Anyone who is suddenly shaken by an uncontrollable coughing fit on a gloomy day may be suffering from the consequences of too much particulate matter in the air. Respiratory problems, circulatory diseases or even lung cancer can be triggered by the tiny particles. Suspended particulate matter caused by humans contains, for example, soot, metals and synthetic nanoparticles. In order to control air quality more strictly, since June 1, 2018, Switzerland has been subject to the new, stricter Ordinance on Air Pollution Control (LRV).

In addition to PM10, this sets a second limit value, PM2.5, for even finer suspended particles. Both values are based on the mass of particles up to a certain size limit - i.e. 10 and 2.5 micrometers in diameter respectively. In a recent study, researchers at Empa have now shown that even further values allow important statements to be made about the damaging potential of particulate matter.

Air samples from China and Switzerland

The figures regarding side effects are alarming: six million people in Germany show problems after taking medication. But because the reporting process is currently very cumbersome, only about 28,000 cases are reported each year.

"Side effects are a big social problem. Reports from patients are very important to improve drug safety," says founder Friderike Bruchmann. "The earlier and more frequently side effects are reported, the better and more targeted medications can be prescribed and further side effects can be avoided."

A major advantage of the platform: Nebenwirkungen.eu enables people with side effects to report them to the respective manufacturer simply, quickly and pseudonymously, i.e. without passing on personally identifiable data, and to find out about side effects that are already known. At the same time, pharmaceutical manufacturers can ask patients queries via the platform.

"Here, we act as a kind of firewall between the patient and the manufacturer to ensure patient identity protection," Bruchmann said. "Our goal is to facilitate the direct exchange of information on adverse drug reactions between the patient, the physician and the
pharmaceutical manufacturers, thereby significantly enhancing drug safety for all stakeholders."

The service of www.nebenwirkungen.eu is completely free of charge for the user.

Working hours and workloads by age group are currently a big topic again. Not only Switzerland, but also other countries are planning to raise the retirement age. The reason is the demographic development: There are more and more older people, at least in industrialized nations. A study by the University of Melbourne has now found out that this can be problematic under certain circumstances. For employees aged 40 and over, effectiveness drops from as little as 25 working hours per week.

The study, conducted by the Faculty of Business & Economics at the University of Melbourne, measured the cognitive abilities of 3,500 female and 3,000 male workers over the age of 40 (the Study however, goes back to 2016). According to the study, work stimulated the brain activities of employees most effectively when they worked 25 hours per week. At this working time, the positive effects on the cognitive abilities of the over 40-year-olds were the greatest.

When working more than 30 hours per week, the positive effects of the work decreased. A standard working time of 40 hours per week was said to be suitable for maintaining normal cognitive abilities, but this was no longer effective. At working hours of 55 or more hours per week, the mental performance of employees even dropped rapidly, below the level of retirees or the unemployed. One could also say: From 40 onwards, too much work is detrimental to mental health.

Cognitive skills

According to the researchers, two mechanisms are at work here. On the one hand, work can stimulate cognitive abilities, but on the other, work also causes fatigue and stress. According to the study, it now appears that the older a worker is, the less stress-resistant they become. Meaning: In order to take full advantage of the positive effects of work and be as effective as possible, a lower workweek would make sense for older workers. For men over 40, even a workweek of more than 30 hours can have negative effects on mental health - at least according to the tests from the 2016 study.

The study did not explore the reasons for the correlation between cognitive abilities and weekly working hours among older workers. For example, it would still have to be clarified whether and how part-time jobs have an impact, how mentally or physically demanding a job is, or how much vacation or days off someone can take in between. It has also not yet been researched whether there are country-specific differences. (Source: Meedia)

A further link to the "Working Papers" (study page) of the University of Melbourne can be found at here

Around 55 million pairs of shoes are produced annually in Colombia and exported all over the world. This makes shoe production one of the most important sectors of the South American country's economy. However, due to increasing competition from China, the pressure is rising - especially on the many small workshops. "Things are anything but good for them," says Catalina Jossen Cardozo.

She should know: For six years, the native Colombian worked as an independent entrepreneur and consultant in the industry.

Sustainable and fair

Catalina Jossen Cardozo moved to Switzerland in 2014 for love and decided to study for a master's degree at the Department of Design & Art at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. From the beginning, it was clear to her that she wanted to dedicate her master's thesis to the shoe industry in her home country, but not as a designer of chic footwear. "The central question for me was: How can I connect small producers, designers and end customers and promote sustainable shoe production?" says the 35-year-old.

Their idea: an online platform, including a 3D construction kit, with which designers can create shoes and have them produced in Colombia in small editions and with high-quality craftsmanship. End consumers purchase the largely custom-made products at a reasonable price, and the Colombian shoemakers receive a fair wage and a direct share of the sales proceeds.

First master's thesis, then research project

Last year, Catalina Jossen Cardozo received an award for outstanding graduates from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts for her work called "By Maria". The panel was also convinced by "Bridge": the new funding program of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI) is aimed at young researchers who develop their findings into concrete applications or services.

101 ideas were entered in the first call for entries and eleven - including "By Maria" - were included in the program. One reason for the decision: Catalina Jossen Cardozo's concept also has potential for traditional craft industries in Switzerland, which are generally located more in the medium- to high-price segment.

A foundation for shoemakers

Thanks to the Bridge program, the young researcher can continue her work with a small international team. "In Bogotá, we held workshops with interested shoemakers. We analyzed how they organize their work so far, what materials they have available and what they need in terms of additional equipment or know-how." In order to better support the shoemakers on site, the "By Maria" Foundation was established.

The company provides participating workshops with equipment free of charge and even pays social benefits for the employees of the small businesses. "It is important to us that they do not see the whole thing as a mere gift," emphasizes Jossen Cardozo. That's why the shoemakers commit to a longer-term involvement in the project and regularly take part in free training courses. "After all, the end customer should receive high-quality products."

Test sustainability concept

Not only the needs of shoemakers, but also those of designers and buyers were elicited in workshops, because: "If they are not convinced, then the tool will never get off the ground," says Catalina Jossen Cardozo. For example, how can the entire range of individual parts of a shoe - soles, heels, different uppers or closures - be attractively presented?

How should the instructions for measuring a foot or, more generally, the communication channels in the tool be designed in an appealing and comprehensible way? According to Jossen Cardozo, there was a conflict between high design standards and modest financial resources. It was difficult to communicate this to an IT specialist, recalls Jossen Cardozo.

"It took us a long time to find someone to program the platform who understood that we're still at the very beginning and that it's not certain whether and when we can really make money with it. Nor is it about an online store à la Zalando: "For us, the first thing is to check whether our concept works at all.

Only when we have gained experience can we expand the website and then also have a 3D tool programmed for designers," says Jossen Cardozo. She is now moving at a brisk pace towards the practical test: The test version of the platform is to go online this year and the first "Made by Maria" shoes are to go into production.

More information at: www.bymaria.ch

The water channel at Empa Dübendorf is six meters long, one meter wide and 0.6 meters high. The acrylic glass corridor filled with luminous green liquid floats between two mighty blue housings that provide flow and circulation. The facility stands in its hall a few steps away from the larger wind tunnel, which has been available to Empa since 2010.

For the study of dynamic processes in the atmosphere, the new test and measurement equipment complements it. For example, the effect of buoyancy between building volumes in the water channel can be better simulated, and smaller-scale models representing a larger environment can be used.

Meterological phenomena

The movements above and between the solid mass can be detected and registered thanks to a laser measurement system: Tiny particles and a fluorescent dye are mixed into the water. The laser beam illuminates the particles - photographed by a camera that takes two pictures in succession.

The knowledge gained consists in the flow velocity and the flow direction, as it is known from aerodynamic experiments, furthermore the temperature distribution is also visible with this method.

The experiments are one of many pieces in the mosaic that the Empa research team is using to track meteorological and climatic events together with related institutes at ETH Zurich. The effect of the nature of surfaces, vegetation, shade, etc. will also be investigated. The goal is to arrive at clear, authoritative statements about natural phenomena in our environment.

The fact that the path to them is very difficult was demonstrated by short technical presentations given on the occasion of the opening of the water channel. Researchers operate with models, measurement results and simulations. The atmosphere is often difficult to delimit, and observations can provide different facts or even conceal them, depending on the level of detail or "resolution".

The general public, which finances the research and the expensive equipment, may expect that newly acquired knowledge in this field will be incorporated into the regulations of regional and urban planning. It should show us which building methods, planning concepts and outdoor space designs promote a pleasant climate at specific locations and put a stop to the waste of cooling energy.

Remarkably, the focus is strongly on heat as a consequence of climate change. Dealing with cold or drafts in urban spaces seems almost negligible in comparison.

www.empa.ch

Fewer and fewer deaths and serious injuries - says an analysis of Swiss accident prevention. The positive development in Swiss road traffic continues, especially for drivers. This is shown by the new bfu safety barometer.

However, there are also weak points: Motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians are more at risk on the roads than in several comparable countries. Children are at Traffic accidents in Switzerland are excessively often harmed, compared to other European countries.

Backlog in enforcement

Many prevention strategies are already very well implemented in Switzerland. The level of driver training and refresher courses is high. The legal regulations are well developed. However, there could be more controls in some areas. For example, Switzerland is not a good example when it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol: 4 out of 10 drivers state that they have driven under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year. In this respect, Switzerland ranks poorly within Europe.

Controlling behavior via the wallet

The bfu is pinning its hopes on financial incentive systems. Such prevention instruments are still used with restraint in Switzerland. One of many possibilities is insurance premiums that take personal driving behavior into account. Reduced motor vehicle taxes for cars with good safety systems - such as emergency braking assistants - also seem to make sense.

Everybody buckled up?

When an accident happens, tragic consequences can often be avoided with the right protective measures. These include seat belts and bicycle helmets. According to the bfu safety barometer, 95% of car drivers in Switzerland fasten their seat belts. Among backseat passengers, the figure is 84%; in a comparison over several years, the number is increasing.

Fast on the road without helmet

For the first time, the safety barometer shows the helmet-wearing rate for e-bikes: On fast e-bikes, on which helmet wearing is mandatory, 83% of the handlebars are wearing a helmet, and the trend is rising. For less fast e-bikes (without mandatory helmet use), the figure stagnates at 66%. From the point of view of road users, this is too little: a clear majority would be in favor of a mandatory bicycle helmet for all e-bikes. There is also room for improvement for ordinary bicycles: 46% wear a helmet. This figure has hardly changed in recent times.

The bfu safety barometer annually describes the level of road safety in Switzerland and its development

http://www.bfu.ch

Quiet wind energy has always been a political issue. Until now, there have always been technical obstacles to development in the wind energy sector. When the wind "breaks off" at the trailing edge of the blades of wind turbines, wind turbulence was created which, despite compliance with the noise protection ordinance, causes disturbing noise in stronger winds.

Manufacturers recognized this problem some time ago and conducted research at various levels to remedy it. Among other things, this has resulted in a type of "plumage", i.e. combs copied from the wings of birds.  "The decrease in noise is 3 decibels on average. For a road, this would be comparable to a halving of road traffic," explains Xavier Falourd, an acoustician at Prona SA, who carried out the measurements.

How to halve the traffic
Measurements at the two plants in St. Brais in the Bernese Jura before and after the retrofit in July 2017 showed that a significant improvement is also achieved with a retrofit:

"The noise measurements before and after the installation of the combs showed that the noise level was reduced by 2 to 4 decibels," explains Xavier Falourd. "This is an average of 3 decibels at a wind level of over six meters per second at the height of the nacelle," the acoustics expert continues. At lower wind levels, wind turbines are barely audible.

However, even in strong winds, it is always possible to have a conversation under the turbines in a normal chatting tone.

Scientifically proven
The turbines in St. Brais already met the strict requirements of the noise protection ordinance when they were commissioned in 2009. Due to the special topographical location, however, they were still audible in the village during strong winds. However, out of consideration for the local population, the owner, the citizens' investment company ADEV Windkraft AG, reduced the output of the turbines at night.

"We are very pleased that we have finally found a solution for all parties involved and that the significant improvement could be proven with the scientific measurements of Prona SA!", explains Andreas Appenzeller, CEO of ADEV Windkraft AG. The turbines can now produce electricity around the clock without restriction and are now even quieter, especially in strong winds.

You can find out more about the Association for the Promotion of Wind Energy and its projects at. http://www.suisse-eole.ch

Over 1400 SMEs have benefited from the support funds of the Swiss Climate Foundation in the last 10 years. The foundation is now supporting further companies with 420,000 Swiss francs. For example, the foundation is now supporting projects for better control of heating systems or the avoidance of disposable tableware. These and three other innovations are intended to make Switzerland more climate-friendly. The foundation board was also able to approve three major projects for saving energy in the company's own operations. These focus in particular on improvements in heating and insulation in medium-sized companies.

At the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss Climate Foundation in Winterthur, it became apparent once again: climate protection affects almost all areas of life.

Ten years of the Swiss Climate Foundation 

With its commitment, the Swiss Climate Foundation aims to support both climate protection and SMEs in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It was founded shortly after the introduction of the CO2 steering tax and will be ten years old this year along with the tax. 27 large service providers such as banks, insurance companies and consultants donate money to the foundation, which they receive through the reimbursement of the CO2 tax. The foundation's board and advisory board are made up of experts and managers from the partner companies.

Simple application processes even for small SMEs 

The money - 18 million Swiss francs so far - is largely awarded by the foundation to SMEs that develop products in the field of climate protection and those that save energy in their own operations. Most of the projects fall within the scope of the foundation's standardized funding measures. These applications are submitted online and answered by the office within one month. The foundation's board of trustees decides on innovations and larger or unusual projects at its biannual meeting. "As an independent foundation, we can make our application processes simple and unbureaucratic and thus also efficiently support small SMEs," says Vincent Eckert, CEO of the foundation.

In addition to the projects, the foundation also supports companies that enter into a voluntary target agreement with the federal government to save energy. Since 2017, the Swiss Climate Foundation has also been involved in the regeneration of certain forest areas so that they can continue to absorb CO2. In doing so, it works together with Forest Switzerland and the Conference of Cantonal Foresters.

http://www.klimastiftung.ch

Construction algae, or technically correct cyanobacteria, are adaptable organisms. They belong to the lowest level of the food web in the lake. As recently as about 100 years ago, each lake was home to its own characteristic variety of them. A study published today by researchers from Switzerland and France in the journal Nature - Ecology and Evolution now shows that these differences are becoming smaller and smaller from lake to lake - from Lake Constance to Lake Geneva, from Lake Hallwil to Lake Maggiore.

Sediment cores from 10 lakes
The scientists took sediment cores from 10 lakes, analyzed the genetic material (DNA) of the blue-green algae in the datable sediments of the last 100 years and statistically evaluated the data. In this way, they were able to track how the number of genetically differentiable "species" has increased in some lakes, but how the composition is becoming increasingly uniform across all lakes. The proportion of rare species and species groups found only in a few lakes has been declining since 1950, while the proportion of common species has quadrupled.

Climate change and overfertilization as main reasons

The study reveals two main reasons for this trend: rising temperatures and the overfertilization of many lakes in the 1960s and 1970s. The higher temperatures lead to longer-lasting phases in which the lakes are not mixed because warm, lighter surface water does not sink to the depths. In Lake Zurich, for example, the Burgundy blood alga Planktothrix rubescens has benefited from this. It is not popular with water suppliers because it can form red algal carpets - hence the name - and is potentially toxic. "In general, the species that seem to be among the beneficiaries are those that actively influence their vertical position in the lake and can live with less light," says Marie-Eve Monchamp, lead author of the study, "and it's among these species that many are toxic." In addition to Burgundy blood algae, they include Microcystis species and the invasive species Dolichospermum lemmermannii. The latter was previously known mainly from lakes north of the Alps, but is now spreading to the south.

Hardly any turnaround despite environmental changes
It is interesting to note that the trend toward uniformity continues despite the decline in high phosphorus levels from the mid-1970s onward. The authors attribute this, among other things, to the fact that environmental conditions generally vary less and less from lake to lake. Temperature differences between lakes south and north of the Alps have also become smaller 1/2 Eawag: The Water Research Institute of the ETH Domain. Finally, concentrations of nitrogen, the second important nutrient, have remained virtually unchanged since the 1970s.

This study was conducted as part of the project "The impact of cyanobacterial blooms triggered by nutrient pollution on aquatic environments in the context of climate change", which was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation SNF (No. 142165) .

www.eawag.ch

With the regulation of the new water tariff, the Federal Council states that a water tariff model should not be developed until the basic features of the new electricity market, which will be defined in the forthcoming revision of the Electricity Supply Act, are known.

In the consultation on the revision of the WRG, the Federal Council proposed to reduce the maximum water rate to 80 Fr./kWbr for three years. It also put up for discussion a flexible water rate model to be introduced thereafter as well as a reduction of the water rate only for loss-making power plants.

Devastating result of the consultation

The discussion on making the water rate more flexible was welcomed in the consultation, but judged to be premature. Moreover, the majority of cantons and municipalities do not see the reason for the deficits in the hydropower sector in the water rate, but rather in wrong political and entrepreneurial decisions, as the Federal Council further states.

The majority of the electricity industry considers the current system - a rigid water rate model and financing by producers in a partially open market - to be a system error. It is therefore in favor of the immediate introduction of a flexible water rate regulation and solidarity-based financing of parts or all of the water rate.

Mountain cantons: factually and politically correct

In view of the poor outcome of the consultation for the Federal Council, the national government concludes that the existing situation should be maintained and at the same time a new regulation should be initiated as soon as the future framework conditions are clearer.

This includes the ongoing work on the revision of the Electricity Supply Act. This involves the opening of the electricity market, but also the planned electricity agreement with the EU. The Federal Council is already instructing the Uvek to analyze and further develop various new water tariff models. (Source: srf)

http://www.srf.ch