Sebastian Busse

The thorax musculature of Anisoptera ( Insecta: Odonata) nymphs and its evolutionary relevance

BackgroundAmong the winged insects (Pterygota) the Odonata (dragon- and damselflies) are special for several reasons. They are strictly aerial predators showing remarkable flight abilities and their thorax morphology differs significantly from that of other Pterygota in terms of the arrangement and number of muscles. Even within one individual the musculature is significantly different between the nymphal and adult stage.ResultsHere we present a comparative morphological investigation of the thoracic musculature of dragonfly (Anisoptera) nymphs. We investigated representatives of the Libellulidae, Aeshnidae and Cordulegasteridae and found 71 muscles: 19 muscles in the prothorax, 26 in the mesothorax and 27 in the metathorax. Nine of these muscles were previously unknown in Odonata, and for seven muscles no homologous muscles could be identified in the neopteran thorax.ConclusionOur results support and extend the homology hypotheses for the thoracic musculatures of Odonata and Neoptera, thus supplementing our understanding of the evolution of Pterygota and providing additional characters for phylogenetic analyses comprising all subgroups of Pterygota.

Driving business transformation toward sustainability: exploring the impact of supporting IS on the performance contribution of eco-innovations

Information systems (IS) can foster business transformation toward sustainability on a large scale by supporting green technologies, thereby creating hybrid physical–digital solutions that are able to fulfil organizational performance requirements and contribute to sustainable business practices. These supporting IS provide an alternative path to corporate sustainability rather than just contributing to the ‘greening’ of business practices by aiming to improve the organizational performance impact of environmental advantageous innovations, which in turn fosters their adoption. Employing a multiple case study comprising eight companies that have implemented such eco‐innovations (specifically electric vehicles) in their business processes, our findings indicate that the organizational performance contribution of eco‐innovations is improved when complemented by supporting IS. This effect is achieved by (1) enhancing the efficiency of the business processes in which the eco‐innovations are deployed, thus increasing eco‐efficiency, and (2) enabling new functionalities, processes and business models that help achieve organizational sustainability goals, thereby driving eco‐effectiveness. With these two aspects, we add two functional affordances – technological flexibility and digital eco‐innovation – to the existing knowledge base of Green IS and point to an elaborated role of IS in sustainability transformation.

The Impact of Gamification-Induced Emotions on In-car IS Adoption -- The Difference between Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants

Most information systems (IS) research focuses on the effect of gamification or the impact of emotions on IS adoption. Moreover, no study differentiates between digital natives and digital immigrants, although theoretically there should be differences in their IS adoption. Digital natives are those from the generation that has grown up with digital technology, their characteristics and behavior are distinguished from those of previous generations, i.e., digital immigrants. To address these research gaps, we conducted a mental simulation experiment with a between-subjects design where the participants used a dual-purpose IS with various game mechanisms inside a car. Our findings indicate that digital natives feel more pleasure, dominance, and arousal than digital immigrants after being confronted with the hedonic part of a dual-purpose IS. The game mechanisms implemented do not influence the emotional state of the user differently. Moreover, pleasure significantly predicts the adoption of the hedonic part of the dual-purpose IS.

Three-dimensional reconstruction on cell level: case study elucidates the ultrastructure of the spinning apparatus of Embia sp. (Insecta: Embioptera)

Spinning is a phenomenon not only present in spiders, but also in many other arthropods. The functional morphology and complexity of spinning organs is often poorly understood. Their elements are minute and studying them poses substantial methodological difficulties. This study presents a three-dimensional reconstruction of a silk gland of Embia sp. on cellular level, based on serial sections acquired with serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBFSEM) to showcase the power of this method. Previous studies achieved either high resolution to elucidate the ultrastructure or satisfying three-dimensional representations. The high-resolution achieved by SBFSEM can be easily used to reconstruct the three-dimensional ultrastructural organization of cellular structures. The herein investigated spinning apparatus of Embioptera can be taken as an example demonstrating the potential of this method. It was possible to reconstruct a multinucleated silk gland containing 63 nuclei. We focused on the applicability of this method in the field of morphological research and provide a step-by-step guide to the methodology. This will help in applying the method to other arthropod taxa and will help significantly in adapting the method to other animals, animal parts and tissues.

Containerterminalbetriebe als Wegbereiter für Elektromobilität – Herausforderungen für die IKT beim Management batterie-elektrischer Schwerlastverkehre

Durch die Transformation des Energiesystems und die flachendeckende Einfuhrung von Elektrofahrzeugen entstehen neue Herausforderungen und Chancen fur den Betrieb der Stromnetze mit zusatzlichen Lasten und fur den vertriebsorientierten Handel an den Strommarkten. In dieser Hinsicht sind Beruhrungspunkte zwischen der Branche der Energiewirtschaft und der Automobilbranche untersucht worden. In Verbindung des Themengebiets Elektromobilitat mit dem Themengebiet zukunftiger intelligenter Stromnetze werden Anwendungs- und Geschaftsfalle fur die Integration von Elektrofahrzeugen und insbesondere ihrer Batteriespeichersysteme erarbeitet. Die Motivation fur das in diesem Beitrag vorgestellte Forschungs- und Entwicklungsvorhaben ist, in einem Containerterminalbetrieb exemplarisch fur das Einsatzgebiet Logistik und Produktion die IKT-basierte Netz- und Marktintegration von vollstandig elektrifizierten Schwerlastfahrzeugen zu untersuchen und die daraus erwachsenden Synergiepotenziale herauszuarbeiten. Der Containertransport wirft lokal einen erheblichen Energiebedarf auf, der durch eine Umstellung von Transportfahrzeugen mit Verbrennungsmotor (diesel-mechanischer Antriebsstrang) oder Dieselstromgenerator (diesel-elektrischer Antriebsstrang) auf batterie-betriebene Transportfahrzeuge in die Stromsparte verlegt werden kann. Gerade fur kustennahe Standorte wie einen Containerhafenbetrieb konnen sich daraus Moglichkeiten ergeben, die naturgemas unsicheren Stromertrage von Erzeugungsanlagen auf Basis erneuerbarer Quellen wie Sonne und Wind starker als anderswo zu nutzen und bei den Bezugspreisen von der Verwertung unerwarteter Stromuberschusse zu profitieren. Dafur sind neue Verfahren fur die betriebswirtschaftlich integrierte Planung des Elektrofahrzeugeinsatzes und des Einsatzes von Wechselbatterien erforderlich.

Note on using nuclear 28S rDNA for sequencing ancient and strongly degraded insect DNA: Protocol for aDNA sequencing in insects

A protocol using insect specimens or parts thereof allows for sequencing of sections of nuclear 28S rDNA. In the present note it is demonstrated that this protocol can readily be applied to strongly degraded DNA (ancient, fixed or contaminated). Primers that are specifically designed to discriminate against human DNA but also other non‐arthropod species are tested on a range of species covering all insect groups (59 insect species from all 33 orders). Additionally, the samples represent a selection of various, mostly DNA‐degrading, preservation methods, including the most common fixatives used for morphological investigations and for long‐term storage in collections. Successful amplification was possible for all tested samples including ca. 200 year‐old dried museum specimens as well as for over 4000 year‐old fossil insects embedded in copal. When the NCBI database contained information on the tested species an unambiguous taxonomic discrimination was possible. This approach is based on a standardized protocol that guarantees easy application. This note presents primer pairs for 28S rDNA that can be a useful tool for ancient DNA (aDNA) research.

Valuing Battery Degradation from a Battery Lessor’s Perspective

In order to promote the market-introduction phase of electric mobility, car manufacturers will have to face the residual value risk of electric cars for consumers, particularly concerning the battery. An increasingly common trend to minimize uncertainties for the consumer, is the separate leasing of the battery. In this paper we examine degradation in lithium-ion batteries from a lessor’s perspective. We suppose that battery life can be influenced directly by the user. In the case of a lease contract, the battery always remains the property of the lessor. In this respect, there are no direct incentives for the user to increase battery life by expending additional effort. Therefore, we discuss the idea of a dynamic leasing concept as an opportunity for car manufacturers to encourage consumers to adopt a gentle treatment of the battery in order to extend battery lifetime and thus the residual value. Therefore, we examine the effects of different charging strategies on a battery’s residual value to verify whether there is potential for a deeper investigation of a dynamic battery leasing approach. In order to quantify the extent of user influence on battery life, lifetime simulations are performed for different charging scenarios. For our calculations we use a degradation model as a function of the depth of discharge. Furthermore, realistic driving patterns are taken into account to estimate the quantity of energy processed as a function of use mode.