Campus Intelligence: Von der Massenstatistik zur automatisierten individuellen Information

Im Zuge des Bologna-Prozesses hat die Studierbarkeit von Studiengängen enorm an Bedeutung gewonnen. Gleichzeitig nutzen immer mehr Hochschulen moderne Campus-Management-Systeme zur Verwaltung des gesamten studentischen Lebenszyklus. In diesem Artikel zeigen wir einen allgemeinen Ansatz, mit dem die vorhandenen Datenbestände in einer heterogenen IT-Hochschulstruktur effizient genutzt werden können. Grundlegendes Element sind generisch formulierte Abfragen, die vom Nutzer seinen individuellen Bedürfnissen entsprechend konfiguriert werden können. Darauf aufbauend stellen wir eine Erweiterung vor, mit der sich Massenstatistiken zu individualisierten Auswertungen erweitern lassen. Wir beschreiben die konkrete Implementierung an der Universität Göttingen und erarbeiten generelle Kriterien für den Einsatz solcher Statistiken zur Übertragung auf andere Hochschulen

Diffusion of IS in companies using renewable resources and its impact on uncertainty

The importance of sustainability is meanwhile well known in research as well as in practice. One way to produce moresustainable goods is the use of renewable resources. In this paper we present a two-staged study, consisting of a quantitativesurvey followed by qualitative interviews with companies which use renewable resources as an input for production. Thefocus of our study is on the diffusion of IS and supporting technologies and concepts in these special industrial sector. Due tothe natural growth and environmental influence factors it can be supposed that renewable resources are underlying a greateruncertainty regarding quantity, quality and time of availability. Therefore we also examine the influence of IS on uncertaintyin the companies surveyed

Influence of footwear on postural sway: A systematic review and meta-analysis on barefoot and shod bipedal static posturography in patients and healthy subjects

Background Bipedal static posturography is widely used to assess postural control. However, standardized methods and evidence on the influence of footwear on balance in comparison to barefoot stance is sparse. Research questions Is bipedal static posturography applied in a standardized way with respect to demographics and the experimental set-up (systematic review)? Does habitual footwear influence postural control in comparison to barefoot condition during bipedal static posturography in adult patients and healthy subjects (meta-analysis)? Methods For this systematic review and meta-analysis, a comprehensive follow-up literature search was conducted from March 2009 until January 2020 according to the PRISMA guidelines. Original, research articles reporting on bipedal, unsupported, static posturography in adults (≥18 years) were included according to inclusion criteria (age, sex, height, weight, duration, repetitions, visual/foot condition, sampling frequency). Studies comparing habitual footwear with barefoot condition during bipedal static posturography were included for the meta-analysis. Center of pressure parameters (sway velocity, range, root mean square, paths lengths) with subjects having eyes closed (EC) or open (EO) were analyzed using random effects models. Results For this systematic review and meta-analysis, 207 and eight out of 5189 studies with 12'341 and 156 subjects, respectively, were eligible. Most studies (89%) reported barefoot, 5% shod, and 6% barefoot and shod measurements. Less than half of studies (44%) included patients of which the minority (13%) suffered from neurological disease. Sway velocity in the anterior-posterior direction was higher in habitual shoes compared to barefoot with EC (SMD: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.68–1.48; p < 0.01; I2 = 0%), with EO (SMD: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.11–1.26; p = 0.02; I2 = 1%), and in the medio-lateral direction with EC (SMD: 1.30; 95% CI: 0.76–1.85, p < 0.01; I2 = 37%). Significance Methodical heterogeneity of bipedal static posturography hampers studies’ comparability. Thus, we provide a standardized approach to increase knowledge whether habitual footwear decrease postural control in comparison to barefoot stance

Closed-loop and chromium-free leather for the circular economy through refining sustainably available plant food waste

Currently, 80% (1700 km2) of global leather manufacture is tanned with chromium (III) salts, which are not renewable and problematic to recover at end-of-life (Covington 2007). Commercial vegetable tanning agents are extracted from cultivated stocks, which are insufficient to replace the current consumption of chromium (III) salts. Further expansion of existing plantations is not a sustainable method to generate sufficient tannin extracts to meet current demands. Therefore, alternative bio-based waste sources are required to effectively reuse resources and reduce the need for new fossil-based inputs and reduce the environmental footprint of leather manufacture. Literature supports the presence of tannins in coffee waste. Low et al (2015) and Bhoite et al (2013) confirm the presence of both condensed and hydrolysable tannins with C13 NMR and MS data. This observation can be extended to many waste streams in the food and beverage sector. Underpinning tanning application has been demonstrated through trials by Baskar at ICLT, which shows the extracted coffee waste replaces conventional veg tannins which includes both tanning and retanning stages. Typical concentrations of tannins required to fully tan are more than 30% of the hide weight, therefore, the use of waste sources has the potential to replace a significant quantity of leather processing chemicals. Currently at TRL 3, the project aim is to develop a scalable leather manufacturing process with tannins extracted from food and beverage wastes thus replacing Cr and plantation crop tanning agents

Pro-inflammatory Monocyte Phenotype and Cell-Specific Steroid Signaling Alterations in Unmedicated Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Several lines of evidence have strongly implicated inflammatory processes in the pathobiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the cellular origin of inflammatory signals and their specificity remain unclear. We examined the phenotype and glucocorticoid signaling in key cell populations of the innate immune system (monocytes) vs. adaptive immunity (T cells) in a sample of 35 well-characterized, antidepressant-free patients with MDD and 35 healthy controls individually matched for age, sex, smoking status and body mass index. Monocyte and T cell phenotype was assessed by flow cytometry. Cell-specific steroid signaling was determined by mRNA expression of pre-receptor regulation (11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1; 11β -HSD1), steroid receptor expression [glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR)], and the downstream target glucocorticoid-induced leucine-zipper (GILZ). We also collected salivary cortisol samples (8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.) on two consecutive days. Patients showed a shift toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype characterized by higher frequency and higher absolute numbers of non-classical monocytes. No group differences were observed in major T cell subset frequencies and phenotype. Correspondingly, gene expression indicative of steroid resistance (i.e., lower expression of GR and GILZ) in patients with MDD was specific to monocytes and not observed in T cells. Monocyte phenotype and steroid receptor expression was not related to cortisol levels or serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, or TNF-α. Our results thus suggest that in MDD, cells of the innate and adaptive immune system are differentially affected with shifts in monocyte subsets and lower expression of steroid signaling related genes

Quantitative Multi-Parameter Mapping Optimized for the Clinical Routine

Using quantitative multi-parameter mapping (MPM), studies can investigate clinically relevant microstructural changes with high reliability over time and across subjects and sites. However, long acquisition times (20 min for the standard 1-mm isotropic protocol) limit its translational potential. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity gain of a fast 1.6-mm isotropic MPM protocol including post-processing optimized for longitudinal clinical studies. 6 healthy volunteers (35 +/- 7 years old; 3 female) were scanned at 3T to acquire the following whole-brain MPM maps with 1.6 mm isotropic resolution: proton density (PD), magnetization transfer saturation (MT), longitudinal relaxation rate (R1), and transverse relaxation rate (R2*). MPM maps were generated using two RF transmit field (B1+) correction methods: (1) using an acquired B1+ map and (2) using a data-driven approach. Maps were generated with and without Gibb's ringing correction. The intra-/inter-subject coefficient of variation (CoV) of all maps in the gray and white matter, as well as in all anatomical regions of a fine-grained brain atlas, were compared between the different post-processing methods using Student's t-test. The intra-subject stability of the 1.6-mm MPM protocol is 2-3 times higher than for the standard 1-mm sequence and can be achieved in less than half the scan duration. Intra-subject variability for all four maps in white matter ranged from 1.2-5.3% and in gray matter from 1.8 to 9.2%. Bias-field correction using an acquired B1+ map significantly improved intra-subject variability of PD and R1 in the gray (42%) and white matter (54%) and correcting the raw images for the effect of Gibb's ringing further improved intra-subject variability in all maps in the gray (11%) and white matter (10%). Combining Gibb's ringing correction and bias field correction using acquired B1+ maps provides excellent stability of the 7-min MPM sequence with 1.6 mm resolution suitable for the clinical routine

Altered Coupling of Psychological Relaxation and Regional Volume of Brain Reward Areas in Multiple Sclerosis

Background:Psychological stress can influence the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about neurobiological factors potentially counteracting these effects. Objective:To identify gray matter (GM) brain regions related to relaxation after stress exposure in persons with MS (PwMS). Methods:36 PwMS and 21 healthy controls (HCs) reported their feeling of relaxation during a mild stress task. These markers were related to regional GM volumes, heart rate, and depressive symptoms. Results:Relaxation was differentially linked to heart rate in both groups (t= 2.20,p= 0.017), i.e., both markers were only related in HCs. Relaxation was positively linked to depressive symptoms across all participants (t= 1.99,p= 0.045) although this link differed weakly between groups (t= 1.62,p= 0.108). Primarily, the volume in medial temporal gyrus was negatively linked to relaxation in PwMS (t= -5.55, p(family-wise-error(FWE)corrected)= 0.018). A group-specific coupling of relaxation and GM volume was found in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) (t= -4.89, p(FWE)= 0.039). Conclusion:PwMS appear unable to integrate peripheral stress signals into their perception of relaxation. Together with the group-specific coupling of relaxation and VMPFC volume, a key area of the brain reward system for valuation of affectively relevant stimuli, this finding suggests a clinically relevant misinterpretation of stress-related affective stimuli in MS