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Background: The novel concept of cultural scripts of trauma sequelae captures culture-specific expressions of posttraumatic distress (e.g., cognitive, emotional, interpersonal, psychosomatic changes) and their temporal associations. Cultural scripts of trauma sequelae complement pan-cultural (etic) diagnoses, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD, as well as the cultural syndromes concept. Objective: This study aimed to develop the cultural scripts of trauma inventory (CSTI) for German-speaking Switzerland and to explore temporal associations of script elements. Method: Five semi-structured focus groups were conducted with psychotraumatologists (n = 8) and Swiss trauma survivors (n = 7). The interview schedule included open questions about different domains of potential posttraumatic changes (emotions, cognitions, worldviews, interpersonal relationships, body-related experiences, behavior, and growth). Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The Swiss CSTI includes 57 emic elements that represent salient trauma sequelae (30 conformed with a theoretically derived item pool, 27 were newly phrased). Temporal script associations were visualized in a network, whereby self-deprecation, the urge to function and overcompensate, and the urge to hide and endure suffering had the highest number of connections. Conclusion: While many posttraumatic changes identified in the present work seem to mirror pan-cultural phenomena represented in the Complex PTSD concept (e.g., self-deprecation), others (e.g., urge to function and perform, urge to hide and endure suffering) may be prominently related to Swiss culture with its value orientations. Knowledge about cultural scripts of trauma sequelae may provide a culture-specific framework that can help to understand individual experiences of distress and enable mental health practitioners to administer culturally sensitive interventions. Pending further validation, the Swiss CSTI bears the potential to advance culture-sensitive assessment of trauma sequelae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endotoxin adsorption is a promising but controversial therapy in severe, refractory septic shock and conflicting results exist on the effective capacity of available devices to reduce circulating endotoxin and inflammatory cytokine levels. Methods: Multiarm, randomized, controlled trial in two Swiss intensive care units, with a 1:1:1 randomization of patients suffering severe, refractory septic shock with high levels of endotoxemia, defined as an endotoxin activity ≥ 0.6, a vasopressor dependency index ≥ 3, volume resuscitation of at least 30 ml/kg/24 h and at least single organ failure, to a haemoadsorption (Toraymyxin), an enhanced adsorption haemofiltration (oXiris) or a control intervention. Primary endpoint was the difference in endotoxin activity at 72-h post-intervention to baseline. In addition, inflammatory cytokine, vasopressor dependency index and SOFA-Score dynamics over the initial 72 h were assessed inter alia. Results: In the 30, out of 437 screened, randomized patients (10 Standard of care, 10 oXiris, 10 Toraymyxin), endotoxin reduction at 72-h post-intervention-start did not differ among interventions (Standard of Care: 12 [1–42]%, oXiris: 21 [10–51]%, Toraymyxin: 23 [10–36]%, p = 0.82). Furthermore, no difference between groups could be observed neither for reduction of inflammatory cytokine levels (p = 0.58), nor for vasopressor weaning (p = 0.95) or reversal of organ injury (p = 0.22). Conclusions: In a highly endotoxemic, severe, refractory septic shock population neither the Toraymyxin adsorber nor the oXiris membrane could show a reduction in circulating endotoxin or cytokine levels over standard of care. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT01948778. Registered August 30, 2013. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01948778 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The legal and ethical guidelines of psychological professional associations stipulate that informed consent by patients is an essential prerequisite for psychotherapy. Despite this awareness of the importance of informed consent, there is little empirical evidence on what psychotherapists' attitudes towards informed consent are and how informed consent is implemented in psychotherapeutic practice.Methods: 155 psychotherapists in Switzerland completed an online survey assessing their attitudes regarding informed consent.Results: Among the surveyed psychotherapists, there was a high consensus on important information that should be communicated to patients in the context of informed consent. Almost all psychotherapists rated confidentiality and its exemptions (95%) and self-determined decision-making (97%) as important. The importance to disclose information regarding fees and the empirical effectiveness of the provided treatment, were both seen as important by more than 80% of participants. The disclosure of personal information about the therapist was rated as important by 60%. Other aspects, which are not direct components of informed consent but rather overarching goals, were also evaluated rather homogeneously: self-determined decision making of the patient was rated as important by almost all of the surveyed psychotherapists (97%). The following components were also judged as important by a majority of the participants: promotion of hope (80%) and discussion of treatment goals (93%). Most psychotherapists described the implementation of informed consent as an ongoing process, rather than a one-time event during the first session of therapy. Therapists' age, postgraduate training, treated patient group, and setting influenced attitudes towards informed consent.Conclusions: The present study shows that informed consent is perceived by psychotherapists as both a challenge and a resource. The implementation of informed consent in psychotherapy requires further research from a clinical and ethical perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Federal Vocational Baccalaureate constitutes the major link between the academic and vocational tracks in the Swiss educational system. Statistics show that only 20 % of a cohort move immediately to an academic track after graduation. Regarding the effects of economic competencies on these transitions, there is a substantial lack within the current state of research. This study thus aims to elucidate these effects by following a prevailing explorative approach. Methods: A cross-sectional design is used, and the data are based on a representative sample of N = 1.051 Federal Vocational Baccalaureate students of the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Data were gathered at the end of the school year 2010/2011 via an achievement test and a questionnaire. Results: Results show positive interrelations for economic knowledge and skills, value-oriented dispositions as well as attitude towards economics on the one side and educational aspirations on the other side. Thus, interrelations regarding the intention to study in economics or a related field are stronger than for other fields. Conclusion: The study offers new insights on the effects of economic competencies and supports the assumption that economic competencies are part of prerequisites of students' educational aspirations and in the long run for social participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers updates on several associations including the International Simulation and Gaming Association (ISAGA), North American Simulation and Gaming Association (NASAGA) and the Swiss-Austrian-German Simulation and Gaming Association (SAGSAGA). It notes that ISAGA has celebrated its 40 years of its existence and has conducted its yearly ISAGA conference in July 2010. It further states that NASAGA will hold its 42nd annual conference in Vancouver, British Columbia from October 13-16, 2010. Moreover, SAGSAGA has conducted a meeting in Nuremberg, Germany from May 7-8, 2010 to provide further education for teachers and will presents its activities at Zukunft Personal or Human Resources Trade Fair in Cologne from October 10-12, 2010.

Energy efficiency programmes (EEPs) are schemes operated by utilities or other bodies in order to incentivize energy efficiency improvement, in particular by adoption of energy-efficient products and typically by means of an economic reward. Ample experience has been gained, especially in the U.S., where EEPs have been in use for decades, with the rationale of avoiding additional energy supply by improving energy efficiency. More recently, EEPs have been implemented in Europe and in Switzerland. This review paper presents insights from the U.S., the EU and especially from Switzerland, with a focus on levelised programme cost of saved energy (LPC) as a key performance indicator. These LPC values, which take the perspective of the programme operator, are typically low to very low compared to the cost of electricity supply, thereby representing an important argument in favour of their use. The country examples show that EEPs are being effectively and successfully put into practice, for example, in Switzerland both as (i) a national tender-based scheme (called ProKilowatt) and in the form of a (ii) utility-operated obligation-based scheme (in Geneva). EEPs not only call for diligent implementation but also for suitable legal settings, e.g., in the form of mandatory energy efficiency savings targets (as realised for energy efficiency obligations, EEOs) in combination with programme cost recovery. The main criticism of EEPs is the free-rider effect, which needs to be minimised. On the other hand, EEPs are accompanied by significant co-benefits (environmental, health-related and social) and spillover effects. In their currently prevalent form, EEPs allow one to effectively save energy at a (very) low cost ("low-hanging fruit"). They can hence play an important role in fostering the energy transition; however, they should be implemented as part of a policy portfolio, in combination with other policy instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the time of the Bremen workshop in 2009, there was no Swiss institution responsible for archiving qualitative social science data collected in Switzerland. Since that time, the Swiss institution FORS (Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences) has assumed this role, with development of the infrastructure, policy, and know-how needed for implementation. The archiving of qualitative data at FORS is now moving forward in close collaboration with Swiss universities with established and strong qualitative research traditions. Over time, the success of qualitative data archiving at FORS will require the support of research funding institutions and policymakers, enhanced educational initiatives at universities, promotion of the value and potential of secondary data analysis, and a well-equipped and staffed archive that serves also as a network node and resource centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article lists the events related to simulation and gaming that would be held from May 2004. "Transforming knowledge into action through gaming and simulation," would be the theme in 35th annual conference of the International Simulation and Gaming Association and joint conference of SAGSAGA that would be held on September 6-10, 2004 in Germany. SAGSAGA Networking is a free of charge meeting in Zürich, Switzerland on May 14-15, 2004, will a platform for simulation and gaming. "The art and science of science of simulation and gaming design," would be the theme of the ISAGA 2004 summer school.