The link between information technology, performance management and school effectiveness: An empirical study in German schools

In the last decades, several research studies have been executed on the key factors that influence school effectiveness. Taking state of the art literature into account, six broad areas can been identified: student, home, school and leadership, curricula, teachers and teaching/learning approaches. As part of the area of school and leadership, the overarching topic of performance management has been empirically tested to be an effective strategy for improving student outcomes. The role of organizational performance metrics and monitoring cannot be overstated as a success factor of an organization because they affect strategic, tactical and operational planning in setting objectives, evaluating performance, and determining future courses of action. Consequently, the research project at hand aims to analyze, as a first step, the interrelation between the use of technology and performance monitoring and, as a second step, the impact of these management practices on the organizational effectiveness of schools. For that, an online survey is sent to about 20.000 principals in Germany. Statistical analysis will be conducted

Flächennutzungsmonitoring - aktuelle Ergebnisse und Entwicklungen im IÖR-Monitor

Nach Darstellung der Anforderungen an ein zeitgemäßes Flächennutzungsmonitoring werden aktuelle Ergebnisse des Monitors der Siedlungs- und Freiraumentwicklung (IÖR-Monitor) vorgestellt. Diese beruhen insbesondere auf der Analyse topographischen Geobasisdaten von 2012 (mittlere Grundaktualität 2010). Die Siedlungs- und Verkehrsfläche steigt danach weiter ungemindert, sodass keine Entwarnung bzgl. des Erreichens der Flächensparziele gegeben werden kann. Da sich der IÖR-Monitor insbesondere auf die Auswertung des ATKIS Basis-DLM stützt, werden dessen jüngste Entwicklungen mit den Aspekten Aktualität und AAA-Migration vorgestellt. Erstmals werden die Ergebnisse des IÖR-Monitors durch Migrationseffekte geringfügig beeinflusst, die im Detail dargestellt werden. Anschließend werden neue Indikatoren der Kategorie Siedlung (Bodenversiegelungsgrad), Gebäude (Gebäudedichte und -überbauungsgrad) sowie Landschaftsqualität (Anteil naturbetonter Flächen und Hemerobieindex) erläutert. Inzwischen ist auch die kleinräumige Indikatordarstellung in Form von Rasterkarten bis 100-m-Rasterweite in einem integrierten Detailviewer mit GIS-Funktionalität möglich. Die technische Realisierung und die verfügbaren Indikatorkarten werden kurz vorgestellt. Der Beitrag schließt mit einem Ausblick auf die nächsten Arbeiten im IÖR-Monitor ab

Aktuelle Trends der Flächennutzungsentwicklung, neue Indikatoren und Funktionalitäten des IÖR-Monitors

Der Monitor der Siedlungs- und Freiraumentwicklung (IÖR-Monitor) stellt seit 2010 Indikatoren zur Flächennutzungsentwicklung und zur Landschaftsqualität für Deutschland bereit. Vorgestellt werden aktuelle Ergebnisse der Flächennutzungsentwicklung und neue Indikatoren wie die Flächenproduktivität, Indikatoren zum Anteil von Siedlungs- und Verkehrsflächen sowie gebäudeüberbauten Flächen in amtlich festgesetzten Überschwemmungsgebieten, die Reliefvielfalt und -energie und die gehölzdominierte Ökotondichte. Ergänzt wurden Indikatoren zur Gesamtkraftverkehrs- und Fahrwegnetzdichte. Inzwischen werden viele Indikatoren auch als hochauflösende Rasterkarten bis zu 100 m Rasterweite präsentiert. Das ermöglicht interessante Differenzierungen insbesondere der Flächennutzung bzw. -bedeckung in urbanen und ruralen Landschaften. Ergänzt wurden WMS-Dienste, die die Einbindung der Rasterkarten in eigene GISUmgebungen ermöglichen. Die Datenangebote des IÖR-Monitors sind inzwischen INSPIRE-konform durch Metadaten beschrieben und Bestandteil der GDI-DE und des Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

Formation of ultracold SrYb molecules in an optical lattice by photoassociation spectroscopy: theoretical prospects

State-of-the-art {\em ab initio} techniques have been applied to compute the potential energy curves for the SrYb molecule in the Born-Oppenheimer approximation for the ground state and first fifteen excited singlet and triplet states within the coupled-cluster framework. The leading long-range coefficients describing the dispersion interactions at large interatomic distances are also reported. The electric transition dipole moments have been obtained as the first residue of the polarization propagator computed with the linear response coupled-cluster method restricted to single and double excitations. Spin-orbit coupling matrix elements have been evaluated using the multireference configuration interaction method restricted to single and double excitations with a large active space. The electronic structure data was employed to investigate the possibility of forming deeply bound ultracold SrYb molecules in an optical lattice in a photoassociation experiment using continuous-wave lasers. Photoassociation near the intercombination line transition of atomic strontium into the vibrational levels of the strongly spin-orbit mixed $b^3\Sigma^+$, $a^3\Pi$, $A^1\Pi$, and $C^1\Pi$ states with subsequent efficient stabilization into the $v^{\prime\prime}=1$ vibrational level of the electronic ground state is proposed. Ground state SrYb molecules can be accumulated by making use of collisional decay from $v^{\prime\prime}=1$ to $v^{\prime\prime}=0$. Alternatively, photoassociation and stabilization to $v^{\prime\prime}=0$ can proceed via stimulated Raman adiabatic passage provided that the trapping frequency of the optical lattice is large enough and phase coherence between the pulses can be maintained over at least tens of microseconds

The DNA methylation landscape of the human oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR): data-driven clusters and their relation to gene expression and childhood adversity.

The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is of interest when investigating the effects of early adversity on DNA methylation. However, there is heterogeneity regarding the selection of the most promising CpG sites to target for analyses. The goal of this study was to determine functionally relevant clusters of CpG sites within the OXTR CpG island in 113 mother-infant dyads, with 58 of the mothers reporting childhood maltreatment (CM). OXTR DNA methylation was analyzed in peripheral/umbilical blood mononuclear cells. Different complexity reduction approaches were used to reduce the 188 CpG sites into clusters of co-methylated sites. Furthermore, associations between OXTR DNA methylation (cluster- and site-specific level) and OXTR gene expression and CM were investigated in mothers. Results showed that, first, CpG sections differed strongly regarding their statistical utility for research of individual differences in DNA methylation. Second, cluster analyses and Partial Least Squares (PLS) suggested two clusters consisting of intron1/exon2 and the protein-coding region of exon3, respectively, as most strongly associated with outcome measures. Third, cross-validated PLS regression explained 7% of variance in CM, with low cross-validated variance explained for the prediction of gene expression. Fourth, substantial mother-child correspondence was observed in correlation patterns within the identified clusters, but only modest correspondence outside these clusters. This study makes an important contribution to the mapping of the DNA methylation landscape of the OXTR CpG island by highlighting clusters of CpG sites that show desirable statistical properties and predictive value. We provide a Companion Web Application to facilitate the choice of CpG sites

Identification of Eps15 as Antigen Recognized by the Monoclonal Antibodies aa2 and ab52 of the Wuerzburg Hybridoma Library against Drosophila Brain

The Wuerzburg Hybridoma Library against the Drosophila brain represents a collection of around 200 monoclonal antibodies that bind to specific structures in the Drosophila brain. Here we describe the immunohistochemical staining patterns, the Western blot signals of one- and two-dimensional electrophoretic separation, and the mass spectrometric characterization of the target protein candidates recognized by the monoclonal antibodies aa2 and ab52 from the library. Analysis of a mutant of a candidate gene identified the Drosophila homolog of the Epidermal growth factor receptor Pathway Substrate clone 15 (Eps15) as the antigen for these two antibodies

"CAN Stop" - Implementation and evaluation of a secondary group prevention for adolescent and young adult cannabis users in various contexts - study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current research shows that overall numbers for cannabis use among adolescents and young adults dropped in recent years. However, this trend is much less pronounced in continuous cannabis use. With regard to the heightened risk for detrimental health- and development-related outcomes, adolescents and young adults with continuous cannabis use need special attention. The health services structure for adolescents and young adults with substance related problems in Germany, is multifaceted, because different communal, medical and judicial agencies are involved. This results in a rather decentralized organizational structure of the help system. This and further system-inherent characteristics make the threshold for young cannabis users rather high. Because of this, there is a need to establish evidence-based low-threshold help options for young cannabis users, which can be easily disseminated. Therefore, a training programme for young cannabis users (age 14-21) was developed in the "CAN Stop" project. Within the project, we seek to implement and evaluate the training programme within different institutions of the help system. The evaluation is sensitive to the different help systems and their specific prerequisites. Moreover, within this study, we also test the practicability of a training provision through laypersons.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The CAN Stop study is a four-armed randomized wait-list controlled trial. The four arms are needed for the different help system settings, in which the CAN Stop training programme is evaluated: (a) the drug addiction aid and youth welfare system, (b) the out-patient medical system, (c) the in-patient medical system and (d) prisons for juvenile offenders. Data are collected at three points, before and after the training or a treatment as usual, and six months after the end of either intervention.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The CAN Stop study is expected to provide an evidence-based programme for young cannabis users seeking to reduce or quit their cannabis use. Moreover, we seek to gain knowledge about the programme's utility within different settings of the German help system for young cannabis users and information about the settings' specific clientele. The study protocol is discussed with regard to potential difficulties within the different settings.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN57036983">ISRCTN57036983</a></p

Aircraft engine particulate matter emissions from sustainable aviation fuels: Results from ground-based measurements during the NASA/DLR campaign ECLIF2/ND-MAX

The use of alternative jet fuels by commercial aviation has increased substantially in recent years. Beside the reduction of carbon dioxide emission, the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) may have a positive impact on the reduction of particulate emissions. This study summarizes the results from a ground-based measurement activity conducted in January 2018 as part of the ECLIF2 ND-MAX campaign in Ramstein, Germany. Two fossil reference kerosenes and three different blends with the renewable fuel component HEFA-SPK (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene) were burned in an A320 with V2527-A5 engines to investigate the effect of fuel naphthalene aromatic content and the corresponding fuel hydrogen content on nonvolatile particle number and mass emissions

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016