German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)

8 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Biology

A Protocol for Using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis to Identify the Appropriate Animal Model for Translational Research

Christopher Weidner¹, Matthias Steinfath¹, Elisa Wistorf¹, Michael Oelgeschläger¹, Marlon R. Schneider¹, Gilbert Schönfelder^1,2

¹Department of Experimental Toxicology and ZEBET, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), ²Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin

We provide a standardized protocol for the use of gene set enrichment analysis of transcriptomic data to identify an ideal mouse model for translational research.
This protocol can be used with DNA microarray and RNA sequencing data and can further be extended to other omics data if data are available.

Behavior

Systematic Assessment of Well-Being in Mice for Procedures Using General Anesthesia

Katharina Hohlbaum^1,2, Bettina Bert^2,3, Silke Dietze², Rupert Palme⁴, Heidrun Fink², Christa Thöne-Reineke¹

¹Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, ²Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, ³German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), ⁴Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine

We developed a protocol to assess well-being in mice during procedures using general anesthesia. A series of behavioral parameters indicating levels of well-being as well as glucocorticoid metabolites were analyzed. The protocol can serve as a general aid to estimate the degree of severity in a scientific, animal-centered manner.

JoVE Core

Morphology-Based Distinction Between Healthy and Pathological Cells Utilizing Fourier Transforms and Self-Organizing Maps

Fabian L. Kriegel^1,2, Ralf Köhler², Jannike Bayat-Sarmadi², Simon Bayerl³, Anja E. Hauser^2,3, Raluca Niesner², Andreas Luch^*1, Zoltan Cseresnyes^*4

¹Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), ²Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum (DRFZ) Berlin, a Leibniz Institute, ³Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, ⁴Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans Knöll Institute

Here, we provide a workflow that allows the identification of healthy and pathological cells based on their 3-dimensional shape. We describe the process of using 2D projection outlines based on the 3D surfaces to train a Self-Organizing Map that will provide objective clustering of the investigated cell populations.

Chemistry

A Two-Step Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography Method with Mass Spectrometric Detection for Identification of Tattoo Ink Ingredients and Counterfeit Products

Ines Schreiver¹, Christoph Hutzler¹, Andreas Luch¹

¹Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)

This method for two-step pyrolysis online coupled to gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection and data evaluation protocol can be used for multi-component analysis of tattoo inks and discrimination of counterfeit products.

Chemistry

Versatile Dual-Inlet Sample Introduction System for Multi-Mode Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Analysis and Validation

Daniel Rosenkranz¹, Fabian L. Kriegel¹, Emmanouil Mavrakis², Spiros A. Pergantis², Philipp Reichardt¹, Jutta Tentschert¹, Norbert Jakubowski⁴, Peter Laux¹, Ulrich Panne³, Andreas Luch¹

¹Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), ²Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, ³Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), ⁴SPETEC GmbH

Here we provide a protocol for the use of a dual-inlet system for single particle inductively coupled mass spectrometry which allows for a standard independent nanoparticle characterization.

Chemistry

Preparation of Nanoparticles for ToF-SIMS and XPS Analysis

Francesca Bennet¹, Anja Müller¹, Jörg Radnik¹, Yves Hachenberger², Harald Jungnickel², Peter Laux², Andreas Luch², Jutta Tentschert²

¹Division of Surface Analysis and Interfacial Chemistry, Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing (BAM), ²Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)

A number of different procedures for preparing nanoparticles for surface analysis are presented (drop casting, spin coating, deposition from powders, and cryofixation). We discuss the challenges, opportunities, and possible applications of each method, particularly regarding the changes in the surface properties caused by the different preparation methods.

Engineering

UV-Vis Spectroscopic Characterization of Nanomaterials in Aqueous Media

Ana C. Quevedo¹, Emily Guggenheim¹, Sophie M. Briffa¹, Jessica Adams^2,3, Stephen Lofts², Minjeong Kwak⁴, Tae Geol Lee⁴, Colin Johnston⁵, Stephan Wagner⁶, Timothy R. Holbrook⁶, Yves U. Hachenberger⁷, Jutta Tentschert⁷, Nicholas Davidson¹, Eugenia Valsami-Jones¹

¹School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, ²UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, ³Natural England, ⁴Center for Nanosafety Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), ⁵Department of Materials, University of Oxford, ⁶Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, ⁷Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)

This study presents the benchmarking results for an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) designed to test the standard operating procedure (SOP) developed for gold (Au) colloid dispersions characterized by ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), amongst six partners from the H2020 ACEnano project for sample preparation, measurement, and analysis of the results.

Engineering

3D Printing - Evaluating Particle Emissions of a 3D Printing Pen

Heike Sigloch¹, Frank S. Bierkandt¹, Ajay V. Singh¹, Ashish K. Gadicherla², Peter Laux¹, Andreas Luch¹

¹Department of Chemical and Product Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), ²Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)

This protocol presents a method to analyze the emission of 3D printing pens. Particle concentration and particle size distribution of the released particle is measured. Released particles are further analyzed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Metal content in filaments is quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).