Social Media in the retail marketing : commercial benefit of Social Media marketing by the example of the Mercedes-Benz distribution network

Das Internet hat sich in den vergangenen zehn Jahren stetig weiterentwickelt. Im Laufe dieser Zeit eröffneten sich für die Nutzer neue Möglichkeiten zur Kommunikation und Partizipation im World Wide Web. Auch für Unternehmen sind neue Möglichkeiten entstanden, ihr Marketing und somit auch ihre Kommunikation mit dem Medium Internet zu verbinden. Besonders zu erwähnen ist die starke Bedeutung von sozialen Medien bei Konsumenten und Unternehmen, welche sich in den letzten 5 Jahren entwickelte. Über diese neue Medienform können Unternehmen in den direkten Kontakt zu ihren Kunden treten. Das Stichwort lautet Social Media Marketing (kurz SMM). Hierunter versteht man den Aufbau eines langfristigen und vertrauenswürdigen Dialogs zwischen dem Unternehmen und seinen Kunden über das Medium Social Media. Über die reine Kommunikation hinaus wird SMM mittlerweile auch verstärkt kommerziell eingesetzt. Den Unternehmen geht es hierbei besonders um die Fragen wie sich mithilfe von Social Media der Umsatz oder das Image steigern lässt. Eine stark kommerzielle Ausprägungsform von SMM ist Social Commerce. Hier wird Social Media nicht nur verkaufs-unterstützend, sondern als direktes Verkaufswerkzeug eingesetzt. Social Media ist somit für viele Unternehmen mittlerweile ein Kommunikations- und ein Distributionskanal zugleich. Die vorliegende Bachelorarbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Thema SMM und dem daraus abgeleiteten kommerziellen Nutzen am Beispiel des Händlernetzes von Mercedes-Benz. Mithilfe einer Umfrage, welche innerhalb des Händlernetzes durchgeführt wurde, werden aktuelle Gegebenheiten und Tendenzen zu dieser Thematik untersucht. Weiterhin wird auf das Thema Social Commerce eingegangen und untersucht, welches Potenzial im Mercedes-Benz Händlernetz diesbezüglich besteht und ob Social Commerce bereits aktiv genutzt wird. Zunächst werden die Themenbereiche Social Media, SMM und Social Commerce separat betrachtet und erläutert. Anschließend wird auf die Marke und das globale Händlernetz von Mercedes-Benz in Bezug auf SMM und die kommerzielle Nutzung von SMM eingegangen. Hier wird auch das Thema Social Commerce noch einmal aufgegriffen und es werden etwaige Ansätze für das Mercedes-Benz Händlernetz angesprochen. Mithilfe der sich dann anschließenden Umfrage sollen die theoretischen Erkenntnisse untersucht und daraus Tendenzen, Erfolgsfaktoren und Handlungs-empfehlungen abgeleitet werden

Simulation of tangential and radial electric brain activity: different sensitivity in EEG and MEG

Based on the main direction of the neuronal currents with respect to the local skull curvature, it is common to distinguish between tangential brain activity originating mainly from the walls of the sulci and radial brain activity originating mainly from the gyri or the bottom of the sulci. It is well known that MEG is more sensitive to tangential activity while EEG is sensitive to both radial and tangential activity. Thus, it is surprising that studies in epileptic patients report cases were spikes are visible in MEG but not in EEG. Recently, it was discussed that a lower sensitivity of MEG to background activity might be the reason for the spike visibility in MEG but not in EEG. Consequently, we analyze the signalto-noise ratio (SNR) of simulated spikes at varying orientations and with varying background activity in realistic head models. For a fixed realistic background activity, we find a higher SNR for spikes in the MEG as long as the spike orientation is not more than 30 degrees deviating from the tangential direction. Vice versa the SNR for spikes in the EEG is higher as long as the spike orientation is not more than 45 degrees deviating from the radial direction. Our simulations provide a possible explanation for the experimentally observed differences in EEG and MEG signals

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

On Jacobi--Weierstrass mock modular forms

Claudia Alfes-Neumann CA-N, Funke J, Mertens M, Rosu E. On Jacobi--Weierstrass mock modular forms. arXiv:2303.01445. 2023.We construct harmonic weak Maass forms that map to cusp forms of weight $k\geq 2$ with rational coefficients under the $\xi$-operator. This generalizes work of the first author, Griffin, Ono, and Rolen, who constructed distinguished preimages under this differential operator of weight $2$ newforms associated to rational elliptic curves using the classical Weierstrass theory of elliptic functions. We extend this theory and construct a vector-valued Jacobi--Weierstrass $\zeta$-function which is a generalization of the classical Weierstrass $\zeta$-function

Noise characteristics in spaceflight multichannel EEG.

The cognitive performance of the crew has a major impact on mission safety and success in space flight. Monitoring of cognitive performance during long-duration space flight therefore is of paramount importance and can be performed using compact state-of-the-art mobile EEG. However, signal quality of EEG may be compromised due to the vicinity to various electronic devices and constant movements. We compare noise characteristics between in-flight extraterrestrial microgravity and ground-level terrestrial electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. EEG data recordings from either aboard International Space Station (ISS) or on earth's surface, utilizing three EEG amplifiers and two electrode types, were compared. In-flight recordings showed noise level of an order of magnitude lower when compared to pre- and post-flight ground-level recordings with the same EEG system. Noise levels between ground-level recordings with actively shielded cables, and in-flight recordings without shielded cables, were similar. Furthermore, noise level characteristics of shielded ground-level EEG recordings, using wet and dry electrodes, and in-flight EEG recordings were similar. Actively shielded mobile dry EEG systems will support neuroscientific research and neurocognitive monitoring during spaceflight, especially during long-duration space missions

Effects of spaceflight on the EEG alpha power and functional connectivity

Abstract Electroencephalography (EEG) can detect changes in cerebral activity during spaceflight. This study evaluates the effect of spaceflight on brain networks through analysis of the Default Mode Network (DMN)'s alpha frequency band power and functional connectivity (FC), and the persistence of these changes. Five astronauts' resting state EEGs under three conditions were analyzed (pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight). DMN’s alpha band power and FC were computed using eLORETA and phase-locking value. Eyes-opened (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) conditions were differentiated. We found a DMN alpha band power reduction during in-flight (EC: p < 0.001; EO: p < 0.05) and post-flight (EC: p < 0.001; EO: p < 0.01) when compared to pre-flight condition. FC strength decreased during in-flight (EC: p < 0.01; EO: p < 0.01) and post-flight (EC: ns; EO: p < 0.01) compared to pre-flight condition. The DMN alpha band power and FC strength reduction persisted until 20 days after landing. Spaceflight caused electrocerebral alterations that persisted after return to earth. Periodic assessment by EEG-derived DMN analysis has the potential to become a neurophysiologic marker of cerebral functional integrity during exploration missions to space

A Polymorphic Microsatellite Repeat within the ECE-1c Promoter Is Involved in Transcriptional Start Site Determination, Human Evolution, and Alzheimer's Disease

Genetic factors strongly contribute to the pathogenesis of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nevertheless, genome-wide association studies only yielded single nucleotide polymorphism loci of moderate importance. In contrast, microsatellite repeats are functionally less characterized structures within our genomes. Previous work has shown that endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) is able to reduce amyloid {beta} content. Here we demonstrate that a CpG-CA repeat within the human ECE-1c promoter is highly polymorphic, harbors transcriptional start sites, is able to recruit the transcription factors poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 and splicing factor proline and glutamine-rich, and is functional regarding haplotype-specific promoter activity. Furthermore, genotyping of 403 AD patients and 444 controls for CpG-CA repeat length indicated shifted allelic frequency distributions. Sequencing of 245 haplotype clones demonstrated that the overall CpG-CA repeat composition of AD patients and controls is distinct. Finally, we show that human and chimpanzee [CpG](m)-[CA](n) ECE-1c promoter repeats are genetically and functionally distinct. Our data indicate that a short genomic repeat structure constitutes a novel core promoter element, coincides with human evolution, and contributes to the pathogenesis of AD