Indicator-driven data calibration of expert interviews in a configurational study

Expert interviews can provide interesting data for the use in qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to investigate complex social phenomena. To guide the challenging task of data calibration from qualitative data sets, techniques have already been suggested for the transformation of qualitative data into fuzzy sets. The current article follows existing guidelines and extends them with a system for indicator-based data calibration of expert interviews. While the underlying data set is confidential due to its corporate setting, in this article the analysis of the data is made transparent and hence reproducible for potential follow-up studies. First, the process of data collection is described, and the final data sample is characterized. Consequently, a system for indicator-based data calibration is presented and the calibration results for the empirical sample are provided in form of the set membership of cases and truth tables. • Data collection from expert interviews is described for a configurational setting • A combined indicator-based system is used for the calibration of qualitative dat

Lebensqualität bei altersbedingter Makuladegeneration im Saarland

Ziel: Ziel dieser Studie war es die Lebensqualität von Patienten mit altersbedingter Makuladegeneration (AMD) zu erfassen, und die verschiedenen Arten der AMD untereinander und zu Makula-gesunden Personen zu vergleichen - insbesondere im Hinblick auf die Art der retinalen Flüssigkeit. Methoden: Zwischen August 2020 und Mai 2021 wurden Patienten, die aufgrund ihrer AMD die Augenklinik am Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes (UKS) besuchten, gebeten den NEI-VFQ-35 Fragebogen auszufüllen. Gleiches wurde bei Makulagesunden Personen als Vergleichspersonen getan. Außerdem wurde bei Patienten mit exsudativer AMD zusätzlich die Art der retinalen Flüssigkeit erfasst. Insgesamt wurden 159 Probanden eingeschlossen: 40 mit trockener AMD in beiden Augen, 40 mit trockener AMD in einem Auge und exsudativer AMD im anderen Auge, 41 mit exsudativer AMD in beiden Augen und 38 Vergleichspersonen. Ergebnisse: Die Lebensqualität der Patienten mit exsudativer AMD war signifikant schlechter als die der Patienten mit trockener AMD und den Vergleichspersonen, jedoch nicht zu denen, mit einer gemischten Art der AMD an beiden Augen. Die Sehkraft war in allen Gruppen mit AMD signifikant schlechter als bei den Vergleichspersonen, jedoch nicht signifikant unterschiedlich zwischen den verschiedenen Formen der AMD. Gleiches galt für Aktivitäten in der Nähe. Bei Aktivitäten in der Ferne, der Abhängigkeit von anderen und der Ausübung sozialer Funktionen schnitten Patienten mit exsudativer AMD auf mindestens einem Auge signifikant schlechter ab als die Vergleichspersonen, und Patienten mit exsudativer AMD auf beiden Augen schnitten schlechter ab als jene mit trockener AMD beidseits. Patienten mit exsudativer AMD auf mindestens einem Auge hatten signifikant mehr soziale Rollenbeschränkungen als die Vergleichspersonen. Gleiches galt für das Autofahren. Das Vorhandensein von Pigmentepithel-Abhebungen (PEA) bei Patienten mit exsudativer AMD war assoziiert mit signifikant mehr sozialen Rollenbeschränkungen im Vergleich zu Patienten ohne PEA. Schlussfolgerungen: Alle Arten der AMD beeinträchtigen die Lebensqualität der Patienten. Im Vergleich zu Patienten mit trockener AMD hatten Patienten mit bilateraler exsudativer AMD eine signifikant reduzierte allgemeine Lebensqualität, reduzierte Fernaktivitäten, reduzierte soziale Funktionen und mehr Abhängigkeit von anderen. Dies traf jedoch bei Patienten mit unilateraler exsudativer AMD nicht zu. Das Vorhandensein von Pigmentepithel-Abhebungen bei Patienten mit exsudativer AMD war assoziiert mit signifikant mehr sozialen Rollenbeschränkungen.(1)Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the vision-related quality of life (Qol) of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and control to compare it according to the different forms of AMD among themselves and with healthy macula subjects, furthermore with regard to the type of retinal fluid in patients with exudative AMD. Methods: 187 Patients, who visited the Department of Ophthalmology at Saarland University Medical Center (UKS) due to their AMD, were asked to complete the NEI-VFQ-39 and a separate UKS questionnaire on specific recent difficulties in their daily life. The same was done with healthy macula (HM) controls. In patients with exudative AMD, the type of retinal fluid was additionally recorded. A total of 159 subjects were included: 40 with bilateral dry AMD (DD), 40 with dry AMD in one eye and exudative AMD in the other eye (DE), 41 with bilateral exudative AMD (EE), and 38 as HM. Results: All AMD groups had significantly worse overall Qol than the HM group. The Qol of the DD group was also significantly better than that of the EE group. For general vision, near vision, mental health and role difficulties, all AMD groups had significantly lower values than the HM group. For distance vision, colour vision, peripheral vision, driving difficulties, dependency and social functioning, only patients in the EE and DE groups had significantly worse scores than the HM group. The presence of pigment epithelial detachment (PED) in patients with exudative AMD was associated with significantly more role difficulties. Conclusion: All types of AMD affect patients' quality of life. Compared with the subjects with healthy macular, all comparison activities were worse in patients with exudative AMD in at least one eye, while patients with bilateral dry AMD had only significantly lower general and near vision, mental health, and more role difficulties

Teil 2: Handlungsoptionen entwickeln und Entscheidungen treffen

Technologieentwicklungen frühzeitig und richtig einzuschätzen ist ausschlaggebend für den nachhaltigen Erfolg von Technologieunternehmen. Durch die weltweite Zunahme und Beschleunigung der Forschungs- und Entwicklungsaktivitäten sowie steigende Verflechtung von Wertschöpfungsketten wird dies zunehmend schwieriger. In Teil eins dieses Praxisleitfadens wurde ein Überblick über unterschiedliche Indikatoren zur Bewertung und Einstufung von Technologien geschaffen. Ziel dieses Leitfadens ist es, eine Anleitung zu geben, um mit Hilfe der Indikatoren die Entwicklungsaktivitäten technologischer Innovationen abbilden zu können. Unter Berücksichtigung unternehmensspezifischer Stärken und Schwächen, dient dies als Entscheidungshilfe zur Wahl der passenden Timing- und Technologiestrategie

Ergebnisse der Umfrage zur Einstufung und Bewertung von Technologien

Auf die richtige Technologie zu setzen, sinnvolle Anwendungsfelder zu wählen und damit Technologieentwicklungen in die richtige Richtung mit passenden Eigenschaften zu steuern ist ausschlaggebend für den nachhaltigen Erfolg von Technologieunternehmen. Durch die weltweite Zunahme und rasante Beschleunigung der Forschungs- und Entwicklungsaktivitäten sowie die steigende Verflechtung von Wertschöpfungs-ketten wird es jedoch zunehmend schwieriger, Technologieentwicklungen richtig einzuschätzen. Gleichzeitig hat sich durch das Internet der Zugang zu Daten und Informationen drastisch verbessert. Durch leistungsstarke Informations- und Telekommunikationsgeräte und Software sind große Datensätze einfacher zu erschließen und komplexe Datenanalysen auch mit neuartigen Indikatoren möglich. Somit haben sich auch für Unternehmen, die sehr eingeschränkte Ressourcen für Technologieanalysen haben, die Möglichkeiten der indikatorengestützten Technologiebewertung verbessert. Um einen aktuellen Überblick zu schaffen, welche Indikatoren und Methoden für Technologieanalysen zur Zeit in der Praxis und in der Wissenschaft eingesetzt werden, wurde von der Professur für Innovationsmanagement am Fachbereich Wirtschaftswissenschaft der Freien Universität Berlin eine Umfrage bei deutsch-sprachigen Expert*innen aus der Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft im November und Dezember 2017 durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse sind in diesem Bericht aufgeführt

Design for Recycling of E-Textiles: Current Issues of Recycling of Products Combining Electronics and Textiles and Implications for a Circular Design Approach

Circular economy principles and eco-design guidelines such as design for recycling gain increasing importance to improve recyclability of products. The market of textiles with electronic components—so-called electronic textiles (e-textiles)–grows quickly entailing an increase in waste due to obsolete and defect products. This chapter presents insights into the current state of e-textile recycling in Europe. As electronic recycling differs from textile recycling, a survey of sorting and recycling businesses in Europe was conducted to obtain insights into the current and future handling of e-textiles. The survey results reveal that e-textiles have so far played a minor role for sorting and recycling companies, but about one-third of the businesses already experienced issues in recycling e-textiles. While some of the respondents have already developed processing concepts, the overall occurrence of e-textiles is so low that businesses are unlikely to develop recycling solutions. However, with increasing market volume, waste will also increase and recycling requires improvement to reduce environmental impact. Based on the survey results, recommendations for improving the recyclability and recycling rate of e-textiles are proposed. This includes expanding the scope of current regulations to e-textiles to apply guidelines for integrating sustainable end-of-life solutions in the product design process, acknowledging current shortcomings of the recycling industry

The Complete Genome Sequence of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis IP31758, the Causative Agent of Far East Scarlet-Like Fever

The first reported Far East scarlet-like fever (FESLF) epidemic swept the Pacific coastal region of Russia in the late 1950s. Symptoms of the severe infection included erythematous skin rash and desquamation, exanthema, hyperhemic tongue, and a toxic shock syndrome. The term FESLF was coined for the infection because it shares clinical presentations with scarlet fever caused by group A streptococci. The causative agent was later identified as Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, although the range of morbidities was vastly different from classical pseudotuberculosis symptoms. To understand the origin and emergence of the peculiar clinical features of FESLF, we have sequenced the genome of the FESLF-causing strain Y. pseudotuberculosis IP31758 and compared it with that of another Y. pseudotuberculosis strain, IP32953, which causes classical gastrointestinal symptoms. The unique gene pool of Y pseudotuberculosis IP31758 accounts for more than 260 strain-specific genes and introduces individual physiological capabilities and virulence determinants, with a significant proportion horizontally acquired that likely originated from Enterobacteriaceae and other soil-dwelling bacteria that persist in the same ecological niche. The mobile genome pool includes two novel plasmids phylogenetically unrelated to all currently reported Yersinia plasmids. An icm/dot type IVB secretion system, shared only with the intracellular persisting pathogens of the order Legionellales, was found on the larger plasmid and could contribute to scarlatinoid fever symptoms in patients due to the introduction of immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive capabilities. We determined the common and unique traits resulting from genome evolution and speciation within the genus Yersinia and drew a more accurate species border between Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis. In contrast to the lack of genetic diversity observed in the evolutionary young descending Y. pestis lineage, the population genetics of Y. pseudotuberculosis is more heterogenous. Both Y. pseudotuberculosis strains IP31758 and the previously sequenced Y. pseudotuberculosis strain IP32953 have evolved by the acquisition of specific plasmids and by the horizontal acquisition and incorporation of different genetic information into the chromosome, which all together or independently seems to potentially impact the phenotypic adaptation of these two strains

Multiple antimicrobial resistance in plague: An emerging public health risk

Antimicrobial resistance in Yersinia pestis is rare, yet constitutes a significant international public health and biodefense threat. In 1995, the first multidrug resistant (MDR) isolate of Y. pestis (strain IP275) was identified, and was shown to contain a self-transmissible plasmid (pIP1202) that conferred resistance to many of the antimicrobials recommended for plague treatment and prophylaxis. Comparative analysis of the DNA sequence of Y. pestis plasmid pIP1202 revealed a near identical IncA/C plasmid backbone that is shared by MDR plasmids isolated from Salmonella enterica serotype Newport SL254 and the fish pathogen Yersinia ruckeri YR71. The high degree of sequence identity and gene synteny between the plasmid backbones suggests recent acquisition of these plasmids from a common ancestor. In addition, the Y. pestis pIP1202-like plasmid backbone was detected in numerous MDR enterobacterial pathogens isolated from retail meat samples collected between 2002 and 2005 in the United States. Plasmid-positive strains were isolated from beef, chicken, turkey and pork, and were found in samples from the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Oregon. Our studies reveal that this common plasmid backbone is broadly disseminated among MDR zoonotic pathogens associated with agriculture. This reservoir of mobile resistance determinants has the potential to disseminate to Y. pestis and other human and zoonotic bacterial pathogens and therefore represents a significant public health concern

How Open Innovation Practices Deliver Societal Benefits

Open innovation practices have the potential to benefit society greatly. Bridging the research on open innovation, diffusion of innovation and responsible innovation, this study investigates how open innovation practices can foster societal benefits. Elaborating on potential benefit gaps and detrimental effects of innovation, the study proposes six distinct innovation attributes to deliver societal benefits: (I) adequate information and communication channels, (II) affordability, (III) appropriateness and availability, (IV) anticipation in terms of appropriate and reflexive risk assessment, (V) accountability in terms of adequate cost allocation of detrimental side effects, and (VI) sustainable path creation for transitions towards societal and environmental sustainability. Ten different open innovation practices are assessed drawing on our own and other published empirical insights. This assessment provides insights into which features of the practices support social benefits. Based on this assessment, we propose a typology of three different practices in relation to societal benefits and discuss how they address the six innovation attributes. Providing rich insights into which practices deliver societal benefits through which features, this study makes a significant contribution to existing research on open innovation, responsible innovation, inclusive and social innovation. Some practical implications and directions for further research are provided