Ειδήσεις Κοινού Κέντρου Ερευρών

JRC-Geel has released a new sewage sludge reference material (ERM®-CC144), certified for the mass fraction of the total and aqua regia extractable content of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. This material can help laboratories to assess the impact of sewage sludge application on farmland.

Further details: New reference material to support element analysis in sewage sludge

In 2015, global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes have stalled, confirming the slowdown trend observed since 2012. It is a result of structural changes in the global economy, global energy efficiency improvements and changing energy mix in key countries, concludes the latest report by the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and the JRC.

On 2 December 2016, the European Commission's Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography (KCMD) launched two new tools: the Migration Data Catalogue and the Dynamic Data Hub. These tools centralise migration related data, to better understand migration flows, trends and their impact on societies across the EU.

JRC scientists, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Lyon (Fr), reviewed the latest advances in multiplex cell microarrays for high-throughput screening allowing for high-throughput analysis.

Further information: Cells-on-chip as a powerful experimental tool

A new JRC study presented at the 9th Conference of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) indicates that the EU is vulnerable to supply bottlenecks of several key materials needed in wind, photovoltaic and electric vehicles technologies and that EU resilience to potential supply issues will deteriorate if mitigation measures are not taken.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALD) are devices used in addition to hearing aids (HAs) and cochlear implants to make more sounds accessible to people with hearing impairment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) over 5% of the world’s population – 360 million people of which 32 million are children – suffer from disabling hearing impairment. Hearing aids are currently used by about 50 million people.

JRC scientists prepared a comprehensive and critical overview of the application of proteomics approaches to determine the authenticity of several food products. Compared to other well established methodologies such as immunoassays or DNA-based analysis, proteomics represents a promising alternative.

Further information: Reviewing the potential of proteomics for food authentication

JRC scientists investigated whether cancer incidence rates obeyed Benford's law (the law of first digits). Results confirmed that the adherence to Benford's law improves the evaluation of the quality of cancer registry data.

Further information: A simple and objective metric for verifying the data quality of cancer registries

What type of support do EU countries offer firms to foster their creation and growth? Are the existing ecosystems comparable across the EU? Could EU countries learn from each other? These were the main questions posed in a research project on Entrepreneurship and Scale-up Indices (ESIS), the results of which have just been published by the JRC.

Further information: Country-specific advice to strengthen entrepreneurship and scale-up companies

The EU legislative framework governing food safety appears to be robust and well prepared to respond to challenges in 2050, according to a JRC foresight study. However, risk assessment, early warning for emerging hazards, official controls and inspections, provision of clear food information as well as food and nutrition education are elements that could be strengthened to better address future challenges.

The JRC contributed to a review and survey of key nanomaterial data, resulting in recommendations concerning the central question on how the completeness and quality of curated nanomaterials data should be evaluated.

A consortium of scientists from 16 different institutions from the EU and the USA, including a scientist from the JRC, reviewed the literature and properties of data on nanomaterials. The completeness and quality of curated (i.e. actively managed) nanomaterial data are essential to draw meaningful conclusions, e.g. concerning their toxicity properties.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published ISO 17034:2016 laying down the minimum competences for Reference Material Producers . The JRC played a major in transforming the existing guidance ISO Guide 34:2009 into an International Standard, which is at the same time satisfying the European accreditation Regulation (EC) No 765/2008.

Further information: New International Standard for the quality of reference materials

JRC hosts a Nanomaterials Repository providing benchmark materials used worldwide by (regulatory) scientists for development of standardised tests for safety assessment of nanomaterials.

Nanotechnology underpins developments in many sectors. However, the complex interaction of nanomaterials (NM) with living organisms and the environment makes environmental and health safety (EHS) assessment a challenge. International test guidelines and standards for testing NMs are thus crucial to promote sustainable technological development.

JRC scientists, in collaboration with University Milano Bicocca, Istituto Cantonale di Patologia in Locarno, and Department of Statistics and Computer Science, University of Florence, exploited the comprehension of the mechanisms underlying cell transformation using the In Vitro Cell Transformation Assay. The results recognised EGFR pathway as a starting point to identify the biochemical alterations underlying the morphological changes exploited in foci recognition and classification.

JRC scientists have contributed to the development of a reporting standard for the description of chemical exposure models, in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and other stakeholders. This work was carried out within the frame of the JRC's collaboration with the CEN.

Further information: Promoting the acceptance and use of chemical...

JRC scientists have proposed a systematic, sequential evaluation scheme involving the use of different techniques for the assessment of the presence of nanoparticles (NPs) in food-grade synthetic amorphous silica (SAS), usually coded as food additive E551.

Further information: Detection and sizing of nanoparticles in food additive E551 (silica)

JRC scientists, in collaboration with University La Sapienza in Rome, tested the in vitro biocompatibility and internalisation efficiency of new effective nano drug delivery systems (niosomal nanocarriers) developed for future brain cancer therapies. The results revealed biocompatibility of formulations and efficient cellular uptake.

Further information: Nanocarriers for brain cancer therapy

A study on targeted alpha therapy of brain tumours led by the Medical University of Warsaw in cooperation with the JRC won the 2016 Marie Curie Award of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM). The prestigious award recognises the best paper out of 2201 contributions submitted to the 2016 Annual Meeting of the EANM.

A multidisciplinary group of scientists from JRC and the Dutch RIKILT Wageningen University & Research have found that nanotechnology is frequently used in food as additives and food contact materials, while much fewer applications seem to be developed for agriculture and feed. Nano-encapsulates, silver, titanium dioxide and silica are the most often mentioned nanomaterials.

A JRC-run project and a dedicated application are bringing together scientists from across the EU and its neighbourhood to monitor and map litter floating from rivers into the seas.

The observation activity supports the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the EU's policy framework for the protection of the marine environment which aims to achieve good environmental status of the EU's marine waters by 2020. Although the work has already started, stakeholders are encouraged to join the network and monitor their own areas of concern.