Development and Validation of an On-Line Water Toxicity Sensor with Immobilized Luminescent Bacteria for On-Line Surface Water Monitoring.

Surface water used for drinking water production is frequently monitored in The Netherlands using whole organism biomonitors, with for example or mussels, which respond to changes in the water quality. However, not all human-relevant toxic compounds can be detected by these biomonitors. Therefore, a new on-line biosensor has been developed, containing immobilized genetically modified bacteria, which respond to genotoxicity in the water by emitting luminescence.

EPO or PlacEPO? Science versus practical experience: panel discussion on efficacy of erythropoetin in improving performance.

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) is an agent commonly used by athletes with the aim to improve performance in endurance sports. However, the scientific community continues to debate the risks, benefits and its mechanism of action when used as a doping agent. This paper provides a brief overview on the pros and cons of rHuEPO use, as discussed by a group of scientist with diverse background, at the 17th Conference of the European Society for Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation in Pecs, Hungary.

Validation of a recombinant cell bioassay for the detection of (gluco)corticosteroids in feed.

Use of hormones for fattening purposes is forbidden in the animal production in Europe (European Commission. 1996. Council Directive EC/96/22 (replacement of 88/146/EC).

Some empirical notes on the epo epidemic in professional cycling.

The 1990-2010 period in professional cycling is labeled by some as the epo epidemic. Surprisingly, performance enhancement by epo and blood doping is not that clear-cut for endurance athletes, leading to the question whether doping indeed strongly influenced cyclists' performances from the 1990s onwards. We examined the records (1947-2008) of the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España (N = 181) and assessed the time it took riders to win the race.

Recombinant cell bioassays for the detection of (gluco)corticosteroids and endocrine-disrupting potencies of several environmental PCB contaminants.

Sensitive and robust bioassays for glucocorticoids are very useful for the pharmaceutical industry, environmental scientists and veterinary control. Here, a recombinant yeast cell was constructed that expresses the human glucocorticoid receptor alpha and a green fluorescent reporter protein in response to glucocorticoids. Both the receptor construct and the reporter construct were stably integrated into the yeast genome.

Are luminescent bacteria suitable for online detection and monitoring of toxic compounds in drinking water and its sources?

Biosensors based on luminescent bacteria may be valuable tools to monitor the chemical quality and safety of surface and drinking water. In this review, an overview is presented of the recombinant strains available that harbour the bacterial luciferase genes luxCDABE, and which may be used in an online biosensor for water quality monitoring. Many bacterial strains have been described for the detection of a broad range of toxicity parameters, including DNA damage, protein damage, membrane damage, oxidative stress, organic pollutants, and heavy metals.

Intra- and interlaboratory calibration of the DR CALUX bioassay for the analysis of dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals in sediments.

In the Fourth National Policy Document on Water Management in The Netherlands, it is defined that in 2003, in addition to the assessment of chemical substances, special guidelines for the assessment of dredged material should be recorded. The assessment of dredged material is based on integrated chemical and biological effect measurements. Among others, the DR CALUX (dioxin responsive-chemically activated luciferase expression) bioassay has tentatively been recommended for inclusion in the dredged material assessment.