Ossäre CT Dichtemessungen und Spannungsanalysen nach totaler Hüftendoprothese

Osteodensitometrische Analyse verschiedener Femora nach totaler Hüftendoprothese über einen Zeitraum von zwei Jahren. Zur Analyse der Knochendichte wurden mehrere computertomografische Aufnahmen beider Femora über diesen Zeitraum angefertigt. Zusätzlich wurde eine Spannungsanalyse dieser Modelle mit der Finiten-Elemente-Methode durchgeführt

El negocio transatlántico de la cocaína: opciones europeas ante las nuevas rutas del narcotráfico

Este Documento de Trabajo busca analizar estas medidas de intervención, recientemente reafirmadas por la CDE. Partiendo del precio de la droga, se analiza el problema del narcotráfico y se evalúa la eficiencia de las políticas de control de oferta. Sin duda, cualquier política de control de drogas no puede estar fundada únicamente en el control de oferta, sino también en medidas de reducción de la demanda. Sin embargo, el interés de este trabajo se centra en la revisión de los instrumentos europeos de política exterior sobre el control de la oferta y deja de lado medidas de política interior de reducción de la demanda, cuya eficacia es generalmente reconocida en la mayoría de los países de la UE

Additive Manufacturing of Casting Tools Using Powder-Binder- Jetting Technology

This chapter presents the use of the additive manufacturing (AM) method powder-binder-jetting (PBJ) for the generation of molds and cores for casting applications. Theoretical information on process steps and the binding of particles is given. For the based chemistry, examples are presented and the transfer from conventional production processes to powder-binder-jetting is explained. For sand as a material for metal casting, methods to determine key properties for the casting are in focus. The figures found by our research activities reach up to that of conventional production and indicate the readiness of the technology. These cavities produced by powder-binder-jetting can even be used for cold casting materials such as concrete. Several demonstrators show the impact of this application. A polymer process for the investment casting process is topic of an additional section. To understand this process, theoretical information and figures determined by measurements are presented

Organizational Transformation Towards Product-service Systems – Empirical Evidence in Managing the Behavioral Transformation Process

AbstractOne of the major challenges facing today's manufacturing industry is to differentiate from competition in a highly globalized world. As a consequence to the increasing competitive pressure, many companies transform their product centered business models towards service based business models to differentiate from competition. However, the transformation is often underestimated regarding its complexity and its management challenges to behavioral change. As a consequence lots of transformation initiatives fail. Besides difficulties in structuring the magnitude of changes in processes and structures, many transformation managers do not perceive the risk of employee resistance against changes, which is one of the key factors causing the failure of transformation. The objective of this paper is to enhance the existing body of research on manufacturer's organizational transformation towards Product-Service Systems. More detailed, the objective is to develop new knowledge to support the management during the decision-making process in the way how and by means of which instruments the change of behavior can be supported when transforming from a manufacturer to a solution.We developed a reference framework which structures and defines the relevant dimensions of behavioral change. The identification and validation of the success factors build the second component of our research. We conducted an empirical investigation in the German manufacturing industry and got 79 data sets. Structural equation modelling was applied for the analyses and the validation of the hypotheses. By this analysis we linked management practice with employee behavior and transformational success variables. On the basis of the gained insights decisions can be made concerning the successful transformation from manufacturer to a solution-oriented service provider

The Role of Real Estate in a Mixed-Asset Portfolio and the Impact of Illiquidity

Real estate ratios have increased in recent years. This article thus examines the diversification potential of real estate investments that German investors can achieve at a global scale. To this end, it analyzes how the illiquidity of some real estate investments or the illiquidity preference of an investor can bring about optimal investment ratios. Optimum allocation quotas for German investors with a wide range of mixed-asset allocations are examined. In addition to traditional optimizations, this article applies the three-fund theorem to include liquid and illiquid forms of real estate investment and to determine optimum allocation ratios. While real estate may be an essential component in a mixed-asset portfolio, it is not included in all optimal portfolios. An optimal portfolio also depends on the investment form, insofar as real estate vehicles are not always suitable for diversifying the portfolio risk or for improving the performance of a mixed-asset portfolio. Moreover, illiquid investment vehicles can often provide strong diversification benefits. The optimum allocations to real estate thus depend on the investor’s illiquidity acceptance, even if allocation dominance has increased in recent years. While many studies have demonstrated the advantage that investors gain from adding certain real estate assets, such as those obtained by direct investments, this study goes further by examining the comparative advantage of different real estate investment forms within a variety of asset classes. New insights can thus be gained by considering investors’ liquidity preferences within a given portfolio. One of these insights is that there is a trade-off between illiquidity and diversification potential. Another is that optimum portfolio allocations depend on illiquidity acceptance. These findings therefore also provide practical guidance not only to German investors with a global portfolio diversification but also to practitioners who add illiquid asset classes to their portfolio, to say nothing of the valuable field knowledge it offers to researchers in this field

The Role of Real Estate in a Mixed-Asset Portfolio and the Impact of Illiquidity

Real estate ratios have increased in recent years. This article thus examines the diversification potential of real estate investments that German investors can achieve at a global scale. To this end, it analyzes how the illiquidity of some real estate investments or the illiquidity preference of an investor can bring about optimal investment ratios. Optimum allocation quotas for German investors with a wide range of mixed-asset allocations are examined. In addition to traditional optimizations, this article applies the three-fund theorem to include liquid and illiquid forms of real estate investment and to determine optimum allocation ratios. While real estate may be an essential component in a mixed-asset portfolio, it is not included in all optimal portfolios. An optimal portfolio also depends on the investment form, insofar as real estate vehicles are not always suitable for diversifying the portfolio risk or for improving the performance of a mixed-asset portfolio. Moreover, illiquid investment vehicles can often provide strong diversification benefits. The optimum allocations to real estate thus depend on the investor’s illiquidity acceptance, even if allocation dominance has increased in recent years. While many studies have demonstrated the advantage that investors gain from adding certain real estate assets, such as those obtained by direct investments, this study goes further by examining the comparative advantage of different real estate investment forms within a variety of asset classes. New insights can thus be gained by considering investors’ liquidity preferences within a given portfolio. One of these insights is that there is a trade-off between illiquidity and diversification potential. Another is that optimum portfolio allocations depend on illiquidity acceptance. These findings therefore also provide practical guidance not only to German investors with a global portfolio diversification but also to practitioners who add illiquid asset classes to their portfolio, to say nothing of the valuable field knowledge it offers to researchers in this field

Making connections and building bridges

[Extract] Bridges connect places and people. If considered useful or important enough, they will be maintained and may stand for a long period of time. If not, they may be abandoned or even purposefully destroyed. In these instances, they will crumble or decay, be forgotten about or actively avoided. In common usage the word "bridge" most obviously denotes a structure built to enable a path to continue over a river or other obstacle. However, the term is also used to refer—more conceptually—to those times, places and ideas which serve as means of connection or transition between others. Because bridges are designed in accordance with the things they are trying to connect, they can come in a variety of shapes, including some rather peculiar forms