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PubMed2001

Investigating Gender Convergence in Alcohol Consumption in Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, and Switzerland: A Repeated Survey Analysis.

Since the 1970s there has been concern that women may have started to adopt the drinking behaviors of men, a process seen as the result of emancipation in which women increasingly move into professions and/or lifestyles similar to those of men. This is called the convergence hypothesis. The present analysis investigated a possible closing of the gender gap and includes four countries that had national survey data for at least two time points: Finland (1984, 1992), Germany (1984, 1990), The Netherlands (1981, 1989), and Switzerland (1987, 1992). Significant convergence could be found only in Finland, which consisted of a greater increase of Finnish women becoming current drinkers and of a greater relative increase in the women's mean consumption. The fact that gender convergence was found only for Finland could be due not only to the longer observation period, but also to the egalitarian position of women and the changing drinking culture of the country.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Alcohol and suicide in Switzerland--an aggregate-level analysis.

At the aggregate-data level, time-series analysis of annual data for the period 1950-90 gives little support for a relation between alcohol consumption and suicide in Switzerland. Input series in the analysis were per capita consumption and rates of unemployment and divorce. Output series were gender-specific and age-adjusted suicide rates. Different time-series techniques were used to assure stationarity and to avoid spurious correlation because of common trends. The Box-Jenkins approach on differenced data was compared with simultaneous equation modelling, where time trends were modeled by means of dummy variables. The effects were weak and unstable for different methods. The advantage of simultaneous equation models is discussed. Furthermore, a single "harmonic" long-term wave explained more of the variance in the suicide rates than any input variable examined. Its implication for a "natural suicide rate" is considered.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Infection of field-collected Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) larvae with Borrelia burgdorferi in Switzerland.

Free-living larvae from natural areas in five regions in Switzerland were collected to determine the infection rate of Ixodes ricinus L. larvae by Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson. Larvae were examined for the spirochetes using direct fluorescent antibody assay. Of 652 larvae examined, spirochetes were detected in 20 (3.1%). No differences in infection rate among sites were detected. The low prevalence of B. burgdorferi in larvae, compared with higher infection rate in nymphs (12.8%) and adults (14.5%), suggests that transovarial transmission is inefficient. These results suggest that I. ricinus can serve as a reservoir for B. burgdorferi in nature. Further study is needed on the relative importance of ticks, compared with mammals and birds, as reservoirs for B. burgdorferi.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Factors contributing to forest decline in northwestern Switzerland.

Possible causes of decline of 37 beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests in northwestern Switzerland were investigated. The trees were assessed for symptoms of damage or disease including loss of leaves, chlorosis and dead shoots. In addition, nutrients and pollutants were analyzed in soil, leaves, stemflow and rainwater. Air pollutants were monitored at several sites. The results indicate that a variety of factors may have contributed to forest decline.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Evaluation of diagnostic tests for HIV infection in infants born to HIV-infected mothers in Switzerland.

Children born to HIV-infected women in Switzerland were tested every 3 months for HIV-reactive serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgM and IgA antibodies by Western blot, viral antigen, virus replicating in T-lymphocyte cultures, and immunologic and clinical parameters. At birth, 27% were isolation-positive, 68% had IgM, 48% IgA and 10% circulating antigen. The proportion of IgM and IgA declined to about 18 and 27%, respectively, during the first 2 years. Detection of circulating antigen was less frequently positive than virus isolation in all age and disease groups. Clinical symptoms were only seen in infants or children who were or had been positive for IgM and/or IgA, but only 39% of children positive for these markers have developed disease so far. Clinical symptoms combined with signs of immunodeficiency were seen only in children who were isolation-positive or had evidence of HIV-reactive IgA or child-produced IgG. Absorption studies showed that Western blot-detected IgM and IgA antibodies were of two types: 42% were directed against various HIV proteins, while the rest represented rheumatoid-factor-like IgM or IgA binding to HIV-specific IgG. HIV-specific IgG antibodies were detected in all samples up to the age of 12 months and were still found in 83% of infants 13-18 months old. We observed weak HIV-specific IgG above the age of 15 months with no other signs of HIV infection, suggesting that the demonstration of antibodies in children beyond this age does not necessarily indicate HIV infection.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed2005

Gender, age, and ethnicity in HIV vaccine-related research and clinical trials: report from a WHO-UNAIDS consultation, 26-28 August 2004. Lausanne, Switzerland.

This report summarizes the presentations and recommendations from a consultation held in Lausanne, Switzerland (26-28 August 2004) organized by the joint World Health Organization (WHO) - United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) HIV Vaccine Initiative. The consultation discussed issues related to gender, ethnicity, and age in HIV vaccine research and clinical trial recruitment. A special focus of the meeting was the participation of women and adolescents in clinical trials. Also discussed were the experiences and lessons from various research programs, trials, and studies in different countries. Implementing the recommendations from this meeting will require prioritization and active participation from the research community, funders of research, local and national governments, non-governmental organizations, and industry, as well as the individuals and communities participating in clinical trials. This report contains the collective views of an international group of experts, and does not necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the WHO. The contribution of the co-chairs (R. Macklin and F. Mhalu) and the rapporteurs (H. Lasher, M. Klein, M. Ackers, N. Barsdorf, A. Smith Rogers, E. Levendal, T. Villafana and M. Warren) during the consultation and in the preparation of this report is much appreciated. S. Labelle and J. Otani are also acknowledged and thanked for their efficient assistance in the preparation of the consultation and the report.

AIDS Vaccines↗
PubMed2006

Flooding risks: a comparison of lay people's perceptions and expert's assessments in Switzerland.

Experts on the risk of flooding have developed very detailed maps for different parts of Switzerland that indicate the types of damage possible and the probabilities of adverse events. Four categories of risk severity are defined on the maps, ranging from high risk to no risk. Based on these existing maps, we selected respondents for a mail survey, some from areas high in risk and others from low-risk regions. Respondents answered several questions related to flood risk perception and preparedness. Survey results showed that respondents' risk perceptions were correlated with the experts' risk assessments. Respondents who lived in areas designated "no risk" by the experts had lower perceptions of risk than respondents who lived in areas with higher levels of designated risk. With regard to concrete prevention behavior, no differences between people living in different risk areas were observed. Survey results further suggest that many inhabitants do not know that flooding maps exist for their region. Results suggest that in some regions people overestimate the risks associated with flooding. Consequently, some people are more afraid of flooding than is justified by the facts. Some people show prevention behavior that most likely is superfluous. However, in other regions people underestimate the risks associated with flooding. These people do not show prevention behavior, and they are not well prepared for an adverse event. Furthermore, results suggest that respondents' experiences with flooding are positively related to their perceptions of flood risk. Findings of the present study are in line with the availability heuristic.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Molecular evidence of coinfection of ticks with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent in Switzerland.

Adult Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected in Switzerland and tested for the presence of coinfection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent by real-time PCR. Of 100 ticks, 49% were positive for B. burgdorferi and 2% were positive for the HGE agent. The two HGE agent-positive ticks were also found to be positive for B. burgdorferi.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Impact of new antiretroviral combination therapies in HIV infected patients in Switzerland: prospective multicentre study. Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine trends in disease progression and survival among patients enrolled in the Swiss HIV cohort study during 1988-96 and to assess the influence of new antiretroviral combination therapies. DESIGN: Prospective multicentre study, with follow up visits planned at six monthly intervals. SETTING: Seven HIV units at university centres and cantonal hospitals in Switzerland. PATIENTS: 3785 men (mean age 35.0 years) and 1391 women (30.3 years) infected with HIV. 2023 participants had a history of intravenous drug misuse; 1764 were men who had sex with men; 1261 were infected heterosexually; and 164 had other or unknown modes of transmission. 601 participants had had an AIDS defining illness. RESULTS: During more than 15,000 years of follow up, there were 1456 first AIDS defining diagnoses and 1903 deaths. Compared with those enrolled during 1988-90, the risk of progression to a first AIDS diagnosis was reduced by 18% (relative risk 0.82 (95% confidence interval 0.73 to 0.93)) among participants enrolled in 1991-2, by 23% (0.77 (0.65 to 0.91)) among those enrolled in 1993-4, and by 73% (0.27 (0.18 to 0.39)) among those enrolled in 1995-6. Mortality was reduced by 19% (0.81 (0.73 to 0.90)), 26% (0.74 (0.63 to 0.87)), and 62% (0.38 (0.25 to 0.97)) respectively. Compared with no antiretroviral treatment, the risk of an initial AIDS diagnosis after CD4 lymphocyte counts fell to < 200 cells x 10(6)/1 was reduced by 16% (0.84 (0.73 to 0.97)) with monotherapy, 24% (0.76 (0.63 to 0.91)) with dual therapy, and 42% (0.58 (0.37 to 0.92)) with triple therapy. Mortality was reduced by 23% (0.77 (0.68 to 0.88)), 31% (0.69 (0.60 to 0.80)), and 65% (0.35 (0.20 to 0.60)) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of antiretroviral combination therapies outside the selected patient groups included in clinical trials has led to comparable reductions in disease progression and mortality.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1985

Gene frequencies of plasminogen in Switzerland.

Plasminogen (PLG) polymorphism was studied by agarose gel electrophoresis and immunofixation in 308 unrelated individuals from Switzerland. The gene frequencies observed were: PLG 1 = 0.69, PLG 2 = 0.28, and rare alleles = 0.03.

Gene Frequency↗
PubMed1995

Adjuvant treatment with a vitamin A analogue (etretinate) after transurethral resection of superficial bladder tumors. Final analysis of a prospective, randomized multicenter trial in Switzerland.

Vitamin A and its derivatives, the retinoids, have antiproliferative effects and may induce cellular differentiation. Etretinate, a synthetic retinoid, has a more favorable therapeutic index experimentally than all-trans-retinoic acid or 13-cis-retinoic acid. Ninety patients with superficial papillary bladder tumors stages Ta and T1 entered a prospective randomized double-blind multicenter trial in Switzerland. Seventy-nine of the patients were eligible and received either 25 mg of etretinate or a placebo orally each day. The early withdrawal of a significantly greater number of patients in the placebo group for treatment failure during the first year of the study resulted in a secondary positive selection in this group. High-risk patients were removed and low-risk patients remained. In those patients who had tumor recurrences after randomization, the time to first recurrence was similar in both groups with 13.5 and 13.6 months in the placebo and etretinate groups, respectively. However, the mean interval to subsequent tumor recurrence was significantly longer in the etretinate group. The mean interval between recurrences in these subgroups was 12.7 months in the placebo arm and 20.3 months in the etretinate arm (p = 0.006). Consequently, the number of transurethral resections per patient-year was also reduced significantly in the etretinate group (p < 0.001). In patients with more than one transurethral resection of papillary tumors before randomization, the annual transurethral resection rate in the two treatment groups dropped from 1.7 to 1.3 in the 30 patients in the placebo group (NS, p = 0.1) and from 2.1 to 0.95 in the 25 patients in the etretinate group (p < 0.001). The side effects of etretinate (cheilitis, dryness of mucous membranes and skin) were acceptable to most patients. The relationship of the 3 myocardial infarcts observed in the etretinate group to the retinoid is not clear. Despite their significant effect on the recurrence rate of superficial papillary bladder tumors, retinoids should only be used in well-controlled prospective trials until more is known about their dosage-toxicity profiles.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Summary statement on primary central nervous system lymphomas from the Eighth International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma, Lugano, Switzerland, June 12 to 15, 2002.

Under the sponsorship of the International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group, a Multidisciplinary Workshop on primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) with over 50 participants from Europe, North America, Israel, and Australia was held as part of the Eighth International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma in Lugano, Switzerland (June 12 to 15, 2002). The main purposes of the Workshop were to exchange the latest scientific information, to analyze methodologic issues in the design of clinical trials, to reach a consensus on treatment recommendations and prognostic factors, to discuss clinical and molecular targets for future studies, and to establish an international collaborative group to conduct laboratory and clinical investigations in PCNSL. This article summarizes the contents of the Workshop, analyzes the current knowledge on the most relevant biologic and clinical issues in PCNSL, and focuses on fundamental challenges to be addressed in future studies.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Leptospirosis: a frequently missed diagnosis? Epidemiology and diagnosis in Switzerland].

Clinical leptospirosis is rarely seen in Switzerland due to the climatic conditions. Nevertheless people may still suffer from leptospirosis, even to the extent of requiring intensive medical treatment. Variable symptoms and problematic diagnostics can make the diagnosis of leptospirosis difficult. Through two cases with varied symptoms, the clinical and diagnostic features of the disease are presented. In addition, the risk factors, the epidemiology and the diagnostic possibilities are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

River Water Quality Model no. 1 (RWQM1): case study II. Oxygen and nitrogen conversion processes in the River Glatt (Switzerland).

Various simplifications of the river water quality model no. 1 are applied to data sets from the river Glatt in Switzerland. In a first application, the biomass responsible for nitrogen and oxygen conversion processes is quantified based on known reaeration rates, measured concentrations of ammonia, nitrite and oxygen and assumed growth parameters of algae and bacteria. In a second application, the model is extended to calculate chemical equilibria of inorganic carbon compounds dissolved in the water and daily variations in pH. The influence of partially unknown inflow concentrations and of calcite precipitation on fluctuations in electrical conductivity and pH are discussed. In the last model, the processes of growth of sessile algae and bacteria, detachment of algae, and grazing by benthic organisms are introduced. Due to lack of data for quantifying these processes, this last model application is speculative. Nevertheless, it is interesting because it shows a direction to which river water quality modelling would have to proceed in order to increase its predictive capabilities.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Boutonneuse fever in Switzerland: apropos of a case report].

The history and clinical presentation of Mediterranean spotted fever in a 72-year-old male patient with polycythemia vera are described. The patient presented soon after arrival in Bordeaux (France) with fever, arthralgia and an erythematous maculopapular skin rash involving the palms and foot soles. The clinical course was complicated by pulmonary involvement resulting in dyspnea and hypoxemia. The patient denied tick bite but had contact with a dog. Antibiotic therapy with doxycycline resulted in rapid improvement of all clinical findings. A significant rise in antibody titer against Rickettsia conorii confirmed the diagnosis. The case is discussed in relation to other published cases in Switzerland and illustrates that this infection can be acquired outside an endemic area.

Aged↗