Inhalative Exposure to Vanadium Pentoxide Causes DNA Damage in Workers: Results of a Multiple End Point Study

BackgroundInhalative exposure to vanadium pentoxide (V(2)O(5)) causes lung cancer in rodents.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to investigate the impact of V(2)O(5) on DNA stability in workers from a V(2)O(5) factory.MethodsWe determined DNA strand breaks in leukocytes of 52 workers and controls using the alkaline comet assay. We also investigated different parameters of chromosomal instability in lymphocytes of 23 workers and 24 controls using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (MN) cytome method.ResultsSeven of eight biomarkers were increased in blood cells of the workers, and vanadium plasma concentrations in plasma were 7-fold higher than in the controls (0.31 microg/L). We observed no difference in DNA migration under standard conditions, but we found increased tail lengths due to formation of oxidized purines (7%) and pyrimidines (30%) with lesion-specific enzymes (formamidopyrimidine glycosylase and endonuclease III) in the workers. Bleomycin-induced DNA migration was higher in the exposed group (25%), whereas the repair of bleomycin-induced lesions was reduced. Workers had a 2.5-fold higher MN frequency, and nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (Nbuds) were increased 7-fold and 3-fold, respectively. Also, apoptosis and necrosis rates were higher, but only the latter parameter reached statistical significance.ConclusionsV(2)O(5) causes oxidation of DNA bases, affects DNA repair, and induces formation of MNs, NPBs, and Nbuds in blood cells, suggesting that the workers are at increased risk for cancer and other diseases that are related to DNA instability.Veronika A. Ehrlich, Armen K. Nersesyan, Kambis Atefie, Christine Hoelzl, Franziska Ferk, Julia Bichler, Eva Valic, Andreas Schaffer, Rolf Schulte‑Hermann, Michael Fenech, Karl‑Heinz Wagner and Siegfried Knasmüllerhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2599764

µLC-ICP-MS determinations of unexposed UK urinary arsenic speciation reference values

This study provides background levels for five arsenic species in urine, based on urinary data obtained from 95 nonoccupationally exposed volunteers based in the UK. Using a novel, sensitive, robust and reliable speciation methodology, five species of arsenic (arsenobetaine [AB], arsenite [As3+], arsenate [As5+], monomethylarsonic acid [MMA5+] and dimethylarsinic acid [DMA5+]) were determined in urine samples collected from 95 adults. The analytical instrumentation used to analyze the urine samples was a hyphenated micro liquid chromatography (μLC) system coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Separation was achieved using an anion exchange micro-sized column. The results presented give the 95th percentile of concentrations, both uncorrected for creatinine (µg/L) and creatinine corrected (µmol/mol) in urine for the 95 volunteers. Statistical analysis was performed on the dataset using a Bayesian model to determine and quantify effects of gender, smoking and diet. The statistical results show that the consumption of fish, shellfish and red wine has a significant elevating effect on AB, DMA and MMA urinary concentrations; however, no significant effect was observed for smoking. The regression model results indicate that creatinine correction was effective for arsenic species As3+, MMA, DMA and AB. The background levels established here can be used as reference values to help aid interpretation of arsenic speciation results and better assess exposure

Stellungnahme zur strukturellen Stärkung der empirischen Bildungsforschung. Ausschreibung von Forschungsgruppen in der empirischen Bildungsforschung

Die Expertise der empirischen Bildungsforschung wird im Gefolge der internationalen Schulleistungsstudien zunehmend nachgefragt. Ähnliches ist mit Bezug auf den weiten Bereich des Lehrens und Lernens mit neuen Medien festzustellen. Von der einschlägigen Forschung wird kompetente Beratung, Ausbildung, Fort- und Weiterbildung erwartet - und als Grundlage all dessen das Aufgreifen der sich ergebenden neuen Forschungsfragen sowie deren Bearbeitung auf international konkurrenzfähigem Niveau. ... Deshalb wird eine Förderinitiative "Forschergruppen in der empirischen Bildungsforschung" vorgeschlagen ..., mit dem Ziel, Anstöße zur einschlägigen Profil- und Schwerpunktbildung an den Hochschulen zu geben, damit die Entfaltungsmöglichkeiten des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses zu stärken und so die nachhaltige Wirkung thematisch einschlägiger Forschungsförderungsprogramme zu verbessern. (DIPF/ Orig.

Funding ATLAS 2012: key indicators for publicly funded research in Germany

The Funding ATLAS is a reporting system (previously referred to as the Funding Ranking) employed by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to provide information in the form of indicators of key developments in publicly funded research in Germany every three years. This English version of the Funding ATLAS 2012 presents selected findings from the more comprehensive German edition. At the core of the report are indicators that provide information on which subject areas have received funding at higher education and other research institutions in the period 2008-2010. This report also includes, as a supplement not found in the German edition, the decisions on the Excellence Initiative, which were taken shortly after the German edition of the Funding ATLAS 2012 was published. The report also addresses the subject of internationality by presenting selected indicators that show how attractive Germany's research institutions are for visiting scientists. In summary, the DFG Funding ATLAS furnishes reliable indicators of the effectiveness and competitiveness of publicly funded research in Germany. It documents how research locations are developing their profiles and their attractiveness for international scientists