Publications by authors named "Katharina Halbach"

Toxicokinetics (TK) of ionic compounds in the toxico-/pharmacological model zebrafish embryo () depend on absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) processes. Previous research indicated involvement of transport proteins in the TK of the anionic pesticide bromoxynil in zebrafish embryos. We here explored the interaction of bromoxynil with the organic anion-transporting polypeptide zebrafish Oatp1d1.

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Few studies have examined the exposure of small streams (< 30 km catchment size) to agriculturally used pesticides, compared to large rivers. A total of 105 sites in 103 small agricultural streams were investigated for 76 pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and 32 pesticide metabolites in spring and summer over two years (2018 and 2019) during dry weather and rainfall using event-driven sampling. The median total concentration of the 76 pesticides was 0.

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Moxidectin is an antiparasitic drug belonging to the class of the macrocyclic lactones, subgroup mylbemicins. It is used worldwide in veterinary practice, but little is known about its potential environmental risks. Thus, we used the zebrafish embryo as a model system to study the potential effects of moxidectin on aquatic non-target organisms.

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A workflow was developed and implemented in a software tool for the automated combination of spatially resolved laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) data and data on the morphology of the biological tissue. Making use of a recently published biological annotation software, FishImager automatically assigns the biological feature as regions of interest (ROIs) and overlays them with the quantitative LA-ICP-MS data. Furthermore, statistical tools including cluster algorithms can be applied to the elemental intensity data and directly compared with the ROIs.

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The zebrafish embryo () has developed into one of the most important nonsentient animal models for the hazard assessments of chemicals, but the processes governing its toxicokinetics (TK) are poorly understood. This study compares the uptake of seven test compounds into the embryonic body and the yolk sac of the zebrafish embryo using TK experiments, a dialysis approach, thermodynamic calculations, and kinetic modeling. Experimental data show that between 95% (4-iodophenol) and 67% (carbamazepine) of the total internal amount in 26 h post fertilization (hpf) embryos and between 80 and 49% in 74 hpf embryos were found in the yolk.

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The zebrafish embryo is an important model in ecotoxicology but the spatial distribution of chemicals and the relation to observed effects is not well understood. Quantitative imaging can help to gain insights into the distribution of chemicals in the zebrafish embryo. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is used to quantify the uptake and the uptake kinetics of the bromine (Br) containing organophosphate naled (Dibrom®, dimethyl-1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethylphosphate) and its distribution in zebrafish embryos using Br as the marker element.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the role of the CB2 endocannabinoid receptor in right ventricular (RV) adaptation after left pulmonary artery (LPA) occlusion in mice, aiming to understand its protective effects against pulmonary hypertension.
  • CB2 receptor-deficient mice exhibited higher RV systolic pressure, increased cardiac inflammation, and greater signs of cardiomyocyte damage compared to wild-type mice, suggesting that the absence of CB2 leads to maladaptive changes in the heart.
  • The findings highlight that the CB2 receptor may help regulate RV adaptation and prevent heart cell death by influencing inflammation and contractile protein expression in response to increased pressure.
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Svalbard is an important study area for investigating the long-range transport of mercury (Hg) and other trace elements to the Arctic. Few studies have focused on their concentrations in Arctic soils. With ongoing climate change leading to thawing permafrost ground the soil compartment is of increasing importance in the Arctic.

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