We investigated attachment and migration of human retinal pigment epithelial cells (primary, SV40-transfected and ARPE-19) on nanoscopically defined, two-dimensional matrices composed of parallel-aligned collagen type I fibrils. These matrices were used non-cross-linked (native) or after riboflavin/UV-A cross-linking to study cell attachment and migration by time-lapse video microscopy. Expression of collagen type I and IV, MMP-2 and of the collagen-binding integrin subunit α2 were examined by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. SV40-RPE cells quickly attached to the nanostructured collagen matrices and aligned along the collagen fibrils. However, they disrupted both native and cross-linked collagen matrices within 5 h. Primary RPE cells aligned more slowly without destroying either native or cross-linked substrates. Compared to primary RPE cells, ARPE-19 cells showed reduced alignment but partially disrupted the matrices within 20 h after seeding. Expression of the collagen type I-binding integrin subunit α2 was highest in SV40-RPE cells, lower in primary RPE cells and almost undetectable in ARPE-19 cells. Thus, integrin α2 expression levels directly correlated with the degree of cell alignment in all examined RPE cell types. Specific integrin subunit α2-mediated matrix binding was verified by preincubation with an α2-function-blocking antibody, which impaired cell adhesion and alignment to varying degrees in primary and SV40-RPE cells. Since native matrices supported extended and directed primary RPE cell growth, optimizing the matrix production procedure may in the future yield nanostructured collagen matrices serving as transferable cell sheet carriers. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

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Der vorliegende Beitrag beleuchtet als Teil eines Blended-Learning Ansatzes vorrangig den Einsatz von Live-Umfragen (ARS – Audience Responce Systems) im Vorlesungsrahmen. Gerade naturwissenschaftlich geprägte Studiengänge (hier die Fachrichtung Physik) sind häufig durch Frontalunterricht geprägt. Das maßgebliche Ziel des Projektes war es, das Format durch gezielte Einbindung der Studierenden aufzulockern und die Diskussionskultur in der Lehrveranstaltung zu stärken. Einhergehend mit der Aktivierung erhalten die Lernenden eine unmittelbare Rückmeldung zu ihrem Wissensstand und die/ der Lehrende ein Feedback zu möglichen Wissenslücken. Die Live-Umfragen fanden über die Online- Plattform invote.de in Form von Single-Choice-Fragen statt. Erweitert wurde dieser Ansatz, indem diese Inhalte ebenfalls für eine asynchrone Wissensvermittlung im Lernmanagement-System (LMS) Moodle implementiert und mit Feedback flankiert wurden. Dies führte im Vergleich zu früheren Iterationen der Lehrveranstaltung zu einem höheren Aktivitätslevel des Plenums und fachlich fundierten Diskussionen. In Evaluationen zum Ende des Semesters sowie in persönlichen Gesprächen mit den Studierenden, wurde der Einsatz der Fragen in synchroner sowie asynchroner Form explizit als Zugewinn für die Qualität der Lehrveranstaltung herausgestellt.

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Alignment of information technology (IT) projects remains a concern for business executives and negatively impacts IT investments through failed projects. Drawing from the theory of systems thinking and the concept of holism, the purpose of this correlational study was to provide executive leaders with information about influences associated with the independent variables of project alignment and performance outputs, and the dependent variable, project success rates. Accordingly, the research question addressed the relationship between the 2-predictor variables and the outcome variable. Data collection involved a nonprobability, purposive sample of 49 credentialed project managers from Arizona who completed an online survey. Results from multiple linear regression analysis indicated statistically significant relationships between the predictor variables (F (2, 46) = 111.08, p < .001). The regression model predicted 82% of the variation resulted from the independent variables. The study's findings provide corporate leaders with a better understanding of project alignment, performance outputs, and project success rates from the operations perspective of project management professionals who contribute to the organization's competitive advantage through the implementation of strategic IT projects. The positive social change implications of this study include increased organization benefits, such as substantiated IT investments and higher profits. Increased project success rates substantiate IT investments through improved customer satisfaction and financial performance. Improved financial performance leads to higher profits, which leads to higher wages. Higher wages contributes positively to society-at-large through an enhanced quality of life.

The diploma thesis deals with the transfer of cyclists through the dam of Nové Mlýny. The design runs alongside the dam, outside the existing I/52 road, as a preparation for the D52 motorway. The thesis solves the design of longitudinal alignment and vertical alignment of the cycle path along the I/52 road, connection of the cycle path to the adjacent network of cycling routes and variants of crossing cycle path 5174 with route I/52 due to an increase of safety.

This thesis summarizes ways of representation of biological sequences and file formats used for sequence exchange and storage. Next part deals with techniques used for sequence pairwise alignment, followed by extension of these techniques to the problem of multiple sequence alignment. Additional methods are introduced, that are suboptimal, but on the other hand are able to compute results in reasonable time. Practical part of this thesis consists of implementing multiple sequence alignment application in Java programming language.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to enrich the literature, by increasing the understanding of how business intelligence (BI) initiatives can be aligned with the business strategy in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Thus, prior research is insufficient in terms of BI and IT alignment research in SMEs. To fulfill the purpose the following research questions were addressed: RQ1: What are the challenges when aligning business intelligence initiatives with the business strategy in SMEs? RQ2: How can the identified challenges be mitigated, when aligning business intelligence initiatives with the business strategy in SMEs?  Method: This study is a qualitative single case study carried out at a Swedish IT-consultant firm. The primary data was conducted through 15 interviews in three different interview iterations exploratory, semi-structured, and validation interviews. The semi-structured interviews were analyzed through a thematic analysis.   Findings: The findings of the study are divided into two parts, where the first part addresses BI utilization, implementation, and BI alignment challenges and mitigators in SMEs. Where five challenges were identified: (1) management support, (2) data quality and quantity, (3) strategic ambiguity, (4) measurability and KPIs, and (5) miscommunication and conflict. Moreover, the study identified four mitigators to the challenges: (1) driver identification, (2) champions, (3) communication, and (4) strong data foundation. In the second part, the findings are summarized and put in context in a BI alignment roadmap, that describes how BI initiatives can be aligned with the business strategy in SMEs. Implications: This study contributes to the immature research field of BI and IT/business alignment in SMEs. Identifying BI alignment challenges and how they can be mitigated, resulting in a BI alignment roadmap. The roadmap can be used as a guide for SMEs who want to align their BI initiative. Furthermore, BI consultants can use the roadmap as a material of discussion, to determine their client’s BI maturity or readiness. Moreover, the roadmap can be built upon to include more challenges or perspectives.  Limitations and future research: This study is limited in terms of data collection, in a single case study setting, which affects the generalizability. Therefore, future studies could expand the scope of the data collection, in a multi-case study setting. / Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att berika litteraturen genom att öka förståelsen för hur business intelligence (BI) initiativ kan anpassas till företagsstrategin i små och medelstora företag (SMF). Tidigare forskning är otillräcklig när det gäller anpassning av BI och IT i SMF. För att uppfylla syftet har följande forskningsfrågor behandlats: FR1: Vilka utmaningar finns det när det gäller att anpassa business intelligence till företagsstrategin i SMF? FR2: Hur kan de identifierade utmaningarna mildras vid anpassning av business intelligence initiativ till företagsstrategin i SMF? Metod: Denna studie är en kvalitativ enskild fallstudie utförd på ett svenskt IT-konsultföretag. Primärdata samlades in genom 15 intervjuer i tre olika intervjuiterationer, utforskande, semistrukturerade och valideringsintervjuer. De semistrukturerade intervjuerna analyserades genom en tematisk analys. Resultat: Resultaten av studien är uppdelade i två delar, där den första delen tar upp BI-användning, implementering och BI-anpassningsutmaningar och mildrande faktorer i SMF. Där fem utmaningar identifierades: (1) ledningsstöd, (2) datakvalitet och kvantitet, (3) strategisk oklarhet, (4) mätbarhet och nyckeltal och (5) felkommunikation och konflikter. Dessutom identifierade studien fyra lindrande faktorer för dessa utmaningar: (1) Identifiering av drivare, (2) förespråkare, (3) kommunikation och (4) stark databas. I den andra delen sammanfattas resultaten och sätts i ett sammanhang i en BI-anpassningsplan, som beskriver hur BI-initiativ kan anpassas till affärsstrategin i SMF. Bidrag: Denna studie bidrar till det omogna forskningsfältet BI och IT/affärsanpassning i SMF. Genom att identifiera utmaningar med BI-anpassning och hur de kan mildras, vilket resulterar i en anpassningsplan för BI-anpassning. Anpassningsplanen kan användas som vägledning för SMF som vill anpassa sitt BI-initiativ. Dessutom kan BI-konsulter använda anpassningsplanen som diskussionsmaterial för att fastställa kunders BI-mognad eller beredskap. Dessutom kan anpassningsplanen byggas vidare på för att inkludera fler utmaningar eller perspektiv. Begränsningar och framtida forskning: Denna studie är begränsad när det gäller datainsamling i en enskild fallstudie, vilket påverkar generaliserbarheten. Därför skulle framtida studier kunna utöka omfattningen av datainsamlingen, i en flerfallstudie.

This thesis is focused on the alignment studies of the vertex detector during first years of the Belle II detector operation and the first prompt sin 2ϕ1 analysis using the first rel- evant data collected by the detector. Firstly, the Belle II detector and the SuperKEKB accelerator is introduced. Secondly, the software framework and tools operation is ex- plained, then the alignment procedure and developed validation procedures are described in detail. Fourth section reports about the first years of the detector operation. Next three sections are related to different alignment studies during thee different periods of the vertex detector operation: the Phase 2, VXD Commissioning and beginning of the Phase 3 early. The last section covers the time-dependent CP Violation and mixing measurements performed using the data collected prior to the 11en of May 2020. 1

Recently, the school of electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) at the Royal institute of technology (KTH) proposed to introduce a new learning module for the course Engineering Methods - II1300. The module is to introduce both C programming and LEGO robot EV3 programming, to help the students to complete a course project. A literature study was first conducted to investigate how a learning module should be designed and what information was needed. Data from a survey routinely performed by the department and another in this work were collected. The data showed a wide variety in background knowledge among the students who attended the course. Many students believed that they did not receive enough learning material to complete the C assignments nor sufficient instructions for programming the LEGO robot. Based on the data analyses and guided with the Constructive Alignment method and the Scaffolding theory, a specification was created, and the desired learning module was developed. The module provides necessary instructions, good code examples and relevant resources that may be needed. It arranges a balanced amount of learning activities. It is expected to guide the learningprocess and improve the learning efficiency, and to facilitate the teaching process and reduce the workload. The learning module highlights a structured and modular way to teach fundamentals of C programming using the Scaffolding teaching method in conjunction with Constructive Alignment. The module can be reused with small modifications for similar courses by substituting the contents. Moreover, the strategy and the methods, which the project adopted to develop the module, are rather general and in principle are applicable to most online course development. / Nyligen föreslog Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS) på KungligaTekniska Högskolan (KTH) att införa en ny inlärningsmodul för kursen Engineering Methods - II1300. Modulen ska introducera både C-programmeringoch LEGO-robot EV3-programmering, för att hjälpa eleverna att slutföra ett kursprojekt. En litteraturstudie genomfördes först för att undersöka hur en inlärningsmodul ska utformas och vilken information som behövs. Data från en undersökningsom rutinmässigt utförts av institutionen och en annan i detta arbete samlades in. Uppgifterna visade en stor variation i bakgrundskunskaper blandde studenter som deltog i kursen. Många studenter trodde att de inte fick tillräckligt med läromedel för att slutföra C-uppgifterna eller tillräckliga instruktionerför att programmera LEGO-roboten. Baserat på dataanalyserna och styrs med Constructive Alignment metoden och Scaffoldning teorin skapades en specifikation och den önskade inlärningsmodulen utvecklades. Modulen innehåller nödvändiga instruktioner, bra kodexempel och relevanta resurser som kan behövas. Det ordnar en balanserad mängd lärande aktiviteter. Det förväntas vägleda inlärningsprocessen och förbättra inlärningseffektiviteten och underlätta undervisningsprocessen och minska arbetsbelastningen. Lärningsmodulen belyser ett strukturerat och modulärt sätt att undervisa i grunderna i C-programmering med hjälp av undervisningsmetoden Scaffolding i samband med Constructive Alignment. Modulen kan återanvändas med små ändringar för liknande kurser genom att ersätta innehållet. Dessutom är strategin och metoderna, som projektet antog för att utveckla modulen, ganska allmän och är i princip tillämpliga för de flesta online kursutveckling.