Increasing Value for Money in Higher Education Development Cooperation A German Perspective Based on Project Coordinators’ Experiences

The concept value for money, usually defined as the three E’s (economy, efficiency and effectiveness), does not fully apply to projects in development cooperation. The paper on hand argues that the concept should not be perceived as economic benefit in monetary terms only. It encourages a qualitative approach defining value for money as a long-term effect of a project that can be reached by only a little more input of resources than usually available for development cooperation projects. Thus, the concept of value for money is closely connected to that of sustainability of a project. Recent studies show that German-African development cooperation in the field of higher education not always can live up to the expectations concerning sustainability (DAAD 2013 / Hansert et al. 2012). Based on the authors’ experiences with development projects aiming at higher education quality, this article critically reflects on development cooperation in higher education and identifies prerequisites which could foster a beneficial use of (monetary and non-monetary) input in development cooperation projects. As will be shown, critical evaluative thinking, joint project planning, realistic expectations and the acknowledgement of intercultural differences can be key to successful project work in development cooperation and thus can help to increase the value for money and sustainability alike. Keywords: higher education management, quality assurance, project management, international cooperation, development cooperatio

Interventional Left Atrial Appendage Closure: Focus on Practical Implications

Catheter-based left atrial appendage closure is an evolving therapy for the prophylaxis of thromboembolic complications in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, which are ineligible for long-term oral anticoagulation. For this indication, it is recommended by the current European guidelines. This review of the existing literature should facilitate the understanding of the therapy’s practical implications. It presents a clinical approach toward a correct patient selection, gives an overview of the different devices and the procedural aspects, reflects differences and benefits between several postprocedural regimens for device surveillance as well as antithrombotic medication and rounds off with a summary of the relevant studies concerning efficacy and safety outcome measures

Methodological considerations for implementing the U.S. Soil Conservation Service Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) System in Oregon, with special reference to Marion County, Oregon

Oregon land use specialists believe that the present definitions of farm and forest land in the state planning goals are too broad. This results in poor quality resource lands being as strongly protected as those of top quality. With persistent growth pressure on rural lands, a means to distinguish among primary, secondary and nonresource lands must be developed so that these areas may be zoned for the uses for which they are best-suited. The Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission established a Rural Lands Advisory Committee in 1985 to study the resource lands problem. The committee is considering using a form of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service Land Evaluation and Site Assessment System to make the distinction among resource categories. Based on the experience of Marion County, Oregon, such an application of the system appears to be feasible. At least five other states have adopted some form of a statewide evaluation system, but, such a system could be more difficult to develop in Oregon because of the state's size, agricultural diversity and complex land use planning process. There are several ways in which the Land Evaluation and Site Assessment System can be used in the Oregon land use program. To be most effective, the system should be developed and implemented at a regional or county level with close supervision by the Department of Land Conservation and Development. No matter what level of government is responsible, there are a number of technical and political issues that must be resolved before the system can be used in the Oregon program. Resolution of the problems hinges on thoughtful guidance by the Department and is necessary for consistent and justifiable results

Cyanotoxins associated with macrophytes in Berlin (Germany) water bodies – Occurrence and risk assessment

Publisher Copyright: © 2022Fatal dog poisoning after uptake of neurotoxic cyanobacteria associated with aquatic macrophytes in Tegeler See (Berlin, Germany) raised concerns about critical exposure of humans, especially children, to cyanotoxins produced by macrophyte associated cyanobacteria during recreational activity. From 2017 to 2021 a total of 398 samples of macrophytes washed ashore at bathing sites located at 19 Berlin lakes were analysed for anatoxins, microcystins, and cylindrospermopsins, as were 463 water samples taken in direct proximity to macrophyte accumulations. Cyanotoxins were detected in 66 % of macrophyte samples and 50 % of water samples, with anatoxins being the most frequently detected toxin group in macrophyte samples (58 %) and cylindrospermopsins in water samples (41 %). Microcoleus sp. associated with the water moss Fontinalis antipyretica was identified as anatoxin producing cy-anobacterium in isolated strains as well as in field samples from Tegeler See. Anatoxin contents in macrophyte samples rarely exceeded 1 mu g/g macrophyte fresh weight and peaked at 9.2 mu g/g f.w. Based on established toxicological points of departure, a critical anatoxin content of macrophyte samples of 3 mu g/g f.w. is proposed. Five samples, all taken in Tegeler See and all associated with the water moss Fontinalis antipyretica, exceeded this value. Contents and concentra-tions of microcystins and cylindrospermopsins did not reach critical levels. The potential exposure risks to anatoxins for children and dogs are assessed and recommendations are given.Peer reviewe

Peripheral Ventricular Assist Devices in Interventional Cardiology: The Impella® Micro-Axial Pump

Coronary artery disease (CAD) presents an ever-growing burden on health systems especially in the Western world. While percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is feasible in increasingly complex CAD, certain patient groups possess a high risk for major cardiac adverse events (MACE) during PCI. Poor outcome is associated with significantly depressed left ventricular function, complexity of relevant lesions, and increasing incidence of pre-existing cerebrovascular comorbidities and poor pre-interventional status. However, these risk factors also translate into a high peri-operative risk for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) rendering some of these patients inoperable. Peripheral ventricular assist devices (pVADs) are temporarily inserted axial or centrifugal pumps that support ventricular output during PCI. The Impella® micro-axial device (Abiomed, Danvers, Massachusetts, USA) is an easily implantable pVAD that may improve patient outcome during PCI in high-risk patients (termed “protected PCI”) and in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). pVADs in general and the Impella® system in particular play important roles in interventional cardiology and its indications and use will likely expand in the future. This chapter outlines in detail the indications, applications, and future trends concerning the Impella® system. Practical advice is given on the correct implantation of the device

Variability of the microcystin synthetase gene cluster

Abstract In populations of Planktothrix, microcystin-producers and non-producers, which are morphologically identical, coexist. In order to develop a basis for the reliable detection of microcystin producers in field samples with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based methods, we studied the presence and variability of eight regions of the mcy gene cluster in 46 Planktothrix strains, including both microcystin-producing and non-producing ones. PCR-amplification products for two mcy gene regions were also found in non-microcystin-producing strains, indicating the existence of natural mutants. PCR-products of the other regions studied were only detected in microcystin-producing strains. Two of these mcy-amplicons were variable in sequence and length. Four gene regions remained that were conserved and specific for microcystin-producing Planktothrix strains, and thus qualified to detect the respective chemotypes in environmental samples

Gamification in der Regionalplanung: ein Ansatz zur Aktivierung formeller Planungsstrategien

„Fortschritt! Deiner Gemeinde gelingt die Ansiedlung eines führenden Unternehmens als Cash Cow. Spiele diese Karte, um eine beliebige weitere Karte abzulegen.“ Während formale Festlegungen und deren zugrundeliegenden Abwägungsprozesse, wie in der Planung üblich, abstrakt und für Laien wie politische Entscheidungsträgerinnen schwer verständlich sind, können spielbasierte Medien Sachverhalte kurz und dennoch prägnant darstellen. Dies gilt sowohl für die Funktionsweise der Raumplanung auf verschiedenen Ebenen und insbesondere die formelle Regionalplanung an sich, als auch für die tatsächlichen Folgen kommunaler Untätigkeit oder des Konterkarierens regionaler Festlegungen, wie in diesem Beitrag dargelegt. Während Gamification in der Planung bereits seit Jahren diskutiert wird, sieht die Planungsrealität (noch) anders aus.1 In diesem Beitrag werden die Probleme formeller Regionalplanung generell und am Beispiel der Region Stuttgart dargestellt. Bekannt als starke Wirtschaftsregion in Baden-Württemberg mit Global Playern wie Daimler, Porsche und Bosch, sieht sich auch die Region Stuttgart mit Herausforderungen für deren zukünftige Entwicklung konfrontiert, die sich im Großen und Ganzen als Wachstumsschmerzen zusammenfassen lassen. Es stehen sich Akteure der Regionalentwicklung, Bürgerinnen und politische Entscheidungsträger aus verschiedenen Kommunen in vielfältigen Konstellationen mit ihren Positionen und Motivationen gegenüber. Aufgrund der administrativen Kleinteiligkeit und des verbreiteten Konkurrenzdenkens wird die regionale Entwicklung durch inter-kommunale Spannungen, Stagnation durch saturierte „Wohlfühl“-Gemeinden sowie schlicht unsolidarisches öffentliches Handeln behindert. In diesem Zusammenhang sind auch verstärkte Phänome wie NIMBY („not in my backyard”) oder BANANA („built absolutly nothing anywhere near anbody”) zu nennen. Darüber hinaus stößt der formelle Regionalplan als räumliches Gesamtkonzept, das die funktionalen Zusammenhänge der Region integriert berücksichtigen und zwischen konkurrierenden Nutzungen vermitteln soll, häufig auf Unverständnis, Widerwillen oder gar Gegenwind – mit entsprechend negativen Folgen für die Akzeptanz und Wertschätzung der Inhalte. Auch wenn der Stuttgarter Regionalplan als starke Bremse fungiert und den Rahmen des Instruments durch restriktive Regelungen ausschöpft, stößt er dennoch an seine Grenzen, da er nicht in der Lage ist, die relevanten Akteure zu aktivieren und zum Handeln zu bewegen, um die wirtschaftliche Spitzenposition und Lebensqualität der Region zu halten. Es fehlt daher unter anderem an unterstützenden, persuasiven Instrumenten, um dessen Konzepte in politischen Entscheidungsprozessen überzeugend zu vermitteln. In diesem Beitrag wird ein spielbasierter Ansatz für die oben skizzierte Problematik mit den Schwerpunkten Mediation, Konsultation und Integration in politische Entscheidungsprozesse, welcher im Rahmen eines Studienprojekts im Masterstudiengang „Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung“ an der Technischen Universität Kaiserslautern entwickelt wurde, vorgestellt. Das Kartenspiel richtet sich an Bürgerinnen sowie politische Entscheidungsträger der Kommunen an der Schnittstelle zur Regionalplanung und bietet eine Möglichkeit, regional relevante, aber schwer greifbare Sachverhalte wie politische Handlungsoptionen, planerische Grundsätze sowie gutes und schlechtes regionales Handeln verständlich darzustellen und für eine breite Zielgruppe herunterzubrechen. Dabei schlüpfen politische Entscheidungsträger in die Rolle von Gemeinden, um deren zukünftige Entwicklung zu bestimmen, wobei ihnen auf 60 illustrierten Karten die Folgen verschiedener (Nicht-) Handlungen und Trends aufgezeigt werden. Die sachlich bis humorvoll gestalteten Motive umfassen sowohl Erfolge und Rückschritte als auch einfache Stopp-, Sammel- und Aktionskarten. Ebenso wird aufgezeigt, in welchen Praxisfeldern das entwickelte Kartenspiel eingesetzt werden kann