Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the European Atmosphere: An Updated Overview

POPs are a group of chemicals which share some specific characterictics, that make them of high international concern. Due to their semivolatility, POPs present a widespread distribution being able to reach remote locations and areas after traveling long distances in the atmosphere where they have never been produced nor used. Different chemical families are considered as POPs, such as PCBs, OCPs, PCDD/Fs, PAHs, and, PCNs. In addition, some emerging contaminants are currently considered as candidate POPs, like PBDEs and PFCs. POPs exist in the atmosphere as gases and bound to particles depending on their physico-chemical properties. This affinity to gas or particulate phase is of relevant importance in the processes of POP atmospheric global transport and degradation. POPs are delivered to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems by atmospheric deposition, air-water interchanges and direct discharges. The general hydrophobic nature of POPs results in high affinity to organic matter and biota tissues. Consequently, organisms and sediments become final sinks of POPs, due to low metabolic activity for these compounds and slow degradation processes in the environment. A number of national and international actions have been promoted to reduce or ban their production and control their emissions to the environment. The UNEP Stockholm Convention adopted in May 2001. The Artic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) is measuring atmospheric concentrations of POPs in the artic region since it was established in 1991. At a European scale a big effort is being carried out combining the update of existing monitoring programmes with the generation of new legislations. Such is the case of the largest monitoring network across Europe gathering concentrations of POPs in air and deposition (EMEP). On the political side, the brand new European legislation on chemicals, REACH, will regulate the production of chemicals at a European scale. In addition, other POPs monitoring programmes exist at regional or national scales and a large number of ;independent; sites measuring atmospheric concentrations of POPs are spread out in the European geography. Considering such a scenario it seems obvious that a strong effort in harmonization and communication of results and monitoring and research strategies needs to be achieved. A step to facilitate this needed interaction was the workshop on ;Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the European Atmosphere ; Concentration, Deposition and Sources in Europe; organized by the European Commission Joint Research Center held in October 17-19th, 2005 in Stresa (Italy). It was one of the objectives of the workshop to gather top experts from Europe and North America to share their expertise on POP monitoring and research in the atmospheric compartment in order to evaluate their current status in Europe. Invited experts develop their professional activities either in the existing POPs monitoring networks or in research institutions closely linked to POPs research. Other objectives of the workshop were to explore future research lines on the topic and to establish links with the existing science and new policies in Europe regarding chemicals. Twenty oral communications were presented covering relevant key issues on POPs: In this report a compilation of the extended abstracts submitted by the participants is presented, whereas the working result output of the workshop will be submitted as an article to a peer-reviewed scientific journal.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Strategy for the sustainable development of Catalonia: sustainability as a driving force to competitivity and quality

L'Estratègia per al desenvolupament sostenible de Catalunya neix dels mandats a diverses escales -local, nacional, estatal i internacional- i de la necessitat real de fer front als reptes socioambientals de Catalunya. Aquests reptes són de caràcter global, sovint identificats en acords i convenis internacionals (e.g. lluita contra el canvi climàtic), i de tipus local, amb especial rellevància per Catalunya, com pot ser la temàtica de l'aigua. L'elaboració de l'Estratègia ha partit d'una metodologia matricial que ha permès aconseguir una visió trans-sectorial, integradora i transdisciplinar que fes emergir tant els aspectes locals com els més globals. La matriu desenvolupada relaciona els sectors econòmics amb els àmbits social i ambiental. L'enfocament prioritari que dóna la matriu a la vessant econòmica respon, no només al context socioeconòmic actual de la crisi econòmica i financera mundial, sinó també a la prioritat establerta en l'Estratègia a la internalització de les externalitats de les activitats econòmiques. La interacció d'ambdós nivells (àmbits i sectors econòmics) augmenta l'operativitat de l'Estratègia, ja que unifica els nivells d'anàlisi per la identificació dels reptes i mesures d'actuació i el seu grau de transversalitat. L'Estratègia ha donat un paper rellevant a la governança, com a repte transversal i catalitzador del canvi cap a escenaris més sostenibles. Simultàniament al procés de redacció de l'Estratègia, s'ha dissenyat un procés de participació i debat, que compta amb el debat intern en el sí de la Generalitat de Catalunya, un consell consultiu, una mesa local i sessions de participació ciutadana, tant amb col·lectius específics com amb ciutadans individuals.La Estrategia de desarrollo sostenible de Cataluña nace de los mandatos de diversas escalas -local, nacional, estatal e internacional- y de la necesidad real de hacer frente a los retos socioambientales de Cataluña. Estos retos son de carácter global, a menudo identificados en acuerdos y convenios internacionales (e.g. lucha frente al cambio climático), y de tipo local, con especial relevancia para Cataluña, como pueden ser las temáticas relacionadas con el agua. La elaboración de la Estrategia ha seguido una metodología matricial que ha permitido tener en todo momento una visión trans-sectorial, integradora y transdisciplinar tanto para los aspectos locales como los globales. La matriz desarrollada relaciona los sectores económicos con los ámbitos sociales y ambientales. El enfoque prioritario que da la matriz a los sectores económicos responde, no solamente al contexto socioeconómico actual de crisis económica y financiera mundial, sino también a la prioridad establecida en la Estrategia para internalizar las externalidades de las actividades económicas. La interacción entre los dos niveles (ámbitos y sectores económicos) aumenta la operatividad de la Estrategia ya que unifica los niveles de análisis para la identificación de los retos y las medidas de actuación y su grado de transversalidad. La Estrategia da un papel relevante a la governanza como reto transversal y catalizador del cambio hacia escenarios más sostenibles. Simultáneamente al proceso de redacción de la Estrategia, se ha diseñado un proceso de participación y debate que cuenta con el debate interno en la misma Generalitat de Cataluña, un consejo consultivo, una mesa local y unas sesiones de participación ciudadana, tanto con colectivos específicos como con ciudadanos individuales.The Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Catalonia appears in the context of local, national and international mandates and responds to the real need to face different social and environmental challenges in Catalonia. Some of these challenges are global -already mentioned in several international conventions (e.g. to solve the climate change)- and some other are of regional specificity - as the water issues in Catalonia-. The methodology to develop the Catalan strategy was based on a matrix, that related the economic activity sectors with the social and environmental issues and offered a trans-sectorial, integrated and trans-disciplinary vision of the challenges. The priority given to the economic sector responds, on one hand, to the actual world context of economic and financial crisis but also, on the other hand, to internalize the social and environmental externalities of the economic activities, which is one of the main objectives of the Catalan strategy. Governance issues play also an important role in the strategy as being considered essential to achieve more sustainable scenarios. Simultaneously to the elaboration of the written proposal by the government, a participatory process has been carried out with the Strategy expert panel, the local and municipal authorities and with the citizen participation.Peer Reviewe

Estratègia per al desenvolupament sostenible de Catalunya: la sostenibilitat com a eix vehicular per a la competitivitat i la qualitat

The Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Catalonia appears in the context of local, national and international mandates and responds to the real need to face different social and environmental challenges in Catalonia. Some of these challenges are global -already mentioned in several international conventions (e.g. to solve the climate change)- and some other are of regional specificity - as the water issues in Catalonia-. The methodology to develop the Catalan strategy was based on a matrix, that related the economic activity sectors with the social and environmental issues and offered a trans-sectorial, integrated and trans-disciplinary vision of the challenges. The priority given to the economic sector responds, on one hand, to the actual world context of economic and financial crisis but also, on the other hand, to internalize the social and environmental externalities of the economic activities, which is one of the main objectives of the Catalan strategy. Governance issues play also an important role in the strategy as being considered essential to achieve more sustainable scenarios. Simultaneously to the elaboration of the written proposal by the government, a participatory process has been carried out with the Strategy expert panel, the local and municipal authorities and with the citizen participation

Awareness-raising events. A tool for inclusion

Las jornadas sensibilizadoras para la inclusión de los niños y niñas con discapacidad están orientadas a modificar positivamente las actitudes hacia las personas con diversidad y son una opción para unir en un mismo espacio alumnado de primaria, docentes, voluntariado, estudiantes universitarios, entidades y asociaciones deportivas. En esta línea, la intervención que se presenta surge de la colaboración entre el Ayuntamiento de Cornellá, 13 escuelas de primaria, la Federació Esportiva Catalana de Paràlisi Cerebral (FECPC) y la Universidad de Barcelona. Con la intención de valorar el potencial de las jornadas sensibilizadoras se ha desarrollado un estudio de caso de carácter evaluativo. Los resultados reflejan, por un lado, la importancia de que el alumnado experimente a través del deporte las barreras con las que se enfrentan las personas con diversidad funcional, para así poder valorar sus capacidades y favorecer su inclusión. Y, por otro lado, la necesidad de formación del profesorado de educación física tanto para conocer el deporte adaptado, como para atender la diversidad en sus aulas. Las jornadas sensibilizadoras se pueden considerar como un buen referente para la transformación de actitudes y la formación del profesorado, siempre y cuando se encuentren inmersas en procesos de continuidad

Releases of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PAHs and HCB Through Bottom Ashes from Brick Kilns Operating with Different Kind of Fuels - Results from a Pilot Study in Mexico - A Contribution to the Update and Review of the Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases

The Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases is aimed at supporting the parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in setting up their national implementation plan, which includes the characterization of unintentional releases of POPs (in this case PCDD/Fs, PCBs and HCB) from all relevant sectors. To this end the toolkit combines sector specific activity data with related emission factors for releases to air, land, water, residues and products. In 2007 the Expert Group for updating and improving the Toolkit, chaired by the Secretariat of the SC (SSC) and UNEP, identified priority areas of reasearch. The group highlighted the need for screening POPs sources that so far are poorly characterized in the Toolkit. Among these, brick kilns in developing countries were given highest priority since so far, no data were available. The Expert Group recommended as a first step to measure soil or vegetation samples close to (small) brick kilns in developing countries to obtain preliminary orientation as to the impact from this source. In the fore field of the experimental planning the question in how far different kinds of fuels, in particular waste derived fuels, may impact the formation of POPs was approached through the analyses of bottom ashes from kilns co-incinerating waste in comparison with brick kilns operated with virgin wood. The results from bottom ash reveal a distinct impact on the presence of POPs in the brick making process when waste is co-incinerated, thus suggesting to include the brick kilns operated with waste fuels as a different category into the toolkit and to include the issue of co-incineration of waste into the experimental set up. The emission factors via the bottom ashes itself rangeJRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Awareness-raising events. A tool for inclusion

Resumen Las jornadas sensibilizadoras para la inclusión de los niños y niñas con discapacidad están orientadas a modificar positivamente las actitudes hacia las personas con diversidad y son una opción para unir en un mismo espacio alumnado de primaria, docentes, voluntariado, estudiantes universitarios, entidades y asociaciones deportivas. En esta línea, la intervención que se presenta surge de la colaboración entre el Ayuntamiento de Cornellá, 13 escuelas de primaria, la Federació Esportiva Catalana de Paràlisi Cerebral (FECPC)y la Universidad de Barcelona. Con la intención de valorar el potencial de las jornadas sensibilizadoras se ha desarrollado un estudio de caso de carácter evaluativo. Los resultados reflejan, por un lado, la importancia de que el alumnado experimente a través del deporte las barreras con las que se enfrentan las personas con diversidad funcional, para así poder valorar sus capacidades y favorecer su inclusión. Y, por otro lado, la necesidad de formación del profesorado de educación física tanto para conocer el deporte adaptado, como para atender la diversidad en sus aulas. Las jornadas sensibilizadoras se pueden considerar como un buen referente para la transformación de actitudes y la formación del profesorado, siempre y cuando se encuentren inmersas en procesos de continuidadThe awareness-raising events for the inclusion of children with disabilities are aimed at positively modifying attitudes towards individuals with diversity and an opportunity to bringing together primary students, teachers, volunteers, university students,sports organizations and associations in the same space. In this regard, the intervention presented here arises from the collaboration between the City Council of Cornellá, 13 primary schools, the Catalan Sports Federation for Cerebral Palsy people (FECPC) and the University of Barcelona. In order to assess the potential of the awareness-raising days, an evaluative case study has been conducted. The results reflect, on the one hand, the importance of students experiencing trough sports the barriers faced by individuals with functional diversity, in order to assess their capabilities and promote their inclusion. On the other hand, it highlights the need for physical education teachers to receive training, both to familiarize themselves with adapted sports and to address diversity in their classrooms. The awareness-raising days can be considered as a good reference point for attitude transformation and teacher training, as long as they are immersed in continuous processe

Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women’s political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women’s (rather than men’s) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men’s higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men’s leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed

Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 Countries

Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women’s political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women’s (rather than men’s) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men’s higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men’s leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed.Gender Gap in Parental Leave Intentions: Evidence from 37 CountriespublishedVersio

Reproducibility in the absence of selective reporting : An illustration from large-scale brain asymmetry research

Altres ajuts: Max Planck Society (Germany).The problem of poor reproducibility of scientific findings has received much attention over recent years, in a variety of fields including psychology and neuroscience. The problem has been partly attributed to publication bias and unwanted practices such as p-hacking. Low statistical power in individual studies is also understood to be an important factor. In a recent multisite collaborative study, we mapped brain anatomical left-right asymmetries for regional measures of surface area and cortical thickness, in 99 MRI datasets from around the world, for a total of over 17,000 participants. In the present study, we revisited these hemispheric effects from the perspective of reproducibility. Within each dataset, we considered that an effect had been reproduced when it matched the meta-analytic effect from the 98 other datasets, in terms of effect direction and significance threshold. In this sense, the results within each dataset were viewed as coming from separate studies in an "ideal publishing environment," that is, free from selective reporting and p hacking. We found an average reproducibility rate of 63.2% (SD = 22.9%, min = 22.2%, max = 97.0%). As expected, reproducibility was higher for larger effects and in larger datasets. Reproducibility was not obviously related to the age of participants, scanner field strength, FreeSurfer software version, cortical regional measurement reliability, or regional size. These findings constitute an empirical illustration of reproducibility in the absence of publication bias or p hacking, when assessing realistic biological effects in heterogeneous neuroscience data, and given typically-used sample sizes

Stroke genetics informs drug discovery and risk prediction across ancestries

Previous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of stroke — the second leading cause of death worldwide — were conducted predominantly in populations of European ancestry1,2. Here, in cross-ancestry GWAS meta-analyses of 110,182 patients who have had a stroke (five ancestries, 33% non-European) and 1,503,898 control individuals, we identify association signals for stroke and its subtypes at 89 (61 new) independent loci: 60 in primary inverse-variance-weighted analyses and 29 in secondary meta-regression and multitrait analyses. On the basis of internal cross-ancestry validation and an independent follow-up in 89,084 additional cases of stroke (30% non-European) and 1,013,843 control individuals, 87% of the primary stroke risk loci and 60% of the secondary stroke risk loci were replicated (P < 0.05). Effect sizes were highly correlated across ancestries. Cross-ancestry fine-mapping, in silico mutagenesis analysis3, and transcriptome-wide and proteome-wide association analyses revealed putative causal genes (such as SH3PXD2A and FURIN) and variants (such as at GRK5 and NOS3). Using a three-pronged approach4, we provide genetic evidence for putative drug effects, highlighting F11, KLKB1, PROC, GP1BA, LAMC2 and VCAM1 as possible targets, with drugs already under investigation for stroke for F11 and PROC. A polygenic score integrating cross-ancestry and ancestry-specific stroke GWASs with vascular-risk factor GWASs (integrative polygenic scores) strongly predicted ischaemic stroke in populations of European, East Asian and African ancestry5. Stroke genetic risk scores were predictive of ischaemic stroke independent of clinical risk factors in 52,600 clinical-trial participants with cardiometabolic disease. Our results provide insights to inform biology, reveal potential drug targets and derive genetic risk prediction tools across ancestries