Presence of Bisphenol A and Parabens in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Exploratory Study of Potential Sources of Exposure

This paper is part of the PhD thesis developed by L.M.I.-D. in the context of the“Clinical Medicineand Public Health Program”of the University of Granada.BACKGROUND:Newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are in contact with a variety of medical products whose production might includesynthetic chemicals with hormonal activity.OBJECTIVES:Our aim was to assess the content of bisphenol A (BPA) and parabens (PBs) and the hormone-like activities of a subset of medical prod-ucts commonly used in NICUs in prolonged intimate contact with NICU newborns.METHODS:Fifty-two NICU items were analyzed, determining the concentrations of BPA and PBs [methyl- (MeP), ethyl- (EtP), propyl- (PrP), andbutylparaben (BuP)] and using the E-Screen and PALM-luciferase assays to measure thein vitro(anti-)estrogenic and (anti-)androgenic activity,respectively, of the extracts. Items found to have elevated BPA/PB content or hormone-like activities were further extracted using leachingmethodologies.RESULTS:BPA was found in three-fifths and PBs in four-fifths of tested NICU items, and∼25%and∼10%of extracts evidenced estrogenic andanti-androgenic activity, respectively. The highest BPA content was found in the three-way stopcock (>7:000 ng=g), followed by patterned transpar-entfilm dressing, gastro-duodenal feeding tubes, sterile gloves, single-lumen umbilical catheters, and intravenous (IV) infusion extension sets (con-centrations ranged from 100 to 700 ng=g BPA). A total PB concentration (PPBs) >100 ng=g was observed in several items, including light therapyprotection glasses, patterned transparentfilm dressing, winged IV catheters, IV infusion extension sets, and textile tape. The highest estrogenic activ-ity [>450 pM estradiol equivalent (E2eq)] was found in small dummy nipples, three-way stopcocks, and patterned transparentfilm dressing and thehighest anti-androgenic activity [>5 mM procymidone equivalent units per gram (Proceq=g)] in small dummy nipples and three-way stopcocksThis research was funded in part by grants from the European Union Commission (The European Human Biomonitoring Initiative H2020-EJP-HBM4EU), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Institute of Health Carlos III - FEDER (PI16/01820, PI16/01812, PI16/01858, PI17/01743, and PI17/01526), the Andalusia Regional Government (PI-0538-2017), and the Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health(CIBERESP). The authors are also grateful to the Carlos IIIInstitute of Health (ISCIII) for the predoctoral research contract(FI17/00316) granted to L.M.I.-D., the postdoctoral researchcontract granted to C.F. (Miguel Servet-FEDER fund MS16/00085), and the José María Segovia de Arana contract granted to N.O. (INT18/00060)

Act now: the EU High Level Group of Experts Report on Literacy

If smart growth is about knowledge and innovation, investment in literacy skills is a prerequisite for achieving such growth. This report is a wake-up call about the literacy crisis that affects every country in Europe. Our world is dominated by the written word, both online and in print. This means we can only contribute and participate actively if we can read and write sufficiently well. But each year, hundreds of thousands of children start their secondary school two years behind in reading; some leave even further behind their peers. This has damaging consequences for their futures. And millions of adults across Europe lack the necessary literacy skills to function fully and independently in society. Awareness and acceptance of this widespread and deep-rooted problem are the first important steps towards action. This report is as much about Europe’s citizens of all ages as it is about socio-economic developments, trends and equality of opportunities. And it is as much about acknowledging the shocking numbers and problems as it is about identifying root causes and opportunities. We hope our call to action will be read by everyone engaged in policy-making or grass-roots activities in a range of areas, be it at local, regional, national or EU levels: from employment to health, from digital developments to civic participation, and from education to poverty. In all these pressing issues, literacy is likely to play a key role. So addressing literacy provides opportunities to tackle some of the root causes and factors blocking progress in all of these areas. Grasping these opportunities requires a profound understanding that reading and writing are much more than a technique or a skill. Literacy is about people’s ability to function in society as private individuals, active citizens, employees or parents. Children need skills to learn, adolescents need them to get a job and shape their futures positively. Citizens won’t be able to pay their taxes online or vote if they’re not literate. Employees need to be able to read safety instructions. And how can patients use their medication properly if they cannot read the instructions or lack the confidence to ask others? Literacy is about people’s self-esteem, their interaction with others, their health and employability. Ultimately, literacy is about whether a society is fit for the future. We encourage everyone to read this report: parents, teachers, businesses, governments and civil society players. We hope you take our recommendations to heart and act upon them. Investing in literacy is investing in Europe’s human capital. Such investments only have winners: citizens of all ages, businesses and governments and, ultimately, Europe’s wellbeing and competitive position in the world. This report will, I hope, help kick-start an ambitious, comprehensive and structural approach within and across EU Member States to prevent and reduce literacy problems. But its usefulness is only as good as the progress made in the coming decade to implement the recommendations of the report. In doing so, we need to be both open- and single-minded in our focus on the children, adolescents and adults who need to be reached

Information resources : a holistic approach

Geoportal technologies and the Processes behind the Metadata Editor highlighted that the progress achieved to data entailed steps as the issue of a prototype of a discovery view client for metadata both in JRC and in Malta, where an option would be to use Mapinfo or Arcinfo to export the metadata and then make it INSPIRE compliant. There is potential to have one metadata client across for all Europe, in addition creating a 2-way system, where the national clients feed the European client. Two options also exist in transmission where the metadata xml is uploaded to one repository (url) or else to create a csw system. MT can take the option to upload all its metadata to the JRC folder as in the case of the EEA CDR function.peer-reviewe

資料: EU法最新動向研究(13) ジャーナリストによるインサイダー情報の開示と「報道の自由」 -Case C-302/20, AMF, EU : C : 2022 : 190-

departmental bulletin pape

資料: EU法最新動向研究(15) EU競争法における一事不再理による保護範囲 -Case C-117/20, bpost, EU : C : 2022 : 202.-

departmental bulletin pape

Replacement of fish meal with a matrix of organic plant proteins in organic trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) feed, and the effects on nutrient utilization and fish performance

This study examined the effects on nutrient utilization and fish performance when replacing 16, 31, and 47% of fish meal protein (corresponding to replacing 15, 29 and 44%, respectively, of total dietary protein) with a fixed matrix of organic pea, horsebean and rapeseed plant protein concentrates (PPC) in a ratio of 1.07:1.00:0.66. Four iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets were produced to include 0, 136, 274 or 410 g kg-1 of the organic PPC matrix, respectively. The organic protein ingredients were chosen based on their high protein content, and the matrix was established to mirror the amino acid composition of fish meal. The plant ingredients were dried, dehulled, grinded and air classified in accordance with the European Union Commission Regulation on organic aquaculture production, increasing the protein concentrations up to 577 g kg-1 dry matter. Two experiments were carried out using juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): 1) a digestibility study to examine the apparent digestibility of protein, lipid, nitrogen-free extract (NFE), total phosphorus and phytate-phosphorus, followed by a water sampling period to determine the output of nitrogen and phosphorus and enabling the setup of nitrogen and phosphorus mass-balances; and 2) a 57 days growth study including 3 growth periods each of 19 days and using pit-tagged fish. Substituting fish meal with organic PPC significantly increased the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of protein and lipid (P<0.008) at the highest PPC inclusion level, while there was a significant (P<0.044) decrease in the ADC of NFE with increasing PPC inclusion level. The apparent digestibility coefficient of phytate-phosphorus was significantly lower (P<0.005) at the highest PPC inclusion level compared to the fish meal control diet. The mass-balances revealed a significant increase in the excretion of ammonium-nitrogen (NH4N, P< 0.017) at the two highest PPC inclusion levels and a decrease in phosphorus (P<0.009) excretion at the highest organic PPC inclusion level. There was no overall effect on the specific growth rates (SGRs) or feed conversion ratios (FCRs). The study thus demonstrated that it is possible to replace fish meal by 47% organic PPC without compromising rainbow trout performance. However, the results also indicated that it will be difficult to replace much more than this as long as supplementation with synthetic amino acids and exogenous phytase is not allowed in organic feed

資料: EU法最新動向研究(14) 庇護申請却下の訴訟終結前の送還決定と実効的司法救済 -Case C-181/16, Gnandi, EU : C : 2018 : 465-

departmental bulletin pape

urinary metabolomics study of workers exposed to hexavalent chromium

Exposure to hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) may occur in several occupational activities, placing workers in many industries at risk for potential related health outcomes. Untargeted metabolomics was applied to investigate changes in metabolic pathways in response to Cr(VI) exposure. We obtained our data from a study population of 220 male workers with exposure to Cr(VI) and 102 male controls from Belgium, Finland, Poland, Portugal and the Netherlands within the HBM4EU Chromates Study. Urinary metabolite profiles were determined using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, and differences between post-shift exposed workers and controls were analyzed using principal component analysis. Based on the first two principal components, we observed clustering by industrial chromate application, such as welding, chrome plating, and surface treatment, distinct from controls and not explained by smoking status or alcohol use. The changes in the abundancy of excreted metabolites observed in workers reflect fatty acid and monoamine neurotransmitter metabolism, oxidative modifications of amino acid residues, the excessive formation of abnormal amino acid metabolites and changes in steroid and thyrotropin-releasing hormones. The observed responses could also have resulted from work-related factors other than Cr(VI). Further targeted metabolomics studies are needed to better understand the observed modifications and further explore the suitability of urinary metabolites as early indicators of adverse effects associated with exposure to Cr(VI).publishersversionpublishe

'You likes your way, we got our own way': Gypsy and Travellers' views on infant feeding and health professional support

Background: Gypsies and Travellers are known to have poor health status and access to health services, even in comparison to other ethnic minority groups. People from this stigmatised ethnic group are rarely consulted about their health needs or health service provision. Optimal infant feeding in the first year of life has the potential to improve life long health. Objective: The aim of this study is to explore mothers and grandmothers' views on feeding in the first year of life, including the support provided by health professionals. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposively selected sample of 22 mothers and grandmothers of English Gypsy, Irish Traveller and Romanian Roma ethnicity between November 2011 and February 2012 in a city in South-West England. Results Few women perceived themselves as requiring help from health professionals in infant feeding, as acceptable and accessible support was available from within their own communities. Roma mothers described a tradition of breastfeeding and appropriately timed weaning, while English Gypsies and Irish Travellers customarily practised less healthy infant feeding. When mothers requested support, health service provision was often found inadequate. Conclusion: Exploring the views of Gypsies and Travellers is important to gain insight into the provision of health services for this marginalised ethnic group. This study has implications for policy and the practice of health professionals, in indicating the customary feeding behaviours of some Gypsy and Travellers, and highlighting areas meriting culturally sensitive health promotion