Metering gun for dispensing precisely measured charges of fluid

A cyclically operable fluid dispenser for use in dispensing precisely measured charges of potable water aboard spacecraft is described. The dispenser is characterized by (1) a sealed housing adapted to be held within a crewman's palm and coupled with a pressurized source of potable water; (2) a dispensing jet projected from the housing and configured to be received within a crewman's lips; (3) an expansible measuring chamber for measuring charges of drinking water received from the source; (4) and a dispenser actuator including a lever extended from the housing to be digitated for initiating operational cycles, whereby precisely measured charges of potable water selectively are delivered for drinking purposes in a weightless environment

Using inventory to mitigate the Ripple effect

A single disruption at a single location within a supply chain may effect many other locations of a the supply chain through the Ripple effect (Ivanov et al., 2014). In this article we focus on the role of inventory to mitigate the Ripple effect. Our main finding states that operational decisions (such as safety inventory level or service level) are highly interrelated with decisions that mitigate the Ripple effect (such as a high Resilience of the supply chain). Specifically, we find: 1) An increase in demand volatility may lead a firm to invest more in operational safety stock as well as in dedicated Risk Mitigation Inventory. 2) A high service level and high resilience of a supply chain can be conflicting objectives

Fiscal consolidations and their effects on income inequality

This paper investigates the effects of fiscal consolidations on income inequality. Although fiscal consolidations have become a popular policy instrument and research topic, their effects on income inequality are relatively unexplored. We thus econometrically analyse the evolution of Gini coefficients during and after austerity measures. The paper relies on panel data techniques using a sample of 17 high-income countries during the period of 1978 – 2009. We find that a consolidation (measured by a deliberate improvement of the primary budget balance) significantly increases income inequality. More specifically, an improvement of the primary budget balance by about one percent of GDP is associated with an increase in market income inequality of 0.6% and a smaller increase in net income inequality the following year. In addition, this paper explores the discretionary effect of different consolidation compositions. To do so, we differentiate between consolidations that are either exclusively undertaken through spending cuts, tax increases or a combination of both. Thereby, we show that tax-only consolidations tend to be equality-friendly but also rather small in size while the opposite is true for spending-only and mixed consolidations. These findings point to a more pronounced trade-off between different consolidation policy goals than is currently believed

Prosumer Behaviors in Brand Image Creation

A brand remains a considerable source of the competitive advantage. One of the elements contributing to its power is image. The information revolution and globalization make it necessary to search for new means of differentiating brands. One of them is engaging consumers in the brand creation process. In light of the development of the Web 2.0, prosumers – active consumers functioning both as consumers and partly as producers – can have a meaningful influence on the image of brands. Their activities can entail both positive as well as negative effects

Investigations on diagnosis and epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus in dairy herds in Brandenburg

0 Titelblatt und Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Einleitung 7 2 Literaturübersicht 8 2.1 Mastitiden 8 2.1.1 Kategorien der Eutergesundheit 8 2.1.2 Weitere Möglichkeiten der Einteilung von Euterentzündungen 10 2.1.3 Entstehung von Euterentzündungen 10 2.1.4 Erkennung von Euterentzündungen 11 2.2 Mastitiserreger 12 2.2.1 Major pathogens 12 2.2.1.1 Reservoire 13 2.2.1.2 Verlauf und Dauer 14 2.2.1.3 Bekämpfungsmaßnahmen 16 2.2.2 Minor pathogens 17 2.2.2.1 Koagulase negative Staphylokokken 19 2.2.2.2 C. bovis 19 2.3 Staphylococcus aureus 20 2.3.1 Speziesdiagnostik von Staphylococcus aureus 22 2.3.1.1 Kulturell-biochemische Methoden 23 2.3.1.1.1 Koagulasereaktion 23 2.3.1.1.2 Hämolyseverhalten 24 2.3.1.1.3 Mannitolfermentation 25 2.3.1.1.4 Acetoin Produktion 25 2.3.1.1.5 Weitere kulturell-biochemische Methoden 26 2.3.1.2 Selektivmedien 27 2.3.1.3 Schnell-Agglutinations-Tests 28 2.3.1.4 Antikörperbestimmung in der Milch 30 2.3.1.5 Genetische Methoden 30 2.3.2 Probennahme 31 2.4 Mastitis durch Staphylococcus aureus 32 2.4.1 Prävalenz 32 2.4.2 Klinik und Verlauf 32 2.4.3 Reservoire 33 2.4.4 Selbstheilung und Dauer der Infektion 34 2.4.5 Behandlung 34 2.4.5.1 Behandlung klinischer Mastitiden 35 2.4.5.2 Behandlung subklinischer Mastitiden in der Laktation 36 2.4.5.3 Behandlung subklinischer Mastitiden in der Trockenstehperiode 37 2.4.5.4 Formen der Behandlung 37 2.4.5.5 Ursachen für die geringen Therapieerfolge 38 2.4.6 Kontrolle der Neuinfektion 39 2.5 Erregertypisierung anhand genotypischer Merkmale 41 2.5.1 Kontagiöse Erreger 41 2.5.2 Umweltassoziierte Erreger 43 2.5.3 Probleme bei der Genotypisierung und epidemiologischen Einordnung 44 3 Material und Methoden 47 3.1 Bestandsbegehung 47 3.2 Bakteriologische Untersuchungen der Milchproben 47 3.3 Auswahl der Betriebe zur Typisierung 48 3.4 Untersuchungen zur Differenzierung von Staphylococcus aureus von anderen Staphylokokken 50 3.4.1 Hämolyseverhalten 50 3.4.2 Röhrchen-Koagulase 50 3.4.3 Anaerobe Mannitvergärung 51 3.4.4 Acriflavinhaltiger Agar 51 3.4.5 Acetoinbildung 51 3.4.6 Staphylase-Test 51 3.4.7 Slidex Staph Plus 52 3.5 Typisierung der gefundenen Staphylococcus aureus Isolate 52 3.5.1 Erstellung von Resistenzprofilen 53 3.5.2 Durchführung der RAPD-PCR 54 3.5.2.1 Isolierung und Reinigung der DNA 54 3.5.2.2 Bestimmung der DNA-Dichte 56 3.5.2.3 Amplifikation der DNA 56 3.5.2.4 Gel-Elektrophorese 57 3.5.2.5 Auswertung der RAPD-PCR Bilder 57 3.6 Statistische Verfahren 58 4 Ergebnisse 59 4.1 Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen zur Diagnostik von Staphylococcus aureus 59 4.1.1 Testresultate im Überblick 59 4.1.2 Ergebnisse der einzelnen Testverfahren im Vergleich (zu jeweils einem anderem Testverfahren) 60 4.1.3 Ergebnisse der Testverfahren im Vergleich zum Standard 63 4.1.4 Sensitivität und Spezifität der Verfahren 65 4.1.5 Beziehung der Testresultate zum Hämolyseverhalten 66 4.2 Ergebnisse der Typisierung 68 4.2.1 RAPD-PCR und Gelelektrophorese 68 4.2.1.1 Betrieb 1 68 4.2.1.2 Betrieb 2 70 4.2.1.3 Betrieb 3 74 4.2.1.4 Betrieb 4 75 4.2.1.5 Betrieb 5 78 4.2.1.6 Betrieb 6 80 4.2.1.7 Zusammenfassung der Typisierung mittels RAPD-PCR und Gelelektrophorese 83 4.2.2 Antibiogrammtypisierung im Agardiffusionstest 85 4.2.2.1 Betrieb 1 85 4.2.2.2 Betrieb 2 86 4.2.2.3 Betrieb 3 87 4.2.2.4 Betrieb 4 88 4.2.2.5 Betrieb 5 88 4.2.2.6 Betrieb 6 88 4.2.2.7 Übersicht über die Resistenzlage von Staphylococcus aureus 89 4.2.3 Zusammenfassung der Typisierungsergebnisse 89 5 Diskussion 91 5.1 Diagnostik 91 5.1.1 Koagulase, anaerobe Mannitolvergärung und Acriflavinresistenz 91 5.1.2 Beurteilung des Hämolyseverhaltens 92 5.1.3 Beurteilung der Schnell-Agglutinationstests 93 5.2 Typisierung 94 5.2.1 Vorkommen unterschiedlicher Staphylococcus aureus Stämme 94 5.2.2 Verbreitungstendenz unterschiedlicher Staphylococcus aureus Stämme 95 5.2.3 Vergleich der von Erstkalbinnen und multiparen Tieren isolierten Staphylococcus aureus Stämme 97 5.2.4 Infektionen mit Staphylococcus aureus bei Färsen 97 5.2.5 Methode Agardiffusionstest und RAPD-PCR 98 5.2.6 Auswahl und Anzahl der Primer 101 6 Zusammenfassung 102 7 Summary 105 8 Literaturverzeichnis 108 9 Anhang 134 Danksagung 141 Selbständigkeitserklärung 144Ziel dieses Projekts war es erstens, das epidemiologische Verhalten von Staphylococcus (S.) aureus mittels Genotypisierung und Antibiogrammtypisierung zu untersuchen. Zweitens wurden die auf den untersuchten Betrieben isolierten Staphylokokken Isolate verschiedenen diagnostischen Testverfahren unterzogen, um die Eignung der Tests für die Identifikation von S. aureus aus Milchproben zu prüfen. Es wurden auf sechs Milchviehbetrieben in Brandenburg mit einer hohen Prävalenz intramammärer S. aureus Infektionen von jeweils 32 Kühen verschiedener Laktationsstadien und Altersklassen Viertelgemelksproben genommen. Von jedem Betrieb wurden 20 bzw. 22 S. aureus Isolate mittels Random amplified polymorphic DNA-Polymerase-Chain-Reaction (RAPD-PCR) und Agardiffusionstest typisiert. Die RAPD-PCR wurde mit jeweils 2 Primern durchgeführt. Mittels Agardiffusionstest wurde die Empfindlichkeit jedes Isolats gegenüber 12 Antibiotika bestimmt. Es wurden nur die jeweils auf einem Betrieb gefundenen S. aureus Isolate miteinander verglichen. Auf den einzelnen Betrieben konnten mittels RAPD-PCR zwischen 2 und 6 verschiedene S. aureus Stämme ermittelt werden. In jedem untersuchten Betrieb konnte je ein zahlenmäßig dominierender S. aureus Stamm identifiziert werden. Dieser Stamm machte zwischen 54,5 und 95,5% der untersuchten S. aureus Isolate aus. S. aureus Isolate, die aus Milchproben von Erstkalbinnen isoliert wurden, unterschieden sich nicht von denen, die aus Milchproben multiparer Tiere gewonnen werden konnten. Der in dem jeweiligen Betrieb dominierende Stamm konnte bei Tieren mit unterschiedlichen Laktationsnummern und in unterschiedlichen Laktationsstadien gefunden werden. Die in geringer Zahl vorkommenden Stämme wurden vermehrt aus Milchproben von multiparen Tieren gewonnen. Mittels Antibiogrammtypisierung konnte in drei der sechs Betriebe allen S. aureus Isolaten ein identisches Resistenzprofil zugewiesen werden. In zwei weiteren Betrieben ließen sich die Isolate zwei bzw. drei Resistenzprofilen zuordnen. Nur ein Betrieb wies fünf unterschiedliche Resistenzprofile auf. Es bestand keine Übereinstimmung der Typisierungsergebnisse zwischen RAPD-PCR und Agardiffusionstest. Im zweiten Teil der Untersuchung wurden 269 Staphylokokken Isolate, die auf den sechs untersuchten Betrieben gefunden wurden, verschiedenen diagnostischen Testverfahren unterzogen. Zu diesen Verfahren zählten die Testung des Hämolyseverhaltens, der Röhrchenkoagulasetest, die anaerobe Mannitvergärung, das Wachstum auf acriflavinhaltigem Agar, der Acetoin Test, und zwei im Handel erhältliche Schnellagglutinationstests (Staphylase-Test ® (Oxoid) und Slidex Staph Plus ® (bioMerieux)). Als S. aureus wurden alle Isolate angesehen, die eine positive Koagulasereaktion, eine anaerobe Mannitvergärung und Wachstum auf acriflavinhaltigem Agar zeigten. Aufgrund dieser Untersuchungen konnten 193 (71,7%) Isolate als S. aureus und 72 (26,8%) als Koagulase negative Staphylokokken (KNS) identifiziert werden. Vier Isolate (1,5%) waren Koagulase positiv, konnten aber nicht S. aureus zugeordnet werden. Das Auftreten und die Art der Hämolyse allein konnte nach den Ergebnissen dieser Studie nicht als eindeutiges Kriterium für S. aureus bewertet werden. Als größtes Problem bei der Anwendung im Handel erhältlicher Schnellagglutinationstests stellte sich das Auftreten einer großen Zahl nicht auswertbarer Reaktionen heraus.The objective of this study was to analyse the epidemiological features of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus by using genotyping and antibiogram typing. Furthermore different methods for identification of S. aureus were performed to compare the methods ability to identify S. aureus from bovine milk. Milk samples were collected from six dairy herds with high prevalence of S. aureus in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany. Of each herd, 32 cows in different stages of lactation and different age groups were chosen for sampling. Using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) and disk diffusion assay between 20 and 22 S. aureus isolates were typed per herd. RAPD-PCR was performed using two different primers. A panel of 12 antibiotics was used in the disk diffusion assay. The fingerprints of the S. aureus strains were compared within herds, not between herds to analyse the distribution of strains within herds. Using RAPD-PCR the number of S. aureus strains found in each herd varied between two and six. In each herd one of the strains could be identified as numerically dominating. This strain accounted for 54,5% to 95,5% of the analysed isolates. S. aureus strains obtained from milk samples of primiparous cows did not differ from S. aureus strains obtained from milk samples of multiparous cows. The dominant strain of a particular dairy herd was found in cows of different stages of lactation and different age groups. The numerically marginal strains (only one or two isolates) were mainly found in milk samples of multiparous cows. Using antibiogram typing in three of the six dairy herds all S. aureus isolates were categorized as identical in terms of resistance features. In two more dairy herds the S. aureus isolates were categorized in 2 and 3 groups with identical resistance features, respectively. Only one dairy herd showed five different groups in terms of resistance features. There was no conformity in the results of the applied typing methods RAPD-PCR and diffusion disc method. The diagnostic methods applied were hemolysis, tube coagulase testing, anaerobic fermentation of mannitol, growth on agar supplemented with acriflavin, production of acetoin and two commercially available latex agglutination tests (Staphylase-Test ® (Oxoid) and Slidex Staph Plus ® (bioMerieux)). The testing panel consisted of 269 staphylococcus isolates. A particular isolate was categorized as S. aureus, provided that all of the following conditions were met: it showed a positive tube coagulase test, anaerobic fermentation of mannitol and growth on agar supplemented with acriflavin. Applying these conditions 193 (71,7%) of all isolates were identified as S. aureus, whereas 72 (26,8%) were identified as coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS). Four isolates (1,5%) showed positive tube coagulase test but could not be identified as S. aureus. The sole occurrence and the type of haemolysis was no sufficient criterion in this study to identify an isolate as S. aureus. The main problem of the application of the two rapid identification kits proved to be the occurrence of non-classifiable results

A Parametric Model for the Analysis and Quantification of Foveal Shapes

Recently, the advance of OCT enables a detailed examination of the human retina in-vivo for clinical routine and experimental eye research. One of the structures inside the retina of immense scientific interest is the fovea, a small retinal pit located in the central region with extraordinary visual resolution. Today, only a few investigations captured foveal morphology based on a large subject group by a detailed analysis employing mathematical models. In this work, we develop a parametric model function to describe the shape of the human fovea. Starting with a detailed discussion on the history and present of fovea research, we define the requirements for a suitable model and derive a function which can represent a broad range of foveal shapes. The model is one-dimensional in its basic form and can only account for the shape of one particular section through a fovea. Therefore, we apply a radial fitting scheme in different directions which can capture a fovea in its full three-dimensional appearance. Highly relevant foveal characteristics, derived from the model, provide valuable descriptions to quantify the fovea and allow for a detailed analysis of different foveal shapes. To put the theoretical model into practice, we develop a numerical scheme to compute model parameters from retinal \ac{oct} scans and to reconstruct the shape of an entire fovea. For the sake of scientific reproducibility, this section includes implementation details, examples and a discussion of performance considerations. Finally, we present several studies which employed the fovea model successfully. A first feasibility study verifies that the parametric model is suitable for foveal shapes occurring in a large set of healthy human eyes. In a follow-up investigation, we analyse foveal characteristics occurring in healthy humans in detail. This analysis will concern with different aspects including, e.g. an investigation of the fovea's asymmetry, a gender comparison, a left versus right eye correlation and the computation of subjects with extreme foveal shapes. Furthermore, we will show how the model was used to support investigations unrelated to the direct quantification of the fovea itself. In these investigations we employed the model to compute anatomically correct regions of interest in an analysis of the OCB and the calculation of an average fovea for an optical simulation of light rays. We will conclude with currently unpublished data that shows the fovea modelling of hunting birds which have unusual, funnel-like foveal shapes

Employee age moderates within-person associations of daily negative work events with emotion regulation, attention, and well-being

Does advanced age give employees an advantage in face of negative work experiences through their higher emotion-regulation competence? Across days, the occurrence of negative work events is associated with fluctuations in attention, motivation, and well-being. This study examined whether these within-person associations are reduced at advanced employee age, indicating higher resilience. The study further investigated the role of emotion-regulation goal activation and strategy use in these associations. Across two work weeks, 123 employees aged 22 to 63 years provided 1,092 daily reports on affective work events, emotion regulation, attentional focus, persistence, and end-of-day affect. On days with negative-events, participants reported higher activation of emotion-regulation goals, lower attentional focus, and higher negative affect at the end of the workday. Effects were intensified on days with highly negative events. Yet, within-person associations of high-intensity events with emotion-regulation goals, attention, and end-of-day negative affect were reduced at higher age. Further analyses that accounted for age differences in emotion-regulation goals suggested that these play a role in age-related reductions in the event-related disturbance of attentional focus and well-being. There was no evidence of age-differential strategy use on eventful days. Findings are in line with proposed mechanisms underlying older employees’ resilience to daily stress