Navigation needs for the unpiloted airspace

The paper discusses the challenges of providing resilient navigation services to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Uncrewed Aeronautical Systems (UAS) in various types of environments in, around and above urban areas. The analysis shows that at least three different types of urban/suburban environments are relevant, and the paper proposes a criterion to distinguish them, based on how much surrounding buildings influence radio propagation in a particular volume. Finally, the paper also proposes pathways to solving the foreseeable problems with three concepts that will enable higher navigation accuracy in urban environments: a low-power terrestrial navigation aid based on multifunction communication systems, a GNSS augmentation service with reduced time-to-alert, and a landing system for AAM aircraft drones in urban environments

Die Beendigung von Arbeitsverhältnissen infolge von mangelhafter Leistung oder unbefriedigendem Verhalten bei der Stadt Zürich : wesentliche Herausforderungen und rechtliche Hürden für die Arbeitgeberin auf dem Weg zur rechtssicheren Kündigung

Die vorliegende Arbeit bietet einen umfassenden Einblick in die rechtlichen Grundlagen und Besonderheiten der öffentlich-rechtlichen Arbeitgeberin. Sie zeigt auf, wie sich öffentlich-rechtliche Arbeitsverhältnisse von privatrechtlichen Anstellungsverhältnissen unterscheiden und weshalb im öffentlichen Recht sehr hohe Anforderungen an personalrechtliche Verfahren gestellt werden, die insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit Kündigungsverfahren zu beachten sind. Der historische Hintergrund des öffentlichen Rechts und dessen Einfluss auf diese Thematik werden ebenfalls behandelt. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, den Kündigungsprozess im öffentlichen Recht zu beleuchten. Es werden Herausforderungen identifiziert, aus denen praxisorientierte Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet werden, die eine rechtssichere Handhabung in Streitfällen ermöglichen sollen. Während im privaten Arbeitsrecht praktisch eine 'Kündigungsfreiheit' besteht, ist die öffentliche Arbeitgeberin verpflichtet, sich an die verfassungsmässigen Grundsätze zu halten. Dies wirkt sich auf den Kündigungsschutz vor allem in zwei zentralen Aspekten aus: Eine Kündigung darf gemäss dem Willkürverbot nur gestützt auf einen sachlichen Grund erfolgen und es ist grundsätzlich erforderlich, einem Arbeitnehmer vor einer Kündigung das rechtliche Gehör zu gewähren. Der damit verbundene administrative Prozess gestaltet sich anspruchsvoll und komplex. Zudem besteht für den Arbeitnehmer stets die Option, rechtliche Schritte einzuleiten, was die Auflösung für die Arbeitgeberin zusätzlich erschwert. Als entscheidende Elemente für eine rechtssichere Kündigung betont die Verfasserin die Notwendigkeit einer gründlichen Dokumentation, die strikte Befolgung rechtlicher und prozessualer Vorgaben sowie die Berücksichtigung der Fürsorgepflicht gegenüber dem Arbeitnehmer. Sie vertritt die Ansicht, dass durch konsequente Führungsarbeit, korrekte Prozessführung und eine trotz der Umstände wohlwollende Haltung gegenüber dem Arbeitnehmer eine Kündigung rechtlich abgesichert vollzogen werden kann. Eine zentrale Erkenntnis aus dieser Arbeit ist ebenfalls, dass präventive Massnahmen und ein effektives Konfliktmanagement entscheidend zur Vermeidung von Kündigungen beitragen können. Die frühzeitige und konstruktive Kommunikation zwischen Führungskräften und Arbeitnehmern wird als wesentlich betrachtet, um mögliche Probleme im Keim zu ersticken und somit ein harmonisches Arbeitsumfeld zu fördern. Des Weiteren wird die Bedeutung von Fairness und Transparenz im Kündigungsprozess hervorgehoben. Es wird empfohlen, dass Schulungen und Weiterbildungen für Führungskräfte in Bezug auf die rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen und Konfliktlösungstechniken angeboten werden. Durch diese können Führungskräfte besser auf die Herausforderungen im Umgang mit Kündigungen vorbereitet werden, was zu einem effizienteren und gerechteren Kündigungsprozess führt. Die Arbeit liefert zudem konkrete Handlungsanweisungen für die Praxis. Die Notwendigkeit, rechtliche Anforderungen mit einem menschlichen und fairen Umgang zu kombinieren, wird betont, um eine optimale Arbeitsumgebung zu schaffen und gleichzeitig rechtliche Risiken zu minimieren

The future is here : digital technologies in social work practice

The Decisions, Assessment and Risk Special Interest Group of the European Social Work Research Association (DARSIG) dedicated a pre-conference event at the 2023 European Conference for Social Work Research in Milan, Italy, to the application of innovations using big data and machine-learning algorithms in social work risk assessment and decision-making processes. Here, we share some ideas from these discussions

FeedMeter : evaluating the quality of community-driven threat intelligence

A sound understanding of the adversary in the form of cyber threat intelligence (CTI) is key to successful cyber defense. Various sources of CTI exist, however there is no state-of-the-art method to approximate feed quality in an automated and continuous way. In addition, finding, combining and maintaining relevant feeds is very laborious and impedes taking advantage of the full potential of existing feeds. We propose FeedMeter, a platform that collects, normalizes, and aggregates threat intelligence feeds and continuously monitors them using eight descriptive metrics that approximate the feed quality. The platform aims to reduce the workload of duplicated manual processing and maintenance tasks and shares valuable insights about threat intelligence feeds. Our evaluation of a FeedMeter prototype with more than 150 OSINT sources, conducted over four years, shows that the platform has a real benefit for the community and that the metrics are promising approximations of source quality. A comparison with a prevalent commercial threat intelligence feed further strengthens this finding

The influence of rotator cuff tear type and weight bearing on shoulder biomechanics in an ex vivo simulator experiment

Glenohumeral biomechanics after rotator cuff (RC) tears have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the muscle compensatory mechanism in weight-bearing shoulders with RC tears and asses the induced pathomechanics (i.e., glenohumeral translation, joint instability, center of force (CoF), joint reaction force). An experimental, glenohumeral simulator with muscle-mimicking cable system was used to simulate 30° scaption motion. Eight fresh-frozen shoulders were prepared and mounted in the simulator. Specimen-specific scapular anthropometry was used to test six RC tear types, with intact RC serving as the control, and three weight-bearing loads, with the non-weight-bearing condition serving as the control. Glenohumeral translation was calculated using instantaneous helical axis. CoF, muscle forces, and joint reaction forces were measured using force sensors integrated into the simulator. Linear mixed effects models (RC tear type and weight-bearing) with random effects (specimen and sex) were used to assess differences in glenohumeral biomechanics. RC tears did not change the glenohumeral translation (p > 0.05) but shifted the CoF superiorly (p ≤ 0.005). Glenohumeral translation and joint reaction forces increased with increasing weight bearing (p < 0.001). RC and deltoid muscle forces increased with the presence of RC tears (p ≤ 0.046) and increased weight bearing (p ≤ 0.042). The synergistic muscles compensated for the torn RC tendons, and the glenohumeral translation remained comparable to that for the intact RC tendons. However, in RC tears, the more superior CoF was close to where glenoid erosion occurs in RC tear patients with secondary osteoarthritis. These findings underscore the importance of early detection and precise management of RC tears

Multiscale-multiphysics model for optimization of novel ceramic MIEC solid oxide fuel cell electrodes

To significantly improve on the unavoidable degradation of state-of-the-art Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anodes like Ni-YSZ, we elaborate on fully ceramic composite electrodes, which are based on mixed ionic and electronic conductors (MIEC) like doped ceria and perovskite materials. Thereby, a Digital Materials Design (DMD) framework is used for the systematic and model-based optimization of MIEC SOFC-electrodes. In our DMD approach we combine experimental methods, stochastic microstructure modeling, virtual testing of 3D microstructures and a multiscale-multiphysics electrode model. The electrode model developed in this contribution captures all the relevant physico-chemical processes involved like the transport of charge carriers in the two MIEC solid phases, transport of the gas species in the pore-phase and the reaction kinetics. A special emphasize is laid to the appropriate description of the microstructure effects, applying the previously reported DMD-methodologies. This model-based performance prediction enables to explore a much larger design space than it would be possible with experimental methods only

Urban space(s) for young people : a focus for resilient and sustainable cities

mündlicher Konferenzbeitra

Crowding and aggression during the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom : the relationship between residential density, subjective crowding, privacy, and aggression

Background: During national lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals were confined to their home environment for prolonged time with limited options to leave the dwelling. European comparative housing polls suggest social density in the home environment (square meters per person) are highest in the United Kingdom, making potentially detrimental costs to home dwellers during national lockdowns more likely. While research has extensively studied the relationship between social density and aggression across different settings, including housing, there has been limited exploration of the connection between subjective crowding and aggression, despite evidence suggesting its stronger influence. Moreover, previous studies have indicated that privacy might mediate the link between social density conditions and psychological experiences necessitating further investigation. Objective: This study examined the relationships between residential density, subjective crowding, and perceived privacy and its psychological costs, specifically focusing on aggression during the COVID-19 lockdown. Specifically, the study examined the sequential relationship of residential density on subjective crowding on selfreported aggression. Perceived privacy was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between residential density and subjective crowding. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted with individuals (n = 299) using the crowd-sourcing platform Prolific during the COVID-19 lockdown in June 2020 in the United Kingdom. Results: Path analysis with bootstrapping was used to examine the hypothesized relationships in three hierarchical models. The first model showed that self-reported aggression levels were higher for those experiencing greater levels of residential density. In the second model, residential density was found to be associated with subjective crowding, which in turn was associated with aggression. The association between subjective crowding and aggression (model two) was stronger than between residential density and aggression (model one). In the final model, perceived privacy was included as a mediator between residential density and subjective crowding, and this relationship was found to be statistically valid. This suggests that when there is a shortage of objective living space per person within a household, it can affect how residents perceive their ability to control privacy, resulting in feelings of crowding and subsequent aggression. Age, gender, and employment were controlled. Conclusions: The empirical evidence for testing the sequential relationship between residential density, perceived privacy, subjective crowding, and aggression has so far been largely neglected in housing research. Recognizing the influence of privacy regulation on aggression is essential for guiding housing design and planning, shifting the focus away from overreliance on housing size specifications towards prioritizing the quality of floor plan design to better promote residents’ well-being

Building trust in startup communication : exploring the interplay of arguments and stories in the case of the Nikola Corporation

Startups play a crucial role in driving economic progress, but investing in them is fraught with significant risks due to their short history and lack of reliable data. To mitigate this risk, it is essential to develop analytical methods and tools that can detect early signs of misrepresentation or even fraud in startup communications. This book offers a language-oriented perspective on this problem by examining the interplay of arguments and stories in startups’ strategic communication to attract long-term funding. The case study focuses on the Nikola Corporation, an Arizona-based zero-emission transportation startup that went public before generating significant revenue and faced a fundamental trust crisis triggered by a short seller attack in the year it went public. The crisis caused a significant decline in Nikola’s stock price, erasing billions of dollars in market value. The case study therefore highlights the challenges of communicating effectively and trustworthily as a startup, particularly one that relies heavily on novel technology and promises. As the study reconstructs, Nikola’s founder combined rational arguments and emotional stories to create a narrative that resonated with investors but also left his startup vulnerable to accusations of fraud and deception. Entrepreneurs and communications professionals can use the insights from this study to critically scrutinize their communications, making them both more effective and crisis resistant. By doing so, startups could contribute to economic progress more reliably. The research introduces an analytical framework for examining the interplay of arguments and stories that can potentially be applied to a wide range of contexts in which building trust is crucial. Overall, this book offers a new perspective on strategic persuasion and provides implications relevant for both the theory and practice of startups, particularly those that rely heavily on novel technologies.This open access book explores the intriguing narrative of Nikola Corporation's startup journey in this insightful case study, examining its rapid ascent and subsequent decline from both a narrative and argumentative perspective. Founded by Trevor Milton, Nikola initially garnered investor interest with promises of a cleaner, sustainable alternative to diesel trucks. However, the company's surge in valuation was short-lived, as accusations from a short seller triggered a trust crisis, exposing alleged deception and raising doubts about the company's technology claims. This case study particularly focuses on the nuances of startup communication, emphasizing the critical importance of effective and trustworthy strategic communication for emerging tech ventures. It provides an in-depth look at the methods and tools necessary for startups to navigate initial skepticism and data limitations without exposing themselves to potential crises. Key insights include crafting compelling startup stories while maintaining trustworthiness, meeting investor information needs in an argumentatively convincing structure, recognizing the risks of blind faith in charismatic founders, and implementing internal checks and balances to safeguard against deception. Nikola's story serves as a cautionary tale, offering valuable lessons for entrepreneurs, investors, and scholars alike. This comprehensive examination sheds light on the challenges faced by startups dependent on emerging technologies and ambitious promises, making it an indispensable addition to the reading list of entrepreneurs