Einfluss der Art der Materialgewinnung auf die Diagnosefindung in der Lungenpathologie

Das Ziel der Arbeit ist die Darstellung der Möglichkeiten der Kryobiopsien für die Diagnostik von Lungenerkrankungen und Pleuraerkrankungen. Es wurde zunächst gezeigt, dass die transbronchialen Kryobiopsien einen deutlichen morphologischen Unterschied gegenüber den konventionellen transbronchialen Biopsien zeigen, indem sie größer sind und häufiger alveoläres Gewebe enthalten. Entnahmebedingte Artefakte des alveolären Gewebes zeigten sich nicht. Untersucht wurden Patientenkollektive mit Krebserkrankungen sowie mit interstitiellen Lungenerkrankungen. In beiden Gruppen zeigt sich eine deutliche Steigerung der diagnostischen Ausbeute. Bei den pleuralen Läsionen konnte mindestens eine Gleichwertigkeit der Methode der Kryobiopsie der Pleura mit einer flexiblen Zangenbiopsie gezeigt werden. Die letzte vorgelegte Arbeit zeigt die erste Beschreibung einer durch Kryobiopsie gesicherten diffusen idiopathischen Hyperplasie der neuroendokrinen Zellen (DIPNECH). Insgesamt zeigt sich eine gute Einsetzbarkeit der Methode bei allen Lungen- und Pleuraerkrankungen.The aim of this work is to present a variety of cryobiopsies for the diagnosis of pulmonary and pleural diseases. The first paper describes a distinct morphologic difference between cryobiopsies and traditional transbronchial biopsies. Cryobiopsies reveal to be larger, contain more common alveolar tissue, which does not show any artefacts. The following analyses included patient groups with cancer and interstitial lung diseases. Both groups show a higher diagnostic yield concerning the specific disease. For the pleural lesions it could be demonstrated that there is at least a diagnostic equivalence between cryobiopsy and flexible thoracosopy. Finally, the last paper is a first case report of a cryobiopsy-diagnosed diffuse idiopathic neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH). Altogether, the method presents itself suitable for application in all groups of lung and pleural diseases

When and why does the name of the brand still matter? Developing the temporal dimension of brand name equity theory

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to fill a current gap in the literature, through the development of theory concerned with changes that occur over time to the functions and importance of the brand name element of a branded entity. Design/methodology/approach – An initial theoretical conceptualisation was developed from the existing literature. Study participants whose behaviour was found not to conform to this initial conceptualisation were included in subsequent research in order to obtain greater understanding. The study method employed was a series of interviews, with the obtained qualitative data analysed using template analysis. This resulted in the development of a revised theoretical conceptualisation. Findings – Various functions of the brand name element, identified as connotation, denotation, linking and branded entity constancy are ongoing important providers of brand equity to some consumers for established branded entities. This challenges a position obtained from existing literature that the brand name element of an established branded entity becomes of minimal importance over time. Originality/value – Value generating functions of the brand name element that persist over time were identified, leading to the development of a theoretical conceptualisation of the change in the importance of brand name equity over time

Untangling the brand name from the branded entity

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the value to consumers of the brand name element for established brands, given that the focus in the literature has been on new brands. To accomplish this, conceptual development was initially undertaken to illuminate the links between the brand name element and the brand entity and to provide a theoretical framework for looking at changes in value of the brand name element to consumers over time. Design/methodology/approach – A conjoint analysis experimental approach was used. This involved consumers making trade-off decisions between changes in brand name and changes in price for established brands, where they were active purchasers. This approach enabled isolation of the brand name element and obtained the relative value of the brand name element for each participant. Findings – The mean value obtained for the importance of the brand name element for established products appeared to show substantial importance to consumers. However, further analysis identified a position where the majority of participants placed little value on the brand name element and a smaller but material group perceived its value as of overwhelming importance. Originality/value – This paper advances branding theory through clarification of the relationship between the brand name element and the brand entity. It provides theoretical argument and empirical data for the value of the brand name element to the consumer differing between established and new brand

Cloud computing and adult literacy: How cloud computing can sustain the promise of adult learning

Cloud Computing and Adult Literacy is the final report of an Alpha Plus Project to examine How cloud computing can sustain the promise of Adult Learning. The report includes a review of recent literature on cloud computing, on the role of technology in literacy, and on the characteristics of the Adult Literacy in Canada.AlphaPlus, Athabasca Universit

Learning object repository technologies for telelearning: The evolution of POOL and CanCore

Repositories provide mechanisms to encourage the discovery, exchange and re-use of learning objects. This paper describes Portals for On-line Objects in Learning (POOL), a consortium project of the TeleLearning NCE to build a learning object repository scalable to the national level. Funded in part by the Canarie Learning Program, POOL contributes to the development of two focal technologies: “POOL POND and SPLASH” a distributed architecture for a peer-to-peer network of learning object repositories, and CanCore, a practical metadata protocol for cataloguing learning objects. Keywords: Learning object repositories, CanCore, POOL, metadata

Cloud computing and adult literacy: How cloud computing can sustain the promise of adult learning

Adult literacy in Canada consists of a patchwork of large and small adult education providers: many of them are autonomous community societies, some are school boards, and others are community college based, as well as a range of independent community-based groups. Funding for adult literacy comes from several pockets: from different provincial and/or federal government departments and from charitable organizations. Much of the federal funding is short term in response to shifting government priorities. Indeed, Crooks et al. [1] suggest that the ongoing funding search, with the attendant application and reporting activities, detracts from the ability to provide more effectively planned and sustainable adult education programs. A major challenge for adult literacy providers is that while their client base has significant human and economic potential, low-literacy adults are not perceived as large contributors to the economy, and thus, much of the funding is intermittent—from project to project.Alpha Adult Literacy Ontari

Increased 18F-FDG uptake mimicking thyroid cancer in a patient with Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Abstract.: We report the case of a 68-year-old patient with a known paravertebral malignant schwannoma, sent to us for postoperative staging. A combined whole-body PET/CT scan showed only poor 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the region of the primary tumor but distinct increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the left and right thyroid gland. Thyroid sonography showed two hypoechogenic nodules. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of one nodule showed oxyphil transformed cells, compatible with malignancy. Based on these findings, the patient underwent a subtotal thyroidectomy. Histopathology of the specimen revealed a chronic follicular Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This case demonstrates that Hashimoto's thyroiditis can mimic thyroid cancer in PET but also in sonography and fine-needle aspiration biops

The evolution of learning object repository technologies: Portals for On-line Objects for Learning

Learning objects are the digital files that are used to construct e-learning experiences, and repositories provide mechanisms to encourage their discovery, exchange, and reuse. Portals for On-line Objects in Learning (POOL) is a consortium project of the TeleLearning NCE to build a learning object repository scalable to the national level. Funded in part by the CANARIE Learning Program, POOL efforts have resulted in the development of two focal technologies: POOL, POND and SPLASH, a distributed architecture for a peer-to-peer network of learning object repositories; and CanCore, a practical metadata protocol for cataloguing learning objects. The authors conjecture that the technology of learning objects and repositories is in an early phase of development and that significant evolution can be expected as user communities form, protocols emerge for the functional linking of these structures, and the underlying technology becomes less visible