Two base documents for Switzerland: "Health-Enhancing Physical Activity" and "Muscle-Powered Mobility"

There is growing interest in the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) among public and private institutions in different sectors and on all levels. In view of this development there is a need for evidence-based communication material for partners to be used in advocacy and for guidance in interventions. A first base document “Health-Enhancing Physical Activity” was introduced in 1999 following the example of the Dutch manifesto. In 2006, the document was thouroghly revised in coordination with the development of a comparable European document. Its five parts are: health effects and recommendations, physical activity behaviour, economic estimates, determinants and interventions to increase physical activity. The development of the base document “Muscle-Powered Mobility” was part of a work package of Switzerland’s National Sports Policy. Specific reviews were carried out, combining international and national experiences. The document was structured along the model of the HEPA base document. The format of the base documents has been successful in Switzerland and has contributed to increasing knowledge and understanding in the field. In order to keep up with the state of the art, it is necessary to carry out regular reviews and revisions of the documents

Application of lightning data to satellite-based rainfall estimation

Information on lightning may improve rain estimates made from infrared images of a geostationary satellite. We address this proposition through a case from the Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment (COHMEX). During the afternoon and evening of 13 July 1986 waves of showers and thunderstorms developed over and near the lower Tennessee River Valley. For the shower and thunderstorm region within 200 km of the National Weather Service radar at Nashville, Tennessee, we measure cold-cloud area in a sequence of GOES infrared images covering all but the end of the shower and thunderstorm period. From observations of the NASA/Marshall direction-finding network in this small domain, we also count cloud-to-ground lightning flashes and, from scans of the Nashville radar, we calculate volume rain flux. Using a modified version of the Williams and Houze scheme, over an area within roughly 240 km of the radar (the large domain), we identify and track cold cloud systems. For these systems, over the large domain, we measure area and count flashes; over the small domain, we calculate volume rain flux. For a temperature threshold of 235K, peak cloud area over the small domain lags both peak rain flux and peak flash count by about four hours. At a threshold of 226K, the lag is about two hours. Flashes and flux are matched in phase. Over the large domain, nine storm systems occur. These range in size from 300 to 60,000 km(exp 2); in lifetime, from about 2 1/2 h to 6 h or more. Storm system area lags volume rain flux and flash count; nevertheless, it is linked with these variables. In essential respects the associations were the same when clouds were defined by a threshold of 226K. Tentatively, we conclude that flash counts complement infrared images in providing significant additional information on rain flux

Bryophytes of Uganda : 4., new and additional records, 2

20 hepatics and 16 mosses are reported new to Uganda, 1 moss being also new to Africa. A further 6 taxa are recorded for the second time from Uganda

Acceptance of an Internet-based programme to train physical activity counsellors during the development phase and in regular use

A post-graduate physical activity counsellor training course wasdeveloped consisting of an Internet-based e-learning componentand a workshop. During the development phase, the acceptance ofthe Internet programme was evaluated with 42 study participantsfrom target professions (physiotherapists, physical educators, GPs,nutritionists). Once the course was in regular use, 49 studentswho had worked through the whole course evaluated it. Nearlyall participants of the first evaluation study rated the e-learningprogramme as user-friendly, easily understandable, interesting andrelevant. They further reported having the necessary access towork with the programme and were prepared to pay a reasonableamount for the course. Regular students gave high ratings to allaspects of the workshop, especially the expertise of workshop leaders.They further rated both components, e-learning and the workshop,as useful or very useful. The results show that this course hasbeen adequately designed to meet the needs of the professionalsin the target group and that they are willing, ready and able tolearn through Internet-based programmes. E-learning is a feasibleand appreciated option yet inclusion of face-to-face sessions in ane-learning programme adds to the quality of a course

Opinions and Attitudes of a Sample of Swiss Physicians about Physical Activity Promotion in a Primary Care Setting

Little is known about the opinions, beliefs and behavior of Swiss physicians regarding physical activity (PA) promotion in a primary care setting. A qualitative study was performed with semistructured interviews. We purposively recruited and interviewed 16 physicians in the French speaking part of Switzerland. Their statements and ideas regarding the promotion of PA in a primary care setting were transcribed and synthesized from the tape recorded interviews. The main findings are presented in the following by thematic categories: – Screening for sedentary lifestyle and counseling practices. History regarding PA was consequently taken with new cases, but not in a systematic manner. Counseling was more likely to be delivered if other cardiovascular risk factors were present. – Counseling techniques and how to learn them. Practical education on motivational interviewing techniques and on the use of topic-specific tools was advocated. According to some interviewees, more emphasis should be put on well-being as a motivational tool, rather than on disease prevention. – Barriers to counseling. Lack of time, lack of reimbursement, lack of clear guidelines. – Interventions advocated by general practitioners for PA promotion in a primary care setting. Screening for sedentary lifestyle, booklets accompanying physician counseling, patient orientation to structured PA programs or to specially trained counselors. – Effectiveness of counseling. Most physicians described themselves as rather pessimistic in their perception of counseling effectiveness. We conclude that in order to find wider acceptance in primary care settings, the conception of PA promotion should take into account physicians’ barriers, and involve them in the development of a training curriculum

Use of microwave satellite data to study variations in rainfall over the Indian Ocean

The University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center mapped rainfall over the Indian Ocean using a newly developed Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) rain-retrieval algorithm. The short-range objective was to characterize the distribution and variability of Indian Ocean rainfall on seasonal and annual scales. In the long-range, the objective is to clarify differences between land and marine regimes of monsoon rain. Researchers developed a semi-empirical algorithm for retrieving Indian Ocean rainfall. Tools for this development have come from radiative transfer and cloud liquid water models. Where possible, ground truth information from available radars was used in development and testing. SMMR rainfalls were also compared with Indian Ocean gauge rainfalls. Final Indian Ocean maps were produced for months, seasons, and years and interpreted in terms of historical analysis over the sub-continent

Quick look Atlantic Ocean rain maps for gale

A set of quick look maps of Atlantic Ocean rainfall were made. The maps are based entirely on information extracted from geostationary satellite images. The maps and the process by which they were made are briefly described. The major shortcomings of such a project are pointed out. For convenience the maps are presented in rectangular format. Each map covers one day. Rainfall is contoured in units of millimeters. Rainfall was estimated by the Arkin technique

Low Temperature Photo-oxidation of Chloroperoxidase Compound II

Oxidation of the heme-thiolate enzyme chloroperoxidase (CPO) from Caldariomyces fumago with peroxynitrite (PN) gave the Compound II intermediate, which was photo-oxidized with 365 nm light to give a reactive oxidizing species. Cryo-solvents at pH ≈ 6 were employed, and reactions were conducted at temperatures as low as − 50 °C. The activity of CPO as evaluated by the chlorodimedone assay was unaltered by treatment with PN or by production of the oxidizing transient and subsequent reaction with styrene. EPR spectra at 77 K gave the amount of ferric protein at each stage in the reaction sequence. The PN oxidation step gave a 6:1 mixture of Compound II and ferric CPO, the photolysis step gave an approximate 1:1 mixture of active oxidant and ferric CPO, and the final mixture after reaction with excess styrene contained ferric CPO in 80% yield. In single turnover reactions at − 50 °C, styrene was oxidized to styrene oxide in high yield. Kinetic studies of styrene oxidation at − 50 °C displayed saturation kinetics with an equilibrium constant for formation of the complex of Kbind = 3.8 × 104 M− 1 and an oxidation rate constant of kox = 0.30 s− 1. UV–Visible spectra of mixtures formed in the photo-oxidation sequence at ca. − 50 °C did not contain the signature Q-band absorbance at 690 nm ascribed to CPO Compound I prepared by chemical oxidation of the enzyme, indicating that different species were formed in the chemical oxidation and the photo-oxidation sequence

The Stages of Change in three stage concepts and two modes of physical activity: a comparison of stage distributions and practical implications

Stages of Change were assessed for three stage definitions and two modes of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) in a representative telephone survey in Switzerland (participation 55.8%; n = 1471). Two five-stage definitions focusing either on intention to change or current behavior were integrated into a seven-stage concept, taking into account both aspects. The two target behaviors were activities with at least moderate intensity and activities with vigorous intensity. According to the two five-stage definitions, at least half of the participants were either in precontemplation (focus on intention) or in preparation (focus on behavior). Upon classification into the seven stages these large stage groups were differentiated. There were differences in the pros for change between the new stages of the seven-stage concept. One in seven participants was regularly active according to the moderate criteria, but not using the vigorous criteria, and one in every eight participants reported the inverse. Results show that an individual can be in different Stages of Change depending on the stage definition and be regularly active or not depending on the target behavior. The practical implications of the seven-stage algorithm and a two-dimensional matrix to classify participants for both moderate and vigorous intensity activities in an Internet-based HEPA program are presente