Swiss Heart Foundation research prize awarded to Basel researcher
Standard treatment in the event of a stroke could be more beneficial for patients than previously thought. This conclusion was reached by Basel researcher, Henrik Gensicke. For his research, he now received the Swiss Heart Foundation’s 2018 Research Prize.
Dr Gensicke, from the Stroke Centre of the Neurological Clinic and Polyclinic at the University Hospital and the University of Basel, will receive the prize of 20,000 Swiss francs for his investigations into thrombolysis, the Swiss Heart Foundation announced on Tuesday. Dr Gensicke's research results should help to improve the basis for decisions in emergency situations.
Every stroke is a race against time. To limit any death of brain tissue, the blood clot of a brain-supplying artery must be dissolved or removed as quickly as possible. Since the late 1990s, intravenous thrombolysis has been the method of choice. It has a strong blood thinning effect, which is why there is also a risk of bleeding.
As a precaution, this therapy is therefore used less frequently in some patient groups after a stroke – or not at all. Dr Gensicke and his team have now used data from a brain stroke register (Trisp) with over 10,000 patients, to evaluate treatment successes and failures.
It was shown that thrombolysis is just as safe and similarly effective in patients who already suffer from everyday disabilities as in patients without such problems. It is similar in patients with low thrombocytes counts, which have so far been a contraindication for thrombolysis.
In the future, more patients should receive thrombolysis as a result of these findings. According to the official announcement, this will result in more patients surviving and suffering from less serious damage. The prize was awarded last Thursday in Lucerne.
Six locations specifically for food trucks in Basel
Basel’s government has adopted the new guideline «Mobile and seasonal gastronomy on public ground». Together with ice-cream and roasted chestnut stalls, other sales stands and buffets, food trucks should also be inviting and make a contribution to the city's experience.
To start an initial offer, the canton is therefore reserving six locations specifically for food trucks. The new guide also loosens the rules for sales stands and provides additional locations for them.
As a first step, the canton is providing six locations for food vans. Soon, they will complement the existing gastronomy at Allschwilerplatz, Ciba (corner of Mauerstrasse/Gärtnerstrasse), Hebelschanze, Im Triangel (Erlenmattquartier), Novartis-Campus (Fabrikstrasse) and Voltaplatz, and attract passers-by with a varied selection of food and drink.
In Basel’s city centre, where space is limited, food ans can still be found in markets or at events. Further locations throughout the city are also possible.
Additional locations and more possibilities for sales stands
From now on, sales stands are allowed to have cooking facilities. They are generally not motorised and remain linked to a place. The current list of possible locations for sales booths and buvettes has been extended: sales booths should now also be able to stand at Im Triangel and Helvetiaplatz as well as at Riehentoranlage and Horburgplatz, depending on their design. In addition to the current buvettes, further stalls could offer food and drink to passers-by in Horburgpark and Kannenfeldpark. These sites still need to be reviewed, however.
Surfing on the Rhine in Basel: 12-metre long wave planned
Basel is to become a surfers’ paradise this summer: A system that generates a standing wave at the push of a button is planned for the Rhine. Those behind the plan claim it is a world premiere.
The planned standing wave in the Rhine in front of the Grossbasler Rhine bank in the St Johann quarter is to be twelve metres wide and one metre high. This is larger than previous systems with artificial waves for surfing, such as the one in a basin near Zurich Hardbrücke.
In a river, however, an adjustable standing wave at the push of a button is something entirely new, according to initiator, Christian Müller. He told the sda news agency it was a «world premiere» for Switzerland. He cites a facility in a lake near the German town of Langenfeld not far from Cologne as an example, one which he said even professional surfers were enthusiastic about.
Project attractive for tourism
In Basel, the pump is to be installed in a raft which is anchored in the Rhine - without a footbridge to the shore. According to Mr Müller, various preliminary talks have been held with the Rhine police and a hydraulic engineering company. During the planned operating hours from 10am to 10pm, two members of staff will be present to ensure a safe operation.
The costs for the wave system is estimated at around 1,7 million francs, plus staff and electricity. Therefore, surfing will not be free in Basel, but it will cost around 45 francs per hour. The search for sponsors is now on. Surfing lessons cost 34Euros in Cologne and 57 francs for 45 minutes in Zurich.
Nonetheless, Mr Müller expects public interest to be high, as every trip to the sea is considerably more expensive and time-consuming. Basel is therefore also attractive for surfers from abroad; by extension the project is attractive for tourists, he said. Nevertheless, local resident do not need to fear that there will be a lot of noise: There is only room for about ten surfers per hour on the wave, and it will be easy to reach the location by public transport.