Towards a Creative Virtual Environment for Design Thinking

Background: Digital transformation changes collaboration processes, particularly in rapidly digitalizing countries like ASEAN states. Co-creation and innovation processes become increasingly flexible and time and location independent. But virtual collaboration faces context-specific challenges like technical problems, lack of social presence, and ambiguous attitudes towards autonomy and accountability. Therefore, this study addresses two research questions to contribute to designing a creative virtual environment: First, which Design Principles (DPs) should be prioritized in designing a user-centered creative virtual environment? Second, which Design Features (DFs) effectively implement the DPs in creative virtual collaboration from a user perspective? Method: A user-centered Design Science Research approach was chosen to identify, implement and evaluate DPs and DFs. DPs were derived from theories on creativity drivers in five areas: functionality, process, mood, meaning, and collaboration. The DPs were implemented in a virtual design thinking workshop at a German international university. A qualitative thematic analysis evaluated user feedback from 38 international students from Asia, Africa, America, and Europe. Results: Insights from user feedback indicate that seven DPs should be prioritized and effectively implemented in a virtual environment for creative collaboration: (1) Provide rich, appropriate resources to inspire creative thinking; (2) Technical problems and connectivity issues must be anticipated and mitigated; (3) The environment must foster social presence and interaction, and (4) effective communication and visualization; (5) Methods and technologies must be adapted to the creative process and individual needs; (6) The group work benefits from structured but flexible tasks and time management support; (7) Provide space for individual work that allows autonomy and solitary contemplation. Conclusion: A tailored setup that adapts to context-specific challenges distinct from the on-site collaboration is necessary to facilitate creative virtual collaboration. The study results apply and expand current theories on technology utilization and inform the practical design of a virtual environment for creative collaboration

Helping Personal Service Firms to Cope with Digital Transformation: Evaluation of a Digitalization Maturity Model

Background: Maturity models are strategic and systematic instruments that help firms in the process of digital transformation. They are widely used as tools to display trajectories to guide the progression from an analog to a digital stage. To date, maturity models for industries such as manufacturing, software development, public services, telecommunication, and startup companies have been developed, and also being applicable in real-life practice. However, for the sector of personal services (e.g., education, retail, hospitality, healthcare, arts and entertainment, and craftmanship), maturity models are missing. To address this gap, this research aims to present a digitalization maturity model for the specific needs of personal service firms, and evaluate its applicability, usefulness, and impact in practice. Method: The research is embedded in a comprehensive Design Science Research cycle. Based on descriptive and prescriptive knowledge, a maturity model has been developed. This paper evaluates the applicability, usefulness, and impact of the maturity model by conducting a mixed-method approach, including a survey with 30 experts from personal service firms and eight semi-structured in-depth expert interviews. Results: Our results indicate that the maturity model serves as a strategic and systematic tool for short-, mid-, or long-term digital transformation projects by guiding personal service firms through consecutive development maturity stages until reaching a so-called stage of “digital maturity”. The model has been determined to be applicable, useful, and to potentially impact personal service firms towards the development of a digital business ecosystem. Conclusion: The presented maturity model offers guidance for personal service firms to achieve the transition from analog to digital and serves as a basis for future research in developing effective instruments and strategic tools to cope with challenges from digital transformation

Mykorrhiza der Rebe

An zwei Rebsorten (Silvaner und Aris) wurde der Einfluß der Mykorrhiza auf Wachstum und Phosphataufnahme untersucht:Wachstum und Morphologie der endotrophen Mykorrhiza der Rebe werden beschrieben.Durch die Mykorrhiza wird das Trieblängenwachstum und, besonders bei Aris, auch das Frischgewicht der Triebe gefördert.Die Mykorrhiza fördert bei geringer Mineralstoffernährung die Phosphataufnahme.Mycorrhiza of vinesTwo cultivars (Silvaner and Aris) were investigated with regard to the influence of mycorrhiza on growth and phosphate uptake.Growth and morphology of the endotrophic mycorrhiza of vines are described.The longitudinal growth of the shoots is stimulated by mycorrhiza as well as their fresh weight, especially with the cv. Aris.Mycorrhiza stimulates the phosphate uptake in case of minor mineral nutrition

Histologische Untersuchungen an Weinbeeren

Die Histologie der Weinbeere war schon mehrfach Gegenstand wissenschaftlicher Untersuchungen. Neben dem Aufbau der Gesamtbeere wurde in verschiedenen Arbeiten der Beerenhaut besondere Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt. Sie besitzt hohe mechanische Schutzeigenschaften. Einerseits wirkt sie dem Aufplatzen der Beere entgegen (MEYNHARDT 1964), andererseits bildet sie einen Schutz gegen pilzliche Infektionen im Laufe der Beerenentwicklung (BERNARD 1976, 1977 a und b). Die Tatsache, daß der Aufbau der Beerenhaut sortenspezifische Unterschiede aufweist (PRATT 1971), läßt eine Ergänzung der Untersuchungen im Hinblick auf mögliche Beziehungen zur Pilzresistenz der Beeren gerechtfertigt erscheinen.Histological investigations with grapevine berriesComparative histological investigations have been carried out with berries of the grapevine varieties Aris, Bacchus, Pollux, Morio-Muskat, Müller-Thurgau, Portugieser, Riesling and Vitis labrusca. Thickness of cuticle ranges from 1.6 ftm (Morio-Muskat, Portugieser) to 3.8 µm (Aris) and decreases slightly with increasing ripeness.Epidermis is between 6.5 µm (Portugieser) and 10.0 µm (Aris) in thickness.Thickness of hypodermis ranges from 107 µm (Portugieser) to 246 µm (V. labrusca).The number of the subepidermal cell layers varies between 9.3 (Portugieser) and 11.1 (Müller-Thurgau).The distance of the vascular bundles to the berry surface ranges from 200 µm to 300 µm. Only for V. labrusca a distance of 500 to 550 µm has been measured.The results are discussed with regard to possible correlations with resistance to Botrytis (gray rot) and to cracking of berries

Conversational Agents in Education – A Systematic Literature Review

Conversational Agents (CAs) are widely spread in a variety of domains, such as health and customer service. There is a recent trend of increasing publications and implementations of CAs in education. We conduct a systematic literature review to identify common methodologies, pedagogical CA roles, addressed target groups, the technologies and theories behind, as well as human-like design aspects. The initially found 3329 records were systematically reduced to 252 fully coded articles. Based on the analysis of the codings, we derive further research streams. Our results reveal a research gap for long-term studies on the use of CAs in education, and there is insufficient holistic design knowledge for pedagogical CAs. Moreover, target groups other than academic students are rarely considered. We condense our findings in a morphological box and conclude that pedagogical CAs have not yet reached their full potential of long-term practical application in education

Mindfulness-based programmes for mental health promotion in adults in nonclinical settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background: There is an urgent need for mental health promotion in nonclinical settings. Mindfulness–based programmes (MBPs) are being widely implemented to reduce stress, but a comprehensive evidence synthesis is lacking. We reviewed trials to assess whether MBPs promote mental health relative to no intervention or comparator interventions. Methods and findings: Following a detailed preregistered protocol (PROSPERO CRD42018105213) developed with public and professional stakeholders, 13 databases were searched to August 2020 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining in–person, expert–defined MBPs in nonclinical settings. Two researchers independently selected, extracted, and appraised trials using the Cochrane Risk–of–Bias Tool 2.0. Primary outcomes were psychometrically validated anxiety, depression, psychological distress, and mental well–being questionnaires at 1 to 6 months after programme completion. Multiple testing was performed using p < 0.0125 (Bonferroni) for statistical significance. Secondary outcomes, meta–regression and sensitivity analyses were prespecified. Pairwise random–effects multivariate meta–analyses and prediction intervals (PIs) were calculated. A total of 11,605 participants in 136 trials were included (29 countries, 77% women, age range 18 to 73 years). Compared with no intervention, in most but not all scenarios MBPs improved average anxiety (8 trials; standardised mean difference (SMD) = −0.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.80 to −0.33; p–value < 0.001; 95% PI −1.19 to 0.06), depression (14 trials; SMD = −0.53; 95% CI −0.72 to −0.34; p–value < 0.001; 95% PI −1.14 to 0.07), distress (27 trials; SMD = −0.45; 95% CI −0.58 to −0.31; p–value < 0.001; 95% PI −1.04 to 0.14), and well–being (9 trials; SMD = 0.33; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.54; p–value = 0.003; 95% PI −0.29 to 0.94). Compared with nonspecific active control conditions, in most but not all scenarios MBPs improved average depression (6 trials; SMD = −0.46; 95% CI −0.81 to −0.10; p–value = 0.012, 95% PI −1.57 to 0.66), with no statistically significant evidence for improving anxiety or distress and no reliable data on well–being. Compared with specific active control conditions, there is no statistically significant evidence of MBPs’ superiority. Only effects on distress remained when higher–risk trials were excluded. USA–based trials reported smaller effects. MBPs targeted at higher–risk populations had larger effects than universal MBPs. The main limitation of this review is that confidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach is moderate to very low, mainly due to inconsistency and high risk of bias in many trials. Conclusions: Compared with taking no action, MBPs of the included studies promote mental health in nonclinical settings, but given the heterogeneity between studies, the findings do not support generalisation of MBP effects across every setting. MBPs may have specific effects on some common mental health symptoms. Other preventative interventions may be equally effective. Implementation of MBPs in nonclinical settings should be partnered with thorough research to confirm findings and learn which settings are most likely to benefit

Stable carbon Isotope evidence for neolithic and bronze age crop water management in the eastern mediterranean and southwest asia

In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determined for 275 charred grain samples from nine archaeological sites, dating primarily to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This has revealed that wheat (Triticum spp.) was regularly grown in wetter conditions than barley (Hordeum sp.), indicating systematic preferential treatment of wheat that may reflect a cultural preference for wheat over barley. Isotopic analysis of pulse crops (Lens culinaris, Pisum sativum and Vicia ervilia) indicates cultivation in highly varied water conditions at some sites, possibly as a result of opportunistic watering practices. The results have also provided evidence for local land-use and changing agricultural practices