European Union Council Directive Research Articles

Monitoring for Equine Viral Arteritis has decreased its prevalence in European breeding sires

Equine viral arteritis (EVA) can induce a persistent carrier state in stallions and shedding of the virus with semen can spread EVA and cause abortions in seronegative pregnant mares. In the early 1990s, obligatory testing for EVA of stallions used for artificial insemination was implemented within the European Union (Council Directive 92/65/EEC). In addition, vaccination programs for young stallions and exclusion of carrier stallions from certain breed registry events were implemented in Warmblood sport horses. Information on the efficacy of these actions on the prevalence of EVA in reproductively active stallions are not yet available in Europe. This study retrospectively analyzed results of serological and virus antigen testing for EVA in sires (n=308, one sample set per sire, EVA-vaccination status unknown) of different age and breed referred to the Centre for Artificial Insemination of Vetmeduni Vienna for semen preservation between 2001 and 2021. For analysis, stallions were grouped by age (1-3, 4-10, 11-16, >16 years) and breed. The EVA antibody titer was determined by serum neutralization test and semen was analyzed for EVA virus by PCR and/or virus isolation test. Statistical analysis was performed by chi2-test, Kruskal-Wallis test or Mann-Whitney U-test using the IBM SPSS 28.0 statistics software. Of 308 stallions tested, 14.9% (n=46) were EVA seropositive and in 12 stallions EVAvirus was detected in semen (26% of seropositive and 3.8% of all tested stallions, respectively). The incidence of seropositive stallions (22% of sires tested during 2001-05 to 4.1% during 2016-21) and of stallions shedding EVA virus via semen (8.5% of all serologically tested stallions 2001-05 to 1.4% during 2016-21) decreased over time (p<0.05). No difference among breeds with regard to occurrence of seropositive stallions was detected. There was a tendency towards more Standardbred and Lipizzaner stallions (14% and 13%, respectively) shedding EVA virus in semen compared to all other breeds (<3%, p=0.074 among groups). Differences in the seroprevalence of EVA antibodies existed among stallions from different age groups (p<0.01) with the highest percentage of seropositive stallions in 11-16 year-stallions (45.7%). No differences among age groups with regard to virus shedding existed. The EVA antibody titer increased with age (p<0.01), reflecting a higher possibility of repeated virus challenge in older stallions. Antibody titer was not associated with carrier state. In conclusion, monitoring of stallions for EVA in combination with vaccination programs resulted in a decrease of the prevalence of seropositive and virus-shedding stallions during the past 20 years in a European stallion population and can therefore be considered successful.

Vegetation of the &amp;#171;Romanivka Mire&amp;#187; Botanical Nature Sanctuary of the National Importance (Kyiv, Ukraine)

The paper is dealt with the study of vegetation of the &amp;#171;Romanivka mire&amp;#187; botanical nature sanctuary of the national importance. It has been found that its vegetation is represented by forest, aquatic, wetland, meadow, shrub, and ruderal phytocenoses. The syntaxonomic scheme, including 10 classes, 13 orders, 15 alliances, and 28 associations with their characteristics, is presented. The class Phragmito-Magnocaricetea occupies about 65-70 &amp;#37; of mire area and has the largest number of syntaxa and cenoflora species (15 associations and 81 species). The class Alnetea glutinosae covering about 15-20 &amp;#37; of mire territory is the second the most widespread syntaxon of plant communities. The habitats of plant communities within the territory of the mire are protected by the European Union Council Directive 92/43/EEC (N3150, N 3270, N 6430, andN 7140). The communities of the associations Lemnetum minoris, Lemno-Spirrodeletum, Lemnetum trisulcae, Calletum palustris, Lysimachio vulgaris-Filipenduletum, and Bidentetum cernuae are registered in these biotopes. &lt;i&gt;Calla palustris, Veratrum lobelianum,&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Menyanthes trifoliate&lt;/i&gt; are rare species for the city of Kyiv and the Kyiv region. &lt;i&gt;Ostericum palustre&lt;/i&gt; is listed in the Appendix 1 of the Bern Convention.

Influence of the Declaration of Protected Natural Areas on the Evolution of Forest Fires in Collective Lands in Galicia (Spain)

Since the adoption of European Union Council Directive 92/43 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora, some opposition has arisen among owners and managers of land affected by the directive. Some studies have indicated that some of this opposition has found expression in subsequent arson fires in these areas. This article analyses the occurrence of arson fires in the SACs (Special Areas of Conservation) included in the European ecological network, Natura 2000, in Galicia (Spain), more specifically in the montes vecinales en mano común (MVMCs), which are privately owned collective lands. We tested whether the declaration of SACs had a statistical impact on the forest fire regime in the period 1999–2014. The analyses focused on the sub-periods of 1999–2004 and 2005–2014, i.e., before and after the approval of the list of sites of community importance in the study area in December 2004. The results obtained show that, after the declaration of protection, there was a statistically significant increase in the area burnt by fire in these areas, mainly on private estates. We also found that the percentage of arson fires after 2004 was higher in SACs than in other territorial units. We found that the percentage of arson fires was reduced less in SACs than in other territorial units. Furthermore, we found that the area burnt per fire after 2004 in SACs was almost double that in the MVMC-SACs (12.04 ha versus 6.64 ha), so it can be concluded that the conservationist policies of the Natura 2000 network in Galicia have not had a positive effect on the forest fire regime.

The Relationships between Damaging Behaviours and Health in Laying Hens.

Simple SummaryThe design of housing systems and genetic selection of laying hens have in the past focused mainly on productivity, excluding issues around the animals’ behavioural needs and welfare. Because of inadequate housing conditions and especially a barren environment, behavioural disorders such as feather and body pecking, as well as cannibalism, occur in the modern layer industry. Since conventional cages for egg production were banned in the European Union in January 2012, alternative systems such as floor, aviary, free-range, and organic systems have become increasingly common and now concern over 50% of hens housed in Europe. Despite the many advantages that come with non-cage systems, the shift to a housing system where laying hens are kept in larger groups and more complex environments has given rise to new challenges related to management, health, and welfare. We have carried out a review showing the close relationships between damaging behaviours and health in modern husbandry systems for laying hens.Since the ban in January 2012 of conventional cages for egg production in the European Union (Council Directive 1999/74/EC), alternative systems such as floor, aviary, free-range, and organic systems have become increasingly common, reaching 50% of housing for hens in 2019. Despite the many advantages associated with non-cage systems, the shift to a housing system where laying hens are kept in larger groups and more complex environments has given rise to new challenges related to management, health, and welfare. This review examines the close relationships between damaging behaviours and health in modern husbandry systems for laying hens. These new housing conditions increase social interactions between animals. In cases of suboptimal rearing and/or housing and management conditions, damaging behaviour or infectious diseases are likely to spread to the whole flock. Additionally, health issues, and therefore stimulation of the immune system, may lead to the development of damaging behaviours, which in turn may result in impaired body conditions, leading to health and welfare issues. This raises the need to monitor both behaviour and health of laying hens in order to intervene as quickly as possible to preserve both the welfare and health of the animals.

Occurrence of 222Rn and 226,228Ra in underground water and 222Rn in soil and their mutual correlations for underground water supplies in southern Greater Poland

European Union Council Directive 2013/51/EURATOM recently sets out so-called indicator parameters for: radon, tritium and indicative dose of water intended for human consumption. The aim of this research was to elaborate an effective procedure for determination of radon and radium 226,228Ra isotopes (which are potentially the main contributors to the internal dose from drinking and cooking water) and to find the possible relationships between these radionuclides in underground water reservoirs and 222Rn concentration in the soil gas in their vicinity. The research was performed by applying a non-volatile and water-immiscible scintillation cocktail based on a pure diisopropylnaphthalene (Ultima Gold F: UGF), which allow for efficient radon extraction from 0.5 dm3 of water samples to 20 cm3 of scintillation phase and its direct determination with a detection limit of 5 × 10–3 Bq dm−3. The further preliminary concentration of 3 dm3 of crude water samples by evaporation to 0.5 dm3 samples led to the removal of all unsupported 222Rn activity and allowed the 226Ra determination via equivalent 222Rn detection after one-month samples storage using a low-background Triathler liquid scintillation counter in the α/β separation counting mode. Together with determination of 226Ra isotope in water samples, the simultaneous measurements of 228Ra and 222Rn radionuclides concentrations in water as well as 222Rn activity in the soil gas around the water supply sites were performed. The achieved limit of 226Ra detection was at a very low level of 10–3 Bq dm−3. The measured values of 226Ra concentration in 50 public underground water supply units for the Kalisz district of Poland were relatively low and ranged from below detection limit to 28.5 × 10–3 Bq dm−3 with arithmetic mean and median values of 12.9 and 12.2 × 10–3 Bq dm−3, respectively. Weak correlations were observed between activity concentrations of 226Ra and 222Rn in the crude water samples (R2 = 0.31) and 222Rn in water and its concentration in the nearby soil gas (R2 = 0.48).

European survey of hepatitis B vaccination policies for healthcare workers: An updated overview

BackgroundThe risk of transmission of bloodborne pathogens, including hepatitis B virus (HBV) to healthcare workers (HCWs) is well known. In 2005 we performed a survey on HBV prevention in HCWs in the European Union (EU). An update of the 2005 survey deemed necessary as an EU Council Directive (2010/32/EU) on sharps injuries was to be implemented into national legislation by 11 May 2013 and more countries were starting universal HBV vaccination. MethodsWe performed an electronic survey in 2016, among national representatives from the Occupational Medicine section of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), to find out how policies have been put into practice in the European Union countries (plus Norway and Switzerland). The data were updated in 2019. ResultsAnswers were received from 21 countries (among them 19 EU Member States), representing 78% of the population and 60% of HCWs in the EU-28. HBV vaccination was mandatory for medical and nursing staff in 10 countries; for other paramedical staff, medical and nursing students in 9 countries; for paramedical students in 8 countries; for cleaning staff in 7 countries; and for technical staff in 5 countries; it was recommended in all but one of other countries. Serotesting before vaccination was done in 7 countries. The vaccination schedule most often used was 0, 1, 6 months (18countries), monovalent HBV vaccine was used in 14 countries, and combined (HAV + HBV) vaccine in 11 countries. Serotesting after vaccination was done in 18 countries and boosters were recommended in 14 countries. A non-responder policy was present in 18 countries. HBV vaccination coverage (5 countries) was 70–95%. Sharps injuries were reported in 13 countries, nationwide in 7 of them; European-wide reporting was not mentioned by respondents. DiscussionThese results show the variation in the implementation of EU legislation in the participating countries. More consultation between actors at EU level, including enhancing medical surveillance in occupational medicine could help to optimise policies in European countries in order to further reduce HBV transmission to HCWs.

A qualitative risk assessment of cleansing and disinfection requirements after an avian influenza outbreak in commercial poultry

ABSTRACT 1. During an avian influenza (AI) outbreak in the United Kingdom, the joint aim of the poultry industry and the Government is to eliminate and prevent the spread of infection, through control measures based on the current European Union (EU) Council Directive (2005/94/EC). An essential part of these measures is the cleansing and disinfection (C&D) of infected premises. 2. This risk assessment assessed the differences in re-infection in a repopulated flock if the EU Directive is interpreted to permit secondary C&D to be undertaken either with or without dismantling complex equipment. The assessment estimated the probability of virus survival on different types of equipment in a depopulated contaminated poultry house before and after preliminary and secondary C&D procedures. A risk matrix spreadsheet tool was used to carry out the assessment and concluded that, provided secondary C&D is carried out with due diligence (i.e. carried out to a defined code of practice as agreed by both industry and policymakers), the risk of re-infection from equipment is negligible, both with and without dismantling complex equipment in all farm types considered. 3. By considering the equipment types individually, the assessment identified those areas of the house which may still contain viable virus post-preliminary C&D and on which attention should be focussed during secondary C&D. The generic risk pathway and matrix spreadsheet tool have the potential to be used for other pathogens and species, given appropriate data.

Implication and impact of straw provision on behaviour, lesions and pen hygiene on commercial farms rearing undocked pigs

According to the European Union Council Directive 2008/120EC, measures to minimise the risk for tail biting shall be taken before practicing tail docking, e.g. provision of manipulable material. Still, >90% of the pigs within EU are tail docked. Thus, management routines for providing manipulable material in commercial pig production are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate how an increase from normal straw ration influence pig behaviour, occurrence of tail- and ear lesions and impact on pen hygiene.The experiment was conducted on five Swedish commercial farms; one grower and four farrow-to-finish farms. One batch per farm was studied, following pigs throughout the grower or finishing pig period. Both age groups were examined in two of the farrow-to-finish farms and only finishers in the other two, studying three grower and four finisher batches in total. The pens in a batch were divided into Control (C) and Extra Straw (ES). Pens in C were provided with the farm normal daily straw ratio, while pigs in ES got a doubled C-ration. The pigs in eight focus pens per Treatment were scored for lesions on ears and tails every two weeks. In connection with lesion scoring, behaviour observation was conducted in active pigs during one hour (4 min scan sampling) in the focus pens. All pigs in the batch were examined for tail- and ear lesions during the first and last week of the experiment.Both growers and finishers spent most of their active time manipulating straw. ES-pigs showed more straw-directed and less pen-directed behaviour in both age groups compared to C-pigs. Behaviour was also affected by farm and age revealing that the impact of an increased straw ration differed between farms and pig age. The increased straw ration did not affect the pen cleanliness, showing that it was practically feasible to increase the straw rations on all participating farms.The prevalence of tail damages increased with age, and more severe damages was found in C compared to ES. Severe tail and ear lesions were found in ∼0.6 and 0.07% of the growers and ∼2.2 and 0.75% of the finishers, C- and ES pigs respectively. Approximately 50% of the finishing pigs had tail damages at the end of the study, but the majority of lesions were less than 5 mm long and might not have been detected without close clinical examination.

CARDIOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF THE RED PALM OIL SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE CARDIAC OXIDATIVE STRESS, NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE AND HEART FUNCTION IN THE RATS SUFFERING FROM HYPERTENSION

Objective: We know from our previous study that myocardial protein connexin 43 (Cx43), responsible for intercellular communication, and protein kinase C epsilon which directly phosphorylates Cx43 on the serine 368, were significantly decreased in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) what was also associated with increased incidence to malignant arrhythmias. Antioxidant rich red palm oil (RPO) significantly normalized all of these parameters. Therefore, we further aimed to investigate whether intake of RPO may affect endothelial dysfunction, antioxidant enzymes and heart function in SHR. Design and method: In accordance with the rules issued by the State Veterinary Administration of the Slovak Republic and European Union Council Directive 86/609/EEC we used in our experiment 3-months-old, male SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto control rats fed standard rat chow without or with RPO (0.2 ml/day/5 weeks). Left ventricular tissue was used to examine expression of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutases (SOD1, SOD2) and glutathione peroxidases (GPx) as well as activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Functional parameters of the heart were measured during basal conditions and at the early-phase of post-ischemic reperfusion by Langendorff-perfused system. Results: RPO supplementation significantly normalized higher blood pressure and total NOS activity as well as increased lowered expression of mitochondrial SOD2 in SHR hearts during basal condition. RPO intake resulted in the suppression of elevated heart rate, increase of reduced coronary flow and enhancement of systolic and diastolic heart function at the early-phase of post-ischemic reperfusion. Conclusions: We can conclude that SHR benefit from RPO intake due to its apparent anti-arrhythmic effects by Cx43 modulation, reduction of blood pressure, enhancement of oxidative stress and protection of heart function that was deteriorated by post-ischemic reperfusion.

Council Directive on Double Taxation Dispute Resolution Mechanisms: “Resolving Companies’ Areas of Concern?”

Without effective dispute resolution mechanisms between Member States of the European Union, companies will face the increasing possibility of unresolved double taxation. This is in particular due to new BEPS Actions that will provide Member States with expanding taxation opportunities. This article discusses whether the new Council Directive on Double Taxation Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in the European Union (the Directive) Council Directive on Double Taxation Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in the European Union (2016/0338(CNS)) of 2 Oct. 2017. The Directive was adopted by the Council on 10 Oct. 2017. will resolve the areas of concern that companies currently face in dispute resolution procedures between Member States under tax treaties and the EU Arbitration Convention. Three areas of concern discussed here are (i) access to the procedure, (ii) length of the procedure and (iii) outcome of the procedure. The article concludes that the Directive will provide an overall improvement within these areas of concern because of the extended scope for qualifying disputes and the inclusion of clear deadlines and fall-back mechanisms in the Directive. However, this improved legal certainty for taxpayers is expected to come at a (high) price in the form of increased durations of already lengthy dispute resolution procedures.

The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics. Policy Statement No. 7.1: The roles, responsibilities and status of the medical physicist including the criteria for the staffing levels in a Medical Physics Department approved by EFOMP Council on 5th February 2016

This EFOMP Policy Statement is an amalgamation and an update of the EFOMP Policy Statements No. 2, 4 and 7. It presents guidelines for the roles, responsibilities and status of the medical physicist together with recommended minimum staffing levels. These recommendations take into account the ever-increasing demands for competence, patient safety, specialisation and cost effectiveness of modern healthcare services, the requirements of the European Union Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom laying down the basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, the European Commission’s Radiation Protection Report No. 174: “Guidelines on medical physics expert”, as well as the relevant publications of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The provided recommendations on minimum staffing levels are in very good agreement with those provided by both the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

A Simple Model to Rank Shellfish Farming Areas Based on the Risk of Disease Introduction and Spread.

The European Union Council Directive 2006/88/EC requires that risk-based surveillance (RBS) for listed aquatic animal diseases is applied to all aquaculture production businesses. The principle behind this is the efficient use of resources directed towards high-risk farm categories, animal types and geographic areas. To achieve this requirement, fish and shellfish farms must be ranked according to their risk of disease introduction and spread. We present a method to risk rank shellfish farming areas based on the risk of disease introduction and spread and demonstrate how the approach was applied in 45 shellfish farming areas in England and Wales. Ten parameters were used to inform the risk model, which were grouped into four risk themes based on related pathways for transmission of pathogens: (i) live animal movement, (ii) transmission via water, (iii) short distance mechanical spread (birds) and (iv) long distance mechanical spread (vessels). Weights (informed by expert knowledge) were applied both to individual parameters and to risk themes for introduction and spread to reflect their relative importance. A spreadsheet model was developed to determine quantitative scores for the risk of pathogen introduction and risk of pathogen spread for each shellfish farming area. These scores were used to independently rank areas for risk of introduction and for risk of spread. Thresholds were set to establish risk categories (low, medium and high) for introduction and spread based on risk scores. Risk categories for introduction and spread for each area were combined to provide overall risk categories to inform a risk-based surveillance programme directed at the area level. Applying the combined risk category designation framework for risk of introduction and spread suggested by European Commission guidance for risk-based surveillance, 4, 10 and 31 areas were classified as high, medium and low risk, respectively.

Medical physics in Europe following recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

BackgroundMedical physics is a health profession where principles of applied physics are mostly directed towards the application of ionizing radiation in medicine. The key role of the medical physics expert in safe and effective use of ionizing radiation in medicine was widely recognized in recent European reference documents like the European Union Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM (2014), and European Commission Radiation Protection No. 174, European Guidelines on Medical Physics Expert (2014). Also the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been outspoken in supporting and fostering the status of medical physics in radiation medicine through multiple initiatives as technical and cooperation projects and important documents like IAEA Human Health Series No. 25, Roles and Responsibilities, and Education and Training Requirements for Clinically Qualified Medical Physicists (2013) and the International Basic Safety Standards, General Safety Requirements Part 3 (2014). The significance of these documents and the recognition of the present insufficient fulfilment of the requirements and recommendations in many European countries have led the IAEA to organize in 2015 the Regional Meeting on Medical Physics in Europe, where major issues in medical physics in Europe were discussed. Most important outcomes of the meeting were the recommendations addressed to European member states and the survey on medical physics status in Europe conducted by the IAEA and European Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics.ConclusionsPublished recommendations of IAEA Regional Meeting on Medical Physics in Europe shall be followed and enforced in all European states. Appropriate qualification framework including education, clinical specialization, certification and registration of medical physicists shall be established and international recommendation regarding staffing levels in the field of medical physics shall be fulfilled in particular. European states have clear legal and moral responsibility to effectively transpose Basic Safety Standards into national legislation in order to ensure high quality and safety in patient healthcare.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DOSE REDUCTION OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE LEAD PROTECTIVE GLASSES FOR INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY STAFF.

In light of the proposal from the International Commission on Radiological Protection for a lowered eye dose limit, now adopted by a European Union Council Directive, lead glasses may be required for some staff in interventional radiology to ensure that occupational exposure is as low as reasonably practicable. To investigate the lens protection offered from various models of lead glasses exposed to X-rays coming from a source to the left and below, calibrated radiochromic film was positioned in the lens area of a head phantom. When the source-to-eye angles were large, the dose reduction factors (the ratio of eye dose without protection to dose with protection) to the right lens area were much lower than to the left lens area, particularly with smaller-lensed glasses, due to gaps in protection between the face and the glasses. The results of this study reiterate the importance of employers providing eyewear based on the morphology of, and fit to, individual workers' faces.

The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics Policy Statement No. 6.1: Recommended Guidelines on National Registration Schemes for Medical Physicists

This EFOMP Policy Statement is an update of Policy Statement No. 6 first published in 1994. The present version takes into account the European Union Parliament and Council Directive 2013/55/EU that amends Directive 2005/36/EU on the recognition of professional qualifications and the European Union Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM laying down the basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation. The European Commission Radiation Protection Report No. 174, Guidelines on Medical Physics Expert and the EFOMP Policy Statement No. 12.1, Recommendations on Medical Physics Education and Training in Europe 2014, are also taken into consideration.The EFOMP National Member Organisations are encouraged to update their Medical Physics registration schemes where these exist or to develop registration schemes taking into account the present version of this EFOMP Policy Statement (Policy Statement No. 6.1“Recommended Guidelines on National Registration Schemes for Medical Physicists”).

Efficiency of manganese removal from water in selected filter beds

AbstractManganese salts in groundwater are among the most troublesome compounds and if these waters are to be used for municipal and industrial purposes, manganese must be removed to meet normative levels in accordance with the regulation of Minister of Health (20 April 2010) and the European Union Council Directive 98/83/EC. The aim of this study was therefore to select the most efficient filter beds to remove manganese from drinking water or water for economic purposes. The research included conducting the filtration process, in which seven different beds were used as the filter material: the Greensand, G-1, the Hydrocarbon, Zeolite, the Crystal Right, Ecomix A, and Ecomix C. All tested beds could be used for elimination of manganese. The authors showed a dependence of the concentrations obtained in the filtrate on the type and the nature of particular beds. It is recommended that the Greensand, the Crystal Right, and Ecomix C should be used in order to purify groundwater, where there is no additional c...

Protecting Consumers from Unfair Terms in Standard Form Contracts: The UK Approach

This article examines the current UK consumer protection regime specifically relevant to unfair terms in standard form consumer contracts, as provided for by the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 (pursuant to the European Union's Council Directive 93/13/EEC) and the solid body of case law that has grown around it. In particular, the article takes a closer look at the decision in Office of Fair Trading v. Ashbourne Management Services Ltd [2011] EWHC 1237 (Ch) and its impact on protecting UK consumers who enter into standard form gym club contracts.

Sharps safety legislation mandates provision of appropriate equipment and training.

International Journal of Palliative NursingVol. 20, No. 9 CommentarySharps safety legislation mandates provision of appropriate equipment and trainingJanice GabrielJanice GabrielSearch for more papers by this authorJanice GabrielPublished Online:24 Sep 2014https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2014.20.9.422AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Council of the European Union (2010) Council Directive 2010/32/EU. http://tinyurl.com/6ay3r2u (accessed 30 May 2014) Google ScholarGabriel J, Dailly S, Kayley J (2004) Needlestick and sharps injuries: avoiding the risk in clinical practice. Prof Nurse 20(1): 25–8 Medline, Google ScholarGabriel J (2012) Sharps injuries and their prevention: what the new European legislation may mean for palliative care services. Int J Palliat Nurs 18(5): 218–23 Link, Google ScholarHarris SA, Nicolai LA (2010) Occupational exposures in emergency medical service providers and knowledge of and compliance with universal precautions. Am J Infect Control 38(2): 86–94. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2009.05.012 Crossref, Medline, Google ScholarHigginson R, Parry A (2013) Needlestick injuries and safety syringes: a review of the literature. Br J Nurs 22(8 Suppl): S4–S12 Link, Google ScholarHadaway L (2001) Safety legalisation passed. J Vasc Access 6(1): 33–5 Google ScholarNHS Employers (2009) Prevention of shaprs injuries. www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/retain-and-improve/staff-experience/health-work-and-wellbeing/preventionof-sharps-injuries (accessed 30 May 2014) Google ScholarRapiti E, Prüss-Üstün A, Hutin Y (2005) Sharps Injuries: Assessing the Burden of Disease from Sharps Injuries to Health-Care Workers at National and Local Levels. World Health Organization, Geneva Google ScholarRoyal College of Nursing (2010) Standards for Infusion Therapy. RCN, London Google ScholarWright P, Caughley G, Antoniou S (2014) Sharps legislation and assessment of needle protection systems. Br J Nurs 23(2 Suppl): S4–8 Link, Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 September 2014Volume 20Issue 9ISSN (print): 1357-6321ISSN (online): 2052-286X Metrics History Published online 24 September 2014 Published in print 2 September 2014 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Development, validation and application to real samples of a multiresidue LC-MS/MS method for determination of β2 -agonists and anabolic steroids in bovine hair.

β(2) -agonists are often abused in cattle breeding because of their effects on animal growth and meat properties. The use of β(2) -agonists as growth promoters is forbidden in the European Union (Council Directive 96/23/EC classifies them into group A of Annex I), due to their toxicity and carcinogenic properties, as for anabolic steroids, which are often administered in combination with β(2) -agonists, to promote the storage of proteins and increase muscle size. A unique confirmatory liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantitative detection of 13 β(2) -agonists and anabolic steroids plus the qualitative identification of other three analytes in bovine hair was developed and validated, according to Decision 2002/657/CE. Hair samples were washed with dichloromethane, digested within a NaOH solution and subjected to liquid-liquid extraction. The analysis was performed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in the selected reaction monitoring mode. The absence of matrix interferents, together with good repeatability of both retention times and relative abundances of diagnostic transitions, allowed the correct identification of all analytes. The quantitative calibrations obtained from spiked blank hair samples proved linear in the range tested. CCα and CCβ ranged from 0.5 ng/g to 30 ng/g. Intralaboratory reproducibility (CV%) ranged between 5.0 and 17.7 and trueness between 96% ± 7% and 105% ± 8%. The applicability of the method to real positive samples was demonstrated for both β(2) -agonists and anabolic steroids. 17α-boldenone was found in most (70%) hair samples obtained from untreated animals, supporting the hypothesis of endogenous production of this steroid.

Occurrence and distribution of organic trace substances in waters from the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

This study deals with the evaluation of water quality of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in order to assess its suitability as a raw water source for drinking water production. Therefore, water samples from (1) surface water, (2) tap water, and (3) wastewater treatment plant effluents were taken randomly by 2011-2012 in the area of the TGR and were analyzed for seven different organic contaminant groups (207 substances in total), applying nine different analytical methods. In the three sampled water sources, typical contaminant patterns were found, i.e., pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in surface water with concentrations of 0.020-3.5 μg/L and 0.004-0.12 μg/L, disinfection by-products in tap water with concentrations of 0.050-79 μg/L, and pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plant effluents with concentrations of 0.020-0.76 μg/L, respectively. The most frequently detected organic compounds in surface water (45 positives out of 57 samples) were the pyridine pesticides clopyralid and picloram. The concentrations might indicate that they are used on a regular basis and in conjunction in the area of the TGR. Three- and four-ring PAH were ubiquitously distributed, while the poorly soluble five- and six-ring members, perfluorinated compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, were below the detection limit. In general, the detected concentrations in TGR are in the same range or even lower compared to surface waters in western industrialized countries, although contaminant loads can still be high due to a high discharge. With the exception of the two pesticides, clopyralid and picloram, concentrations of the investigated organic pollutants in TGR meet the limits of the Chinese Standards for Drinking Water Quality GB 5749 (Ministry of Health of China and Standardization Administration of China 2006) and the European Union (EU) Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption (The Council of the European Union 1998), or rather, the EU Directive on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy (The European Parliament and The Council of the European Union 2008). Therefore, the suggested use of surface water from TGR for drinking water purposes is a valid option. Current treatment methods, however, do not seem to be efficient since organic pollutants were detected in significant concentrations in purified tap water.