Molecular weight of hydroxyethyl starch: is there an effect on blood coagulation and pharmacokinetics?

BACKGROUND: The development of hydroxyethyl starches (HES) with low impact on blood coagulation but higher volume effect compared with the currently used HES solutions is of clinical interest. We hypothesized that high molecular weight, low-substituted HES might possess these properties. METHODS: Thirty pigs were infused with three different HES solutions (20 ml kg(-1)) with the same degree of molar substitution (0.42) but different molecular weights (130, 500 and 900 kDa). Serial blood samples were taken over 24 h and blood coagulation was assessed by Thromboelastograph analysis and analysis of plasma coagulation. In addition, plasma concentration and in vivo molecular weight were determined and pharmacokinetic data were computed based on a two-compartment model. RESULTS: Thromboelastograph analysis and plasma coagulation tests did not reveal a more pronounced alteration of blood coagulation with HES 500 and HES 900 compared with HES 130. In contrast, HES 500 and HES 900 had a greater area under the plasma concentration-time curve [1542 (142) g min litre(-1), P<0.001, 1701 (321) g min litre(-1), P<0.001] than HES 130 [1156 (223) g min litre(-1)] and alpha half life (t(alpha)(1/2)) was longer for HES 500 [53.8 (8.6) min, P<0.01] and HES 900 [57.1 (12.3) min, P<0.01] than for HES 130 [39.9 (10.7) min]. Beta half life (t(beta)(1/2)), however, was similar for all three types of HES [from 332 (100) to 381 (63) min]. CONCLUSIONS: In low-substituted HES, molecular weight is not a key factor in compromising blood coagulation. The longer initial intravascular persistence of high molecular weight low-substituted HES might result in a longer lasting volume effect

The industrial Internet : business models as challenges for innovations

Internet of things innovations and the industrial internet these days become more and more decisive factors of future success for companies. Especially manufacturing oriented SME will face the challenge to develop innovative technology driven business models alongside technology innovations in this field which will be essential for future competitiveness. Failing in developing these technology driven business models in an internationally highly competitive environment will have a serious impact both on companies and on the society. Hence, securing economic stability and success of these technology driven business models is an indispensable task. To identify challenges for innovative industrial internet business models first it is necessary to understand what the industrial internet means to the leading parties and applying companies and start-ups in the field. Second, challenges from general business model development will be outlined. In a third step risks and challenges in business model development will be discussed with regard to the special characteristics of technology driven business models in the context of the industrial internet and the important role of the technological key component of the business model. Especially the capability to deal with an integrated consideration of the indivisible linked dimensions of economic and technological aspects of these business models is questioned. In the fourth place the specific challenges for industrial internet business models are derived. On the basis of these results it is also discussed what might be done to handle these challenges successfully with the goal to turn them into chances. The need for future research on the integration of the risk management perspective into the development of these technology driven business models is derived. This will help established companies and start-ups to realize great technological innovations for the industrial internet in sound and successful innovative business models

Changes in serum creatinine concentration and acute kidney injury (AKI) grade in dogs treated with hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 from 2013 to 2015

Background: Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) solutions may cause acute kidney injury (AKI) in humans. Objective: To compare AKI grades in 94 dogs exposed and 90 dogs that were unexposed to 6% HES-130/0.4. Animals: Dogs receiving 6% HES-130/0.4 (HES cohort) or crystalloids (unexposed cohort) between 2013 and 2015. Methods: Historical cohort study. Diagnosis, total cumulative dose and total mL/kg of HES administered, time frame of HES administration and serum creatinine concentrations up to 90 days after initiation of HES treatment were retrospectively reviewed. The AKI grades were retrospectively determined by IRIS guidelines. Results: Exposed dogs received a median cumulative dose of 69.4 mL/kg (range, 2–429 mL/kg) HES over a median of 4 (range, 1–16) days, resulting in a median dose of 20.7 (range, 2–87) mL/kg/d. Although the cohorts differed in terms of age and diagnosis, AKI grades were not significantly different at the evaluated short- and long-term time points. Results of ordinal logistic regression identified the number of days of HES administration as significantly associated with an increase in AKI grade within 10 days (P = .038), whereas there was no significant association among HES exposure, HES mL/kg/d, and an increase in AKI grade. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: HES-130/0.4-treated dogs were not more prone to develop AKI than HES-untreated, but the number of HES days was significantly associated with an increase in AKI grade within 10 days post-HES administration. The time frame of HES treatment should be kept short. Prospective, randomized clinical trials are required to assess the effect of HES on renal function in dogs

Digitale Prozessoptimierung in Einkaufsbereichen

Im Zuge zunehmender Effizienzbestrebungen in produzierenden Unternehmen spielt auch die Optimierung von indirekten Wertschöpfungsprozessen eine immer größere Rolle. Neben einer ansteigenden Aufgabenvielfalt stellt ein parallel wachsender Kostendruck eine doppelte Herausforderung dar. Dies gilt insbesondere für Einkaufsbereiche entsprechender Organisationen, welche an der Schnittstelle zwischen der unternehmensinternen und -externen Wertschöpfungskette operieren und an dieser einen essenziellen Beitrag auch im Sinne des Informationsflusses zur Unterstützung eines integrierten Supply Chain Managements darstellen. Um diesen zu begegnen, ist es notwendig, die relevanten Kernprozesse der Einkaufsbereiche stetig im Blick zu halten und Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten zu identifizieren und umzusetzen. Dieser Beitrag will zu einem Überblick für die Prozessoptimierung mithilfe des Einsatzes digitaler Technologien speziell in Einkaufsbereichen beitragen. Es werden die Spezifika des Einkaufs vorgestellt, relevante Kernaufgaben beschrieben und exemplarisch technologische Ansätze zur Prozessoptimierung anhand von Process Mining, Robotic Process Automation und künstlicher Intelligenz aufgezeigt

A procedure model for risk identification in the development of technology driven business models

Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit bestand in der Konzeption und Ausarbeitung eines Vorgehensmodells zur Identifikation von Risiken in der Entwicklung technologiegetriebener Geschäftsmodelle. Dieses soll es Gründern und bestehenden Unternehmen gleichermaßen ermöglichen, erfolgsrelevante Gefahren für ihr Geschäftsmodell frühzeitig zu erkennen und effektiv einzugrenzen. Das Vorgehensmodell wurde mittels SADT-Methodik modelliert, um Wechselwirkungen zwischen einzelnen Schritten aufzuzeigen. Die Anwendung des Vorgehensmodells leistet einen Beitrag zur Schaffung von Transparenz hinsichtlich konkreter, einzelfallspezifischer Erfolgsfaktoren für das zu entwickelnde technologiegetriebene Geschäftsmodell. Es zeigt Wissensdefizite und widersprüchliche, gegebenenfalls subjektive Vermutungen am Entwicklungsprozess beteiligter Personen konsequent auf. Es ermöglicht einen strukturierten Ablauf für die Auseinandersetzung mit Zusammenhängen innerhalb des individuellen Geschäftsmodells und mit dessen Umfeld, welche es bei der Realisierung desselben zu berücksichtigen gilt.The overall goal of this dissertation is the conceptualization and field testing of a procedure model to identify success relevant risks in early stages of technology driven business models development. It enables founders and existing companies and organizations to identify challenges early and thus helps to built the basis for effective risk management measures. The procedure model was designed using SADT logic. The application of the procedure model contributes to transparency regarding specific success factors for the individual technology driven business model. It helps to explore knowledge deficiencies and outline subjective assumptions of involved experts during the business model development process. By giving a step by step guideline it provides a structured approach to deal with complex links and dependencies between success relevant business model attributes and attributes from its environment which need be considered with regard to the implementation of the specific technology driven business model

Advancing towards a Business Model Innovation process for start-ups

Because process and product innovations are usually no longer sufficient to establish a company in the market or to generate a competitive advantage, Business Model Innovation is considered a powerful tool, especially for start-ups for which innovation is at the core of their business. Due to the complexity of this process, frameworks should help entrepreneurs with executing Business Model Innovation. However, theory and practice diverge. The aim of this paper is to identify the needs of a start-up regarding Business Model Innovation frameworks, underlining the importance of Business Model Innovation for start-ups as well as the relevance of a supporting framework. The research results aim to contribute to an ideal process for Business Model Innovation when applied to start-ups