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New research by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) indicates that the health risk of playing sports on synthetic turf pitches with an infill of rubber granulate is virtually negligible. Therefore, it is considered safe for people to play sports on such pitches. The research was conducted following public concerns prompted by the Dutch TV programme Zembla called 'Dangerous Play' in October 2016. RIVM hopes that the results of the research will help to answer questions from ministries, municipalities, sports clubs and parents. To evaluate the health risks of playing sports on rubber granulate, it is important to determine which hazardous substances are contained in the granulate and to what extent they may be released. Subsequently, it should be examined how people playing sports can come into contact with these substances and whether this can lead to health effects. Rubber granulate contains numerous substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, plasticisers (phthalates) and bisphenol A (BPA). These substances were found to be released from the granulate in very low amounts. This is because the substances are more or less 'enclosed' in the granulate, which means that the effect of these substances on human health is virtually negligible. What did RIVM investigate? RIVM determined the substances in rubber granulate from 100 sports pitches that are representative of the synthetic turf pitches in the Netherlands. The institute further performed three types of laboratory tests to examine the release of substances from the granulate if a person playing sport comes into contact with them. These 'migration studies' were used to assess to which extent substances can enter the human body via the skin, via the gastrointestinal tract or via the lungs. This was used to calculate human exposure to the released substances and how this can affect health. In addition, RIVM studied the information available in the scientific literature on substances in rubber granulate, their properties and their health effects. Is there a link with leukaemia? No indications were found in the available literature of a link between playing sports on synthetic turf pitches with an infill of rubber granulate and the incidence of leukaemia and lymphoma. No international research has demonstrated this connection. Moreover, it is clear from the composition of the rubber granulate that the chemical substances that are capable of causing leukaemia or lymphoma are either not present (benzene, styrene and 1,3-butadiene) or are present in a very low amount (2-mercaptobenzothiazole). Since the 1980s, a slight rise has been observed in the number of people aged between 10 and 29 who get leukaemia. This trend has not changed since pitches made of synthetic turf were first used in the Netherlands in 2001. Nor does research conducted in the U.S. reveal any increase in the number of new cases of lymphoma in areas where there are relatively many pitches with synthetic turf with an infill of rubber granulate. Information from new American research will be available early 2017. As rubber granulate has been used on football pitches in the United States for a longer period of time (since 1997), it will be possible to analyse over a longer period whether a link exists between playing sports on synthetic turf pitches and getting leukaemia. RIVM is in contact with the researchers and is keeping a sharp eye on the research. Rubber granulate in the environment This research focuses on potential health risks for people who play sports on synthetic turf pitches with an infill of rubber granulate. The research confirms earlier insights showing that the rubber granulate contains metals capable of entering the environment. In particular, zinc was found to be released from the granulate. This metal is not hazardous to humans, but can have consequences for organisms in the soil or surface water. Does rubber granulate meet requirements? Rubber granulate needs to fulfil the regulatory requirements for 'mixtures'. This concentration limit prescribes the maximum permissible amount of certain substances allowed in rubber granulate (there is no limit for how much may be released). This concentration limit concerns substances that are carcinogenic (such as PAHs), hazardous for reproduction or that damage DNA. The amount of PAHs in rubber granulate easily satisfies this concentration limit. The concentration limit for consumer products is far more stringent: it allows far lower amounts of PAHs (100 to 1000 times lower) compared with the concentration limit for mixtures. The amount of PAH in rubber granulate is slightly higher than the concentration limit for consumer products. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is currently conducting research to determine a suitable concentration limit for rubber granulate. RIVM recommends adjusting the concentration limit for rubber granulate to one that is closer to the concentration limit applicable to consumer products. Why is rubber granulate used for football pitches? Rubber granulate is finely crushed rubber particles that are usually made from old car tyres. When used as infill on pitches of synthetic turf, it gives the pitch properties similar to normal turf. It means the ball does not roll too fast and does not bounce too high, and makes the synthetic turf better suited to sliding tackles than it would be without the granulate. Synthetic turf pitches can be used intensively all year around and need less maintenance. A lot is invested nowadays in order to reuse old products as a raw material for new products. This also applies to car tyres. The questions that have arisen about the safety of rubber granulate show that tension may exist between the reuse of materials and concerns about the health risks of new products.

Accurate estimation of consumer exposure is a necessity in assessing the potential risks of chemical substances in consumer products. RIVM has developed the computer program ConsExpo, for which recently an online version was launched (ConsExpo Web), to estimate such exposure. ConsExpo Web can be used to calculate indoor consumer exposure to substances during the use of for example paint, cleaning products and personal care products. Fact Sheets that describe default models and default values for exposure parameters have been written for users of ConsExpo Web. Using these models and default values, the exposure assessment is performed in a standardised and transparent way. Several Fact Sheets are available. Following the update of the General Fact Sheet in 2014, the Cleaning Products Fact Sheet is now updated as well. The Cleaning Products Fact Sheet describes default values useful in estimating exposure to substances in a cleaning product, such as for frequency of use and product amount. The updated version of the Cleaning Products Fact Sheet describes the latest data sources. This new information has been evaluated and the default values are adjusted when necessary. The defaults in the ConsExpo database of amongst others laundry detergents, dishwashing products, all-purpose cleaners, abrasives, bathroom cleaners, floor, carpet and furniture cleaners and other cleaning products, will be renewed parallel to the publication of the revised Cleaning Products Fact Sheet.

RIVM has developed a manual for ConsExpo Web. This web application has been developed for use by exposure experts and risk assessors to estimate exposure to chemical substances from various products under various exposure conditions. Exposure assessments provide necessary information for the evaluation of the safety of chemical substances in consumer products. ConsExpo Web is the successor to ConsExpo 4. Using ConsExpo Web, exposure experts and risk assessors from authorities, institutes and companies can assess consumer exposure in a transparent, standardized fashion. There is a wide variety of consumer products, ranging from cosmetics to cleaning products and pest control products. Their use (e.g. how much of the product is used and how frequently) also varies among consumers. ConsExpo Web provides a number of generally applicable exposure assessment models and a database of exposure factors. Together, the models and the database provide a basis on which exposure from a specific product can be estimated. This document provides an overview of ConsExpo Web, an explanation of the exposure and absorption models available in ConsExpo Web and guidance for the careful analysis of the exposure assessment. ConsExpo Web is available via rivm.nl/consexpo. After registration, the use of ConsExpo Web is free.

Parabenen zijn stoffen die als conserveermiddel in verschillende consumentenproducten kunnen worden gebruikt, zoals persoonlijke verzorgingsproducten, voedsel en medicijnen. Ze gaan de groei van schimmels en bacteriën tegen. Parabenen worden er van verdacht dat ze een hormoonverstorende werking hebben. Hormoonverstorende stoffen kunnen de hormoonhuishouding in de war brengen. Het RIVM heeft in een literatuurstudie voor de drie meest gebruikte parabenen (methyl-, ethyl- en propylparabeen) onderzocht of deze als een hormoonverstorende stof beschouwd kunnen worden. De beschikbare gegevens uit dierstudies die in de literatuur zijn beschreven, leveren echter onvoldoende informatie om hierover een conclusie te trekken. In de studie is ook bekeken of de mogelijke hormoonverstorende effecten zijn meegenomen in de wettelijke beoordelingskaders die van toepassing zijn. Omdat er onvoldoende gegevens zijn, is dat niet het geval bij de huidige risicobeoordeling. De blootstelling door persoonlijke verzorgingsproducten is behoorlijk goed onderzocht en lijkt in het algemeen het meest aan de totale blootstelling bij te dragen. De blootstelling vanuit voedsel blijkt verwaarloosbaar. Voor een acceptabele, eerste schatting van de blootstelling vanuit medicijnen is te weinig informatie beschikbaar. Uit de studie blijkt verder dat de mate waarin mensen aan de afzonderlijke parabenen worden blootgesteld naar schatting lager lijkt te zijn dan de hoeveelheid waarbij een gezondheidseffect kan worden verwacht. Voor deze blootstellingsschattingen zijn veiligheidshalve zeer ongunstige aannames gebruikt. In de praktijk worden mensen echter aan een combinatie van verschillende stoffen blootgesteld. Het is nog onduidelijk of en hoe deze gecombineerde blootstelling aan de verschillende parabenen meegenomen kan worden in de risicobeoordeling. Om hiaten in de kennis te vullen adviseert het RIVM om aanvullend onderzoek te doen naar de mogelijk hormoonverstorende werking van de parabenen en de blootstellingsschatting te verfijnen. Hiervoor worden aanbevelingen aangereikt.

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Het gebruik van chemische stoffen, bijvoorbeeld in consumentenproducten, kan door Europese maatregelen worden beperkt zodat mensen minder aan deze stoffen worden blootgesteld. De mate waarin deze beleidsmaatregelen bijdragen aan een afname van nadelige gezondheidseffecten moet worden onderbouwd. Voor een REACH-restrictiedossier of -autorisatieaanvraag worden de verwachte gezondheidseffecten geanalyseerd met een gezondheidseffectschatting (Health Impact Assessment). Om deze analyse optimaal te kunnen benutten, heeft het RIVM een handzame leidraad ontwikkeld. Hiermee worden beleidsmakers geholpen om de effecten van voorgenomen beleidsmaatregelen te bepalen. De leidraad bevat een beknopte tabel met de belangrijkste elementen die nodig zijn om te kunnen schatten welke gezondheidseffecten optreden. Het document geeft een helder beeld van de aannames die in de analyse aan de orde zijn. Op deze manier wordt duidelijk of met onzekerheden rekening is gehouden en of de gemaakte aannames zijn onderbouwd. De leidraad is ontwikkeld op basis van de huidige literatuur. Daarnaast is de leidraad toegepast op schattingen van gezondheidseffecten die voor bestaande restrictiedossiers zijn uitgevoerd. Op die manier zijn omissies en verbeterpunten in kaart gebracht waarmee de leidraad is verbeterd. De tabel kan gemakkelijk toegepast worden door degenen die de gezondheidseffectschattingen opstellen en de commissies die ze beoordelen.

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Visually impaired people encounter many challenges in their everyday life, especially when it comes to navigating and representing space. The issue of shopping is addressed mostly on the level of navigation and product detection, but conveying clues about the object position to the user is rarely implemented. This work presents a prototype of vibrotactile wristband using spatiotemporal patterns to help visually impaired users reach an object in the 2D plane in front of them. A pilot study on twelve blindfolded sighted subjects showed that discretizing space in a seven by seven targets matrix and conveying clues with a discrete pattern on the vertical axis and a continuous pattern on the horizontal axis is an intuitive and effective design., 4+1 pages

This paper has been selected to receive a Best of ISS Honorable Mention Award. The Best of ISS Awards honor exceptional submissions to the conference; receiving an Honorable Mention Award indicates that your paper was identified by the ISS Program Committee Members and ISS Best Paper Committee as being among the top 5% of all submissions to ISS 2020.; International audience; Visual graphics are widely spread in digital media and are useful in many contexts of daily life. However, access to this type of graphical information remains a challenging task for people with visual impairments (VI). In this study, we designed and evaluated an on-hand vibrotactile interface that enables users with VI to explore digital graphics presented on tablets. We first conducted a set of exploratory tests with both people with VI and blindfolded (BF) people to investigate several design factors. We then conducted a comparative experiment to verify that on-hand vibrotactile cues (indicating direction and progression) can enhance the non-visual exploration of digital graphics. The results based on 12 participants with VI and 12 BF participants confirmed the usability of the technique and revealed that the visual status of the users does not impact graphics identification and comparison tasks.

International audience

International audience; Interactive maps for visually impaired people are rarely dynamic and if so, very expensive. We developed a low-cost tangible tabletop interface that enables visually impaired users to dynamically construct maps. To do so, we designed a novel type of physical icons, called Tangible Reels. In this paper, we discuss how actuated Tangible Reels could be used to provide visually impaired users with an access to dynamic tangible maps and advanced functionalities (zoom, pan and exploration of geostatistical data). The three design ideas that we propose open new avenues for shape-changing interfaces for visually impaired users

International audience; Tactile raised-line maps are paper maps widely used by visually impaired people. We designed a mobile technique, based on hand tracking and a smartwatch, in order to leverage pervasive access to virtual maps. We use the smartwatch to render localized text-to-speech and vibratory feedback during hand exploration, but also to provide filtering functions activated by swipe gestures. We conducted a first study to compare the usability of a raised-line map with three virtual maps (plain, with filter, with filter and grid). The results show that virtual maps are usable, and that adding a filter, or a filter and a grid, significantly speeds up data exploration and selection. The results of a following case study showed that visually impaired users were able to achieve a complex task with the device, i.e. finding spatial correlations between two sets of data.

International audience; On mobile devices, most text entry systems offer assistance through the means of prediction or correction word lists. These lists can hardly be used by visually impaired users in a short time. In this paper, we present three studies to find an interaction which minimizes the time required to select a word from a list without knowing its elements a priori. First, we explored the various possible item layouts, to conclude that a linear spatial arrangement is preferable. Then we studied the audio feedback, and we have determined that providing on-demand audio feedback is enough. Finally, we proposed four validation interactions to retain a validation based on the principle of a press-release gesture.

Teachers and educators working with visually impaired students need to create numerous adapted learning materials that represent maps, shapes, objects, concepts, etc. This process usually relies on tactile document makers. It is time consuming and expensive. Recent “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) techniques, including 3D printing and low-cost rapid prototyping, may enable to easily and quickly create learning materials that is versatile, interactive and cheap. In this study, we first analyzed the needs of many professionals at an institute for visually impaired children. It appeared that many of the students also present associated behavioral disorders, which has consequences on the design of adapted materials. In a second step, we used a focus group with design probes made with regular or 3D printed objects, and low-cost microcontrollers. At the end of the focus group, we identified four specific scenarios with different teachers and students. We created four low-cost interactive prototypes, and we observed how they were used during learning sessions. In conclusion, DIY methods appear to be a valuable solution for enabling professionals to quickly design new adapted materials or modify existing ones. Furthermore, DIY methods provide a collaborative framework between teachers and visually impaired students, which has a positive impact on their motivation.

We investigate, via contemporaneous X-ray and optical/IR observations, the nearby, pre-main sequence star/disk systems T Chamaeleontis (T Cha; D ~ 110 pc, age 3-5 Myr) and TWA 30A and 30B (D ~ 40 pc; age ~ 8 Myr). All three of these systems present opportunities to probe pre-main sequence (pre-MS) star-disk interactions during late-stage circumstellar disk evolution. The classical T Tauri star T Cha is the closest known example of a highly inclined, actively accreting, solar-mass star/disk system; furthermore, T Cha may be orbited by a low-mass companion or massive planet that has cleared an inner hole in its disk. We analyze near-simultaneous Chandra high-resolution X-ray and optical H-alpha spectroscopy observations of T Cha and find a correlation between X-ray and optical extinction resulting from variable photospheric obscuration from a disk warp/clump. We search for signatures of accretion and infer the X-ray absorbing properties of the T Cha circumstellar disk.We also present contemporaneous XMM-Newton X-ray and optical/IR spectroscopic observations of the nearby, actively accreting, very low-mass (mid-M) pre-MS star/disk/jet systems TWA 30A and 30B. Like T Cha, each component of this wide binary is viewed through a nearly edge-on circumstellar disk. We investigate potential X-ray accretion signatures, and compare the levels of magnetic activity in TWA 30A and 30B to those of other nearby, low-mass pre-MS stars near the H-burning limit. Both TWA 30A and 30B display large near-IR variability, suggestive of (respectively) variable obscuration of the stellar photosphere and a possible disk-rim warp. We detect only TWA 30A in X-rays and, similar to the case of T Cha, find a correlation between optical/IR and X-ray extinction associated with variable photospheric obscuration. The proximity and highly-inclined viewing geometries of the TWA 30 pair and T Cha, combined with contemporaneous optical/IR and X-ray observations, afford a unique opportunity to investigate the composition of late-stage circumstellar disks orbiting pre-MS stars.

National audience

International audience; Clinical trials reveal that current visual neuroprosthesis are not yet usable. The main reason is the small number of implanted electrodes, leading to a very poor visual resolution. The resolution is especially not sufficient to detect specific objects (faces, signs, etc.) in the surroundings. We used simulated prosthetic vision (SPV) to show that pre-processing of the camera image could restore these functions, even with low- resolution implants. Specifically, we showed that it is possible to quickly detect and localize human faces located nearby. We suggest that high-level processing of the video stream may be included in current visual neuroprosthesis. This would restore many visuomotor behaviors such as grasping, heading, steering, etc.

It has been assumed (Lederman et al. 1990, Perception & psychophysics) that a visual imagery process is involved in the haptic identification of raised-line drawings of common objects. The finding of significant correlations between visual imagery ability and performance on picture-naming tasks was taken as experimental evidence in support of this assumption. However, visual imagery measures came from self-report procedures, which can be unreliable. The present study therefore used an objective measure of visuospatial imagery abilities in sighted participants and compared three groups of high, medium and low visuospatial imagers on their accuracy and response times in identifying raised-line drawings by touch. Results revealed between-group differences on accuracy, with high visuospatial imagers outperforming low visuospatial imagers, but not on response times. These findings lend support to the view that visuospatial imagery plays a role in the identification of raised-line drawings by sighted adults.

Although artificial vision systems could potentially provide very useful input to assistive devices for blind people, such devices are rarely used outside of laboratory experiments. Many current systems attempt to reproduce the visual image via an alternative sensory modality (often auditory or somatosensory), but this dominant "scoreboard" approach, is often difficult to interpret for the user. Here, we propose to offload the recognition problem onto a separate image processing system that then provides the user with just the essential information about the location of objects in the surrounding environment. Specifically, we show that a bio-inspired image processing algorithm (SpikeNet) can not only robustly, precisely, and rapidly recognize and locate key objects in the image, but also in space if the objects are in a stereoscopic field of view. In addition, the bio-inspired algorithm allows real-time calculation of optic flow. We hence propose that this system, coupled with a restitution interface allowing localization in space (i.e. three-dimensional virtual sounds synthesis) can be used to restore essential visuomotor behaviors such as grasping desired objects and navigating (finding directions, avoiding obstacles) in unknown environments.

International audience; In this paper, we propose some adaptation to Geographical Infor-mation System (GIS) components used in GPS based navigation system. In our design process, we adopted a user-centered design approach in collaboration with final users and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) instructors. A database scheme is presented to integrate the principal classes proposed by users and O&M instructors. In addition, some analytical tools are also implemented and integrated in the GIS. This adapted GIS can improve the guidance process of existing and future EOAs. A first implementation of an adapted guidance process allowing a better representation of the surroundings is provided as an il-lustration of this adapted GIS. This work is part of the NAVIG system (Naviga-tion Assisted by Artificial VIsion and GNSS), an assistive device, whose aim is to improve the Quality of Life of Visually Impaired (VI) persons via increased orientation and mobility capabilities.

With the aim of designing an assistive device for the Blind, we compared the ability of blind and sighted subjects to accurately locate several types of sounds generated in the peri-personal space. Despite a putative lack of calibration of their auditory system with vision, blind subjects performed with a similar accuracy as sighted subjects. The average error was sufficiently low (10° in azimuth and 10 cm in distance) to orient a user towards a specific goal or to guide a hand grasping movement to a nearby object. Repeated white noise bursts of short duration induced better performance than continuous sounds of similar total duration. These types of sound could be advantageously used in an assistive device. They would provide indications about direction to follow or position of surrounding objects, with limited masking of environmental sounds, which are of primary importance for the Blind.

The vast majority of existing route selection processes is designed for vehicle navigation. In this paper we describe an adapted routing algorithm for visually impaired pedestrians based on users needs. Our aim was to find the most adapted route that connects origin and destination points, and which can provide the Blind with a sparse but helpful mental representation of the itinerary and surroundings. Based on multiple brainstorming sessions and interviews with blind people and an orientation and mobility (O&M) instructor, different classes of objects were defined and tagged in the Geographical Information System. The optimal route was then selected using the Dijkstra algorithm. This method will be used in NAVIG (Navigation Assisted by Artificial VIsion and GNSS), an assistive device for the Blind, whose aim is to improve orientation, mobility and objects localization.

We investigated the role of visual experience and visual imagery in the processing of two-dimensional (2-D) tactile patterns. The performance of early-blind (EB), late-blind (LB), and blindfolded sighted (S) adults in the recognition of 2-D raised-line patterns was compared. We also examined whether recognition of 2-D tactile patterns depends on the type of memory strategy (eg spatial, visuo-spatial, verbal, and kinesthetic) used by EB, LB, and S participants to perform the task. Significant between-group differences in the recognition performance have not been found despite significant between-group differences in self-reported memory strategies. Recognition performance does not vary significantly with the strategy, but correlates positively with visuo-spatial imagery abilities in the S participants. These findings may be taken to suggest that the difficulties some blind people experience with tactile pictures are not due to difficulties in processing 2-D tactile patterns.

The reaction of carbon dioxide with the stannane nBu2Sn(OiPr)2 and distannoxane [nBu2(iPrO)Sn]2O leads to the selective insertion into one Sn-OiPr bond generating the corresponding nBu2Sn(OiPr)(OCO2(i)Pr) and nBu2(iPrO)SnOSn(OCO2(i)Pr)nBu2 species. Both compounds are characterised by multinuclear NMR, FT-IR and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. In the solid state, they adopt a dimeric arrangement with bridging isopropoxy and terminal isopropylcarbonato ligands. The X-ray crystal structure of the dinuclear stannane shows that the Sn2O2 ring and the two Sn-OCO2C fragments are nearby coplanar. The same holds for the ladder-type tetranuclear distannoxane. The dimeric structures are also evidenced by solution NMR in non-coordinating solvents. Interestingly, the assignment of the exo and endo tin resonances of the dimeric distannoxane is unambiguous using a labeled 13CO2 experiment. The stability of the dimeric association has been probed in the stannane series on the basis of DFT calculations.

Objective: Current knowledge on the global burden of infant sepsis is limited to population-level data. We aimed to summarize global case fatality rates (CFRs) of young infants with sepsis, stratified by gross national income (GNI) status and patient-level risk factors., Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on CFRs among young infants < 90 days with sepsis. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Central, Embase, and Web of Science for studies published between January 2010 and September 2019. We obtained pooled CFRs estimates using the random effects model. We performed a univariate analysis at patient-level and a meta-regression to study the associations of gestational age, birth weight, onset of sepsis, GNI, age group and culture-proven sepsis with CFRs., Results: The search yielded 6314 publications, of which 240 studies ( N = 437,796 patients) from 77 countries were included. Of 240 studies, 99 were conducted in high-income countries, 44 in upper-middle-income countries, 82 in lower-middle-income countries, 6 in low-income countries and 9 in multiple income-level countries. Overall pooled CFR was 18% (95% CI, 17-19%). The CFR was highest for low-income countries [25% (95% CI, 7-43%)], followed by lower-middle [25% (95% CI, 7-43%)], upper-middle [21% (95% CI, 18-24%)] and lowest for high-income countries [12% (95% CI, 11-13%)]. Factors associated with high CFRs included prematurity, low birth weight, age less than 28 days, early onset sepsis, hospital acquired infections and sepsis in middle- and low-income countries. Study setting in middle-income countries was an independent predictor of high CFRs. We found a widening disparity in CFRs between countries of different GNI over time., Conclusion: Young infant sepsis remains a major global health challenge. The widening disparity in young infant sepsis CFRs between GNI groups underscore the need to channel greater resources especially to the lower income regions., Systematic Review Registration: [www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero], identifier [CRD42020164321]., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Gan, Lee, Yap, Seethor, Greenberg, Pek, Tan, Hornik, Lee and Chong.)