700 research outputs found
Assessment of slope failures off Vancouver Island revealed in EM300 multibeam bathymetry data
Multibeam bathymetric data acquired off Vancouver Island across the accretionary prism of the Cascadia subduction zone reveal a prominent segmentation of the deformation front with dominant azimuths of the ridges at ~120° and ~150° and abundant submarine landslides. Both these ridge-orientations are oblique to the direction of subduction (~45°). Ridges at a strike of ~120° show dominantly rectangular-shaped failure head-scarps and intact blocks of sediments within the failed sediment mass, whereas ridges with an azimuth of ~150° show curved head-scarps and incoherent debris in the failure mass. We propose that this systematic change in failure-style is related to the underlying thrust fault system producing steeper and taller ridges for azimuths around 150°, but less steep and tall ridges at 120°. Thus, debris-flow style failure is simply a result of higher kinetic forcing of the down-sliding sediment mass: more mixing and destruction of the coherent blocks for taller and steeper ridges, and blocks of intact sediment for gentle slopes and less elevated ridges. A segmentation of the deformation front and ridge alignment into two dominant azimuths could be a result of: a) complex interaction and competing forces from overall slab-pull (45°), b) re-activated faults orientated almost N-S (~175°) on the oceanic plate and overlying sediment cover (reflected in the magnetic stripes and abyssal plain strike-slip faulting), and c) relative orientation of the back-stop off Vancouver Island and accreted terranes (at ~127° following the coastline between Nootka Island and Port Renfrew). Extensional faulting is observed only at ridges with debris-flow style failure, which also are the ridges with larger height and steeper slopes. These extensional faults may be the result of over-steepening of the ridges and collapse of the sediment pile that can no longer withstand its own weight due to limited internal shear strength
Change detection of bare-ice albedo in the Swiss Alps
Albedo feedback is an important driver of glacier melt
over bare-ice surfaces. Light-absorbing impurities strongly enhance glacier
melt rates but their abundance, composition and variations in space and time
are subject to considerable uncertainties and ongoing scientific debates. In
this study, we assess the temporal evolution of shortwave broadband albedo
derived from 15 end-of-summer Landsat scenes for the bare-ice areas of 39
large glaciers in the western and southern Swiss Alps. Trends in bare-ice
albedo crucially depend on the spatial scale considered. No significant
negative temporal trend in bare-ice albedo was found on a regional to
glacier-wide scale. However, at higher spatial scales, certain areas of
bare ice, including the lowermost elevations and margins of the ablation
zones,
revealed significant darkening over the study period 1999 to 2016. A total
glacier area of 13.5 km2 (equivalent to about 12 % of the average
end-of-summer bare-ice area in the study area) exhibited albedo trends
significant at the 95 % confidence level or higher. Most of this area was
affected by a negative albedo trend of about â0.05 decadeâ1. Generally,
bare-ice albedo exhibits a strong interannual variability, caused by a
complex interplay of meteorological conditions prior to the acquisition of
the data, local glacier characteristics and the date of the investigated
satellite imagery. Although a darkening of glacier ice was found to be
present over only a limited region, we emphasize that due to the recent and
projected growth of bare-ice areas and prolongation of the ablation season in
the region, the albedo feedback will considerably enhance the rate of glacier
mass loss in the Swiss Alps in the near future.</p
Prolonged decrease in heart rate variability after elective hip arthroplasty
The pattern of postoperative heart rate variability may provide insight into the response of the autonomic nervous system to anaesthesia and surgery. We have obtained spectral (fast Fourier transform) and non-spectral indices of heart rate variability from electrocardiographic recordings, sampled during continuous perioperative Holter monitoring in 15 otherwise healthy patients with an uncomplicated postoperative course, undergoing elective hip arthroplasty with either spinal or general anaesthesia. In both groups, total spectral energy (0.01-1 Hz), low-frequency spectral energy (0.01-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency spectral energy (0.15-0.40 Hz) decreased after surgery to 32% (95% confidence interval (Cl) 10.5; P <0.01), 29% (95% Cl 12.5; P <0.07; and 33% (95% Cl 12.5; P <0.01) of their preoperative values, respectively, and these indices remained suppressed for up to 5 days. Non-spectral indices decreased to a similar extent. These findings indicate a substantial and prolonged postoperative decrease in both parasympathetic and sympathetic influence on the sinus nod
Proglacial icings as indicators of glacier thermal regime : ice thickness changes and icing occurrence in Svalbard
Proglacial icings (also known as naled or aufeis) are frequently observed in the forefields of polar glaciers. Their formation has been ascribed to the refreezing of upwelling groundwater that has originated from subglacial melt, and thus the presence of icings has been used as evidence of polythermal glacier regime. We provide an updated analysis of icing occurrence in Svalbard and test the utility of icings as an indicator of thermal regime by comparing icing presence with: (1) mean glacier thickness, as a proxy for present thermal regime; and (2) evidence of past surge activity, which is an indicator of past thermal regime. A total of 279 icings were identified from TopoSvalbard imagery covering the period 2008-2012, of which 143 corresponded to icings identified by Bukowska-Jania and Szafraniec (2005) from aerial photographs from 1990. Only 46% of icings observed in 2008-2012 were found to occur at glaciers with thicknesses consistent with a polythermal regime, meaning a large proportion were associated with glaciers predicted to be of a cold or transitional thermal regime. As a result, icing presence alone may be an unsuitable indicator of glacier regime. We further found that, of the 279 glaciers with icings, 63% of cold-based glaciers and 64% of transitional glaciers were associated with evidence of surge activity. We therefore suggest that proglacial icing formation in Svalbard may reflect historical (rather than present) thermal regime, and that icings possibly originate from groundwater effusion from subglacial taliks that persist for decades following glacier thinning and associated regime change
Antimicrobial use for selected diseases in cats in Switzerland.
BACKGROUND
Antibiotic use in human and veterinary medicine is considered a main driver of antimicrobial resistance. Although guidelines to promote appropriate use of antimicrobials in veterinary patients have been developed, antibiotic overprescription is assumed to be a common problem. The goal of this study was to investigate antimicrobial use in cats in Switzerland with acute upper respiratory tract disease (aURTD), feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and abscesses, and to assess compliance of prescription with consensus guidelines. A total of 776 cases (aURTD, nâ=â227; FLUTD, nâ=â333; abscesses, nâ=â216) presented to two university hospitals and 14 private veterinary practices in Switzerland during 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Clinical history, diagnostic work-up and antimicrobial prescription (class, dosage, duration) were assessed.
RESULTS
A total of 77% (aURTD), 60% (FLUTD) and 96% (abscesses) of the cases received antibiotic therapy; 13-24% received combination or serial therapy. The cats were treated for a median of 7 (abscesses) and 10âdays (aURTD, FLUTD). Treatments with potentiated aminopenicillins (40-64%), third generation cephalosporins (25-28%), aminopenicillins (12-24%) and fluoroquinolones (3-13%) were most common. Prescriptions were judged in complete accordance with consensus guidelines in 22% (aURTD), 24% (FLUTD) and 17% (abscesses) of the cases. Antibiotics were prescribed although not indicated in 34% (aURTD), 14% (FLUTD) and 29% (abscesses) of the cases. The presence of lethargy, anorexia or fever in cats with aURTD, and the detection of bacteriuria in cats with FLUTD were significantly associated with antibiotic therapy. Although diagnostic work-up was significantly more common (aURTD: university hospitals, 58%; private practices, 1%; FLUTD: university hospitals, 92%; private practices, 27%) and the use of critically important antibiotics significantly less common at the university hospitals (aURTD, 10%; FLUTD, 14%) compared to private practices (aURTD, 38%; FLUTD, 54%), the frequency of antibiotic treatment was not different between the university hospitals and private practices.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that overprescription of antibiotics in cats in Switzerland is common and accordance with guidelines is poor. The study highlights the need to promote antimicrobial stewardship in small animal medicine
Aquatic Hyphomycete Species Are Screened by the Hyporheic Zone of Woodland Streams
Aquatic hyphomycetes strongly contribute to organic matter dynamics in streams, but their abilities to colonize leaf litter buried in streambed sediments remain unexplored. Here, we conducted field and laboratory experiments (slow-filtration columns and stream-simulating microcosms) to test the following hypotheses: (i) that the hyporheic habitat acting as a physical sieve for spores filters out unsuccessful strategists from a potential species pool, (ii) that decreased pore size in sediments reduces species dispersal efficiency in the interstitial water, and (iii) that the physicochemical conditions prevailing in the hyporheic habitat will influence fungal community structure. Our field study showed that spore abundance and species diversity were consistently re- duced in the interstitial water compared with surface water within three differing streams. Significant differences occurred among aquatic hyphomycetes, with dispersal efficiency of filiform-spore species being much higher than those with compact or branched/tetraradiate spores. This pattern was remarkably consistent with those found in laboratory experiments that tested the influence of sediment pore size on spore dispersal in microcosms. Furthermore, leaves inoculated in a stream and incubated in slow-filtration columns exhibited a fungal assemblage dominated by only two species, while five species were codominant on leaves from the stream-simulating microcosms. Results of this study highlight that the hyporheic zone exerts two types of selec- tion pressure on the aquatic hyphomycete community, a physiological stress and a physical screening of the benthic spore pool, both leading to drastic changes in the structure of fungal community
Statement complementing the EFSA Scientific Opinion on application (EFSAâGMOâNLâ2009â75) for placing on the market of genetically modified oilseed rape Ms8 Ă Rf3 Ă GT73 and subcombinations, which have not been authorised previously (i.e. Ms8 Ă GT73 and Rf3 Ă GT73) independently of their origin, for food and feed uses, import and processing, with the exception of isolated seed protein for food, under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003), taking into consideration additional information
The EFSA Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) previously assessed oilseed rape Ms8 Ă Rf3 Ă GT73 and its subcombinations Ms8 Ă GT73 and Rf3 Ă GT73 according to the scope as defined in the application EFSAâGMOâNLâ2009â75, and was not in the position to complete the safety assessment of products rich in protein, such as rapeseed protein isolates or products of this nature in animal feeding. Following a mandate from the European Commission, the GMO Panel assessed a 28âday toxicity study in mice with the glyphosate oxidoreductase (GOXv247) protein, provided to complement information related to application EFSAâGMOâNLâ2009â75 for the placing on the market of oilseed rape Ms8 Ă Rf3 Ă GT73 and its subcombinations Ms8 Ă GT73 and Rf3 Ă GT73, for food and feed uses, import and processing, with the exception of isolated seed protein for food. The 28âday toxicity study on Escherichia coliâ produced GOXv247 protein did not show adverse effects in mice, at the gavage doses up to 1000 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day. Taking into account its previous assessment on EFSAâGMOâNLâ2009â75 and the outcome of the 28âday toxicity study in mice with the GOXv247 protein provided in this mandate, the GMO Panel, based on a weight of evidence approach, concludes that food and feed containing, consisting and produced from genetically modified oilseed rape Ms8 Ă Rf3 Ă GT73 and its sub combinations Ms8 Ă GT73 and Rf3 Ă GT73, are as safe as its conventional counterpart, according to the scope as defined in the application EFSAâGMOâNLâ2009â75
Measurement of the Z/gamma* + b-jet cross section in pp collisions at 7 TeV
The production of b jets in association with a Z/gamma* boson is studied
using proton-proton collisions delivered by the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy
of 7 TeV and recorded by the CMS detector. The inclusive cross section for
Z/gamma* + b-jet production is measured in a sample corresponding to an
integrated luminosity of 2.2 inverse femtobarns. The Z/gamma* + b-jet cross
section with Z/gamma* to ll (where ll = ee or mu mu) for events with the
invariant mass 60 < M(ll) < 120 GeV, at least one b jet at the hadron level
with pT > 25 GeV and abs(eta) < 2.1, and a separation between the leptons and
the jets of Delta R > 0.5 is found to be 5.84 +/- 0.08 (stat.) +/- 0.72 (syst.)
+(0.25)/-(0.55) (theory) pb. The kinematic properties of the events are also
studied and found to be in agreement with the predictions made by the MadGraph
event generator with the parton shower and the hadronisation performed by
PYTHIA.Comment: Submitted to the Journal of High Energy Physic
Assessment of genetically modified maize MON 87427 Ă MON 89034 Ă MIR162 Ă MON 87411 and subcombinations, for food and feed uses, under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 (application EFSAâGMOâNLâ2017â144)
Maize MON 87427 Ă MON 89034 Ă MIR162 Ă MON 87411 (fourâevent stack maize) was produced by conventional crossing to combine four single events: MON 87427, MON 89034, MIR162 and MON 87411. The genetically modified organism (GMO) Panel previously assessed the four single maize events and four of the subcombinations and did not identify safety concerns. No new data on the single maize events or the four subcombinations that could lead to modification of the original conclusions on their safety were identified. The molecular characterisation, comparative analysis (agronomic, phenotypic and compositional characteristics) and the outcome of the toxicological, allergenicity and nutritional assessment indicate that the combination of the single maize events and of the newly expressed proteins and dsRNA in the fourâevent stack maize does not give rise to food and feed safety and nutritional concerns. The GMO Panel concludes that the fourâevent stack maize, as described in this application, is as safe as and nutritionally equivalent to its nonâGM comparator and the nonâGM reference varieties tested. In the case of accidental release of viable grains of the fourâevent stack maize into the environment, this would not raise environmental safety concerns. The GMO Panel assessed the likelihood of interactions among the single events in the six maize subcombinations not previously assessed and concludes that these are expected to be as safe as and nutritionally equivalent to the single events, the previously assessed subcombinations and the fourâevent stack maize. The postâmarket environmental monitoring plan and reporting intervals are in line with the intended uses of the fourâevent stack maize. Postâmarket monitoring of food/feed is not considered necessary. The GMO Panel concludes that the fourâevent stack maize and its subcombinations are as safe as its nonâGM comparator and tested nonâGM reference varieties with respect to potential effects on human and animal health and the environment
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