Ein Reifegradmodell für Business-Intelligence-Lösungen

Zusammenfassung: Die steigende Bedeutung von Business Intelligence (BI) für die Steuerung und Wettbewerbsfähigkeit von Unternehmen erfordert eine kontinuierliche, transparente und detaillierte Bewertung der BI-Lösungen in den Organisationen. Zu diesem Zweck wurde das BI-spezifische Reifegradmodell biMM (Business Intelligence Maturity Model) entwickelt. Im Beitrag werden dessen fünf Reifegradstufen in den Dimensionen Fachlichkeit, Technik und Organisation beschrieben. Auswertungen einer Studie, basierend auf biMM, zeigen den State of the Art von BI-Lösungen im deutschsprachigen Raum. Die durchschnittliche Reife der Unternehmen ist der dritten Stufe zuzuordnen. Aus den geplanten BI-Aktivitäten und dem zukünftig prognostizierten Reifegrad lassen sich Trends und künftige Herausforderungen für Praxis und Wissenschaft gleichermaßen ableiten. Dazu zählen aufbauorganisatorische Maßnahmen, wie die Einrichtung eines BI-Competence-Centers, ein stärkerer Fokus auf die Wirtschaftlichkeit und ein verbesserter Wirkungsgrad der BI-Architektu

Comparative Morphologic and Molecular Classification of Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Thymus in Humans

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of the thymus are rare neoplasms that share many similarities with their pulmonary counterpart. The WHO 2015 classification of thymic and pulmonary NET divides tumors into typical and atypical carcinoids (TC, AC) and large cell and small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC, SCC). The classification is based on histomorphology: mitotic rate and necrosis. In comparison, the ENETS classification of gastro-intestinal and pancreatic NET includes a fifth subgroup NET G3 and is additionally based on the ki67 labeling index. Little is known about prognostic markers and the molecular background of TNET. With low coverage whole genome sequencing and immunohistochemistry, our goal was to achieve a better understanding of subgroup specific characteristics and their prognostic importance. The study revealed that TNET fall into three molecular clusters and that there is evidence of NET G3 in the thymus. Low- and intermediate-grade molecular categories are comprised of TC, AC and even LCNEC. High-grade molecular categories contain AC, LCNEC and SCC. Morphology alone is not sufficient in recreating these categories.  EZH2 and chromogranin A immunohistochemistry can help differentiate not only NET G3 from the classic LCNEC, but also function as a marker for genomic instability for all subgroups. Additionally, this study found that morphologic and molecular progression in TNET is possible. Further investigations will be crucial to discover if there is evidence of NET G3 in the pulmonary NET and use these findings for treatment planning and risk stratification. 2021-05-0

Layered Transition Metal Thiophosphates as Anodes in Sodium-Ion Batteries: Evaluation of Electrochemical Properties and Structural Examination of Reaction Mechanisms during Sodium Uptake and Release

The subject of this thesis is the investigation of the transition metal thiophosphates (MTPs) Ni2P2S6, CrPS4 and CuCrP2S6 as anode materials in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with the objective of evaluating their electrochemical performance and understanding the occurring structural changes during sodium uptake and release. From an electrochemical perspective, it has been described in literature that Ni2P2S6 nanomaterials represent superior anode materials in SIBs. Interestingly, this thesis demonstrates that the corresponding bulk material provides comparable electrochemical performance. Additionally, the anode materials CuCrP2S6 and CrPS4 were investigated for the first time in SIBs. While the incorporation of Cu+ cations into electrodes often affects the electrochemical performance positively, the benefits anticipated for CuCrP2S6 are less than expected. Conversely, an excellent overall performance was demonstrated for CrPS4. From a mechanistic point of view, it was demonstrated that similar reaction pathways occur for different MTPs. During the discharge process, Na+ ions first intercalate into the layered structures, while formation of intermediate phases takes place in a second step. Lastly, the reaction proceeds according to a conversion leading to the formation of Na2S and metal nanoparticles. The previously assumed formation of NaxP phases during the discharge step therefore is disproved. It is noteworthy that each electrode material generates different intercalation compounds and intermediate phases during the discharge process. Hence, the observed reaction pathways follow similar patterns but do not display a universal reaction mechanism.Gegenstand dieser Dissertation ist die Untersuchung der Übergangsmetallthiophosphate (MTPs) Ni2P2S6, CrPS4 und CuCrP2S6 als Anodenmaterialien in Natrium-Ionen-Batterien (NIBs). Ziel der Arbeit sind die Bestimmung der elektrochemischen Leistungsfähigkeit sowie detallierte Erkenntnisse über die ablaufenden strukturellen Änderungen während der Aufnahme und Abgabe von Natrium. Aus elektrochemischer Sicht wurde bisher angenommen, dass Ni2P2S6 Nanomaterialien außergewöhnliche Elektrodenmaterialien darstellen. Interessanterweise zeigt diese Dissertation, dass Elektroden des entsprechenden Volumenmaterials vergleichbare elektrochemische Leistungsfähigkeiten aufweisen. Außerdem wurden erstmalig die Anodenmaterialien CuCrP2S6 und CrPS4 in NIBs untersucht. Der Einbau von Cu+-Kationen in Elektroden hat häufig positiven Einfluss auf die Leistungsfähigkeit. Die vermuteten Vorteile für CuCrP2S6 sind allerdings geringer als erwartet. Für CrPS4 wurde hingegen eine hervorragende Leistungsfähigkeit nachgewiesen. Untersuchungen bezüglich der Reaktionsmechanismen haben gezeigt, dass vergleichbare Prozesse für die verschiedenen MTP Materialien ablaufen. Zunächst werden Na+-Ionen in die Schichten interkaliert und anschließend bilden sich in einem zweiten Schritt intermediäre Phasen. Schließlich erfolgt eine Umwandlung der Intermeditate zu Na2S und Metallnanopartikeln. Damit wird der zuvor angenommene Mechanismus widerlegt, der die Bildung von NaxP Phasen voraussetzte. Es ist erwähnenswert, dass sich die Interkalationsverbidungen und Intermediate für jedes der Materialien unterscheiden

Anatomizing Civil War

Imperial Latin epic has seen a renaissance of scholarly interest. This book illuminates the work of the poet Lucan, a contemporary of the emperor Nero who as nephew of the imperial adviser Seneca moved in the upper echelons of Neronian society. This young and maverick poet, whom Nero commanded to commit suicide at the age of 26, left an epic poem on the civil war between Caesar and Pompey that epitomizes the exuberance and stylistic experimentation of Neronian culture. This study focuses on Lucan's epic technique and traces his influence through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Martin T. Dinter's newest volume engages with Lucan's use of body imagery, sententiae, Fama (rumor), and open-endedness throughout his civil war epic. Although Lucan's Bellum Civile is frequently decried as a fragmented as well as fragmentary epic, this study demonstrates how Lucan uses devices other than teleology and cohesive narrative structure to bind together the many parts of his epic body

Remote sensing of coccolithophore blooms in selected oceanic regions using the PhytoDOAS method applied to hyper-spectral satellite data

In this study temporal variations of coccolithophore blooms are investigated using satellite data. Eight years (from 2003 to 2010) of data of SCIAMACHY, a hyper-spectral satellite sensor on-board ENVISAT, were processed by the PhytoDOAS method to monitor the biomass of coccolithophores in three selected regions. These regions are characterized by frequent occurrence of large coccolithophore blooms. The retrieval results, shown as monthly mean time series, were compared to related satellite products, including the total surface phytoplankton, i.e. total chlorophyll a (from GlobColour merged data) and the particulate inorganic carbon (from MODIS-Aqua). The inter-annual variations of the phytoplankton bloom cycles and their maximum monthly mean values have been compared in the three selected regions to the variations of the geophysical parameters: sea-surface temperature (SST), mixed-layer depth (MLD) and surface wind-speed, which are known to affect phytoplankton dynamics. For each region, the anomalies and linear trends of the monitored parameters over the period of this study have been computed. The patterns of total phytoplankton biomass and specific dynamics of coccolithophore chlorophyll a in the selected regions are discussed in relation to other studies. The PhytoDOAS results are consistent with the two other ocean color products and support the reported dependencies of coccolithophore biomass dynamics on the compared geophysical variables. This suggests that PhytoDOAS is a valid method for retrieving coccolithophore biomass and for monitoring its bloom developments in the global oceans. Future applications of time series studies using the PhytoDOAS data set are proposed, also using the new upcoming generations of hyper-spectral satellite sensors with improved spatial resolution

Cyantraniliprole: Pollinator profile of the novel insecticides under laboratory, semi-field and field conditions

Background: The pollinator profile of cyantraniliprole, a systemic anthranilic diamide insecticide, with foliar or soil applications between 12.5 to 150 g a.s./ha, was investigated. Results: Cyantraniliprole - tested up to maximum water solubility level – caused no increased acute oral or contact honeybee mortality. The lowest LD50 values for formulated cyantraniliprole were 0.39 (oral) and 0.63 (contact) μg cyantraniliprole/ honeybee, respectively. The oral toxicity of 4 plant metabolites was maximally similar to cyantraniliprole or no oral toxicity was determined up to maximal water solubility level. Cyantraniliprole spray deposits at 150 g a.s./ha and aged for ≥ 3 hours pose low risk for honeybees. Cyantraniliprole use may results in residues in pollen and nectar, but oral honeybee risk assessments indicate low risk for honeybees via oral exposure. In semi-field and field honeybee tests low risk for honeybees was confirmed. Tomato greenhouse study results demonstrate that there is an excellent fit between the use of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) for pollination and cyantraniliprole – applied either via spray or drip irrigation. Conclusion: Based on a comprehensive data package it was found that the intended uses of DuPont cyantraniliprole formulations pose low risk for pollinators

25+ Years of Business Intelligence and Analytics Minitrack at HICSS: A Text Mining Analysis

This research project is inspired by the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Hawaii International Conferences on Systems Sciences (HICSS). As the current co-chairs of the longest-running minitrack on Business Intelligence (BI), Business Analytics (BA) and Big Data (as it is currently known) at HICSS, we report on its 27-year history of relevant and interesting research. Our insights into the key research themes and their progress over time were obtained through a semantic text mining of all research publications included in this minitrack since 1990. We also illustrate a practical method of using a sophisticated text-mining tool (Leximancer) so that it could be replicated by other researchers interested in content analysis methods in other research fields

The Digital Twin – Birth of an Integrated System in the Digital Age

Today we live in a time where new technologies are developing rapidly. Digitalization and automation are finding their way into various industrial sectors, especially in the area of Industry 4.0. As in previous digitalization efforts in the manufacturing sector, it can be observed that the discourse is strongly concentrated on technological themes, neglecting the overall integration of technologies into the organization. In this paper, we conduct a literature review on the concept of a digital twin, i.e. a simulation-oriented closed loop system consisting of physical and digital components. We map the identified themes to the elements of a socio-technical system to show which issues in the discourse are underrepresented from a managerial point of view in order to provide indications for a more holistic discourse