Operationaliseren van elektrisch bedwelmen van Europese kweekpaling

Het doel van dit project was het operationaliseren van elektrisch bedwelmen van Europese paling en het doden van de bedwelmde dieren. Hiervoor diende een eerste ontwerp van een bedwelmingsapparaat te worden gemaakt, getest en na aanpassingen geschikt gemaakt te worden om te kunnen gebruiken in de praktijk. Omdat dit onderzoek zich richtte op elektrisch bedwelmen na ontwateren en in het water, zijn er twee apparaten getest. Het welzijnscriterium voor elektrisch bedwelmen is dat de bewusteloosheid en gevoelloosheid onmiddellijk moeten worden opgewekt zonder dat de paling weer bijkomt. Er zijn daarom technische criteria opgesteld om tijdens de testen vast te kunnen stellen of met beide apparaten de palingen onmiddellijk kunnen worden bedwelmd en na de blootstelling aan de stroom in bedwelmde staat gedood

Thermal Preference of Juvenile Dover Sole (Solea solea) in Relation to Thermal Acclimation and Optimal Growth Temperature

Dover sole (Solea solea) is an obligate ectotherm with a natural thermal habitat ranging from approximately 5 to 27°C. Thermal optima for growth lie in the range of 20 to 25°C. More precise information on thermal optima for growth is needed for cost-effective Dover sole aquaculture. The main objective of this study was to determine the optimal growth temperature of juvenile Dover sole (Solea solea) and in addition to test the hypothesis that the final preferendum equals the optimal growth temperature. Temperature preference was measured in a circular preference chamber for Dover sole acclimated to 18, 22 and 28°C. Optimal growth temperature was measured by rearing Dover sole at 19, 22, 25 and 28°C. The optimal growth temperature resulting from this growth experiment was 22.7°C for Dover sole with a size between 30 to 50 g. The temperature preferred by juvenile Dover sole increases with acclimation temperature and exceeds the optimal temperature for growth. A final preferendum could not be detected. Although a confounding effect of behavioural fever on temperature preference could not be entirely excluded, thermal preference and thermal optima for physiological processes seem to be unrelated in Dover sol

Expression of oncoproteins and the amount of eosinophilic and lymphocytic infiltrates can be used as prognostic factors in gastric cancer. Dutch Gastric Cancer Group (DGCG).

Preoperative staging of gastric cancer is difficult. Several molecular markers associated with initiation and progression of cancer seem promising for obtaining preoperative prognostic information. To investigate whether these markers are indicative especially for the presence of lymph node metastases in patients with gastric cancer, we have examined primary tumour specimens from 105 patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the stomach entered in a surgical trial. In this trial, lymph node status was determined by strictly quality-controlled lymph node dissection and examination. The selected markers were growth regulators (p53, Rb and myc), metastasis-suppressor gene product (nm23), adhesion molecules (Ep-CAM, E-cadherin, CD44v5 and CD44v6) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA). Also, the amount of eosinophilic and lymphocytic infiltrates available post-operatively was analysed with respect to its prognostic value for lymph node status. Moreover, the association of these parameters with survival and disease-free period (DFP) was evaluated. Of all molecular markers investigated, only Rb expression had a significant association with the presence of lymph node metastasis in both univariate and multivariate analysis. For curative resectability, a significant association was found with Rb and E-cadherin expression, while in multivariate analysis Rb and myc were selected as the combination with additional independent prognostic value, and E-cadherin had no additional independent value. For overall survival in univariate analysis, the amount of both eosinophilic and lymphocytic infiltrates and Rb and myc expression were of significant prognostic value. Only the amount of lymphocytic infiltrate had a prognostic significance for DFP. In stepwise multivariate analysis, TNM stage (I + II) and marked lymphocytic infiltrate were associated with better overall survival and longer DFP. We conclude that, if these results are confirmed in a larger series of patients, molecular markers can provide useful prognostic information

Evaluation of Electrical Stunning of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) and Turbot (Psetta maxima) in Seawater

The aim of this study was to assess electrical stunning of Atlantic cod and turbot in seawater to develop a protocol for the process of stunning and killing. An induced general epileptiform insult (unconscious) had a duration of 40 ± 27 s (n =14) in cod (2.6 ± 0.5 kg) and 34 ± 18 s (n = 19) in turbot (520 ± 65 g). Seven cod and 3 turbot displayed a physical reaction, and 11 turbot registered an electroencephalogram (EEG) response to pain stimuli administered 30 s post-stun. The heart rate was 32 ± 6 beats/min in cod and 25 ± 7 beats/min in turbot prior to stunning. Post-stunning, the electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed fibrillation and reduced activity post-stun. EEG, ECG recordings, and behavioral observations indicate that when a bipolar square wave current was applied with a frequency of 133 Hz and 43% duty cycle side to side (turbot) and at 170 Hz and 33% duty cycle (cod) head to tail, both species were stunned in seawater at current densities of 3.2 A/dm2 and 2.5 A/dm2, respectively. For turbot, a 5 s exposure to electricity followed by chilling in ice water for 15 min is sufficient to prevent recovery. For cod, a killing method needs to be established

Beproeven apparaat bedwelmen van meerval voor de praktijk

Het doel van dit project was vaststellen of apparatuur voor elektrisch bedwelmen en vervolgens doden van de meervalsoorten in de praktijk aan het gestelde welzijnscriterium voldoet. Het welzijnscriterium voor elektrisch bedwelmen is dat de bewusteloosheid en gevoelloosheid onmiddellijk moeten worden opgewekt zonder dat deze vissoorten weer bijkomen. Het onderzoek richtte zich op de implementatie van elektrisch bedwelmen van Afrikaanse meerval (Clarias gariepinus) en een kruising van A. meerval en Vundu meerval (Heterobranchus longifilis) (Claresse meerval). Om dit doel te bereiken werden testen uitgevoerd met een eerste ontwerp en een omgebouwde versie van de apparatuur voor het bedwelmen en doden van beide vissoorten

Window of opportunity in psoriatic arthritis:The earlier the better?

Objectives To investigate whether there is a window of opportunity for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients and to assess which patient characteristics are associated with a longer diagnostic delay. Methods All newly diagnosed, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve PsA patients who participated in the Dutch southwest Early PsA cohoRt and had ≥3 years of follow-up were studied. First, total delay was calculated as the time period between symptom onset and PsA diagnosis made by a rheumatologist and then split into patient and physician delays. The total delay was categorised into short (&lt;12 weeks), intermediate (12 weeks to 1 year) or long (&gt;1 year). These groups were compared on clinical (Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) and Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) remission) and patient-reported outcomes during 3 years follow-up. Results 708 PsA patients were studied of whom 136 (19%), 237 (33%) and 335 (47%) had a short, intermediate and long total delay, respectively. Patient delay was 1.0 month and physician delay was 4.5 months. Patients with a short delay were more likely to achieve MDA (OR 2.55, p=0.003) and DAPSA remission (OR 2.35,p=0.004) compared with PsA patients with a long delay. Patient-reported outcomes showed numerical but non-significant differences between the short and long delay groups. Female patients and those presenting with enthesitis, chronic back pain or normal C-reactive protein (CRP) had a longer delay. Conclusions In PsA, referral and diagnosis within 1 year is associated with better clinical outcomes, suggesting the presence of a window of opportunity. The most gain in referral could be obtained in physician delay and in females, patients with enthesitis, chronic back pain or normal CRP.</p

Window of opportunity in psoriatic arthritis:The earlier the better?

Objectives To investigate whether there is a window of opportunity for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients and to assess which patient characteristics are associated with a longer diagnostic delay. Methods All newly diagnosed, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve PsA patients who participated in the Dutch southwest Early PsA cohoRt and had ≥3 years of follow-up were studied. First, total delay was calculated as the time period between symptom onset and PsA diagnosis made by a rheumatologist and then split into patient and physician delays. The total delay was categorised into short (&lt;12 weeks), intermediate (12 weeks to 1 year) or long (&gt;1 year). These groups were compared on clinical (Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) and Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) remission) and patient-reported outcomes during 3 years follow-up. Results 708 PsA patients were studied of whom 136 (19%), 237 (33%) and 335 (47%) had a short, intermediate and long total delay, respectively. Patient delay was 1.0 month and physician delay was 4.5 months. Patients with a short delay were more likely to achieve MDA (OR 2.55, p=0.003) and DAPSA remission (OR 2.35,p=0.004) compared with PsA patients with a long delay. Patient-reported outcomes showed numerical but non-significant differences between the short and long delay groups. Female patients and those presenting with enthesitis, chronic back pain or normal C-reactive protein (CRP) had a longer delay. Conclusions In PsA, referral and diagnosis within 1 year is associated with better clinical outcomes, suggesting the presence of a window of opportunity. The most gain in referral could be obtained in physician delay and in females, patients with enthesitis, chronic back pain or normal CRP.</p

The unusual ISM in blue and dusty gas-rich galaxies (BADGRS)

The Herschel-ATLAS unbiased survey of cold dust in the local Universe is dominated by a surprising population of very blue (FUV-K 0.5 fHI=MHI/(M∗+M+HI)>0.5 ). Dubbed ‘Blue and Dusty Gas-Rich Sources’ (BADGRS) they have cold diffuse dust temperatures, and the highest dust-to-stellar mass ratios of any galaxies in the local Universe. Here, we explore the molecular interstellar medium in a representative sample of BADGRS, using very deep CO(J up =1,2,3) CO(Jup=1,2,3) observations across the central and outer disc regions. We find very low CO brightnesses (Tp = 5–30 mK), despite the bright far-infrared emission and metallicities in the range 0.5 < Z/Z⊙ < 1.0. The CO line ratios indicate a range of conditions with R 21 =T 21 b /T 10 b =0.6−2.1 R21=Tb21/Tb10=0.6−2.1 and R 31 =T 32 b /T 10 b =0.2−1.2 R31=Tb32/Tb10=0.2−1.2 . Using a metallicity-dependent conversion from CO luminosity to molecular gas mass, we find M H 2 /M d ∼7−27 MH2/Md∼7−27 and Σ H 2 =0.5−6M ⊙ pc −2 ΣH2=0.5−6M⊙pc−2 , around an order of magnitude lower than expected. The BADGRS have lower molecular gas depletion time-scales (τd ∼ 0.5 Gyr) than other local spirals, lying offset from the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation by a similar factor to Blue Compact Dwarf galaxies. The cold diffuse dust temperature in BADGRS (13–16 K) requires an interstellar radiation field 10–20 times lower than that inferred from their observed surface brightness. We speculate that the dust in these sources has either a very clumpy geometry or a very different opacity in order to explain the cold temperatures and lack of CO emission. BADGRS also have low UV attenuation for their UV colour suggestive of an SMC-type dust attenuation curve, different star formation histories or different dust/star geometry. They lie in a similar part of the IRX-β space as z z ∼ 5 galaxies and may be useful as local analogues for high gas fraction galaxies in the early Universe