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From the article: "To enable selection of novel chemicals for new processes, there is a recognized need for alternative toxicity screening assays to assess potential risks to man and the environment. For human health hazard assessment these screening assays need to be translational to humans, have high throughput capability, and from an animal welfare perspective be harmonized with the principles of the 3Rs (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement). In the area of toxicology a number of cell culture systems are available but while these have some predictive value, they are not ideally suited for the prediction of developmental and reproductive toxicology (DART). This is because they often lack biotransformation capacity, multicellular or multi- organ complexity, for example, the hypothalamus pituitary gonad (HPG) axis and the complete life cycle of whole organisms. To try to overcome some of these limitations in this study, we have used Caenorhabditis elegans (nematode) and Danio rerio embryos (zebrafish) as alternative assays for DART hazard assessment of some candidate chemicals being considered for a new commercial application. Nematodes exposed to Piperazine and one of the analogs tested showed a slight delay in development compared to untreated animals but only at high concentrations and with Piperazine as the most sensitive compound. Total brood size of the nematodes was also reduced primarily by Piperazine and one of the analogs. In zebrafish Piperazine and analogs showed developmental delays. Malformations and mortality in individual fish were also scored. Significant malformations were most sensitively identified with Piperazine, significant mortality was only observed in Piperazine and only at the higest dose. Thus, Piperazine seemed the most toxic compound for both nematodes and zebrafish. The results of the nematode and zebrafish studies were in alignment with data obtained from conventional mammalian toxicity studies indicating that these have potential as developmental toxicity screening systems. The results of these studies also provided reassurance that none of the Piperazines tested are likely to have any significant developmental and/or reproductive toxicity issues to humans when used in their commercial applications."
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The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a delicacy fish and an integral part of the Dutch culinary history. However, the stock of adult eel has decreased significantly due to a precipitous recruitment of glass eel fall. This relates to multiple factors including obstacles in migration pathways, loss of habitat and chemical pollution. Consequently, Anguilla anguilla has become a critically endangered species and is protected under European legislation. One possible solution, explored on laboratory scale, is the captive reproduction of eels and growth of glass eel in aquaculture. A big challenge of this technique is the limiting aspect of possible nutrients for the eels in the larval stage, as the diet must be delivered in micrometric capsules (< 20 µm) with a high protein content. Such diets are not yet available on the market. Electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) is a novel option to prepare a micro-diet suitable for eel larvae. EHDA is especially interesting for its narrow size distribution capabilities and for applications which require submicrometric sizes. This project aims to evaluate the use of EHDA to produce high protein content micrometric size capsules for feeding larval eels. If successful, this would assist in the captivity production of glass eel and to make the eel culture independent of wild catches, restoring the culinary market. The project will be conducted in two phases. Firstly, tests will be conducted to evaluate the necessary conditions of the capsules using EHDA. Subsequently, the obtained capsules will be tested as feed for eel larvae. The main objective is to favour the development of a more sustainable eel culture, regarding the possibilities of investigating the current fish in natura option and exchanging it for a captivity one.
We had been involved in the redesign of the 4 Period Rooms of the Marquise Palace, also called the Palace of Secrets, in Bergen op Zoom. This design was based on the biography of a historical figure: Marie Anne van Arenberg, whose dramatic life was marked by secrets. Each of the 4 rooms represents a turning moment in Marie Anne’s story: the official marriage, the secret marriage and the betrayal, the dilemma and choice, with, in a final room, the epilogue. These different episodes are reflected in the way the rooms are furnished: the ballroom, the bedroom, the dining room. The Secret Marquise as design and exhibition has brought more visitors to the museum. As designers and researchers, however, we were interested in understanding more about this success, and, in particular, in understanding the visitors experience, both emotionally and sensorially at different moments/situations during the story-driven experience.In the fall of 2021, the visitors’ lived experience was evaluated using different approaches: a quantitative approach using biometric measurements to register people’s emotions during their visit, and a qualitative one consisting of a combination of observations, visual imagery, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).Qualitatively, our aim was to understand how respondents made sense of Marie Anne’s story in the way in which this was presented throughout the exhibition. We specifically looked at the personal context and frame of reference (e.g., previous experiences, connection to the visitor’s own life story, associations with other stories from other sources). In the design of the rooms, we used a combination of digital/interactive elements (such as a talking portrait, an interactive dinner table, an interactive family painting), and traditional physical objects (some 17th century original objects, some reproductions from that time). The second focal point of the study is to understand how these different elements lead the visitors experience.
In TOX FLOW ontwikkelen we proefdiervrije methoden om de invloed van giftige stoffen en complexe mengsels op de voortplanting en ontwikkeling van embryo's te bestuderen.Doel We willen met het project TOX FLOW dierproefvrije methoden ontwikkelen om de invloed van giftige stoffen op de voortplanting en ontwikkeling van embryo's te kunnen voorspellen. Het kost veel tijd en geld om veel verschillende chemische stoffen te testen mbv dierproeven. Bedrijven en overheden willen daarom graag dat er betrouwbare dierproefvrije methoden worden ontwikkeld, die ook geaccepteerd worden door regelgevende instanties in Europa (en daar buiten). Resultaten We brengen de inzichten uit het onderzoek in praktijk door: Standaardprocedures voor verschillende testmethoden beschikbaar te stellen Wetenschappelijke artikelen en presentaties voor onderzokers, bedrijven en overheden Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling (EFRO) is daarnaast bedoeld om economische groei te stimuleren. Er is veel aandacht voor commerciele toepassing van de resultaten Protocollen en stageplaatsen voor studenten uit het bachelor onderwijs. Looptijd 01 december 2018 - 31 december 2022 Aanpak In dit project worden eerder ontwikkelde methoden (met de worm C elegans, zebravisembryo’s en stamcellen) gecombineerd met in vitro huidmodellen om de effecten van complexe verbindingen te kunnen testen. Huidmodellen worden gebruikt om de blootstelling aan deze stoffen via de huid te kunnen meten. Dit onderzoek is van belang voor bedrijven die (chemische) producten ontwikkelen of hun producten op dierproeven laten testen door contract laboratoria (CRO's). Dit onderzoek is een vervolg op het project PreDART. DART staat voor Development And Reproduction Toxicology en wordt ook wel ontwikkelings- en reproductietoxicologie genoemd.Vrijwel alle bedrijven in de chemische industrie moeten hier op verplicht hun producten testen vanwege de Europese wet REACH.
