Children’s residential exposure to selected allergens and microbial indicators: endotoxins and (1→3)-β-D-glucans

Objectives: The study was aimed at assessment of exposure to endotoxins, (1→3)-β-D-glucans and mite, cockroach, cat, dog allergens present in settled dust in premises of children as agents which may be significantly correlated with the occurrence of allergic symptoms and diseases in children. Materials and Methods: The study covered 50 homes of one- or two-year-old children in Poland. Samples of settled dust were taken from the floor and the child's bed. The levels of (1→3)-β-D-glucans (floor), endotoxins (floor) and allergens of mite, cat, dog and cockroach (floor and bed) were analyzed. Results: Average geometric concentrations (geometric standard deviation) of endotoxins, (1→3)-β-D-glucans, Der p1, Fel d1, Can f1 and Bla g1 in children homes were on the floor 42 166.0 EU/g (3.2), 20 478.4 ng/g (2.38), 93.9 ng/g (6.58), 119.8 ng/g (13.0), 288.9 ng/g (3.4), 0.72 U/g (4.4) and in their beds (only allergens) 597.8 ng/g (14.2), 54.1 ng/g (4.4), 158.6 ng/g (3.1) 0.6 U/g (2.9), respectively. When the floor was covered with the carpet, higher concentrations of endotoxins, (1→3)-β-D-glucans and allergens (each type) were found in the settled dust (p < 0.05). The trend was opposite in case of allergens (except dog) analyzed from bed dust and significantly higher concentrations were found in the rooms with smooth floor (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Among the analyzed factors only the type of floor significantly modified both the level of biological indicators and allergens. The results of this study could be the base for verifying a hypothesis that carpeting may have a protective role against high levels of cockroach, dog and cat allergens

The role of open-air inhalatoria in the air quality improvement in spa towns

Objectives: The present study was aimed at evaluating microbiological contamination of air in Ciechocinek and Ino­wro­cław – Polish lowland spa towns. Additionally, the impact of open-air inhalatoria on the quality of air was evaluated. Material and Methods: Air samples were collected seasonally in the urban areas, in the recreation areas and in the vicinity of inhalatoria in both towns using impaction. The numbers of mesophilic bacteria, staphylococci, hemolytic bacteria and actinomycetes were determined on media according to the Polish Standard PN-86/Z-04111/02. The number of moulds was determined on media according to the Polish Standard PN-86/Z-04111/03. Results: While the highest numbers of microorganisms were noted at the sites located in the urban areas, the lowest numbers were noted in the vicinity of the open-air inhalatoria. In all the investigated air samples the values of bioaerosol concentrations were below the recommended TLVs (≤ 5000 CFU×m–3 for both bacteria and fungi in outdoor environments). Location of the sampling site was invariably a decisive factor in determining the number of microorganisms in the air. Conclusions: The aerosol which is formed in the open-air inhalatoria has a positive influence on microbiological air quality. Owing to a unique microclimate and low air contamination, Ciechocinek and Inowrocław comply with all necessary requirements set for health resorts specializing in treating upper respiratory tract infections

When the body is time: Spatial and temporal deixis in children with visual impairments and sighted children

While there is mounting evidence explaining how concrete concepts are processed, the evidence demonstrating how abstract concepts are processed is rather scant. Most research illustrating how concrete and abstract concepts are processed has been obtained from adult populations. Consequently, not much is known about how these concepts are processed by children, especially those with sensorimotor impairments. This paper reports a study in which groups of children who were either visual-motor impaired (VMG), blind (BG), or sighted (CG) were requested to perform deictic gestures for temporal and spatial concepts. The results showed that: (i) spatial pointing was performed faster than temporal pointing across all groups of children; (ii) such difference in pointing times occurred also within groups; and (iii) the slowest pointing times were those of the blind children followed by the VMG and the CG children, respectively. Additionally, while CG children correctly performed the pointing tasks, VMG and, particularly, BG children relied on a form of deixis known as autotopological (or personal) deixis. The results thus suggest that deprivation or lack of sensorimotor experience with the environment affects the processing of abstract concepts and that a compensatory mechanism may be to rely on the body as a reference frame.Rositsa Iossifova, Fernando Marmolejo-Ramo

Cities, biodiversity and governance: perspectives and challenges of the implementation of the convention of biological diversity at the city level

City governments can contribute more to implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as the 2010 target to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss set by governments during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 is not being achieved. The necessity for city governance to tackle the challenges of biodiversity loss has increased as urban populations have grown enormously in the last decades, particularly in developing countries. The way cities are designed, planned, and governed influence the amount of their direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity. However, the process of interaction between cities and biodiversity is still not well understood, both in theory and in practice. This gap needs to be closed if we want to make progress on the implementation of CBD since more than half of the world’s population lives in cities today. As cities are the consumption centres of world resources, and this proportion will grow in the future, there is no time to lose. This report analyses the general relationships among cities, local governance, and biodiversity. Initially, it will examine the relationships between cities and biodiversity by looking at the major influences cities can have on biodiversity loss or on conservation within and outside the city boundaries, as well as the benefits of biodiversity conservation for cities, such as the provision of ecosystem services. The report then moves to understand the main instruments and governance mechanisms that exist, allowing cities to effectively implement the directives of CBD. Cities are some of the biggest beneficiaries of biodiversity and ecosystem services, as citizens and economic activities depend on those services. However, their involvement in the CBD process is still limited as compared to their potential contribution and amount of benefits they could gain from biodiversity. There are many conceptual underpinnings and governance obstacles to overcome, and we need to create new and adapt existing conservation strategies, as well as city planning and management instruments to deal with biodiversity properly. Nevertheless, the interest of cities in the biodiversity agenda is moving fast, and there are a lot of opportunities to bring cities to be effective actors in the implementation of CBD. This requires a large effort for collective action to create better governance mechanisms. Good governance at the city level, which indeed can deliver an effective implementation of CBD, depends on governmental and non-governmental actors, not only from one city but from other levels of governments, including international organisations, and of course the cities themselves. The key point in the governance structure is not only the capacity of individual organisations but the strength of coordination among them. Urbanisation creates new challenges for biodiversity conservation. As a large part of the world’s population gradually moves from rural to urban areas, there are changes in the link between human activities and biodiversity, and consequently in the way we should think about biodiversity conservation policies. Scarce attention has been given to understanding how to make cities more biodiversity-friendly, not only within, but particularly in the faraway places. Understanding how cities can create better governance mechanisms to effectively support the preservation of biodiversity within and beyond city boundaries is the key to implement the directives of the CBD. The actors, instruments, and processes that should be in place are still not completely understood enough to move the city and biodiversity agenda forward. This report argues the need to study the conceptual underpinnings of the relationships among city, governance, and biodiversity to create the basis for policies at the global, national, and local level, as well as provide some practical insights on the way to move the biodiversity agenda in cities forward

Cities and biodiversity: Perspectives and governance challenges for implementing the convention on biological diversity (CBD) at the city level

City governments are fundamental to implement international environmental agreements, such as the convention on biological diversity (CBD). Even though many of them are not directly involved in the negotiation of international agreements, which are signed by national governments, most of those agreements are in fact implemented at the city level. The importance of city governance to tackle the challenges of biodiversity loss has increased as urban population has grown enormously in the last decades, particularly in developing countries. The way cities are designed, planned and governed influences the magnitude of their direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity. This paper analyzes the relationship between cities, local governance and biodiversity. Initially, we examine the relationships between cities and biodiversity by looking at the major influences cities have on biodiversity loss or conservation within and outside the city boundaries, as well as the benefits of biodiversity conservation to cities, such as the provision of ecosystem services. The paper then moves to understand what are the main urban processes and governance mechanisms that can be improved to make cities effective to implement the directives of the CBD. Urbanization creates new challenges for biodiversity conservation. As a large part of the world’s population moves from rural to urban areas, there are changes in the link between human activities and biodiversity, and consequently to the way we should think biodiversity conservation policies. However, scarce attention has been given to understand how to make cities more biodiversity friendly, both within the urban fabric, but particularly in faraway places