
Samer AngeloneUniversity of Zurich | UZH
Samer Angelone
PhD
About
158
Publications
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Introduction
I am interested in science communication through film.
- Teaching Workshops 'Filmmaking for Scientists', 'Storytelling and Storyboarding Science', 'Video-Journalism for Scientists'
- Organising Science Film Festivals
www.sciencefilm.ch
Additional affiliations
August 2011 - August 2013
July 2011 - July 2011
August 2010 - August 2010
Publications
Publications (158)
Red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations in north-western Italy have been remodeled in recent decades. Multiple translocations and the spontaneous migration from Switzerland and France resulted in the successful redistribution of the red deer after human-driven extirpation during the 18th century. The scarcely diverse parasitic community harbored by t...
In my workshops, Storytelling and Storyboarding Science, I teach scientists how to use the narrative techniques and strategies employed in movies to produce persuasive presentations and publications. Although the movie Don’t Look Up was initially intended as an allegory about climate change and the idea that decision makers are not listening to sci...
Background: Sarcoptic mange is a globally distributed parasitic disease caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes sca-biei. This mite has a certain degree of host specificity, although interspecific transmission can occur among phyloge-netically related species or through prey-predator mediated exposure. In 2018, a wild boar (Sus scrofa) with lesions...
Background
Sarcoptic mange is a globally distributed parasitic disease caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei . This mite has a certain degree of host specificity, although interspecific transmission can occur among phylogenetically related species or through prey–predator mediated exposure. In 2018, a wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) with lesions...
The number of ethological studies based on Mexican mammals have increased in recent years compared to those from other Latin American countries. This study conducts an analytical review of the literature on ethological studies of native Mexican mammals. Specialized publications and electronic bibliographic databases were thoroughly searched to iden...
Reconstructing the demographic history of endangered taxa is paramount to predict future fluctuations and disentangle the contributing factors. Extinct taxa or populations might also provide key insights in this respect by means of the DNA extracted from museum specimens. Nevertheless, the degraded status of biological material and the limited numb...
Reconstructing the demographic history of endangered taxa is paramount to predict future fluctuations and disentangle the contribution factors. Extinct taxa or populations might also provide key insights in this respect from DNA extracted from museum specimens. Nevertheless, the degraded status of biological material and the limited number of recor...
Sarcoptic mange, a skin infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, is an emerging disease for some species of wildlife, potentially jeopardizing their welfare and conservation. Sarcoptes scabiei has a near‐global distribution facilitated by its forms of transmission and use of a large diversity of host species (many of those with broad geogr...
Background
In Spain, sarcoptic mange was first described in native wildlife in 1987 in Cazorla Natural Park , causing the death of nearly 95% of the local native population of Iberian ibex ( Capra pyrenaica ). Since then, additional outbreaks have been identified in several populations of ibex and other wild ungulate species throughout the country....
Throughout the history of filmmaking, storyboarding has been used to pre-visualise films and help with production. Here I propose a new film visualisation tool to complement storyboarding, which I call ‘Storyboardgraphy’ and define as a ‘film pre- and post-visualization tool showing shot sizes and lengths along a timeline’. A storyboardgraphic cons...
The hirola antelope (Beatragus hunteri) is considered to be the most endangered antelope in the world. In the ex situ translocated population at Tsavo East National Park, calf mortality and the critically low population numbers might suggest low genetic diversity and inbreeding depression. Consequently, a genetic study of the wild population is piv...
Sarcoptic mange is a cosmopolitan disease affecting the skin of domestic and wild mammalian species and humans as well. In Eurasia, sarcoptidosis (also known as sarcoptic mange or scabies) affects mountain ungulates (Caprinae) among other wild hosts, and epizootic outbreaks induce variable mortality rates. This fact, coupled with the important ecol...
Background:
The dynamics of helminth infection in African elephant populations are poorly known. We examined the effects of age, sex, social structure and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as primary drivers of infection patterns within and between elephant populations.
Methods:
Coprological methods were used to identify helminth...
The hirola antelope (Beatragus hunteri) is considered to be the most endangered antelope in the world. In the ex situ translocated population at Tsavo East National Park, calf mortality and the critically low population numbers might suggest low genetic diversity and inbreeding depression. Consequently, a genetic study of the wild population is piv...
Although historical records indicate the presence of Ehrlichia and Babesia in African elephants, not much is known about their prevalence and diversity in elephants and their ticks, Amblyomma thollonii and Rhipicephalus humeralis. We amplified and sequenced the hypervariable V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia and Theileria and the heat shock...
Six documentary modes are recognised: poetic, expository, observational, participatory, reflexive and performative. Scientists untrained in filmmaking most often choose the expository mode since it possesses the same traits and conventions as used in most scientific narratives. Yet, this need not be the case given that a new generation of ‘scientis...
Background
Gastrointestinal parasites are neglected infections, yet they cause significant burden to animal and human health globally. To date, most studies of gastrointestinal parasites focus on host-parasite systems that involve either a single parasite or a host species. However, when hosts share habitat and resources, they may also cross-transm...
Scientists have the tendency to communicate their scientific accounts using linearly structured narratives (Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion; IMRAD). Likewise, the linear narrative is dominant – due to force of habit – when scientists prepare films about their research. Yet, this does not necessarily have to be the case for the new gen...
Film is one of the most powerful tools for communicating science to peers and the general public. Recently, there has been a boom in demand for science films. To satisfy the demand for science films, universities and scientific institutes are now increasingly teaching their scientists and students how to produce their own films via accredited scien...
Background:
Peninsulas often harvest high genetic diversity through repeated southward migrations of species during glacial maxima. Studies addressing within-species evolutionary responses to climate fluctuations in northeast Asia are limited compared to other regions of the world, and more so in the Korean Peninsula. In this study, we conducted t...
Background:
Defining hidden genetic diversity within species is of great significance when attempting to maintain the evolutionary potential of natural populations and conduct appropriate management. Our hypothesis is that isolated (and eventually small) wild animal populations hide unexpected genetic diversity due to their maintenance of ancient...
Sarcoptic mange is a globally distributed disease caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which also causes scabies in humans. A wide and increasing number of wild mammal species are reported to be susceptible to mange; however, the impacts of the disease in wildlife populations, mechanisms involved in its eco-epidemiological dynamics, and...
The results indicate that social structures (gender, grouping) and habitat may shape infection intensity but not prevalence.
This study reveals the extent of TBPs infection and circulation in different rhino populations in Kenya and the interplay between different populations during translocation exercises. For this reason, rhinos can be considered as a reservoir host of TBPs. This should therefore be confirmed by further surveillance and extensive pathogen characterizat...
Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever, a zoonotic disease of public health importance. The role of wildlife and their ticks in the epidemiology of C. burnetii in Kenya is unknown. This study analysed the occurrence and prevalence of the pathogen in wildlife and their ticks at two unique wildlife-livestock interfaces of Laikipia and Ma...
Restoration of lost species ranges to their native distribution is key for the survival of endangered species. However, reintroductions often fail and long-term genetic consequences are poorly understood. Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) are wild goats that recovered from <100 individuals to ~50,000 within a century by population reintroductions. We analyz...
Pilobolus are abundant in herbivore dung. Although they are non-pathogenic to herbivores, they are vectors to lungworms present in the dung that cause bronchitis if ingested. Thus, determining the presence of Pilobolus in the field might prove useful to assess a link between Pilobolus and lungworm infections, as well as the areas where they occur....
Background
Genetic differentiation in historically connected populations could be the result of genetic drift or adaptation, two processes that imply a need for differing strategies in population management. The aim of our study was to use neutral genetic markers to characterize C. pyrenaica populations genetically and examine results in terms of (...
Information about the used microsatellite loci.
(DOC)
Although neglected, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei is an unpredictable emerging parasite, threatening human and animal health globally. In this paper we report the first fatal outbreak of sarcoptic mange in the endangered Himalayan lynx (Lynx lynx isabellinus) from Pakistan. A 10-year-old male Himalayan lynx was found in a miserable condition with seve...
The use of biopsy darts for remote collection of tissue samples from free-ranging terrestrial and aquatic animal species has gained popularity in the recent past. The success of darting is very important since scientists may not have many chances to re-dart the same animal, especially with the free-ranging elusive wildlife species. We used wildebee...
Background:
Filarioid nematode parasites are major health hazards with important medical, veterinary and economic implications. Recently, they have been considered as indicators of climate change.
Findings:
In this paper, we report the first record of Setaria tundra in roe deer from the Iberian Peninsula. Adult S. tundra were collected from the...
Very little is known about the influence of massive and long distance migration on parasite epidemiology. Migration can simultaneously minimize exposure to common parasites in their habitats and increase exposure to novel pathogens from new environments and habitats encountered during migration, while physiological stress during long distance movem...
Following mass deaths of Laughing Doves (Streptopelia senegalensis) in different localities throughout Kenya, internal organs from two moribund birds were sampled and analyzed by next generation sequencing. We isolated the virulent strain of pigeon paramyxovirus type-1 (PPMV-1), PPMV1/Laughing Dove/Kenya/Isiolo/B2/2012, which had a characteristic f...
In this study, we analysed the Sarcoptes scabiei infrapopulations of 315 Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) by means of skin digestion and differential mite counts. Mean density reached 178.2 mites/cm2 (range: 0.71–4514.29). Although the most frequently affected zones were hosts’ extremities and withers, higher mite densities were obtained from lips an...
Background: The mite Sarcoptes scabiei has a known host-range of over 100 mammal species including humans. One of the prime objectives of the Sarcoptes-World Molecular Network (WMN) is to design and develop universal Sarcoptes PCR-based diagnosis methods.
Methods: We describe here for the first time two universal mitochondrial-based diagnosis meth...
Background:
A huge effort in rhinoceros conservation has focused on poaching and habitat loss as factors leading to the dramatic declines in the endangered eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) and the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum). Nevertheless, the role disease and parasite infections play in the mortality...
The raccoon, Procyon lotor (Carnivora: Procyonidae), is an invasive species that is spreading throughout Europe, in which Germany represents its core area. Here, raccoons mostly live in rural regions, but some urban populations are already established, such as in the city of Kassel, or are starting to build up, such as in Berlin. The objective of t...
Piroplasms, especially those in the genera Babesia and Theileria, have been found to naturally infect rhinoceros. Due to natural or human-induced stress factors such as capture and translocations, animals often develop fatal clinical piroplasmosis, which causes death if not treated. This study examines the genetic diversity and occurrence of novel...
Piroplasms, especially those in the genera Babesia and Theileria, have been found to naturally infect rhinoceros. Due to natural or human-induced stress factors such as capture and translocations, animals often develop fatal clinical piro-plasmosis, which causes death if not treated. This study examines the genetic diversity and occurrence of novel...
The parasitic nematodes Ascaris lumbricoides and A. suum are of great public health and economic significance, and the two taxa were proposed to represent a single species. miRNAs are known with functions of gene regulations at post-transcriptional level.
We herein compared the miRNA profiles of A. lumbricoides and A. suum female adults by Solexa d...
Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a recurring problem that appears wherever the range of elephants and humans overlap. Different methods including the use of electric fences are used worldwide to mitigate this conflict. Nonetheless, elephants learn quickly that their tusks do not conduct electricity and use them to break down fences (fence-breakers)...
The discipline of epidemiology is the study of the patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions in defined anima populations. It is the key to evidence-based medicine, which is one of the cornerstones of public health. One of the important facets of epidemiology is disease-navigating webs (disease-NW) through which zoonotic and mul...
FIGURE S1 - Plots showing the ants nests sampled starting from a larger (2009 and 2010 nest sampling) to a smaller scale (only 2010 sampling). The vertices indicate the measured plot area from where nests were sampled. Lines delimit different independent approximate transects to assess genetic divergence by distance (mantel tests) and the circle de...
Dispersal has consequences not only for individual fitness, but also for population dynamics, population genetics and species distribution. Social Hymenoptera show two contrasting colony reproductive strategies, dependent and independent colony foundation modes, and these are often associated to the population structures derived from inter and intr...
Wildlife radio tracking has gained popularity during the recent past. Ecologists and conservationists use radio-collars for different purposes: animal movement monitoring, home range, productivity, population estimation, behaviour, habitat use, survival, and predator-prey interaction, among others. The aim of our present study is to highlight the a...
Very few studies have ever focused on the elephants that are wounded or killed as local communities attempt to scare these animals away from their settlements and farms, or on the cases in which local people take revenge after elephants have killed or injured humans. On the other hand, local communities live in close proximity to elephants and henc...
Optimal management and conservation programs of the threatened Cabrera's vole require investigating potential molecular genetic markers in the genomic background, if the few remaining fragile populations are to be conserved. A collection of 30 Cabrera's vole representing four populations in Spain and Portugal was characterized by 134 RAPD-PCR marke...
The Lesser Antilles is a biodiversity hot spot but unfortunately human disturbance has taken its toll, causing dramatic population declines and even extinction of numerous endemic species. Nevertheless, today the rediscovery of previously thought extinct species is not uncommon. Often, old museum specimens and their original descriptions are the on...
Here we report a mammal sexing procedure based on the detection of quantitative differences between females and males in the X-linked loci (quantitative sexing, Q-sexing). This novel technique was validated using samples from Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) whose sexes were known. The Q-sexing technique relies on the fact that amplificati...
Social media introduce pivotal changes to communication between individuals, organizations and communities. A clear example of the power of social media is the spread of the revolutionary outbreaks in the Arabic countries during 2011, where people used Facebook, YouTube and Skype to communicate, organise meetings and protest actions. Here I report...
Background
For centuries, immature stages of Dipterans have infested humans and animals, resulting in a pathological condition referred to as myiasis. Myiases are globally distributed but they remain neglected diseases in spite of the great medical and veterinary importance. Moreover, there is a paucity of information on the clinical-pathology and/...
Capturing wild animals can be time consuming and difficult or even impractical. Noninvasive sampling is potentially a cost-effective and efficient means to monitor wild animals, thereby avoiding the need of capture and disturb species in the wild. On the basis of the morphological and genetic analyses of owl pellet contents, a so far undetected Eur...