307 research outputs found
Wenn Algorithmen für uns entscheiden: Chancen und Risiken der künstlichen Intelligenz
No full textMarkus Christen, Clemens Mader, Johann Čas, Tarik Abou-Chadi,Abraham Bernstein, Nadja Braun Binder, Daniele Dell’Aglio,Luca Fábián, Damian George, Anita Gohdes, Lorenz Hilty,Markus Kneer, Jaro Krieger-Lamina, Hauke Licht, Anne Scherer,Claudia Som, Pascal Sutter, Florent Thouvenin Wenn Algorithmenfür uns entscheiden:Chancen und Risikender künstlichen Intelligen
Wenn Algorithmen für uns entscheiden: Chancen und Risiken der künstlichen Intelligenz
No full textMarkus Christen, Clemens Mader, Johann Čas, Tarik Abou-Chadi,Abraham Bernstein, Nadja Braun Binder, Daniele Dell’Aglio,Luca Fábián, Damian George, Anita Gohdes, Lorenz Hilty,Markus Kneer, Jaro Krieger-Lamina, Hauke Licht, Anne Scherer,Claudia Som, Pascal Sutter, Florent Thouvenin Wenn Algorithmenfür uns entscheiden:Chancen und Risikender künstlichen Intelligen
Occupational Exposure to β-d-Glucans, Mould Allergens, Endotoxins and Cultivable Fungi in Pig Farms.
No full textAirborne concentrations of organic dust on animal farms are known to be very high. This dust is partly composed of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and their components [endotoxins, (1→3)-β-d-glucans, mould allergens, mycotoxins], recognised as being responsible for numerous health effects. Several cross-sectional studies have measured levels of airborne bacteria, fungi and endotoxins on pig farms. However, the temporal dynamics of organic dust's components throughout the year have rarely been assessed, and airborne concentrations of (1→3)-β-d-glucans and mould allergens remain poorly understood in these work environments. This longitudinal, four-season study measured cultivable fungi, endotoxins, (1→3)-β-d-glucans, Aspergillus versicolor (AveX), Aspergillus fumigatus (Asp f1) and Alternaria sp (Alt a1) allergens on 31 pig farms in Switzerland. Results showed that exposure to AveX occurred in all four seasons. Total mean airborne concentration of endotoxins were between 3 and 4 times higher than the Swiss recommended limit value of 1000 EU m-3 and mean airborne concentrations of fungi were between 30 and 50 times higher than the Swiss recommended limit value of 1000 cfu m-3. Finally, accumulations of faecal matter on floors, humidity and dusty pathways were associated with increased concentrations of (1→3)-β-d-glucans. In conclusion, pig farmers require better information about biological occupational risks, and measures to improve air quality should be implemented, especially in winter
Effects of hypersensitivity disorders and environmental factors on the equine intestinal microbiota.
No full textBackground: Recent evidence suggests that an altered intestinal microbiota, specifically a reduction of bacterial diversity or a shift in microbial composition, is associated with the development of hypersensitivity disorders in humans, but this is unknown for horses.Objectives: In this study we hypothesized that horses affected by either Culicoides hypersensitivity or severe equine asthma or both show a decreased diversity of their intestinal microbiota. We also investigated environmental effects.Methods: Rectal swab samples of a total of 140 horses were collected and the owners completed a detailed questionnaire about their horse. For each allergic horse, a healthy peer from the same stable was equally sampled as an environmentally matched control. Microbiota in the swabs was determined by assessing the V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Structures of bacterial communities were investigated by means of alpha and beta diversity indices.Results: Group wise comparisons between healthy and allergic horses showed no significant differences regarding alpha (p = 0.9) and beta diversity (p = 0.5). However, the microbial structure was associated with environmental factors such as the type of stable (p = 0.001), access to pasture (p = 0.001) or the type of feeding (p = 0.003). There was also a strong location effect meaning that the microbiota was more similar within the same as compared between farms within this study.Conclusion: Our observations suggest that hypersensitivity disorders in adult horses are not associated with an alteration of the intestinal microbiota, but environmental and/or location factors strongly influence these bacteria
Extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Gram-negative organisms in livestock: an emerging problem for human health?
No full textEscherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Acinetobacter spp. are important human pathogens. Serious infections due to these organisms are usually treated with extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs). However, in the past two decades we have faced a rapid increasing of infections and colonization caused by ESC-resistant (ESC-R) isolates due to production of extended-spectrum-β-lactamases (ESBLs), plasmid-mediated AmpCs (pAmpCs) and/or carbapenemase enzymes. This situation limits drastically our therapeutic armamentarium and puts under peril the human health. Animals are considered as potential reservoirs of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative organisms. The massive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine has contributed to the selection of ESC-R E. coli, ESC-R Salmonella spp. and, to less extent, MDR Acinetobacter spp. among animals, food, and environment. This complex scenario is responsible for the expansion of these MDR organisms which may have life-threatening clinical significance. Nowadays, the prevalence of food-producing animals carrying ESC-R E. coli and ESC-R Salmonella (especially those producing CTX-M-type ESBLs and the CMY-2 pAmpC) has reached worryingly high values. More recently, the appearance of carbapenem-resistant isolates (i.e., VIM-1-producing Enterobacteriaceae and NDM-1 or OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter spp.) in livestock has even drawn greater concerns. In this review, we describe the aspects related to the spread of the above MDR organisms among pigs, cattle, and poultry, focusing on epidemiology, molecular mechanisms of resistance, impact of antibiotic use, and strategies to contain the overall problem. The link and the impact of ESC-R organisms of livestock origin for the human scenario are also discussed
Skin neglected tropical diseases in Cameroon : the need for integrated control and elimination
No full textAmong the updated WHO list of 20 Neglected Tropical Diseases, about six manifests on the skin and are now known as Skin-NTDs. NTDs have not received equal attention from the international community compared to HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis although their burdens in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) are comparable. Following advocacy for over a decade and half, NTDs are now being prioritized on the global health agenda, and the WHO has set a 2020 roadmap for accelerating work to overcome the global impact of NTDs.
For this PhD thesis, we aimed at determining the current burden of major skin-NTDs in Cameroon and make recommendations for proper control strategies. The basis was surveillance data from 2000 to 2014 for leprosy and Buruli ulcer available at the National Control Programme office, community-based surveys and a literature review.
We confirmed that Cameroon attained elimination of leprosy as a public health problem in 2000. Between 2000 and 2014, the leprosy prevalence and the detection dropped significantly, with the steepest reductions occurring between 2000 and 2005, followed by a stagnation from 2006 to 2014. We also showed a persistent but moderate transmission of leprosy, with an increasing trend between 2007 and 2014. Ten health districts had not achieved leprosy elimination, and eighteen were high leprosy-burdened according to the Leprosy Burden Score at the end of 2014. The increasing trend in leprosy transmission and the persistence of high-burdened districts were attributed to reduction in key leprosy control activities secondary to waning of resource allocation by the government and support partners. Some 3700 Buruli ulcer (BU) cases, with an annual average of 264 cases were treated from 2001 to 2014 in Cameroon. Control activities began in two endemic foci of Ayos and Akonolinga in the centre region and were later expanded to Ngoantet-Mbalmayo in the centre, Bankim in the Adamawa and Mbonge in the southwest regions following a national survey in 2004. Analysis of data from treatment centres created at these foci, further revealed presence of BU in 64 health districts mainly from the southern part of the country. BU case-detection increased between 2001 and 2005, and then declined progressively until 2014 and beyond. Analysis of key BU control indicators showed deterioration from 2010 to 2014 and beyond. We also highlighted the importance of differential diagnosis in a context of co-endemicity of mycobacterial diseases, through a case-report of cutaneous tuberculosis misdiagnosed for BU. BU activities in Cameroon were supported by two partners, who from 2010, reduce their support significantly to complete withdrawal of one of them in 2014. Currently there is little funding from the government budget, which is insignificant compared to the expressed needs. We also confirmed the resurgence of yaws in Cameroon through a survey among the pygmy population in the east region, and building on this, we have determined the status of yaws in 53 of 189 health districts and confirmed 37 of them as endemic for yaws.
Research conducted within the framework of this thesis, has increased our understanding of skin-NTDs, the efforts made in their control, and the challenges faced by the control activities in Cameroon. Based on these, we have recommended an integrated surveillance and control strategy of skin-NTDs to the National Control Programme. To the scientific community we recommend, accelerated research and development activities for point-of-care diagnostic tests, shorter treatment courses, and vaccines for reinforcement of prevention of these NTDs
burcutepekule/saureusdecolonization: Initial release
No full text<p>Codebase for the manuscript entitled <em>"Developing and optimizing a personalized probiotic treatment regime for nasal endogenous Staphylococcus aureus decolonization"</em>, by Burcu Tepekule, Judith Bergadà-Pijuan, Thomas Scheier, Huldrych F. Günthard, Markus Hilty, Roger D. Kouyos, Silvio D. Brugger. Available at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.28.505587">https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.28.505587</a>.</p>
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