A biomonitoring framework to support exposure and risk assessments

Background

Biomonitoring is used in exposure and risk assessments to reduce uncertainties along the source-to-outcome continuum. Specifically, biomarkers can help identify exposure sources, routes, and distributions, and reflect kinetic and dynamic processes following exposure events. A variety of computational models now utilize biomarkers to better understand exposures at the population, individual, and sub-individual (target) levels. However, guidance is needed to clarify biomonitoring use given available measurements and models.

Objective

This article presents a biomonitoring research framework designed to improve biomarker use and interpretation in support of exposure and risk assessments.

Discussion

The biomonitoring research framework is based on a modified source-to-outcome continuum. Five tiers of biomonitoring analyses are included in the framework, beginning with simple cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, and ending with complex analyses using various empirical and mechanistic models. Measurements and model requirements of each tier are given, as well as considerations to enhance analyses. Simple theoretical examples are also given to demonstrate applications of the framework for observational exposure studies.

Conclusion

This biomonitoring framework can be used as a guide for interpreting existing biomarker data, designing new studies to answer specific exposure- and risk-based questions, and integrating knowledge across scientific disciplines to better address human health risks.     

The role of personal work goals in newcomers' job satisfaction and organizational commitment: A longitudinal analysis.

This study examined the importance of 3 characteristics of personal work goals (i.e., commitment, attainability, and progress) in accounting for changes in newcomers' affective job attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) during the 1st months of employment. Twenty weeks after organizational entry, 81 newcomers provided a list of their personal work goals. Goal attributes and job attitudes were assessed at 3 testing periods covering 8 months. Goal commitment was found to moderate the extent to which differences in the attainability of personal goals at the workplace accounted for changes in job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Goal progress mediated the interactive effect of goal commitment and attainability on newcomers' job attitudes. Findings are discussed with respect to their relevance for proactive approaches to organizational socialization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction to Krueger (2001).

Reports an error in the original article by J. Krueger (American Psychologist, 2001, Vol 56[1], pp. 16-26). In Figure 2, on page 22, two of the curves are labeled "p(H0)=.9" and "p(H0)=.1." These labels should have been reversed. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 2001-16601-002.) Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) is the researcher's workhorse for making inductive inferences. This method has often been challenged, has occasionally been defended, and has persistently been used through most of the history of scientific psychology. This article reviews both the criticisms of NHST and the arguments brought to its defense. The review shows that the criticisms address the logical validity of inferences arising from NHST, whereas the defenses stress the pragmatic value of these inferences. The author suggests that both critics and apologists implicitly rely on Bayesian assumptions. When these assumptions are made explicit, the primary challenge for NHST--and any system of induction--can be confronted. The challenge is to find a solution to the question of replicability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An evaluation of methods for prioritizing software requirements

This article describes an evaluation of six different methods for prioritizing software requirements. Based on the quality requirements for a telephony system, the authors individually used all six methods on separate occasions to prioritize the requirements. The methods were then characterized according to a number of criteria from a user's perspective. We found the analytic hierarchy process to be the most promising method, although it may be problematic to scale-up. In an industrial follow-up study we used the analytic hierarchy process to further investigate its applicability. We found that the process is demanding but worth the effort because of its ability to provide reliable results, promote knowledge transfer and create consensus among project members.     

Deposition of titanium on SiC fibres from chloride melts

The present study examined the feasibility of producing titanium matrix composites based on a molten salt fibre coating process. It is demonstrated that sufficiently thick and coherent titanium coatings can be deposited on SiC fibres in LiCl–KCl–TiCl₂ at 700 K. One important aspect of the study was the behaviour of the substrate during electrolysis. Therefore, additional features related to carbon-coated SiC fibres and carbonaceous substrates in general are outlined. The morphologies and microstructures of electrolytically coated SiC fibres were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and compared to fibres coated by a physical vapour deposition technique. The cause and relevance of the growth failures that were observed in this study are also discussed.     

Metastable zone determination of lipid systems: Ultrasound velocity versus optical back‐reflectance measurements

The metastable zone width (MZW) of a multi‐component system as influenced by the process parameters cooling rate, agitation speed, and additive concentration was determined via ultrasound velocity measurements. The results were compared with those obtained by optical back‐reflectance measurements (ORM) using coconut oil as a model substance. Increasing the cooling rate led to the shift of the nucleation point to lower temperatures. This tendency was better visualized by the ultrasonic curves while a significant disturbance of the ORM signal could be observed. Agitation led to an increase of the nucleation temperature and hence a narrower metastable zone. The influence of an additive on the MZW was found to strongly depend on its concentration. The MZW detected by the ultrasound technique was narrower compared to that obtained by the ORM method, indicating the faster response to the phase transition of the ultrasound technique. Another advantage of the ultrasound technique was the in situ evaluation of the experimental data, while ORM needed a linear fitting to estimate the saturation temperature. Furthermore, ultrasound velocity measurements are based on density determination of the medium whereas the ORM sensor is able to detect only particles that are located within the measuring zone and possess a well‐defined size. Practical applications: MZW is one of the most important parameters that determine the characteristics of crystalline products. However, a proper technique that can be used in MZW detection in fat systems has rarely been reported, due to the difficulties in dealing with natural fats. The findings of this study can greatly help those who are involved in the field of fat crystallization from both the academic and the practical point of view. This is due to the fact that new and promising techniques for the online and in situ determination of the MZW of fats, with high accuracy, and reproducibility, under most process conditions, were clarified in this work. The readers can easily follow the procedure developed in this paper. Also information about the influence of process parameters and additives on the MZW is included.     

Probing the pore space of geothermal reservoir sandstones by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Pulsed-Field-Gradient–Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (PFG–NMR) is an interesting method to determine microscopic but volumetrically averaged properties of pore space. In the present paper a number of sandstone samples, taken from drill cores of geothermal wells in North Germany, have been investigated. The time-dependent self-diffusion of water molecules in their confined geometry is used to probe the pore space. The short-time behaviour of the self-diffusion coefficient (anomalous diffusion) in the porous matrix allows the determination of the surface-to-pore volume ratio S/V_p. At long diffusion times, molecules scout the tortuosity of the interconnected pore space of the sandstones. The NMR results were compared with data from petrographic image analysis (PIA), adsorption experiments and electric conductivity measurements. The PFG–NMR measurements give surface-to-pore volume ratios S/V_p that are comparable to those estimated with the petrographic image analysis. The tortuosities match in most cases data from conductivity measurements, so the PFG–NMR is regarded as an appropriate tool to determine this quantity. The results are not influenced by the adherence of ‘scout-molecules’ to the pore walls. The surface-to-pore volume ratios and tortuosities were used to calculate permeabilities of the systems of interest, which were in good agreement with measured core-plug permeabilities. Results of additional NMR relaxation experiments are used to obtain adsorption isotherms for cations at active surface sites.     

Characterization of metal (Fe,Co, Ni,Cu) and fluorine codoped barium strontium titanate thick-films for microwave applications

The influence of codoping of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu as acceptors and F as donor on the dielectric properties of screen-printed Ba_0.6Sr_0.4TiO₃ ceramic thick-films has been investigated. The undoped and codoped Ba_0.6Sr_0.4TiO₃ powders were synthesized through a sol-gel route. The thermal gravimetric analysis revealed the difference of the thermal decomposition behaviour between the undoped and codoped precursors. The ceramic powders were characterized with x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and BET measurements. Larger crystallite sizes of the codoped powders were observed. The densification behaviour of the powders was recorded by dilatometry and indicated that codoping influences the sintering mechanism. The permittivity, dielectric loss and tunability of the undoped and codoped thick-films were characterized with coplanar waveguide structures up to 30 GHz.