Grid-Arendal

Tyre wear particles (TWPs) are an emerging pollutant of concern due to their potential risks to ecosystems and human health, yet they remain absent from European pollution monitoring and risk assessment (RA) frameworks. This study introduces a novel scenario-based RA framework tailored to complex contaminants, using European regional seas as a case study. The framework applies three scenarios that reflect the availability of empirical data and guide when modelled exposure or hazard estimates must be used. This structured approach provides transparency and flexibility for emerging pollutants where conventional tools, such as species sensitivity distributions (SSDs), fail due to scarce, inconsistent, or non-comparable datasets. TWPs pose a dual challenge: they are both physical particles and carriers of tyre wear chemicals (TWCs), which leach into aquatic systems as tyre wear leachates (TWLs). Current evidence suggests TWCs drive most toxicity, but their quantification is hindered by overlapping sources, variable composition, and limited marine ecotoxicity data. To address these gaps, a riverine emission model estimated that 82 million-1.2 billion TWPs may enter European seas annually, with predicted concentrations of 0.0001-0.016 particles m³ . The Mediterranean receives the highest annual load, followed by the North-East Atlantic, Black Sea, and Baltic Sea. While modelled TWP concentrations fall below generic microplastic thresholds, TWCs may pose unaccounted ecological risks. This study highlights the innovation of the three-scenario framework, identifies critical data and regulatory gaps, and calls for harmonised monitoring, improved toxicity testing, and integration of TWPs and TWCs into EU policy to advance Zero Pollution goals.

Abstract Background Accurate interpretation of ECG recordings is essential for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Previous studies have demonstrated moderate reliability of single-point single-lead ECG in the setting of AF screening, which limits its utility for widespread use in early detection. Aim To evaluate the inter-observer agreement in the detection of AF by independent cardiologists interpreting continuous single-lead patch ECG recordings. Methods The Norwegian AF Self-Screening Trial (NORSCREEN) is an ongoing randomized controlled trial enrolling adults aged ≥65 years with at least one additional risk factor for stroke. Individuals with a prior AF diagnosis or anticoagulation therapy are excluded. Included participants are randomly assigned to long-term (7-day) ECG monitoring using the continuous single-lead patch ECG system ECG247 (Figure 1). All ECG recordings undergo analyses by an automated algorithm before review by a cardiologist (first ECG interpretation). Cases initially interpreted as AF by the cardiologist are further assessed by a Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) comprising two independent cardiologists (second ECG interpretation). In cases of disagreement, a third independent cardiologist adjudicates the final diagnosis. Inter-observer reliability was defined as the level of positive percent agreement between the first and second ECG interpretations. Minimum 30 s AF was required for an AF interpretation. Results The 121 first interpretation of AF among the study participants were included in this analysis. The median age was 73 [interquartile range: 69–77] years and 48% of the study participants were female. The median duration of the ECG recordings were 7 days [interquartile range: 5–9 days]. The second ECG interpretation confirmed AF in 120 cases, corresponding to 99.2% agreement with the first interpretation (Figure 2). Conclusions The NORSCREEN trial demonstrate high inter-observer reliability in the interpretation of continuous single-lead patch ECG for AF detection. These results highlight the potential of continuous single-lead ECG monitoring to enhance AF diagnosis, thereby improving early detection and facilitating timely intervention in at-risk population.

Assistive technologies and person-centred practices are emerging as essential strategies in Western healthcare programs to address the future care needs of people with dementia. Notably, the distinct roles of assistive technologies and healthcare personnel in implementing person-centred practices within nursing homes have received minimal attention. Thus, the present study aims to explore how healthcare personnel experiences the use of assistive technologies within nursing homes for the purpose of supporting person-centred practice. A qualitative approach was employed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 healthcare personnel from two nursing homes in Norway. A combination of deductive and inductive analysis was used and was guided by the affordance actualization theory. Use of assistive technologies in person-centred practice required a high degree of individual awareness, knowledge, judgement and actions, and depended on residents’ varying cognitive state and interests. The process of realizing potential benefits from assistive technologies was influenced by healthcare personnel's skills, interests, and attitudes, alongside workplace-related factors such as human resources, available technologies, daily routines, and technological fit with residents, and perceived functionality and usability of the assistive technologies. Our results suggest a need for better management practices regarding the information and training of healthcare personnel, assignment of responsibilities, and establishment of formal routines to enhance collective awareness and goal-directed actions in utilizing technology effectively in the two nursing homes. Additionally, assistive technologies in nursing homes should be better tailored to residents with dementia. We believe these insights can contribute to the development and implementation of assistive technologies for individuals with dementia and support technology-driven person-centred practices in nursing homes.Key messages• Fostering person-centred practices, through the use of assistive technologies, requires the establishment of person-centred cultures at both systemic and team levels.• It is essential to collaborate with healthcare personnel in the development of assistive technologies tailored for use in nursing homes and for individuals with dementia.

Aquaculture and fisheries are essential for food security and livelihoods in coastal communities and contribute, though modestly, to the GDP of African nations, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Marine pollution poses significant social, economic, and environmental challenges to these industries. The One Health approach, which recognises the links between marine pollution, health, and food security, provides a comprehensive framework for addressing these issues. To mitigate these challenges, country-specific strategies should focus on strengthening legal frameworks for pollution control, promoting environmental stewardship, enhancing regulation enforcement, improving waste management, and fostering stakeholder engagement. Key technological innovations include marking fishing gear to prevent ghost fishing, implementing integrated multi-trophic aquaculture and aquaponics to reduce eutrophication, and improving fish disease management while preventing aquaculture escapes. Addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is also crucial for long-term sustainability. Additionally, enhancing multisectoral coordination, regional cooperation, and integrating traditional knowledge with modern practices can help safeguard both communities and ecosystems in these vulnerable regions.

This study aimed to compare the clinical accuracy of maxillary positioning in bimaxillary orthognathic surgery based on the method of virtual surgical planning (VSP) implementation, specifically contrasting the use of the wafer-only versus the customized guide-plate system. Thirty-four patients who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery were retrospectively analyzed and divided into 2 groups: a control group (wafer-only, n=17) and a study group (wafer+guide+plate, n=17). Surgical accuracy was quantitatively evaluated by comparing the 3-dimensional coordinates of 5 maxillary landmarks between the virtual surgical plan (Tv) and postoperative cone-beam computed tomography (T1) using dedicated 3D analysis software. In addition, postoperative skeletal stability was evaluated by comparing T1 and T2. The study group showed significantly better accuracy in transverse (0.36mm versus 0.86mm) and anterior vertical dimensions (0.51mm versus 1.45mm). Both groups experienced challenges with posterior vertical positioning and sagittal accuracy. Six-month stability analysis revealed no significant differences between groups, with mean absolute changes of 0.39-1.41mm (study) and 0.44-1.39mm (control). The guide-plate system offers a clinically meaningful improvement in maxillary positioning accuracy over the wafer-only approach, particularly in complex cases requiring high precision. Both methods demonstrated comparable 6-month stability, indicating that the enhanced initial accuracy does not compromise postoperative stability.

The growing plastic production, the lack of their waste management, and fragmented regulatory responses have increased their abundance in the environment. Plastic pollution has created significant environmental concerns leading to planetary boundary threats. As a result, an increasing number of governments and non-state actors have begun negotiations on a legally binding treaty to cover the full-life-cycle of plastics by 2024. While the negotiations were mandated at the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2 in March of 2022, how the new agreement would link to existing governance bodies addressing plastic pollution at the global, regional, national and local levels requires careful consideration. This analysis examines the main multi-level governance structures in place to govern plastics while highlighting their principal roles as well as shortcomings and gaps. It then explores ways a new global agreement could complement existing governance structures without imposing and duplicating the work of previous agreements.

Marine litter is one of the most pervasive and fast-growing aspects of contamination in the global ocean, and has been observed in every environmental setting, including the deep seafloor where little is known about the magnitude and consequences of the problem. Submarine canyons, the main conduits for the transport of sediment, organic matter and water masses from shallow to abyssal depths, have been claimed to be preferential pathways for litter transport and accumulation in the deep sea. This is supported by ongoing evidence of large litter piles at great water depths, highlighting efficient transfer via canyons. The aim of this article is to present an overview of the current knowledge about marine litter in submarine canyons, taking a geological, process-based point of view. We evaluate sources, transport mechanisms and deposition of litter within canyons to assess the main factors responsible for its transport and accumulation in the deep sea. Few studies relate litter distribution to transport and depositional processes; nevertheless, results from available literature show that canyons represent accumulation areas for both land-based and maritime-based litter. Particularly, accumulation of fishing-related debris is mainly observed at the canyon heads and walls and is related to fishing activities carried out in and adjacent to canyons, while transport and accumulation of general waste and plastic along canyon axes can be related to different mechanisms, encompassing enhanced bottom currents, dense water cascading and turbidity currents, and is related to the proximity of canyons to shore. Global assessment of canyons exposure to riverine plastic inputs and fishing-related debris indicates varying susceptibility of canyons to litter, also highlighting that most of the canyons prone to receive large amounts of anthropogenic debris have not yet been surveyed. Considering that litter research in canyons is still in its infancy, several knowledge gaps need to be filled before the role of canyons as litter traps and the implication for benthic ecosystems can be fully understood.

This book presents 10 efficient, cost-effective and custom-made solutions that have been tested in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region and are suitable for up-scaling and out-scaling to other regions. Each solution can contribute to several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and thus help ensure a better future for all. The 10 solutions showcased here are examples of a large number of diverse, nature-based solutions that provide long-term benefits to local communities, their environment and livelihoods by increasing their resilience to change. This publication was developed as a part of the Resilient Mountain Solutions (RMS) initiative in collaboration with GRID-Arendal, Norway. The RMS Initiative is implemented by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with local partners and is funded by the governments of Norway and Sweden.

Abstract Despite their importance for regional water resource planning and as indicators of climate change, records of in situ glacier mass balance remain short and spatially sparse in the Himalaya. Here, we present an updated series of in situ mass-balance measurements from Rikha Samba Glacier, Nepal, between 2011 and 2021. The updated in situ mass balance is −0.39 ± 0.32 m w.e. for this period. We use an energy-mass balance model to extend the annual mass-balance series back to 1974. The model is forced using daily meteorological variables from ERA5-Land reanalysis data that is linearly bias-corrected using observations from an automatic weather station situated near the glacier terminus. The modeled mass balance is consistent with the in situ mass-balance series measured 2011–2021 and with previous glaciological and geodetic estimates. The model results indicate a mass balance of −0.56 ± 0.27 m w.e. a−1over the reconstruction period of 1974–2021, which is comparable to the mass losses experienced by other Himalayan glaciers during this time. An assessment of the sensitivity of the glacier mass balance to meteorological forcing suggests that a change in temperature of ±1 K has a stronger effect on the calculated mass balance compared to a ±20% change in either precipitation, or relative humidity, or solar radiation.