Options for an environmental risk assessment of intentional and unintentional chemical mixtures under REACH: the status and ways forward

It is acknowledged that a variety of chemicals enter the environment and may cause joint effects. Chemicals regulated under the European Chemicals Regulation REACH are often part of formulated mixtures and during their processing and use in various products they can be jointly released via sewage treatment plants or diffuse sources, and may combine in the environment. One can differentiate between intentional mixtures, and unintentional mixtures. In contrast to other substance-oriented legislations, REACH contains no explicit requirements for an assessment of combined effects, exposures and risks of several components. Still, it requires ensuring the safe use of substances on their own, in mixtures, and in articles. The available options to address intentional as well as unintentional mixtures are presented and discussed with respect to their feasibility under REACH, considering the responsibilities, communication tasks and information availability of the different actors (registrants, downstream-user and authorities). Specific mixture assessments via component-based approaches require a comprehensive knowledge on substances properties, uses, fate and behaviour, and the composition of the mixture under consideration. This information is often not available to the responsible actor. In principle, intentional mixtures of known composition can be assessed by the downstream-user. But approaches have to be improved to ensure a transparent communication and sound mixture assessment. In contrast, unintentional mixtures appear to be better addressable via generic approaches such as a mixture allocation factor during the chemical safety assessment, although questions on the magnitude, implementation and legal mandates remain. Authorities can conduct specific mixture risk assessments in well-defined and prioritized cases, followed by subsequent regulatory measures. In order to address intentional and unintentional mixtures within the current REACH framework, legal mandates together with guidance for the different actors are needed. Furthermore, further data on mixture compositions, uses and co-exposures need to be made accessible via shared databases.

Children and Adults With Profound Intellectual Disabilities in Poland: Legal Issues and Educational Services

The aim of this paper is to present the reality of education and rehabilitation faced by people with profound intellectual disabilities in Poland; as seen from the perspective of the past, present, and future, with an attempt to identify the determinants of these situations. The paper addresses these matters in a threefold context which includes a description of the specific characteristics of the educational and rehabilitation situations of people with profound intellectual disabilities in Poland, an analysis of the characteristics of diagnosis as well as the structure of the education system, and alternatives for adults with profound disabilities.Researchers conducted an extensive analysis of literature, legal acts and government reports presenting and evaluating the situation of people with profound intellectual disability from childhood to maturity in Poland. The results of this study make it possible to get to know and better understand the situation of the discussed group of people and their carers. Furthermore, the theoretical analyses carried out show that the structure of education offered to people with profound intellectual disabilities in Poland requires change that takes into account the autonomy of the individual and their rights in the context of national and international legal mandates.

Primatology, Green Criminology, and the Impacts of Science on the Non-Human World: A Debate from Japan

Primatology was initiated in Japan in 1948 by Kinji Imanishi and his colleagues. A distinctive feature of Japanese primatology is adopting the technique of ‘anthropomorphising’ non-human primates and establishing friendly relationships with them through feeding and other means. Following the anthropomorphic stance of primatology in Japan, yielding many scientific findings, succeeding generations turned to ‘biocentrism’, which holds that all life, including humans, has equal value. While biocentric values emerged, researchers were also faced with the conflict of having to euthanise wild hybrids per legal mandates to maintain the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) ecosystem. This article analyses the ethical conflicts in Japanese primatology throughout history.

Strengthening the policy framework to resolve lax implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan for agriculture

In this perspective article, we provide recommendations for strengthening the policy framework for protecting the Baltic Sea from agricultural nutrient pollution. The most striking weakness is the lax implementation of prescribed abatement measures, particularly concerning manure management, in most countries. Institutions of the EU should also be leveraged for achieving Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) goals. In contrast to the Helsinki Convention, the European Union has economic, political and legal mandates to further implementation and compliance. Equally important is the need for strengthening of local institutions, particularly Water Boards and independent agricultural advisory services in the eastern Baltic Sea Region countries. There is also an urgent need for implementation of voluntary land-use measures where EU funding available to farmers is more broadly and effectively used by providing it on the basis of estimated abatement performance, which can be realized through modelling. The enormous potential for funding performance-based schemes, manure management infrastructure and advisory services through the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy are currently underutilized.

Digital Archaeological Data in the Wild West: the challenge of practising responsible digital data archiving and access in the United States

Archaeology in the United States is conducted by a number of different sorts of entities under a variety of legal mandates that lack uniform standards for data archiving. The difficulty of accessing data from projects in which one was not directly involved indicates an apparent reluctance to archive raw data and supplemental information with digital repositories to be reused in the future. There is hope that additional legislation, guidelines from professional organisations, and educational efforts will change these practices.

AWARENESS AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF GAD ADVOCATES AMONG SUCS IN CALABARZON

The research design used in this study was the descriptive method of research to analyze the data systematically.The respondents of the study were one hundred forty (140) GAD Advocates among SUCs in CALABARZON. The GAD Advocates as the respondents belong to the GAD Focal Person, GAD Director/Chairperson, GAD unit head/coordinator, GAD trainer and others such as staff, researcher and secretariat in GAD Center. Purposive sampling technique was used in this study where GAD Advocates among SUCs in CALABARZON were involved. They were chosen using purposive sampling since they wereknowledgeable persons who can provide the appropriate data useful to the study.The research instrument used in this study was questionnaire-checklists which was conducted and administered to the GAD Advocates Among SUCs in CALABARZON during the 2nd semester of the Academic Year 2017-2018.The statistical treatment of data was used to compute then analyze and interpret the data given by the respondents. After administering the questionnaire to the respondents, all the data were gathered, analyzed, presented and interpreted. Electronic forms and spreadsheet applications were used in tabulating and computing the statistics of the study. It was presented to the statistician for checking, computation and validation of the results. Based on the findings of the study the following conclusions were hereby given: 1. The hypothesis stating that there is no significant relationship between the Personal Profiles and the Management Practices of GAD Advocates among SUCs in CALABARZON is partially accepted. 2. The hypothesis stating that there is no significant relationship between the Awareness and the Management Practices of GAD Advocates among SUCs in CALABARZON is rejected. 3. Based on the findings and conclusions of the study the following recommendations were hereby given: 4. The GAD Advocates may attend more seminars and trainings needed preparation of Gender and Development. 5. The GAD Advocates may conduct more seminars and trainings imposing other GAD Legal Mandates. 6. The GAD Advocates may conduct more seminars and trainings on the stakeholders for further information dissemination. 7. The GAD Advocates may attend seminars and trainings on the Management Practices especially on GAD Planning and GAD Budgeting. 8. CHED Region IV may conduct more awareness and management practices of GAD Advocates Among SUCs in CALABARZON to produce more efficient and effective competent GAD Advocates capable of molding a productive member of their respective communities, constructive citizens at par with global competitiveness. 9. The future researcher may use this research as their reference and may conduct a further study.

Paradigm Shift Toward Digital Neuropsychology and High-Dimensional Neuropsychological Assessments: Review

Neuropsychologists in the digital age have increasing access to emerging technologies. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiatives for behavioral and social sciences have emphasized these developing scientific and technological potentials (eg, novel sensors) for augmented characterization of neurocognitive, behavioral, affective, and social processes. Perhaps these innovative technologies will lead to a paradigm shift from disintegrated and data-poor behavioral science to cohesive and data-rich science that permits improved translation from bench to bedside. The 4 main advances influencing the scientific priorities of a recent NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research strategic plan include the following: integration of neuroscience into behavioral and social sciences, transformational advances in measurement science, digital intervention platforms, and large-scale population cohorts and data integration. This paper reviews these opportunities for novel brain-behavior characterizations. Emphasis is placed on the increasing concern of neuropsychology with these topics and the need for development in these areas to maintain relevance as a scientific discipline and advance scientific developments. Furthermore, the effects of such advancements necessitate discussion and modification of training as well as ethical and legal mandates for neuropsychological research and praxes.