “switchable element”, a generation, storage, or consumption asset with a connection to each country. An optimization model has been developed to calculate the system cost savings of such a connection. Linking regions with complementary characteristics regarding electricity generation and demand via a switchable element leads to more efficient system utilization. Findings are relevant for the transposition of “citizen energy communities” in national laws.
Advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing have propelled research into the human microbiome and its link to metabolic health. We explore microbiome analysis methods, specifically emphasizing metabolomics, how dietary choices impact the production of microbial metabolites, providing an overview of studies examining the connection between enterotypes and diet, and thus, improvement of personalized dietary recommendations. Acetate, propionate, and butyrate constitute more than 95% of the collective pool of short-chain fatty acids. Conflicting data on acetate’s effects may result from its dynamic signaling, which can vary depending on physiological conditions and metabolic phenotypes. Human studies suggest that propionate has overall anti-obesity effects due to its well-documented chemistry, cellular signaling mechanisms, and various clinical benefits. Butyrate, similar to propionate, has the ability to reduce obesity by stimulating the release of appetite-suppressing hormones and promoting the synthesis of leptin. Tryptophan affects systemic hormone secretion, with indole stimulating the release of GLP-1, which impacts insulin secretion, appetite suppression, and gastric emptying. Bile acids, synthesized from cholesterol in the liver and subsequently modified by gut bacteria, play an essential role in the digestion and absorption of dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins, but they also interact directly with intestinal microbiota and their metabolites. One study using statistical methods identified primarily two groupings of enterotypes Bacteroides and Ruminococcus. The Prevotella-dominated enterotype, P-type, in humans correlates with vegetarians, high-fiber and carbohydrate-rich diets, and traditional diets. Conversely, individuals who consume diets rich in animal fats and proteins, typical in Western-style diets, often exhibit the Bacteroides-dominated, B-type, enterotype. The P-type showcases efficient hydrolytic enzymes for plant fiber degradation but has limited lipid and protein fermentation capacity. Conversely, the B-type features specialized enzymes tailored for the degradation of animal-derived carbohydrates and proteins, showcasing an enhanced saccharolytic and proteolytic potential. Generally, models excel at predictions but often struggle to fully elucidate why certain substances yield varied responses. These studies provide valuable insights into the potential for personalized dietary recommendations based on enterotypes
Career Decisions of Indian Female Talent: Implications for Gender-sensitive Talent Management
(2020)
Purpose: Talent scarcity in emerging economies such as India poses challenges for companies,and limited labour market participation among well-educated women has been observed. The reasons that professionals decide not to pursue a further corporate career remain unclear. By investigating career decision making, this article aims to highlight (1) the contextual factors that impact those decisions, (2) individuals’ agency to handle them, and (3) the implications for talent management (TM).
Design/methodology/approach: Following a qualitative research design, computer-aided analysis was conducted on interviews with 24 internationally experienced Indian business professionals. A novel application of neo-institutionalism in the Indian context was combined with the family-relatedness of work decisions (FRWD) model.
Findings: Career decisions indicate that rebellion against Indian societal and family expectations is essential to following a career path, especially for women. TM as part of the current institutional framework serves as a legitimising façade veiling traditional practices that hinder females’ careers.
Research limitations: Interviewees adopted a retrospective perspective when describing their career decisions; therefore, different views might have existed at the moment of decision making.
Practical implications: Design and implementation of gender-sensitive TM adjusted to fit the specific Indian context can contribute to retaining female talent in companies and the labour market.
Originality/value: The importance of gender-sensitive TM can be concluded from an empirical study of the context-based career decision making of experienced business professionals from India. The synthesis of neo-institutionalism, the FRWD model and the research results provides assistance in mapping talent experiences and implications for overcoming the challenges of talent scarcity in India.
Background
Lay family caregivers of patients receiving palliative care often confront stressful situations in the care of their loved ones. This is particularly true for families in the home-based palliative care settings, where the family caregivers are responsible for a substantial amount of the patient’s care. Yet, to our knowledge, no study to date has examined the family caregivers’ exposure to critical events and distress with home-based palliative care has been reported from Germany. Therefore, we attempt to assess family caregiver exposure to the dying patient’s critical health events and relate that to the caregiver’s own psychological distress to examine associations with general health within a home-based palliative care situation in Germany.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 106 family caregivers with home-based palliative care in the Federal State of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany. We administered the Stressful Caregiving Adult Reactions to Experiences of Dying (SCARED) Scale. Descriptive statistics and linear regression models relating general health (SF-36) were used to analyze the data.
Results
The frequency of the caregiver’s exposure, or witness of, critical health events of the patient ranged from 95.2% “pain/discomfort” to 20.8% “family caregiver thought patient was dead”. The highest distress scores assessing fear and helpfulness were associated with “family caregiver felt patient had enough’” and “family caregiver thought patient was dead”. Linear regression analyses revealed significant inverse associations between SCARED critical health event exposure frequency (beta = .408, p = .025) and total score (beta = .377, p = .007) with general health in family caregivers.
Conclusions
Family caregivers with home-based palliative care in Germany frequently experience exposure to a large number of critical health events in caring for their family members who are terminally ill. These exposures are associated with the family caregiver’s degree of fear and helplessness and are associated with their worse general health. Thus the SCARED Scale, which is brief and easy to administer, appears able to identify these potentially upsetting critical health events among family caregivers of palliative care patients receiving care at home. Because it identified commonly encountered critical events in these patients and related them to adverse general health of family caregivers, the SCARED may add to clinically useful screens to identify family caregivers who may be struggling.
Characterisation of pain in people with hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy
(2017)
Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy (HNPP) has historically been considered a pain-free condition, though some people with HNPP also complain of pain. This study characterised persistent pain in people with HNPP. Participants provided cross-sectional demographic data, information on the presence of neurological and persistent pain symptoms, and the degree to which these interfered with daily life. The painDETECT and Central Sensitization Inventory questionnaires were used to indicate potential neuropathic, central sensitisation and musculoskeletal (nociceptive) pain mechanisms. Additionally, participants were asked if they thought that pain was related to/part of HNPP. 32/43 (74%) subjects with HNPP had persistent pain and experience this pain in the last week. Of those with pain, 24 (75%) were likely to have neuropathic pain and 27 (84%) were likely to have central sensitisation. All 32 participants felt that their pain could be related to/part of their HNPP. Significant negative impact of the pain was common. Pain characterisation identified neuropathic pain and/or central sensitisation as common, potential underlying processes. Pain may plausibly be directly related to the underlying pathophysiology of HNPP. Further consideration of including pain as a primary symptom of HNPP is warranted.
Model-derived relationships between chlorophyll a (Chl-a) and nutrients and temperature have fundamental implications for understanding complex interactions among water quality measures used for lake classification, yet accuracy comparisons of different approaches are scarce. Here, we (1) compared Chl-a model performances across linear and nonlinear statistical approaches; (2) evaluated single and combined effects of nutrients, depth, and temperature as lake surface water temperature (LSWT) or altitude on Chl-a; and (3) investigated the reliability of the best water quality model across 13 lakes from perialpine and central Balkan mountain regions. Chl-a was modelled using in situ water quality data from 157 European lakes; elevation data and LSWT in situ data were complemented by remote sensing measurements. Nonlinear approaches performed better, implying complex relationships between Chl-a and the explanatory variables. Boosted regression trees, as the best performing approach, accommodated interactions among predictor variables. Chl-a–nutrient relationships were characterized by sigmoidal curves, with total phosphorus having the largest explanatory power for our study region. In comparison with LSWT, utilization of altitude, the often-used temperature surrogate, led to different influence directions but similar predictive performances. These results support utilizing altitude in models for Chl-a predictions. Compared to Chl-a observations, Chl-a predictions of the best performing approach for mountain lakes (oligotrophic–eutrophic) led to minor differences in trophic state categorizations. Our findings suggest that both models with LSWT and altitude are appropriate for water quality predictions of lakes in mountain regions and emphasize the importance of incorporating interactions among variables when facing lake management challenges.
Our world and our lives are changing in many ways. Communication, networking, and computing technologies are among the most influential enablers that shape our lives today. Digital data and connected worlds of physical objects, people, and devices are rapidly changing the way we work, travel, socialize, and interact with our surroundings, and they have a profound impact on different domains,such as healthcare, environmental monitoring, urban systems, and control and management applications, among several other areas. Cities currently face an increasing demand for providing services that can have an impact on people’s everyday lives. The CityPulse framework supports smart city service creation by means of a distributed system for semantic discovery, data analytics, and interpretation of large-scale (near-)real-time Internet of Things data and social media data streams. To goal is to break away from silo
applications and enable cross-domain data integration. The CityPulse framework integrates multimodal, mixed quality, uncertain and incomplete data to create reliable, dependable information and continuously adapts data processing techniques to meet the quality of information requirements from end users. Different than existing solutions that mainly offer unified views of the data, the CityPulse framework is also equipped with powerful data analytics modules that perform intelligent data aggregation, event detection, quality
assessment, contextual filtering, and decision support. This paper presents the framework, describes ist components, and demonstrates how they interact to support easy development of custom-made applications for citizens. The benefits and the effectiveness of the framework are demonstrated in a use-case scenario
implementation presented in this paper.
Land cover change is a dynamic phenomenon driven by synergetic biophysical and socioeconomic effects. It involves massive transitions from natural to less natural habitats and thereby threatens ecosystems and the services they provide. To retain intact ecosystems and reduce land cover change to a minimum of natural transition processes, a dense network of protected areas has been established across Europe. However, even protected areas and in particular the zones around protected areas have been shown to undergo land cover changes. The aim of our study was to compare land cover changes in protected areas, non-protected areas, and 1 km buffer zones around protected areas and analyse their relationship to climatic and socioeconomic factors across Europe between 2000 and 2012 based on earth observation data. We investigated land cover flows describing major change processes: urbanisation, afforestation, deforestation, intensification of agriculture, extensification of agriculture, and formation of water bodies. Based on boosted regression trees, we modelled correlations between land cover flows and climatic and socioeconomic factors. The results show that land cover changes were most frequent in 1 km buffer zones around protected areas (3.0% of all buffer areas affected). Overall, land cover changes within protected areas were less frequent than outside, although they still amounted to 18,800 km2 (1.5% of all protected areas) from 2000 to 2012. In some parts of Europe, urbanisation and intensification of agriculture still accounted for up to 25% of land cover changes within protected areas. Modelling revealed meaningful relationships between land cover changes and a combination of influencing factors. Demographic factors (accessibility to cities and population density) were most important for coarse-scale patterns of land cover changes, whereas fine-scale patterns were most related to longitude (representing the general east/west economic gradient) and latitude (representing the north/south climatic gradient).
Objective: The more people there are who use clinical information systems (CIS) beyond their traditional intramural confines, the more promising the benefits are, and the more daunting the risks will be. This review thus explores the areas of ethical debates prompted by CIS conceptualized as smart systems reaching out to patients and citizens. Furthermore, it investigates the ethical competencies and education needed to use these systems appropriately.
Methods: A literature review covering ethics topics in combination with clinical and health information systems, clinical decision support, health information exchange, and various mobile devices and media was performed searching the MEDLINE database for articles from 2016 to 2019 with a focus on 2018 and 2019. A second search combined these keywords with education.
Results: By far, most of the discourses were dominated by privacy, confidentiality, and informed consent issues. Intertwined with confidentiality and clear boundaries, the provider-patient relationship has gained much attention. The opacity of algorithms and the lack of explicability of the results pose a further challenge. The necessity of sociotechnical ethics education was underpinned in many studies including advocating education for providers and patients alike. However, only a few publications expanded on ethical competencies. In the publications found, empirical research designs were employed to capture the stakeholders’ attitudes, but not to evaluate specific implementations.
Conclusion: Despite the broad discourses, ethical values have not yet found their firm place in empirically rigorous health technology evaluation studies. Similarly, sociotechnical ethics competencies obviously need detailed specifications. These two gaps set the stage for further research at the junction of clinical information systems and ethics.
The current narrative literature review aims to discuss clinical reasoning based on nociceptive pain mechanisms for determining the most appropriate assessment and therapeutic strategy and to identify/map the most updated scientific evidence in relation to physical therapy interventions for patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). We will also propose an algorithm for clinical examination and treatment decisions and a pain model integrating current knowledge of pain neuroscience. The clinical examination of patients with TMDs should be based on nociceptive mechanisms and include the potential identification of the dominant, central, or peripheral sensitization driver. Additionally, the musculoskeletal drivers of these sensitization processes should be assessed with the aim of reproducing symptoms. Therapeutic strategies applied for managing TMDs can be grouped into tissue-based impairment treatments (bottom-up interventions) and strategies targeting the central nervous system (top-down interventions). Bottom-up strategies include joint-, soft tissue-, and nerve-targeting interventions, as well as needling therapies, whereas top-down strategies include exercises, grade motor imagery, and also pain neuroscience education. Evidence shows that the effectiveness of these interventions depends on the clinical reasoning applied, since not all strategies are equally effective for the different TMD subgroups. In fact, the presence or absence of a central sensitization driver could lead to different treatment outcomes. It seems that multimodal approaches are more effective and should be applied in patients with TMDs. The current paper also proposes a clinical decision algorithm integrating clinical diagnosis with nociceptive mechanisms for the application of the most appropriate treatment approach.
Clinically Significant Differences in Acute Pain Measured on Self-report Pain Scales in Children
(2015)
Objectives
The objective was to determine the minimum and ideal clinically significant differences (MCSD, ICSD) in pain intensity in children for the Faces Pain Scale–Revised (FPS-R) and the Color Analog Scale (CAS) and to identify any differences in these estimates based on patient characteristics.
Methods
This was a prospective study of children aged 4 to 17 years with acute pain presenting to two urban pediatric emergency departments. Participants self-reported their pain intensity using the FPS−R and CAS and qualitatively described their changes in pain. Changes in pain score reported using the FPS-R and CAS that were associated with “a little less” and “much less” pain (MCSD and ICSD, respectively) were identified using a receiver operating characteristic–based method and expressed as raw change score and percent reductions. Estimates of MCSD and ICSD were determined for each category of initial pain intensity (mild, moderate, and severe) and patient characteristics (age, sex, and ethnicity). Post hoc exploratory analyses evaluated categories of race, primary language, and etiology of pain.
Results
A total of 314 children with acute pain were enrolled; mean (±SD) age was 9.8 (±3.8) years. The FPS-R raw change score and percent reduction MCSD estimates were 2/10 and 25%, with ICSD estimates of 3/10 and 60%. For the CAS, raw change score and percent reduction MCSD estimates were 1/10 and 15%, with ICSD estimates of 2.75/10 and 52%. For both scales, raw change score and percent reduction estimates of the MCSD remained unchanged in children with either moderate or severe pain. For both scales, estimates of ICSD were not stable across categories of initial pain intensity. There was no difference in MCSD or ICSD based on age, sex, ethnicity, race, primary language, or etiology of pain.
Conclusions
The MCSD estimates can be expressed as raw change score and percent reductions for the FPS-R and CAS. These estimates appear stable for children with moderate to severe pain, irrespective of age, sex, and ethnicity. Estimates of ICSD were not stable across different categories of initial pain intensity, therefore limiting their potential generalizability.
Background: Clinical handovers at changes of shifts are typical scenarios of time restricted and information intensive communication, which are highly cognitively demanding. The currently available applications supporting handovers typically present complex information in a textual checklist-like manner. This presentation style has been criticised for not meeting the specific user requirements.
Objectives: We, therefore, aimed at developing a concept for visualising the overview of a clinical case that serves as an alternative way to checklist-like presentations in clinical handovers. We also aimed at implementing this concept in a handoverEHR in order to support the pre-handover phase, the actual handover, and the post-handover phase as well as at evaluating its usability and attractiveness.
Results: We developed and implemented a concept that draws on Tolman's pioneering work on cognitive maps that we designed in accordance with Gestalt principles. These maps provide a pictorial overview of a clinical case. The application to build, manipulate, and store the cognitive maps was integrated into an openEHR based handover record that extends conventional records with handover specific information. Usability (n = 28) and attractiveness (n = 26) testing with experienced clinicians resulted in good ratings for suitability for the task as well as for attractiveness and pragmatism.
Conclusion: We propose cognitive maps to represent and visualise the clinical case in situations where there is limited time to present complex information.
To investigate the influence of two dietary sources of vitamin D on the vitamin D status, bone metabolism, welfare and birth progress of gestating and lactating sows, forty-nine multiparous sows were randomly assigned to one of two diets: “CON” (n = 25; 50 μg vitamin D3/kg feed) and “HYD” (n = 24; 50 μg 25-hydroxycholecalciferol/kg feed). The basal diets were protein- and phosphorus-reduced. The trial started on day 3 ante insemination of the sows and ended with weaning of the piglets on day 28 postpartum. Dietary supplementation of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol resulted in improved maternal vitamin D status (p < 0.001), fewer gait changes (p < 0.01) and longer standing time after feeding (day 5 ante partum; p < 0.05) compared to vitamin D3. However, the bone markers CrossLaps and osteocalcin were not affected. Overall, the present results suggest that sows fed 25-hydroxycholecalciferol instead of vitamin D3 showed improved locomotion and stance strength. However, this outcome is probably not related to altered bone metabolism. The underlying mechanisms must be investigated in further studies.
While Nursing Informatics competencies seem essential for the daily work of nurses, they are not formally integrated into nursing education in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, nor are there any national educational recommendations. The aim of this paper is to show how such recommendations can be developed, what competency areas are most relevant in the three countries and how the recommendations can be implemented in practice. To this end, a triple iterative procedure was proposed and applied starting with national health informatics recommendations for other professionals, matching and enriching these findings with topics from the international literature and finally validating them in an expert survey with 87 experts and in focus group sessions. Out of the 24 compiled competency areas, the relevance ratings of the following four recommended areas achieved values above 90%: nursing documentation (including terminologies), principles of nursing informatics, data protection and security, and quality assurance and quality management. As there were no significant differences between the three countries, these findings laid the foundation of the DACH Recommendations of Nursing Informatics as joint German (D), Austrian (A), and Swiss (CH) recommendations in Nursing Informatics. The methodology proposed has been utilized internationally, which demonstrates the added value of this study also outside the confines of Austria, Germany, Switzerland.
Conceptualising event value co-destruction and developing a future agenda for events research
(2021)
Purpose
Value co-destruction has received little attention in an event-related context. This appears surprising, given that the interactions among actors at an event may also reduce the value for other participants, stakeholders and that of the entire event or the event's service ecosystem. This paper first aims to conceptualise value co-destruction and to provide an overview of related research in an event context. Second, a future research agenda for value co-destruction processes in an event context is developed.
Design/methodology/approach
Journals of the “Scimago Journal and Country Rank” were systematically reviewed for the keywords “value co-destruction”, “value destruction” and “negative value co-creation”. A second literature review specifically aimed at the events context extended the search scope to non-Scimago journals, Google Scholar and Google Web using the same keywords. All identified articles were qualitatively analysed concerning (1) the conceptualisation of value co-destruction and (2) reasons for value co-destruction.
Findings
The review of previous research highlights a limited scope of analysis, a focus on value co-destruction as an outcome and on interactions at the meso-level. Based on these findings, a holistic definition of value co-destruction is proposed. The paper identifies two major directions for future studies on value co-destruction at events and suggests specific examples.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to a more holistic understanding of value co-creation and co-destruction in an event setting. For example, a clearer understanding of the interactions that reduce the overall value of an event may assist to better design valuable events in the future.
Consumer Acceptance and Market Potential of Iodine-Biofortified Fruit and Vegetables in Germany
(2021)
Biofortification of food crops with iodine is a novel approach to preventing iodine deficiency in humans. The present study analyses the consumer target groups and the market potential of iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables in Germany. For this purpose, an online survey of 1016 German fruit and vegetable consumers was conducted to investigate the acceptance of different product categories as well as relevant criteria for the market launch. The results show that io-dine-biofortified fruit and vegetables are particularly attractive to consumers who purchase at farmers’ markets, organic food shops, and farm stores. Out of this group, 39% of consumers rate such iodine-rich foods as very appealing. They attach importance to food that naturally contains iodine and prefer produce from integrated domestic cultivation. With their focus on sustainability and naturalness, this group of consumers clearly differs from typical users of dietary supplements, who are primarily concerned with health benefits. However, overall about 85% of respondents would prefer biofortified fruits and vegetables to supplements to improve their iodine supply. The greatest market potential for iodine-biofortified fruit and vegetables is to be expected in super-markets, as this is the preferred food shopping location for most consumers. A total of 28% of those who buy here rate the biofortified foods presented as very appealing. Nevertheless, a successful market launch requires that the benefits of the new products are communicated according to the potential consumer group needs.
Abstract: Thermal response curves that depict the probability of occurrence along a thermal gradient are used to derive various species’ thermal properties and abilities to cope with warming. However, different thermal responses can be expected for different portions of a species range. We focus on differences in thermal response curves (TRCs) and thermal niche requirements for four freshwater fishes (Coregonus sardinella, Pungitius pungitius, Rutilus rutilus, Salvelinus alpinus) native to Europe at (1) the global and (2) European continental scale. European ranges captured only a portion of the global thermal range with major differences in the minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax) and average temperature (Tav) of the respective distributions. Further investigations of the model-derived preferred temperature (Tpref), warming tolerance (WT = Tmax − Tpref), safety margin (SM = Tpref − Tav) and the future climatic impact showed substantially differing results. All considered thermal properties either were under- or overestimated at the European level. Our results highlight that, although continental analyses have an impressive spatial extent, they might deliver misleading estimates of species thermal niches and future climate change impacts, if they do not cover the full species ranges. Studies and management actions should therefore favor whole global range distribution data for analyzing species responses to environmental gradients.
Thermal response curves that depict the probability of occurrence along a thermal gradient are used to derive various species’ thermal properties and abilities to cope with warming. However, different thermal responses can be expected for different portions of a species range. We focus on differences in thermal response curves (TRCs) and thermal niche requirements for four freshwater fishes (Coregonus sardinella, Pungitius pungitius, Rutilus rutilus, Salvelinus alpinus) native to Europe at (1) the global and (2) European continental scale. European ranges captured only a portion of the global thermal range with major differences in the minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax) and average temperature (Tav) of the respective distributions. Further investigations of the model-derived preferred temperature (Tpref), warming tolerance (WT = Tmax − Tpref), safety margin (SM = Tpref − Tav) and the future climatic impact showed substantially differing results. All considered thermal properties either were under- or overestimated at the European level. Our results highlight that, although continental analyses have an impressive spatial extent, they might deliver misleading estimates of species thermal niches and future climate change impacts, if they do not cover the full species ranges. Studies and management actions should therefore favor whole global range distribution data for analyzing species responses to environmental gradients.
Data warehouse systems have become a basic technological infrastructure in management decision making. Nevertheless, the overall utility of data warehouses remains unmeasured in most practical cases. As a consequence of this, IT-managers do not possess appropriate means to evaluate warehouse benefits in order to decide about investments in warehousing technology. This paper develops a controlling instrument for data warehouse systems based on the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach. On the basis of the technological aspects of data warehouse systems, the BSC perspectives are developed and populated with relevant objectives and measures for datawarehouse success. These perspectives are integrated into a consistent data warehouse scorecard. Finally, this instrument provides a holistic approach to drive the performance of data warehouse systems.
Semi-natural grasslands (SNGs) are an essential part of European cultural landscapes. They are an important habitat for many animal and plant species and offer a variety of ecological functions. Diverse plant communities have evolved over time depending on environmental and management factors in grasslands. These different plant communities offer multiple ecosystem services and also have an effect on the forage value of fodder for domestic livestock. However, with increasing intensification in agriculture and the loss of SNGs, the biodiversity of grasslands continues to decline. In this paper, we present a method to spatially classify plant communities in grasslands in order to identify and map plant communities and weed species that occur in a semi-natural meadow. For this, high-resolution multispectral remote sensing data were captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in regular intervals and classified by a convolutional neural network (CNN). As the study area, a heterogeneous semi-natural hay meadow with first- and second-growth vegetation was chosen. Botanical relevés of fixed plots were used as ground truth and independent test data. Accuracies up to 88% on these independent test data were achieved, showing the great potential of the usage of CNNs for plant community mapping in high-resolution UAV data for ecological and agricultural applications.
The well-documented social gradient in health in the developed world will not just disappear on its own. Tackling health inequalities by introducing a universal coverage healthcare system recently became an important notion in the U.S. Using cross-sectional data from Germany which has maintained its compulsory egalitarian healthcare system for more than 50 years now, we apply logistic and negative binomial regression to uncover utilisation behaviour patterns under universal coverage. We find that lower education and unemployment raise the risks for all diseases under consideration. Unemployment increases the chance of contacting a physician, while income and education do not apparently affect the healthcare utilisation behaviour. Those diseases concentrated among unemployed and less educated, however, are associated with intensified healthcare utilisation. We conclude that universal coverage may make access to health care easier for those facing the worst health; the unemployed and lower educated.
The conservation of freshwater ecosystems has lagged behind that of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and often requires the integration of large-scale approaches and transboundary considerations. This study aims to set the foundations of a spatial conservation strategy by identifying the most important catchments for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity in Europe.
Using data on 1296 species of fish, mollusc, odonate and aquatic plant, and the key biodiversity area criteria (species Red List status, range restriction and uniqueness of species assemblages), we identified a network of Critical Catchments for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity. Applying spatial prioritisation, we show how the prioritised network differs from the ideal case of protecting all Critical Catchments and how it changes when protected areas are included, and we also identify gaps between the prioritised network and existing protected areas.
Critical Catchments (n = 8423) covered 45% of the area of Europe, with 766 qualifying (‘trigger’) species located primarily in southern Europe. The prioritised network, limited to 17% of the area of Europe, comprised 3492 catchments mostly in southern and eastern Europe and species targets were met for at least 96% of the trigger species.
We found the majority of Critical Catchments to be inadequately covered by protected areas. However, our prioritised network presents a possible solution to augment protected areas to meet policy targets while also achieving good species coverage.
Policy implications. While Critical Catchments cover almost half of Europe, priority catchments are mostly in southern and eastern Europe where the current level of protection is not sufficient. This study presents a foundation for a Europe-wide systematic conservation plan to ensure the persistence of freshwater biodiversity. Our study provides a powerful new tool for optimising investment on the conservation of freshwater biodiversity and for meeting targets set forth in international biodiversity policies, conventions and strategies.
HRM processes are increasingly AI-driven, and HRM supports the general digital transformation of companies’ viable competitiveness. This paper points out possible positive and negative effects on HRM, workplaces, and workersorganizations along the HR processes and its potential for competitive advantage in regard to managerial decisions on AI implementation regarding augmentation and automation of work.
A systematic literature review that includes 62 international journals across different disciplines and contains top-tier academic and German practitioner journals was conducted. The literature analysis applies the resource-based view (RBV) as a lens through which to explore AI-driven HRM as a potential source of organizational capabilities.
The analysis shows four ambiguities for AI-driven HRM that might support sustainable company development or might prevent AI application: job design, transparency, performance and data ambiguity. A limited scholarly discussion with very few empirical studies can be stated. To date, research has mainly focused on HRM in general, recruiting, and HR analytics in particular.
The four ambiguities’ context-specific potential for capability building in firms is indicated, and research avenues are developed.
This paper critically explores AI-driven HRM and structures context-specific potential for capability building along four ambiguities that must be addressed by HRM to strategically contribute to an organization’s competitive advantage.
In open-field vegetable production, high quantities of soil mineral nitrogen (Nmin) and N-rich crop residues often remain in the field at harvest. After the harvest of crops in autumn, this N can lead to considerable nitrate (NO3−) losses during the subsequent winter leaching period. In four field trials, different tillage depths (3–4, 10, 30 cm) and dates (early autumn, late autumn, early spring) were investigated to reduce N losses after growing spinach in the autumn. In a further treatment, the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) was directly applied to the crop residues. Potential N losses were calculated by a balance sheet approach based on Nmin concentration (0–90 cm), measured N mineralization and N uptake by catch crops. By postponing the tillage date from early to late autumn or spring, resprouting spinach stubbles acted as a catch crop, reducing N losses by up to 61 kg ha−1. However, if the spinach biomass collapsed, the N losses increased by up to 33 kg ha−1 even without tillage. The application of DMPP as well as the tillage depth were less effective. Overall, postponing tillage to spring seems to be the most promising approach for reducing N losses during the off-season.
BACKGROUND: The Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory (CF-PDI) is a cross-culturally adapted instrument designed from a biopsychosocial perspective to measure pain, disability, and function in orofacial head and neck pain with shown psychometric properties; however, the German cross-cultural adaption is lacking.
OBJECTIVES: To carry out a transcultural translation of CF-PDI into German and assess its psychometric properties in patients with painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD) with respect to construct and clinical validity, internal consistency and reproducibility.
STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional design.
SETTING: Patients (n = 398) were recruited from dental and physical therapy clinics in middle and south Germany.
METHODS: Structural validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We investigated know-group validity by means of the scale’s potential to discriminate between affected and unaffected subjects. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate convergent validity. We tested test-retest reliability by the intraclass correlation coefficient and the Internal consistency by Cronbach’s alpha, or each dimension separately, and the total score. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate convergent validity.
RESULTS: Two hundred forty-six heterogeneous chronic craniofacial pain patients and 152 patients without complaints were recruited from the middle and south of Germany. The German version CF-PDI-G presents 21 items, 4 factors, and adequate psychometric properties. The test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the CF-PDI-G were both excellent for the entire instrument and also for all sub-scales (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] > 0.90) except for the comorbidities and interference with work which was acceptable (ICC = 0.69). Standard error of the measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change values are sufficiently low. Assessment of clinical validity shows good potential of discrimination and classification into categories “no,” “mild,” “moderate,” and “severe.” The multiple linear regression model showed a strong association between neck disability index, Visual Analog Scale, and anamnestic questionnaire (supporting the scale’s convergent validity).
LIMITATIONS: Our sample has a higher prevalence of women and the sample was not recruited consecutively, which may lead to a biased estimation of psychometric properties.
CONCLUSIONS: The CF-PDI-G represents valid and reliable instrument to assess pain and disability in patients with orofacial pain and headache suitable for research and clinical practice.
Convergence processes are based on the activity of distinct industry sectors showing cross-industry collaborations. The aim of this paper is to analyze cross-industry collaborations between the food and pharmaceutical sectors in the convergence area of functional foods. Selected companies from food (Nestlé/Danone) and pharmaceutical (Martek/Bayer HealthCare) sectors are analyzed using the determinants of motivation and industrial scope. The analysis shows that food companies are more active in cross-industry collaborations than pharmaceutical companies. The latter are more active at the front-end of the value chain focusing on research and development, and delivering their ingredients to food companies that due to their higher expertise in consumer marketing launch the products. While the first cross-industry collaborations were based on an exploration motivation, those that follow focus on exploitation. Acquisitions and licensing agreements are dominant in inside-out and outside-in processes, whereas strategic alliances and joint ventures are based on a coupled process between the food and pharmaceutical sectors.
The aim of this paper is to advance the research on innovation at the pharma-nutrition interface by analysing the three steps of science, technology and market convergence in the area of probiotics using a life cycle perspective. Results from a bibliometric analysis drawing upon 8245 scientific publications, 2082 patents and 1357 news reports focussing on product launch announcements from 1990 up to 2009 indicate that the proposed curve shapes of the life cycles in the theory based framework can be transferred to the case of probiotics. There is a time shift considering the life cycles showing the same activities of the industrial sectors at different moments of time. The food sector dominates the field of probiotics by driving science, technology and market convergence showing earlier activities in scientific publications, patents as well as product launches, while presenting a higher clockspeed between the different life cycle phases. While the food sector dominates product launches for food products containing probiotics, the pharmaceutical sector dominates the product launches of the supplement market. In addition, a clear trend towards industry convergence can be identified by the growing number of cross-industry activities.
Every culture has its paradise vision: desirable and external conditions which, inside the concerned culture, are infrequently observed or difficult to realize and are linked to one another. This cross-cultural study compares well-being inChina,Bulgaria,FranceandGermany. The cultural patterns of the culture are differently, but well-being is easier to achieve if people adapt to their cultural patterns. The adjustment (positive subjective culture) is formed by culture-specific content and needs different in regards to different cultures.
Purpose
This study operationalizes risks in stakeholder dialog (SD). It conceptualizes SD as co-produced organizational discourse and examines the capacities of organizers' and stakeholders' practices to create a shared understanding of an organization’s risks to their mutual benefit. The meetings and online forum of a German public service media (PSM) organization were used as a case study.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors applied corpus-driven linguistic discourse analysis (topic modeling) to analyze citizens' (n = 2,452) forum posts (n = 14,744). Conversation analysis was used to examine video-recorded online meetings.
Findings
Organizers suspended actors' reciprocity in meetings. In the forums, topics emerged autonomously. Citizens' articulation of their identities was more diverse than the categories the organizer provided, and organizers did not respond to the autonomous emergence of contextualizations of citizens' perceptions of PSM performance in relation to their identities. The results suggest that risks arise from interactionally achieved occasions that prevent reasoned agreement and from actors' practices, which constituted autonomous discursive formations of topics and identities in the forums.
Originality/value
This study disentangles actors' practices, mutuality orientation and risk enactment during SD. It advances the methodological knowledge of strategic communication research on SD, utilizing social constructivist research methods to examine the contingencies of organization-stakeholder interaction in SD.
Objectives: The aims of this study were to define the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R) and Color Analog Scale (CAS) scores associated with no pain, mild pain, moderate pain, and severe pain in children with acute pain, and to identify differences based on age, sex, and ethnicity.
Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study in 2 pediatric emergency departments of children aged 4 to 17 years with painful and nonpainful conditions. We assessed their pain intensity using the FPS-R, CAS, and qualitative measures. Pain score cut points that best differentiated adjacent categories of pain were identified using a receiver operating characteristic-based method. Cut points were compared within subgroups based on age, sex, and ethnicity.
Results: We enrolled 620 patients, of whom 314 had painful conditions. The mean age was 9.2 years; 315 (50.8%) were in the younger age group (aged 4-7 years); 291 (46.8%) were female; and 341 (55%) were Hispanic. The scores best representing categories of pain for the FPS-R were as follows: no pain, 0 and 2; mild pain, 4; moderate pain, 6; and severe pain, 8 and 10. For the CAS, these were 0 to 1, 1.25 to 2.75, 3 to 5.75, and 6 to 10, respectively. Children with no pain frequently reported nonzero pain scores. There was considerable overlap of scores associated with mild and moderate pain. There were no clinically meaningful differences of scores representing each category of pain based on age, ethnicity, and race.
Conclusions: We defined pain scores for the FPS-R and CAS associated with categories of pain intensity in children with acute pain that are generalizable across subgroups based on patient characteristics. There were minor but potentially important differences in pain scores used to delineate categories of pain intensity compared to prior convention.
Suicide is a major cause of death in adulthood and specifically in patients suffering from mental illnesses. The Depressive Symptom Inventory Suicidality Subscale (DSI-SS) is widely used to detect and prevent suicidal ideation. The aim of the present study was to determine optimal cut points for the DSI-SS in different populations.
We analysed the data of one population-based sample (n = 532), one outpatient sample (n = 180) and one inpatient sample (n = 244). Internal consistency, convergent validity and optimal cut points according to receiver operating characteristics were calculated.
In all samples, we found excellent item-total correlations and internal consistencies for the DSI-SS. Zero-order correlations between the DSI-SS and theoretically related constructs showed positive correlation coefficients, ranging from 0.50 to 0.67. The DSI-SS differentiated well between patients with and without suicide attempts in the population-based sample, but less so in the inpatient sample and only marginally in the outpatient sample. A bootstrapping analysis showed some variability in the cut points that emerged as optimal, but there was no overlap between the different samples.
The specific cut points that we identified may be used to improve the diagnostic utility of the DSI-SS and the chance to detect suicidal ideation.
Detection and resolution of conflicting change operations in version management of process models
(2013)
Version management of process models requires that different versions of process models are integrated by applying change operations. Conflict detection between individually applied change operations and conflict resolution support are integral parts of version management. For conflict detection it is utterly important to compute a precise set of conflicts, since the minimization of the number of detected conflicts also reduces the overhead for merging different process model versions. As not every syntactic conflict leads to a conflict when taking into account model semantics, a computation of conflicts solely on the syntax leads to an unnecessary high number of conflicts. Moreover, even the set of precisely computed conflicts can be extensive and their resolution means a significant workload for a user. As a consequence, adequate support is required that guides a user through the resolution process and suggests possible resolution strategies for individual conflicts. In this paper, we introduce the notion of syntactic and semantic conflicts for change operations of process models. We provide a method how to efficiently compute conflicts precisely, using a term formalization of process models and consider the subsequent resolution of the detected conflicts based on different strategies. Using this approach, we can significantly reduce the number of overall conflicts and reduce the amount of work for the user when resolving conflicts.
Oleamide is used as a lubricant in the manufacturing and application of polypropylene (PP) medical devices. Samples of PP were prepared with 0, 1500, and 15 000 ppm oleamide content as lubricant. The samples were either left non-sterile, sterilized with ethylene oxide (ETO), γ-radiation (γ) or autoclaved (A) and stored for up to 4 weeks. To determine the oleamide bulk-to-surface distribution depending on sterilization method and storage time an extraction method and a washing technique were applied. The oleamide content was determined by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and compared with the coefficient of friction (COF). The COF dependent on the measured lubricant content at the surface. The content of lubricant on the surface depends on the type of sterilization: ETO increased the lubricant content to some extent, γ-sterilization and autoclaving reduced it. After storage, no migration of the lubricant to the surface could be detected.
Objectives: This paper addresses recent steps for reforming the eligibility criteria of the German long-term care insurance that have been initiated to overcome shortcomings in the current system.
Methods: Based on findings of a survey of international long-term care systems, assessment tools and the relevant literature on care needs a new tool for determining eligibility in the German long-term care insurance was developed.
Results: The new tool for determining long-term care eligibility broadens the understanding of what ‚dependency on nursing care' implies for the person affected. The assessment results in a degree of dependency from personal help provided by formal or informal caregivers. This degree of dependency can be used for determining eligibility for and the amount of long-term care benefits.
Discussion: The broader understanding of "dependency on nursing care' and the new tool are important steps to adapt the German long-term care insurance to the challenges of the demographic and societal changes in the future
Background: Availability and usage of individual IT applications have been studied intensively in the past years. Recently, IT support of clinical processes is attaining increasing attention. The underlying construct that describes the IT support of clinical workflows is clinical information logistics. This construct needs to be better understood, operationalised and measured.
Objectives: It is therefore the aim of this study to propose and develop a workflow composite score (WCS) for measuring clinical information logistics and to examine its quality based on reliability and validity analyses.
Methods: We largely followed the procedural model of MacKenzie and colleagues (2011) for defining and conceptualising the construct domain, for developing the measurement instrument, assessing the content validity, pretesting the instrument, specifying the model, capturing the data and computing the WCS and testing the reliability and validity.
Results: Clinical information logistics was decomposed into the descriptors data and information, function, integration and distribution, which embraced the framework validated by an analysis of the international literature. This framework was refined selecting representative clinical processes. We chose ward rounds, pre- and post-surgery processes and discharge as sample processes that served as concrete instances for the measurements. They are sufficiently complex, represent core clinical processes and involve different professions, departments and settings. The score was computed on the basis of data from 183 hospitals of different size, ownership, location and teaching status. Testing the reliability and validity yielded encouraging results: the reliability was high with r(split-half) = 0.89, the WCS discriminated between groups; the WCS correlated significantly and moderately with two EHR models and the WCS received good evaluation results by a sample of chief information officers (n = 67). These findings suggest the further utilisation of the WCS.
Conclusion: As the WCS does not assume ideal workflows as a gold standard but measures IT support of clinical workflows according to validated descriptors a high portability of the WCS to other hospitals in other countries is very likely. The WCS will contribute to a better understanding of the construct clinical information logistics.
Background: Continuous improvements of IT-performance in healthcare organisations require actionable performance indicators, regularly conducted, independent measurements and meaningful and scalable reference groups. Existing IT-benchmarking initiatives have focussed on the development of reliable and valid indicators, but less on the questions about how to implement an environment for conducting easily repeatable and scalable IT-benchmarks.
Objectives: This study aims at developing and trialling a procedure that meets the afore-mentioned requirements.
Methods: We chose a well established, regularly conducted (inter-) national IT-survey of healthcare organisations (IT-Report Healthcare) as the environment and offered the participants of the 2011 survey (CIOs of hospitals) to enter a benchmark. The 61 structural and functional performance indicators covered among others the implementation status and integration of IT-systems and functions, global user satisfaction and the resources of the IT-department. Healthcare organisations were grouped by size and ownership. The benchmark results were made available electronically and feedback on the use of these results was requested after several months.
Results: Fifty-ninehospitals participated in the benchmarking. Reference groups consisted of up to 141 members depending on the number of beds (size) and the ownership (public vs. private). A total of 122 charts showing single indicator frequency views were sent to each participant. The evaluation showed that 94.1% of the CIOs who participated in the evaluation considered this benchmarking beneficial and reported that they would enter again. Based on the feedback of the participants we developed two additional views that provide a more consolidated picture.
Conclusion: The results demonstrate that establishing an independent, easily repeatable and scalable IT-benchmarking procedure is possible and was deemed desirable. Based on these encouraging results a new benchmarking round which includes process indicators is currently conducted.
Every modern institution involved in higher education needs a Learning Management System (LMS) to handle learning and teaching processes. It is necessary to offer e.g. electronic lecture materials to the students for download via the internet. In some educational contexts, it is also necessary to offer internet tutorials to be able to give the students more personal support and accompany them through the whole lecture period. Many organisations have introduced commercial LMS and gained the experience that monolithic solutions do not fulfil the dynamic requirements of complex educational institutions and are very cost-intensive. Therefore, many universities face the decision to stick to their commercial LMS or to switch to a potentially more cost-effective and flexible solution, for instance by adopting available Open Source LMS. Since we have made profound experience in developing and operating an Open Source LMS, this contribution enlightens the main characteristics of this alternative. This paper describes a use case dealing with a full product lifecycle (development, deployment, use and evaluation) of an Open Source LMS at the University of Muenster (Germany). It identifies relevant instruments and aspects of system design which software architects in practical application domains should pay attention to.
Background: Clinical information logistics is the backbone of care workflows inside and outside of hospitals. Due to the great potential of health IT to support clinical processes its contribution needs to be regularly monitored and governed. IT benchmarks are a well-known instrument to optimise the availability and use of IT by guiding the decision making process. The aim of this study was to translate IT benchmarking results that were grounded on a hierarchical workflow scoring system into an appropriate visualisation concept.
Methods: To this end, a three-dimensional multi-level model was developed, which allowed the decomposition of the highly aggregated workflow composite score into score views for the individual clinical workflows concerned and for the descriptors of these workflows. Furthermore this multi-level model helped to break down the score views into single and multiple indicator views.
Results: The results could be visualised per hospital in comparison to the results of organisations of similar size and ownership (peer reference groups) and in comparison to different types of innovation adopters. The multi-level model was implemented in a benchmark of 199 hospitals and evaluated by the chief information officers. The evaluation resulted in high ratings for the comprehensibility of the different types of views of the scores and indicators.
Conclusions: The implementation of the multi-level model in a large benchmark of hospitals proved to be feasible and useful in terms of the overall structure and the different indicator views. There seems to be a preference for less complex and familiar views.
A systematic study was performed to understand the effects of the devulcanizing agent dibenzamido diphenyl disulfide (DBD) on the vulcanization and devulcanization process of a sulfur-cured ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. The influence of DBD on vulcanization was investigated by mixing DBD with virgin rubber and curative system. The devulcanization of rubber waste was achieved with varying amounts of DBD ranging from 0.4 to 13.8 wt% and temperatures from 150 to 200°C. The quality of vulcanizates and devulcanizates was evaluated by rheometer tests, temperature scanning stress relaxation measurements, and analysis of mechanical properties. During vulcanization, DBD acts as an accelerator in the presence of sulfur. When accelerators are added, the scorch time increases, and the cure rate decreases. Thus, DBD acts as a retarder. In the presence of activators, DBD leads to a significant reduction of crosslink density. This results in composites with high elongation at break and poor compression set values. The efficiency of the devulcanization of rubber waste depends strongly on DBD concentration and temperature. The monosulfidic crosslinks are cleaved by low concentrations of DBD, while polysulfidic crosslinks require higher concentrations. These results show that DBD is effective as a devulcanizing agent and degrades the network below 200°C.
Introduction
Tests to evaluate the integrity of the alar ligaments are important clinical tools for manual therapists, but there is limited research regarding their validity.
Method
A single blinded examiner assessed alar ligament integrity using the lateral shear test (LST), rotation stress test (RST) and side-bending stress test (SBST) on a sample of convenience comprising 7 subjects with MRI confirmed alar ligament lesions and 11 healthy people. Alar ligament lesions were identified using both supine and high-field strength upright MRI.
Results
The RST had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 69.2%. The SBST and the LST both showed a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 76.9%. In cases where all three tests were positive, the specificity increased to 84.6%.
Discussion
Tests of manual examination of alar ligament integrity have some diagnostic utility; however, these findings require further corroboration in a larger sample.
25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD3) formed via hepatic hydroxylation from vitamin D, cholecalciferol, represents the precursor of the biologically active vitamin D hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Due to a higher absorption rate and the omission of one hydroxylation, dietary supplementation of 25-OHD3 instead of vitamin D3 is considered to be more efficient as plasma concentrations of 25-OHD3 are increased more pronounced. The present review summarises studies investigating potential beneficial effects on mineral homeostasis, bone metabolism, health status and performance in sows, piglets and fattening pigs. Results are inconsistent. While most studies could not demonstrate any or only a slight impact of partial or total replacement of vitamin D3 by 25-OHD3, some experiments indicated that 25-OHD3 might alter physiological processes when animals are challenged, for example, by a restricted mineral supply.
Extending assessments of climate change-induced range shifts via correlative species distribution models by including species traits is crucial for conservation planning. However, comprehensive assessments of future distribution scenarios incorporating responses of biotic factors are poorly investigated. Therefore, the aim of our study was to extend the understanding about the combined usage of species traits data and species distribution models for different life stages and distribution scenarios. We combine global model predictions for the 2050s and thermal performances of Salmo trutta and Salmo salar under consideration of different life stages (adults, juveniles, eggs), timeframes (monthly, seasonally, yearly), and dispersal scenarios (no dispersal, free dispersal, restricted dispersal). We demonstrate that thermal performances of different life stages will either increase or decrease for certain time periods. Model predictions and thermal performances imply range declines and poleward shifts. Dispersal to suitable habitats will be an important factor mitigating warming effects; however, dams may block paths to areas linked to high performances. Our results emphasize enhanced inclusion of critical periods for species and proper dispersal solutions in conservation planning.
Aims:
To assess the diagnostic utility of a novel abbreviated monofilament test in comparison with the tuning fork test to detect diabetic peripheral neuropathy in children.
Methods:
A total of 88 children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus were screened for diabetic peripheral neuropathy using the monofilament test and the tuning fork. Nerve conduction studies were performed according to the ‘gold standard’ for neuropathy. We assessed the diagnostic utility and inter-rater agreement of the two screening methods.
Results:
A total of 43 (49%) children (aged 6–18 years) had at least one abnormal nerve conduction study result. Diagnostic utility and inter-rater agreement were very low for both screening methods. The monofilament test yielded a sensitivity of 18% and a specificity of 80%. The tuning fork yielded a sensitivity of 0% and a specificity of 98%.
Conclusion:
The present study found that an abbreviated monofilament test has low diagnostic utility for the detection of early diabetic peripheral neuropathy because of its low reliability. The problem of reliability needs to be more thoroughly addressed in order to improve the screening procedures in diabetes management in childhood and adolescence.
Background:
While aiming for the same goal of building a national eHealth Infrastructure, Germany and the United States pursued different strategic approaches – particularly regarding the role of promoting the adoption and usage of hospital Electronic Health Records (EHR).
Objective:
To measure and model the diffusion dynamics of EHRs in German hospital care and to contrast the results with the developments in the US.
Materials and methods:
All acute care hospitals that were members of the German statutory health system were surveyed during the period 2007–2017 for EHR adoption. Bass models were computed based on the German data and the corresponding data of the American Hospital Association (AHA) from non-federal hospitals in order to model and explain the diffusion of innovation.
Results:
While the diffusion dynamics observed in the US resembled the typical s-shaped curve with high imitation effects (q = 0.583) but with a relatively low innovation effect (p = 0.025), EHR diffusion in Germany stagnated with adoption rates of approx. 50% (imitation effect q = -0.544) despite a higher innovation effect (p = 0.303).
Discussion:
These findings correlate with different governmental strategies in the US and Germany of financially supporting EHR adoption. Imitation only seems to work if there are financial incentives, e.g. those of the HITECH Act in the US. They are lacking in Germany, where the government left health IT adoption strategies solely to the free market and the consensus among all of the stakeholders.
Conclusion:
Bass diffusion models proved to be useful for distinguishing the diffusion dynamics in German and US non-federal hospitals. When applying the Bass model, the imitation parameter needs a broader interpretation beyond the network effects, including driving forces such as incentives and regulations, as was demonstrated by this study.
The BBI is a first step toward putting biodiversity conservation into practice in the OHC context. The results are consistent with studies related to nutrition However, the results also show that there is room for improvement and that there are further areas to be addressed. It is also clear that commercial kitchens currently have only limited room for maneuver. If OHC is to become more biodiversity-friendly, greater transparency is needed in terms of origin labels and species/variety identifiers, and a wide range of options will also be required in terms of procurement. That being the case, it is essential to focus on the entire value chain. Furthermore, in addition to the initial recommendations, much more knowledge is required about the impacts of farming methods and heritage varieties and species, as well as about the use of fish, other marine animals and game meat. In principle, however, the BBI can already be implemented in commercial kitchens by identifying recipe optimizations that kitchens can feasibly implement, that align with their budgets, and that maintain acceptance among patrons. In addition, this approach has the potential to be integrated into the assessment framework of the NAHGAST calculator, making it readily accessible and free for OHC facilities to use. In the OHC context in particular, this could be leveraged to drive sustainable change in the food system.
The increasing diversity of cultural backgrounds offers potential for a more elaborated information processing, yet has been shown to be challenging for individuals, due to intergroup hostility, prejudices, and difficulties of intercultural communication. Current research thus focusses on the interaction of employees with different cultural heritages, as well as on their intergroup attitudes and competences. Thereby, leaders have been shown to shape the way diversity is considered in their teams in a top-down process. However, their perception of diversity as well as related challenges and chances are poorly investigated. The current paper thus aims to contribute to the understanding of leader’s perspective on and role in diversity-management by building on a comparative qualitative study with sixteen employees and twenty-two leaders. Research questions are how employees and leaders perceive cultural diversity from their specific point of view, which experiences are likely to contribute to their opinion on and perception of diversity and in how far do employees and leaders differ in these aspects. The results show that employees are aware of the topic of diversity in general but have poor competences in dealing with diversity in their daily working life. This seems to be associated with lack of experience with intercultural interaction and a lack of support from the respective organizations/leaders. Leaders are rarely aware of this lack of support. The results indicate that leaders’ experiences with cultural and age diversity, their identification with the company and previous diversity measures in the context of the companies’ policy towards diversity seem to be relevant for the formation of leaders’ attitudes. As a consequence, most participants focus on the question whether they do or do not want diversity within their teams and companies, while they actually fail to perceive the diversity that is already there.
Due to new research results in the past few years, interest in the fascia of the human body has increased. Dysfunctions of the fascia are indicated by various symptoms, amongst others, musculoskeletal pain. As a result stronger focus has been put on researching therapeutic approaches in this area. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Foam Roll exercises on the mobility of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF). Study has been conducted in a randomized and controlled trial which sampled 38 healthy athletic active men and women.
The subjects were randomly assigned to a Foam Roll Group (FMG), a Placebo Group (PG) and a Control Group (CG). Depending on the assigned group the volunteers were either instructed to do exercises with the Foam Roll, received a pseudo treatment with the Foam Roll or received no treatment.
A total of three measurements were carried out. The most important field of research was the mobility of the TLF, which was determined using a sonographic assessment. In addition the lumbar flexion and the mechanosensivity of relevant muscles were determined.
After the intervention, the FMG showed an average increase of 1.7915 mm for the mobility of the TLF (p < 0.001/d = 0.756). In contrast, only an average improvement of 0.1681 mm (p = 0.397) was shown in the PG, while the CG showed a slight improvement of 0.0139 mm (p = 0.861). However, no significant changes were observed with regard to the lumbar flexion and mechanosensivity of the treated muscles.
Thus, evidence is that the use of Foam Roll exercises significantly improves the mobility of the thoracolumbar fascia in a healthy young population.
Purpose
In a knowledge-based society, one of the main driving forces of prosperity at city and regional levels is the ability to attract students and recently qualified graduates. The purpose of this paper is to identify the urban factors that contribute to “attractiveness” from a student perspective and to subsequently analyse the influence of these factors on students’ location choices. In the corresponding case study, the criteria identified were used to evaluate student satisfaction with the German city of Osnabrück.
Design/methodology/approach
A multi-level empirical research concept was used to analyse the relevant criteria. Focus group discussions served as the basis to design and conduct a survey of almost 2,300 students in the university city of Osnabrück at the end of 2016. A follow-up study in November 2017 at two universities in Berlin provided data for comparison.
Findings
Accessible – safe – clean and with affordable housing: these terms sum up the core expectations that students have of an attractive city. In contrast to the findings of Richard Florida regarding the creative class, cultural opportunities, exciting nightlife and a multicultural population were not important factors among the survey participants.
Research limitations/implications
As the study was conducted in two cities only, the findings cannot be generalised. It should be replicated in at least five other cities to validate and compare the research findings presented here. Furthermore, this study focused on the factors influencing the attractiveness of the city as a whole. However, the attractiveness of a specific neighbourhood may be of greater relevance to the decision-making process. As housing plays a major role, students’ particular needs with regard to accommodation should also be examined at greater depth.
Practical implications
Insights generated by the empirical study provide relevant information that may assist city stakeholders in taking effective measures regarding place management to attract and retain students.
Originality/value
To date, little research has been undertaken to empirically examine the specific factors that German students look for when deciding where to study and live. The goal of this paper is to present new empirical insights concerning the quality-of-life factors that influence students’ decision-making processes.
Objective
Gross mandibular position and masticatory muscle activity have been shown to influence cervical muscles electromyographic activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of three different mandible positions including conscious occlusion, tongue tip against the anterior hard palate (Palate tongue position) and natural resting position (Rest), on sagittal plane cervical spine range of motion (ROM) as well as the flexion-rotation test (FRT) in asymptomatic subjects.
Materials and methods
An experienced single blinded examiner evaluated ROM using an Iphone in 22 subjects (7 females; mean age of 29.91years, SD 5.44).
Results
Intra-rater reliability for range recorded was good for the FRT with ICC (intraclass correlation) 0.95 (95% CI: 0.88–0.98) and good for sagittal plane cervical ROM with ICC 0.90 (95% CI: 0.77–0.96). A repeated measures ANOVA determined that mean ROM recorded during the FRT differed significantly between assessment points (F(1.99, 41.83) = 19.88, P < 0.001). Bonferroni Post hoc tests revealed that both conscious Occlusion and Palate tongue position elicited a significant large reduction in ROM recorded during the FRT from baseline (p < 0.01). Despite this, one activation strategy did not influence ROM more than the other. An additional repeated measures ANOVA determined that mean sagittal cervical ROM did not significantly vary between assessment points (F(2, 42) = 8.18, P = 0.08).
Conclusion
This current study provided further evidence for the influence of the temporomandibular region on upper cervical ROM. Results suggest that clinicians should focus on the natural mandible rest position when evaluating upper cervical mobility.
A patient presenting with local pain and limitation of movement in the temporomandibular region following surgery of the left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is described. Manual techniques like distraction of the TMJ combined with motor control exercises to restore TMJ function were not sufficient to relieve the patient's symptoms and her orofacial functions. However, during manual assessment and treatment of cranial nervous tissue, in this case the auriculotemporal nerve and its interface, pain was relieved and orofacial functions improved.
Ecological restoration of an urban demolition site through introduction of native forb species
(2020)
Urban brownfields can provide habitats for endangered native plant species but may also support invasive non native species. The aim of our study was to develop and test different measures for the ecological restoration of an urban brownfield. We aimed to enhance native plant species richness by seeding two native forb seed mix tures containing 25 (HD-mixture) and 13 species (LD-mixture), respectively, without affecting spontaneously colonizing plant species of nature conservation value. Additionally, we tested the effects of species introduction and mowing on the establishment of invasive non-native plant species, woody species development, and per ennial grass dominance.
With establishment rates of 84% (HD) and 92% (LD) in the first study year and about 60% for both seed mixtures in the fourth year, species introduction was successful and led to rapid re-vegetation of the formerly bare brownfield. Although seeding did not result in increased species richness using either seed mixture, the dominance of perennial grasses was significantly reduced by the establishment of forb species from the HD mixture. Overall, we observed the spontaneous establishment of ten plant species of conservation value; seeding affected these species only temporarily, in the second year. Seeding (with either seed mixture) and mowing both resulted in reduced cover of woody species and a lower frequency of the invasive non-native Robinia pseudoa cacia.
Our study demonstrated the high nature conservation value of dry and nutrient-poor urban brownfields for spontaneously occurring threatened plant species. Further studies have to evaluate if the reduced cover of grasses and woody species through introduction of site-specific native forb species might increase these sites’ aesthetic value and broader acceptance of brownfields by urban residents.
Injection of slurry or digestate below maize seeds is a relatively new technique developed to improve nitrogen use efficiency. However, this practice has the major drawback of increasing nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. The application of a nitrification inhibitor (NI) is an effective method to reduce these emissions. To evaluate the effect of the NI 3,4‐dimethypyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on N2O emissions and the stabilization of ammonium, a two‐factorial soil‐column experiment was conducted. PVC pipes (20 cm diameter and 30 cm length) were used as incubation vessels for the soil‐columns. The trial consisted of four treatments in a randomized block design with four replications: slurry injection, slurry injection + DMPP, digestate injection, and digestate injection + DMPP. During the 47‐day incubation period, N2O fluxes were measured twice a week and cumulated by linear interpolation of the gas‐fluxes of consecutive measurement dates. After completion of the gas flux measurement, concentration of ammonium and nitrate within the soil‐columns was determined. DMPP delayed the conversion of ammonium within the manure injection zone significantly. This effect was considerably more pronounced in treatment digestate + NI than in treatment slurry + NI. Regarding the cumulated N2O emissions, no difference between slurry and digestate treatments was determined. DMPP reduced the release of N2O significantly. Transferring the results into practice, the use of DMPP is a promising way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nitrate leaching, following the injection of slurry or digestate.
Establishment of calcareous grassland on ex-arable fields by introducing target species is one of the most frequently used methods to restore the species assemblages of this highly endangered habitat type. The present study evaluates the long-term success of calcareous grassland restoration on former arable land in the vicinity of one of the oldest nature reserves in Bavaria, the “Garchinger Heide”. The restoration experiment combined different measures like topsoil removal, transfer of freshly cut seed-containing hay and additional sowing to the following variants in a 21-year experiment: (1) No topsoil removal, no hay transfer (control), (2) no topsoil removal with immediate hay transfer, (3) topsoil removal with immediate hay transfer and (4) topsoil removal with hay transfer 10 years after the start of restoration. Eleven Red List species which had not been transferred successfully were additionally sown after 9 to 19 years. Due to a limited availability of seeds, sowing of these species was mainly restricted to areas with topsoil removal, where better establishment was expected due to low vegetation cover. Five rare species with abundant seed production were also sown to plots without topsoil removal and hay transfer. The nature reserve served both as the donor area of the target species and as the reference to evaluate restoration success. Regarding aboveground biomass and total vegetation cover, greatest similarity to the donor site was observed on plots without topsoil removal. In contrast, the highest numbers of target species occurred on plots with topsoil removal, hay transfer and additional sowing. Similarity in species composition between restoration sites and the reference area increased over time, but species composition of restored sites did not fully reflect the reference after 21 years. One reason for the remaining dissimilarity was probably that topsoil removal favored stress tolerant species which were less common on the mature and more fine-grained soils of the nature reserve. Plots without topsoil removal still differed from the reference by their high vegetation cover and a significantly higher proportion of mesophytic grassland species. The study also showed that 19 Red List species were successfully established on the former arable fields, eight of them presumably by sowing. Nevertheless, various other rare species have not been observed yet. Results on functional traits characterizing environmental adaptation and reproduction also underlined the differences between restoration plots and the reference site. Our study presents a ʽdynamic restoration approachʼ where managers evaluated the original factorial treatments after a decade and modified them by additional treatments where development was sub-optimal. Such additional treatments may have confounded the experimental design, but from a management perspective proved to be a promising option to establish species rich grassland of high conservation value with a reasonable expenditure of time.
15 δ N signals in plant and soil material integrate over a number of biogeochemical processes
related to nitrogen (N) and therefore provide information on net effects of multiple
processes on N dynamics. In general little is known in many grassland restoration projects
on soil–plant N dynamics in relation to the restoration treatments. In particular, 15 δ N signals
may be a useful tool to assess whether abiotic restoration treatments have produced the
desired result. In this study we used the range of abiotic and biotic conditions provided
by a restoration experiment to assess to whether the restoration treatments and/or plant
functional identity and legume neighborhood affected plant 15 δ N signals. The restoration
treatments consisted of hay transfer and topsoil removal, thus representing increasing
restoration effort, from no restoration measures, through biotic manipulation to major
abiotic manipulation. We measured 15 δ N and %N in six different plant species (two nonlegumes and four legumes) across the restoration treatments. We found that restoration
treatments were clearly reflected in 15 δ N of the non-legume species, with very depleted
15 δ N associated with low soil N, and our results suggest this may be linked to uptake of
ammonium (rather than nitrate). The two non-legume species differed considerably in their
15 δ N signals, which may be related to the two species forming different kinds of mycorrhizal
symbioses. Plant 15 δ N signals could clearly separate legumes from non-legumes, but our
results did not allow for an assessment of legume neighborhood effects on non-legume
15 δ N signals. We discuss our results in the light of what the 15 δ N signals may be telling
us about plant–soil N dynamics and their potential value as an indicator for N dynamics in
restoration.
The present study aims to compare the effects of maternal and offspring treatment with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OHD3) and vitamin D3 on vitamin D status, mineral homoeostasis, bone metabolism and locomotion in the offspring. Either vitamin D3 (50 μg/kg diet) or 25-OHD3 (50 μg/kg diet) was supplemented to the gestation and lactation diets of 49 multiparous sows and/or to the diets of their growing offspring. Treatment of the sows did not affect plasma concentrations of 25-OHD3 of the offspring. Pigs fed 25-OHD3 had higher plasma concentrations of 25-OHD3 than pigs that received vitamin D3 during rearing and fattening. However, neither plasma concentrations of calcium, phosphate and bone markers during the observation period nor bone ash and bone mineral density at slaughter were clearly affected by the treatment. Maternal and offspring treatment with 25-OHD3 instead of vitamin D3 resulted in a slight reduction in the prevalence of leg swelling. In addition, more pigs walked with even steps and normal stride length. Further studies are needed to test whether the slight effects observed in the present experiment are reproducible and of relevance for animal health and welfare. In that case, the underlying mechanisms should be revealed in order to take advantage of potentially beneficial influences especially under certain feeding regimes.
Farmland bird populations are in a deep crisis across Europe. Agri-environment schemes (AES) were implemented by the European Union to stop and reverse the general decline of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. In Germany, flower strips are one of the most common AES. Establishing high-quality perennial wildflower strips (WFS) with species-rich native forb mixtures from regional seed propagation is a recent approach, for which the effectiveness for birds has not yet been sufficiently studied. We surveyed breeding birds and vegetation on 40 arable fields with WFS (20 with single and 20 with aggregated WFS) and 20 arable fields lacking WFS as controls across Saxony-Anhalt (Germany). Additionally, vegetation composition, WFS quantity and landscape structure (e.g. distance to nearest woody element) were considered in our analyses. All WFS were established with species-rich native seed mixtures (30 forbs) in agricultural practice as AES. Arable fields with WFS had a higher species richness and territory density of birds than controls, confirming the effectiveness of this AES. A forb-rich vegetation was the main driver promoting birds. Flower strip quantity at the landscape level had positive effects only on bird densities, but also single WFS achieved benefits. A short distance from WFS to woody elements increased total bird species richness. However, the density of farmland birds, which are target species of these AES, were negatively affected by the proximity and proportion of woody elements in the vicinity. The effect of the proportion of non-intensively used open habitats and overall habitat richness was unexpectedly low in the otherwise intensively farmed landscape. Species-rich perennial WFS significantly promoted breeding birds. Successful establishment of WFS, resulting in high-quality habitats, a high flower strip quantity as well as implementation in open landscapes were shown to maximise the effectiveness for restoring declining and AES target farmland birds.
Introduction
Observations show that foam rolling improves joint movements. Likewise, it can be stated that a vibration stimulation of the tissue leads to improved joint mobility.
Method
This study investigates whether the combination of foam rolling and vibrations (31 Hz) can influence the sliding of the thoracolumbar fascia more effectively than normal foam rolling. 45 subjects participated in the study and were divided into a foam roll with additional vibration group (FRV), a foam roll group (FR) and a control group (CG). The intervention groups rolled out the gluteal muscles, the lateral trunk and the upper and lower back. Mobility measures were taken pre and post the respective intervention. Subsequent cross correlation software analysis quantified the sliding of the fascia and calculated its shear strain mobility (SSM).
Results
The sliding of the thoracolumbar fascia improved significantly within the FRV by 2.83 mm (SD ± 1.08/p < .001), in the FR by 0.96 mm (SD ± 0.43/p < .001) and in the CG decreased the sliding by 0.1401 mm (SD ± 0.28/p = .076). The fascia/fascia SSM increased in the FRV by 22.61% (SD ± 15.64/p < .001), in the FR by 11.41% (SD ± 20.38/p = .056) and in the CG decreased the SSM by 0.9473% (SD ± 11.35/p < .751). The lumbar movement increased in both intervention groups, but showed no significant result.
Conclusion
The use of a foam roll with additional vibration and standard intervention have increased thoracolumbar fascia sliding and lumbar movements. The improved shear strain mobility can be attributed to the multi-activity of mechanoreceptors, such as Pacini- and Ruffini-Bodies.
In recent years, the issue of land consumption or land use has become increasingly important in many areas of our society. Logistics processes in particular take up a lot of space and have a significant impact on the environment. The question is how this use of land can be optimised. Based on a systematic literature review and interviews with experts in the period between May 2021 and July 2021, this paper presents indicators that constitute or influence space-efficient logistics in the context of cooperation. The results show that in addition to the established cooperation characteristics, there are other indicators that are directly related to land use. In the logistics sector, there is strong competitive pressure and, as a result, little trust between companies. It has been shown that with the help of a neutral moderator, the gap between trusting, land-efficient cooperation and one’s own entrepreneurial interests can be narrowed, and cooperation can be profitable for all participants. In addition, digitisation actually does not seem to be sufficient to meet the information needs of a cooperation. The exchange of information not only serves to automate processes, but also makes cooperation more transparent. It shows that legal and municipal requirements need to be developed. It also becomes clear that the indicators have a mutual influence on each other and cannot be considered in isolation when it comes to the actual implementation of a cooperation. By increasing the efficiency of cooperative processes and value creation, it offers the opportunity to make land use more sustainable.
Objectives: This study aimed at the construction of what the core of eHealth policy making is, offering new perspectives about high priority procedures along the policy making process
Methods: Following Grounded Theory methodology, 59 qualitative telephone interviews with a broad variety of stakeholders from Austria, Switzerland and Germany were conducted
Results: The findings hinted at five priorities of eHealth policy making: strategy, consensus-building, decision-making, implementation and evaluation that emerged from the stakeholders’ perception of the eHealth policy. Hereby strategy, consensus-building and implementation gained the highest attention
Conclusions: These findings suggest three high priorities in eHealth policy: 1) developing and pursuing a consistent eHealth strategy, 2) investing time and resources into consensus-building to clear up difficulties early on in the process, 3) governing implementation towards serving patient care through systems fit for practice.
Public Interest Summary: Digitalisation is playing an increasingly crucial role in providing high quality health care. However, different countries have pursued different political paths. In this study, we wanted to know how the stakeholders perceived the political process in their country to identify strengths and weaknesses. We, therefore, conducted interviews about digital health policy with experts from Austria, Switzerland and Germany covering the full spectrum of stakeholders. The findings suggest three political musts: 1) a convincing and coherent strategy followed throughout the entire process, 2) consensus- building among the stakeholders, 3) using “fit for practice” as the yardstick to measure political success.
We investigated whether design experts or laypersons evaluate webpages differently. Twenty participants, 10 experts and 10 laypersons, judged the aesthetic value of a webpage in an EEG-experiment. Screenshots of 150 webpages, judged as aesthetic or as unaesthetic by another 136 participants, served as stimulus material. Behaviorally, experts and laypersons evaluated unaesthetic webpages similarly, but they differed in their evaluation of aesthetic ones: experts evaluated aesthetic webpages as unaesthetic more often than laypersons did. The ERP-data show main effects of level of expertise and of aesthetic value only. There was no interaction of expertise and aesthetics. In a time-window of 110–130 ms after stimulus onset, aesthetic webpages elicited a more negative EEG-amplitude than unaesthetic webpages. In the same time window, experts had more negative EEG-amplitudes than laypersons. This patterning of results continued until a time window of 600–800 ms in which group and aesthetic differences diminished. An interaction of perceiver characteristics and object properties that several interactionist theories postulate was absent in the EEG-data. Experts seem to process the stimuli in a more thorough manner than laypersons. The early activation differences between aesthetic and unaesthetic webpages is in contrast with some theories of aesthetic processing and has not been reported before.
The development of augmented reality glasses is still ongoing and faces barriers in diffusion and concerns about their impact on users, organizations and society. The study aims to find sufficient solutions for this struggling digital innovation and to provide guidance for the implementation of augmented reality glasses in design-oriented projects. During a 3-year consortium research, acceptance and privacy have been identified as major phenomena that influence the adoption of augmented reality glasses in the logistics domain. To forge ahead digital innovation research, the focus of the presented research lies on the diffusion of this technology with design knowledge for the development of augmented reality glasses-based systems. Evidence and artifacts contribute to the still limited knowledge of system design based on augmented reality glasses from a domain-specific instantiation and an implementation framework.
Companies and R&D institutions increasingly collaborate not only in isolated projects but also in knowledge-based networks. In those networks, participants combine expertise and applied problems to generate both ‘problem-solving knowledge’ and specialized knowledge: during the process of common problem-solving each partner acquires some of the specialized knowledge of the other partners as well as the newly generated problem-solving knowledge. This article examines the basic principles involved and provides a simple mathematical description of the step-by-step accumulation of knowledge through the solving of applied problems in a knowledge-based network. The rate of increase of the total amount of available knowledge in the network is derived and implications for the orientation of R&D institutes and companies are set out.
Entrapment neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome, radiculopathies, or radicular pain are the most common peripheral neuropathies and also the most common cause for neuropathic pain. Despite their high prevalence, they often remain challenging to diagnose and manage in a clinical setting. Summarising the evidence from both preclinical and clinical studies, this review provides an update on the aetiology and pathophysiology of entrapment neuropathies. Potential mechanisms are put in perspective with clinical findings. The contemporary assessment is discussed and diagnostic pitfalls highlighted. The evidence for the noninvasive and surgical management of common entrapment neuropathies is summarised and future areas of research are identified.
Entrapment neuropathies are a heterogenous condition reflecting distinct underlying pathomechanisms. A contemporary assessment aimed at identifying potential mechanisms may help target management for these patients.
Entrapment neuropathies are the most prevalent type of peripheral neuropathy and often a challenge to diagnose and treat. To a large extent, our current knowledge is based on empirical concepts and early (often biomechanical) studies. This Viewpoint will challenge some of the current beliefs with recent advances in both basic and clinical neurosciences.
Europe's freshwater biodiversity under climate change: distribution shifts and conservation needs
(2014)
Aim
To assess the future climatic suitability of European catchments for freshwater species and the future utility of the current network of protected areas.
Location
Europe.
Methods
Using recently updated catchment-scale species data and climate projections from multiple climate models, we assessed the climate change threat by the 2050s for 1648 European freshwater plants, fishes, molluscs, odonates, amphibians, crayfish and turtles for two dispersal scenarios and identified hotspots of change at three spatial scales: major river basins, countries and freshwater ecoregions. We considered both common species and the often overlooked rare species. To set our findings within the context of current and future conservation networks, we evaluated the coverage of freshwater biodiversity by Europe's protected area network.
Results
Six per cent of common and 77% of rare species are predicted to lose more than 90% of their current range. Eight fish species and nine mollusc species are predicted to experience 100% range loss under climate change. As the most species-rich group, molluscs are particularly vulnerable due to the high proportion of rare species and their relatively limited ability to disperse. Furthermore, around 50% of molluscs and fish species will have no protected area coverage given their projected distributions.
Main conclusions
We identified the species most at threat due to projected changes in both catchment suitability and representation within the European protected area network. Our findings suggest an urgent need for freshwater management plans to facilitate adaptation to climate change.
1. Flower strips are a fundamental part of agri-environment schemes (AESs) introduced by the European Union to counteract the loss of biodiversity and related ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. Although vegetation composition of the strips is essential for most fauna groups, comprehensive studies analysing vegetation development and influencing factors are rare.
2. From 2017 to 2019, we investigated the vegetation composition of 40 perennial wildflower strips (WFSs) implemented in 2015 or 2016, and 20 cereal fields without WFS across Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. We analysed environmental factors on plot (cover of grasses, shading, soil fertility) and four landscape-scale levels (habitat diversity, proportion of WFS and open habitats). The provision of nectar and pollen resources was estimated by the newly developed Pollinator Feeding Index (PFI). All strips had been implemented by farmers as AES with species- rich seed mixtures comprising 30 native forbs.
3. In all study years, forb species richness, cover and related nectar and pollen supply were much higher on WFSs than on controls, confirming the effectiveness of this AES. Although sown native forbs contributed the most to the high PFI values, spontaneously established forbs expanded the total range of species considerably, especially in winter and spring. While sown forb communities remained similar over time, spontaneous forbs showed a higher species turnover. Altogether, shading and grass cover had the greatest negative effect on the performance of the sown forbs. Landscape variables had only minor effects and were inconsistent in their importance across scale levels and years.
4. Synthesis and applications. Successfully established perennial wildflower strips (WFSs) sown with species-rich native seed mixtures provided a forb-rich and diverse vegetation throughout the AES funding period of 5 years. By supplying feeding resources for pollinators under various landscape situations, WFSs have significant potential to promote farmland biodiversity and related ecosyste services. We recommend the mandatory use of species-rich wildflower mixtures for perennial flower strips and to avoid their creation in heavily shaded field edges. Advisory services for farmers are necessary to prevent failures in WFS implementation and management and to improve their ecological effectiveness.
The study at hand focuses the interdependencies between stress incidents and strategies of stress-coping in relation with well-being in helping professions. Furthermore, the scarce areas and the proband’s strategies of health behavior, comparing helping and other vocational groups, are investigated. The sample consist of teachers, bank employees, employees of marketing agencies, employees coming from the machine construction industry, as well as nurses, psychotherapists and physicians. The results show that everyday annoyances and problem-oriented stress-coping indeed affect well-being.