It All Starts with a Good Idea: A New Coding System for Analyzing Idea Finding Interactions (AIFI)

In today’s fast-changing world, teams need to develop a sound capacity for finding new ideas. However, we know little about the behavioral micro-dynamics that are at the core of creativity in teams. To overcome these shortcomings, we present a new behavioral coding system for analyzing idea finding interactions (AIFI). The AIFI system aims to help researchers study fine-grained creative team processes. In terms of practical application, the AIFI system can serve to visualize the patterns of Idea finding over time. The codes of the AIFI system were derived both inductively (analyzing videos of innovation teams) and deductively (consulting existing coding systems). A first application of the AIFI system showed moderate agreement among coders, speaking to its interrater reliability. Further, we examined distinct relationships between the codes of the AIFI system and (1) ratings of idea quality provided by external raters and (2) team members’ perceived effectiveness

Ansatzpunkte zur erfolgreichen Begleitung und Vernetzung internationaler Studierender: Einblicke in das SCOUT - Programm an der TU Braunschweig

German universities are evermore faced with the challenge of increasing their internationalization. An integral part of the internationalization strategy at many German universities is the opening of courses for international students. This aims at training and retaining international students for the German labour market as well as promoting the exchange between cultures. However, integrating international students into everyday life at German university is not easy. In addition to language skills, networking with local students is important to give international students orientation and social support in everyday student life, which may help them to complete their studies more successfully. Therefore, many universities offer programmes for intercultural exchange.The following article presents a successfully established programme at the TU Braunschweig, the SCOUT programme, to support and connect international students. The SCOUT programme allows international students adequate and structured support and a differentiated insight into studying at TU Braunschweig. At the same time, local students can systematically acquire intercultural skills within the programme. Thus, the SCOUT programme can serve as a model for similar activities at other universities.Die Integration internationaler Studierender in das deutsche Hochschulsystem wird aufgrund der gewünschten Internationalisierung der Hochschulen immer wichtiger. Studiengänge stehen internationalen Studierenden offen und werden zunehmend nachgefragt. Dies hat gesellschaftspolitisch u.a. zum Ziel, internationale Studierende für den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt auszubilden und dauerhaft zu gewinnen sowie den Austausch zwischen den Kulturen zu fördern. Gleichzeitig ist die Integration internationaler Studierender in das deutsche Hochschulsystem kein Selbstläufer. Die Lehr-Lern-Kultur an deutschen Hochschulschulen stellt für viele internationale Studierende eine große Schwierigkeit dar. Neben Sprachkenntnissen ist eine Vernetzung mit einheimischen Studierenden wichtig, um internationalen Studierenden eine Orientierung und soziale Unterstützung im Studienalltag zu geben, sodass diese ihr Studium erfolgreich absolvieren können. Viele Hochschulen bieten daher Programme zum interkulturellen Austausch an. Diese variieren stark bezüglich ihrer Strukturierung und Verbindlichkeit. Der folgende Beitrag stellt das an der TU Braunschweig erfolgreich eingeführte SCOUT-Programm zur Begleitung und Vernetzung internationaler Studierender vor. Das SCOUT-Programm ermöglicht internationalen Studierenden eine bedarfsgerechte und strukturierte Unterstützung sowie einen differenzierten Einblick in das Studieren an der TU Braunschweig. Gleichzeitig können einheimische Studierende im Rahmen des Programms systematisch interkulturelle Kompetenzen erwerben. Das SCOUT-Programm kann somit als Vorbild für ähnliche Aktivitäten an anderen Hochschulen dienen.

A starting point to successfully support and connect international students: Insights into the SCOUT programme at TU Braunschweig

Die Integration internationaler Studierender in das deutsche Hochschulsystem wird aufgrund der gewünschten Internationalisierung der Hochschulen immer wichtiger. Studiengänge stehen internationalen Studierenden offen und werden zunehmend nachgefragt. Dies hat gesellschaftspolitisch u.a. zum Ziel, internationale Studierende für den deutschen Arbeitsmarkt auszubilden und dauerhaft zu gewinnen sowie den Austausch zwischen den Kulturen zu fördern. Gleichzeitig ist die Integration internationaler Studierender in das deutsche Hochschulsystem kein Selbstläufer. Die Lehr-Lern-Kultur an deutschen Hochschulschulen stellt für viele internationale Studierende eine große Schwierigkeit dar. Neben Sprachkenntnissen ist eine Vernetzung mit einheimischen Studierenden wichtig, um internationalen Studierenden eine Orientierung und soziale Unterstützung im Studienalltag zu geben, sodass diese ihr Studium erfolgreich absolvieren können. Viele Hochschulen bieten daher Programme zum interkulturellen Austausch an. Diese variieren stark bezüglich ihrer Strukturierung und Verbindlichkeit. Der folgende Beitrag stellt das an der TU Braunschweig erfolgreich eingeführte SCOUT-Programm zur Begleitung und Vernetzung internationaler Studierender vor. Das SCOUT-Programm ermöglicht internationalen Studierenden eine bedarfsgerechte und strukturierte Unterstützung sowie einen differenzierten Einblick in das Studieren an der TU Braunschweig. Gleichzeitig können einheimische Studierende im Rahmen des Programms systematisch interkulturelle Kompetenzen erwerben. Das SCOUT-Programm kann somit als Vorbild für ähnliche Aktivitäten an anderen Hochschulen dienen. German universities are evermore faced with the challenge of increasing their internationalization. An integral part of the internationalization strategy at many German universities is the opening of courses for international students. This aims at training and retaining international students for the German labour market as well as promoting the exchange between cultures. However, integrating international students into everyday life at German university is not easy. In addition to language skills, networking with local students is important to give international students orientation and social support in everyday student life, which may help them to complete their studies more successfully. Therefore, many universities offer programmes for intercultural exchange.The following article presents a successfully established programme at the TU Braunschweig, the SCOUT programme, to support and connect international students. The SCOUT programme allows international students adequate and structured support and a differentiated insight into studying at TU Braunschweig. At the same time, local students can systematically acquire intercultural skills within the programme. Thus, the SCOUT programme can serve as a model for similar activities at other universities

Phosphodiesterase 2 Protects against Catecholamine-induced Arrhythmias and Preserves Contractile Function after Myocardial Infarction

International audienceRationale: Phosphodiesterase 2 is a dual substrate esterase, which has the unique property to be stimulated by cGMP, but primarily hydrolyzes cAMP. Myocardial phosphodiesterase 2 is upregulated in human heart failure, but its role in the heart is unknown.Objective: To explore the role of phosphodiesterase 2 in cardiac function, propensity to arrhythmia, and myocardial infarction.Methods and Results: Pharmacological inhibition of phosphodiesterase 2 (BAY 60–7550, BAY) led to a significant positive chronotropic effect on top of maximal β-adrenoceptor activation in healthy mice. Under pathological conditions induced by chronic catecholamine infusions, BAY reversed both the attenuated β-adrenoceptor–mediated inotropy and chronotropy. Conversely, ECG telemetry in heart-specific phosphodiesterase 2-transgenic (TG) mice showed a marked reduction in resting and in maximal heart rate, whereas cardiac output was completely preserved because of greater cardiac contraction. This well-tolerated phenotype persisted in elderly TG with no indications of cardiac pathology or premature death. During arrhythmia provocation induced by catecholamine injections, TG animals were resistant to triggered ventricular arrhythmias. Accordingly, Ca2+-spark analysis in isolated TG cardiomyocytes revealed remarkably reduced Ca2+ leakage and lower basal phosphorylation levels of Ca2+-cycling proteins including ryanodine receptor type 2. Moreover, TG demonstrated improved cardiac function after myocardial infarction.Conclusions: Endogenous phosphodiesterase 2 contributes to heart rate regulation. Greater phosphodiesterase 2 abundance protects against arrhythmias and improves contraction force after severe ischemic insult. Activating myocardial phosphodiesterase 2 may, thus, represent a novel intracellular antiadrenergic therapeutic strategy protecting the heart from arrhythmia and contractile dysfunction

Why do adaptable people feel less insecure? Indirect effects of career adaptability on job and career insecurity via two types of perceived marketability

The aim of the present study was to analyze if and how career adaptability reduces different types of insecurity. More specifically, we argue in a theoretical model at the intersection of career and organizational research that perceived internal and external marketability serve as connecting variables in the link between career adaptability and job and career insecurity. We tested our assumptions by means of multiple indirect effects path analyses across two measurement points (6 month timespan) with data from 142 university researchers working in the STEM fields. The results showed that career adaptability was positively related to perceived internal and external marketability, which both subsequently were negatively associated with job and career insecurity. We draw theoretical implications for career research in intra- and extraorganizational settings and discuss practical implications for fostering secure employment

Gender, Professional Networks, and Subjective Career Success within Early Academic Science Careers: The Role of Gender Composition in Inside and Outside Departmental Support Networks

The present study analyzed (a) gender differences in the gender composition (i.e., the proportion of male to female contacts) of professional support networks inside and outside an individual’s academic department and (b) how these differences in gender composition relate to subjective career success (i.e., perceived career success and perceived external marketability). Results showed that the networks’ gender composition is associated with subjective career success. Men’s networks consist of a higher proportion of male to female supporters, which, in turn, was positively related to subjective career success. Additional analyses revealed that the findings could not be accounted for by alternative factors, such as network size, networking behaviors, and career ambition