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Today’s society is undergoing a paradigm shift driven by the megatrend of sustainability. This undeniably affects all areas of Western life. This paper aims to find out how the luxury industry is dealing with this change and what adjustments are made by the companies. For this purpose, interviews were conducted with managers from the luxury industry, in which they were asked about specific measures taken by their companies as well as trends in the industry. In a subsequent evaluation, the trends in the luxury industry were summarized for the areas of ecological, social, and economic sustainability. It was found that the area of environmental sustainability is significantly more focused than the other sub-areas. Furthermore, the need for a customer survey to validate the industry-based measures was identified.
The major advantage of labyrinth weirs over linear weirs is hydraulic efficiency. In hydraulic modeling efforts, this strength contrasts with limited pump capacity as well as limited computational power for CFD simulations. For the latter, reducing the number of investigated cycles can significantly reduce necessary computational time. In this study, a labyrinth weir with different cycle numbers was investigated. The simulations were conducted in FLOW-3D HYDRO as a Large Eddy Simulation. With a mean deviation of 1.75 % between simulated discharge coefficients and literature design equations, a reasonable agreement was found. For downstream conditions, overall consistent results were observed as well. However, the orientation of labyrinth weirs with a single cycle should be chosen carefully under consideration of the individual research purpose.
Influence of slab deflection on the out-of-plane capacity of unreinforced masonry partition walls
(2023)
Severe damage of non-structural elements is noticed in previous earthquakes, causing high economic losses and posing a life threat for the people. Masonry partition walls are one of the most commonly used non-structural elements. Therefore, their behaviour under earthquake loading in out-of-plane (OOP) direction is investigated by several researches in the past years. However, none of the existing experimental campaigns or analytical approaches consider the influence of prior slab deflection on OOP response of partition walls. Moreover, none of the existing construction techniques for the connection of partition walls with surrounding reinforced concrete (RC) is investigated for the combined slab deflection and OOP loading. However, the inevitable time-dependent behaviour of RC slabs leads to high values of final slab deflections which can further influence boundary conditions of partition walls. Therefore, a comprehensive study on the influence of slab deflection on the OOP capacity of masonry partitions is conducted. In the first step, experimental tests are carried out. Results of experimental tests are further used for the calibration of the numerical model employed for a parametric study. Based on the results, behaviour under combined loading for different construction techniques is explained. The results show that slab deflection leads either to severe damage or to a high reduction of OOP capacity. Existing practical solutions do not account for these effects. In this contribution, recommendations to overcome the problems of combined slab deflection and OOP loading on masonry partition walls are given. Possible interaction of in-plane (IP) loading, with the combined slab deflection and OOP loading on partition walls, is not investigated in this study.
Im Rahmen dieser Masterarbeit wird die komplexe CPQ-Branchenlösung INKAS der it-motive AG konzeptionell und gestalterisch überarbeitet. Die mehrjährige Entwicklung von INKAS und etlicher separater Komponenten hat zu einer zum Teil inkonsistenten Oberfläche geführt, die Schwierigkeiten bei der Benutzung aufweist. Das neue User Interface, welches diese Masterarbeit entwickelt, soll durch einheitliche Interaktionsprinzipien zum einen die Usability und bestehende Funktionalitäten verbessern und zum anderen neue Funktionen leichter integrierbar machen. Diese Masterarbeit demonstriert somit ein Vorgehensmodell, durch welches komplexe existierende Branchenlösungen mithilfe eines nutzerzentrierten Redesigns eine nachhaltig verbesserte Produktqualität erreichen und die Integration neuer Technologien ermöglicht. In diesem Zusammenhang wird auch exemplarisch aufgezeigt, wie Designleistungen methodisch in bestehende agile Softwareentwicklungsprozesse integriert werden können.
Throughout the last decade, and particularly in 2022, water scarcity has become a critical concern in Morocco and other Mediterranean countries. The lack of rainfall during spring was worsened by a succession of heat waves during the summer. To address this drought, innovative solutions, including the use of new technologies such as hydrogels, will be essential to transform agriculture. This paper presents the findings of a study that evaluated the impact of hydrogel application on onion (Allium cepa) cultivation in Meknes, Morocco. The treatments investigated in this study comprised two different types of hydrogel-based soil additives (Arbovit® polyacrylate and Huminsorb® polyacrylate), applied at two rates (30 and 20 kg/ha), and irrigated at two levels of water supply (100% and 50% of daily crop evapotranspiration; ETc). Two control treatments were included, without hydrogel application and with both water amounts. The experiment was conducted in an open field using a completely randomized design. The results indicated a significant impact of both hydrogel-type dose and water dose on onion plant growth, as evidenced by various vegetation parameters. Among the hydrogels tested, Huminsorb® Polyacrylate produced the most favorable outcomes, with treatment T9 (100%, HP, 30 kg/ha) yielding 70.55 t/ha; this represented an increase of 11 t/ha as compared to the 100% ETc treatment without hydrogel application. Moreover, the combination of hydrogel application with 50% ETc water stress showed promising results, with treatment T4 (HP, 30 kg, 50%) producing almost the same yield as the 100% ETc treatment without hydrogel while saving 208 mm of water.
In addition to the technical content, modern courses at university should also teach professional skills to enhance the competencies of students towards their future work. The competency driven approach including technical as well as professional skills makes it necessary to find a suitable way for the integration into the corresponding module in a scalable and flexible manner. Agile development, for example, is essential for the development of modern systems and applications and makes use of dedicated professional skills of the team members, like structured group dynamics and communication, to enable the fast and reliable development. This paper presents an easy to integrate and flexible approach to integrate Scrum, an agile development method, into the lab of an existing module. Due to the different role models of Scrum the students have an individual learning success, gain valuable insight into modern system development and strengthen their communication and organization skills. The approach is implemented and evaluated in the module Vehicle Systems, but it can be transferred easily to other technical courses as well. The evaluation of the implementation considers feedback of all stakeholders, students, supervisor and lecturers, and monitors the observations during project lifetime.
Gestaltung und Programmierung dynamischer Motion-Design Plakate zwecks Kommunikation der Theaterstücke des Düsseldorfer Schauspielhauses. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf der Typografie und ihrer intrinsischen Bewegung. Der technische Fortschritt bietet viele neue Möglichkeiten im Umgang mit Schrift. Diese Arbeit dient dazu, mithilfe von aktuellen Techniken einen neuen Ansatz im Bereich Gestaltung mit Schrift, sowie Variable Fonts, in Kombination mit Motion-Design aufzuzeigen. Dies wird anhand von Eigenschaften der Schrift und der inhaltlichen Ebene, ohne die Buchstaben dabei zu dekonstruieren, umgesetzt. Die Bewegungen werden dann in das Format Plakat übertragen und dargestellt.
Film ab! Das Internationale Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart ist seit 30 Jahren ein fester Bestandteil der internationalen Film- und Animations-Branche und zählt zu einer der renommiertesten Veranstaltungen. Das Festival ist ein Ort der Inspiration und des Austausches – die neusten Animationsfilme werden hier präsentiert, junge Talente entdeckt und gefördert. Im Fokus des neugestalteten Corporate Design steht die eigens entwickelte Schrift, welche den einzigartigen Charakter des Festivals widerspiegelt und so zum Trickfilm der Typografie wird. Das medienübergreifende Erscheinungsbild, in animierter oder statischer Form, kommuniziert so die qualitativ hochwertigen Inhalte des Festivals. Durch die dynamische und plakative Gestaltung wird das Festival zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis für alle Besucher:innen.
Kartellrecht vs. Datenschutzrecht: Rechtsgrundlagen für die Datenverarbeitung in sozialen Netzwerken
(2023)
Wetterbedingte Extremereignisse nehmen mit dem Klimawandel in vielen Regionen der Welt an Intensität und Häufigkeit zu. Immer wieder unterstreichen tragische Krisenvorfälle die Notwendigkeit der Aufklärung im Nachgang. Doch ausgerechnet wenn sich Leute über eins der aktuellsten und schwerwiegendsten Themen unserer heutigen Zeit informieren wollen, wird es dafür keinen konsistenten Kanal in Deutschland geben. Kassandra bietet die Möglichkeit, sich verständlich mit den Ereignissen und Missständen sachlich im Krisenbereich auseinanderzusetzen. Transparenz und Seriosität sind Schwerpunkte im qualitativ hochwertigen Bereich, die dabei von Wichtigkeit sind. Mit den Prinzipien des investigativen Journalismus schafft Kassandra als Onlineformat einen Denkanstoß, wie im Bereich der Krisenkommunikation eine Verbesserung stattfinden kann.
Jedes Jahr werden Hunderttausende Fahrradrahmen produziert. 90 % davon werden in Asien hergestellt und von dort über die ganze Welt versendet. Mehr als 80 % der Rahmen werden nach der Nutzung wieder nach Asien zurückgeschickt und landen dort auf riesigen Fahrradfriedhöfen. Das Kinderfahrradkonzept "KiBix" wirkt diesem Problem entgegen, indem es eine Alternative für das regelmäßige Kaufen von neuen Kinderfahrrädern bietet. Im Fokus stehen der Kinderfahrradrahmen und die Gabel aus Kunststoff, welche im Spritzgussverfahren produziert werden. Das City-Bike ist in ein Abo-Sharing-System mit Rädern in unterschiedlichen Größen eingebettet, welches durch eine monatliche Gebühr wie das Eigene genutzt werden kann. Der hohlgespritzte Rahmen ermöglicht die Integration kleiner Boxen im Inneren, in denen Kinder ihre persönlichen "Schätze" mitnehmen können. Somit vereint das Konzept die drei Segmente Material/Produktion, Sharing-System und die Mitnahme des "Schatzes". "KiBix" gibt Kindern in Zeiten der Digitalisierung und der globalen Erwärmung die Möglichkeit, selbstbestimmt und nachhaltig die Welt zu erkunden.
Lead and nickel, as heavy metals, are still used in industrial processes, and are classified as “environmental health hazards” due to their toxicity and polluting potential. The detection of heavy metals can prevent environmental pollution at toxic levels that are critical to human health. In this sense, the electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) field-effect sensor is an attractive sensing platform concerning the fabrication of reusable and robust sensors to detect such substances. This study is aimed to fabricate a sensing unit on an EIS device based on Sn₃O₄ nanobelts embedded in a polyelectrolyte matrix of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. The EIS-Sn₃O₄ sensor exhibited enhanced electrochemical performance for detecting Pb²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions, revealing a higher affinity for Pb²⁺ ions, with sensitivities of ca. 25.8 mV/decade and 2.4 mV/decade, respectively. Such results indicate that Sn₃O₄ nanobelts can contemplate a feasible proof-of-concept capacitive field-effect sensor for heavy metal detection, envisaging other future studies focusing on environmental monitoring.
Der heutige Alltag vieler Menschen ist durch längere Sitz-Einheiten gekennzeichnet, während die körperliche Bewegung vernachlässigt wird. Diese Entwicklung kann einen negativen Einfluss auf die Haltung von Personen und ihre Gesundheit haben. In diesem Fall ist eine korrekte Haltung nicht nur für die körperliche, sondern auch für die psychische Gesundheit von großer Relevanz. Die Bachelorarbeit „LittleHabit“ ermöglicht es, dass bei Kindern die Bewegung nach langen Sitz-Einheiten durch gezieltes Training zur Gewohnheit wird. Hierbei wird zwischen dem Zuhause- und dem Schulbereich differenziert. Zu Hause soll das Kind beim Erledigen der Hausaufgaben durch Animationen und Lichtsignale dazu motiviert werden, Bewegungspausen einzulegen. In der Schule soll dieses Vorhaben in reduzierter Form aufgegriffen und mithilfe von Licht- und Farbsignalen umgesetzt werden. Darüber hinaus fördert es die intrinsische Motivation, sodass Kinder aus eigenem Antrieb ein Interesse dafür entwickeln, sich nach langen Sitz-Einheiten zu bewegen. LittleHabit setzt einen Baustein für die Entwicklung einer gesunden Sitz-Haltung und zielt darauf ab, Haltungsschwächen zu verhindern.
Market abstraction of energy markets and policies - application in an agent-based modeling toolbox
(2023)
In light of emerging challenges in energy systems, markets are prone to changing dynamics and market design. Simulation models are commonly used to understand the changing dynamics of future electricity markets. However, existing market models were often created with specific use cases in mind, which limits their flexibility and usability. This can impose challenges for using a single model to compare different market designs. This paper introduces a new method of defining market designs for energy market simulations. The proposed concept makes it easy to incorporate different market designs into electricity market models by using relevant parameters derived from analyzing existing simulation tools, morphological categorization and ontologies. These parameters are then used to derive a market abstraction and integrate it into an agent-based simulation framework, allowing for a unified analysis of diverse market designs. Furthermore, we showcase the usability of integrating new types of long-term contracts and over-the-counter trading. To validate this approach, two case studies are demonstrated: a pay-as-clear market and a pay-as-bid long-term market. These examples demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed framework.
This work presents the Multi-Bees-Tracker (MBT3D) algorithm, a Python framework implementing a deep association tracker for Tracking-By-Detection, to address the challenging task of tracking flight paths of bumblebees in a social group. While tracking algorithms for bumblebees exist, they often come with intensive restrictions, such as the need for sufficient lighting, high contrast between the animal and background, absence of occlusion, significant user input, etc. Tracking flight paths of bumblebees in a social group is challenging. They suddenly adjust movements and change their appearance during different wing beat states while exhibiting significant similarities in their individual appearance. The MBT3D tracker, developed in this research, is an adaptation of an existing ant tracking algorithm for bumblebee tracking. It incorporates an offline trained appearance descriptor along with a Kalman Filter for appearance and motion matching. Different detector architectures for upstream detections (You Only Look Once (YOLOv5), Faster Region Proposal Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN), and RetinaNet) are investigated in a comparative study to optimize performance. The detection models were trained on a dataset containing 11359 labeled bumblebee images. YOLOv5 reaches an Average Precision of AP = 53, 8%, Faster R-CNN achieves AP = 45, 3% and RetinaNet AP = 38, 4% on the bumblebee validation dataset, which consists of 1323 labeled bumblebee images. The tracker’s appearance model is trained on 144 samples. The tracker (with Faster R-CNN detections) reaches a Multiple Object Tracking Accuracy MOTA = 93, 5% and a Multiple Object Tracking Precision MOTP = 75, 6% on a validation dataset containing 2000 images, competing with state-of-the-art computer vision methods. The framework allows reliable tracking of different bumblebees in the same video stream with rarely occurring identity switches (IDS). MBT3D has much lower IDS than other commonly used algorithms, with one of the lowest false positive rates, competing with state-of-the-art animal tracking algorithms. The developed framework reconstructs the 3-dimensional (3D) flight paths of the bumblebees by triangulation. It also handles and compares two alternative stereo camera pairs if desired.
In times of social climate protection movements, such as Fridays for Future, the priorities of society, industry and higher education are currently changing. The consideration of sustainability challenges is increasing. In the context of sustainable development, social skills are crucial to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, the impact that educational activities have on people, communities and society is therefore coming to the fore. Research has shown that people with high levels of social competence are better able to manage stressful situations, maintain positive relationships and communicate effectively. They are also associated with better academic performance and career success. However, especially in engineering programs, the social pillar is underrepresented compared to the environmental and economic pillars.
In response to these changes, higher education institutions should be more aware of their social impact - from individual forms of teaching to entire modules and degree programs. To specifically determine the potential for improvement and derive resulting change for further development, we present an initial framework for social impact measurement by transferring already established approaches from the business sector to the education sector. To demonstrate the applicability, we measure the key competencies taught in undergraduate engineering programs in Germany.
The aim is to prepare the students for success in the modern world of work and their future contribution to sustainable development. Additionally, the university can include the results in its sustainability report. Our method can be applied to different teaching methods and enables their comparison.
Despite the challenges of pioneering molten salt towers (MST), it remains the leading technology in central receiver power plants today, thanks to cost effective storage integration and high cost reduction potential. The limited controllability in volatile solar conditions can cause significant losses, which are difficult to estimate without comprehensive modeling [1]. This paper presents a Methodology to generate predictions of the dynamic behavior of the receiver system as part of an operating assistance system (OAS). Based on this, it delivers proposals if and when to drain and refill the receiver during a cloudy period in order maximize the net yield and quantifies the amount of net electricity gained by this. After prior analysis with a detailed dynamic two-phase model of the entire receiver system, two different reduced modeling approaches where developed and implemented in the OAS. A tailored decision algorithm utilizes both models to deliver the desired predictions efficiently and with appropriate accuracy.
The work in modern open-pit and underground mines requires the transportation of large amounts of resources between fixed points. The navigation to these fixed points is a repetitive task that can be automated. The challenge in automating the navigation of vehicles commonly used in mines is the systemic properties of such vehicles. Many mining vehicles, such as the one we have used in the research for this paper, use steering systems with an articulated joint bending the vehicle’s drive axis to change its course and a hydraulic drive system to actuate axial drive components or the movements of tippers if available. To address the difficulties of controlling such a vehicle, we present a model-predictive approach for controlling the vehicle. While the control optimisation based on a parallel error minimisation of the predicted state has already been established in the past, we provide insight into the design and implementation of an MPC for an articulated mining vehicle and show the results of real-world experiments in an open-pit mine environment.
Teamsitzungen, Arbeitsgruppentreffen, Kickoffs und Meetings – sie alle werden mit dem Ziel durchgeführt, innerhalb einer vorgegebenen Zeitspanne ein gemeinsames Arbeitsziel zu erreichen. Damit die Zielerreichung auch bei komplexeren Arbeitsaufträgen nicht vom Zufall abhängt, empfiehlt es sich, die Leitung des Ablaufs einem Moderator zu übertragen.
In diesem Beitrag einer dreiteiligen Serie wird beschrieben, über welches Mindset der Moderator verfügen sollte, welche grundsätzlichen Methoden hilfreich sind und was bei der Onlinemoderation im Besonderen zu beachten ist.
Teamsitzungen, Arbeitsgruppentreffen, Kickoffs und Meetings – sie alle werden mit dem Ziel durchgeführt, innerhalb einer vorgegebenen Zeitspanne ein gemeinsames Arbeitsziel zu erreichen. Damit die Zielerreichung auch bei komplexeren Arbeitsaufträgen nicht vom Zufall abhängt, empfiehlt es sich, die Leitung des Ablaufs einem Moderator zu übertragen.
In diesem Beitrag einer mehrteiligen Serie wird beschrieben, über welches Mindset der Moderator verfügen sollte, welche grundsätzlichen Methoden hilfreich sind und was bei der Onlinemoderation im Besonderen zu beachten ist.
Damit Sie als Moderator effektiv und professionell moderieren können, sollten Sie die entsprechenden Methoden kennen.
Mit den richtigen Methoden können Sie Diskussionen leiten, Konflikte lösen, die Teilnehmer motivieren und dafür sorgen, dass die Ziele der Veranstaltung erreicht werden. Außerdem helfen sie Ihnen, eine positive Atmosphäre zu schaffen und das Interesse der Teilnehmer zu halten.
In diesem zweiten Beitrag der mehrteiligen Serie lernen Sie die grundsätzlichen Methoden kennen, um erfolgreiche Teamsitzungen, Arbeitsgruppentreffen, Kick-offs und Meetings durchzuführen.
Damit Sie als Moderator effektiv und professionell moderieren können, sollten Sie die entsprechenden Methoden kennen.
Mit den richtigen Methoden können Sie Diskussionen leiten, Konflikte lösen, die Teilnehmer motivieren und dafür sorgen, dass die Ziele der Veranstaltung erreicht werden. Außerdem helfen sie Ihnen, eine positive Atmosphäre zu schaffen und das Interesse der Teilnehmer zu halten.
In diesem zweiten Beitrag der mehrteiligen Serie lernen Sie die grundsätzlichen Methoden kennen, um erfolgreiche Teamsitzungen, Arbeitsgruppentreffen, Kick-offs und Meetings durchzuführen.
Damit Sie auch in den immer häufiger werdenden Onlineveranstaltungen als Moderator gut bestehen, sollten Sie wissen, was bei der Onlinemoderation im Besonderen zu beachten ist.
In diesem dritten Teil der Beitragsserie erfahren Sie, warum online anders als offline ist. Die technischen Möglichkeiten werden vorgestellt und auch wie diese zu nutzen sind. Schließlich erhalten Sie Tipps, die Sie beim Sprechen online beachten sollten.
Damit Sie als Moderator effektiv und professionell moderieren können, sollten Sie die entsprechenden Methoden kennen.
Mit den richtigen Methoden können Sie Diskussionen leiten, Konflikte lösen, die Teilnehmer motivieren und dafür sorgen, dass die Ziele der Veranstaltung erreicht werden. Außerdem helfen sie Ihnen, eine positive Atmosphäre zu schaffen und das Interesse der Teilnehmer zu halten.
In diesem zweiten Beitrag der mehrteiligen Serie lernen Sie die grundsätzlichen Methoden kennen, um erfolgreiche Teamsitzungen, Arbeitsgruppentreffen, Kick-offs und Meetings durchzuführen.
Damit Sie auch in den immer häufiger werdenden Onlineveranstaltungen als Moderator gut bestehen, sollten Sie wissen, was bei der Onlinemoderation im Besonderen zu beachten ist.
In diesem dritten Teil der Beitragsserie erfahren Sie, warum online anders als offline ist. Die technischen Möglichkeiten werden vorgestellt und auch wie diese zu nutzen sind. Schließlich erhalten Sie Tipps, die Sie beim Sprechen online beachten sollten.
Das modulare Regalsystem „MORÉ“ ist ein Stauraummöbel, welches sich im Bereich des (Home) Office einordnet. Das Produkt dient zur Aufbewahrung von Büromaterialien und verbessert die Geräuschkulisse sowie die Beschaffenheit am Arbeitsplatz. Die potenzielle Käufergruppe befindet sich im Alter von 25-67 Jahren, im gewöhnlichen Arbeitsalter Zeitraum (obere Mittelschicht). Im Fokus des Regalsystems steht der besonders freundliche Auf- und Abbau, welcher werkzeuglos erfolgt. Es ist in verschiedene Richtungen erweiterbar (Steckverbindung) und bietet unendlichen Spielraum der Gestaltung. Durch verschiedenfarbige Kennzeichnungen bietet das Regal ein Ordnungssystem, wodurch schnelleres Finden und Sortieren von Unterlagen möglich ist (Grundordnung). Die Rückwände dienen neben der Stabilität als Akustik-/ und Sichtschutz. Das Produkt passt sich jeder Raumsituation individuell an. Ist „MORÉ“ dein nächstes Regalsystem?
Das Multimar Wattforum ist das größte Informationszentrum zum Thema Wattenmeer in Deutschland. Auf über 3000 Quadratmetern können große und kleine Besucher:innen eine interaktive Ausstellung über Wale, Watt und Weltnaturerbe bestaunen. Das Wattenmeer ist ein ganz besonderer Lebensraum und bietet vielen Lebewesen Zuflucht. Es wird durch die Gezeiten geprägt, bei Ebbe trocken und der Sonne ausgesetzt, bei Flut nass und salzig. Das neue Erscheinungsbild für das Multimar Wattforum soll die zentralen Werte und Alleinstellungsmerkmale hervorheben und dem Informationszentrum helfen, seiner Aufgabe als bildende, wissenschaftliche und schützende Einrichtung gerecht zu werden. So wurde ein einheitliches und skalierbares Erscheinungsbild und eine flexible Bild- und Wortmarke entwickel
Based on the European Space Agency (ESA) Science in Space Environment (SciSpacE) community White Paper “Human Physiology – Musculoskeletal system”, this perspective highlights unmet needs and suggests new avenues for future studies in musculoskeletal research to enable crewed exploration missions. The musculoskeletal system is essential for sustaining physical function and energy metabolism, and the maintenance of health during exploration missions, and consequently mission success, will be tightly linked to musculoskeletal function. Data collection from current space missions from pre-, during-, and post-flight periods would provide important information to understand and ultimately offset musculoskeletal alterations during long-term spaceflight. In addition, understanding the kinetics of the different components of the musculoskeletal system in parallel with a detailed description of the molecular mechanisms driving these alterations appears to be the best approach to address potential musculoskeletal problems that future exploratory-mission crew will face. These research efforts should be accompanied by technical advances in molecular and phenotypic monitoring tools to provide in-flight real-time feedback.
RƎURB (Reurbanization & Renewable Energy) ist ein Konzept zur Integration von erneuerbaren Energien in einen urbanen Begegnungsraum. Es beinhaltet das Design eines skulpturalen Kleinwindkraftwerks und eines Solar-Pavillons mit einer Sitzlandschaft für einen energieautarken, öffentlichen Platz. Durch die Integration eines W-LAN Hotspots und Lademöglichkeiten in der Sitzlandschaft bringt RƎURB nicht nur grünen Strom in die Stadt, sondern gewährleistet der Bevölkerung auch Zugang zur Digitalisierung und einen kostenlosen Arbeitsraum. Windturbine: Herkömmliche Windräder können in der Stadt nicht genutzt werden. Die RƎURB-Windsäule ist darauf spezialisiert, die urbanen Winde aus allen Richtungen aufzunehmen und funktioniert schon bei einem leichten Windstoß. Durch das elegante Design lassen sich die Technologien als ästhetischen Blickfang in das moderne Stadtbild integrieren.
"News Flow" Nachrichten- und Informationsprozesse im digitalen Wandel. In der digitalen Welt sind wir von Informationen aus unterschiedlichen Medien umgeben. Die ständige Verfügbarkeit führt zu Überforderung und Orientierungslosigkeit. Junge Menschen bevorzugen Streaming und Social Media gegenüber traditionellen Nachrichten. Angesichts globaler Krisen und Desinformation sind innovative Lösungen wichtig, um den Informationsfluss zu verbessern. "News Flow" ist eine digitale Anwendung für Alternativen des Nachrichtenkonsums. Sie berücksichtigt individuelle Bedürfnisse und nutzt moderne Technologien. Durch die visuelle Vermittlung wird das Interesse an Nachrichten gesteigert und junge Zielgruppen angesprochen. Diese Arbeit stellt sich den Herausforderungen des digitalen Wandels im Nachrichtenbereich und eröffnet eine neue Perspektive auf den Nachrichtenkonsum.
Narzissmus ist ein vielgenutzter Begriff. Häufig wird er im Kontext toxischer Beziehungen verwendet. Nur selten wird das Leben von Frauen thematisiert, deren Mutter narzisstisch ist. Die Graphic Novel „Niemals gut genug“ leistet einen Beitrag zu diesem wenig beachteten Thema. „Niemals gut genug“ schildert anhand von illustrierten Kurzgeschichten alltägliche Situationen von Töchtern narzisstischer Mütter. Die Kurzgeschichten berücksichtigen die Vielfalt narzisstischer Persönlichkeitsstörungen und werfen ein Schlaglicht auf die Vergangenheit narzisstischer Mütter. Dadurch rückt auch die transgenerationale Weitergabe von Narzissmus in den Fokus. „Niemals gut genug“ stellt einen einfühlsamen Zugang zu diesem sensiblen Thema dar und hilft dadurch Betroffenen beim Verstehen und Genesen.
Motile cilia are hair-like cell extensions that beat periodically to generate fluid flow along various epithelial tissues within the body. In dense multiciliated carpets, cilia were shown to exhibit a remarkable coordination of their beat in the form of traveling metachronal waves, a phenomenon which supposedly enhances fluid transport. Yet, how cilia coordinate their regular beat in multiciliated epithelia to move fluids remains insufficiently understood, particularly due to lack of rigorous quantification. We combine experiments, novel analysis tools, and theory to address this knowledge gap. To investigate collective dynamics of cilia, we studied zebrafish multiciliated epithelia in the nose and the brain. We focused mainly on the zebrafish nose, due to its conserved properties with other ciliated tissues and its superior accessibility for non-invasive imaging. We revealed that cilia are synchronized only locally and that the size of local synchronization domains increases with the viscosity of the surrounding medium. Even though synchronization is local only, we observed global patterns of traveling metachronal waves across the zebrafish multiciliated epithelium. Intriguingly, these global wave direction patterns are conserved across individual fish, but different for left and right noses, unveiling a chiral asymmetry of metachronal coordination. To understand the implications of synchronization for fluid pumping, we used a computational model of a regular array of cilia. We found that local metachronal synchronization prevents steric collisions, i.e., cilia colliding with each other, and improves fluid pumping in dense cilia carpets, but hardly affects the direction of fluid flow. In conclusion, we show that local synchronization together with tissue-scale cilia alignment coincide and generate metachronal wave patterns in multiciliated epithelia, which enhance their physiological function of fluid pumping.
Selected problems in the field of multivariate statistical analysis are treated. Thereby, one focus is on the paired sample case. Among other things, statistical testing problems of marginal homogeneity are under consideration. In detail, properties of Hotelling‘s T² test in a special parametric situation are obtained. Moreover, the nonparametric problem of marginal homogeneity is discussed on the basis of possibly incomplete data. In the bivariate data case, properties of the Hoeffding-Blum-Kiefer-Rosenblatt independence test statistic on the basis of partly not identically distributed data are investigated. Similar testing problems are treated within the scope of the application of a result for the empirical process of the concomitants for partly categorial data. Furthermore, testing changes in the modeled solvency capital requirement of an insurance company by means of a paired sample from an internal risk model is discussed. Beyond the paired sample case, a new asymptotic relative efficiency concept based on the expected volumes of multidimensional confidence regions is introduced. Besides, a new approach for the treatment of the multi-sample goodness-of-fit problem is presented. Finally, a consistent test for the treatment of the goodness-of-fit problem is developed for the background of huge or infinite dimensional data.
On the applicability of several tests to models with not identically distributed random effects
(2023)
We consider Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Cramér–von-Mises type tests for testing central symmetry, exchangeability, and independence. In the standard case, the tests are intended for the application to independent and identically distributed data with unknown distribution. The tests are available for multivariate data and bootstrap procedures are suitable to obtain critical values. We discuss the applicability of the tests to random effects models, where the random effects are independent but not necessarily identically distributed and with possibly unknown distributions. Theoretical results show the adequacy of the tests in this situation. The quality of the tests in models with random effects is investigated by simulations. Empirical results obtained confirm the theoretical findings. A real data example illustrates the application.
Dynamic loads significantly impact the structural design of propeller blades due to fatigue and static strength. Since propellers are elastic structures, deformations and aerodynamic loads are coupled. In the past, propeller manufacturers established procedures to determine unsteady aerodynamic loads and the structural response with analytical steady-state calculations. According to the approach, aeroelastic coupling primarily consists of torsional deformations. They neglect bending deformations, deformation velocities, and inertia terms. This paper validates the assumptions above for a General Aviation propeller and a lift propeller for urban air mobility or large cargo drones. Fully coupled reduced-order simulations determine the dynamic loads in the time domain. A quasi-steady blade element momentum approach transfers loads to one-dimensional finite beam elements. The simulation results are in relatively good agreement with the analytical method for the General Aviation propeller but show increasing errors for the slender lift propeller. The analytical approach is modified to consider the induced velocities. Still, inertia and velocity proportional terms play a significant role for the lift propeller due to increased elasticity. The assumption that only torsional deformations significantly impact the dynamic loads of propellers is not valid. Adequate determination of dynamic loads of such designs requires coupled aeroelastic simulations or advanced analytical procedures.
High aerodynamic efficiency requires propellers with high aspect ratios, while propeller sweep potentially reduces noise. Propeller sweep and high aspect ratios increase elasticity and coupling of structural mechanics and aerodynamics, affecting the propeller performance and noise. Therefore, this paper analyzes the influence of elasticity on forward-swept, backward-swept, and unswept propellers in hover conditions. A reduced-order blade element momentum approach is coupled with a one-dimensional Timoshenko beam theory and Farassat's formulation 1A. The results of the aeroelastic simulation are used as input for the aeroacoustic calculation. The analysis shows that elasticity influences noise radiation because thickness and loading noise respond differently to deformations. In the case of the backward-swept propeller, the location of the maximum sound pressure level shifts forward by 0.5 °, while in the case of the forward-swept propeller, it shifts backward by 0.5 °. Therefore, aeroacoustic optimization requires the consideration of propeller deformation.
Anti-bias trainings are increasingly demanded and practiced in academia and industry to increase employees’ sensitivity to discrimination, racism, and diversity. Under the heading of “Diversity Management”, anti-bias trainings are mainly offered as one-off workshops intending to raise awareness of unconscious biases, create a diversity-affirming corporate culture, awake awareness of the potential of diversity, and ultimately enable the reflection of diversity in development processes. However, coming from childhood education, research and scientific articles on the sustainable effectiveness of anti-bias in adulthood, especially in academia, are very scarce. In order to fill this research gap, the paper explores how sustainable the effects of individual anti-bias trainings on the behavior of participants are. In order to investigate this, participant observation in a qualitative pre-post setting was conducted, analyzing anti-bias trainings in an academic context. Two observers actively participated in the training sessions and documented the activities and reflection processes of the participants. Overall, the results question the effectiveness of single anti-bias trainings and show that a target-group adaptive approach is mandatory due to the background of the approach in early childhood education. Therefore, it can be concluded that anti-bias work needs to be adapted to the target group’s needs and reality of life. Furthermore, the study reveals that single anti-bias trainings must be embedded in a holistic diversity management approach to stimulate sustainable reflection processes among the target group. This paper is one of the first to scientifically evaluate anti-bias training effectiveness, especially in engineering sciences and the university context.
Antibias training is increasingly demanded and practiced in academia and industry to increase employees’ sensitivity to discrimination, racism, and diversity. Under the heading of “Diversity Management,” antibias trainings are mainly offered as one-off workshops intending to raise awareness of unconscious biases, create a diversity-affirming corporate culture, promote awareness of the potential of
diversity, and ultimately enable the reflection of diversity in development processes. However, coming from childhood education, research and scientific articles on the sustainable effectiveness of antibias in adulthood, especially in academia, are very scarce. In order to fill this research gap, the article aims to explore how sustainable the effects of individual antibias trainings on participants’ behavior are. In order to investigate this, participant observation in a qualitative pre–post setting was conducted, analyzing antibias training in an academic context. Two observers actively participated in the training sessions and documented the activities and reflection processes of the participants. Overall, the results question the effectiveness of single antibias trainings and show that a target-group adaptive approach is mandatory owing to the background of the approach in early childhood education. Therefore, antibias work needs to be adapted to the target group’s needs and realities of life. Furthermore, the study reveals that single antibias trainings must be embedded in a holistic diversity management approach to stimulate sustainable reflection processes among the target group. This article is one of the first to scientifically evaluate antibias training effectiveness, especially in engineering sciences and the university context.
Optical Fibers as Dosimeter Detectors for Mixed Proton/Neutron Fields - A Biological Dosimeter
(2023)
In recent years, proton therapy has gained importance as a cancer treatment modality due to its conformality with the tumor and the sparing of healthy tissue. However, in the interaction of the protons with the beam line elements and patient tissues, potentially harmful secondary neutrons are always generated. To ensure that this neutron dose is as low as possible, treatment plans could be created to also account for and minimize the neutron dose. To monitor such a treatment plan, a compact, easy to use, and inexpensive dosimeter must be developed that not only measures the physical dose, but which can also distinguish between proton and neutron contributions. To that end, plastic optical fibers with scintillation materials (Gd₂O₂S:Tb, Gd₂O₂S:Eu, and YVO₄:Eu) were irradiated with protons and neutrons. It was confirmed that sensors with different scintillation materials have different sensitivities to protons and neutrons. A combination of these three scintillators can be used to build a detector array to create a biological dosimeter.
Pendelleuchte aus Glas
(2023)
Glas ist seit jeher ein faszinierender Werkstoff. Es findet Anwendung in zahlreichen Gebieten und bietet als Material für Leuchten eine besondere Eleganz. Die Pendelleuchte „Calice di fiori“ vereint handwerkliche Kunstfertigkeit und komfortables Design. Sie ist aus mundgeblasenem Glas gefertigt und verleiht durch ihre Färbung eine kraftvolle und dynamische Atmosphäre im Raum. Das besondere Merkmal der Pendelleuchte ist eine Öffnung, die eine einfache und intuitive Montage erleichtert. Die Pendelleuchte ist mit energieeffizienten LEDs ausgestattet und lässt sich mit einem Smart-Home-System bedienen. Die Lichtintensität und Lichtfarbe können den individuellen Bedürfnissen angepasst werden. „Calice di fiori“ mit schnell abnehmbarem Leuchtenschirm fügt sich in modern eingerichtete Räume ein und bringt einen Hauch Blütenflair mit sich.
Background
Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) is a lingering disease with ongoing symptoms such as fatigue and cognitive impairment resulting in a high impact on the daily life of patients. Understanding the pathophysiology of PCS is a public health priority, as it still poses a diagnostic and treatment challenge for physicians.
Methods
In this prospective observational cohort study, we analyzed the retinal microcirculation using Retinal Vessel Analysis (RVA) in a cohort of patients with PCS and compared it to an age- and gender-matched healthy cohort (n = 41, matched out of n = 204).
Measurements and main results
PCS patients exhibit persistent endothelial dysfunction (ED), as indicated by significantly lower venular flicker-induced dilation (vFID; 3.42% ± 1.77% vs. 4.64% ± 2.59%; p = 0.02), narrower central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE; 178.1 [167.5–190.2] vs. 189.1 [179.4–197.2], p = 0.01) and lower arteriolar-venular ratio (AVR; (0.84 [0.8–0.9] vs. 0.88 [0.8–0.9], p = 0.007). When combining AVR and vFID, predicted scores reached good ability to discriminate groups (area under the curve: 0.75). Higher PCS severity scores correlated with lower AVR (R = − 0.37 p = 0.017). The association of microvascular changes with PCS severity were amplified in PCS patients exhibiting higher levels of inflammatory parameters.
Conclusion
Our results demonstrate that prolonged endothelial dysfunction is a hallmark of PCS, and impairments of the microcirculation seem to explain ongoing symptoms in patients. As potential therapies for PCS emerge, RVA parameters may become relevant as clinical biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy management.
This book is based on a multimedia course for biological and chemical engineers, which is designed to trigger students' curiosity and initiative. A solid basic knowledge of thermodynamics and kinetics is necessary for understanding many technical, chemical, and biological processes.
The one-semester basic lecture course was divided into 12 workshops (chapters). Each chapter covers a practically relevant area of physical chemistry and contains the following didactic elements that make this book particularly exciting and understandable:
- Links to Videos at the start of each chapter as preparation for the workshop
- Key terms (in bold) for further research of your own
- Comprehension questions and calculation exercises with solutions as learning checks
- Key illustrations as simple, easy-to-replicate blackboard pictures
Humorous cartoons for each workshop (by Faelis) additionally lighten up the text and facilitate the learning process as a mnemonic. To round out the book, the appendix includes a summary of the most popular experiments in basic physical chemistry courses, as well as suggestions for designing workshops with exhibits, experiments, and "questions of the day."
Suitable for students minoring in chemistry; chemistry majors are sure to find this slimmed-down, didactically valuable book helpful as well. The book is excellent for self-study.
This work proposes a hybrid algorithm combining an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with a conventional local path planner to navigate UAVs efficiently in various unknown urban environments. The proposed method of a Hybrid Artificial Neural Network Avoidance System is called HANNAS. The ANN analyses a video stream and classifies the current environment. This information about the current Environment is used to set several control parameters of a conventional local path planner, the 3DVFH*. The local path planner then plans the path toward a specific goal point based on distance data from a depth camera. We trained and tested a state-of-the-art image segmentation algorithm, PP-LiteSeg. The proposed HANNAS method reaches a failure probability of 17%, which is less than half the failure probability of the baseline and around half the failure probability of an improved, bio-inspired version of the 3DVFH*. The proposed HANNAS method does not show any disadvantages regarding flight time or flight distance.
This study describes the development of a new combined polysaccharide-matrix-based technology for the immobilization of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) bacteria in biofilm form. The new composition allows for delivering the bacteria to the digestive tract in a manner that improves their robustness compared with planktonic cells and released biofilm cells. Granules consisting of a polysaccharide matrix with probiotic biofilms (PMPB) with high cell density (>9 log CFU/g) were obtained by immobilization in the optimized nutrient medium. Successful probiotic loading was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The developed prebiotic polysaccharide matrix significantly enhanced LGG viability under acidic (pH 2.0) and bile salt (0.3%) stress conditions. Enzymatic extract of feces, mimicking colon fluid in terms of cellulase activity, was used to evaluate the intestinal release of probiotics. PMPB granules showed the ability to gradually release a large number of viable LGG cells in the model colon fluid. In vivo, the oral administration of PMPB granules in rats resulted in the successful release of probiotics in the colon environment. The biofilm-forming incubation method of immobilization on a complex polysaccharide matrix tested in this study has shown high efficacy and promising potential for the development of innovative biotechnologies.
This paper presents an approach to predicting the sound exposure on the ground caused by a landing aircraft with recuperating propellers. The noise source along the trajectory of a flight specified for a steeper approach is simulated based on measurements of sound power levels and additional parameters of a single propeller placed in a wind tunnel. To validate the measured data/measurement results, these simulations are also supported by overflight measurements of a test aircraft. It is shown that the simple source models of propellers do not provide fully satisfactory results since the sound levels are estimated too low. Nevertheless, with a further reference comparison, margins for an acceptable increase in the sound power level of the aircraft on its now steeper approach path could be estimated. Thus, in this case, a +7 dB increase in SWL would not increase the SEL compared to the conventional approach within only 2 km ahead of the airfield.
The growing body of political texts opens up new opportunities for rich insights into political dynamics and ideologies but also increases the workload for manual analysis. Automated speaker attribution, which detects who said what to whom in a speech event and is closely related to semantic role labeling, is an important processing step for computational text analysis. We study the potential of the large language model family Llama 2 to automate speaker attribution in German parliamentary debates from 2017-2021. We fine-tune Llama 2 with QLoRA, an efficient training strategy, and observe our approach to achieve competitive performance in the GermEval 2023 Shared Task On Speaker Attribution in German News Articles and Parliamentary Debates. Our results shed light on the capabilities of large language models in automating speaker attribution, revealing a promising avenue for computational analysis of political discourse and the development of semantic role labeling systems.