Lower Austria Research Articles

СИМВОЛІКА ГЕРБОВОГО ФРИЗУ СЕРЕДИНИ ХІІІ ст. НА ПРИКЛАДІ ГЕРБОВОГО ЗАЛУ ГОЦЦОБУРГУ, КРЕМС, НИЖНЯ АВСТРІЯ

Since in the Middle Ages the ability to read and write was mainly reserved for monks and thus only for a very small part of the population, there was a need for an alternative form of identification. This was expressed in the spread of coats of arms. Heraldic signs were used in different ways and found application on armor and shields in military conflicts, as well as at festivals, tournaments, and competitions, on houses, flags, and fabrics. If someone wore a coat of arms, they could be assigned to a certain group. Family coats of arms had legal significance as a symbol of the status and legal rights of their bearers. In addition, coats of arms became an integral part of imperial and royal courts. Since the late Middle Ages, coats of arms have been used to publicly mark property rights, for example, on buildings, boundary stones or maps, and as decor. Armorial halls were and still are partly representative rooms. One example of such a hall of arms from the early thirteenth century is the Gozzoburg in Krems, Lower Austria. The process of identifying coats of arms, their dating, affiliation, and place in the visual concept is the central issue of this study. As we will see, the core of the coat of arms frieze is the figure of King Otokar II, although Gozzoburg never belonged to him. The western wall shows the lands that belonged to the king, and the other three walls show his spheres of influence. Thus, on the North wall are the coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, on the South wall – coats of arms from outside the empire. The concept on the Eastern Wall, as well as several unidentified coats of arms, remains an open question even after identification. Comparing the scarce information about the owner of the house with the heraldic program, we realize that Gozzo was one of the king’s closest associates and owed him his status and position. He wanted to emphasize this connection publicly to demonstrate his authority to visitors to the house. The analysis of coats of arms is a valuable auxiliary tool in understanding this medieval hierarchy.

Canine babesiosis in Austria in the 21st century – A review of cases

A retrospective study on 699 cases of canine babesiosis presented to veterinary clinics in eastern Austria were evaluated for the location where infection had presumably taken place. Of these, 542 (77.54%) had acquired the infection in Austria, while the majority of non-autochthonous cases came from neighboring countries, most notable Hungary. Both groups were recorded primarily in Vienna, eastern Lower Austria and Burgenland, but cases from the southern (Styria, Carinthia) and western (Upper Austria, Tyrol, Salzburg) provinces of the country were also recorded. Records were made all year round, with most cases in spring (46.6%) and fall (48.4%). The annual cases ranged from four to 58 (mean: 31.8) with large fluctuations and no visible trend for an in- or decrease. The tick vector of Babesia canis, Dermacentor reticulatus, is present in Austria but displays a very patchy distribution, and its occurrence and activity are not readily foretold, which might be a reason why its presumably increasing density in Europe is not reflected by increased incidences of canine babesiosis. Another factor that may influence the numbers of cases per year could be the application (or non-application) of acaricidal or repellent compounds. A limitation of this study is that bias is exerted by the location of the participating clinics, and by the unknown rate of infections that does not induce clinical symptoms and is likely not presented in veterinary practices and clinics. The data, however, clearly show that at least the lowlands of Austria are endemic for B. canis, and appropriate tick control must be advised all year round.

Status, Breeding Ecology and Conservation of the Imperial Eagle in Austria

The Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca, IE) reaches the western limit of its global breeding in range in Austria. As a result of targeted conservation measures in the Pannonian region, namely Hungary and Slovakia, the species repopulated Austria in 1999, nearly 190 years after its extirpation. Since then, a strong population increase took place and was monitored closely through different species conservation programmes of BirdLife Austria. Apart from the population monitoring, the programmes comprised measures to prevent illegal persecution and the disturbance of breeding territories, the satellite tagging of young IEs and the collection of all mortality data available. By 2023, the Austrian breeding population reached 42 territorial pairs. During the past 25 years, the species, which is classified as “Endangered” on the national Red List, has pushed its continuous breeding range a further 85 km to the west. In the years 2018–2020, a pair occurred even in the floodplain forest of the Danube near Linz but vanished afterwards. The province of Lower Austria, where the species has become established as late as 2008, hosts the majority of the national population today. IEs use different habitat types as nest sites in Austria: the floodplain forests of medium and big rivers (where the recolonization started in the late 1990s) are quite densely populated; apart from that, breeding occurs in open agricultural landscapes and in big forest in dry, hilly terrain of the “Weinviertel” region. Most nests are built on only a few tree species: Populus sp., Quercus sp. and Pinus sp.; other species (Robinia pseudoacacia, Salix sp.) are used only occasionally. Regarding the number of fledged young per pair and the failure rate of nesting attempts, no clear trend could be established but weather patterns in single years seem to affect the number. Especially when combined with human disturbance (agriculture, forestry, hunting, recreation), cold, wet conditions can lead to nest failure. Interestingly, this is reflected in the proportion of abandoned nests when clustered per habitat type. Nests in open, agricultural areas, where disturbance seems to be more frequent, have a lower success rate than those in floodplain or hill forest. According to observations and the collection of prey remains below nest sites, the most important prey species by far is Lepus europaeus. Where Spermophilus citellus and Cricetus cricetus still occur in relevant densities, they are hunted frequently. Birds, such as Phasianidae, Columbidae, Corvidae, or Alaudidae, also comprise a significant proportion of the IE’s diet. Especially in winter, but also during the breeding season, the species uses carrion, particularly adult hares. The satellite tagging activities revealed that illegal persecution is the most important mortality reason for young IE born in Austria. To tackle this problem, activities to fight illegal persecution were expanded and intensified in the frame of the PannonEagle LIFE (LIFE15/NAT/HU/000902) project together with the neighbouring countries. Other relevant mortality reasons are collisions with trains and train infrastructure and collisions with wind power plants. Especially the latter must be closely monitored regarding the necessary expansion of wind farms in the future. As side notes, the monitoring produced interesting findings about the breeding biology of the species e.g., the takeover of an active nest of Buteo buteo and subsequent hatching and adoption of the chick.

The role of molecular-genetic techniques in BVDV eradication in Lower Austria.

A voluntary bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) control programme, which later became a compulsory eradication programme, based on the Swedish model was introduced in Lower Austria in 1997. The persistently infected animals were detected by Ag-ELISA and all samples were re-tested by the improved single-tube RT-PCR, employing panpestivirus primers targeting the 5'-UTR of the virus genome. In 2010, the BVDV eradication programme, which became compulsory from 2004, reached the final stage with only five remaining infected herds in which BVDV was difficult to eradicate. To resolve the problem in those herds, a molecular epidemiology approach was used. No differences in the spectrum of BVDV-1 subgenotypes at the beginning and at the final stage of eradication programme were found. The genetic study revealed the importance of human risk factor when finishing an eradication programme. Molecular epidemiology was also used to analyse BVDV isolates associated with re-introductions to BVDV-free herds.

High-energy, microtidal nearshore deposits and their provenance (Lower Miocene, Burdigalian/Eggenburgian, Alpine-Carpathian Foredeep, Lower Austria)

During the Early Miocene (Early Burdigalian/Eggenburgian) marine transgression at the southeastern margin of the Bohemian Massif, gradual flooding occurred along a rocky coast on granitic bedrock of the Thaya Batholith under high-energy, wave-dominated, microtidal and mixed fair-weather and storm conditions. Deposits of the Burgschleinitz Formation overlie a basal unconformity above a subaerial weathered basement surface (transgressive erosional surface) and are interpreted as a transgressive systems tract. The deposits can be divided into four facies associations/depositional environments, i.e., upper-shoreface, foreshore, gravelly beach and backshore/lagoon. Two stages of transgression and successive overtopping of the basement, with different coastal physiographies, were documented. During the initial stage of transgression a barrier island system developed with relatively fine-grained deposits, reflecting the flooding of the distant parts of the Thaya Batholith with a relative flat basement morphology. The subsequent continuation of the transgression led to the flooding of the more proximal parts of the Thaya Batholith with a steeper relief and formation of a rocky shoreline with deposition of gravelly sediments along palaeo-sea cliffs or wave-cut platforms. While gravel clasts of the deposits investigated originate directly from the underlying granites of the Thaya Batholith, provenance studies show that metamorphic rocks of the Moravian Superunit in the hinterland were the main source of sands. This distant source material was probably delivered mainly by small creeks and alluvial fans to the nearshore. Significant differences in heavy mineral composition of the same formation in the wider vicinity indicate primarily local sources and rapid deposition with subordinate longshore transport, which may reflect a complex coastal palaeogeography. The Lower Miocene deposits of the Burgschleinitz Formation investigated are a rare example of ancient rocky shore deposits, which generally have low preservation potential in the geological record.

Digital News and Political Tweets in the Lower Austrian Municipal Elections: A Case Study on Digital Journalism and Political Communication

In this paper, we study the problem of agenda setting by news media in relation to the political discourse by politicians at the time of local elections. We first evaluate the applicability of the agenda-setting theory against the theory of policy agenda building to determine the possible alternative directions for constructing a political agenda at the time of elections. Namely, we identify a non-linear interaction between news organizations, politicians, and the general public during the electoral campaign. This interaction, in turn, shapes the dynamic evolution of the public discourse concerning politics, and it is characterized by high sensitivity to initial conditions and non-linearity. Then, we attempt to identify the presence of an evolutionary trajectory of the political discourse in Lower Austria at the time of elections by observing whether, as the time of an election approaches, the interaction between news organizations and politicians flattens and becomes more linear without the news or the politicians causing the agenda of the other to be set accordingly. Finally, we provide a new methodology for identifying the topics contained in such an agenda so that empirical verification of the proposed hypothesis becomes possible.

Caring Community Lower Austria (CCLA)

Ausgehend von einer Initiative der Pädagogischen Hochschule Niederösterreich (PH NÖ) befassen sich niederösterreichische Institutionen im Bildungsspektrum mit der Fragestellung, was sie einander bieten und wie sie sich gegenseitig unterstützen können.

Clinical Efficacy of Two Novel, Differentially Administered (IM, ID) Vaccines against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and PCV2 in Swine under Field Conditions.

Enzootic pneumonia (EP) of pigs is caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M.hp.), which is, together with the porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), among the most prominent inducers of the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Therefore, vaccination of piglets against M.hp. and PCV2 is crucial in the fight against pulmonary infections. In this field study, we tested the clinical efficacy of two novel vaccines, one delivered IM (Hyogen® + Circovac®) and the other ID (MHyo-Sphere®PCV ID), on a fattening farm in Lower Austria with a history of still ongoing EP. Average daily weight gain, coughing/sneezing index, losses due to morbidity/mortality, and lung scoring data at slaughter by means of CLP (Ceva Lung Program) were recorded for three consecutive fattening cohorts to achieve a powerful number of animals, one half each vaccinated with the IM vaccine and the other half with the ID vaccine (n = 659 in total). No statistically significant differences could be observed between the two vaccination groups for the parameters investigated, but the total median EP score, which categorizes pulmonary lesions due to infection by M.hp. with a theoretical range of 0-28, was lowered from initially 1.9 to 1.0, indicating that both vaccines proved very suitable measures in the fight against EP.

Marine facies differentiation along complex paleotopography: an example from the Middle Miocene (Serravallian) of Lower Austria

In the area of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg (Hainburg Mountains, Lower Austria) a Middle Miocene transgression over Mesozoic basement was explored in the course of the Danube power plant project “Hainburg”. The Mesozoic basement forms a narrow ridge dipping to the northeast towards the Vienna Basin, covered by various Miocene sediments. The ridge represents a specific paleotopography that required a detailed study with 78 shallow, fully cored drill holes in an area of c. 0.5 km2. Ten drillings were selected for this study based on sedimentary composition and position relative to the Mesozoic ridge. These 10 cores, ranging in drilling depth from 26.5 to 96.4 m, were studied in respect to sedimentology, corallinacean algae, calcareous nannoplankton, foraminifers and ostracodes to reconstruct sediment distribution and paleoenvironment. Sediment distribution clearly shows that the Mesozoic ridge formed a physical barrier with siliciclastics dominating in the SW of the ridge and carbonate sediments prevailing in the NE. Based on biostratigraphy (calcareous nannoplankton, foraminifera, ostracodes, dinoflagellates) the majority of the sediments can be dated to the late Badenian (early Serravallian) only in some drillholes lower Sarmatian (upper Serravallian) sediments were detected. In terms of sequence stratigraphy, the Badenian sediments represent the transgressive and highstand systems tract of 3rd order sequence TB 2.5 (bound by the lowstands Ser 2 and Ser 3), the lower Sarmatian sediments can be correlated to sequence TB 2.6. Carbonate sediments show a wide spectrum of 13 facies which are mostly dominated by coralline algae. According to the relative positions of the drill holes a water depth between 0 and about 50 m can be reconstructed what is supported by the occurrence of the benthic biota. This biota indicates that the sedimentary succession started from the very beginning under full marine conditions. Except of basal conglomerates/breccias water energy conditions were low and turbidity high. Close to the Sarmatian boundary a reduction in salinity and depth may have occurred which is also observed in the Sarmatian sediments. Carbonate sediments and, in particular, larger benthic foraminifers indicate tropical to warm-temperate conditions for the late Badenian of the studied sections. The siliciclastic sediments NW of the Mesozoic ridge reflect riverine input indicated by the occurrence of freshwater ostracodes and characean oogonias. Calcareous nannoplankton and dinoflagellates show a high share of reworking from Upper Cretaceaous and Paleogene sediments.

Rings with Heraldic Motives from the Wiener Neustadt Treasure: Imitations of Medieval Signet Rings?

In 2007, a late medieval hoard was found in Wiener Neustadt (Lower Austria), which is extraordinary in many respects: the circumstances of its discovery were curious, its composition extremely inhomogeneous in terms of date and quality, and last but not least, the reconstructable circumstances of its concealment seem to have sprung almost from a Hollywood screenplay. It is due to a memorable coincidence that this treasure could be processed quickly within the framework of a scientific research project. The results were already presented in 2014 in a comprehensive monograph. One aspect among the numerous oddities of this hoard is the high number of finger rings it contains, which in turn form a very inhomogeneous category of finds. A group of rings with heraldic motifs on the ring plate is particularly striking and are the focus of this article.

Employer impact on COVID-19 vaccine uptake among nursing and social care employees in Austria.

Since becoming available, vaccines against COVID-19 have been a focus of public debate. This is particularly relevant among healthcare and social workers, who interact with vulnerable patients and clients on a daily basis. With employers implementing educational programs and offering incentives to raise vaccine willingness among their staff, it is crucial to understand drivers of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy as well as the impact employers can play on vaccine decision-making. We conducted a cross-sectional study via computer-assisted telephone and web interviews. We recruited from a pool of employees from nursing and social care institutions in Vienna and Lower Austria operated by one healthcare NGO. Variables included in the analysis were socio-demographic attributes, reasons for or against the vaccine, sources of information, opinions of mandatory vaccination, and whether respondents had previously been infected with COVID-19 or knew someone who had. 86.2% of respondents had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 13.8% were unvaccinated. Vaccinated respondents' main reason for getting the vaccine was to protect themselves (79.6%) as well as others (74.1%), while non-vaccinated respondents cited a fear of short or long-term side effects (58.8 and 42.4%, respectively) as their primary reason for not getting vaccinated. 72.8% of the unvaccinated said no incentive would make them change their mind, while 17.4% specified abstract concepts or systemic change as effective incentives. Monetary incentives were not seen as a motivator. Unvaccinated respondents were significantly more worried about the future than vaccinated respondents (78.8 vs. 26.3%, p < 0.001). They were also significantly more likely to view their employers' vaccine recommendations as "manipulative" (50.6 vs. 12.4%, p < 0.001), while vaccinated respondents were significantly more likely to view them as "supportive" (68.0 vs. 25.9%, p < 0.001). While employers have the means to mediate public health decision-making by providing information, deciding to become vaccinated is a more complex process including public debate, world views, political influences, and the uptake of information. Employers can act as mediators for public health decision-making, moving policy measures beyond an individualized view of health choices and health literacy toward more structural, systemic, and community-based efforts.

Residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs in diets of dairy cattle from conventional and organic farms in Austria

Modern agriculture depends highly on pesticides and pharmaceutical preparations, so controlling exposure to these substances in the feed and food chain is essential. This article presents the first study on residues of a broad spectrum of pesticides and veterinary drugs in the diets of dairy cattle. One hundred and two representative samples of the complete diets, including basal feed rations and additional fed concentrate, were collected in three Austrian provinces (Styria, Lower and Upper Austria) in 2019 and 2020. The samples were tested for >700 pesticides, veterinary drugs and related metabolites using a validated method based on liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI–MS/MS). In total, 16 residues (13 pesticides and three veterinary drug residues) were detected. > 90% of the diets contained pesticide residues and <10% veterinary drug residues, whereas banned pesticides were not found. The most frequent pesticide residues were fluopyram (62%), piperonyl butoxide (39%) and diethyltoluamide (35%). The following pesticides exceed the default EU maximum residue level (MRL) (10 μg kg−1) for products exclusively used for animal feed production: Benzovindiflupyr (proportion of samples > MRLs: 1%), bixafen (2%), fluopyram (6%), ipconazole (1%) and tebuconazole (3%). Three residues (dinitrocarbanilide, monensin and nicarbazin) of veterinary drugs were identified, all below the MRLs. Over 60% of the evaluated samples contained mixtures of two to six residues/sample. Only one pesticide (diethyltoluamide) presented a significant difference among regions, with higher concentrations in Upper Austria. Brewery's spent grains were the dietary ingredient that showed the strongest correlation to pesticide residues. These findings evidence the realistic scenario of highly occurrent low doses of pesticides cocktails in the feed/food chain, which may affect the animal, human and environmental health. Since the risk assessments are based on single pesticides, the potential synergistic effect of co-occurring chemicals (“cocktail effect”) requires further investigations.

Under-vine vegetation in vineyards: a case study considering soil hydrolytic enzyme activity, yield and grape quality in Austria

In vineyards, the under-vine area is managed to control vegetation growth and to reduce the competing effect of growing plants on vines and fruit development. Applied under-vine management methods are the application of herbicides, soil tillage or the growth of spontaneous vegetation or cover crops. These methods affect pedo-climatic conditions differentially as well as the soil biota and have, therefore, consequences on soil functions and ecosystem services. In the presented case study, the effects of five under-vine management methods on the activity of soil hydrolytic enzymes, the soil water content, vine photosynthetic activity, shoot pruning weight, grape yield and quality are investigated in a vineyard in Lower Austria over three consecutive seasons. Thereby, we hypothesise that a permanent under-vine vegetation cover, either mowed or without mowing, supports the soil microbial communities and soil functions in a way to enhance water and nutrients availability for vines which partly compensates for the competition of the growing vegetation. Our results confirm effects on the soil water balance, more specifically, a reduced soil water content in 11 -20 cm soil depths induced by a permanent vegetation cover as compared to herbicide application or soil tillage. Further consequences of permanent vegetation below vines were lower shoot pruning weights and lower berry weights, while total soluble solids and titratable acidity were not affected. The vine's photosynthetic activity, as well as the soil water content, were partly affected by treatments dependent on the precipitation ahead of the measurement. In parallel, the soil microbial activity was significantly enhanced by a permanent vegetation cover below the vines as compared to herbicide application, a trend which increased with the years of the project. In conclusion, permanent under-vine vegetation strongly promoted soil microbial activity without strong effects on shoot pruning weight, grape yield and quality. In the next step, a functional proof is necessary to characterise the interaction between soil microbial activity, soil water balance and vine nutrition and water status by using sensors for continuous measurements.

Podzemní vody hluboké struktury regionálního rozsahu: Pasohlávky–Laa an der Thaya

The regions of South Moravia in Czech Republic and Lower Austria are well-known for their use of thermal mineral waters for balneological purposes. Mineral waters are exploited from a Jurassic aquifer by two about 1.5 km deep wells MUS-3G (Pasohlavky, Czech Republic) and Laa TH Nord 1 (Laa an der Thaya, Austria). This Jurassic aquifer buried below the Neogene foredeep overlies a crystalline basement of Bohemian Massif and continues to the southeast below the Western Carpathians. Jurassic sediments which are mainly composed of autochthonous carbonates increase their thickness in this direction due to the decline of the crystalline basement. Because of this decline, there are two developments of Jurassic sediments, the shallower on the northwest and the deeper on the southeast. The zone between these two developments is known as the Mušov transition zone. For sustainable mineral water resources development, a groundwater flow pattern and recharge are evaluated. This evaluation includes both the hydrogeologic structure of Jurassic carbonates and hydraulically continuous underlying and overlying rocks. Because of the considerable depth of this hydrogeologic structure, which ranges from 100 to 3 000 metres below sea level, this study was based mostly on archive reports related to deep wells at the study area. The extent of studied units was identified on well-log data and geophysical survey interpretation. The resulting groundwater level contour map is based on the spatial distribution of hydraulic heads ranging approx. from 180 to 220 metres above sea level (masl) that were derived from pressure and water density conditions at the Jurassic aquifer. The general direction of groundwater flow is from northwest and southeast to the drainage zone (hydraulic head approx. 170–190 masl) identified in the middle of the studied area, which is identical to a course of the Mušov transition zone and parallel to the course of Dyje river (water table 170–180 masl). The northwestern part of the studied hydrogeological structure also differs from the southeastern part in a lower total mineralization which indicates active inflow of fresh water. The study was also enhanced by a spatial distribution of hydraulic parameters of all modelled units. These parameters were derived from hydrodynamic tests. The hydraulic conductivity values for the major Jurassic aquifer range from 6.0 × 10-4 to 1.3 × 10-9 m/s. The occurrence of the higher hydraulic conductivity near the drainage zone indicates the presence of a well-developed drainage network.

Healthacross initiative of Lower Austria

Abstract Lower Austria is by size the biggest province of Austria and located in the heart of Europe with a 414 km long border to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and in close proximity to Hungary. Not only through its geographic location but also through its understanding to be a connected region as part of a strong European Union, cross-border health care plays an important issue at the provincial level. Led by the European spirit, all international and cross-border health activities are bundled under the umbrella of the ‘Healthacross initiative”. The initiative is part of the Health Agency of Lower Austria (N&amp;Ouml; Landesgesundheitsagentur), which operates and manages all 27 public hospitals and around 50 care/nursing homes in the region. Via the “Healthacross initiative”, Lower Austria is participating in four transnational networks and since 2008, conducted eight EU co-funded projects in cross-border healthcare, four of them currently running. Healthacross is the coordinator of this session, with support of WHO RHN network. Active networking in various European and international networks is part of the regional strategy of Lower Austria in order to gain excellence to improve the health and quality of life for citizens living in border regions. The premise is to enable equal access to health care services for citizens, regardless of their place of residence. The current epidemiological situation with the COVID-19 pandemic has not only impact on cross-border healthcare, but also on the life, health and well-being of citizens. With the closure of national borders, the exchange of healthcare services came to an interim halt; solely dialog remained - which was incredibly valuable for both commuters and citizens living in the border regions. Lower Austria will take care of the moderation of the session and will be represented by Julia Winkler.

8.C. Workshop: Networking for life: How European regions develop/strengthen cross-border health

Abstract The WHO European Programme of Work (2020-2025) emphasizes the importance of “supporting local living environments that enable health and well-being”. Through engaging with regulatory arrangements that support an environment that responds to citizens’ concerns for safer, healthier and better living, the EPW intertwines with the aims of the EPH Conference to promote population health and to strengthen health systems. The Covid-19 pandemic shows that health threats do not stop at national borders. Different responses amongst cross-border regions, based on national policies in terms of Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM), may even weaken their effectiveness. The importance of cooperation across border is not only relevant in the framework of pandemic preparedness and responses, but in many other fields: healthcare cooperation, emergency medical care, medico-social cooperation and health promotion. All have shown to be beneficial to population health when developed at the subnational level across border regions. Consequently, cross-border health (care) gained importance in recent years and there are various border regions who showcase successful cross-border cooperation in the field of health. Projects are being implemented along neighbouring European regions, translating into improved access to healthcare for the border populations, promoting prevention and health education as well as increasing healthcare availability and equity. Via various health networks, border regions can learn to engage with neighbours and build up tailor-made health services for their citizens. More so, through active participation in various well-established public health networks, the exchange of ideas, knowledge and solutions to strengthen cross-border health becomes part of region's daily work. Through strong networks and partnerships, joint solutions for a strengthened citizens’ health in rural areas could be found. Creating synergies between the healthcare capacities of the two sides of the border, collaboration between border area medical teams, access to equipment located one or other side of the border can make a positive impact on the users of health services and facilities. In this round table workshop, the role and impact of health networks on a sub-national level (regional) will be further examined. Based on selected well-established health networks, their work and value will be outlined. The Keynote speech will be given by the Coordinator of the WHO Europe Regions for Health Network, Dr. Bettina Menne. Subsequently, 3-4 well-established health networks will take the floor with a short presentation (5 min) in order to present their ‘business case’ and value. The presentations will be followed by a short round table discussion in order to highlight the role and strengths European health networks can bring to regions in order to improve cross-border healthcare (WHO RHN, Healthacross /Lower Austria, euPrevent, AEBR, EUREGHA). Key messages • Role and impact of health networking for cross-border health on a sub-national level. • Outlining the benefits and challenges for border regions to participate in health networks in order to strengthen cross-border health (also during Covid-19).

European Regional and Local Health Authorities (EUREGHA)

Abstract EUREGHA's vision is to ensure that the local and regional perspective is represented in EU health policy because local and regional authorities are the natural interface between citizens and European institutions, being the bridging bodies between policies and practices and the closest organizations to the concept of communities. We are the only European network prioritizing the representation of local and regional health authorities at EU level, as they fulfil a key role in improving efficiency, quality, and accessibility of healthcare systems and services. EUREGHA understands their specific needs and works tirelessly to represent regional and local health authorities in EU health policy, to amplify their voices as a means to improve European public health and healthcare. Through advocacy, policy monitoring, profile promotion, partnerships, and project development, EUREGHA facilitates and promotes collaboration between its members, EU institutions, pan-European health networks and other healthcare stakeholders. Network activities and projects are implemented upon a strategic background of “ways to make things happen” such as value based healthcare, smart specialization strategies and skills for innovation and digital transformation - on one side - and along thematic and field objectives such as cross-border healthcare, cancer, obesity, mental health and ageing - on the other side. Lower Austria is a long-standing member and Vice-Chair of EUREGHA.

Maize monoculture causes niacin deficiency in free-living European brown hares and impairs local population development

Maize (Zea mays) is the most produced crop worldwide and the second most important bio-energy plant. Huge maize monoculture is considered a threat to biodiversity in agricultural landscapes and may also contribute to the decline of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1778). Indeed, the intensification of agriculture has been identified as one of the main factors responsible for the decline of brown hare populations. A reason why large maize cultures can be particularly detrimental to animals consuming this plant is its poor nutritional value with respect to niacin. In this study, we investigated the effects of the proportion of area under maize crops on liver concentrations of niacin in free-living hares, on the reproductive output of does (females), and on the development of local populations, at nine study sites in Lower Austria. Hare numbers were estimated from spotlight counts in spring and autumn. Liver samples and uteri were obtained from hares shot in the same areas during regular autumn hunts. Number of offspring born to an individual female during the preceding reproductive period was determined by counting placental scars. Our results show a significant negative effect of the area under maize crops on liver concentrations of niacin of does and on their reproductive output. Further, we found a significant negative effect of the area under maize on the development of a population. Altogether, our findings indicate that high proportions of the area under maize crops contribute to the decline of brown hares by reduced fecundity of does and impaired development of local populations.

Die Bohr‐ und Injektionsarbeiten des Bauloses SBT 1.1 – Tunnel Gloggnitz

AbstractThe Semmering Base Tunnel (SBT), which has a total length of 27.3 km, is one of the most important construction projects in the Baltic‐Adriatic railway corridor. The base tunnel crosses the foothills of the Eastern Alps and connects the two federal states of Lower Austria and Styria. Due to the complex rock conditions, extensive and novel grouting systems are used. The primary target of the grouting is to reduce the permeability of the rocks and reduce the water entry (peak water ingress in the tunnelling area up to 300 l/s), as well as to improve the rock mass strength in some parts.Based on the grouting design, specific drilling and grouting procedures with various grouting materials were developed for sealing and tempering the water‐bearing areas of Grassberg and Otterstock. Innovations include the development of a standpipe packer and a cased grouting‐pipe system with grouting valves to prevent erosion along the drilling line for use in unstable borehole conditions. The combined cement/polyurethane suspension (hybrid grout) allows an extended economical use of cement suspensions.

Considering land cover and land use (LCLU) in lumped parameter modeling in forest dominated karst catchments

Lumped parameter modeling approach has been widely applied in karst hydrology for, among other applications, groundwater availability assessment in a context of global change. Nonetheless, such approach generally does not account for land-cover land-use (LCLU) and its impacts on recharge processes. Then, considering a semi-distributed recharge constitutes a relevant approach to capture the impacts of LCLU on flow dynamics but also introduce more complexity in the modeling approach. The present study consists of a multiple hydrological model calibration to assess the implication of considering a semi-distributed recharge in a lumped parameter model and focuses on the uncertainty originating by the model structure. The modeling results are discussed to evaluate the trade-off between hydrological model complexity and hydrological model performance. The study focuses on forest dominated karst areas with three karst catchments: Kerschbaum (Lower Austria), Baget (French Pyrenees) and Oeillal (southern France). Considering a semi-distributed recharge gives better performance for both Kerschbaum and Oeillal catchments hydrological models, while no improvement is obtained for Baget catchment. Systematic consideration of LCLU is thus not necessarily worthwhile in karst environmen ts as it can bring contradictory results in terms of hydrological model performance.