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2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Willi ◽  
Marina L. Meli ◽  
Chiara Cafarelli ◽  
Urs O. Gilli ◽  
Anja Kipar ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cytauxzoon spp. infection is believed to be a newly emerging tick-borne disease in felids in Europe, with three species of the haemoparasite having recently been differentiated in wild felids. In Switzerland, rare infections have been documented in domestic cats in the west and northwest of the country, the first of which was in 2014. The aims of the present study were: (i) to characterize a Cytauxzoon spp. hotspot in domestic cats in central Switzerland; (ii) to elucidate the geographic distribution of Cytauxzoon spp. in domestic cats in Switzerland; (iii) to assess suspected high-risk populations, such as stray and anaemic cats; and (iv) to investigate the newly emerging nature of the infection. Cytauxzoon spp. were further differentiated using mitochondrial gene sequencing. Methods The overall study included samples from 13 cats from two households in central Switzerland (study A), 881 cats from all regions of Switzerland (study B), 91 stray cats from a hotspot region in the northwest of Switzerland and 501 anaemic cats from across Switzerland (study C), and 65 Swiss domestic cats sampled in 2003 and 34 European wildcats from eastern France sampled in the period 1995–1996 (study D). The samples were analysed for Cytauxzoon spp. using real-time TaqMan quantitative PCR, and positive samples were subjected to 18S rRNA, cytochrome b (CytB) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequencing. Results In study A, six of 13 cats from two neighbouring households in central Switzerland tested postive for Cytauxzoon spp.; two of the six infected cats died from bacterial infections. In studies B and C, only one of the 881 cats (0.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0–0.3%) in the countrywide survey and one of the 501 anaemic cats (0.2%; 95% CI: 0–0.6%) tested postive for Cytauxzoon spp. while eight of the 91 stray cats in the northwest of Switzerland tested positive (8.8%; 95% CI: 3.0–14.6%). In study D, Cytauxzoon spp. was detected in one of the 65 domestic cat samples from 2003 (1.5%; 95% CI: 0–4.5%) and in ten of the 34 European wildcat samples from 1995 to 1996 (29%; 95% CI: 14.2–44.7%). The isolates showed ≥ 98.6% sequence identities among the 18S rRNA, CytB and COI genes, respectively, and fell in the subclade Cytauxzoon europaeus based on CytB and COI gene phylogenetic analyses. Conclusions The study challenges the newly emerging nature of Cytauxzoon spp. in central Europe and confirms that isolates from domestic cats in Switzerland and European wild felids belong to the same species. Graphical Abstract


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Andreas Bürgi

Among the processes of “conquering, developing and appropriating mountains” is occupied by the emergence of mountain topography. In the eighteenth century raised relief, as a terrain model, played one of the most important roles in this process. This was a period when more reliable topographic data began to be collected on the basis of measurements carried out across the Alps. Possibilities of their cartographic representation were limited at the time. A graphic method for presenting orthogonal projection by means of contour curves was not invented until the nineteenth century. Before that three-dimensional terrain models were the only way to correctly represent various levels of landscape. Terrain models were accepted at the time as the best method for presenting mountain landscapes. The first attempt to carry out a comprehensive measurement of the Alps over a vast area of a continuous mountain range and represent it on a low relief was made in 1786 and concerned an area in central Switzerland around Lake Lucerne. At that time Franz Ludwig Pfyffer von Wyher, an officer in French service, became famous for advanced surveying techniques and terrain models, both civilian and military. His famous relief depicts around one-tenth of today’s Switzerland, with two-thirds of the area encompassing the Alps and foot of the Alps. From that moment on other authors began to create their models of Alpine landscape. These reliefs were appreciated by contemporary naturalists, especially those studying the Alps, because they enabled them to view the complex topography of the range, which had been impossible before. They drew attention to a number of natural and geological phenomena, and made it possible to come up with new findings relating to the following questions: At what altitude should the snow line be placed? Where is the boundary of vegetation? Where do coniferous forests begin? Where is the line of glaciers? What is the structure of the mountains? Obviously, they were not sufficient to provide all answers to the above questions, but thanks to a “bird’s eye” perspective they made it possible to place special studies of the various disciplines within a broader context, both with regard to the relevant subject matter and between disciplines.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 49-62
Author(s):  
Andreas Bürgi

Among the processes of “conquering, developing and appropriating mountains” is occupied by the emergence of mountain topography. In the eighteenth century raised relief, as a terrain model, played one of the most important roles in this process. This was a period when more reliable topographic data began to be collected on the basis of measurements carried out across the Alps. Possibilities of their cartographic representation were limited at the time. A graphic method for presenting orthogonal projection by means of contour curves was not invented until the nineteenth century. Before that three-dimensional terrain models were the only way to correctly represent various levels of landscape. Terrain models were accepted at the time as the best method for presenting mountain landscapes. The first attempt to carry out a comprehensive measurement of the Alps over a vast area of a continuous mountain range and represent it on a low relief was made in 1786 and concerned an area in central Switzerland around Lake Lucerne. At that time Franz Ludwig Pfyffer von Wyher, an officer in French service, became famous for advanced surveying techniques and terrain models, both civilian and military. His famous relief depicts around one-tenth of today’s Switzerland, with two-thirds of the area encompassing the Alps and foot of the Alps. From that moment on other authors began to create their models of Alpine landscape. These reliefs were appreciated by contemporary naturalists, especially those studying the Alps, because they enabled them to view the complex topography of the range, which had been impossible before. They drew attention to a number of natural and geological phenomena, and made it possible to come up with new findings relating to the following questions: At what altitude should the snow line be placed? Where is the boundary of vegetation? Where do coniferous forests begin? Where is the line of glaciers? What is the structure of the mountains? Obviously, they were not sufficient to provide all answers to the above questions, but thanks to a “bird’s eye” perspective they made it possible to place special studies of the various disciplines within a broader context, both with regard to the relevant subject matter and between disciplines.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Zihlmann-Ji ◽  
Christian Braun ◽  
Michael Buettcher ◽  
Markus Hodel ◽  
Dirk Lehnick ◽  
...  

Background: Suspected early-onset sepsis (EOS) is the main reason for antibiotic therapy at the start of life. Prolonged antibiotic therapy for culture-negative sepsis is often reported. Antibiotic stewardship is mandatory due to the potential negative effects of unnecessary antibiotics. Procalcitonin (PCT)-guided therapy is one possible strategy with published evidence to shorten antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study is to analyze the feasibility and the performance of the published PCT-algorithm in the clinical setting without study support.Methods: This is a retrospective, population-based study regarding duration of antibiotic therapy for suspected EOS in Central Switzerland between 2014 and 2018. All neonates >34 0/7 weeks of gestational age started on antibiotic therapy for suspected EOS within the first 3 calendar days of life were included. The Procalcitonin-guided algorithm according to the NeoPInS study was used as strategy to determine duration of antibiotic therapy.Results: In a population-based cohort of 35,642 life born neonates, the duration of antibiotic therapy of 879 neonates (2.5% of the cohort) treated for suspected EOS was 4 calendar days (median, IQR 2–5). We observed a statistically significant reduction from 4 (median, IQR 3–6) to 3 calendar days (median, IQR 2–4) from 2014 to 2018. Duration of antibiotic therapy was independent of gestational age (late-preterm vs. term neonates), of the presence of risk factors or clinical signs, but dependent on the presence of abnormal laboratory measurements (C-reactive protein > 10 mg/l or leukocytopenia <5 Giga/l) before start of antibiotic therapy (p < 0.01).Conclusions: PCT-guided therapy using the NeoPInS algorithm is feasible and may lead to reduced duration of antibiotic therapy for suspected EOS as reported in the original study. We observed a learning curve to the new algorithm which may be explained as change process. The use of biomarker to guide duration of antibiotic therapy for suspected EOS may have unintended consequences with prolongation of antibiotic therapy in some cases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Jürgen Kühnis ◽  
Désirée Fahrni

This pilot study investigates the extent of familiarity among primary school children (6th grades, n = 142, 55.6 % boys) with common local animal and plant species and whether this knowledge differs depending on selected context variables. As the analysis shows, nature is of great importance, and most children already have gathered some basic experience of nature. On average, they correctly identified 51.2 % of the animals and 36.2 % of the plants, but there were obvious gaps in their knowledge. The present results showed a clear connection between the knowledge of native animal and plant species depending on the child’s nationality, whether they have a garden at home and how their parents stimulate their interest in nature.


2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beat Müller ◽  
Raoul Thoma ◽  
Kathrin B. L. Baumann ◽  
Cameron M. Callbeck ◽  
Carsten J. Schubert

AbstractFreshwater lakes are essential hotspots for the removal of excessive anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loads transported from the land to coastal oceans. The biogeochemical processes responsible for N removal, the corresponding transformation rates and overall removal efficiencies differ between lakes, however, it is unclear what the main controlling factors are. Here, we investigated the factors that moderate the rates of N removal under contrasting trophic states in two lakes located in central Switzerland. In the eutrophic Lake Baldegg and the oligotrophic Lake Sarnen, we specifically examined seasonal sediment porewater chemistry, organic matter sedimentation rates, as well as 33-year of historic water column data. We find that the eutrophic Lake Baldegg, which contributed to the removal of 20 ± 6.6 gN m−2 year−1, effectively removed two-thirds of the total areal N load. In stark contrast, the more oligotrophic Lake Sarnen contributed to 3.2 ± 4.2 gN m−2 year−1, and had removed only one-third of the areal N load. The historic dataset of the eutrophic lake revealed a close linkage between annual loads of dissolved N (DN) and removal rates (NRR = 0.63 × DN load) and a significant correlation of the concentration of bottom water nitrate and removal rates. We further show that the seasonal increase in N removal rates of the eutrophic lake correlated significantly with seasonal oxygen fluxes measured across the water–sediment interface (R2 = 0.75). We suggest that increasing oxygen enhances sediment mineralization and stimulates nitrification, indirectly enhancing denitrification activity.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manfred Stähli ◽  
Jan Seibert ◽  
James W. Kirchner ◽  
Jana Freyberg ◽  
Ilja Meerveld
Keyword(s):  

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-34
Author(s):  
Konrad Greinwald ◽  
Lea Adina Dieckmann ◽  
Carlotta Schipplick ◽  
Anne Hartmann ◽  
Michael Scherer-Lorenzen ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 48-57
Author(s):  
Andreas Bürgi ◽  
Monika Witt

Travel accounts from the second half of the eighteenth century feature more and more descriptions the authors of which seeks to present distant views to their readers. In this they clearly lack words which would in their opinion convey the power of a vista not limited by anything. Mountains naturally became preferred vantage points, although other elevations like towers or, in flatter regions, hills were sufficient to satisfy the desire. However, mountains were particularly well suited to the purpose, also because of the central role they played in the aesthetic discussions about loftiness held at the time. Vantage points described in numerous accounts became increasingly well-known. There were quite a few of them towards the end of the century throughout the Alps. While the growth of continental tourism, which began after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, accelerated rapidly in the middle of the century, around 1900 such vantage points in the Western Alps were reduced to just five, namely Rigi, Pilatus, Mont Blanc and Mer de Glace in the region of Chamonix, Gornergrat and Matterhorn as well as the Jungfrau region with the four-thousanders of the Bernese Alps. We should look for the reasons for this state of affairs in the development from a vantage point to a destination, i.e. commercialisation, for which two conditions had to be met: ease of access and comfortable accommodation. All five locations met these conditions, making it possible even for tourists in a great hurry — whose number was constantly growing with the development of organised tourism from 1860 — to treat themselves to a unique Alpine experience.The most popular destination at the time was Rigi in central Switzerland, because it enabled people to admire an unblemished panorama extending almost indefinitely; in addition, the peak was known for atmospheric sunrises and sunsets. Obviously, this was possible only when the view was not spoiled by rain clouds or mists. A remedy for the unpredictability of nature was devised by the entrepreneur Ludwig Meyer from Schauensee. He created a diorama in Lucerne’s tourist district and thus guaranteed the two most important conditions of experiences on the Rigi: ease of access and certain weather. His diorama enabled people to admire both sunrises and sunsets, not only from the Rigi. As the popularity of the diorama rose, Meyer began to show also views from the nearby Pilatus and Gornergrat. Tourists who were in a hurry could now see the tree most famous Swiss panoramas within a short period. The commercialisation of tourism turned the panorama experience into an event, to use the modern term. Nothing was left of the initial abolishment of boundaries to human vision and self-fulfilment of the individual. Repeatability deprived the experience of its special aura. Thus also disappeared the aesthetically-determined idealisation, which had elevated these sites above all others in the Alps and was a precondition of their commercialisation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 35-47
Author(s):  
Andreas Bürgi

Travel accounts from the second half of the eighteenth century feature more and more descriptions the authors of which seeks to present distant views to their readers. In this they clearly lack words which would in their opinion convey the power of a vista not limited by anything. Mountains naturally became preferred vantage points, although other elevations like towers or, in flatter regions, hills were sufficient to satisfy the desire. However, mountains were particularly well suited to the purpose, also because of the central role they played in the aesthetic discussions about loftiness held at the time. Vantage points described in numerous accounts became increasingly well-known. There were quite a few of them towards the end of the century throughout the Alps. While the growth of continental tourism, which began after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, accelerated rapidly in the middle of the century, around 1900 such vantage points in the Western Alps were reduced to just five, namely Rigi, Pilatus, Mont Blanc and Mer de Glace in the region of Chamonix, Gornergrat and Matterhorn as well as the Jungfrau region with the four-thousanders of the Bernese Alps. We should look for the reasons for this state of affairs in the development from a vantage point to a destination, i.e. commercialisation, for which two conditions had to be met: ease of access and comfortable accommodation. All five locations met these conditions, making it possible even for tourists in a great hurry — whose number was constantly growing with the development of organised tourism from 1860 — to treat themselves to a unique Alpine experience.The most popular destination at the time was Rigi in central Switzerland, because it enabled people to admire an unblemished panorama extending almost indefinitely; in addition, the peak was known for atmospheric sunrises and sunsets. Obviously, this was possible only when the view was not spoiled by rain clouds or mists. A remedy for the unpredictability of nature was devised by the entrepreneur Ludwig Meyer from Schauensee. He created a diorama in Lucerne’s tourist district and thus guaranteed the two most important conditions of experiences on the Rigi: ease of access and certain weather. His diorama enabled people to admire both sunrises and sunsets, not only from the Rigi. As the popularity of the diorama rose, Meyer began to show also views from the nearby Pilatus and Gornergrat. Tourists who were in a hurry could now see the tree most famous Swiss panoramas within a short period. The commercialisation of tourism turned the panorama experience into an event, to use the modern term. Nothing was left of the initial abolishment of boundaries to human vision and self-fulfilment of the individual. Repeatability deprived the experience of its special aura. Thus also disappeared the aesthetically-determined idealisation, which had elevated these sites above all others in the Alps and was a precondition of their commercialisation.


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