Are there risk factors in alpine skiing? : a controlled multicentre survey of 1278 skiers

OBJECTIVE: To analyse risk factors in alpine skiing. DESIGN: A controlled multicentre survey of injured and non-injured alpine skiers. SETTING: One tertiary and two secondary trauma centres in Bern, Switzerland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All injured skiers admitted from November 2007 to April 2008 were analysed using a completed questionnaire incorporating 15 parameters. The same questionnaire was distributed to non-injured controls. Multiple logistic regression was performed. Patterns of combined risk factors were calculated by inference trees. A total of 782 patients and 496 controls were interviewed. RESULTS: Parameters that were significant for the patients were: high readiness for risk (p = 0.0365, OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.27); low readiness for speed (p = 0.0008, OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.60); no aggressive behaviour on slopes (p>0.0001, OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.37); new skiing equipment (p = 0.0228, OR 59, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.93); warm-up performed (p = 0.0015, OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.57); old snow compared with fresh snow (p = 0.0155, OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.80); old snow compared with artificial snow (p = 0.0037, OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.60); powder snow compared with slushy snow (p = 0.0035, OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.63); drug consumption (p = 0.0044, OR 5.92, 95% CI 1.74 to 20.11); and alcohol abstinence (p>0.0001, OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.34). Three groups at risk were detected: (1) warm-up 3-12 min, visual analogue scale (VAS)(speed) <4 and bad weather/visibility; (2) VAS(speed) 4-7, icy slopes and not wearing a helmet; (3) warm-up <12 min and new skiing equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Low speed, high readiness for risk, new skiing equipment, old and powder snow, and drug consumption are significant risk factors when skiing. Future work should aim to identify more precisely specific groups at risk and develop recommendations--for example, a snow weather index at valley stations

Database on blue carbon in European seagrass and saltmarsh habitats

This database is a compilation of sediment organic carbon (blue carbon, hereafter) data in European seagrass and saltmarsh habitats in response to a data call with a common template launched under the framework of the Horizon Europe project MPA Europe (Grant Agreement no. 101059988). The dataset is the first part of the wider “EURO-CARBON” database on blue carbon in marine sediments of the European seas, which is under preparation. The database contains excel sheets, one with explanation of data; one with a dataset on blue carbon of seagrass and saltmarsh sediments; and one with a dataset on the habitat biomass. Contents are summarized below: 1) “Explanation”: descriptions of column headings and content 2) “Sediment_SeagrassSaltmarsh”: Location information: Country, Marine region, Habitat, Key species, Location name, Station ID, Core ID, Year, Month, Day, Latitude, Longitude. Field measurements: Water depth (m), Temperature (Celsius), Salinity. Core samples: Start depth (compacted), end depth (compacted), start depth (decompacted), end depth (decompacted). Sediment measurements: Porosity (%), water content (%), Dry bulk density (g cm-3), Dry bulk density_flag, Organic matter (OM) (%), Organic Carbon (OC) (%), Carbon-density (g C cm- 3), δ13C (‰), Nitrogen (N) (%), N-density (g N cm-3), δ15N (‰), Phosphorus (P) (%), P- density (g cm-3), Carbon reactivity index (CRI-index). Core dating: Sediment accumulation rate (SAR) (mm yr-1), SAR_se, Mass accumulation rate (MAR) (g cm-2 yr-1), MAR_se, Carbon accumulation rate (CAR) (g C m-2 yr-1), CAR_se, Total 210Pb_activity (Bq kg-1), Total 210Pb_activity_sd, Excess 210Pb_activity (Bq kg-1), Excess 210Pb_activity_sd, Supported 210Pb_activity (Bq kg-1), Supported 210Pb_activity_sd, 14C_age, 14C_age_sd, 14C_material. Sediment fractions: Mud (1 mm). Methods used: Sampling type, OM (%), OC (%) and N (%), δ13C (‰) and δ15N (‰), P(%), CRI-index. Information on data input: Data originator, Originator institution, Originator contact, Publications, Comments. 3) “Biomass_SeagrassSaltmarsh”: Location information: As above. Field measurements: Water depth (m), Temperature (Celsius), Salinity, Frame replicate no., Frame area (m2), Dominating plant species, Type of biomass. Biomass measurements: Wet weight (g), Dry weight (g), Biomass (g m-2), OC (%), C (%) and N (%), δ13C (‰), δ15N (‰). Methods used: Biomass collection, C (%) and N (%), δ13C (‰) and δ15N (‰). Information on data input: Data originator, Originator institution, Originator contact, Publications, Comments. Minimum requested data were location, depth, core depth, organic carbon (directly measured), associated method, and information on data inpu

A marine and salt marsh sediment organic carbon database for European regional seas (EURO-CARBON)

Marine and salt marsh sediments contain large amounts of organic carbon (OC) and are therefore important in the global carbon cycle. Here, we collated previously published and unpublished measurements of sediment OC in marine and salt marsh sediments in European regional seas (EURO-CARBON; available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14905489). To the extent possible the OC data were complemented by variables such as sediment porosity and dry bulk density. The EURO-CARBON dataset holds 61306 individual data entries of sediment OC content from different regions of European regional seas. Around three quarters (76%) were collected in coastal and deep sea bare sediments, 18% from salt marshes, 7% from seagrass habitats, and 0.03% from macroalgal habitats. For all habitats and sediment depth layers the OC content varied between &lt;0.1 and 41.56 % (avg.: 2.47 ± 3.37 %; median: 1.39 %), with the content generally decreasing in the following sequence: salt marsh (5.01 ± 5.96 %; 3.03 %) &gt; seagrass (2.37 ± 5.96 %; 3.03 %) &gt; bare sediment (1.88 ± 2.03 %; 1.20 %). The EURO-CARBON dataset will serve as a basis for future work, and it will be an important resource for researchers, managers, and policymakers working towards protecting sediment OC pools