From Lubeck to Milan

[drawn by Erwin Raisz].

Road maps towards an information society in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

A high-resolution soil erosion risk map of Switzerland as strategic policy support system

Soil erosion models and soil erosion risk maps are often used as indicators to assess potential soil erosion in order to assist policy decisions. This paper shows the scientific basis of the soil erosion risk map of Switzerland and its application in policy and practice. Linking a USLE/RUSLE-based model approach (AVErosion) founded on multiple flow algorithms and the unit contributing area concept with an extremely precise and high-resolution digital terrain model (2 m × 2 m grid) using GIS allows for a realistic assessment of the potential soil erosion risk, on single plots, i.e. uniform and comprehensive for the agricultural area of Switzerland (862,579 ha in the valley area and the lower mountain regions). The national or small-scale soil erosion prognosis has thus reached a level heretofore possible only in smaller catchment areas or single plots. Validation was carried out using soil loss data from soil erosion damage mappings in the field from long-term monitoring in different test areas. 45% of the evaluated agricultural area of Switzerland was classified as low potential erosion risk, 12% as moderate potential erosion risk, and 43% as high potential erosion risk. However, many of the areas classified as high potential erosion risk are located at the transition from valley to mountain zone, where many areas are used as permanent grassland, which drastically lowers their current erosion risk. The present soil erosion risk map serves on the one hand to identify and prioritise the high-erosion risk areas, and on the other hand to promote awareness amongst farmers and authorities. It was published on the internet and will be made available to the authorities in digital form. It is intended as a tool for simplifying and standardising enforcement of the legal framework for soil erosion prevention in Switzerland. The work therefore provides a successful example of cooperation between science, policy and practice.

The bovine dilated cardiomyopathy locus maps to a 1.0-Mb interval on chromosome 18

Cardiomyopathies are myocardial diseases that lead to cardiac dysfunction, heart failure, arrhythmia, and sudden death. In human medicine, cardiomyopathies frequently warrant heart transplantation in children and adults. Bovine dilated cardiomyopathy (BDCMP) is a heart muscle disorder that has been observed during the last 30 years in cattle of Holstein-Friesian origin. In Switzerland BDCMP affects Swiss Fleckvieh and Red Holstein breeds. BDCMP is characterized by a cardiac enlargement with ventricular remodeling and chamber dilatation. The common symptoms in affected animals are subacute subcutaneous edema, congestion of the jugular veins, and tachycardia with gallop rhythm. A cardiomegaly with dilatation and hypertrophy of all heart chambers, myocardial degeneration, and fibrosis are typical postmortem findings. It was shown that all BDCMP cases reported worldwide traced back to a red factor-carrying Holstein-Friesian bull, ABC Reflection Sovereign. An autosomal recessive mode of inheritance was proposed for BDCMP. Recently, the disease locus was mapped to a 6.7-Mb interval MSBDCMP06-BMS2785 on bovine Chr 18 (BTA18). In the present study the BDCMP locus was fine mapped by using a combined strategy of homozygosity mapping and association study. A BAC contig of 2.9 Mb encompassing the crucial interval was constructed to establish the correct marker order on BTA18. We show that the disease locus is located in a gene-rich interval of 1.0 Mb and is flanked by the microsatellite markers DIK3006 and MSBDCMP51.

Verbalization of Dependencies Between Concepts Built Through Fuzzy Cognitive Maps

The new computing paradigm known as cognitive computing attempts to imitate the human capabilities of learning, problem solving, and considering things in context. To do so, an application (a cognitive system) must learn from its environment (e.g., by interacting with various interfaces). These interfaces can run the gamut from sensors to humans to databases. Accessing data through such interfaces allows the system to conduct cognitive tasks that can support humans in decision-making or problem-solving processes. Cognitive systems can be integrated into various domains (e.g., medicine or insurance). For example, a cognitive system in cities can collect data, can learn from various data sources and can then attempt to connect these sources to provide real time optimizations of subsystems within the city (e.g., the transportation system). In this study, we provide a methodology for integrating a cognitive system that allows data to be verbalized, making the causalities and hypotheses generated from the cognitive system more understandable to humans. We abstract a city subsystem—passenger flow for a taxi company—by applying fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs). FCMs can be used as a mathematical tool for modeling complex systems built by directed graphs with concepts (e.g., policies, events, and/or domains) as nodes and causalities as edges. As a verbalization technique we introduce the restriction-centered theory of reasoning (RCT). RCT addresses the imprecision inherent in language by introducing restrictions. Using this underlying combinatorial design, our approach can handle large data sets from complex systems and make the output understandable to humans.

Atlas of the Songwe River Basin: Thematic Maps with Explanatory Text Sheets

This atlas presents a comprehensive set of thematic maps depicting a wide range of aspects of the Songwe river area. It includes baseline maps (such as topographic overview, hillshade), satellite images (years 1991, 2001, 2004), land cover and land cover change, biomass and biomass change, priority conservation areas, resource management (watershed classification, watershed classification combined with biomass, soil erosion), accessibility and special maps (such as historical river course). Map clippings of the most important maps facilitate the readability of the maps. The accompanying explanatory text sheets contain graphics and information about material, methods, results and interpretation.

Timely Reporting and Interactive Visualization of Animal Health and Slaughterhouse Surveillance Data in Switzerland

The reporting of outputs from health surveillance systems should be done in a near real-time and interactive manner in order to provide decision makers with powerful means to identify, assess, and manage health hazards as early and efficiently as possible. While this is currently rarely the case in veterinary public health surveillance, reporting tools do exist for the visual exploration and interactive interrogation of health data. In this work, we used tools freely available from the Google Maps and Charts library to develop a web application reporting health-related data derived from slaughterhouse surveillance and from a newly established web-based equine surveillance system in Switzerland. Both sets of tools allowed entry-level usage without or with minimal programing skills while being flexible enough to cater for more complex scenarios for users with greater programing skills. In particular, interfaces linking statistical softwares and Google tools provide additional analytical functionality (such as algorithms for the detection of unusually high case occurrences) for inclusion in the reporting process. We show that such powerful approaches could improve timely dissemination and communication of technical information to decision makers and other stakeholders and could foster the early-warning capacity of animal health surveillance systems.

Enhanced Knowledge Management by Synchronizing Mind Maps and Fuzzy Cognitive Maps

This paper presents a conceptual approach to enhance knowledge management by synchronizing mind maps and fuzzy cognitive maps. The use of mind maps allows taking advantage of human creativity, while the application of fuzzy cognitive maps enables to store information expressed in natural language. By applying cognitive computing, it makes possible to gather and extract relevant information out of a data pool. Therefore, this approach is supposed to give a framework that enhances knowledge management. To demonstrate the potential of this framework, a use case concerning the development of a smart city app is presented.

Switzerland, ca. 1715 (Image 1 of 4) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Nova Helvetiae tabula geographica : illustrissimis et potentissimis cantonibus et rebuspublicis reformatae religionis Tigurinae, Bernensi, Glaronensi, Basiliensi, Scaphusianae, Abbatis Cellanae, dominis suis clementissimis humillime [de]dicata a Ioh. Iacobo Scheuchzero Tigurino med. d. math. prof. It was published by ex officin â Petri Schenkii, in platea vulgo de Warmoesstraat sub signo N. Visschers Athlas ca. 1715. Covers Switzerland. Scale [ca. 1:378,000]. This layer is image 1 of 4 total images of the four sheet source map, representing the northwest portion of the map. Map in Latin and Dutch.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Europe Lambert Conformal Conic coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial and administrative boundaries, roads, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes also illustrations. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Switzerland, ca. 1715 (Image 2 of 4) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Nova Helvetiae tabula geographica : illustrissimis et potentissimis cantonibus et rebuspublicis reformatae religionis Tigurinae, Bernensi, Glaronensi, Basiliensi, Scaphusianae, Abbatis Cellanae, dominis suis clementissimis humillime [de]dicata a Ioh. Iacobo Scheuchzero Tigurino med. d. math. prof. It was published by ex officin â Petri Schenkii, in platea vulgo de Warmoesstraat sub signo N. Visschers Athlas ca. 1715. Covers Switzerland. Scale [ca. 1:378,000]. This layer is image 2 of 4 total images of the four sheet source map, representing the southwest portion of the map. Map in Latin and Dutch.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Europe Lambert Conformal Conic coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial and administrative boundaries, roads, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes also illustrations. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Switzerland, ca. 1715 (Image 3 of 4) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Nova Helvetiae tabula geographica : illustrissimis et potentissimis cantonibus et rebuspublicis reformatae religionis Tigurinae, Bernensi, Glaronensi, Basiliensi, Scaphusianae, Abbatis Cellanae, dominis suis clementissimis humillime [de]dicata a Ioh. Iacobo Scheuchzero Tigurino med. d. math. prof. It was published by ex officin â Petri Schenkii, in platea vulgo de Warmoesstraat sub signo N. Visschers Athlas ca. 1715. Covers Switzerland. Scale [ca. 1:378,000]. This layer is image 3 of 4 total images of the four sheet source map, representing the northeast portion of the map. Map in Latin and Dutch.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Europe Lambert Conformal Conic coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial and administrative boundaries, roads, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes also illustrations. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Switzerland, ca. 1715 (Image 4 of 4) (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Nova Helvetiae tabula geographica : illustrissimis et potentissimis cantonibus et rebuspublicis reformatae religionis Tigurinae, Bernensi, Glaronensi, Basiliensi, Scaphusianae, Abbatis Cellanae, dominis suis clementissimis humillime [de]dicata a Ioh. Iacobo Scheuchzero Tigurino med. d. math. prof. It was published by ex officin â Petri Schenkii, in platea vulgo de Warmoesstraat sub signo N. Visschers Athlas ca. 1715. Covers Switzerland. Scale [ca. 1:378,000]. This layer is image 4 of 4 total images of the four sheet source map, representing the southeast portion of the map. Map in Latin and Dutch.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Europe Lambert Conformal Conic coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial and administrative boundaries, roads, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes also illustrations. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Lake Geneva Region, Switzerland and France, ca. 1635 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Lacus Lemanni locorumque circumiacentium accuratissima descriptio, auctore, Iacobo Goulartio Genevensi. It was published by Guiljelmum Blaeu, ca. 1635. Scale [ca. 1:156,000]. Covers the Lake Geneva region, Switzerland and France. Map in Latin. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Europe Lambert Conformal Conic coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, ground cover, and more. Relief shown pictorially.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.