The ABC's of Apples, Bees, and Connections Hydrologic

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q25,

Safety of tattoos and permanent make-up. Adverse health effects and experience with the Council of Europe Resolution (2008)1.

In the last decades, the proportion of the tattooed population has been increasing all over the world, particularly in the young generations. Concerns about the possible health problems associated to tattoos and permanent make up (PMU) have also grown together with the number of tattoo/PMU applications and removals. The Council of Europe Resolution (CoE ResAP)(2008)1 [1], on requirements and criteria for the safety of tattoos and permanent make-up, is a non-binding internationally recognised benchmark that was taken as a reference for the development of national legislation adopted in a number of European countries. The European Commission launched the 18-month project "Tattoos - Permanent Makeup" with the aim of collecting data about the use, the ingredients, the European Union (EU) market and the possible health problems associated to tattoo and permanent make-up inks. This project is divided into 4 Work Packages: 1) preparatory work; 2) state of play; 3) assessment and update of the CoE ResAP(2008)1; 4) conclusions. The reports on Work Packages 1 and 2 [2, 3] are available at http://bookshop.europa.eu/. The present report is the outcome of Work Package 3 which aims to gather data about adverse health effects and complications linked to tattoo/PMU application and/or removal, risk perception and communication, data gaps and research needs, as well as to evaluate the lessons learned from the experience in implementing the recommendations of the CoE ResAP(2008)1. The information was collected through the following sources. (1) Two questionnaires were developed: one addressed to dermatologists on adverse health effects and the other one to national authorities on complications, experience with the CoE ResAP(2008)1, risk perception and communication, data gaps and research needs. They were sent to all EU Member States and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and to 36 dermatologist associations in Europe with the request to circulate among their members. 14 Member States and 19 dermatologists filled-in the questionnaires. (2) A systematic review of the literature from 2003 on was carried out according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta- Analysis) methodology. (3) The outcome of the meetings of the Consumer Safety Network Subgroup Tattoos and Permanent Make-up was taken into account. The main findings show that: It is not possible to conclude on an exact incidence of adverse health effects following tattoo/PMU applications. The majority of tattoo/PMU recipients report minor short-term discomfort and complaints during the wound healing process following the tattoo application. This could be confused with other more serious complications and makes the accurate calculation difficult. Short term complications, such as skin infections, may appear some days after the tattoo placing, or within weeks, for allergic reactions. In the long run chronic inflammatory dermatoses may develop, sometimes after decades. The precise frequency of microbiological (mainly bacterial, more rarely viral) contamination through inks, tools or procedures used in the tattoo application remains unknown, though it has been generally estimated at up to 5% of the tattoo-recipients in the case of bacterial infections. The vast majority of tattoo/PMU adverse reactions are due to delayed and unpredictable hypersensitivity, involving allergy and/or autoimmunity. Direct causal relationship between tattooing and (skin) cancer has been so far neither proved nor excluded. However, tattoos may blur and hence delay a melanoma diagnosis. They can also interfere with diagnosis imaging, and should be avoided in patients with prior cardiac, blood or autoimmune pathologies, inter alia. Similarly, also the process of tattoo removal is associated with side effects. The modern removal techniques, based on the use of Q-switched lasers, have improved the safety, efficiency and selectivity of the removal procedure, still side effects might occur, especially when incorrect parameters are applied to the laser device. The frequency of skin pigmentation disorders following laser therapy have been encountered in 5-15% of patients. Henna based preparations are not permanently injected in the skin and therefore they cannot be considered as tattoos. However, as the use of henna for temporary body decoration has become also widespread it has been included in this report for completeness. Henna has been used for centuries for body painting and it is generally well tolerated. When p-phenylendiamine (PPD) is added to make the painting darker, side effects due to sensitisation to PPD have been reported in the literature. The majority of the national authorities who replied to the questionnaire indicate that, in order to improve the safety of tattoo/PMU inks and practices, it would be necessary to update the list of recommendations in the CoE ResAP(2008)1. In particular, suggestions were put forward to include additional substances to the negative lists and to modify and/or introduce new limits. Other suggestions were to add new labelling requirements, such as the period of maximum durability after opening, to envisage the compilation of a register of complaints and to include information on the ink and tool sterilisation methods. Furthermore, several Member States pointed out the need to establish Good Manufacturing Practices for tattoo/PMU inks, to control products sold on-line, to establish compulsory training for tattooists, to enhance the collaboration among manufacturers and authorities and to ban backyard tattooing. Risk communication has been addressed by means of information campaigns targeted to various audiences and using a variety of means in nine Member States, out of the twelve who filled-in this section of the questionnaire. Beside this, national authorities generally agreed on the need to organise further actions to reach tattooists and potential clients, particularly adolescents, to give them the correct instruments to be able to take an informed decision. Actually risk perception is based on the information given by the tattooist (e.g. via an informed consent form), or received through parents or friends, or read in mass media and internet. In addition, some studies estimated the level of knowledge of possible health risks among students, either school or university ones. In general, infectious risks were better known that non-infectious ones, even though the level of knowledge was in many cases only superficial and, for example, not specifically linked to the transmittable agents of possible infections or to the various possible noninfectious risks. These evidences support the need of further additional information campaigns. Data gaps and research needs were identified, such as development of guidelines for risk assessment of tattoo/PMU products, harmonised analytical methods, data on normal usage of and exposure to tattoo inks, including their characteristics (physical-chemical properties, chemical composition, ingredients' purity and concentration). In order to carry out a risk assessment of tattoo/PMU inks, data are missing on absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of ingredients, including migration in the body of pigments and their (photo)-degradation products, DNEL (Derived No Effect Level), as well as chemical and toxicological properties of ingredients. Moreover, several authors considered that, although costly, prospective cohort studies should be conducted to investigate the association between tattoos and (skin) carcinogenesis.JRC.E.7-Knowledge for Security and Migratio

Safety of tattoos and permanent make-up State of play and trends in tattoo practices

The European Commission launched the 18-month project "Tattoos and Permanent Make-up" with the aim of collecting data about the use, the ingredients, the EU market and possible health problems associated to tattoo and permanent make-up (PMU) inks. The report on work package 1 (2015, Piccinini P. et al.) is available at http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/safety-of-tattoos-and-permanent-make-up-compilation-of-information-on-legislative-framework-and-analytical-methods-pbLBNA27394/ The present report is the outcome of the work package 2 which aims to describe the status of tattoo and PMU practices like tattoo prevalence in the population, including the removal processes, details on service providers and ink manufacturers, tattoo and PMU market, inks' chemical composition, RAPEX notifications and national market surveillance. The information was gathered through questionnaires sent to 32 national authorities (all EU MS and EFTA countries), plus OECD Secretariat, 38 ink manufacturers/distributors/private labels and 23 tattooists/PMU professionals' associations. Replies were collected from 24 EU/EFTA national authorities, 4 non-EU/EFTA countries, 7 ink manufacturers/ distributors/private labels and 10 associations. In addition, we reviewed thoroughly data available from other sources like scientific literature, RAPEX (Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products) notifications and national surveillance reports, as of May 2015. The main findings show that: Tattoo and PMU inks are complex chemical mixtures containing several ingredients. The main ingredients are the colorants, pigments in particular; more than 100 of them have been identified in tattoo and PMU inks. These pigments are not produced specifically for such application and a risk assessment taking into account their injection and permanence into the human body is not carried out. An additional identified risk is the presence of impurities; in fact tattoo and PMU inks' purity is on average around 70-90 %. Azo pigments, group to which most of the organic colorants in use belong, are proved to release potentially carcinogenic aromatic amines when exposed to solar, UV or laser irradiation. It is estimated that around 12 % of the whole European population, all ages comprised, are tattooed (estimation based on available data from 14 Member States) and more than 20 % in the United States. Higher tattoo prevalence was reported in young population, including adolescents. While traditionally men were more tattooed than women, figures show that this trend in Europe, Australia and North America is changing. Nowadays in a number of cases the tattoo prevalence in women is higher than in men, particularly in young generations. Most of the tattoo inks used in Europe are imported from the United States, while PMU inks are mostly produced in Europe. The European manufacturers are mainly based in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain. With regards to the tattoo artists performing the tattoos, the number of "non-professional tattooists" might represent up to 10 times the number of "registered/professionals" ones. Around 95 % of the 126 RAPEX alerts notified for tattoo/PMU during the last decade related to chemical risks: hazardous chemicals and/or impurities (such as carcinogenic aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sensitizers, preservatives and heavy metals). The remaining 5% concerned microbiological risks, which are mainly due to the lack of sterility of the inks before opening and from the use of tap water for their dilution. Two thirds of the RAPEX notifications pertain to products imported, with the highest percentages from the United States.JRC.I.1-Chemical Assessment and Testin

Integrated Systems Analysis: Belgium’s SDG performance under Business As Usual scenario

In 2015, Belgium confirmed their political willingness to commit to sustainable development by adopting United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals it undermines. While the deadline to achieve the goals is getting closer, literature suggests that Belgium is not on track to meet them. Moreover, even though the United Nations suggest using systemic and integrated methods of planification, Belgium is still lacking the institutional knowledge and tools to align themselves with these guidelines. It’s in this context that this thesis aims to fill in the methodological gap and provides an analysis of a Business As Usual (BAU) scenario to better understand the trajectory Belgium is undertaking. Using the well founded iSDG system dynamics model of the Millennium Institute, this study presents the integrated nature of such a computer simulation tool by highlighting its causal and feedback rich structure so that its capacities in the decision making process are clearly delineated. After which I describe methodologically how the model is adapted and validated for Belgium’s context. Based on the model’s calibration process, the study discusses the future work that could be performed in the model structure so the societal debate that surrounds sustainable development in Belgium is better covered by the model. Finally, the BAU scenario analysis serves as a first iteration in the process of understanding the dynamics that might unfold. In that regard, it warns about the potential negative effects of economic growth on environmental sectors and the increasing gap of social inequalities.Master's Thesis in System DynamicsGEO-SD350INTL-JUSMASV-SYSDYINTL-MEDINTL-HFINTL-PSYKINTL-MNJMASV-SYSDINTL-SVINTL-KM

Understanding the materiality of Belgian cooperation aid managerialism. Analyzing the screening and the “Common Strategic Frameworks” as instruments

peer reviewe

Les ONG face au management

Ce numéro d'Antipodes (publication de l'ONG ITECO) porte sur la manière dont les ONG de développement belges se transforment face à la rationalité néolibérale déclinée dans divers instruments de politiques publiques.Antipode

Effectiveness of the Pasifika Women's Diabetes Wellness Program (PWDWP): Protocol for a Pilot Intervention and Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes poses public health challenges for Māori and Pasifika communities in Australia. The women of these communities face a greater burden from type 2 diabetes-related mortality and comorbidities. Lifestyle modification behaviors through previous women's wellness programs have been shown to reduce the risk of developing complications in established type 2 diabetes. The Pasifika Women's Diabetes Wellness Program (PWDWP) pilot study, co-designed with Māori and Pasifika communities, was aimed at addressing late hospital presentations from diabetes-related complications. OBJECTIVE: This study (1) examines the efficacy of women with type 2 diabetes in the intervention group for improved glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) clinical levels and diabetes self-management compared with the control group from baseline (T0) to week 12 (T1) and week 24 (T2; postintervention) and (2) assesses the cultural adaptability, acceptability, and feasibility of the pilot intervention for future studies. METHODS: This study uses a quasiexperimental design that involves a 24-week intervention. We recruited 50 Māori and Pasifika women with type 2 diabetes (25 in the intervention group from the south side of Brisbane and 25 in the control group from the north side of Brisbane) using participatory talanoa methodologies. The intervention group participated in face-to-face and virtual whānau education workshops (5 weeks) and had access to individual coaching and virtual support delivered by trained Māori and Pasifika health professionals and community health workers. The control group received usual care with their identified health provider. Both groups received copies of the PWDWP journal, fact sheets, and a health check passbook with tailored motivational text messages. An advisory committee was set up to oversee the program implementation, including protocols of engagement, health checks, and data collection in community settings. The quantitative data were collected at T0, T1, and T2 with HbA1c as the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes measured changes in diabetes self-care and body composition (eg, BMI, waist circumference). Qualitative data will ascertain the program's feasibility and cultural adaptability using talanoa focus groups. RESULTS: This pilot study was approved by the Queensland University of Technology Human Ethic Research Committee (5609) and began in January 2023 after participant recruitment between July 2022 and December 2022. The final data collection including the health check, focus group, and survey data was completed in November 2023, and data analysis and reporting are expected to conclude in 2024. CONCLUSIONS:  This study provides a blueprint for PWDWP. Collaborative partnerships with community organizations and stakeholders are crucial for program success and suggest a potential model for targeting diabetes management for Māori and Pasifika communities, emphasizing the need for culturally relevant interventions. The findings will have significant implications for policymakers and practitioners when developing and implementing public health initiatives, particularly for communities with unique cultural nuances. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12622001100785p; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=384470&isReview=true. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/55435

Correction: Effectiveness of the Pasifika Women's Diabetes Wellness Program (PWDWP): Protocol for a Pilot Intervention and Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/55435.]

The Effect of In Vitro Digestion on Antioxidant, ACE-Inhibitory and Antimicrobial Potentials of Traditional Serbian White-Brined Cheeses

This study deals with the effect of in vitro digestion on the functional potential of traditional Serbian white-brined cheeses. The total antioxidant capacity, reducing power and iron (II) chelating properties as well as angiotensin-converting enyzme-inhibitory (ACE-inhibitory) and antimicrobial activities of traditional Serbian white-brined cheeses before and after in vitro digestion were assayed. The traditional cheeses had different antioxidant properties as well as different ACE-inhibitory activities. In vitro digestion improved the total antioxidant capacity (8.42-58.56 times) and the reducing power (by 17.90-99.30%) of investigated cheeses, whereas their chelating ability was slightly improved or unaffected after digestion. In vitro digestion reduced the ACE-inhibitory potential of water-soluble protein fractions, and digested water-insoluble fractions were the major source of ACE-inhibitory peptides. The digestates did not exhibit any antibacterial potential, whereas they showed moderate antifungal potential toward selected micromycetes. The best antifungal potential had Svrljig ovine cheese and Homolje cow cheese. The results of this study clearly point to a significant functionality of traditional white-brined cheeses