Does culture really matter in sports participation? The impact of socio-cultural factors on sports behaviour in Switzerland

The physical activity of the Swiss population differs considerably depending on the linguistic region. German speakers are more often physically active than people living in the French or Italian-speaking part of Switzerland (Stamm & Lamprecht, 2011). This study analyses how socio-cultural factors correlate with sports participation for adolescents and young adults. In order to analyse this research question, Bourdieu’s concept of habitus (1984) has been adapted and used as a theoretical background. This sport-related concept of habitus considers culturally determined values, the attribution of meaning and patterns of action such as the understanding of sports, the importance of sports, body, health or leisure. On this basis, the sport-related habitus and the practical relevance of sports participation has been empirically reconstructed for adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 25 through a qualitative study including guideline-based interviews with German (n=6) and French (n=4) speaking adolescents and young adults, as well as a quantitative survey in a German (n=106) and a French (n=99) speaking commune of Switzerland. Initial findings reveal that young German speakers associate sports with self-discipline (χ²(1, N=205)= 8.223, p<.005, V=.200) and fitness (χ²(1, N=205)= 21.989, p<.005, V=.328) whereas young French speakers are more likely to relate health (χ²(1, N=205)= 9.455, p<.005, V=.215), effort and perspiration (χ²(1, N=205)= 18.835, p<.005, V=.303) to sports. Similarly, the understanding of body and health as well as the attitude towards leisure differs between the German and French speaking parts of Switzerland. This study illustrates that the concept of sports habitus is culturally shaped and therefore may be fruitful in further analyses. Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction. A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Stamm, H. & Lamprecht, M. (2008). Swiss sports participation in an international perspective. European Journal for Sport and Society, 8 (1+2), 15-29.

Nocardial brain abscess: observation of treatment strategies and outcome in Switzerland from 1992 to 1999

BACKGROUND Brain abscesses caused by Nocardia spp. are rare, but life-threatening infections that are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat and which occur mainly in immunocompromised patients. Standard treatment guidelines are not available. METHODS A systematic search for nocardial brain abscesses from 1992 to 1999 was conducted in Switzerland for the comparison of clinical presentation, treatment strategies and outcome. RESULTS Seven cases were found, for which data of six were available. In 4/6 patients antimicrobial therapy led to a decrease in the size of abscesses. Four of six patients died. The cause of death was likely due to underlying co-morbidities, rather than the nocardial infection. CONCLUSION The finding that treatment was different in each case underscores the lack of therapeutic guidelines.

Social Meets Molecular: Combining Phylogenetic and Latent Class Analyses to Understand HIV-1 Transmission in Switzerland

Switzerland has a complex human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic involving several populations. We examined transmission of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) in a national cohort study. Latent class analysis was used to identify socioeconomic and behavioral groups among 6,027 patients enrolled in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study between 2000 and 2011. Phylogenetic analysis of sequence data, available for 4,013 patients, was used to identify transmission clusters. Concordance between sociobehavioral groups and transmission clusters was assessed in correlation and multiple correspondence analyses. A total of 2,696 patients were infected with subtype B, 203 with subtype C, 196 with subtype A, and 733 with recombinant subtypes (mainly CRF02_AG and CRF01_AE). Latent class analysis identified 8 patient groups. Most transmission clusters of subtype B were shared between groups of gay men (groups 1-3) or between the heterosexual groups "heterosexual people of lower socioeconomic position" (group 4) and "injection drug users" (group 8). Clusters linking homosexual and heterosexual groups were associated with "older heterosexual and gay people on welfare" (group 5). "Migrant women in heterosexual partnerships" (group 6) and "heterosexual migrants on welfare" (group 7) shared non-B clusters with groups 4 and 5. Combining approaches from social and molecular epidemiology can provide insights into HIV-1 transmission and inform the design of prevention strategies.

The water vapour flux above Switzerland and its role in the August 2005 extreme precipitation and flooding

The water budget approach is applied to an atmospheric box above Switzerland (hereafter referred to as the “Swiss box”) to quantify the atmospheric water vapour flux using ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalyses. The results confirm that the water vapour flux through the Swiss box is highly temporally variable, ranging from 1 to 5 · 107 kg/s during settled anticyclonic weather, but increasing in size by a factor of ten or more during high speed currents of water vapour. Overall, Switzerland and the Swiss box “import” more water vapour than it “exports”, but the amount gained remains only a small fraction (1% to 5%) of the total available water vapour passing by. High inward water vapour fluxes are not necessarily linked to high precipitation episodes. The water vapour flux during the August 2005 floods, which caused severe damage in central Switzerland, is examined and an assessment is made of the computed water vapour fluxes compared to high spatio-temporal rain gauge and radar observations. About 25% of the incoming water vapour flux was stored in Switzerland. The computed water vapour fluxes from ECMWF data compare well with the mean rain gauge observations and the combined rain-gauge radar precipitation products.

A climatology of the diurnal variations of stratospheric and mesospheric ozone over Bern, Switzerland

The ground-based radiometer GROMOS, stationed in Bern (47.95° N, 7.44° E), Switzerland, has a unique dataset: it obtains ozone profiles from November 1994 to present with a time resolution of 30 min and equal quality during night- and daytime. Here, we derive a monthly climatology of the daily ozone cycle from 17 yr of GROMOS observation. We present the diurnal ozone variation of the stratosphere and mesosphere. Characterizing the diurnal cycle of stratospheric ozone is important for correct trend estimates of the ozone layer derived from satellite observations. The diurnal ozone cycle from GROMOS is compared to two models: The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) and the Hamburg Model of Neutral and Ionized Atmosphere (HAMMONIA). Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura/MLS) ozone data, from night- and daytime overpasses over Bern, have also been included in the comparison. Generally, observation and models show good qualitative agreement: in the lower mesosphere, daytime ozone is for both GROMOS and models around 25% less than nighttime ozone (reference is 22:30–01:30). In the stratosphere, ozone reaches its maximum in the afternoon showing values several percent larger than the midnight value. It is important that diurnal ozone variations of this order are taken into account when merging different data sets for the derivation of long-term ozone trends in the stratosphere. Further, GROMOS and models indicate a seasonal behavior of daily ozone variations in the stratosphere with a larger afternoon maximum during daytime in summer than in winter. At 0.35 hPa, observations from GROMOS and Aura/MLS show a seasonal pattern in diurnal ozone variations with larger relative amplitudes during daytime in winter (−25 ± 5%) than in summer (−18 ± 4%) (compared to mean values around midnight). For the first time, a time series of the diurnal variations in ozone is presented: 17 yr of GROMOS data show strong interannual variations in the diurnal ozone cycle for both the stratosphere and the mesosphere. There are some indications that strong temperature tides can suppress the diurnal variation of stratospheric ozone via the anticorrelation of temperature and ozone. That means the spatio-temporal variability of solar thermal tides seems to affect the diurnal cycle of stratospheric ozone.

Gammaglobulin and selenium status in healthy neonatal dairy calves in Switzerland

Serum samples from 142 calves and their dams were analyzed for gammaglobulins (gammaG, calves) and selenium concentrations (Se, calves and dams). A questionnaire provided information about birth and colostrum management. The calves and their dams were distributed into two groups according the calves' gammaG concentration (< 10 and >= 10 g/L), Se concentrations were compared between groups. The correlation between gammaG and Se concentrations in the calves and their dams was analyzed. Risk factors for failure of passive transfer and Se deficiency were assessed based on the questionnaire. The gammaG concentration of 42.9 % of the calves was < 10 g/L (median: 10.9). Calves showed significantly higher gammaG values after optimized colostrum administration than calves with suboptimal colostrum administration (p < 0.004). The median Se concentration was 26.8 and 36.5 microg/L for the calves and dams, respectively. A high correlation was observed between the Se concentration of the dam and her calf (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). The calves' Se and gammaG concentrations were not significantly correlated. These results demonstrate that further efforts toward better information of farmers regarding colostrum management and Se supply are warranted.

Climate change in Switzerland: a review of physical, institutional, and political aspects

Climate change is clearly discernible in observed climate records in Switzerland. It impacts on natural systems, ecosystems, and economic sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and energy, and it affects Swiss livelihood in various ways. The observed and projected changes call for a response from the political system, which in Switzerland is characterized by federalism and direct democratic instruments. Swiss climate science embraces natural and social sciences and builds on institutionalized links between researchers, public, and private stakeholders. In this article, we review the physical, institutional, and political aspects of climate change in Switzerland. We show how the current state of Swiss climate science and policy developed over the past 20 years in the context of international developments and national responses. Specific to Switzerland is its topographic setting with mountain regions and lowlands on both sides of the Alpine ridge, which makes climate change clearly apparent and for some aspects (tourist sector, hydropower, and extreme events) highly relevant and better perceivable (e.g., retreating glaciers). Not surprisingly the Alpine region is of central interest in Swiss climate change studies.

Hepatitis B and C in Switzerland - healthcare provider initiated testing for chronic hepatitis B and C infection

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are contagious liver diseases caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the hepatitis C virus (HCV), respectively. In particular, chronic infection with HBV or HCV is a major public health problem throughout Europe. The majority of persons chronically infected (65%-75%) are not aware of their infection status until symptoms of advanced liver disease appear. In addition, the peak in the number of patients suffering from advanced stages of the disease, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, has not yet been reached. In order to reduce the current and future morbidity and mortality associated with chronic HBV or HCV infection, the timely detection of chronically infected persons, with follow-up and case management, is crucial. However, the current screening strategies in Europe and Switzerland have to be considered as inadequate to detect the majority of chronically infected persons. Hence, we emphasise the importance of an alternative approach: the healthcare provider initiated identification of HBV or HCV infection in defined risk groups. This entails determining whether a person is not only at risk of being chronically infected, but also at risk of becoming infected with HBV or HCV and, if necessary, testing for HBV or HCV infection.

New results and new ice-borne finds from high-alpine passes in the Bernese Alps (Switzerland)

Archaeological finds from Schnidejoch (2756 m a.s.l.) and Lötschenpass (2690 m a.s.l.) cover the periods from the Early Neolithic to the Middle Ages (4800 BC - 1000 AD). The numerous finds from Schnidejoch discovered since 2003 can now be seen in relationship with Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements in the Rhone valley and together with the early use of alpine meadows and early transhumance. Finds of Early Bronze Age bows from Lötschenpass go back to the 1930ies. New finds of wooden objects and objects made from birch bark melted out from the ice in the summer of 2011. The lecture presents these new finds and an actualized view of Schnidejoch finds.

Home artificial nutrition in Switzerland: an epidemiological survey from 2005 to 2009.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Home artificial nutrition (HAN), including oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and enteral (HEN) and parenteral (HPN) nutrition, is an established, important treatment for malnourished patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiological data of patients on HAN in Switzerland. METHODS This retrospective study recorded all new cases of HAN in Switzerland from January 2005 to December 2009. RESULTS A total of 12,917 cases were recorded: 6,731 (52%) males and 6,186 (48%) females, with a mean age of 65.0 ± 17.6 years. The number of patients on ONS was 7,827 (57.4%), on HEN 3,966 (39.4%) and on HPN 433 (3.2%). The most common underlying disease category was neoplasms (6,519, 50.7%). The number of patients on ONS increased from 57.0% (n = 1,252) to 60.8% (n = 2,039), and on HPN from 2.1% (n = 45) to 4.0% (n = 134) between 2005 and 2009. CONCLUSIONS This first analysis of the large-scale Swiss registry of HAN shows that approximately half of the patients received ONS, whereas HPN was rarely delivered. The frequency of ONS and HPN increased from the year 2005 to 2009. In accordance with previous European studies, malignant tumors were by far the most frequent indication for HAN.

Management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH): algorithm of the interdisciplinary D-A-CH consensus group PPH (Germany – Austria – Switzerland)

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is one of the main causes of maternal deaths even in industrialized countries. It represents an emergency situation which necessitates a rapid decision and in particular an exact diagnosis and root cause analysis in order to initiate the correct therapeutic measures in an interdisciplinary cooperation. In addition to established guidelines, the benefits of standardized therapy algorithms have been demonstrated. A therapy algorithm for the obstetric emergency of postpartum hemorrhage in the German language is not yet available. The establishment of an international (Germany, Austria and Switzerland D-A-CH) "treatment algorithm for postpartum hemorrhage" was an interdisciplinary project based on the guidelines of the corresponding specialist societies (anesthesia and intensive care medicine and obstetrics) in the three countries as well as comparable international algorithms for therapy of PPH.The obstetrics and anesthesiology personnel must possess sufficient expertise for emergency situations despite lower case numbers. The rarity of occurrence for individual patients and the life-threatening situation necessitate a structured approach according to predetermined treatment algorithms. This can then be carried out according to the established algorithm. Furthermore, this algorithm presents the opportunity to train for emergency situations in an interdisciplinary team.

Gynaecologists' awareness of bone healthcare in Switzerland

PRINCIPLES To assess gynaecologists' awareness of bone healthcare in women and the prevalence of application of national recommendations on bone healthcare in Switzerland. METHODS During the annual meeting of the Swiss Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 2012, the Swiss Association against Osteoporosis (SVGO) performed standardised interviews with conference participants (n = 210). Questions addressed responsibility for bone healthcare, and whether diagnostic procedures, initiation of bone-specific treatment and follow-up were performed in accordance with SVGO recommendations. RESULTS The majority of respondents were aged 30-50 years (60%), female (70%) and working as board-certified gynaecologists (69%). Ninety-three percent of respondents considered care for bone health as part of the gynaecologist's expertise. As diagnostic procedures, 44% recommended performing bone densitometry (DXA) only, 34% ordered additional laboratory testing. Seventy-two percent of respondents initiated a bone-specific treatment. Predictors for not performing diagnostic procedures and not initiating a bone-specific treatment were physician's age below 30, being a trainee gynaecologist, and working at a university clinic. Particularly, young trainee gynaecologists working at a university clinic were especially unlikely to initiate a bone-specific treatment (regression coefficient = -2.68; odds ratio [OR] 0.069, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.61; p = 0.16). Follow-ups were performed by 77% of respondents, but were less likely to be by female physicians (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.09-0.84; p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS Although the majority of board-certified gynaecologists follow national recommendations on bone healthcare, current medical training in obstetrics and gynaecology does not sufficiently cover the subject of women's health. However, since this is a small study our findings may not reflect the findings in the total population.