Phthalates are mainly used as plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Exposure to several phthalates is associated with different adverse effects most prominently on the development of reproductive functions. The HBM4EU Aligned Studies (2014-2021) have investigated current European exposure to ten phthalates (DEP, BBzP, DiBP, DnBP, DCHP, DnPeP, DEHP, DiNP, DiDP, DnOP) and the substitute DINCH to answer the open policy relevant questions which were defined by HBM4EU partner countries and EU institutions as the starting point of the programme. The exposure dataset includes ∼5,600 children (6-11 years) and adolescents (12-18 years) from up to 12 countries per age group and covering the North, East, South and West European regions. Study data from participating studies were harmonised with respect to sample size and selection of participants, selection of biomarkers, and quality and comparability of analytical results to provide a comparable perspective of European exposure. Phthalate and DINCH exposure were deduced from urinary excretions of metabolites, where concentrations were expressed as their key descriptor geometric mean (GM) and 95th percentile (P95). This study aims at reporting current exposure levels and differences in these between European studies and regions, as well as comparisons to human biomonitoring guidance values (HBM-GVs). GMs for children were highest for ∑DEHP metabolites (33.6 μg/L), MiBP (26.6 μg/L), and MEP (24.4 μg/L) and lowest for∑DiDP metabolites (1.91 μg/L) and ∑DINCH metabolites (3.57 μg/L). In adolescents highest GMs were found for MEP (43.3 μg/L), ∑DEHP metabolites (28.8 μg/L), and MiBP (25.6 μg/L) and lowest for ∑DiDP metabolites (= 2.02 μg/L) and ∑DINCH metabolites (2.51 μg/L). In addition, GMs and P95 stratified by European region, sex, household education level, and degree of urbanization are presented. Differences in average biomarker concentrations between sampling sites (data collections) ranged from factor 2 to 9. Compared to the European average, children in the sampling sites OCC (Denmark), InAirQ (Hungary), and SPECIMEn (The Netherlands) had the lowest concentrations across all metabolites and ESTEBAN (France), NAC II (Italy), and CROME (Greece) the highest. For adolescents, comparably higher metabolite concentrations were found in NEB II (Norway), PCB cohort (Slovakia), and ESTEBAN (France), and lower concentrations in POLAES (Poland), FLEHS IV (Belgium), and GerES V-sub (Germany). Multivariate analyses (Survey Generalized Linear Models) indicate compound-specific differences in average metabolite concentrations between the four European regions. Comparison of individual levels with HBM-GVs revealed highest rates of exceedances for DnBP and DiBP, with up to 3 and 5%, respectively, in children and adolescents. No exceedances were observed for DEP and DINCH. With our results we provide current, detailed, and comparable data on exposure to phthalates in children and - for the first time - in adolescents, and - for the first time - on DINCH in children and adolescents of all four regions of Europe which are particularly suited to inform exposure and risk assessment and answer open policy relevant questions.
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- dítě MeSH
- kyseliny ftalové * metabolismus MeSH
- látky znečišťující životní prostředí * analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- vystavení vlivu životního prostředí analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
AIM: The aim of the research was to find out the differences in the level of motor learning (ML) and general intelligence (IQ). The research sample included 120 boys and girls of primary school and grammar school aged 12-17 years and the subsequent identification of a possible relationship between the two indicators. METHODS: 120 students Elementary school (ES) and Secondary Grammar School (SGS) took part in testing the level of motor learning and intelligence (n = 120). We evaluated the level of ML in boys and girls in the demonstration of learned gymnastic elements. We used the intelligence test to determine the level of general intelligence [1]. RESULTS: The results did not show significant differences in the level of motor learning and intelligence between the genders in either age category. Correlation analysis confirmed a significant relationship between ML and IQ excluding the gender factor (r = -0.297). When gender was taken into account, the relationship was seen only in boys (r = -0.312). We note that we found a lower rate of ML in students with a higher level of intelligence. CONCLUSION: We assume the continuity of certain mental and motor processes, which is called motor intelligence. The results of our research did not show significant differences in the level of ML and IQ in both genders. Boys slightly dominated in ML, girls in IQ. This difference decreases with increasing age.
Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically tested for cultural variation in affective touch, nor examined the factors that might account for this variability. Here, over 14,000 individuals from 45 countries were asked whether they embraced, stroked, kissed, or hugged their partner, friends, and youngest child during the week preceding the study. We then examined a range of hypothesized individual-level factors (sex, age, parasitic history, conservatism, religiosity, and preferred interpersonal distance) and cultural-level factors (regional temperature, parasite stress, regional conservatism, collectivism, and religiosity) in predicting these affective-touching behaviors. Our results indicate that affective touch was most prevalent in relationships with partners and children, and its diversity was relatively higher in warmer, less conservative, and religious countries, and among younger, female, and liberal people. This research allows for a broad and integrated view of the bases of cross-cultural variability in affective touch.
- MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- hmat * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- náboženství MeSH
- srovnání kultur * MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- MeSH
- behaviorální výzkum MeSH
- dietní záliby MeSH
- kouření MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- osobní uspokojení MeSH
- pití alkoholu MeSH
- pohybová aktivita MeSH
- postoj ke zdraví * MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
- školy MeSH
- sporty * MeSH
- statistika jako téma MeSH
- tělesná hmotnost MeSH
- uživatelé drog MeSH
- životní styl * MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika MeSH
