Can the KG1 cell line be used as a model of dendritic cells and discriminate the sensitising potential of chemicals?

The KG1 myeloid leukaemia was used as source of dendritic cells (DC) to discriminate between respiratory and contact sensitising chemicals. A cocktail of cytokines was used to differentiate KG1 to dendritic like cells (termed dKG1) and the effects of nine chemicals (respiratory and contact sensitisers) and an irritant control on surface marker expression, 'antigen presenting' function and cytokine expression investigated. The stability of these chemicals when dissolved was characterised using MALDI ToF MS.

Increased productivity of a cover crop mixture is not associated with enhanced agroecosystem services.

Cover crops provide a variety of important agroecological services within cropping systems. Typically these crops are grown as monocultures or simple graminoid-legume bicultures; however, ecological theory and empirical evidence suggest that agroecosystem services could be enhanced by growing cover crops in species-rich mixtures. We examined cover crop productivity, weed suppression, stability, and carryover effects to a subsequent cash crop in an experiment involving a five-species annual cover crop mixture and the component species grown as monocultures in SE New Hampshire, USA in 2011 and 2012.

Comparison of urinary thallium levels in non-occupationally exposed people and workers.

Purpose: To determine a reference background urinary thallium level; to compare urinary thallium data from workers to this background level; to investigate factors affecting these levels and whether creatinine correction is appropriate.

Methods: Urine samples from non-occupationally exposed people (n = 273, from 113 individuals) and workers (n = 896, from 447 individuals) were analysed for thallium by ICP-MS. A reference background level was calculated, defined as the 95th percentile value of a non-occupationally exposed population.

Trends in blood lead levels in UK workers, 1995-2007.

Objectives: This study evaluated blood lead data (including zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) and haemoglobin levels) collected at the UK's Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) in order to determine temporal changes in occupational exposure to lead between 1995 and 2007.

Methods: A total of 20,889 blood lead measurements and accompanying ZPP and haemoglobin results from 8810 workers at 972 companies from routine samples received by HSL over the period 1995-2007 were analysed. Time trends in blood lead levels for each industry sector were estimated using Bayesian mixed effects modelling.

Field experiments to assess approaches for spray drift incident investigation.

Background: Spray trials were conducted to determine the variation in primary spray drift deposition between trials under very similar conditions, in order to assess the feasibility of developing a computational tool to aid post-event investigations of pesticide spray incidents. Pesticide deposition was examined by analysis of filter paper and vegetation samples.

Results: Considerable variation in the drift profile was found.

The effects of nickel and chromium on human keratinocytes: differences in viability, cell associated metal and IL-1alpha release.

This study was carried out to assess the effects of chromium and nickel upon isolated keratinocytes as an in vitro model of human skin. Keratinocytes were isolated from healthy volunteer skin samples of unknown metal sensitivity (n=10) and were compared with cells from patient biopsies of known metal sensitivity (n=7). Cells were dosed with a concentration range of nickel and chromium (0-10,000 microM) and cellular mitochondrial activity, viability, metal uptake and cytokine release were measured.

Task-based dermal exposure models for regulatory risk assessment.

The regulatory risk assessment of chemicals requires the estimation of occupational dermal exposure. Until recently, the models used were either based on limited data or were specific to a particular class of chemical or application. The EU project RISKOFDERM has gathered a considerable number of new measurements of dermal exposure together with detailed contextual information.

Default values for assessment of potential dermal exposure of the hands to industrial chemicals in the scope of regulatory risk assessments.

Dermal exposure needs to be addressed in regulatory risk assessment of chemicals. The models used so far are based on very limited data. The EU project RISKOFDERM has gathered a large number of new measurements on dermal exposure to industrial chemicals in various work situations, together with information on possible determinants of exposure.