Experimental Infection and Clearance of Coccidian Parasites in Mercury-Exposed Zebra Finches.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebers Smith, Jessica H; Cristol, Daniel A; Swaddle, John P

2018-01-01

Mercury is a globally distributed, persistent environmental contaminant that affects the health of many taxa. It can suppress the immune system, which often plays a role in defense against parasites. However, there have been few investigations of whether mercury affects the abilities of animals to resist parasitic infection. Here, we exposed zebra finches to a lifetime dietary exposure of methylmercury (1.2 μg/g wet weight) and experimentally infected them with coccidian parasites to examine the effect of methylmercury exposure on parasitic infection. The mercury-exposed birds did not have an altered immune response (heterophil:lymphocyte ratio) nor a reduced ability to clear the infection. However, mercury-exposed birds tended to have higher parasite loads at the time when we expected the greatest immune response (2-3 weeks post-infection). Although mercury did not greatly influence the infection-course of this parasite in captivity, responses may be more accentuated in the wild where birds face additional immune challenges.

Animal experimentation-Part II: In periodontal research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T K Pal

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Animals contribute to the development of medical and dental sciences by being sacrificed in the hands of scientists. The experimental design demands a specific type of animal to be used for experimentation. Each animal needs proper handling, care, and diet. Alongside specific advantages and disadvantages pertaining to each type of animal need to be understood well depending on the type of study/experiment. It is important for the researcher to know the disease susceptibility of each animal. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the salient factors that need to be considered for animal experimentations.

Animal experimentation--a personal view.

Science.gov (United States)

Gershoff, Stanley N

2009-02-01

Disagreement about the use of animals in biomedical research has resulted in absurd positions by both sides. Increasingly, some zealots against animal experimentation have resorted to violence or other illegal acts to support their points of view. The value of animal research in providing better health for man and animals is incontrovertible. This is illustrated by references to animal research in the field of nutrition.

[The ethics of animal experimentation].

Science.gov (United States)

Goffi, Jean-Yves

2013-01-01

The paper starts with a short definition of animal experimentation, then three main approaches to the practice are considered: unconditional approval (as advocated by Claude Bernard), conditional and restricted approval (as advocated by Peter Singer) and strict prohibition (as advocated by Tom Regan and Gary Francione). It is argued that what is actually approved or condemned in animal experimentation is the value of the scientific enterprise.

[Contribution of animal experimentation to pharmacology].

Science.gov (United States)

Sassard, Jean; Hamon, Michel; Galibert, Francis

2009-11-01

Animal experimentation is of considerable importance in pharmacology and cannot yet be avoided when studying complex, highly integrated physiological functions. The use of animals has been drastically reduced in the classical phases of pharmacological research, for example when comparing several compounds belonging to the same pharmacological class. However, animal experiments remain crucial for generating and validating new therapeutic concepts. Three examples of such research, conducted in strict ethical conditions, will be used to illustrate the different ways in which animal experimentation has contributed to human therapeutics.

The flaws and human harms of animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhtar, Aysha

2015-10-01

Nonhuman animal ("animal") experimentation is typically defended by arguments that it is reliable, that animals provide sufficiently good models of human biology and diseases to yield relevant information, and that, consequently, its use provides major human health benefits. I demonstrate that a growing body of scientific literature critically assessing the validity of animal experimentation generally (and animal modeling specifically) raises important concerns about its reliability and predictive value for human outcomes and for understanding human physiology. The unreliability of animal experimentation across a wide range of areas undermines scientific arguments in favor of the practice. Additionally, I show how animal experimentation often significantly harms humans through misleading safety studies, potential abandonment of effective therapeutics, and direction of resources away from more effective testing methods. The resulting evidence suggests that the collective harms and costs to humans from animal experimentation outweigh potential benefits and that resources would be better invested in developing human-based testing methods.

Monkeypox disease transmission in an experimental setting: prairie dog animal model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina L Hutson

Full Text Available Monkeypox virus (MPXV is considered the most significant human public health threat in the genus Orthopoxvirus since the eradication of variola virus (the causative agent of smallpox. MPXV is a zoonotic agent endemic to forested areas of Central and Western Africa. In 2003, MPXV caused an outbreak in the United States due to the importation of infected African rodents, and subsequent sequential infection of North American prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus and humans. In previous studies, the prairie dog MPXV model has successfully shown to be very useful for understanding MPXV since the model emulates key characteristics of human monkeypox disease. In humans, percutaneous exposure to animals has been documented but the primary method of human-to-human MPXV transmission is postulated to be by respiratory route. Only a few animal model studies of MPXV transmission have been reported. Herein, we show that MPXV infected prairie dogs are able to transmit the virus to naive animals through multiple transmission routes. All secondarily exposed animals were infected with MPXV during the course of the study. Notably, animals secondarily exposed appeared to manifest more severe disease; however, the disease course was very similar to those of experimentally challenged animals including inappetence leading to weight loss, development of lesions, production of orthopoxvirus antibodies and shedding of similar levels or in some instances higher levels of MPXV from the oral cavity. Disease was transmitted via exposure to contaminated bedding, co-housing, or respiratory secretions/nasal mucous (we could not definitively say that transmission occurred via respiratory route exclusively. Future use of the model will allow us to evaluate infection control measures, vaccines and antiviral strategies to decrease disease transmission.

The rights of man and animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, J

1990-01-01

Since emotions give contradictory signals about animal experimentation in medical science, man's relationship to animals must be based upon reason. Thomas Aquinas argues that man is essentially different from animals because man's intellectual processes show evidence of an abstract mechanism not possessed by animals. Man's rights arise in association with this essential difference. The consequence is that only man possesses true rights by Aquinas's definition; animals have them only by analogy. However, cruelty to animals is illicit and they should be protected, principally not because they have rights, but because he who is cruel to animals is more likely to be cruel to his fellowman. If there is a need for animal experimentation in science for the good of man, this approach gives philosophical justification for experimentation, since man's well-being must come before that of animals because of his unique possession of rights. However, those experiments should be carried out in the kindest way possible, to promote kindness towards man. To see man as solely part of a biological continuum in competition for rights with those beings close to him biologically, detracts from man's dignity. PMID:2135948

Pulmonary function testing of animals chronically exposed to diluted diesel exhaust

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gross, K B

1981-04-01

The purpose of this work was to assess the potential effect that chronic inhalation of diesel exhaust may have on lung mechanics and lung volume. Noninvasive pulmonary function tests that produced data on lung air flows and volumes have been conducted repeatedly on 25 male Fischer-344 rats exposed to diesel exhaust at a particulate concentration of 1500 micrograms m-3, 20 h per day, 5 1/2 days per week, for 612 days. The same tests were conducted on 25 clean air control animals. When the data were normalized, the majority of tests did not reveal any significant deviation from the norm for the first year of exposure. In the second year, the functional residual capacity and its component volumes - expiratory reserve and residual volume, maximum expiratory flow at 40% of vital capacity, maximum expiratory flow at 20% of vital capacity and the forced expiratory volume in 0.1 s - were significantly greater in the diesel exposed animals. The data are inconsistent with known clinically significant adverse health effects. Although the lung volume changes in the diesel exposed animals could be indicative of emphysema or other forms of chronic obstructive lung disease, this interpretation is contradicted by the air flow data which suggest simultaneous lowering of the resistance of the smaller airways. The observations are not consistent with documented clinical lung disease in man.

Environmental enrichment in farm, zoo, companion and experimental animals

OpenAIRE

Vučinić Marijana

2009-01-01

The paper deals with environmental enrichment for domestic animals at farms, animals in zoos, experimental animals and pet animals. Also, the paper defines and describes different strategies of environmental enrichment. Environmental enrichment is a simple and effective mean of prevention of boredom, behavioral disorders as well as an effective mean of improving animal welfare in farm, zoo, companion and experimental animals. Different items and materials may be used for environmental enrichm...

Prevention of occupational risks in animal experimentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez Palacio, J.

2007-01-01

This work focuses on the main specific risks for those working with laboratory animals in a Research Center such as CIEMAT. First we present the general biological risks, their laws and rules. Next, we development the specific risks associated with the laboratory animals, zoonotic diseases and allergies. then we deal with the risks that can be consequence of working with laboratory animals, ionizing radiations, chemical products, genetically modified organisms, liquid nitrogen management, bio containment and human samples management. As they are subjects of interest, we also include the workers health assesment for those exposed to biological agents, including recommendations about hygiene and disinfections. (Author)

Animal Experimentation: Bringing Ethical Issues into Biology Teaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

2000-01-01

There are many possibilities for the use of controversial issues such as animal experimentation in biology classrooms. Outlines a series of three lessons that asked senior biology students to consider the issue of animal experimentation from three perspectives. (Author/LM)

Ethics of animal research in human disease remediation, its institutional teaching; and alternatives to animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheluvappa, Rajkumar; Scowen, Paul; Eri, Rajaraman

2017-08-01

Animals have been used in research and teaching for a long time. However, clear ethical guidelines and pertinent legislation were instated only in the past few decades, even in developed countries with Judeo-Christian ethical roots. We compactly cover the basics of animal research ethics, ethical reviewing and compliance guidelines for animal experimentation across the developed world, "our" fundamentals of institutional animal research ethics teaching, and emerging alternatives to animal research. This treatise was meticulously constructed for scientists interested/involved in animal research. Herein, we discuss key animal ethics principles - Replacement/Reduction/Refinement. Despite similar undergirding principles across developed countries, ethical reviewing and compliance guidelines for animal experimentation vary. The chronology and evolution of mandatory institutional ethical reviewing of animal experimentation (in its pioneering nations) are summarised. This is followed by a concise rendition of the fundamentals of teaching animal research ethics in institutions. With the advent of newer methodologies in human cell-culturing, novel/emerging methods aim to minimise, if not avoid the usage of animals in experimentation. Relevant to this, we discuss key extant/emerging alternatives to animal use in research; including organs on chips, human-derived three-dimensional tissue models, human blood derivates, microdosing, and computer modelling of various hues. © 2017 The Authors. Pharmacology Research & Perspectives published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd, British Pharmacological Society and American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

[Animal experimentation, computer simulation and surgical research].

Science.gov (United States)

Carpentier, Alain

2009-11-01

We live in a digital world In medicine, computers are providing new tools for data collection, imaging, and treatment. During research and development of complex technologies and devices such as artificial hearts, computer simulation can provide more reliable information than experimentation on large animals. In these specific settings, animal experimentation should serve more to validate computer models of complex devices than to demonstrate their reliability.

The rights of man and animal experimentation.

OpenAIRE

Martin, J

1990-01-01

Since emotions give contradictory signals about animal experimentation in medical science, man's relationship to animals must be based upon reason. Thomas Aquinas argues that man is essentially different from animals because man's intellectual processes show evidence of an abstract mechanism not possessed by animals. Man's rights arise in association with this essential difference. The consequence is that only man possesses true rights by Aquinas's definition; animals have them only by analog...

Towards ethically improved animal experimentation in the study of animal reproduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Blache, D; Martin, G B; Maloney, S K

2008-07-01

The ethics of animal-based research is a continuing area of debate, but ethical research protocols do not prevent scientific progress. In this paper, we argue that our current knowledge of the factors that affect reproductive processes provides researchers with a solid foundation upon which they can conduct more ethical research and simultaneously produce data of higher quality. We support this argument by showing how a deep understanding of the genetics, nutrition and temperament of our experimental animals can improve compliance with two of the '3 Rs', reduction and refinement, simply by offering better control over the variance in our experimental model. The outcome is a better experimental design, on both ethical and scientific grounds.

Harbour porpoise movement strategy affects cumulative number of animals acoustically exposed to underwater explosions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aarts, Geert; Benda-Beckmann, Von Alexander M.; Lucke, K.; Özkan Sertlek, H.; Bemmelen, Van Rob; Geelhoed, Steve C.V.; Brasseur, Sophie; Scheidat, Meike; Lam, Frans Peter A.; Slabbekoorn, Hans; Kirkwood, Roger

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic sound in the marine environment can have negative consequences for marine fauna. Since most sound sources are intermittent or continuous, estimating how many individuals are exposed over time remains challenging, as this depends on the animals' mobility. Here we explored how animal

Animal experimentation in Japan: regulatory processes and application for microbiological studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi-Omoe, H; Omoe, K

2007-07-01

We have conducted animal experimentation as a highly effective technique in biological studies. Also in microbiological studies, we have used experimentation to prevent and treat many infectious diseases in humans and animals. In Japan, the 'Law for the Humane Treatment and Management of Animals', which covers the consideration of the three R principles, refinement, replacement and reduction for an international humane approach to animal experimentation came into effect in June 2006. Looking towards the straightforward operation of the law in animal experimentation, three government ministries established new basic guidelines for experimentation performed in their jurisdictional research and testing facilities. For future microbiological studies involving animals in Japan, we need to perform animal experiments according to the basic guidelines in association with overseas management systems. In this report, we discussed essential actions for the management of animal experimentation in microbiological studies in Japan.

Animal Experimentation in High Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Ansevin, Kystyna D.

1970-01-01

Recommends that teacher and student be provided with the broadest possible spectrum of meaningful and feasible experiments in which the comfort of the experimental animal is protected by the design of the experiment. (BR)

[The 1, 2, 3 of laboratory animal experimentation].

Science.gov (United States)

Romero-Fernandez, Wilber; Batista-Castro, Zenia; De Lucca, Marisel; Ruano, Ana; García-Barceló, María; Rivera-Cervantes, Marta; García-Rodríguez, Julio; Sánchez-Mateos, Soledad

2016-06-01

The slow scientific development in Latin America in recent decades has delayed the incorporation of laboratory animal experimentation; however, this situation has started to change. Today, extraordinary scientific progress is evident, which has promoted the introduction and increased use of laboratory animals as an important tool for the advancement of biomedical sciences. In the aftermath of this boom, the need to provide the scientific community with training and guidance in all aspects related to animal experimentation has arisen. It is the responsibility of each country to regulate this practice, for both bioethical and legal reasons, to ensure consideration of the animals' rights and welfare. The following manuscript is the result of papers presented at the International Workshop on Laboratory Animal Testing held at the Technical University of Ambato, Ecuador; it contains information regarding the current state of affairs in laboratory animal testing and emphasizes critical aspects such as main species used, ethical and legal principles, and experimental and alternative designs for animal use. These works aim to ensure good practices that should define scientific work. This document will be relevant to both researchers who aim to newly incorporate animal testing into their research and those who seek to update their knowledge.

9 CFR 72.21 - Animals infested with or exposed to ticks subject to same restrictions as cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... ticks subject to same restrictions as cattle. 72.21 Section 72.21 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND... (INCLUDING POULTRY) AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS TEXAS (SPLENETIC) FEVER IN CATTLE § 72.21 Animals infested with or exposed to ticks subject to same restrictions as cattle. Animals other than cattle which are infested with...

9 CFR 72.22 - Cars, vehicles, and premises; cleaning and treatment after containing infested or exposed animals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cars, vehicles, and premises; cleaning... ANIMALS (INCLUDING POULTRY) AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS TEXAS (SPLENETIC) FEVER IN CATTLE § 72.22 Cars, vehicles, and premises; cleaning and treatment after containing infested or exposed animals. Cars and other...

Refining animal experiments: the first Brazilian regulation on animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

de A e Tréz, Thales

2010-06-01

The very first law on animal experimentation has been approved recently in Brazil, and now is part of a set of the legal instruments that profile the Brazilian government's attitude toward the use of animals in experiments. Law 11794/08 establishes a new legal instrument that will guide new methods of conduct for ethics committees, researchers and representatives of animal protection societies. This comment aims to analyse critically the implications that this law brings to Brazilian reality. The link between it and the Russell and Burch's Three Rs concept is defined, and certain problems are identified. The conclusion is that the body of the law emphasises the refinement of animal experiments, but gives little importance to the principles of reduction and replacement.

Secrets and lies: "selective openness" in the apparatus of animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmberg, Tora; Ideland, Malin

2012-04-01

Researchers and other (human) actors within the apparatus of animal experimentation find themselves in a tight corner. They rely on public acceptance to promote their legitimacy and to receive funding. At the same time, those working with animal experimentation take risks by going public, fearing that the public will misunderstand their work and animal rights activists may threaten them. The dilemma that emerges between openness and secrecy is fairly prevalent in scientific culture as a whole, but the apparatus of animal experimentation presents specific patterns of technologies of secrets. The aim of the paper is to describe and analyse the meanings of secrets and openness in contemporary animal experimentation. We suggest that these secrets--or "selective openness"--can be viewed as grease in the apparatus of animal experimentation, as a unifying ingredient that permits maintenance of status quo in human/animal relations and preserves existing institutional public/ science relations.

Prevention of occupational risks in animal experimentation; Prevencion de riesgos laborales en experimentacion animal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez Palacio, J. (ed.)

2007-07-01

This work focuses on the main specific risks for those working with laboratory animals in a Research Center such as CIEMAT. First we present the general biological risks, their laws and rules. Next, we development the specific risks associated with the laboratory animals, zoonotic diseases and allergies. then we deal with the risks that can be consequence of working with laboratory animals, ionizing radiations, chemical products, genetically modified organisms, liquid nitrogen management, bio containment and human samples management. As they are subjects of interest, we also include the workers health assesment for those exposed to biological agents, including recommendations about hygiene and disinfections. (Author)

Public perceptions of animal experimentation across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

von Roten, Fabienne Crettaz

2013-08-01

The goal of this article is to map out public perceptions of animal experimentation in 28 European countries. Postulating cross-cultural differences, this study mixes country-level variables (from the Eurostat database) and individual-level variables (from Eurobarometer Science and Technology 2010). It is shown that experimentation on animals such as mice is generally accepted in European countries, but perceptions are divided on dogs and monkeys. Between 2005 and 2010, we observe globally a change of approval on dogs and monkeys, with a significant decrease in nine countries. Multilevel analysis results show differences at country level (related to a post-industrialism model) and at individual level (related to gender, age, education, proximity and perceptions of science and the environment). These results may have consequences for public perceptions of science and we call for more cross-cultural research on press coverage of animal research and on the level of public engagement of scientists doing animal research.

Fantastic animals as an experimental model to teach animal adaptation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronesi Paola

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Science curricula and teachers should emphasize evolution in a manner commensurate with its importance as a unifying concept in science. The concept of adaptation represents a first step to understand the results of natural selection. We settled an experimental project of alternative didactic to improve knowledge of organism adaptation. Students were involved and stimulated in learning processes by creative activities. To set adaptation in a historic frame, fossil records as evidence of past life and evolution were considered. Results The experimental project is schematized in nine phases: review of previous knowledge; lesson on fossils; lesson on fantastic animals; planning an imaginary world; creation of an imaginary animal; revision of the imaginary animals; adaptations of real animals; adaptations of fossil animals; and public exposition. A rubric to evaluate the student's performances is reported. The project involved professors and students of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and of the "G. Marconi" Secondary School of First Degree (Modena, Italy. Conclusion The educational objectives of the project are in line with the National Indications of the Italian Ministry of Public Instruction: knowledge of the characteristics of living beings, the meanings of the term "adaptation", the meaning of fossils, the definition of ecosystem, and the particularity of the different biomes. At the end of the project, students will be able to grasp particular adaptations of real organisms and to deduce information about the environment in which the organism evolved. This project allows students to review previous knowledge and to form their personalities.

Fantastic animals as an experimental model to teach animal adaptation

Science.gov (United States)

Guidetti, Roberto; Baraldi, Laura; Calzolai, Caterina; Pini, Lorenza; Veronesi, Paola; Pederzoli, Aurora

2007-01-01

Background Science curricula and teachers should emphasize evolution in a manner commensurate with its importance as a unifying concept in science. The concept of adaptation represents a first step to understand the results of natural selection. We settled an experimental project of alternative didactic to improve knowledge of organism adaptation. Students were involved and stimulated in learning processes by creative activities. To set adaptation in a historic frame, fossil records as evidence of past life and evolution were considered. Results The experimental project is schematized in nine phases: review of previous knowledge; lesson on fossils; lesson on fantastic animals; planning an imaginary world; creation of an imaginary animal; revision of the imaginary animals; adaptations of real animals; adaptations of fossil animals; and public exposition. A rubric to evaluate the student's performances is reported. The project involved professors and students of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and of the "G. Marconi" Secondary School of First Degree (Modena, Italy). Conclusion The educational objectives of the project are in line with the National Indications of the Italian Ministry of Public Instruction: knowledge of the characteristics of living beings, the meanings of the term "adaptation", the meaning of fossils, the definition of ecosystem, and the particularity of the different biomes. At the end of the project, students will be able to grasp particular adaptations of real organisms and to deduce information about the environment in which the organism evolved. This project allows students to review previous knowledge and to form their personalities. PMID:17767729

Rapid genetic erosion in pollutant-exposed experimental chironomid populations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowak, Carsten [Abteilung Okologie und Evolution, Institut fuer Okologie, Evolution und Diversitaet, J. W. Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)], E-mail: cnowak@senckenberg.de; Vogt, Christian [Abteilung Aquatische Okotoxikologie, Institut fuer Okologie, Evolution und Diversitaet, J. W. Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)], E-mail: vogt@bio.uni-frankfurt.de; Pfenninger, Markus [Abteilung Okologie und Evolution, Institut fuer Okologie, Evolution und Diversitaet, J. W. Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)], E-mail: pfenninger@bio.uni-frankfurt.de; Schwenk, Klaus [Abteilung Okologie und Evolution, Institut fuer Okologie, Evolution und Diversitaet, J. W. Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)], E-mail: k.schwenk@bio.uni-frankfurt.de; Oehlmann, Joerg [Abteilung Aquatische Okotoxikologie, Institut fuer Okologie, Evolution und Diversitaet, J. W. Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)], E-mail: oehlmann@bio.uni-frankfurt.de; Streit, Bruno [Abteilung Okologie und Evolution, Institut fuer Okologie, Evolution und Diversitaet, J. W. Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)], E-mail: streit@bio.uni-frankfurt.de; Oetken, Matthias [Abteilung Aquatische Okotoxikologie, Institut fuer Okologie, Evolution und Diversitaet, J. W. Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Siesmayerstrasse 70, 60054 Frankfurt am Main (Germany)], E-mail: oetken@bio.uni-frankfurt.de

2009-03-15

Few studies have evaluated how effectively environmental contamination may reduce genetic diversity of a population. Here, we chose a laboratory approach in order to test if tributyltin (TBT) exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations leads to reduced genetic variation in the midge Chironomus riparius. Two TBT-exposed and two unexposed experimental populations were reared simultaneously in the laboratory for 12 generations. We recorded several life-history traits in each generation and monitored genetic variation over time using five variable microsatellite markers. TBT-exposed strains showed increased larval mortality (treatments: 43.8%; controls: 27.8%), slightly reduced reproductive output, and delayed larval development. Reduction of genetic variation was strongest and only significant in the TBT-exposed strains (treatments: -45.9%, controls: -24.4% of initial heterozygosity) after 12 generations. Our findings document that chemical pollution may lead to a rapid decrease in genetic diversity, which has important implications for conservation strategies and ecological management in polluted environments. - Chronic TBT exposure reduces allelic variation at five variable microsatellite loci in experimental populations of Chironomus riparius.

Rapid genetic erosion in pollutant-exposed experimental chironomid populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowak, Carsten; Vogt, Christian; Pfenninger, Markus; Schwenk, Klaus; Oehlmann, Joerg; Streit, Bruno; Oetken, Matthias

2009-01-01

Few studies have evaluated how effectively environmental contamination may reduce genetic diversity of a population. Here, we chose a laboratory approach in order to test if tributyltin (TBT) exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations leads to reduced genetic variation in the midge Chironomus riparius. Two TBT-exposed and two unexposed experimental populations were reared simultaneously in the laboratory for 12 generations. We recorded several life-history traits in each generation and monitored genetic variation over time using five variable microsatellite markers. TBT-exposed strains showed increased larval mortality (treatments: 43.8%; controls: 27.8%), slightly reduced reproductive output, and delayed larval development. Reduction of genetic variation was strongest and only significant in the TBT-exposed strains (treatments: -45.9%, controls: -24.4% of initial heterozygosity) after 12 generations. Our findings document that chemical pollution may lead to a rapid decrease in genetic diversity, which has important implications for conservation strategies and ecological management in polluted environments. - Chronic TBT exposure reduces allelic variation at five variable microsatellite loci in experimental populations of Chironomus riparius

Serum-thyroxine levels in microwave-exposed rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, S.T.; Lebda, N.; Michaelson, S.M.; Pettit, S.

1985-01-01

The nature of the response of the thyroid gland in animals exposed to microwave irradiation is controversial. Animal experimentation has contributed to the controversy because both increased and decreased thyroid functions have been reported. The thyroxine concentration in rats as representative of thyroid function in animals exposed to 2.45-GHz, 120-Hz amplitude-modulated microwaves has been studied. These studies covered a long time span; rats from two commercial sources (BS and CR) were used and subjected to different numbers of exposures, and therefore these data were evaluated for their stability. Two factors could influence in the result significantly, i.e., source of animal and number of sham exposures. Rats used in the 2-hr exposures were from two different commercial sources; rats from CR had a higher (but normal) thyroxine concentration than did rats from BS. Therefore the data of these animals were separated by commercial source for reevaluation. Instead of increased thyroxine concentration in rats exposed at 25, 30, and 40 mW/cm 2 , changes were not noted in any microwave-exposed rats. The influence of sham exposure revealed that appropriate concurrent control and specification of animal source are needed in longitudinal studies. Furthermore, statistical procedures used can greatly influence the conclusions. Thus the specificity of changes in thyroxine concentration in rats exposed to microwaves because of its sporadic occurrence and because of inconsistencies among experiments was doubted

Ethical issues associated with the use of animal experimentation in behavioral neuroscience research.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohl, Frauke; Meijboom, Franck

2015-01-01

This chapter briefly explores whether there are distinct characteristics in the field of Behavioral Neuroscience that demand specific ethical reflection. We argue that although the ethical issues in animal-based Behavioral Neuroscience are not necessarily distinct from those in other research disciplines using animal experimentation, this field of endeavor makes a number of specific, ethically relevant, questions more explicit and, as a result, may expose to discussion a series of ethical issues that have relevance beyond this field of science. We suggest that innovative research, by its very definition, demands out-of-the-box thinking. At the same time, standardization of animal models and test procedures for the sake of comparability across experiments inhibits the potential and willingness to leave well-established tracks of thinking, and leaves us wondering how open minded research is and whether it is the researcher's established perspective that drives the research rather than the research that drives the researcher's perspective. The chapter finishes by introducing subsequent chapters of this book volume on Ethical Issues in Behavioral Neuroscience.

Animal Experimentation: Issues for the 1980s.

Science.gov (United States)

Zola, Judith C.; And Others

1984-01-01

Examines the extent to which issues related to animal experimentation are in conflict and proposes choices that might least comprise them. These issues include animal well-being, human well-being, self-interest of science, scientific validity and responsibility, progress in biomedical and behavioral science, and the future quality of medical care.…

The perception of animal experimentation ethics among Indian teenage school pupils.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Justin Namuk; Choi, Eun Hee; Kim, Soo-Ki

2017-03-01

To promote awareness of animal experimentation ethics among teenagers, we created an educational pamphlet and an accompanying questionnaire. One hundred Indian teenage school pupils were given the pamphlet and subsequently surveyed with the questionnaire, to evaluate: a) their perception of animal experimentation ethics; and b) their opinion on the effectiveness of the pamphlet, according to gender and school grade/age. There was a significant correlation between grade/age and support for animal experimentation, i.e. senior students were more inclined to show support for animal experimentation. There was also a significant correlation between gender and perception of the need to learn about animal experimentation ethics, with girls more likely to feel the need to learn about ethics than boys. In addition, the four questions relating to the usefulness of the pamphlet, and student satisfaction with its content, received positive responses from the majority of the students. Even though the pamphlet was concise, it was apparent that three quarters of the students were satisfied with its content. Gender and age did not influence this level of satisfaction. Overall, our study shows that there is a significant correlation between a pupil`s school grade/age and their support for animal experimentation, and that there is also a significant correlation between gender and the perceived need to learn about animal experimentation ethics. This pilot scheme involving an educational pamphlet and questionnaire could be beneficial in helping to formulate basic strategies for educating teenage school pupils about animal ethics. 2017 FRAME.

Adaptive Response in Animals Exposed to Non-Ionizing Radiofrequency Fields: Some Underlying Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Cao

2014-04-01

Full Text Available During the last few years, our research group has been investigating the phenomenon of adaptive response in animals exposed to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields. The results from several separate studies indicated a significant increase in survival, decreases in genetic damage as well as oxidative damage and, alterations in several cellular processes in mice pre-exposed to radiofrequency fields and subsequently subjected to sub-lethal or lethal doses of γ-radiation or injected with bleomycin, a radiomimetic chemical mutagen. These observations indicated the induction of adaptive response providing the animals the ability to resist subsequent damage. Similar studies conducted by independent researchers in mice and rats have supported our observation on increased survival. In this paper, we have presented a brief review of all of our own and other independent investigations on radiofrequency fields-induced adaptive response and some underlying mechanisms discussed.

Post-exposure rabies prophylaxis in humans exposed to animals in Lublin province (Eastern Poland) in 2012-2015 - A retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Krzowska-Firych, Joanna; Tomasiewicz, Krzysztof; Kozøowska, Agata

2017-06-03

Rabies continues to be one of the most important viral diseases and remains a significant threat to public health across the globe. The post-exposure prophylaxis in humans can effectively prevent death after exposure to a potentially infected animal. In Poland, recommendations for rabies PEP followed the national guidelines which recommend that people should receive PEP when bitten by an animal suspected to be infected by rabies. PEP in humans includes cleansing and disinfecting the wound or point of contact, and administering anti-rabies immunization. Rabies vaccine should be given for contacts of category II and category III exposures. RIG should be given for category III contact. The vaccination schedule includes 5 doses given within a 30 day period (the Essen regimen). The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of post-exposure prophylaxis among patients exposed to animals and also to assess the animal species suspected as a source of rabies exposure. We have retrospectively analyzed medical records from the years 2012-2015 of all adult patients who were exposed to animals and consulted at the Dispensary of Rabies Prophylaxis in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Medical University in Lublin, Poland. All consulted patients were asked to give an informed consent in case of decision to use collected data for future research work. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Medical University of Lublin, Poland, and all patients included in this study gave an informed consent during consultation after the exposure to animals. During the studied 4-year period, 511 persons exposed to animals were consulted and prophylactic procedure consisting of active immunization were applied in 54.2% of the total consulted. Dogs and cats were the most common animal species suspected as the source of the rabies exposure. Anti-rabies prophylaxis was applied in 45.8% of all vaccinated patients exposed to dogs, and in 24.2% exposed to cats. All

Systematic heterogenization for better reproducibility in animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, S Helene

2017-08-31

The scientific literature is full of articles discussing poor reproducibility of findings from animal experiments as well as failures to translate results from preclinical animal studies to clinical trials in humans. Critics even go so far as to talk about a "reproducibility crisis" in the life sciences, a novel headword that increasingly finds its way into numerous high-impact journals. Viewed from a cynical perspective, Fett's law of the lab "Never replicate a successful experiment" has thus taken on a completely new meaning. So far, poor reproducibility and translational failures in animal experimentation have mostly been attributed to biased animal data, methodological pitfalls, current publication ethics and animal welfare constraints. More recently, the concept of standardization has also been identified as a potential source of these problems. By reducing within-experiment variation, rigorous standardization regimes limit the inference to the specific experimental conditions. In this way, however, individual phenotypic plasticity is largely neglected, resulting in statistically significant but possibly irrelevant findings that are not reproducible under slightly different conditions. By contrast, systematic heterogenization has been proposed as a concept to improve representativeness of study populations, contributing to improved external validity and hence improved reproducibility. While some first heterogenization studies are indeed very promising, it is still not clear how this approach can be transferred into practice in a logistically feasible and effective way. Thus, further research is needed to explore different heterogenization strategies as well as alternative routes toward better reproducibility in animal experimentation.

Instrumental and ethical aspects of experimental research with animal models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirian Watanabe

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Experimental animal models offer possibilities of physiology knowledge, pathogenesis of disease and action of drugs that are directly related to quality nursing care. This integrative review describes the current state of the instrumental and ethical aspects of experimental research with animal models, including the main recommendations of ethics committees that focus on animal welfare and raises questions about the impact of their findings in nursing care. Data show that, in Brazil, the progress in ethics for the use of animals for scientific purposes was consolidated with Law No. 11.794/2008 establishing ethical procedures, attending health, genetic and experimental parameters. The application of ethics in handling of animals for scientific and educational purposes and obtaining consistent and quality data brings unquestionable contributions to the nurse, as they offer subsidies to relate pathophysiological mechanisms and the clinical aspect on the patient.

Prediction of the health effects of inhaled transuranium elements from experimental animal data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bair, W.J.; Thomas, J.M.

1976-01-01

Although animal experiments are conducted to obtain data that can be used to predict the consequences of exposure to alpha-emitting elements on human health, scientists have been hesitant to project the results of animal experiments to man. However, since a human data base does not exist for inhaled transuranics, the animal data cannot be overlooked. The paper describes the derivation of linear non-threshold response relationships for lung cancer in rats after inhalation of alpha-emitting transuranium elements. These relationships were used to calculate risk estimates, which were then compared with a value calculated from the incidence of lung cancer in humans who had been exposed to sources of radiation other than the transuranics. Both estimates were compared with the estimated cancer risk associated with the annual whole-body dose limit of 5 rems for occupational exposure. The rat data suggest that the risk from a working lifetime exposure of 15 rem/a to the lungs from transuranium elements may be 5 times the risk incurred with a whole-body exposure of 5 rem/a, while the human data suggest the risk may be less. Since the histological type of plutonium-induced lung cancer that occurs in experimental animals is rare in man, the use of animal data to estimate risks may be conservative. Risk estimates calculated directly from the results of experiments in which animals actually inhaled transuranic particles circumvent such controversial issues as 'hot particles'. (author)

The effectiveness of health animations in audiences with different health literacy levels: an experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meppelink, Corine S; van Weert, Julia C M; Haven, Carola J; Smit, Edith G

2015-01-13

Processing Web-based health information can be difficult, especially for people with low health literacy. Presenting health information in an audiovisual format, such as animation, is expected to improve understanding among low health literate audiences. The aim of this paper is to investigate what features of spoken health animations improve information recall and attitudes and whether there are differences between health literacy groups. We conducted an online experiment among 231 participants aged 55 years or older with either low or high health literacy. A 2 (spoken vs written text) x 2 (illustration vs animation) design was used. Participants were randomly exposed to one of the four experimental messages, all providing the same information on colorectal cancer screening. The results showed that, among people with low health literacy, spoken messages about colorectal cancer screening improved recall (P=.03) and attitudes (P=.02) compared to written messages. Animations alone did not improve recall, but when combined with spoken text, they significantly improved recall in this group (P=.02). When exposed to spoken animations, people with low health literacy recalled the same amount of information as their high health literate counterparts (P=.12), whereas in all other conditions people with high health literacy recalled more information compared to low health literate individuals. For people with low health literacy, positive attitudes mediated the relationship between spoken text and the intention to have a colorectal cancer screening (b=.12; 95% CI 0.02-0.25). We conclude that spoken animation is the best way to communicate complex health information to people with low health literacy. This format can even bridge the information processing gap between audiences with low and high health literacy as the recall differences between the two groups are eliminated. As animations do not negatively influence high health literate audiences, it is concluded that

The Effectiveness of Health Animations in Audiences With Different Health Literacy Levels: An Experimental Study

Science.gov (United States)

van Weert, Julia CM; Haven, Carola J; Smit, Edith G

2015-01-01

Background Processing Web-based health information can be difficult, especially for people with low health literacy. Presenting health information in an audiovisual format, such as animation, is expected to improve understanding among low health literate audiences. Objective The aim of this paper is to investigate what features of spoken health animations improve information recall and attitudes and whether there are differences between health literacy groups. Methods We conducted an online experiment among 231 participants aged 55 years or older with either low or high health literacy. A 2 (spoken vs written text) x 2 (illustration vs animation) design was used. Participants were randomly exposed to one of the four experimental messages, all providing the same information on colorectal cancer screening. Results The results showed that, among people with low health literacy, spoken messages about colorectal cancer screening improved recall (P=.03) and attitudes (P=.02) compared to written messages. Animations alone did not improve recall, but when combined with spoken text, they significantly improved recall in this group (P=.02). When exposed to spoken animations, people with low health literacy recalled the same amount of information as their high health literate counterparts (P=.12), whereas in all other conditions people with high health literacy recalled more information compared to low health literate individuals. For people with low health literacy, positive attitudes mediated the relationship between spoken text and the intention to have a colorectal cancer screening (b=.12; 95% CI 0.02-0.25). Conclusions We conclude that spoken animation is the best way to communicate complex health information to people with low health literacy. This format can even bridge the information processing gap between audiences with low and high health literacy as the recall differences between the two groups are eliminated. As animations do not negatively influence high health

Experimental animal studies of radon and cigarette smoke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cross, F.T.; Dagle, G.E.; Gies, R.A.; Smith, L.G.; Buschbom, R.L.

1992-01-01

Cigarette-smoking is a dominant cause of lung cancer and confounds risk assessment of exposure to radon decay products. Evidence in humans on the interaction between cigarette-smoking and exposure to radon decay products, although limited, indicates a possible synergy. Experimental animal data, in addition to showing synergy, also show a decrease or no change in risk with added cigarette-smoke exposures. This article reviews previous animal data developed at Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires and Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) on mixed exposures to radon and cigarette smoke, and highlights new initiation-promotion-initiation (IPI) studies at PNL that were designed within the framework of a two-mutation carcinogenesis model. Also presented are the PNL exposure system, experimental protocols, dosimetry, and biological data observed to date in IPI animals

Harbour porpoise movement strategy affects cumulative number of animals acoustically exposed to underwater explosions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aarts,G.; Benda-Beckmann, A.M. von; Lucke, K.; Özkan Sertlek, H.; Bemmelen, R. van; Geelhoed, S.C.V.; Brasseur, S.; Scheidat, M.; Lam, F.P.A.; Slabbekoorn, H.; Kirkwood, R.

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic sound in the marine environment can have negative consequences for marine fauna. Since most sound sources are intermittent or continuous, estimating how many individuals are exposed over time remains challenging, as this depends on the animals’ mobility. Here we explored how animal

[RESEARCH PROGRESS OF EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL MODELS OF AVASCULAR NECROSIS OF FEMORAL HEAD].

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Kaifu; Tan, Hongbo; Xu, Yongqing

2015-12-01

To summarize the current researches and progress on experimental animal models of avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Domestic and internation literature concerning experimental animal models of avascular necrosis of the femoral head was reviewed and analyzed. The methods to prepare the experimental animal models of avascular necrosis of the femoral head can be mainly concluded as traumatic methods (including surgical, physical, and chemical insult), and non-traumatic methods (including steroid, lipopolysaccharide, steroid combined with lipopolysaccharide, steroid combined with horse serum, etc). Each method has both merits and demerits, yet no ideal methods have been developed. There are many methods to prepare the experimental animal models of avascular necrosis of the femoral head, but proper model should be selected based on the aim of research. The establishment of ideal experimental animal models needs further research in future.

Animal models in biological and biomedical research - experimental and ethical concerns.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Monica L; Winter, Lucile M F

2017-09-04

Animal models have been used in experimental research to increase human knowledge and contribute to finding solutions to biological and biomedical questions. However, increased concern for the welfare of the animals used, and a growing awareness of the concept of animal rights, has brought a greater focus on the related ethical issues. In this review, we intend to give examples on how animals are used in the health research related to some major health problems in Brazil, as well as to stimulate discussion about the application of ethics in the use of animals in research and education, highlighting the role of National Council for the Control of Animal Experimentation (Conselho Nacional de Controle de Experimentação Animal - CONCEA) in these areas. In 2008, Brazil emerged into a new era of animal research regulation, with the promulgation of Law 11794, previously known as the Arouca Law, resulting in an increased focus, and rapid learning experience, on questions related to all aspects of animal experimentation. The law reinforces the idea that animal experiments must be based on ethical considerations and integrity-based assumptions, and provides a regulatory framework to achieve this. This review describes the health research involving animals and the current Brazilian framework for regulating laboratory animal science, and hopes to help to improve the awareness of the scientific community of these ethical and legal rules.

Animals exposed to radon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masse, R.; Morin, M.; Lafuma, J.; Morlier, J.P.; Chameaud, J.; Bredon, P.

1992-01-01

'There is sufficient evidence that 222 Rn is a carcinogen in animals': this statement was important for the classification of radon as carcinogenic to man, outside of uranium mine atmospheres, clearly identified by epidemiology as causing lung cancer. Since recent reviews of animal experiments have been given by NCRP and by IARC, this review will be mainly limited to the recent results which came from two laboratories in the last 20 years. Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL), USA, and COGEMA Laboratoire de Pathologie Professionnelle (LPP) France. (author)

Multivariate Analysis for Animal Selection in Experimental Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renan Mercuri Pinto

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Several researchers seek methods for the selection of homogeneous groups of animals in experimental studies, a fact justified because homogeneity is an indispensable prerequisite for casualization of treatments. The lack of robust methods that comply with statistical and biological principles is the reason why researchers use empirical or subjective methods, influencing their results. Objective: To develop a multivariate statistical model for the selection of a homogeneous group of animals for experimental research and to elaborate a computational package to use it. Methods: The set of echocardiographic data of 115 male Wistar rats with supravalvular aortic stenosis (AoS was used as an example of model development. Initially, the data were standardized, and became dimensionless. Then, the variance matrix of the set was submitted to principal components analysis (PCA, aiming at reducing the parametric space and at retaining the relevant variability. That technique established a new Cartesian system into which the animals were allocated, and finally the confidence region (ellipsoid was built for the profile of the animals’ homogeneous responses. The animals located inside the ellipsoid were considered as belonging to the homogeneous batch; those outside the ellipsoid were considered spurious. Results: The PCA established eight descriptive axes that represented the accumulated variance of the data set in 88.71%. The allocation of the animals in the new system and the construction of the confidence region revealed six spurious animals as compared to the homogeneous batch of 109 animals. Conclusion: The biometric criterion presented proved to be effective, because it considers the animal as a whole, analyzing jointly all parameters measured, in addition to having a small discard rate.

Strain preservation of experimental animals: vitrification of two-cell stage embryos for multiple mouse strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Eto, Tomoo; Takahashi, Riichi; Kamisako, Tsutomu

2015-04-01

Strain preservation of experimental animals is crucial for experimental reproducibility. Maintaining complete animal strains, however, is costly and there is a risk for genetic mutations as well as complete loss due to disasters or illness. Therefore, the development of effective vitrification techniques for cryopreservation of multiple experimental animal strains is important. We examined whether a vitrification method using cryoprotectant solutions, P10 and PEPeS, is suitable for preservation of multiple inbred and outbred mouse strains. First, we investigated whether our vitrification method using cryoprotectant solutions was suitable for two-cell stage mouse embryos. In vitro development of embryos exposed to the cryoprotectant solutions was similar to that of fresh controls. Further, the survival rate of the vitrified embryos was extremely high (98.1%). Next, we collected and vitrified two-cell stage embryos of 14 mouse strains. The average number of embryos obtained from one female was 7.3-33.3. The survival rate of vitrified embryos ranged from 92.8% to 99.1%, with no significant differences among mouse strains. In vivo development did not differ significantly between fresh controls and vitrified embryos of each strain. For strain preservation using cryopreserved embryos, two offspring for inbred lines and one offspring for outbred lines must be produced from two-cell stage embryos collected from one female. The expected number of surviving fetuses obtained from embryos collected from one female of either the inbred or outbred strains ranged from 2.9 to 19.5. The findings of the present study indicated that this vitrification method is suitable for strain preservation of multiple mouse strains. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tobacco experimental model to induce urinary bladder neoplasms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Alexandre Colli Neto

2014-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to develop an experimental model of exposure to tobacco burning (cigarette products to assess the effects of its chronic use in relation to cancers of the bladder. METHODS: the animals were chronically exposed to the burning tobacco products in a semi-open chamber to simulate smoking. Thirty young Wistar rats were divided into two groups: one with 20 animals simulating smoking for six months, and ten not exposed control animals for the same period. After exposure by inhalation of cigarette smoke, animals were euthanized and subjected to histopathological study of the bladder wall. RESULTS: no tumor was found but mild and non significant alterations. The studies of hemo-oximetry (carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin and the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2 confirm that the animals were exposed to high concentrations of tobacco smoke and its derivatives. CONCLUSION: no bladder mucosal neoplasia was found in the pathological study of animals. The developed experimental models were highly efficient, practical and easy to use and can be used in other similar studies to determine the harmful effects caused by smoking.

[Animal experimentation in the discovery and production of veterinary vaccines].

Science.gov (United States)

Audonnet, J Ch; Lechenet, J; Verschuere, B

2007-08-01

Veterinary vaccine research, development and production facilities must aim to improve animal welfare, respond to public concerns and meet regulatory requirements, while at the same time fulfilling their objective of producing evermore effective and safer vaccines. The use of animal experimentation for the development of new veterinary vaccines is inevitable, as no in vitro model can predict a candidate vaccine's ability to induce protection in the target species. Against the backdrop of ethical and regulatory constraints, constant progress is being made in creating the best possible conditions for animal experimentation. Keeping up to date with the constant changes in the field of animal ethics requires a particular effort on the part of the pharmaceutical industry, which must make careful changes to product registration documentation in accordance with each new development.

Experimental animal modelling for TB vaccine development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pere-Joan Cardona

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Research for a novel vaccine to prevent tuberculosis is an urgent medical need. The current vaccine, BCG, has demonstrated a non-homogenous efficacy in humans, but still is the gold standard to be improved upon. In general, the main indicator for testing the potency of new candidates in animal models is the reduction of the bacillary load in the lungs at the acute phase of the infection. Usually, this reduction is similar to that induced by BCG, although in some cases a weak but significant improvement can be detected, but none of candidates are able to prevent establishment of infection. The main characteristics of several laboratory animals are reviewed, reflecting that none are able to simulate the whole characteristics of human tuberculosis. As, so far, no surrogate of protection has been found, it is important to test new candidates in several models in order to generate convincing evidence of efficacy that might be better than that of BCG in humans. It is also important to investigate the use of “in silico” and “ex vivo” models to better understand experimental data and also to try to replace, or at least reduce and refine experimental models in animals.

Experimental liver fibrosis research: update on animal models, legal issues and translational aspects

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Liver fibrosis is defined as excessive extracellular matrix deposition and is based on complex interactions between matrix-producing hepatic stellate cells and an abundance of liver-resident and infiltrating cells. Investigation of these processes requires in vitro and in vivo experimental work in animals. However, the use of animals in translational research will be increasingly challenged, at least in countries of the European Union, because of the adoption of new animal welfare rules in 2013. These rules will create an urgent need for optimized standard operating procedures regarding animal experimentation and improved international communication in the liver fibrosis community. This review gives an update on current animal models, techniques and underlying pathomechanisms with the aim of fostering a critical discussion of the limitations and potential of up-to-date animal experimentation. We discuss potential complications in experimental liver fibrosis and provide examples of how the findings of studies in which these models are used can be translated to human disease and therapy. In this review, we want to motivate the international community to design more standardized animal models which might help to address the legally requested replacement, refinement and reduction of animals in fibrosis research. PMID:24274743

Experimental animal data and modeling of late somatic effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fry, R.J.M.

1988-01-01

This section is restricted to radiation-induced life shortening and cancer and mainly to studies with external radiation. The emphasis will be on the experimental data that are available and the experimental systems that could provide the type of data with which to either formulate or test models. Genetic effects which are of concern are not discussed in this section. Experimental animal radiation studies fall into those that establish general principles and those that demonstrate mechanisms. General principles include the influence of dose, radiation quality, dose rate, fractionation, protraction and such biological factors as age and gender. The influence of these factors are considered as general principles because they are independent, at least qualitatively, of the species studied. For example, if an increase in the LET of the radiation causes an increased effectiveness in cancer induction in a mouse a comparable increase in effectiveness can be expected in humans. Thus, models, whether empirical or mechanistic, formulated from experimental animal data should be generally applicable

Scientific Knowledge and Technology, Animal Experimentation, and Pharmaceutical Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinter, Lewis B; DeGeorge, Joseph J

2016-12-01

Human discovery of pharmacologically active substances is arguably the oldest of the biomedical sciences with origins >3500 years ago. Since ancient times, four major transformations have dramatically impacted pharmaceutical development, each driven by advances in scientific knowledge, technology, and/or regulation: (1) anesthesia, analgesia, and antisepsis; (2) medicinal chemistry; (3) regulatory toxicology; and (4) targeted drug discovery. Animal experimentation in pharmaceutical development is a modern phenomenon dating from the 20th century and enabling several of the four transformations. While each transformation resulted in more effective and/or safer pharmaceuticals, overall attrition, cycle time, cost, numbers of animals used, and low probability of success for new products remain concerns, and pharmaceutical development remains a very high risk business proposition. In this manuscript we review pharmaceutical development since ancient times, describe its coevolution with animal experimentation, and attempt to predict the characteristics of future transformations. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ethical and Animal Welfare Considerations in Relation to Species Selection for Animal Experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, John

2014-12-03

Ethical principles governing the conduct of experiments with animals are reviewed, especially those relating to the choice of species. Legislation requires that the potential harm to animals arising from any procedure should be assessed in advance and justified in terms of its possible benefit to society. Potential harms may arise both from the procedures and the quality of the animals' lifetime experience. The conventional approach to species selection is to use animals with the "lowest degree of neurophysiological sensitivity". However; this concept should be applied with extreme caution in the light of new knowledge. The capacity to experience pain may be similar in mammals, birds and fish. The capacity to suffer from fear is governed more by sentience than cognitive ability, so it cannot be assumed that rodents or farm animals suffer less than dogs or primates. I suggest that it is unethical to base the choice of species for animal experimentation simply on the basis that it will cause less distress within society. A set of responsibilities is outlined for each category of moral agent. These include regulators, operators directly concerned with the conduct of scientific experiments and toxicology trials, veterinarians and animal care staff; and society at large.

A device for external γ-irradiation of experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanitskaya, N.F.; Talakin, Yu.N.; Lekakh, V.A.

1992-01-01

A device was developed for external gamma-irradiation of experimental animals including a radiation source, a device for fixation of the total animal or a segment of its body in the focus of irradiation, and a shilding screen. To widen the sphere of this device application by making possible a simultaneous radiation exposure of a group of animals under various radiation schedules, the device involves two discs with a common axis. The lower disc is provided with an electric drive and containers with animals are placed on it, and the upper disc is for the shielding screen. The device is supplied with an operation block

Animal experimentation and scientific knowledge: a thought style?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thales de Astrogildo e Tréz

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Animal experimentation, besides a research method extensively applied in the production of scientific knowledge, is also considered essential to science and with undeniable historical relevance in advances in human health. In this survey, a questionnaire was applied to a group of researchers involved with research based on non-animal models (n =18, and to another group involved with research based on animal models (n =18. The data analysis was grounded in Ludwik Fleck (1896 -1961 epistemological assumptions. The results suggested that there are at least two thought styles operating in consonance on the same research problem (advances in human health conditions with significantly different conceptions not only concerning the research practices involved, but also the historical conceptions related to the role of animal experimentation.A experimentação animal, além de método amplamente aplicado na produção do conhecimento científico, é considerada como essencial à ciência e com valor histórico inegável no progresso das condições de saúde humana. Neste levantamento, um questionário foi aplicado a um grupo de pesquisadores com trabalhos baseados em modelos não-animais (n =18 e a outro grupo com trabalhos baseados em modelos animais (n =18. A análise de dados se baseou nos pressupostos epitemológicos de Ludwik Fleck (1896-1961. Os dados sugerem que existem pelo menos dois estilos de pensamento operando em consonância sobre o mesmo problema de pesquisa (avanços nas condições de saúde humana, com concepções significativamente diferentes sobre as práticas de pesquisa envolvidas, assim como as concepções históricas relacionadas ao papel da experimentação animal.

[Reduction of animal experiments in experimental drug testing].

Science.gov (United States)

Behrensdorf-Nicol, H; Krämer, B

2014-10-01

In order to ensure the quality of biomedical products, an experimental test for every single manufactured batch is required for many products. Especially in vaccine testing, animal experiments are traditionally used for this purpose. For example, efficacy is often determined via challenge experiments in laboratory animals. Safety tests of vaccine batches are also mostly performed using laboratory animals. However, many animal experiments have clear inherent disadvantages (low accuracy, questionable transferability to humans, unclear significance). Furthermore, for ethical reasons and animal welfare aspects animal experiments are also seen very critical by the public. Therefore, there is a strong trend towards replacing animal experiments with methods in which no animals are used ("replacement"). If a replacement is not possible, the required animal experiments should be improved in order to minimize the number of animals necessary ("reduction") and to reduce pain and suffering caused by the experiment to a minimum ("refinement"). This "3R concept" is meanwhile firmly established in legislature. In recent years many mandatory animal experiments have been replaced by alternative in vitro methods or improved according to the 3R principles; numerous alternative methods are currently under development. Nevertheless, the process from the development of a new method to its legal implementation takes a long time. Therefore, supplementary regulatory measures to facilitate validation and acceptance of new alternative methods could contribute to a faster and more consequent implementation of the 3R concept in the testing of biomedical products.

Exploring Empathy and Callous-Unemotional Traits as Predictors of Animal Abuse Perpetrated by Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Christie; Hageman, Tina; Williams, James Herbert; Mary, Jason St; Ascione, Frank R

2016-07-01

We explored the relation between empathy, callous-unemotional (CU) traits, and animal abuse in a sample of 290 seven- to twelve-year-old children whose mothers were exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). The sample comprises mostly Latino and White participants, and 55% of the children's mothers were born outside the United States (primarily Mexico). To our knowledge, among studies examining child-perpetrated animal abuse, this study is the first to examine empathy levels and one of only a few to examine CU traits. When comparing Griffith Empathy Measure (empathy) and Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (callous-unemotional [CU] traits) scores with those from studies of White schoolchildren, our sample scored lower on affective empathy, higher on cognitive empathy, and lower for overall CU scores as well as Callous and Unemotional subscales. Of 290 children, 47 (16.2%) harmed an animal at least once according to either mother or child report. There were no significant sex or age differences between Abuse and No Abuse groups. The Abuse group scored significantly higher on affective empathy, CU, and Callousness/Unemotional subscales, and significantly lower on cognitive empathy. However, in regression analyses that controlled for income, only lower cognitive empathy and higher CU significantly predicted having abused an animal. In summary, low cognitive empathy (but not affective empathy) and CU traits may serve as reliable predictors of child animal abuse. However, replication of these results is necessary. A larger sample with a high percentage of Latino children whose mothers were exposed to IPV, along with a non-exposed comparison group, would be ideal.

The European politics of animal experimentation: From Victorian Britain to 'Stop Vivisection'.

Science.gov (United States)

Germain, Pierre-Luc; Chiapperino, Luca; Testa, Giuseppe

2017-08-01

This paper identifies a common political struggle behind debates on the validity and permissibility of animal experimentation, through an analysis of two recent European case studies: the Italian implementation of the European Directive 2010/63/EC regulating the use of animals in science, and the recent European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) 'Stop Vivisection'. Drawing from a historical parallel with Victorian antivivisectionism, we highlight important threads in our case studies that mark the often neglected specificities of debates on animal experimentation. From the representation of the sadistic scientist in the XIX century, to his/her claimed capture by vested interests and evasion of public scrutiny in the contemporary cases, we show that animals are not simply the focus of the debate, but also a privileged locus at which much broader issues are being raised about science, its authority, accountability and potential misalignment with public interest. By highlighting this common socio-political conflict underlying public controversies around animal experimentation, our work prompts the exploration of modes of authority and argumentation that, in establishing the usefulness of animals in science, avoid reenacting the traditional divide between epistemic and political fora. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Ethical and Animal Welfare Considerations in Relation to Species Selection for Animal Experimentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Webster

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Ethical principles governing the conduct of experiments with animals are reviewed, especially those relating to the choice of species. Legislation requires that the potential harm to animals arising from any procedure should be assessed in advance and justified in terms of its possible benefit to society. Potential harms may arise both from the procedures and the quality of the animals’ lifetime experience. The conventional approach to species selection is to use animals with the “lowest degree of neurophysiological sensitivity”. However; this concept should be applied with extreme caution in the light of new knowledge. The capacity to experience pain may be similar in mammals, birds and fish. The capacity to suffer from fear is governed more by sentience than cognitive ability, so it cannot be assumed that rodents or farm animals suffer less than dogs or primates. I suggest that it is unethical to base the choice of species for animal experimentation simply on the basis that it will cause less distress within society. A set of responsibilities is outlined for each category of moral agent. These include regulators, operators directly concerned with the conduct of scientific experiments and toxicology trials, veterinarians and animal care staff; and society at large.

Characterization of experimental dental research using animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Flávia Granville-Garcia

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the profile of experimental dental research using animals. Methods: The research comprised all the 4141 abstracts existent in the books of annals from the 22nd and 23rd Annual meetings of the Brazilian Society of Dentistry Research and the sample was composed of 377 studies (9.1%. The variables analyzed were: area of knowledge, type of institution, State of the country, type of animal and body part used, occurrence of animal sacrifice, mention of the Research Ethics Committee, receipt of funding and type of financing agency. Results: The largest number of studies concentrated on the areas of Buccomaxillofacial Surgery (27.3% and Basic Sciences (21.2%. The Public Universities were responsible for 74% of the researches, and the State Institutions were outstanding (82.4%. The State of São Paulo was responsible for 74.1% of the studies. Rats (67.1% and rabbits (11.1% were the most frequently used animals, and 68.2% of the animals were sacrificed. The oral cavity was used in 50.1% of the researches and the mandible in 59%. Only 1.9% of the studies mentioned the Research Ethics Committee and 26.3% reported that they received funding. Conclusion: In Dentistry, studies involving animals are predominant in the areas of buccomaxillofacial surgery and basic sciences, with rats andrabbits being most frequently used. A significant number of guinea pigs are sacrificed during or at the end of the experiments.

Animal experimentation in forensic sciences: How far have we come?

Science.gov (United States)

Cattaneo, C; Maderna, E; Rendinelli, A; Gibelli, D

2015-09-01

In the third millennium where ethical, ethological and cultural evolution seem to be leading more and more towards an inter-species society, the issue of animal experimentation is a moral dilemma. Speaking from a self-interested human perspective, avoiding all animal testing where human disease and therapy are concerned may be very difficult or even impossible; such testing may not be so easily justifiable when suffering-or killing-of non human animals is inflicted for forensic research. In order to verify how forensic scientists are evolving in this ethical issue, we undertook a systematic review of the current literature. We investigated the frequency of animal experimentation in forensic studies in the past 15 years and trends in publication in the main forensic science journals. Types of species, lesions inflicted, manner of sedation or anesthesia and euthanasia were examined in a total of 404 articles reviewed, among which 279 (69.1%) concerned studies involving animals sacrificed exclusively for the sake of the experiment. Killing still frequently includes painful methods such as blunt trauma, electrocution, mechanical asphyxia, hypothermia, and even exsanguination; of all these animals, apparently only 60.8% were anesthetized. The most recent call for a severe reduction if not a total halt to the use of animals in forensic sciences was made by Bernard Knight in 1992. In fact the principle of reduction and replacement, frequently respected in clinical research, must be considered the basis for forensic science research needing animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Macrophages and Uveitis in Experimental Animal Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvador Mérida

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Resident and infiltrated macrophages play relevant roles in uveitis as effectors of innate immunity and inductors of acquired immunity. They are major effectors of tissue damage in uveitis and are also considered to be potent antigen-presenting cells. In the last few years, experimental animal models of uveitis have enabled us to enhance our understanding of the leading role of macrophages in eye inflammation processes, including macrophage polarization in experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis and the major role of Toll-like receptor 4 in endotoxin-induced uveitis. This improved knowledge should guide advantageous iterative research to establish mechanisms and possible therapeutic targets for human uveitis resolution.

Science and society: different bioethical approaches towards animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Brom, Frans W A

2002-01-01

respect their integrity. By weighing these prima facie duties, the moral problem of animal experimentation exists in finding which duty actually has to be considered as the decisive duty. It will be argued that these three views, even though they will all justify animal experimentation to some extent, will do so in practice under different conditions. Many current conflicts regarding the use of animals for research may be better understood in light of the conflict between the three bioethical perspectives provided by these views.

Experimental evidence for inherent Lévy search behaviour in foraging animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kölzsch, Andrea; Alzate, Adriana; Bartumeus, Frederic; de Jager, Monique; Weerman, Ellen J; Hengeveld, Geerten M; Naguib, Marc; Nolet, Bart A; van de Koppel, Johan

2015-05-22

Recently, Lévy walks have been put forward as a new paradigm for animal search and many cases have been made for its presence in nature. However, it remains debated whether Lévy walks are an inherent behavioural strategy or emerge from the animal reacting to its habitat. Here, we demonstrate signatures of Lévy behaviour in the search movement of mud snails (Hydrobia ulvae) based on a novel, direct assessment of movement properties in an experimental set-up using different food distributions. Our experimental data uncovered clusters of small movement steps alternating with long moves independent of food encounter and landscape complexity. Moreover, size distributions of these clusters followed truncated power laws. These two findings are characteristic signatures of mechanisms underlying inherent Lévy-like movement. Thus, our study provides clear experimental evidence that such multi-scale movement is an inherent behaviour rather than resulting from the animal interacting with its environment. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Study Design Rigor in Animal-Experimental Research Published in Anesthesia Journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoerauf, Janine M; Moss, Angela F; Fernandez-Bustamante, Ana; Bartels, Karsten

2018-01-01

Lack of reproducibility of preclinical studies has been identified as an impediment for translation of basic mechanistic research into effective clinical therapies. Indeed, the National Institutes of Health has revised its grant application process to require more rigorous study design, including sample size calculations, blinding procedures, and randomization steps. We hypothesized that the reporting of such metrics of study design rigor has increased over time for animal-experimental research published in anesthesia journals. PubMed was searched for animal-experimental studies published in 2005, 2010, and 2015 in primarily English-language anesthesia journals. A total of 1466 publications were graded on the performance of sample size estimation, randomization, and blinding. Cochran-Armitage test was used to assess linear trends over time for the primary outcome of whether or not a metric was reported. Interrater agreement for each of the 3 metrics (power, randomization, and blinding) was assessed using the weighted κ coefficient in a 10% random sample of articles rerated by a second investigator blinded to the ratings of the first investigator. A total of 1466 manuscripts were analyzed. Reporting for all 3 metrics of experimental design rigor increased over time (2005 to 2010 to 2015): for power analysis, from 5% (27/516), to 12% (59/485), to 17% (77/465); for randomization, from 41% (213/516), to 50% (243/485), to 54% (253/465); and for blinding, from 26% (135/516), to 38% (186/485), to 47% (217/465). The weighted κ coefficients and 98.3% confidence interval indicate almost perfect agreement between the 2 raters beyond that which occurs by chance alone (power, 0.93 [0.85, 1.0], randomization, 0.91 [0.85, 0.98], and blinding, 0.90 [0.84, 0.96]). Our hypothesis that reported metrics of rigor in animal-experimental studies in anesthesia journals have increased during the past decade was confirmed. More consistent reporting, or explicit justification for absence

9 CFR 78.23 - Brucellosis exposed bison.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Brucellosis exposed bison. 78.23... AGRICULTURE INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS (INCLUDING POULTRY) AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS BRUCELLOSIS Restrictions on Interstate Movement of Bison Because of Brucellosis § 78.23 Brucellosis exposed bison...

9 CFR 78.32 - Brucellosis exposed swine.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Brucellosis exposed swine. 78.32... AGRICULTURE INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS (INCLUDING POULTRY) AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS BRUCELLOSIS Restrictions on Interstate Movement of Swine Because of Brucellosis § 78.32 Brucellosis exposed swine. (a...

Uterus transplantation: Experimental animal models and recent experience in humans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadık Şahin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Uterus transplantation has been considered as an alternative management modality in the last few years for adoption or gestational surrogacy for women with absence of uterus due to congenital or acquired reasons. Surrogacy is legal in only a few countries because of ethical, social and legal issues. Up to date, a total of 11 uterus transplantation cases have been reported in which uteri were harvested from ten live donors and one donor with brain death. After unsuccessful attempt of first uterus transplantation, many studies have been conducted in animals and these experimental models enabled our knowledge to increase on this topic. First experimental studies were performed in rodents; later uterus transplantation was accomplished in sheep, pigs and rabbits. Recently, researches in non-human primates have led the experience regarding transplantation technique and success to improve. In this review, we reviewed the experimental animal researches in the area of uterus transplantation and recent experience in humans.

Prospects for new information relevant to radiation protection from studies of experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClellan, R.O.

1988-01-01

The theory underlying radiation protection was developed from studies of people, laboratory animals, tissues, cells and macromolecules. Data on people were obtained from opportunistic studies of individuals previously exposed to radiation. Rarely has it been possible to conduct prospective studies of people exposed to known quantities of radiation, which sharply restricts the nature of questions that they can address. In contrast, studies using laboratory animals and simpler biological systems can be designed to address specific questions, using controlled exposure conditions. In-vitro research with macromolecules, cells and tissues leads to understanding normal and disease processes in isolated biological components. Studies of the intact animals provide opportunities to study in vivo interactive mechanisms observed in vitro and their role in development of radiation-induced diseases such as cancer. In the future, studies of intact animals should prove increasingly valuable in linking new knowledge at the subanimal level with the more fragmentary information obtained from direct observations on people. This will provide insight into important issues such as (a) effects of low-level radiation exposures, (b) mechanism of cancer induction at high versus low radiation doses, and (c) influence of factors such as nutrition and exposure to chemicals on radiation-induced cancer. This presentation describes strategies for conducting and integrating results of research using macromolecules, cells, tissues, laboratory animals and people to improve our understanding of radiation-induced cancer. It will also emphasize the problems encountered in studies at all levels of biological organization when the disease is observed in low excess incidence long after exposure to the toxicant

Biological effects of transuranium elements in experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bair, W.J.

1975-01-01

Results are reported from life span studies of the biological effects of the transuranium elements ( 238 Pu, 239 Pu, 241 Am, and 242 Cm) on laboratory animals following inhalation, skin absorption, or injection in various chemical forms. The dose levels at which major biological effects have been observed in experimental animals are discussed relative to the maximum permissible lung burden of 0.016 μCi for occupational exposures. Lung cancer has been observed at dose levels equivalent to about 100 times the maximum permissible lung burden. Current experiments directed towards determining whether health effects will occur at lower levels and the mechanisms by which α emitters induce cancer are reviewed. (U.S.)

Risk mitigation for children exposed to drugs during gestation: A critical role for animal preclinical behavioral testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zucker, Irving

2017-06-01

Many drugs with unknown safety profiles are administered to pregnant women, placing their offspring at risk. I assessed whether behavioral outcomes for children exposed during gestation to antidepressants, anxiolytics, anti-seizure, analgesic, anti-nausea and sedative medications can be predicted by more extensive animal studies than are part of the FDA approval process. Human plus rodent data were available for only 8 of 33 CNS-active drugs examined. Similar behavioral and cognitive deficits, including autism and ADHD emerged in human offspring and in animal models of these disorders after exposure to fluoxetine, valproic acid, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital and acetaminophen. Rodent data helpful in identifying and predicting adverse effects of prenatal drug exposure in children were first generated many years after drugs were FDA-approved and administered to pregnant women. I recommend that enhanced behavioral testing of rodent offspring exposed to drugs prenatally should begin during preclinical drug evaluation and continue during Phase I clinical trials, with findings communicated to physicians and patients in drug labels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generalized cerebral atrophy seen on MRI in a naturally exposed animal model for creutzfeldt-jakob disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dasanu Constantin A

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Magnetic resonance imaging has been used in the diagnosis of human prion diseases such as sCJD and vCJD, but patients are scanned only when clinical signs appear, often at the late stage of disease. This study attempts to answer the questions "Could MRI detect prion diseases before clinical symptoms appear?, and if so, with what confidence?" Methods Scrapie, the prion disease of sheep, was chosen for the study because sheep can fit into a human sized MRI scanner (and there were no large animal MRI scanners at the time of this study, and because the USDA had, at the time of the study, a sizeable sample of scrapie exposed sheep, which we were able to use for this purpose. 111 genetically susceptible sheep that were naturally exposed to scrapie were used in this study. Results Our MRI findings revealed no clear, consistent hyperintense or hypointense signal changes in the brain on either clinically affected or asymptomatic positive animals on any sequence. However, in all 37 PrPSc positive sheep (28 asymptomatic and 9 symptomatic, there was a greater ventricle to cerebrum area ratio on MRI compared to 74 PrPSc negative sheep from the scrapie exposed flock and 6 control sheep from certified scrapie free flocks as defined by immunohistochemistry (IHC. Conclusions Our findings indicate that MRI imaging can detect diffuse cerebral atrophy in asymptomatic and symptomatic sheep infected with scrapie. Nine of these 37 positive sheep, including 2 one-year old animals, were PrPSc positive only in lymph tissues but PrPSc negative in the brain. This suggests either 1 that the cerebral atrophy/neuronal loss is not directly related to the accumulation of PrPSc within the brain or 2 that the amount of PrPSc in the brain is below the detectable limits of the utilized immunohistochemistry assay. The significance of these findings remains to be confirmed in human subjects with CJD.

[For active dermatocosmetics and free of unnecessary animal experimentation].

Science.gov (United States)

Piérard, G E; Piérard-Franchimont, C

1998-06-01

At the dawn of this century, dermocosmetology is at cross-roads because new European regulations are changing its face. The proof of claims must be given and the entire composition of the product must be released. In addition, animal testing is about to be banned. Such new regulations incite to search for and validate predictive tests aiming at the objective evaluation of the activity and tolerance claimed by dermocosmetic products. Such tests must be an alternative to unnecessary animal experimentation. These aspects are scrutinized scientifically by the EEMCO experts in combination with the ECVAM and COLIPA organizations.

9 CFR 78.8 - Brucellosis exposed cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Brucellosis exposed cattle. 78.8... Restrictions on Interstate Movement of Cattle Because of Brucellosis § 78.8 Brucellosis exposed cattle. Brucellosis exposed cattle may be moved interstate only as follows: (a) Movement to recognized slaughtering...

Comparative studies on the ossification in several experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuoka, Osamu; Fukuda, Shun

1978-01-01

For estimating the risk of the bone seeking radionuclides in man, it is necessary to extrapolate the data of experimental animals to those of man. Detailed information on the biological stages of development, especially on bone growth of several experimental animals and of man is required for better extrapolation. Multi-species comparison of bone growth and ossification was carried out in several mammalian species such as mouse, rat, dog and monkey. The appearance, ossifying process and fusion of the secondary ossification centers in extremities were selected as indicators of the biological stage of bone. The observation of the secondary ossification centers was made by radiography. The maturity process of the secondary ossification centers in each animal was illustrated. The ossifying process of the secondary ossification center could be divided into the following three categories; (1) the acute ossification observed in mouse, rat, dog and monkey (2) the delayed ossification observed in mouse, rat, dog and monkey, (3) the incomplete ossification without complete fusion which is specific in mouse and rat, appeared and continued up to at least 27 weeks in mouse and up to 134 weeks in rat. The results of the study suggested that a mouse 17 weeks old, a rat 17 - 21 weeks old, a dog (beagle) 14 months old and a monkey about 6 years old may correspond to a man about 20 years old. (author)

The Animal Experimentation Controversy: Ethical Views of Prospective Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

de Villiers, Rian

2012-01-01

Vivisection (live animal experimentation) is a controversial issue for many people. The purpose of this case study is to examine the attitudes of prospective teachers toward vivisection in education and research, to determine if gender has an influence on these attitudes, and to discuss the implications of these attitudes with regard to teaching…

Hepatoprotective activity of Musa paradisiaca on experimental animal models.

Science.gov (United States)

Nirmala, M; Girija, K; Lakshman, K; Divya, T

2012-01-01

To investigate the hepatoprotective activity of stem of Musa paradisiaca (M. paradisiaca) in CCl4 and paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity models in rats. Hepatoprotective activity of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of stem of M. paradisiaca was demonstrated by using two experimentally induced hepatotoxicity models. Administration of hepatotoxins (CCl4 and paracetamol) showed significant biochemical and histological deteriorations in the liver of experimental animals. Pretreatment with alcoholic extract (500 mg/kg), more significantly and to a lesser extent the alcoholic extract (250 mg/kg) and aqueous extract (500 mg/kg), reduced the elevated levels of the serum enzymes like serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin levels and alcoholic and aqueous extracts reversed the hepatic damage towards the normal, which further evidenced the hepatoprotective activity of stem of M. paradisiaca. The alcoholic extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o. and aqueous extract at a dose of 500 mg/kg, p.o. of stem of M. paradisiaca have significant effect on the liver of CCl4 and paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity animal models.

Neutralising the meat paradox: Cognitive dissonance, gender, and eating animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowsett, Elisha; Semmler, Carolyn; Bray, Heather; Ankeny, Rachel A; Chur-Hansen, Anna

2018-04-01

Meat eating is a common behaviour, despite many people claiming to like, love, and care about animals. The apparent disconnection between not wanting animals to suffer, yet killing them for food, has been termed the 'meat paradox.' In this experimental study (N = 460), participants completed pre-affect, post-affect, meat attachment, and attitude towards animals questionnaires, under two conditions: exposure to the life of an Australian meat lamb, and information about the nutritional benefits of meat. A factorial MANOVA revealed that negative affect was significantly greater when participants were exposed to the meat-animal connection; however, more entrenched attitudes towards animals and attachment to meat remained unaffected. Significant gender effects were found across all variables: most notably, meat attachment differed according to gender, decreasing in women and increasing in men when exposed to the meat-animal condition. Open-ended responses were subjected to content analysis to understand participants' future meat-consumption preferences and accompanying reasoning strategies. Findings from the present study contribute to understanding how cognitive dissonance and inconsistencies are rationalised by meat consumers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Histomorphometric Evaluation of the Small Coronary Arteries in Rats Exposed to Industrial Noise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Lousinha

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Morphological changes induced by industrial noise (IN have been experimentally observed in several organs. Histological observations of the coronary arteries showed prominent perivascular tissue and fibrosis among IN-exposed rats. The effects on the small arteries are unknown. Objective: To evaluate the histomorphometric changes induced by IN on rat heart small arteries. Methods: Twenty Wistar rats exposed to IN during a maximum period of seven months and 20 age-matched controls were studied. Hearts were transversely sectioned from ventricular apex to atria and a mid-ventricular fragment was selected for analysis. The histological images were obtained with an optical microscope using 400× magnifications. A total of 634 arterial vessels (298 IN-exposed and 336 controls were selected. The mean lumen-to-vessel wall (L/W and mean vessel wall-to-perivascular tissue (W/P ratios were calculated using image J software. Results: There were no differences between exposed and control animals in their L/W ratios (p = 0.687 and time variations in this ratio were non-significant (p = 0.110. In contrast, exposed animals showed lower W/P ratios than control animals (p < 0.001, with significant time variations (p = 0.004. Conclusions: Industrial noise induced an increase in the perivascular tissue of rat small coronary arteries, with significant development of periarterial fibrosis.

B cells exposed to enterobacterial components suppress development of experimental colitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Esben Gjerløff Wedebye; Larsen, Hjalte List; Kristensen, Nanna Ny

2012-01-01

). RESULTS: We demonstrate that splenic B cells exposed to ebx produce large amounts of IL-10 in vitro and express CD1d and CD5 previously known to be associated with regulatory B cells. In SCID mice transplanted with colitogenic CD4(+) CD25(-) T cells, co-transfer of ebx-B cells significantly suppressed...... development of colitis. Suppression was dependent on B cell-derived IL-10, as co-transfer of IL-10 knockout ebx-B cells failed to suppress colitis. Ebx-B cell-mediated suppression of colitis was associated with a decrease in interferon gamma (IFN-¿)-producing T(H) 1 cells and increased frequencies of Foxp3......-expressing T cells. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that splenic B cells exposed to enterobacterial components acquire immunosuppressive functions by which they can suppress development of experimental T cell-mediated colitis in an IL-10-dependent way. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2011;)....

Bovine coronavirus in naturally and experimentally exposed calves; viral shedding and the potential for transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Oma, Veslemøy Sunniva; Tråvén, Madeleine; Alenius, Stefan; Myrmel, Mette; Stokstad, Maria

2016-06-13

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is a widely distributed pathogen, causing disease and economic losses in the cattle industry worldwide. Prevention of virus spread is impeded by a lack of basic knowledge concerning viral shedding and transmission potential in individual animals. The aims of the study were to investigate the duration and quantity of BCoV shedding in feces and nasal secretions related to clinical signs, the presence of virus in blood and tissues and to test the hypothesis that seropositive calves are not infectious to naïve in-contact calves three weeks after BCoV infection. A live animal experiment was conducted, with direct contact between animal groups for 24 h as challenge procedure. Four naïve calves were commingled with a group of six naturally infected calves and sequentially euthanized. Two naïve sentinel calves were commingled with the experimentally exposed group three weeks after exposure. Nasal swabs, feces, blood and tissue samples were analyzed for viral RNA by RT-qPCR, and virus isolation was performed on nasal swabs. Serum was analyzed for BCoV antibodies. The calves showed mild general signs, and the most prominent signs were from the respiratory system. The overall clinical score corresponded well with the shedding of viral RNA the first three weeks after challenge. General depression and cough were the signs that correlated best with shedding of BCoV RNA, while peak respiratory rate and peak rectal temperature appeared more than a week later than the peak shedding. Nasal shedding preceded fecal shedding, and the calves had detectable amounts of viral RNA intermittently in feces through day 35 and in nasal secretions through day 28, however virus isolation was unsuccessful from day six and day 18 from the two calves investigated. Viral RNA was not detected in blood, but was found in lymphatic tissue through day 42 after challenge. Although the calves were shedding BCoV RNA 21 days after infection the sentinel animals were not infected

Hematological and biochemical changes in rabbits exposed to castor oil (Ricinus communis under experimental conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahar M. Ahmed

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In the last few decades there has been an exponential growth in the field of herbal medicine. One such medicinal plant is Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae, which is commonly known as castor. All parts of the plant are important phloem, bark, leaves, flowers, seed and oil. The study was conducted on 15 mature rabbitsof either sex of 1-2 kg body weight and 1-2 years old. The animals were divided into three groups of 5 animals each. Animals of group I were exposed orally to ricin extract at a dose rate of 0.5 mg /kg b.wt. daily for 14 days, while those of group II were exposed orally to aqueous leaves extract 0.5mg /kg b.wt daily for 14 day, mean while those of group III were left as a control group not exposed. The dependent parameters in the study were hemoglobin (Hb concentration, total erythrocytes count, packed cells volume (PCV%, erythrocytes indices mean corpuscular volume (MCV, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC, Total and differential leucocytes count (TLC and DLC, in addition to some biochemical tests of blood serum which obtained at day 14th post exposure. The results of the study were revealed that the ricin extract and leaf extract exhibited an effects on hematological pictures as the erythrocytes counts, erythrocytes indices, Hb concentration and PCV% decreased and the obvious effects were in the 14th day. Ricin extract was less effects on many dependent parameters in comparison with aqueous leaf extract. Total leucocytes count, neutrophils % was increased in both ricin and leaf extract, and the increasing were higher in the 7th day in Ricin extract group. The lymphocytes% was decreased. While monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils % did not show any significant changes in all groups. Neutrophil /lymphocyte (N/l, and monocyte /lymphocyte (M/l increased in both exposed groups. Cholesterol (Chol, Triglyceride (TGwere increased, while total protein (TPwas decreased, Albumin (Alb, Cortisol

Can animation be used to improve comprehension of instructional ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of the study was to determine whether the animation of a linear process, requiring explanatory text, can assist students to form a better understanding of the text. Tertiary students (N = 61) participated in a pre-test, post-test experimental study during which they were exposed to 4 treatment variables: text (T), video ...

Tupaia belangeri as an experimental animal model for viral infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko; Kohara, Michinori

2014-01-01

Tupaias, or tree shrews, are small mammals that are similar in appearance to squirrels. The morphological and behavioral characteristics of the group have been extensively characterized, and despite previously being classified as primates, recent studies have placed the group in its own family, the Tupaiidae. Genomic analysis has revealed that the genus Tupaia is closer to humans than it is to rodents. In addition, tupaias are susceptible to hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. The only other experimental animal that has been demonstrated to be sensitive to both of these viruses is the chimpanzee, but restrictions on animal testing have meant that experiments using chimpanzees have become almost impossible. Consequently, the development of the tupaia for use as an animal infection model could become a powerful tool for hepatitis virus research and in preclinical studies on drug development.

Models for comparing lung-cancer risks in radon- and plutonium-exposed experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, E.S.; Cross, F.T.; Sanders, C.L.; Dagle, G.E.

1990-10-01

Epidemiologic studies of radon-exposed underground miners have provided the primary basis for estimating human lung-cancer risks resulting from radon exposure. These studies are sometimes used to estimate lung-cancer risks resulting from exposure to other alpha- emitters as well. The latter use, often referred to as the dosimetric approach, is based on the assumption that a specified dose to the lung produces the same lung-tumor risk regardless of the substance producing the dose. At Pacific Northwest Laboratory, experiments have been conducted in which laboratory rodents have been given inhalation exposures to radon and to plutonium ( 239 PuO 2 ). These experiments offer a unique opportunity to compare risks, and thus to investigate the validity of the dosimetric approach. This comparison is made most effectively by modeling the age-specific risk as a function of dose in a way that is comparable to analyses of human data. Such modeling requires assumptions about whether tumors are the cause of death or whether they are found incidental to death from other causes. Results based on the assumption that tumors are fatal indicate that the radon and plutonium dose-response curves differ, with a linear function providing a good description of the radon data, and a pure quadratic function providing a good description of the plutonium data. However, results based on the assumption that tumors are incidental to death indicate that the dose-response curves for the two exposures are very similar, and thus support the dosimetric approach. 14 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs

[Christian responsibility and experimental medicine. Experiments with and on humans, experiments on animals].

Science.gov (United States)

Grosse, Heinrich W

2002-01-01

The Jewish-Christian convictions that man was created as the image of God founded the "ethics of unavailability" which contrast with the utilitarian "ethics of interests." As man s nature is imperfect according to biblical understanding, those responsible in the field of experimental medicine should counteract all tendencies in society which promote an utopian definition of health and an eugenic mentality (idea of the "perfection of mankind"). Consequently, scientists must reflect their own image of man and the effects of their actions on this image. The goals of experimental medicine must also be examined under the aspect of fairness: do they only benefit a minority in the rich industrial nations? As in research on humans, the ethical evaluation of animal experiments must consider the question of the underlying image of humanity and the responsibility of mankind connected to it. Because of changes in society's values, the validity of traditional anthropocentrism is increasingly questioned. However, this does not affect the view of the special position of man as the bearer of responsibility. Even though there are different biblical statements on the relationship between man and animal, the Christian maxim to minimise violence towards animals can be derived from them. In the case of animal experiments this means: experiments which cause the animals severe suffering must be avoided by waiving the potential gain of knowledge from them. In general: in an ethical discussion on medical experiments using humans or animals, the public must be informed completely and involved effectively. A moratorium must be possible before plans become facts. Thinking about ethical problems in the area of experimental medicine should not be separated from the far-reaching questions about changes in our lifestyle and consumer behaviour.

Analysis of emotionality and locomotion in radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation exposed rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanan, Sareesh Naduvil; Kumar, Raju Suresh; Paval, Jaijesh; Kedage, Vivekananda; Bhat, M Shankaranarayana; Nayak, Satheesha; Bhat, P Gopalakrishna

2013-07-01

In the current study the modulatory role of mobile phone radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on emotionality and locomotion was evaluated in adolescent rats. Male albino Wistar rats (6-8 weeks old) were randomly assigned into the following groups having 12 animals in each group. Group I (Control): they remained in the home cage throughout the experimental period. Group II (Sham exposed): they were exposed to mobile phone in switch-off mode for 28 days, and Group III (RF-EMR exposed): they were exposed to RF-EMR (900 MHz) from an active GSM (Global system for mobile communications) mobile phone with a peak power density of 146.60 μW/cm(2) for 28 days. On 29th day, the animals were tested for emotionality and locomotion. Elevated plus maze (EPM) test revealed that, percentage of entries into the open arm, percentage of time spent on the open arm and distance travelled on the open arm were significantly reduced in the RF-EMR exposed rats. Rearing frequency and grooming frequency were also decreased in the RF-EMR exposed rats. Defecation boli count during the EPM test was more with the RF-EMR group. No statistically significant difference was found in total distance travelled, total arm entries, percentage of closed arm entries and parallelism index in the RF-EMR exposed rats compared to controls. Results indicate that mobile phone radiation could affect the emotionality of rats without affecting the general locomotion.

Checklist of vertebrate animals of the Cascade Head Experimental Forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Chris Maser; Jerry F. Franklin

1974-01-01

Three months, April and August 1971 and August 1972, were spent studying the vertebrate fauna of Cascade Head Experimental Forest. The resulting annotated checklist includes 9 amphibians, 2 reptiles, 35 birds, and 40 mammals. A standardized animal habitat classification is presented in an effort to correlate the vertebrates in some meaningful way to their environment...

[Origin of animal experimentation legislation in the 19th century].

Science.gov (United States)

Pocard, M

1999-01-01

The first legislation in the world, designed to protect animals used in research, was passed in England in 1876, and is still in force today. It is one of the strictest in Europe. At the same period, France had no such law, and was the country conducting the greatest amount of animal experimentation. Comparing, these two countries, in the middle of the 19th century, can account for this difference. The most important difference seems to be related to the theological question: are animals endowed with a soul? Saint Augustine, claimed, in the 4th century, perhaps because of an experiment with the centipede, that animals do not have a soul. In the 17th century, René Descartes, using a different philosophical system, reached a similar conclusion, in France. On the other hand, under the influence of Charles Darwin, England rejected the Roman Catholic conclusion, about the soul of animals. The industrial revolution, occurring earlier in England than in France, also changed the society, developing urban areas, where people were cut off from rural life and changing human relationships with animals. The industrial revolution enabled the development of the press, giving impetus to public opinion. These facts, combined with a caution of science, which was more developed in England than in France, brought about the first important "anti-doctor" campaign.

Cadmium osteotoxicity in experimental animals: Mechanisms and relationship to human exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, Maryka H.

2009-01-01

Extensive epidemiological studies have recently demonstrated increased cadmium exposure correlating significantly with decreased bone mineral density and increased fracture incidence in humans at lower exposure levels than ever before evaluated. Studies in experimental animals have addressed whether very low concentrations of dietary cadmium can negatively impact the skeleton. This overview evaluates results in experimental animals regarding mechanisms of action on bone and the application of these results to humans. Results demonstrate that long-term dietary exposures in rats, at levels corresponding to environmental exposures in humans, result in increased skeletal fragility and decreased mineral density. Cadmium-induced demineralization begins soon after exposure, within 24 h of an oral dose to mice. In bone culture systems, cadmium at low concentrations acts directly on bone cells to cause both decreases in bone formation and increases in bone resorption, independent of its effects on kidney, intestine, or circulating hormone concentrations. Results from gene expression microarray and gene knock-out mouse models provide insight into mechanisms by which cadmium may affect bone. Application of the results to humans is considered with respect to cigarette smoke exposure pathways and direct vs. indirect effects of cadmium. Clearly, understanding the mechanism(s) by which cadmium causes bone loss in experimental animals will provide insight into its diverse effects in humans. Preventing bone loss is critical to maintaining an active, independent lifestyle, particularly among elderly persons. Identifying environmental factors such as cadmium that contribute to increased fractures in humans is an important undertaking and a first step to prevention.

Structural analysis of osseous rests exposed to heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medina, C.; Tiesler, V.; Quintana, P.; Oliva, A.I.

2005-01-01

Heat exposed human remains present physical and chemical changes that, when analysed, may provide important indications about the type of heating they were exposed. This information, jointly with that of the archaeological context, allows us to know about the cultural practices of the past from a methodological perspective that actually, has not been explored sufficiently. The present investigation applies a series of structural parameters of bone in the evaluation of skeletal sample from the archaeological site of Calakmul, which exhibits signs of thermal exposure. Results on the Pre hispanic specimens are compared to those obtained from an experimental series of animal bone, which was submitted to different types of heat with the objective to contribute with new data on the forms of heating and their role in ancient Maya society. (Author)

Survey of basic medical researchers on the awareness of animal experimental designs and reporting standards in China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin Ma

Full Text Available To investigate the awareness and use of the Systematic Review Center for Laboratory Animal Experimentation's (SYRCLE risk-of-bias tool, the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE reporting guidelines, and Gold Standard Publication Checklist (GSPC in China in basic medical researchers of animal experimental studies.A national questionnaire-based survey targeting basic medical researchers was carried in China to investigate the basic information and awareness of SYRCLE's risk of bias tool, ARRIVE guidelines, GSPC, and animal experimental bias risk control factors. The EpiData3.1 software was used for data entry, and Microsoft Excel 2013 was used for statistical analysis in this study. The number of cases (n and percentage (% of classified information were statistically described, and the comparison between groups (i.e., current students vs. research staff was performed using chi-square test.A total of 298 questionnaires were distributed, and 272 responses were received, which included 266 valid questionnaires (from 118 current students and 148 research staff. Among the 266 survey participants, only 15.8% was aware of the SYRCLE's risk of bias tool, with significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.003, and the awareness rates of ARRIVE guidelines and GSPC were only 9.4% and 9.0%, respectively; 58.6% survey participants believed that the reports of animal experimental studies in Chinese literature were inadequate, with significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.004. In addition, only approximately 1/3 of the survey participants had read systematic reviews and meta-analysis reports of animal experimental studies; only 16/266 (6.0% had carried out/participated in and 11/266 (4.1% had published systematic reviews/meta-analysis of animal experimental studies.The awareness and use rates of SYRCLE's risk-of-bias tool, the ARRIVE guidelines, and the GSPC were low among Chinese basic medical researchers. Therefore

Compliance of the legal treatment of experimental animals in Serbian legislation with the legislation of the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vidić-Trninić Jelena

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The author focuses on compliance of the legal treatment of experimental animals in Serbian law with the provisions of the European legislation. Analysing, on one hand, the treatment that experimental animals have under the law of European Union, and on the other hand, the treatment that they have in the law of Serbia, in accordance with the relevant acts and subordinate legislation acts, this article seeks to answer the question whether the degree of legal protection of experimental animals in domestic law is satisfactory, as well as whether and to what extent the relevant national legislation complies with the European standards. At the same time, the article attempts to point out the appropriate measures necessary to be taken in the future in order to achieve as high quality and comprehensive protection of experimental animals as possible in Serbian law.

They see a rat, we seek a cure for diseases: the current status of animal experimentation in medical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kehinde, Elijah O

2013-01-01

The objective of this review article was to examine current and prospective developments in the scientific use of laboratory animals, and to find out whether or not there are still valid scientific benefits of and justification for animal experimentation. The PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched using the following key words: animal models, basic research, pharmaceutical research, toxicity testing, experimental surgery, surgical simulation, ethics, animal welfare, benign, malignant diseases. Important relevant reviews, original articles and references from 1970 to 2012 were reviewed for data on the use of experimental animals in the study of diseases. The use of laboratory animals in scientific research continues to generate intense public debate. Their use can be justified today in the following areas of research: basic scientific research, use of animals as models for human diseases, pharmaceutical research and development, toxicity testing and teaching of new surgical techniques. This is because there are inherent limitations in the use of alternatives such as in vitro studies, human clinical trials or computer simulation. However, there are problems of transferability of results obtained from animal research to humans. Efforts are on-going to find suitable alternatives to animal experimentation like cell and tissue culture and computer simulation. For the foreseeable future, it would appear that to enable scientists to have a more precise understanding of human disease, including its diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic intervention, there will still be enough grounds to advocate animal experimentation. However, efforts must continue to minimize or eliminate the need for animal testing in scientific research as soon as possible. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Experimental studies in the bronchial circulation. Which is the ideal animal model?

Science.gov (United States)

Panagiotou, Ioannis; Tsipas, Panteleimon; Melachrinou, Maria; Alexopoulos, Dimitrios; Dougenis, Dimitrios

2014-01-01

Background The importance of the role of bronchial arteries is notable in modern days thoracic surgery. The significance of their anastomoses with adjusted structures has not yet been sufficiently rated, especially in cases of haemoptysis, heart-lung transplantations and treatment of aneurysms of the thoracic aorta. The need of a thorough study is more relevant than ever and appropriate laboratory animals are required. Methods We review the literature in order to highlight the ideal experimental animal for the implementation of pilot programs relative to the bronchial circulation. A comparative analysis of the anatomy of the bronchial arterial system in humans along with these of pigs, dogs, rats, and birds, as being the most commonly used laboratory animals, is presented in details. Results The pig has the advantage that the broncho-oesophageal artery usually originates from the aorta as a single vessel, which makes the recognition and dissection of the artery easy to perform. In dogs, there is significant anatomical variation of the origin of the bronchial arteries. In rats, bronchial artery coming from the aorta is a rare event while in birds the pattern of the bronchial artery tree is clearly different from the human analog. Conclusions The pig is anatomically and physiologically suited for experimental studies on the bronchial circulation. The suitable bronchial anatomy and physiology along with the undeniable usefulness of the pig in experimental research and the low maintenance cost make the pig the ideal model for experiments in bronchial circulation. PMID:25364530

A Knockout Experiment: Disciplinary Divides and Experimental Skill in Animal Behaviour Genetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Nicole C

2015-07-01

In the early 1990s, a set of new techniques for manipulating mouse DNA allowed researchers to 'knock out' specific genes and observe the effects of removing them on a live mouse. In animal behaviour genetics, questions about how to deploy these techniques to study the molecular basis of behaviour became quite controversial, with a number of key methodological issues dissecting the interdisciplinary research field along disciplinary lines. This paper examines debates that took place during the 1990s between a predominately North American group of molecular biologists and animal behaviourists around how to design, conduct, and interpret behavioural knockout experiments. Drawing from and extending Harry Collins's work on how research communities negotiate what counts as a 'well-done experiment,' I argue that the positions practitioners took on questions of experimental skill reflected not only the experimental traditions they were trained in but also their differing ontological and epistemological commitments. Different assumptions about the nature of gene action, eg., were tied to different positions in the knockout mouse debates on how to implement experimental controls. I conclude by showing that examining representations of skill in the context of a community's knowledge commitments sheds light on some of the contradictory ways in which contemporary animal behaviour geneticists talk about their own laboratory work as a highly skilled endeavour that also could be mechanised, as easy to perform and yet difficult to perform well.

Experimentação animal: ética e legislação brasileira Animal experimentation: ethics and the Brazilian legislation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angélica Heringer de Rezende

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Este artigo trata da experimentação animal sob os pontos de vista da ética e da política, fazendo uma abordagem histórica do tema no cenário legislativo brasileiro. Os animais de laboratório desempenharam um papel decisivo para o desenvolvimento da ciência e continuam tendo um papel essencial na pesquisa biomédica, no entanto, sua utilização sempre despertou manifestação de diferentes naturezas. Apesar de as primeiras incursões na pesquisa experimental terem sido iniciadas há, pelo menos, quatro séculos, é incipiente o estabelecimento de normas que regulamentem a utilização de animais na América Latina. No Brasil, embora não haja uma lei específica em relação a essa utilização, algumas iniciativas já foram tomadas. As discussões sobre este tema continuam ocorrendo, contudo, a demora para definir uma lei que regulamente o uso de animais em pesquisa tem dificultado a padronização de procedimentos necessários à sistematização dos conhecimentos desenvolvidos no País.This article covers animal experimentation under the viewpoint of ethics and politics, and does a historical review of the theme in the Brazilian legislative scenario. Laboratory animals play a decisive role in the development of science and continue to have an essential role in biomedical research. However, their use always provoked manifestations of different natures. Even though the first incursions in experimental research began at least four centuries ago, the establishment of norms that regulate the use of animals in Latin America is incipient. In Brazil, although a specific law regarding this use does not exist, some initiatives have already been taken. The discussions on this theme continue to happen, however the delay to define a law that regulates the use of animals in research has hindered the standardization of procedures that are necessary to the systematization of the knowledge produced in the country.

Impact of animal waste application on runoff water quality in field experimental plots.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Dagne D; Owens, William E; Tchoounwou, Paul B

2005-08-01

Animal waste from dairy and poultry operations is an economical and commonly used fertilizer in the state of Louisiana. The application of animal waste to pasture lands not only is a source of fertilizer, but also allows for a convenient method of waste disposal. The disposal of animal wastes on land is a potential nonpoint source of water degradation. Water degradation and human health is a major concern when considering the disposal of large quantities of animal waste. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of animal waste application on biological (fecal coliform, Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli) and physical/chemical (temperature, pH, nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, phosphate, copper, zinc, and sulfate) characteristics of runoff water in experimental plots. The effects of the application of animal waste have been evaluated by utilizing experimental plots and simulated rainfall events. Samples of runoff water were collected and analyzed for fecal coliforms. Fecal coliforms isolated from these samples were identified to the species level. Chemical analysis was performed following standard test protocols. An analysis of temperature, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, iron, copper, phosphate, potassium, sulfate, zinc and bacterial levels was performed following standard test protocols as presented in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater [1]. In the experimental plots, less time was required in the tilled broiler litter plots for the measured chemicals to decrease below the initial pre-treatment levels. A decrease of over 50% was noted between the first and second rainfall events for sulfate levels. This decrease was seen after only four simulated rainfall events in tilled broiler litter plots whereas broiler litter plots required eight simulated rainfall events to show this same type of reduction. A reverse trend was seen in the broiler litter plots and the tilled broiler plots for potassium. Bacteria numbers

Pulmonary function and oxidative stress in workers exposed to styrene in plastic factory: occupational hazards in styrene-exposed plastic factory workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sati, Prakash Chandra; Khaliq, Farah; Vaney, Neelam; Ahmed, Tanzeel; Tripathi, Ashok K; Banerjee, Basu Dev

2011-11-01

Styrene is a volatile organic compound used in factories for synthesis of plastic products. The pneumotoxicity of styrene in experimental animals is known. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of styrene on lung function and oxidative stress in occupationally exposed workers in plastic factory. Thirty-four male workers, between 18 and 40 years of age, exposed to styrene for atleast 8 hours a day for more than a year were studied, while 30 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects not exposed to styrene served as controls. Assessment of lung functions showed a statistically significant reduction (p volumes, capacities (FVC, FEV(1), VC, ERV, IRV, and IC) and flow rates (PEFR, MEF(75%), and MVV) in the study group (workers) as compared to controls. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was observed to be significantly high (p < 0.05) while ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) was significantly low (p < 0.05) in styrene-exposed subjects. Reduced glutathione (GSH) level was significantly depleted in exposed subjects as compared to control group. The mean value of serum cytochrome c in styrene-exposed subjects was found to be 1.1 ng/ml (0.89-1.89) while in control its levels were under detection limit (0.05 ng/ml). It shows that styrene inhalation by workers leads to increased level of oxidative stress, which is supposed to be the cause of lung damage.

Motor reactivity of animals exposed to ionizing radiation and treated with psychotropic drugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szwaja, S.

1978-01-01

The influence of ionizing radiation on motor reactivity of animals and the influence of selected psychotropic drugs (fenactil, haloperidol, relanium) on the changes invoked by ionizing radiation were studied experimentally in rats whose motor reactivity was assessed on the basis of conditional reflexes. In unirradiated rats, fenactil and haloperidol, but not relanium, disordered positive conditional reactions. Roentgen irradiation of the rats with a single dose on the whole body caused a drop in positive conditional reactions. Relanium and fenactil enhanced psychomotor activity of rats after exposure to ionizing radiation. (author)

Motor reactivity of animals exposed to ionizing radiation and treated with psychotropic drugs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szwaja, S [Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Krakow (Poland)

1978-01-01

The influence of ionizing radiation on motor reactivity of animals and the influence of selected psychotropic drugs (fenactil, haloperidol, relanium) on the changes invoked by ionizing radiation were studied experimentally in rats whose motor reactivity was assessed on the basis of conditional reflexes. In unirradiated rats, fenactil and haloperidol, but not relanium, disordered positive conditional reactions. Roentgen irradiation of the rats with a single dose on the whole body caused a drop in positive conditional reactions. Relanium and fenactil enhanced psychomotor activity of rats after exposure to ionizing radiation.

9 CFR 73.8 - Cattle infected or exposed during transit.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cattle infected or exposed during... SCABIES IN CATTLE § 73.8 Cattle infected or exposed during transit. (a) Healthy cattle from unquarantined State exposed en route. Should healthy cattle in transit from a State not quarantined by the Secretary...

Eating frequency, food intake, and weight: a systematic review of human and animal experimental studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hollie eRaynor

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Eating frequently during the day, or grazing, has been proposed to assist with managing food intake and weight. This systematic review assessed the effect of greater eating frequency (EF on intake and anthropometrics in human and animal experimental studies. Studies were identified through the PubMed electronic database. To be included, studies needed to be conducted in controlled settings or use methods that carefully monitored food intake, and measure food intake or anthropometrics. Studies using human or animal models of disease states (i.e., conditions influencing glucose or lipid metabolism, aside from being overweight or obese, were not included. The 25 reviewed studies (15 human and 10 animal studies contained varying study designs, EF manipulations (1 to 24 eating occasions per day, lengths of experimentation (230 min to 28 weeks, and sample sizes (3 to 56 participants/animals per condition. Studies were organized into four categories for reporting results: 1 human studies conducted in laboratory/metabolic ward settings; 2 human studies conducted in field settings; 3 animal studies with experimental periods 1 month. Out of the 13 studies reporting on consumption, 8 (61.5% found no significant effect of EF. Seventeen studies reported on anthropometrics, with 11 studies (64.7% finding no significant effect of EF. Future, adequately powered, studies should examine if other factors (i.e., disease states, physical activity, energy balance and weight status, long-term increased EF influence the relationship between increased EF and intake and/or anthropometrics.

Experimental Oral Candidiasis in Animal Models

Science.gov (United States)

Samaranayake, Yuthika H.; Samaranayake, Lakshman P.

2001-01-01

Oral candidiasis is as much the final outcome of the vulnerability of the host as of the virulence of the invading organism. We review here the extensive literature on animal experiments mainly appertaining to the host predisposing factors that initiate and perpetuate these infections. The monkey, rat, and mouse are the choice models for investigating oral candidiasis, but comparisons between the same or different models appear difficult, because of variables such as the study design, the number of animals used, their diet, the differences in Candida strains, and the duration of the studies. These variables notwithstanding, the following could be concluded. (i) The primate model is ideal for investigating Candida-associated denture stomatitis since both erythematous and pseudomembranous lesions have been produced in monkeys with prosthetic plates; they are, however, expensive and difficult to obtain and maintain. (ii) The rat model (both Sprague-Dawley and Wistar) is well proven for observing chronic oral candidal colonization and infection, due to the ease of breeding and handling and their ready availability. (iii) Mice are similar, but in addition there are well characterized variants simulating immunologic and genetic abnormalities (e.g., athymic, euthymic, murine-acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and severe combined immunodeficient models) and hence are used for short-term studies relating the host immune response and oral candidiasis. Nonetheless, an ideal, relatively inexpensive model representative of the human oral environment in ecological and microbiological terms is yet to be described. Until such a model is developed, researchers should pay attention to standardization of the experimental protocols described here to obtain broadly comparable and meaningful data. PMID:11292645

Impact of Animal Waste Application on Runoff Water Quality in Field Experimental Plots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul B. Tchounwou

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Animal waste from dairy and poultry operations is an economical and commonly used fertilizer in the state of Louisiana. The application of animal waste to pasture lands not only is a source of fertilizer, but also allows for a convenient method of waste disposal. The disposal of animal wastes on land is a potential nonpoint source of water degradation. Water degradation and human health is a major concern when considering the disposal of large quantities of animal waste. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of animal waste application on biological (fecal coliform, Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli and physical/chemical (temperature, pH, nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, phosphate, copper, zinc, and sulfate characteristics of runoff water in experimental plots. The effects of the application of animal waste have been evaluated by utilizing experimental plots and simulated rainfall events. Samples of runoff water were collected and analyzed for fecal coliforms. Fecal coliforms isolated from these samples were identified to the species level. Chemical analysis was performed following standard test protocols. An analysis of temperature, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, iron, copper, phosphate, potassium, sulfate, zinc and bacterial levels was performed following standard test protocols as presented in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater [1]. In the experimental plots, less time was required in the tilled broiler litter plots for the measured chemicals to decrease below the initial pre-treatment levels. A decrease of over 50% was noted between the first and second rainfall events for sulfate levels. This decrease was seen after only four simulated rainfall events in tilled broiler litter plots whereas broiler litter plots required eight simulated rainfall events to show this same type of reduction. A reverse trend was seen in the broiler litter plots and the tilled broiler plots for potassium

Animal experimentation in Spacelab - Present and future U.S. plans

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, W. E.; Dant, C. C.

1983-01-01

Current development of life-sciences hardware and experiments for the fourth Spacelab mission in the Life Sciences Flight Experiments Program at NASA Ames is reviewed. The research-animal holding facility, the general-purpose work station, and the life sciences laboratory equipment are characterized, and the 14 Ames projects accepted for the mission are listed and discussed. Several hardware systems and experimental procedures will be verified on the Spacelab-3 mission scheduled for late 1984.

Alterations in body weight and blood glucose level of female hamsters exposed to electromagnetic fields of cell phones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.R Lotfi

2010-02-01

Group 2 was exposed to electromagnetic field emitted by cell phones for 10 days (short term and group 3 for 50 day (long term. In the latter groups, the exposure was 1 hour per day. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were weighed and blood glucose concentrations were determined by obtaining blood samples from 8 randomly selected hamsters in each group.  The blood glucose level was significantly higher in long-term exposed group in comparison with the control and short-term exposed groups (175, 11.6 and 107 mg/dl, respectively (p

Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals 2014: A new format, and hopefully a new era of diminishing animal experimentation?

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson-Shore, Michelle

2016-03-01

The Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2014 reports a welcome decline in animal experimentation in the UK. However, caution has to be exercised when interpreting these most recent figures, due to the significant changes made to satisfy the requirements of Directive 2010/63/EU as to what information is reported and how it is reported. Comparisons to the figures and trends reported in previous years is difficult, so this paper focuses on the specifics of the current report, providing information on overall animal use and highlighting specific issues associated with genetically-altered animals, fish and primates. There is a detailed discussion of the extent of the changes, commenting on the benefits and disadvantages of the new format, in areas such as severity of procedures, legislation and techniques of special interest. It also considers the consequences of the changes on the effective monitoring of laboratory animal use, the openness and transparency regarding the impacts of animal use, and the implementation of Three Rs initiatives. In addition, suggestions for further improvements to the new format are made to the Home Office. 2016 FRAME.

Criticizing animal experimentation, at my peril.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenman, Stephen F

2016-01-01

Initiatives leading to even modest reduction in animal use at major U.S. universities are likely to continue to face strong opposition. At least, that's the conclusion the author draws from his efforts at Northwestern University. In fact, despite a growing body of evidence that animal-based research is flawed at best and misleading or un-scientific at worst its use is growing at Northwestern and elsewhere. Moreover, recent discoveries concerning animal consciousness and emotion have not led to notable improvements in the conditions in which AWA protected animals live at the Chicago vivarium. There, animals languish in featureless rooms or sterile cages without access to daylight and with little opportunity to express their natural behaviors and aptitudes. The writer's public exposure of these conditions led to a fierce backlash. Unless there is a significant change in laboratory and university culture, change will only come when the marketplace and funding agencies demand better and more reliable, non-animal models for the testing of drug toxicity and effectiveness.

Effects of caloric restriction on learning and recovery of a spatial task in rats exposed to acute stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lamprea Rodríguez, Marisol

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the present study was to describe the effects of caloric restriction on spatial learning and recovery in the Barnes maze in animals experimentally stressed before recovery of the spatial task. Male Wistar rats were exposed for two months to one of two conditions: ad libitum (AL or intermittent fasting (IF. Both groups were exposed then to an experimental form of acute stress, induced by movement restriction for 4 hours. IF subjects had better performance in learning tasks during the acquisition trials but required more time to complete the task after the stressor was applied. These results are discussed in light of previous data reported in the literature emphasizing differences in the instruments used to evaluate spatial learning and its interaction with experimentally induced stress.

Studies on the effects of ionizing radiation on the normal and diseased liver in experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmoud, S.A.

1981-01-01

The experiments carried out in the present study primarily concerned with the effects of ionizing radiations on the normal and diseased liver in experimental animals (mice). Different radiation intensities and different exposure schemes were used to irradiate both healthy and schistosoma mansoni infected animals. A group of uninfected and unirradiated animals were used as controls. Follow up studies were performed every 6 weeks for 30 weeks. These included histopathological studies of the liver damage at every observation periods for all animal groups

Performance of the first Japanese large-scale facility for radon inhalation experiments with small animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishimori, Y.; Mitsunobu, F.; Yamaoka, K.; Tanaka, H.; Kataoka, T.; Sakoda, A.

2011-01-01

A radon test facility for small animals was developed in order to increase the statistical validity of differences of the biological response in various radon environments. This paper illustrates the performances of that facility, the first large-scale facility of its kind in Japan. The facility has a capability to conduct approximately 150 mouse-scale tests at the same time. The apparatus for exposing small animals to radon has six animal chamber groups with five independent cages each. Different radon concentrations in each animal chamber group are available. Because the first target of this study is to examine the in vivo behaviour of radon and its effects, the major functions to control radon and to eliminate thoron were examined experimentally. Additionally, radon progeny concentrations and their particle size distributions in the cages were also examined experimentally to be considered in future projects. (authors)

Lead (Pb) in sheep exposed to mining pollution: implications for animal and human health.

Science.gov (United States)

Pareja-Carrera, Jennifer; Mateo, Rafael; Rodríguez-Estival, Jaime

2014-10-01

Livestock from the ancient mining area of Sierra Madrona and Alcudia Valley (Spain) is exposed to elevated levels of lead (Pb), as previous studies based on blood monitoring have revealed. Here we have studied blood, liver and muscle Pb levels in sheep in order to know if Pb exposure could represent a risk for human consumers of the meat and offal of these animals. A cross-sectional study was conducted with ≥4 years old (adults) ewes from the mining area (n=46) and a control area (n=21). Blood samples were taken before the sacrifice at the slaughterhouse, and liver and muscle samples were taken thereafter. At the same time, 2-3 year old rams (subadults, n=17) were blood sampled in the mining area. Blood, liver and muscle Pb levels were higher in the mining than in the control area. Blood Pb concentration in the mining area (n= 44, mean: 6.7μg/dl in ewes and 10.9μg/dl in rams) was above background levels (>6μg/dl) in 73.3 percent of animals. Liver Pb concentration in 68 percent of sheep from the mining area (n=32, mean: 6.16μg/g dry weight, d.w.) exceeded the minimum level associated with toxic exposure (5µg/g d.w.) and 87.5 percent of liver samples were above European Union Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) established for offal destined for human consumption (0.5µg/g w.w.~1.4µg/g d.w.). On the contrary, none of the muscle samples in ewes exceeded the EU MRL (0.1µg/g w.w.~0.34µg/g d.w.) established for meat, which may be related to the decline of blood Pb levels with age observed in the present study. These results suggest a potential health effect for sheep exposed to Pb pollution in this area and implications for food safety, but further research with lamb meat may be necessary to refine the risk assessment for human consumers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Animal experimentations: Part I: General considerations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T K Pal

2015-01-01

Full Text Available All materials, in the form of drugs or devices, which are intended for human use are required to be tested first in suitable animals. Many biological understandings are established on various modes of cruelties on animals. This observational notes guide us to accept or modify or even reject materials for ultimate human use. The science of experiments on animals gives us the remedial solutions to many of our human sufferings. This unique and important discipline is in need of proper understanding for selection of suitable number of animals and its proper care in captivity, and further refinements of code of conducts and ethical issues.

Differentiation of peripheral lymphocyte population in Pu-exposed beagle dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, J.E.

1977-01-01

The percentage of peripheral lymphocytes binding fluorescent-labeled anticanine antibodies was measured in plutonium-oxide-exposed and unexposed beagle dogs. With this assay system, there was a significant decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes binding the labeled antibody in exposed animals compared to control animals

The Magnus-Rademaker Scientific Film Collection: Ethical Issues on Animal Experimentation (1908-1940).

Science.gov (United States)

Koehler, Peter J; Lameris, Bregt

2016-01-01

The Magnus-Rademaker scientific film collection (1908-1940) deals with the physiology of body posture by the equilibrium of reflex musculature contractions for which experimental studies were carried out with animals (e.g., labyrinthectomies, cerebellectomies, and brain stem sections) as well as observations done on patients. The films were made for demonstrations at congresses as well as educational objectives and film stills were published in their books. The purpose of the present study is to position these films and their makers within the contemporary discourse on ethical issues and animal rights in the Netherlands and the earlier international debates. Following an introduction on animal rights and antivivisection movements, we describe what Magnus and Rademaker thought about these issues. Their publications did not provide much information in this respect, probably reflecting their adherence to implicit ethical codes that did not need explicit mentioning in publications. Newspaper articles, however, revealed interesting information. Unnecessary suffering of an animal never found mercy in Magnus' opinion. The use of cinematography was expanded to the reduction of animal experimentation in student education, at least in the case of Rademaker, who in the 1930s was involved in a governmental committee for the regulation of vivisection and cooperated with the antivivisection movement. This resulted not only in a propaganda film for the movement but also in films that demonstrate physiological experiments for students with the purpose to avert repetition and to improve the teaching of experiments. We were able to identify the pertinent films in the Magnus-Rademaker film collection. The production of vivisection films with this purpose appears to have been common, as is shown in news messages in European medical journals of the period.

Invited review: Experimental design, data reporting, and sharing in support of animal systems modeling research.

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, J P; Hanigan, M D; White, R R

2016-12-01

The National Animal Nutrition Program "National Research Support Project 9" supports efforts in livestock nutrition, including the National Research Council's committees on the nutrient requirements of animals. Our objective was to review the status of experimentation and data reporting in animal nutrition literature and to provide suggestions for the advancement of animal nutrition research and the ongoing improvement of field-applied nutrient requirement models. Improved data reporting consistency and completeness represent a substantial opportunity to improve nutrition-related mathematical models. We reviewed a body of nutrition research; recorded common phrases used to describe diets, animals, housing, and environmental conditions; and proposed equivalent numerical data that could be reported. With the increasing availability of online supplementary material sections in journals, we developed a comprehensive checklist of data that should be included in publications. To continue to improve our research effectiveness, studies utilizing multiple research methodologies to address complex systems and measure multiple variables will be necessary. From the current body of animal nutrition literature, we identified a series of opportunities to integrate research focuses (nutrition, reproduction and genetics) to advance the development of nutrient requirement models. From our survey of current experimentation and data reporting in animal nutrition, we identified 4 key opportunities to advance animal nutrition knowledge: (1) coordinated experiments should be designed to employ multiple research methodologies; (2) systems-oriented research approaches should be encouraged and supported; (3) publication guidelines should be updated to encourage and support sharing of more complete data sets; and (4) new experiments should be more rapidly integrated into our knowledge bases, research programs and practical applications. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association

Expanding the three Rs to meet new challenges in humane animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuppli, Catherine A; Fraser, David; McDonald, Michael

2004-11-01

The Three Rs are the main principles used by Animal Ethics Committees in the governance of animal experimentation, but they appear not to cover some ethical issues that arise today. These include: a) claims that certain species should be exempted on principle from harmful research; b) increased emphasis on enhancing quality of life of research animals; c) research involving genetically modified (GM) animals; and d) animals bred as models of disease. In some cases, the Three Rs can be extended to cover these developments. The burgeoning use of GM animals in science calls for new forms of reduction through improved genetic modification technology, plus continued attention to alternative approaches and cost-benefit analyses that include the large numbers of animals involved indirectly. The adoption of more expanded definitions of refinement that go beyond minimising distress will capture concerns for enhancing the quality of life of animals through improved husbandry and handling. Targeting refinement to the unpredictable effects of gene modification may be difficult; in these cases, careful attention to monitoring and endpoints are the obvious options. Refinement can also include sharing data about the welfare impacts of gene modifications, and modelling earlier stages of disease, in order to reduce the potential suffering caused to disease models. Other issues may require a move beyond the Three Rs. Certain levels of harm, or numbers and use of certain species, may be unacceptable, regardless of potential benefits. This can be addressed by supplementing the utilitarian basis of the Three Rs with principles based on deontological and relational ethics. The Three Rs remain very useful, but they require thoughtful interpretation and expansion in order for Animal Ethics Committees to address the full range of issues in animal-based research.

[Animal experimental study of compression anastomosis ring for low anterior resection].

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jian-Wei; Wang, Zheng; Zhang, Xing-Mao; Zhan, Da-Wei; Zhou, Zhi-Xiang

2011-05-01

To evaluate the feasibility and safety of nickel-titanium compression anastomosis ring (CAR27) in colorectal anastomosis after low anterior rectal resection in animal models. End-to-end colorectal anastomosis was performed using CAR27 in 6 experimental pigs after resection of the middle and lower third of the rectum. The animals were observed postoperatively for up to 56 days. Five pigs were sacrificed at day 14 and the other at day 56. Distance from anal verge to anastomosis and anastomotic circumference were measured. Histopathologic examination was performed. The median distance from anal verge was 5.3(4-6) cm. No anastomotic leak or other complications were observed. All the pigs recovered and gained weight. In 5 animals sacrificed at day 14, the mean circumference of the anastomosis was 6.8(6.5-7.0) cm, and histopathological examination showed mild inflammatory reaction and fibrosis. In the one sacrificed at day 56, the circumference expanded to 9.3 cm, and no inflammation and fibrosis were observed. Minor adhesion was noticed in only one pig, while smooth and intact serosa in the anastomosis was seen in the rest of the animals. CAR27 is a promising device for mid and low colorectal anastomosis.

The Impact of Environmental Light Intensity on Experimental Tumor Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Suckow, Mark A; Wolter, William R; Duffield, Giles E

2017-09-01

Cancer research requires for consistent models that minimize environmental variables. Within the typical laboratory animal housing facility, animals may be exposed to varying intensities of light as a result of cage type, cage position, light source, and other factors; however, studies evaluating the differential effect of light intensity during the light phase on tumor growth are lacking. The effect of cage face light intensity, as determined by cage rack position was evaluated with two tumor models using the C57Bl/6NHsd mouse and transplantable B16F10 melanoma cells or Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells. Animals were housed in individually-ventilated cages placed at the top, middle, or bottom of the rack in a diagonal pattern so that the top cage was closest to the ceiling light source, and cage face light intensity was measured. Following a two-week acclimation period at the assigned cage position, animals were subcutaneously administered either 1.3×10 6 B16F10 melanoma cells or 2.5×10 5 Lewis lung carcinoma cells. Weights of excised tumors were measured following euthanasia 18 days (melanoma) or 21 days (LCC) after tumor cell administration. Cage face light intensity was significantly different depending on the location of the cage, with cages closest to the light source have the greatest intensity. Mean tumor weights were significantly less (plight intensity mice compared to high and low light intensity mice. The environmental light intensity to which experimental animals are exposed may vary markedly with cage location and can significantly influence experimental tumor growth, thus supporting the idea that light intensity should be controlled as an experimental variable for animals used in cancer research. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Animal Models in Studies of Cardiotoxicity Side Effects from Antiblastic Drugs in Patients and Occupational Exposed Workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Lamberti

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Cardiotoxicity is an important side effect of cytotoxic drugs and may be a risk factor of long-term morbidity for both patients during therapy and also for staff exposed during the phases of manipulation of antiblastic drugs. The mechanism of cardiotoxicity studied in vitro and in vivo essentially concerns the formation of free radicals leading to oxidative stress, with apoptosis of cardiac cells or immunologic reactions, but other mechanisms may play a role in antiblastic-induced cardiotoxicity. Actually, some new cytotoxic drugs like trastuzumab and cyclopentenyl cytosine show cardiotoxic effects. In this report we discuss the different mechanisms of cardiotoxicity induced by antiblastic drugs assessed using animal models.

Considerations for Experimental Animal Models of Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy—These Matters Matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark W. Wojnarowicz

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Animal models of concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE are widely available and routinely deployed in laboratories around the world. Effective animal modeling requires careful consideration of four basic principles. First, animal model use must be guided by clarity of definitions regarding the human disease or condition being modeled. Concussion, TBI, and CTE represent distinct clinical entities that require clear differentiation: concussion is a neurological syndrome, TBI is a neurological event, and CTE is a neurological disease. While these conditions are all associated with head injury, the pathophysiology, clinical course, and medical management of each are distinct. Investigators who use animal models of these conditions must take into account these clinical distinctions to avoid misinterpretation of results and category mistakes. Second, model selection must be grounded by clarity of purpose with respect to experimental questions and frame of reference of the investigation. Distinguishing injury context (“inputs” from injury consequences (“outputs” may be helpful during animal model selection, experimental design and execution, and interpretation of results. Vigilance is required to rout out, or rigorously control for, model artifacts with potential to interfere with primary endpoints. The widespread use of anesthetics in many animal models illustrates the many ways that model artifacts can confound preclinical results. Third, concordance between key features of the animal model and the human disease or condition being modeled is required to confirm model biofidelity. Fourth, experimental results observed in animals must be confirmed in human subjects for model validation. Adherence to these principles serves as a bulwark against flawed interpretation of results, study replication failure, and confusion in the field. Implementing these principles will advance basic science discovery and

Synthetic torpor: A method for safely and practically transporting experimental animals aboard spaceflight missions to deep space

Science.gov (United States)

Griko, Yuri; Regan, Matthew D.

2018-02-01

Animal research aboard the Space Shuttle and International Space Station has provided vital information on the physiological, cellular, and molecular effects of spaceflight. The relevance of this information to human spaceflight is enhanced when it is coupled with information gleaned from human-based research. As NASA and other space agencies initiate plans for human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), incorporating animal research into these missions is vitally important to understanding the biological impacts of deep space. However, new technologies will be required to integrate experimental animals into spacecraft design and transport them beyond LEO in a safe and practical way. In this communication, we propose the use of metabolic control technologies to reversibly depress the metabolic rates of experimental animals while in transit aboard the spacecraft. Compared to holding experimental animals in active metabolic states, the advantages of artificially inducing regulated, depressed metabolic states (called synthetic torpor) include significantly reduced mass, volume, and power requirements within the spacecraft owing to reduced life support requirements, and mitigated radiation- and microgravity-induced negative health effects on the animals owing to intrinsic physiological properties of torpor. In addition to directly benefitting animal research, synthetic torpor-inducing systems will also serve as test beds for systems that may eventually hold human crewmembers in similar metabolic states on long-duration missions. The technologies for inducing synthetic torpor, which we discuss, are at relatively early stages of development, but there is ample evidence to show that this is a viable idea and one with very real benefits to spaceflight programs. The increasingly ambitious goals of world's many spaceflight programs will be most quickly and safely achieved with the help of animal research systems transported beyond LEO; synthetic torpor may

Behavioural changes in mice exposed to low level microwave fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goiceanu, C.; Gradinaru, F.; Danulescu, R.; Balaceanu, G.; Sandu, D. D.; Avadanei, O. G.

2001-01-01

The aim of our study is to point out some changes in mice behaviour due possibly to exposure to low-level microwave fields. Animals spontaneous behaviour were monitored and the exploring behaviour and motor activity were assessed. Ten selected Swiss male mice were exposed to low-level microwave fields of about 1 mW/cm 2 power density for a relatively long period of time (13 weeks), comparing to their lifetime. The exposure system consists in a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) Cell. A control lot of ten Swiss male mice was used. All twenty mice were selected to be of same age and of 202 g initial body weight. Each animal was placed in his own holder. The behaviour of the animals, from both exposed and control lots, was assessed by using a battery of three behavioural tests. The test sessions were performed every two weeks. During exposure period it was recorded a progressive but moderate loss of motor activity for both exposed and controls, probably due to weight gain and aging. Concerning exploratory activity there is a significant difference between control and exposed animals. Control mice had approximately constant performances in time. On the other hand exposed mice showed a progressive decrease in time of their exploratory ability. Motor activity of exposed animals does not seem to be affected by microwave exposure, in spite of moderate loss in time of motor activity in both lots, as long as it was recorded a quite similar evolution. The difference in performances of exposed and controls concerning exploratory activity seem to emphasise an effect of long-term low-level microwave exposure. The progressive loss in time of exploratory activity of exposed mice, in contrast with controls, could be due to the interference of microwaves with central nervous activity. (authors)

The wild animal as a research animal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Swart, JAA

2004-01-01

Most discussions on animal experimentation refer to domesticated animals and regulations are tailored to this class of animals. However, wild animals are also used for research, e. g., in biological field research that is often directed to fundamental ecological-evolutionary questions or to

Review of reproductive and developmental toxicity induced by organotins in aquatic organisms and experimental animals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirose, A.; Takagi, A.; Nishimura, T.; Kanno, J.; Ema, M. [National Inst. of Health Sciences, Tokyo (Japan)

2004-09-15

Widespread use of organotins has caused increasing amounts to be released into the environment. The most important non-pesticidal route of entry of organotins into the environment is through leaching of organotin-stabilized PVC in water, and the use in antifouling agents, resulting in the introduction of organotin into the aquatic environment. Data are available regarding the detection of butyltins and phenyltins in aquatic marine organisms and marine products. Food chain bioamplification of butyltin in oysters, mud crabs, marine mussels, chinook salmons, dolphins, tunas, and sharks and of phenyltin in carps and horseshoe crabs has been reported. These findings indicate that organotins accumulate in the food chain and are bioconcentrated, and that humans can be exposed to organotins via seafood. The levels of organotin compounds in seafood are not considered to be sufficiently high to affect human health. However, Belfroid et al. (2000) noted that more research on residual TBT levels in seafood was needed before a definitive conclusion on possible health risks could be drawn. Although the toxicity of organotins has been extensively reviewed, the reproductive and developmental toxicity of organotins is not well understood. We summarized the data of the studies on reproductive and developmental toxicity of organotins in aquatic organisms and experimental animals.

Ethics and animal experimentation: what is debated?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paixão Rita Leal

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to raise some points for an understanding of the contemporary debate over the ethics of using animals in scientific experiments. We present the various positions from scientific and moral perspectives establishing different ways of viewing animals, as well as several concepts like 'animal ethics', 'animal rights', and 'animal welfare'. The paper thus aims to analyze the importance and growth of this debate, while proposing to expand the academic approach to this theme in the field of health.

Ethics and animal experimentation: what is debated?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Leal Paixão

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to raise some points for an understanding of the contemporary debate over the ethics of using animals in scientific experiments. We present the various positions from scientific and moral perspectives establishing different ways of viewing animals, as well as several concepts like 'animal ethics', 'animal rights', and 'animal welfare'. The paper thus aims to analyze the importance and growth of this debate, while proposing to expand the academic approach to this theme in the field of health.

Experimental, statistical, and biological models of radon carcinogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cross, F.T.

1991-09-01

Risk models developed for underground miners have not been consistently validated in studies of populations exposed to indoor radon. Imprecision in risk estimates results principally from differences between exposures in mines as compared to domestic environments and from uncertainties about the interaction between cigarette-smoking and exposure to radon decay products. Uncertainties in extrapolating miner data to domestic exposures can be reduced by means of a broad-based health effects research program that addresses the interrelated issues of exposure, respiratory tract dose, carcinogenesis (molecular/cellular and animal studies, plus developing biological and statistical models), and the relationship of radon to smoking and other copollutant exposures. This article reviews experimental animal data on radon carcinogenesis observed primarily in rats at Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Recent experimental and mechanistic carcinogenesis models of exposures to radon, uranium ore dust, and cigarette smoke are presented with statistical analyses of animal data. 20 refs., 1 fig

Effects of experimental amitraz intoxication in cats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.F. Andrade

2007-10-01

Full Text Available This work studied the effects of experimental amitraz intoxication in cats. Sixteen cats were randomly divided equally into two groups: amitraz group - animals received 1.5% amitraz at 1mg/kg IV; and the control group - animals without amitraz. Physiological parameters from blood, cardiorespiratory system, and sedation indicators were quantified over time up to 360 minutes. Blood profile, urea, creatinine, alananine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were not affected by amitraz. Sedation, loss of reflexes, hypothermia, bradycardia, bradyarrhythmia, hypotension, bradypnea, mydriasis, besides transitory hyperglycemia, hypoinsulinemia and decrease of cortisol levels were observed in cats experimentally exposed to amitraz. The alpha2-adrenergic effects induced by amitraz intoxication in cats are very similar to the same effects reported in others species, contributing with more information about this type of intoxication to veterinary toxicology.

[Change of blood antioxidant capacity of experimental animals during nutritional correction under oxidative stress].

Science.gov (United States)

Basov, A A; Bykov, I M

2013-01-01

The effect of nutritional correction (a diet high in foods with antioxidant content) on blood parameters in laboratory animals with metabolic disorders associated with oxidative stress has been studied. In experimental models of laboratory animals (male rabbits weighing 3.5-4.0 kg, n = 40) with purulent septic diseases it has been demonstrated that the use of nutritive correction (replacement of 100 g of the cereal mixture through day on a mixture of cabbage 50 g, carrots 50 g, beet 25 g, apple 25 g, kiwi 10 g and garnet 10 g per 1 rabbit) is not inferior to its efficiency of glutathione use (2 g per day). The use of these antioxidants in laboratory animals significantly reduced the phenomenon of oxidative stress on the 5th day: blood antioxidant capacity significantly increased by 14.9 and 26.6%, and the area of the flash of luminol-dependent H2O2-induced chemiluminescence of blood plasma reduced by 44.2 and 48.6% in the experimental groups receiving respectively nutritive correction and glutathione. The low-molecula level of blood antioxidant capacity was restored and the balance of the activity of superoxide dismutase (decrease) and catalase (increase) was achieved on the 10th day of the experiment. These figures significantly (p < 0.05) differed from than in the group of animals receiving no antioxidant correction. The latter studied parameters of prooxidant-antioxidant system reached values comparable with those in intact animals (n = 10) only on the 30th day, confirming the advisability of appointing a complex antioxidant therapy.

Experimental investigation of buried tritium in plant and animal tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. B.; Workman, W. J. G.; Davis, P. A.

2008-01-01

Buried exchangeable tritium appears as part of organically bound tritium (OBT) in the traditional experimental determination of OBT. Since buried tritium quickly exchanges with hydrogen atoms in the body following ingestion, assuming that it is part of OBT rather than part of tritiated water (HTO) could result in a significant overestimate of the ingestion dose. This paper documents an experimental investigation into the existence, amount and significance of buried tritium in plant and fish samples. OBT concentrations in the samples were determined in the traditional way and also following denaturing with five chemical solutions that break down large molecules and expose buried tritium to exchange with free hydrogen atoms. A comparison of the OBT concentrations before and after denaturing, together with the concentration of HTO in the supernatant obtained after denaturing, suggests that buried OBT may exist but makes up less than 5% of the OBT concentration in plants and at most 20% of the OBT concentration in fish. The effects of rinse time and rinse water volumes were investigated to optimize the removal of exchangeable OBT from the samples. (authors)

Study of {sup 99m}Tc-DMSA biodistribution in experimental animals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, Thais O.M. de; Silva, Natanael G. da; Colturato, Maria T.; Felgueiras, Carlos F.; Mengatti, Jair; Fukumori, Neuza T.O.; Matsuda, Margareth M.N.; Araújo, Elaine B. de, E-mail: thais.castrom@gmail.com [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Centro de Radiofarmacia

2017-11-01

{sup 99m}Tc-DMSA, succimer ({sup 99m}Tc), is a radiopharmaceutical commonly used in nuclear medicine for renal function evaluation by imaging. In order to achieve adequate labeling of the product with good radiochemical yield and standardized biological distribution, the interval of 185 - 3700 MBq should be kept in a maximum volume of 3 mL for product labeling. Moreover, one should avoid exposing the reconstituted solution to oxygen and using the product after four hours post labeling. The aim of the study was to quantify and evaluate the influence of different DMSA complexes on biological distribution of the radiopharmaceutical in experimental animals, taking in account variations in the labeling parameters. Radiochemical purity was determined by paper and thin layer chromatography using both acetone/Whatman 3MM, 0.9% NaCl/TLC-SG and n-propanol/ H{sub 2}O/acetic acid (4:3:1 V/V/V)/TLC-SG systems respectively for quantification of {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4} - and {sup 99m}TcO{sub 2} plus some {sup 99m}Tc-DMSA complexes. The labeling activity did not significantly affect the extent of the main complex generation. The presence of oxygen and the concentration of {sup 99}Tc did not markedly change the percentage of the radiochemical impurities in the preparation. Radiochemical purity tests of the DMSA-{sup 99m}Tc based on IPEN-CNEN DMSA-TEC reagent and on another producer's reagent showed similar results. Although the routine method used by IPEN-CNEN to determine the radiochemical yield of {sup 99m}Tc-DMSA was not able to discriminate among {sup 99m}Tc-DMSA complexes, the renal uptake and the kidney to liver plus spleen uptake ratio in rats met the official compendia criteria for the radiopharmaceutical. (author)

Study of "9"9"mTc-DMSA biodistribution in experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Thais O.M. de; Silva, Natanael G. da; Colturato, Maria T.; Felgueiras, Carlos F.; Mengatti, Jair; Fukumori, Neuza T.O.; Matsuda, Margareth M.N.; Araújo, Elaine B. de

2017-01-01

"9"9"mTc-DMSA, succimer ("9"9"mTc), is a radiopharmaceutical commonly used in nuclear medicine for renal function evaluation by imaging. In order to achieve adequate labeling of the product with good radiochemical yield and standardized biological distribution, the interval of 185 - 3700 MBq should be kept in a maximum volume of 3 mL for product labeling. Moreover, one should avoid exposing the reconstituted solution to oxygen and using the product after four hours post labeling. The aim of the study was to quantify and evaluate the influence of different DMSA complexes on biological distribution of the radiopharmaceutical in experimental animals, taking in account variations in the labeling parameters. Radiochemical purity was determined by paper and thin layer chromatography using both acetone/Whatman 3MM, 0.9% NaCl/TLC-SG and n-propanol/ H_2O/acetic acid (4:3:1 V/V/V)/TLC-SG systems respectively for quantification of "9"9"mTcO_4 - and "9"9"mTcO_2 plus some "9"9"mTc-DMSA complexes. The labeling activity did not significantly affect the extent of the main complex generation. The presence of oxygen and the concentration of "9"9Tc did not markedly change the percentage of the radiochemical impurities in the preparation. Radiochemical purity tests of the DMSA-"9"9"mTc based on IPEN-CNEN DMSA-TEC reagent and on another producer's reagent showed similar results. Although the routine method used by IPEN-CNEN to determine the radiochemical yield of "9"9"mTc-DMSA was not able to discriminate among "9"9"mTc-DMSA complexes, the renal uptake and the kidney to liver plus spleen uptake ratio in rats met the official compendia criteria for the radiopharmaceutical. (author)

Influence of different methods of internal bone fixation on characteristics of bone callus in experimental animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gajdobranski Đorđe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Correct choice of osteosynthesis method is a very important factor in providing the optimal conditions for appropriate healing of the fracture. There are still disagreements about the method of stabilization of some long bone fractures. Critically observed, no method of fracture fixation is ideal. Each osteosynthesis method has both advantages and weaknesses. Objective. The objective of this study was to compare the results of the experimental application of three different internal fixation methods: plate fixation, intramedullary nail fixation and self-dynamisable internal fixator (SIF. Methods. A series of 30 animals were used (Lepus cuniculus as experimental animals, divided into three groups of ten animals each. Femoral diaphysis of each animal was osteotomized and fixed with one of three implants. Ten weeks later all animals were sacrificed and each specimen underwent histological and biomechanical testing. Results. Histology showed that the healing process with SIF was more complete and bone callus was more mature in comparison to other two methods. During biomechanical investigation (computerized bending stress test, it was documented with high statistical significance that using SIF led to stronger healing ten weeks after the operation. Conclusion. According to the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that SIF is a suitable method for fracture treatment.

Potentiality of Melatonin as a Radiation Protector against Hemoglobin Damage in the Experimental Animals Due to Gamma Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farag, H.; Hassan, R. A.; Mohamed, Sh.

2013-01-01

Ionizing radiation causes serious damage in biological system. Some drugs and antioxidants are used to prevent such damage. In the present study two doses of melatonin (10 mg⁄kg and 30 mg⁄kg) were selected to be used for such purpose. The radioprotective effects of melatonin on hemoglobin of red blood cells from female mice was studied through UV absorption spectrum, ESR spectroscopy, dielectric measurements and relative viscosity .The results of Hemoglobin absorption indicate that a pronounced increase in the average value of peak position and width at half maximum W hmax followed by a decrease in the absorbance of sort band, decrease in absorption ratio A 578 / A 540 in addition to disappearance of globin band at 275 nm. The free radicals which are expected to be formed after exposing to γ-irradiation are detected by electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR). The results indicate that the intensity of ESR signal for hemoglobin extracted from animals exposed to γ- irradiation is greater as compared with normal hemoglobin. Dielectric measurements indicate that there is an increase in dielectric permittivity (ε‵), the dielectric loss (ε‶) and the a.c conductivity (σ ac ) while some decrease is noticed in the viscosity measurements after exposing to irradiation. The data obtained from the whole studied parameters after treating animals with melatonin become closer to those for unirradiated samples.

9 CFR 53.4 - Destruction of animals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Destruction of animals. 53.4 Section 53.4 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... animals. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, animals infected with or exposed to...

Chromosome aberration frequency in blood lymphocytes of animals with 239Pu lung burdens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, A.L.; LaBauve, R.J.; McClellan, R.O.; Jensen, D.A.

1976-01-01

Other investigators have suggested a causal relationship between accidental 239 Pu exposures in man and the presence of chromosome aberrations in blood lymphocytes. For experimental assessment of this relationship, 16 rhesus monkeys and 171 Chinese hamsters were exposed to 239 PuO 2 aerosols and an additional five hamsters were injected with 239 Pu citrate, and the frequency of aberrations in blood lymphocyte was determined. Hamsters with the highest lung burden had a median survival time of about 80 days. No deaths occurred in any of the other treated hamsters or monkeys by 250 days after 239 Pu inhalation. Hamsters sacrificed at 30 days showed an increase in chromosome aberration frequency with increasing dose to lungs. By 120 days after inhalation, the aberration frequency in the controls was 0.012. The frequency in animals with doses that produced significant life shortening had decreased to 0.018 and to 0.032 aberration/cell in animals with lower doses. At 380 days after injection of 2 nCi of 239 Pu citrate per gram of body weight, hamster lymphocytes had an aberration frequency of 0.048 aberration/cell. The level of chromosome damage in the 239 PuO 2 -exposed monkeys at 30 and 90 days after inhalation was not different from that observed in controls. Possible reasons for differences between the experimental animal observations and findings in man are discussed

New experimental model for single liver lobe hyperthermia in small animals using non-directional microwaves.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ionuț Tudorancea

Full Text Available Our aim was to develop a new experimental model for in vivo hyperthermia using non-directional microwaves, applicable to small experimental animals. We present an affordable approach for targeted microwave heat delivery to an isolated liver lobe in rat, which allows rapid, precise and stable tissue temperature control.A new experimental model is proposed. We used a commercial available magnetron generating 2450 MHz, with 4.4V and 14A in the filament and 4500V anodic voltage. Modifications were required in order to adjust tissue heating such as to prevent overheating and to allow for fine adjustments according to real-time target temperature. The heating is controlled using a virtual instrument application implemented in LabView® and responds to 0.1° C variations in the target. Ten healthy adult male Wistar rats, weighing 250-270 g were used in this study. The middle liver lobe was the target for controlled heating, while the rest of the living animal was protected.In vivo microwave delivery using our experimental setting is safe for the animals. Target tissue temperature rises from 30°C to 40°C with 3.375°C / second (R2 = 0.9551, while the increment is lower it the next two intervals (40-42°C and 42-44°C with 0.291°C/ s (R2 = 0.9337 and 0.136°C/ s (R2 = 0.7894 respectively, when testing in sequences. After reaching the desired temperature, controlled microwave delivery insures a very stable temperature during the experiments.We have developed an inexpensive and easy to manufacture system for targeted hyperthermia using non-directional microwave radiation. This system allows for fine and stable temperature adjustments within the target tissue and is ideal for experimental models testing below or above threshold hyperthermia.

The relevance of animal experimental results for the assessment of radiation genetic risks in man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephan, G.

1981-01-01

No suitable data are available from man for the quantitative assessment of genetic radiation risk. Therefore, the results from experiments on animals must be utilized. Two hypotheses are presented here in drawing analogical conclusions from one species to another. Although the extrapolation of results from animal experiments remains an open question, the use of experimental results from mice seems to be justified for an assessment of the genetic radiation risk in man. (orig.) [de

Management of Ocular Diseases Using Lutein and Zeaxanthin: What Have We Learned from Experimental Animal Studies?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunyan Xue

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Zeaxanthin and lutein are two carotenoid pigments that concentrated in the retina, especially in the macula. The effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on the prevention and treatment of various eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and cataract, ischemic/hypoxia induced retinopathy, light damage of the retina, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal detachment, and uveitis, have been studied in different experimental animal models. In these animal models, lutein and zeaxanthin have been reported to have beneficial effects in protecting ocular tissues and cells (especially the retinal neurons against damage caused by different etiological factors. The mechanisms responsible for these effects of lutein and zeaxanthin include prevention of phototoxic damage by absorption of blue light, reduction of oxidative stress through antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging, and their anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties. The results of these experimental animal studies may provide new preventive and therapeutic procedures for clinical management of various vision-threatening diseases.

Effects of microwave oven exposed diet on spermatogenesis in testicular tissue of mice and comparative effects of mentha piperita and melatonin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naheed, K.; Qamar, K.; Jamal, S.

2017-01-01

Objective: To observe the effects of microwave oven exposed diet on spermatogenesis in the testis of mice and comparative effects of Mentha piperita and melatonin. Study Design: Laboratory based randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Anatomy Department, Army Medical College Rawalpindi, in collaboration with National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, from Apr 2015 to May 2015. Material and Method: Study comprised of 32 adult male mice (BALBc strain) weighing 25-30 gms. Selection criteria based on non-probability (purposive) simple random sampling. Mice were divided into four equal groups of 8 mice each. Group 1, taken as control, was given standard diet 5-10gm/animal/day daily for four weeks. Group 2 was given 5-10 gm/animal/day of microwave oven exposed mice pellets for four weeks. Group 3 received Mentha piperita leaf extract (1g/kg b.wt./day) along with microwave oven exposed mice pellets (5-10gm/animal/day) for 4 weeks and group 4 received oral dosage of melatonin 12mg/kg/day along with microwave oven exposed mice pellets (5-10gm/animal/day) for 4 weeks. After four weeks animals were dissected. The shape, color and any abnormal finding of the testis were observed. Testis were processed, embedded and stained for histological study. Spermatogenesis was assessed by the Johnsons scoring. SPSS 21 was used for statistical analysis. Chi square test was applied for intergroup comparison. Results: Spermatogenesis was suppressed and Johnsons score was decreased from normal spermatogenesis (10) to (6-8) in the experimental group 2 and was more improved in the Mentha piperita treated group as compare to the melatonin. Conclusion: Microwave oven exposed mice pellets suppressed spermatogenesis and Mentha piperita had better ameliorative effects than melatonin on the testis of mice. (author)

Functional aspects of developmental toxicity of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons in experimental animals and human infants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, A.; Ahlborg, U. G.; van den Berg, M.; Birnbaum, L. S.; Boersma, E. R.; Bosveld, B.; Denison, M. S.; Gray, L. E.; Hagmar, L.; Holene, E.

1995-01-01

A scientific evaluation was made of functional aspects of developmental toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in experimental animals and in human infants. Persistent neurobehavioral, reproductive and

Dynamic Metabolic Disruption in Rats Perinatally Exposed to Low Doses of Bisphenol-A.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Tremblay-Franco

Full Text Available Along with the well-established effects on fertility and fecundity, perinatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, and notably to xeno-estrogens, is strongly suspected of modulating general metabolism. The metabolism of a perinatally exposed individual may be durably altered leading to a higher susceptibility of developing metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes; however, experimental designs involving the long term study of these dynamic changes in the metabolome raise novel challenges. 1H-NMR-based metabolomics was applied to study the effects of bisphenol-A (BPA, 0; 0.25; 2.5, 25 and 250 μg/kg BW/day in rats exposed perinatally. Serum and liver samples of exposed animals were analyzed on days 21, 50, 90, 140 and 200 in order to explore whether maternal exposure to BPA alters metabolism. Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA was independently applied to each time point, demonstrating a significant pair-wise discrimination for liver as well as serum samples at all time-points, and highlighting unequivocal metabolic shifts in rats perinatally exposed to BPA, including those exposed to lower doses. In BPA exposed animals, metabolism of glucose, lactate and fatty acids was modified over time. To further explore dynamic variation, ANOVA-Simultaneous Component Analysis (A-SCA was used to separate data into blocks corresponding to the different sources of variation (Time, Dose and Time*Dose interaction. A-SCA enabled the demonstration of a dynamic, time/age dependent shift of serum metabolome throughout the rats' lifetimes. Variables responsible for the discrimination between groups clearly indicate that BPA modulates energy metabolism, and suggest alterations of neurotransmitter signaling, the latter finding being compatible with the neurodevelopmental effect of this xenoestrogen. In conclusion, long lasting metabolic effects of BPA could be characterized over 200 days, despite physiological (and thus metabolic changes

Animal model of atherosclerosis using rabbit experimentally induced by combination of X-ray and hypercholesterolemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishiyama, Tomotoshi; Sawai, Takashi; Okuma, Tsuneo; Mori, Shozo

1995-01-01

An attempt was made to prepare an animal model of atherosclerosis similar to human lesions. The experimental animals were male Japanese white rabbits weighting about 2 kg. Hypercholesterolemia was experimentally induced by giving a 1% cholesterol diet. Four weeks later, a single dose of 45 Gy was delivered to the femur to produce vascular changes. Soon after irradiation, immunohistochemical examination revealed the adhesion and invasion of macrophages to endothelial cells, followed by accumulation of foam cells and thickness of the intimal plaques. Three months after irradiation, these thickened plaques became fibrotic, calcified, and necrotic. The tunica media was thinned and the internal elastic lamella was destroyed. Irradiated arteries exhibited not only severe narrowing of the lumen but also aneurysmal dilation and the lesions of the irradiated arteries resembled human atherosclerosis. In conclusion, the atherosclerotic model produced by combining experimental hypercholesterolemia and X-ray irradiaiton may serve as a useful model for studies on atherosclerosis because it can be prepared with no need of complicated or time-consuming procedures. (N.K.)

Tumors in dogs exposed to experimental intraoperative radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnstone, Peter A.S.; Laskin, William B.; De Luca, Anne Marie; Barnes, Margaret; Kinsella, Timothy J.; Sindelar, William F.

1996-01-01

Purpose: The frequency of radiation-induced neoplasms was determined in dogs enrolled in the National Cancer Institute canine trials of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT). Methods and Materials: Twelve protocols assessing normal tissue response to IORT involved 238 dogs in a 15-year trial. Eighty-one dogs were followed for > 24 months postoperatively and were assessed for tumor development; 59 of these animals received IORT. Results: Twelve tumors occurred in the 59 dogs receiving IORT. Nine were in the IORT portals and were considered to be radiation induced. No tumors occurred in 13 sham animals or in 9 animals treated with external beam radiotherapy alone. The frequency of radiation-induced malignancies in dogs receiving IORT was 15%, and was 25% in animals receiving ≥ 25 Gy IORT. Frequency of all tumors, including spontaneous lesions, was 20%. Conclusions: Intraoperative radiotherapy contributed to a high frequency of sarcoma induction in these dogs. Unknown to date in humans involved in clinical trials of IORT, this potential complication should be looked for as long-term survivors are followed

Infrared radiation has potential antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in animal model of depression and anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Yoshihiro; Akiyoshi, Jotaro; Kawahara, Yoshinari; Ishitobi, Yoshinobu; Hatano, Koji; Hoaki, Nobuhiko; Mori, Ayumi; Goto, Shinjiro; Tsuru, Jusen; Matsushita, Hirotaka; Hanada, Hiroaki; Kodama, Kensuke; Isogawa, Koichi; Kitamura, Hirokazu; Fujikura, Yoshihisa

2011-04-01

Bright light therapy has been shown to have antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in humans. The antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of infrared radiation were evaluated using an experimental animal model. Rats were randomly assigned to either an acutely or chronically exposed infrared radiation group or to a nonexposed control group. Acutely exposed rats were treated with an infrared radiation machine for one session, whereas chronically exposed animals were treated with an infrared radiation for 10 sessions. Control group rats were exposed to the sound of the infrared radiation machine as a sham treatment. After infrared radiation or control exposure, rats underwent behavioral evaluation, including elevated plus maze test, light/dark box, and forced swim test. Chronic infrared radiation exposure decreased indicators of depression- and anxiety-like behavior. No significant effect on general locomotor activity was observed. The number of BrdU-positive cells in CA1 of the hippocampus was significantly increased in both acutely and chronically exposed infrared radiation groups compared with the control group. These results indicate that chronic infrared radiation might produce antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[F18]-FDG imaging of experimental animal tumours using a hybrid gamma-camera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lausson, S.; Maurel, G.; Kerrou, K.; Montravers, F.; Petegnief, Y.; Talbot, J.N.; Fredelizi, D.

2001-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been widely used in clinical studies. This technology permits detection of compounds labelled with positron emitting radionuclides and in particular, [F18]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([F18]-FDG).[F18]-FDG uptake and accumulation is generally related to malignancy; some recent works have suggested the usefulness of PET camera dedicated to small laboratory animals (micro-PET). Our study dealt with the feasibility of [F18]-FDG imaging of malignant tumours in animal models by means of an hybrid camera dedicated for human scintigraphy. We evaluated the ability of coincidence detection emission tomography (CDET) using this hybrid camera to visualize in vivo subcutaneous tumours grafted to mice or rats. P815 murine mastocytoma grafted in syngeneic DBA/2 mice resulted with foci of very high FDG uptake. Tumours with a diameter of only 3 mm were clearly visualized. Medullary thyroid cancer provoked by rMTC 6/23 and CA77 lines in syngeneic Wag/Rij rat was also detected. The differentiated CA77 tumours exhibited avidity for [F18]-FDG and a tumour, which was just palpable (diameter lower than 2 mm), was identified. In conclusion, CDET-FDG is a non-invasive imaging tool which can be used to follow grafted tumours in the small laboratory animal, even when their size is smaller than 1 cm. It has the potential to evaluate experimental anticancer treatments in small series of animals by individual follow-up. It offers the opportunity to develop experimental PET research within a nuclear medicine or biophysics department, the shift to a dedicated micro-PET device being subsequently necessary. It is indeed compulsory to strictly follow the rules for non contamination and disinfection of the hybrid camera. (authors)

Vascular Hyperpermeability Response in Animals Systemically Exposed to Arsenic.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shih-Chieh; Chang, Chao-Yuah; Lin, Ming-Lu

2018-01-01

The mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases induced by chronic exposure to arsenic remain unclarified. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether increased vascular leakage is induced by inflammatory mustard oil in mice systemically exposed to various doses of arsenic and whether an increased vascular leakage response is still present in arsenic-fed mice after arsenic discontinuation for 2 or 6 months. ICR mice were fed water or various doses of sodium arsenite (10, 15, or 20 mg/kg/day; 5 days/week) for 8 weeks. In separate experiments, the mice were treated with sodium arsenite (20 mg/kg) for 2 or 8 weeks, followed by arsenic discontinuation for 2 or 6 months. Vascular permeability to inflammatory mustard oil was quantified using Evans blue (EB) techniques. Both arsenic-exposed and water-fed (control) mice displayed similar basal levels of EB leakage in the ears brushed with mineral oil, a vehicle of mustard oil. The levels of EB leakage induced by mustard oil in the arsenic groups fed with sodium arsenite (10 or 15 mg/kg) were similar to those of water-fed mice. However, increased levels of EB leakage in response to mustard oil stimulation were significantly higher in mice treated with sodium arsenite (20 mg/kg; high dose) than in arsenic-fed (10 or 15 mg/kg; low and middle doses) or control mice. After arsenic discontinuation for 2 or 6 months, mustard oil-induced vascular EB leakage in arsenic-fed (20 mg/kg) mice was similar to that in control mice. Dramatic increases in mustard oil-induced vascular leakage were only present in mice systemically exposed to the high arsenic dose, indicating the synergistic effects of the high arsenic dose and mustard oil.

Deposition, translocation and effects of transuranic particles inhaled by experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, D.K.; Ballou, J.E.; Dagle, G.E.; Mahlum, D.D.; Park, J.F.; Sanders, C.L.; Sikov, M.R.; Stuart, B.O.

1977-01-01

Inhalation exposure constitutes the most likely route of entrance for transuranics into the body. Cancer is the most likely consequence of exposure, but several thousand workers have been exposed during the last 30 yrs without, so far, evidence of exposure-related effects. Several soluble and insoluble transuranic compounds have been studied in rodents and dogs, either alone or combined with exposure to other materials (e.g., PuO/sub 2/--UO/sub 2/ fuel and Na). These studies have provided a wide variety of spatial and temporal dose distribution patterns in the lung. The distribution and total initial deposition in the respiratory tract is a function of the physical characteristics of the inhaled aerosols (size distribution, shape, hygroscopicity) and of the morphology and physiology of the animal. Translocation rates, organ and tissue distribution and excretion in urine and feces, are a function of the physicochemical characteristics of the deposited material (solubility, specific activity, chemical compound, etc.). Differences in rate of translocation of the solubilized material, primarily to the liver and bone, determines the radiation dose to the various tissues involved. Insoluble particles of plutonium dioxide are transferred to the thoracic lymph nodes, which may be functionally destroyed as a consequence. Radiation pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis are the main causes of death in animals with cumulative radiation doses to the lung of a few thousand rads. The most significant long-term effect of inhaled transuranic compounds in animals is the development of lung and bone tumors. The main type of lung tumor in both dog and rat is the bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (adenocarcinoma). However, tumor type is a function of radiation dose and dose-distribution at high doses. Bone ranks next to lung as the tissue developing the most tumors following inhalation of transuranics

Deposition, translocation, and effects of transuranic particles inhaled by experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, D.K.; Ballou, J.E.; Dagle, G.E.; Mahlum, D.D.; Park, J.F.; Sanders, C.L.; Sikov, M.R.; Stuart, B.O.

1977-01-01

Inhalation exposure constitutes the most likely route of entrance for transuranics into the body. Cancer is the most likely consequence of exposure, but several thousand workers have been exposed during the last 30 yrs without, so far, evidence of exposure-related effects. Several soluble and insoluble transuranic compounds have been studied in rodents and dogs, either alone or combined with exposure to other materials (e.g., PuO 2 --UO 2 fuel and Na). These studies have provided a wide variety of spatial and temporal dose distribution patterns in the lung. The distribution and total initial deposition in the respiratory tract is a function of the physical characteristics of the inhaled aerosols (size distribution, shape, hygroscopicity) and of the morphology and physiology of the animal. Translocation rates, organ and tissue distribution and excretion in urine and feces, are a function of the physicochemical characteristics of the deposited material (solubility, specific activity, chemical compound, etc.). Differences in rate of translocation of the solubilized material, primarily to the liver and bone, determines the radiation dose to the various tissues involved. Insoluble particles of plutonium dioxide are transferred to the thoracic lymph nodes, which may be functionally destroyed as a consequence. Radiation pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis are the main causes of death in animals with cumulative radiation doses to the lung of a few thousand rads. The most significant long-term effect of inhaled transuranic compounds in animals is the development of lung and bone tumors. The main type of lung tumor in both dog and rat is the bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (adenocarcinoma). However, tumor type is a function of radiation dose and dose-distribution at high doses. Bone ranks next to lung as the tissue developing the most tumors following inhalation of transuranics

From experimental zoology to big data: Observation and integration in the study of animal development.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolker, Jessica; Brauckmann, Sabine

2015-06-01

The founding of the Journal of Experimental Zoology in 1904 was inspired by a widespread turn toward experimental biology in the 19th century. The founding editors sought to promote experimental, laboratory-based approaches, particularly in developmental biology. This agenda raised key practical and epistemological questions about how and where to study development: Does the environment matter? How do we know that a cell or embryo isolated to facilitate observation reveals normal developmental processes? How can we integrate descriptive and experimental data? R.G. Harrison, the journal's first editor, grappled with these questions in justifying his use of cell culture to study neural patterning. Others confronted them in different contexts: for example, F.B. Sumner insisted on the primacy of fieldwork in his studies on adaptation, but also performed breeding experiments using wild-collected animals. The work of Harrison, Sumner, and other early contributors exemplified both the power of new techniques, and the meticulous explanation of practice and epistemology that was marshaled to promote experimental approaches. A century later, experimentation is widely viewed as the standard way to study development; yet at the same time, cutting-edge "big data" projects are essentially descriptive, closer to natural history than to the approaches championed by Harrison et al. Thus, the original questions about how and where we can best learn about development are still with us. Examining their history can inform current efforts to incorporate data from experiment and description, lab and field, and a broad range of organisms and disciplines, into an integrated understanding of animal development. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Biological effects of daily inhalation of radon and its short-lived daughters in experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, R.F.; Stuart, B.O.; Filipy, R.E.

1973-01-01

Syrian golden hamsters, C57BL mice, and specific-pathogen-free rats were exposed simultaneously in groups of 16 animals each for 90 hours per week to aerosols consisting of radon plus 3000--6000 Working Levels of radon-daughters with and without 18 mg/m 3 carnotite uranium ore dust. Condensation nuclei concentrations ranged from 2000--4000 per ml and from 90,000--120,000 per ml in the chamber without and with uranium ore dust, respectively. At 4 months of exposure only one of the rodents remained alive. Histopathology of radon-daughter exposed mice includes acute interstitial pneumonitis, severe pulmonary congestion, and supperative rhinitis; mice inhaling radon-daughters with ore showed these lesions plus macrophage proliferation, alveolar septal cell hyperplasia, and bronchial epithelial hyperplasia. Hamsters inhaling radon-daughters showed proliferating lesions characterized by alveolar septal thickening, bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia, septal fibrosis, and occasionally adenomatoid metaplasia and squamous metaplasia. Hamsters inhaling radon-daughters with ore dust showed similar effects plus granulomatous response and intense septal fibrosis. Rats inhaling radon-daughters showed lesions similar to those of hamsters but more focalized with classic radiation pneumonitis; rats exposed to radon-daughters with ore showed similar lesions, with greater consolidation and pneumoconiosis. These findings will be discussed in relation to pulmonary pathology in uranium miners

Causes and consequences of pathogenic processes in evolution: Implications from experimental epilepsy in animals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Godlevsky, L.S.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Shandra, A.A.; Coenen, A.M.L.

2002-01-01

Examples from experimental epilepsy in animals are used to illustrate the view that a crucial role of the transfer of mechanisms from compensatory into pathogenic (e.g. lethal ones in the course of a disease), is played by the power of pathologic stimuli. In the genesis of epilepsy it is suggested

Effects of Circadian Disruption on Methamphetamine Consumption in Methamphetamine-Exposed Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, Susan E.; Feng, Hanting; Garber, Garrett; Menaker, Michael; Lynch, Wendy J.

2015-01-01

Rationale A substantial number of clinical studies indicate associations between sleep abnormalities and drug abuse; however, the role played by the circadian system in the development of addiction is largely unknown. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the effects of experimentally induced chronic jet lag on methamphetamine consumption in a rat model of methamphetamine drinking. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=32) were housed in running wheel cages in a 12:12 light:dark cycle. One group of rats (n=16) was given two weeks of forced methamphetamine consumption (0.01% in drinking water; meth pre-exposed) while a second group (n=16, not pre-exposed) received water only. This was followed by a two week abstinence period during which half of the animals from each group were exposed to 4 consecutive 6-hr advancing phase shifts of the light:dark cycle, while the other half remained on the original light:dark cycle. Methamphetamine consumption was assessed in all rats following the deprivation period using a two-bottle choice paradigm. Results Methamphetamine consumption was initially lower in methamphetamine pre-exposed vs. not pre-exposed rats. However, during the second week following abstinence, consumption was significantly higher in phase shifted rats of the methamphetamine pre-exposed group compared to all other groups. Conclusions These data reveal an effect of circadian rhythm disturbance on methamphetamine consumption, and suggest that dysregulation of the circadian system be considered in the etiology of relapse and addiction. PMID:25543849

What about animals dealing with working dogs, pets and other animals during terrorism incidents and disasters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eifried, G.

2009-01-01

It is highly likely that K9 teams (patrol, search and rescue, and cadaver) will be exposed to hazardous materials as a result of an act of CBRN terrorism, and thus require decontamination. Service animals and pets which have been exposed to toxic agents and materials will also need to be decontaminated, along with their owners. Emergency evacuation and sheltering plans need to consider how service animals, pets and livestock will be handled. The United States has recently made significant changes to focus in this regard, to the extent that caring for animals must now be addressed in disaster preparedness planning. In this paper we describe lessons learned from work done by the Massachusetts Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR), and the response to hurricane Katrina, concerning the handling and decontamination of animals following major incidents. We discuss: how the new Federal and state mandates have changed evacuation and sheltering concepts; cooperation among government entities, veterinarians, animal facilities, humane societies, animal rescue organizations and animal owners; and describe some practical considerations and solutions to sheltering and mass decontamination of animals along with their humans.(author)

Music in film and animation: experimental semiotics applied to visual, sound and musical structures

Science.gov (United States)

Kendall, Roger A.

2010-02-01

The relationship of music to film has only recently received the attention of experimental psychologists and quantificational musicologists. This paper outlines theory, semiotical analysis, and experimental results using relations among variables of temporally organized visuals and music. 1. A comparison and contrast is developed among the ideas in semiotics and experimental research, including historical and recent developments. 2. Musicological Exploration: The resulting multidimensional structures of associative meanings, iconic meanings, and embodied meanings are applied to the analysis and interpretation of a range of film with music. 3. Experimental Verification: A series of experiments testing the perceptual fit of musical and visual patterns layered together in animations determined goodness of fit between all pattern combinations, results of which confirmed aspects of the theory. However, exceptions were found when the complexity of the stratified stimuli resulted in cognitive overload.

Abnormal emotional learning in a rat model of autism exposed to valproic acid in utero

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anwesha eBanerjee

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD are complex neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by repetitive behavior and impaired social communication and interactions. Apart from these core symptoms, a significant number of ASD individuals display higher levels of anxiety and some ASD individuals exhibit impaired emotional learning. We therefore sought to further examine anxiety and emotional learning in an environmentally induced animal model of ASD that utilizes the administration of the known teratogen, valproic acid (VPA during gestation. Specifically we exposed dams to one of two different doses of VPA (500 and 600 mg/kg or vehicle on day 12.5 of gestation and examined the resultant progeny. Our data indicate that animals exposed to VPA in utero exhibit enhanced anxiety in the open field test and normal object recognition memory compared to control animals. Animals exposed to 500 mg/kg of VPA displayed normal acquisition of auditory fear conditioning, and exhibited reduced extinction of fear memory and normal litter survival rates as compared to control animals. We observed that animals exposed to 600 mg/kg of VPA exhibited a significant reduction in the acquisition of fear conditioning, a significant reduction in social interaction and a significant reduction in litter survival rates as compared to control animals. VPA (600 mg/kg exposed animals exhibited similar shock sensitivity and hearing as compared to control animals indicating the fear conditioning deficit observed in these animals was not likely due to sensory deficits, but rather due to deficits in learning or memory retrieval. In conclusion, considering that progeny from dams exposed to rather similar doses of VPA exhibit striking differences in emotional learning, the VPA model may serve as a useful tool to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to not only ASD, but also emotional learning.

Alternatives to animal experimentation in basic research.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruber, Franz P; Hartung, Thomas

2004-01-01

In contrast to animal testing required by law to guarantee minimum safety standards for the licensing of drugs and chemicals, there are no regulations in basic research forcing scientists to perform animal tests. By (usually) free choice, questions are posed and hypotheses are examined which, in many cases, can only be answered by means of animal tests. Just as easily, different questions could be asked or different hypotheses could be examined which do not require animal tests. The only criterion for the choice of a topic is its relevance which cannot necessarily be judged in the short-term. Thus, it is up to the individual scientist to judge what is worth studying and therefore worth animal consumption. The educated mind will consider ethical aspects of this choice. However, on the other hand, this decision is largely influenced by questions of efficacy or (in a negative sense) by the obstacles posed to an animal consuming approach. Here, peer review and general attitude will strongly influence the methodology chosen. Availability and awareness of adequate in vitro techniques represent the prerequisites for the use of alternative methods. The least one can do in basic research is to avoid tests which cause severe suffering to animals, as is required in Switzerland and other European countries by binding ethical principles and guidelines. The increasing standard of approval and control procedures has improved the situation over the years. There are many examples of successful alternative methods in basic research. But, the application of such methods is in most cases limited to the laboratories in which they were developed, calling for technology transfer. Exceptions are procedures that are used worldwide, like the production of monoclonal antibodies, which instead of using the ascites mouse can also be performed in vitro with some good will. In these cases, commercialisation of the techniques has aided their spread within the scientific community. Sadly, many

Animal experimentation: a legal fight in Brazilian universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Luiza Fontoura de Medeiros

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Vivisection, or the use of animals in experiments, testing or education is part of a context in which many people still think represent an emergency conflict that requires the choice of human interests rather than the interests of animals. In Brazil, the 1988 Federal Constitution, in Article 225, paragraph 1, item VII, prohibits the practice of cruelty to animals. To regulate the said device, was passed in 2008 the Law 11.794 / 2008, known as Arouca Law, establishing procedures for the scientific use of animals and the Law 9.605 / 2008, which deals with environmental crimes. However, according to Brazilian Constitution, is it possible to sustain the use of animals in teaching and research, especially in universities? The aim of this paper is to analyze the Brazilian legislation regarding the use of animals in testing, teaching and research, and to discuss the observation of this legislation during the lawsuits filled in recent years by animal advocacy organizations against several Brazilian universities. The results point to a disagreement between the practices prevailing in the universities, the legislation and the Brazilian Constitution.

Induction of a chronic myocardial infarction in the laboratory animal - experimental model

Science.gov (United States)

POP, IONEL CIPRIAN; GRAD, NICOLAE-OVIDIU; PESTEAN, COSMIN; TAULESCU, MARIAN; MIRCEAN, MIRCEA; MIRONIUC, ION-AUREL

2013-01-01

Introduction Ischemic heart disease is a major public health problem in western countries. Appropriate animal experimental models of chronic myocardial infarction is an essential first step in order to investigate and develop new therapeutic interventions. Aim The aim of this study was to find an optimal place for a coronary artery ligation to induce an optimal chronic myocardial infarction and also a new heart approach that will not require oro-tracheal intubation. Material and methods To achieve these goals we used a group of rabbits and after induction of anesthesia and cardiac exposure by rib osteotomy (rib III, IV and V) at the costo-sternal junction level on the right side we performed three different left anterior descending artery (LAD) ligation at different distances (5, 10 and 15 mm) in relation to the apex. Thirty days after the acute myocardial infarction, we correlated laboratory investigations (serology, ECG, cardiac ultrasound) with histopathological findings. Results Heart approach achieved by rib osteotomy (rib III, IV and V) at the costo-sternal junction level on the right side, maintains the integrity of the ribcage, allowing it to take part in respiratory movements and the animal model does not need oro-tracheal intubation. Ligation of LAD at 15 mm from the apex was incompatible with life; ligation of LAD at 5 mm from the apex does not achieved transmural myocardial infarction and ligation of LAD at 10 mm from the apex achieved a transmural myocardial infarction of the left ventricle which also involved the distal part of the interventricular septum. Conclusion Ligation of LAD at 10 mm from the apex achieved a transmural myocardial infarction of the left ventricle, is in an easily accessible area from technical point of view, it is sufficiently expanded to induce hemodynamic effects that can be quantified with paraclinical examination and also it is compatible with the experimental animal life. If the heart is approached by rib III, IV and V

Local Delivery System of Immune Modulating Drug for Unresectable Adenocarcinoma: In Vitro Experimental Study and In Vivo Animal Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Don Haeng; Kang, Sung-Gwon; Jeong, Seok; Yoon, Chang Jin; Choi, Jung-Ah; Byun, Ju Nam; Park, Jae Hyung; Lee, Kyu Back

2006-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a developed drug delivery system containing OK-432 through in vitro and animal study. An OK-432-impregnated polycarbonate/polyurethane stent membrane was used to develop a drug delivery system (DDS) enabling the locoregional release of OK-432. Polyethyleneglycol was used as a detergent and porosity generator. The stability of OK-432 in solvent, releasing kinetics of drug, and cytotoxicity of the DDS were evaluated. OK-432-impregnated DDS was implanted in mice in which a human adenocarcinoma cell line was injected and grown in their back. Flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used for quantifying the amount of drug. OK-432 exposed to phosphate-buffered saline and OK-432 exposed to N,N-dimethylacetamide showed similar results on dot graphs and histograms. However, OK-432 exposed to tetrahydrofurane showed different dot graphs and histograms, which means that the antigenicity of the drug was changed. The release rate of OK-432 was maintained at a constant level for 6 weeks. The local delivery of OK-432 was found to have an antitumor effect on a human adenocarcinoma cell line in an animal study, but no effect on this cell line in in vitro cell culture. Histologic examination showed minimal inflammatory reaction in surrounding tissue. Our study shows that local treatment using this OK-432 release system is safe and effective in reducing adenocarcinoma in a mouse model

9 CFR 53.3 - Appraisal of animals or materials.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Appraisal of animals or materials. 53.3 Section 53.3 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... animals or materials. (a) Animals affected by or exposed to disease, and materials required to be...

Noise effects on reproduction— animal experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Takigawa, H.; Sakamoto, H.; Murata, M.; Matsumura, Y.

1988-12-01

Noise effects on fetal development were observed in animals. While the copulatory function was not affected, birth rate decreased when the animals were exposed to noise. An increased number of stunted fetuses was observed when the animals were intermittently exposed. However, malformations in the fetuses increased with exposure to both intermittent and continuous noise. Two phases of hormonal change were observed in connection with noise exposure. One is the initial response phase, characterized by the increment of 11-OHCS in the adrenal gland. The other is the end phenomena phase, characterized by a disorder in central control. It is discussed that the disturbance of fetal development by exposure to noise is related to these changes in the hormonal condition.

Solidarity with Animals: Assessing a Relevant Dimension of Social Identification with Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Amiot, Catherine E; Bastian, Brock

2017-01-01

Interactions with animals are pervasive in human life, a fact that is reflected in the burgeoning field of human-animal relations research. The goal of the current research was to examine the psychology of our social connection with other animals, by specifically developing a measure of solidarity with animals. In 8 studies using correlational, experimental, and longitudinal designs, solidarity with animals predicted more positive attitudes and behaviors toward animals, over and above existing scales of identification, and even when this implied a loss of resources and privileges for humans relative to animals. Solidarity with animals also displayed predicted relationships with relevant variables (anthropomorphism, empathy). Pet owners and vegetarians displayed higher levels of solidarity with animals. Correlational and experimental evidence confirmed that human-animal similarity heightens solidarity with animals. Our findings provide a useful measure that can facilitate important insights into the nature of our relationships with animals.

Method to reduce non-specific tissue heating of small animals in solenoid coils.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ananda; Attaluri, Anilchandra; Mallipudi, Rajiv; Cornejo, Christine; Bordelon, David; Armour, Michael; Morua, Katherine; Deweese, Theodore L; Ivkov, Robert

2013-01-01

Solenoid coils that generate time-varying or alternating magnetic fields (AMFs) are used in biomedical devices for research, imaging and therapy. Interactions of AMF and tissue produce eddy currents that deposit power within tissue, thus limiting effectiveness and safety. We aim to develop methods that minimise excess heating of mice exposed to AMFs for cancer therapy experiments. Numerical and experimental data were obtained to characterise thermal management properties of water using a continuous, custom water jacket in a four-turn simple solenoid. Theoretical data were obtained with method-of-moments (MoM) numerical field calculations and finite element method (FEM) thermal simulations. Experimental data were obtained from gel phantoms and mice exposed to AMFs having amplitude >50 kA/m and frequency of 160 kHz. Water has a high specific heat and thermal conductivity, is diamagnetic, polar, and nearly transparent to magnetic fields. We report at least a two-fold reduction of temperature increase from gel phantom and animal models when a continuous layer of circulating water was placed between the sample and solenoid, compared with no water. Thermal simulations indicate the superior efficiency in thermal management by the developed continuous single chamber cooling system over a double chamber non-continuous system. Further reductions of heating were obtained by regulating water temperature and flow for active cooling. These results demonstrate the potential value of a contiguous layer of circulating water to permit sustained exposure to high intensity alternating magnetic fields at this frequency for research using small animal models exposed to AMFs.

Can experiments on animals constitute a criminal offence of cruelty to animals?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ristivojevic Branislav

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The criminal offence “killing and torturing animals” under Article 269 of the Criminal Code says that it can be committed only “contrary to regulations”. The regulations governing the treatment of experimental animals are the Animal Welfare Law from 2009 and the Law on the Ratification of the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes amended by the Protocol of amendment to the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes from 2010. The first one imposes numerous obligations and introduces numerous prohibitions in the treatment of experimental animals, which at first sight make the possibilities of committing this criminal offence greater. The other law does not contain most of the prohibitions and restrictions that are included in the Animal Welfare Law. Thanks to a legal rule which says that a later law regulating the same subject replaces the former one (lex posterior derogate legi priori and the aforementioned unconstitutionality of many provisions of the Animal Welfare Law, researchers and teachers in Serbia are not in particular danger of criminal prosecution. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179079: Biomedicine, Environmental Protection and the Law

Experimental animal models for COPD: a methodological review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vahideh Ghorani

2017-05-01

The present review provides various methods used for induction of animal models of COPD, different animals used (mainly mice, guinea pigs and rats and measured parameters. The information provided in this review is valuable for choosing appropriate animal, method of induction and selecting parameters to be measured in studies concerning COPD.

Oxidative stress biomarkers and aggressive behavior in fish exposed to aquatic cadmium contamination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeane A. Almeida

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the possible link between cadmium exposure, hepatic markers of oxidative stress and aggressive behavior in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus. Fish were first exposed to 0.75 mg/L CdCl2 for 15 days (12 isolated fish for each group and afterward a behavioral test was performed. Fish from the control and cadmium-exposed groups were paired for 1 h (6 pairs of fish per group for determination of aggressiveness parameters. Immediately after the behavioral test, the animals were sacrificed and the liver was used to determine biochemical parameters. Cadmium decreased aggression in Nile tilapia. Subordinate animals exposed to cadmium showed decreased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px activity compared to dominant ones. No alterations were observed in selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase Se-GSH-P and Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase activities, but total superoxide dismutase activity was increased in subordinate animals exposed to cadmium compared to subordinate control. Catalase activity was increased in cadmium-exposed fish. Lipoperoxide concentrations also increased in cadmium exposed fish indicating that cadmium toxicity may affect oxidative stress biomarkers in Nile tilapia. Social stress induced lipoperoxidation in Nile tilapia, and subordinate animals exposed to cadmium responded with lower activities of liver antioxidant enzymes compared to dominant fish. The present study shows that cadmium exposure is capable of inducing changes in the social status and oxidative stress parameters in this species.

Influence of haemodynamic disturbances caused by acceleration on distribution of 125J-albumin in eyes of experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozuchowska, I.; Wojtkowiak, M.; Tajchert, J.

1975-01-01

Examination of radioactivity in eyes of experimental animals (50 guinea pigs) was performed in order to investigate the disturbances in the intraocular blood circulation under the influence of centripetal accelerations. After an intracordial injection of 125 J-albumin the animals were whirled, up to the moment of bradycardia pointing to a breakdown of compensatory reactions of the circulatory system. Particular groups of animals were frozen in fluid nitrogen in various time. Results showed an increase of permeability of the blood-aqueous barrier for ablumins. (author)

Why not look at animals?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anat Pick

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Revisiting John Berger’s seminal essay ‘Why Look at Animals?’ (1980, this essay inverts Berger’s title in order to explore instances where the visibility of animals is at stake and where seeing is linked to forms of surveillance and control. In the context of advanced optical and tracking technologies that render animals permanently visible, the possibility of not-seeing emerges as a progressive modality of relation to animals that takes seriously the notion of animal privacy and the exposed animal’s resistance to the human gaze.

Cytokine mRNA profiles in pigs exposed prenatally and postnatally to Schistosoma japonicum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Techau, Michala E.; Johansen, Maria V.; Aasted, Bent

2007-01-01

of septal fibrosis were significantly higher in the postnatal group compared to the prenatal group (P prenatally infected animals compared to the control...... group (P prenatal group showed higher levels of TGF-beta 1 in the liver compared with the postnatally infected group (P control group (P prenatally exposed pigs.......The pig is a natural host for Schistosoma japonicum and a useful animal model of human infection. The aim of the present study was to assess the differences between the cytokine profiles in prenatally or postnatally S. japonicum exposed pigs. Seven prenatally exposed pigs, 7 postnatally exposed...

Experimental asbestos studies in the UK: 1912-1950.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Morris

2017-11-01

The asbestos industry originated in the UK in the 1870s. By 1898, asbestos had many applications and was reported to be one of the four leading causes of severe occupational disease. In 1912, the UK government sponsored an experimental study that reported that exposure to asbestos produced no more than a modicum of pulmonary fibrosis in guinea pigs. In the 1930s, the newly established Medical Research Council, with assistance from industry, sponsored a study of the effects of exposing animals to asbestos by injection (intratracheal and subcutaneous) and by inhalation in the factory environment. Government reports, publications, and contemporary records obtained by legal discovery have been reviewed in the context of the stage of scientific development and the history of the times. Experimenters were engaged in a learning process during the 1912-1950 period, and their reports of the effects of asbestos were inconsistent. Pathologists who studied the effects of asbestos experimentally, at whole animal, tissue and cellular levels, advanced experimental methodology and mechanistic knowledge. In the hands of public relations experts, however, research was exploited to preserve an industry and perpetuate preventable diseases, a practice that continues to this day. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Alexander von Humboldt: galvanism, animal electricity, and self-experimentation part 2: the electric eel, animal electricity, and later years.

Science.gov (United States)

Finger, Stanley; Piccolino, Marco; Stahnisch, Frank W

2013-01-01

After extensive experimentation during the 1790s, Alexander von Humboldt remained skeptical about "animal electricity" (and metallic electricity), writing instead about an ill-defined galvanic force. With his worldview and wishing to learn more, he studied electric eels in South America just as the new century began, again using his body as a scientific instrument in many of his experiments. As had been the case in the past and for many of the same reasons, some of his findings with the electric eel (and soon after, Italian torpedoes) seemed to argue against biological electricity. But he no longer used galvanic terminology when describing his electric fish experiments. The fact that he now wrote about animal electricity rather than a different "galvanic" force owed much to Alessandro Volta, who had come forth with his "pile" (battery) for multipling the physical and perceptable effects of otherwise weak electricity in 1800, while Humboldt was deep in South America. Humboldt probably read about and saw voltaic batteries in the United States in 1804, but the time he spent with Volta in 1805 was probably more significant in his conversion from a galvanic to an electrical framework for understanding nerve and muscle physiology. Although he did not continue his animal electricity research program after this time, Humboldt retained his worldview of a unified nature and continued to believe in intrinsic animal electricity. He also served as a patron to some of the most important figures in the new field of electrophysiology (e.g., Hermann Helmholtz and Emil du Bois-Reymond), helping to take the research that he had participated in to the next level.

[Effect of the proteolytic enzyme papain on the body organs and systems of experimental animals].

Science.gov (United States)

Udod, V M; Storozhuk, V T; Trofimenko, S P; Shabash, E G; Markelov, S I

1983-01-01

When administered intravenously and intraarterially papaine (2.5 and 10 mg/kg) produces no toxic effects on respiration, arterial pressure, brain and intracranial circulation. Intrapleural, intraperitoneal and interstitial administration of papaine solutions in doses under 4.5 mg/kg produces no local or general changes on the part of experimental animals' organism.

Conscientious Objection to Animal Experimentation in Italian Universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldelli, Ilaria; Massaro, Alma; Penco, Susanna; Bassi, Anna Maria; Patuzzo, Sara; Ciliberti, Rosagemma

2017-03-13

In Italy, Law 413/1993 states that public and private Italian Institutions, including academic faculties, are obliged to fully inform workers and students about their right to conscientious objection to scientific or educational activities involving animals, hereafter written as "animal CO". However, little monitoring on the faculties' compliance with this law has been performed either by the government or other institutional bodies. Based on this premise, the authors have critically reviewed the existing data and compared them with those emerging from their own investigation to discuss limitations and inconsistencies. The results of this investigation revealed that less than half of Italian academic faculties comply with their duty to inform on animal CO. Non-compliance may substantially affect the right of students to make ethical choices in the field of animal ethics and undermines the fundamental right to express their own freedom of thought. The Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, ethics committees and animal welfare bodies should cooperate to make faculties respect this law. Further research is needed to better understand the reasons for the current trend, as well as to promote the enforcement of Law 413/1993 with particular regard to information on animal CO.

Experimental results of beryllium exposed to intense high energy proton beam pulses

CERN Document Server

Ammigan, K; Hurh, P; Zwaska, R; Butcher, M; Guinchard, M; Calviani, M; Losito, R; Roberts, S; Kuksenko, V; Atherton, A; Caretta, O; Davenne, T; Densham, C; Fitton, M; Loveridge, J; O'Dell, J

2017-01-01

Beryllium is extensively used in various accelerator beam lines and target facilities as a material for beam windows, and to a lesser extent, as secondary particle production targets. With increasing beam intensities of future accelerator facilities, it is critical to understand the response of beryllium under extreme conditions to reliably operate these components as well as avoid compromising particle production efficiency by limiting beam parameters. As a result, an exploratory experiment at CERN’s HiRadMat facility was carried out to take advantage of the test facility’s tunable high intensity proton beam to probe and investigate the damage mechanisms of several beryllium grades. The test matrix consisted of multiple arrays of thin discs of varying thicknesses as well as cylinders, each exposed to increasing beam intensities. This paper outlines the experimental measurements, as well as findings from Post-Irradiation-Examination (PIE) work where different imaging techniques were used to analyze and co...

Experimental results of beryllium exposed to intense high energy proton beam pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ammigan, K. [Fermilab; Hartsell, B. [Fermilab; Hurh, P. [Fermilab; Zwaska, R. [Fermilab; Butcher, M. [CERN; Guinchard, M. [CERN; Calviani, M. [CERN; Losito, R. [CERN; Roberts, S. [Culham Lab; Kuksenko, V. [Oxford U.; Atherton, A. [Rutherford; Caretta, O. [Rutherford; Davenne, T. [Rutherford; Densham, C. [Rutherford; Fitton, M. [Rutherford; Loveridge, J. [Rutherford; O' Dell, J. [Rutherford

2017-02-10

Beryllium is extensively used in various accelerator beam lines and target facilities as a material for beam windows, and to a lesser extent, as secondary particle production targets. With increasing beam intensities of future accelerator facilities, it is critical to understand the response of beryllium under extreme conditions to reliably operate these components as well as avoid compromising particle production efficiency by limiting beam parameters. As a result, an exploratory experiment at CERN’s HiRadMat facility was carried out to take advantage of the test facility’s tunable high intensity proton beam to probe and investigate the damage mechanisms of several beryllium grades. The test matrix consisted of multiple arrays of thin discs of varying thicknesses as well as cylinders, each exposed to increasing beam intensities. This paper outlines the experimental measurements, as well as findings from Post-Irradiation-Examination (PIE) work where different imaging techniques were used to analyze and compare surface evolution and microstructural response of the test matrix specimens.

Building foundations for transcatheter intervascular anastomoses: 3D anatomy of the great vessels in large experimental animals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sizarov, Aleksander; de Bakker, Bernadette S.; Klein, Karina; Ohlerth, Stefanie

2014-01-01

To provide comprehensive illustrations of anatomy of the relevant vessels in large experimental animals in an interactive format as preparation for developing an effective and safe transcatheter technique of aortopulmonary and bidirectional cavopulmonary intervascular anastomoses. Computed

Systems for animal exposure in full-scale fire tests

Science.gov (United States)

Hilado, C. J.; Cumming, H. J.; Kourtides, D. A.; Parker, J. A.

1977-01-01

Two systems for exposing animals in full-scale fire tests are described. Both systems involve the simultaneous exposure of two animal species, mice and rats, in modular units; determination of mortality, morbidity, and behavioral response; and analysis of the blood for carboxyhemoglobin. The systems described represent two of many possible options for obtaining bioassay data from full-scale fire tests. In situations where the temperatures to which the test animals are exposed can not be controlled, analytical techniques may be more appropriate than bioassay techniques.

Conscientious Objection to Animal Experimentation in Italian Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilaria Baldelli

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In Italy, Law 413/1993 states that public and private Italian Institutions, including academic faculties, are obliged to fully inform workers and students about their right to conscientious objection to scientific or educational activities involving animals, hereafter written as “animal CO”. However, little monitoring on the faculties’ compliance with this law has been performed either by the government or other institutional bodies. Based on this premise, the authors have critically reviewed the existing data and compared them with those emerging from their own investigation to discuss limitations and inconsistencies. The results of this investigation revealed that less than half of Italian academic faculties comply with their duty to inform on animal CO. Non-compliance may substantially affect the right of students to make ethical choices in the field of animal ethics and undermines the fundamental right to express their own freedom of thought. The Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, ethics committees and animal welfare bodies should cooperate to make faculties respect this law. Further research is needed to better understand the reasons for the current trend, as well as to promote the enforcement of Law 413/1993 with particular regard to information on animal CO.

Local connected fractal dimension analysis in gill of fish experimentally exposed to toxicants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manera, Maurizio, E-mail: mmanera@unite.it [Faculty of Biosciences, Food and Environmental Technologies, University of Teramo, Piano d’Accio, I-64100 Teramo (Italy); Giari, Luisa [Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, St. Borsari 46, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy); De Pasquale, Joseph A. [Morphogenyx Inc., PO Box 717, East Northport, NY 11731 (United States); Sayyaf Dezfuli, Bahram [Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, St. Borsari 46, I-44121 Ferrara (Italy)

2016-06-15

Highlights: • An objective, operator unbiased method was developed to evaluate gill pathology. • The method relies on the measure of local connected fractal dimension frequency. • Exposure classes were adequately discriminated by linear discriminant analysis. - Abstract: An operator-neutral method was implemented to objectively assess European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) gill pathology after experimental exposure to cadmium (Cd) and terbuthylazine (TBA) for 24 and 48 h. An algorithm-derived local connected fractal dimension (LCFD) frequency measure was used in this comparative analysis. Canonical variates (CVA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were used to evaluate the discrimination power of the method among exposure classes (unexposed, Cd exposed, TBA exposed). Misclassification, sensitivity and specificity, both with original and cross-validated cases, were determined. LCFDs frequencies enhanced the differences among classes which were visually selected after their means, respective variances and the differences between Cd and TBA exposed means, with respect to unexposed mean, were analyzed by scatter plots. Selected frequencies were then scanned by means of LDA, stepwise analysis, and Mahalanobis distance to detect the most discriminative frequencies out of ten originally selected. Discrimination resulted in 91.7% of cross-validated cases correctly classified (22 out of 24 total cases), with sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 95.5% (1 false negative with respect to 21 really positive cases) and 75% (1 false positive with respect to 3 really negative cases). CVA with convex hull polygons ensured prompt, visually intuitive discrimination among exposure classes and graphically supported the false positive case. The combined use of semithin sections, which enhanced the visual evaluation of the overall lamellar structure; of LCFD analysis, which objectively detected local variation in complexity, without the possible bias

Local connected fractal dimension analysis in gill of fish experimentally exposed to toxicants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manera, Maurizio; Giari, Luisa; De Pasquale, Joseph A.; Sayyaf Dezfuli, Bahram

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An objective, operator unbiased method was developed to evaluate gill pathology. • The method relies on the measure of local connected fractal dimension frequency. • Exposure classes were adequately discriminated by linear discriminant analysis. - Abstract: An operator-neutral method was implemented to objectively assess European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) gill pathology after experimental exposure to cadmium (Cd) and terbuthylazine (TBA) for 24 and 48 h. An algorithm-derived local connected fractal dimension (LCFD) frequency measure was used in this comparative analysis. Canonical variates (CVA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were used to evaluate the discrimination power of the method among exposure classes (unexposed, Cd exposed, TBA exposed). Misclassification, sensitivity and specificity, both with original and cross-validated cases, were determined. LCFDs frequencies enhanced the differences among classes which were visually selected after their means, respective variances and the differences between Cd and TBA exposed means, with respect to unexposed mean, were analyzed by scatter plots. Selected frequencies were then scanned by means of LDA, stepwise analysis, and Mahalanobis distance to detect the most discriminative frequencies out of ten originally selected. Discrimination resulted in 91.7% of cross-validated cases correctly classified (22 out of 24 total cases), with sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 95.5% (1 false negative with respect to 21 really positive cases) and 75% (1 false positive with respect to 3 really negative cases). CVA with convex hull polygons ensured prompt, visually intuitive discrimination among exposure classes and graphically supported the false positive case. The combined use of semithin sections, which enhanced the visual evaluation of the overall lamellar structure; of LCFD analysis, which objectively detected local variation in complexity, without the possible bias

IVIM: modeling, experimental validation and application to animal models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fournet, Gabrielle

2016-01-01

This PhD thesis is centered on the study of the IVIM ('Intravoxel Incoherent Motion') MRI sequence. This sequence allows for the study of the blood microvasculature such as the capillaries, arterioles and venules. To be sensitive only to moving groups of spins, diffusion gradients are added before and after the 180 degrees pulse of a spin echo (SE) sequence. The signal component corresponding to spins diffusing in the tissue can be separated from the one related to spins travelling in the blood vessels which is called the IVIM signal. These two components are weighted by f IVIM which represents the volume fraction of blood inside the tissue. The IVIM signal is usually modelled by a mono-exponential (ME) function and characterized by a pseudo-diffusion coefficient, D*. We propose instead a bi-exponential IVIM model consisting of a slow pool, characterized by F slow and D* slow corresponding to the capillaries as in the ME model, and a fast pool, characterized by F fast and D* fast, related to larger vessels such as medium-size arterioles and venules. This model was validated experimentally and more information was retrieved by comparing the experimental signals to a dictionary of simulated IVIM signals. The influence of the pulse sequence, the repetition time and the diffusion encoding time was also studied. Finally, the IVIM sequence was applied to the study of an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. (author) [fr

Legal Limitations Regarding Experimentation in the New Animals Act

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera Lucia da Silva

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This article introduces the Animal Act provisions about animal testing. At first, it was proposed a bioethical and biolaw theoretical approach. Following, it was mentioned the Arouca Law, current norm that rules the Article 225 on the Federal Constitution, and authorizes experiments on animals. Then was introduced some elements of the Bills in proceeding at the Senate aimed at changing the Arouca Law. The point is to present an interpretation that focus on a wider view of the Animal Act protective aspect, especially concerning animal testing.

Cats on the Couch: The Experimental Production of Animal Neurosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Alison

2016-03-01

Argument In the 1940s-50s, one of the most central questions in psychological research related to the nature of neurosis. In the final years of the Second World War and the following decade, neurosis became one of the most prominent psychiatric disorders, afflicting a high proportion of military casualties and veterans. The condition became central to the concerns of several psychological fields, from psychoanalysis to Pavlovian psychology. This paper reconstructs the efforts of Chicago psychiatrist Jules Masserman to study neurosis in the laboratory during the 1940s and 1950s. Masserman used Pavlovian techniques in a bid to subject this central psychoanalytic subject to disciplined scientific experimentation. More generally, his project was an effort to bolster the legitimacy of psychoanalysis as a human science by articulating a convergence of psychoanalytic categories across multiple species. Masserman sought to orchestrate a convergence of psychological knowledge between fields that were often taken to be irreconcilable. A central focus of this paper is the role of moving images in this project, not only as a means of recording experimental data but also as a rhetorical device. The paper argues that for Masserman film played an important role in enabling scientific observers (and then subsequent viewers) to see agency and emotion in the animals they observed.

Hepatoprotective activity of Amaranthus spinosus in experimental animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeashan, Hussain; Amresh, G; Singh, Satyawan; Rao, Chandana Venkateswara

2008-11-01

The hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of 50% ethanolic extract of whole plant of Amaranthus spinosus (ASE) was evaluated against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic damage in rats. The ASE at dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg were administered orally once daily for fourteen days. The substantially elevated serum enzymatic levels of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (AST), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (ALT), serum alkaline phosphatase (SALP) and total bilirubin were restored towards normalization significantly by the ASE in a dose dependent manner. Higher dose exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The biochemical observations were supplemented with histopathological examination of rat liver sections. Meanwhile, in vivo antioxidant activities as malondialdehyde (MDA), hydroperoxides, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were also screened which were also found significantly positive in a dose dependent manner. The results of this study strongly indicate that whole plants of A. spinosus have potent hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic damage in experimental animals. This study suggests that possible mechanism of this activity may be due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolics compound in the ASE which may be responsible to hepatoprotective activity.

Ethics and Animal Experimentation in the Laboratory. A Critical Analysis of the Arguments for"Animal Rights"and"Animal Equality"

OpenAIRE

Tagha, Yuninui Eric

2005-01-01

Growing up as a child, we had a Dog. To us, it was like a means to an end. That is, hunting other animals for food and for protection, with no special care and treatment given to this animal. Butas days passed by I began to witness a wind of change against such actions. I was made to understand that we were committing two crimes-: using the Dog as a means to an end (for hunting and for eating animals). Today almost every newspaper has something to say about the treatment of animals by humans,...

Structural analysis of osseous rests exposed to heating; Analisis estructural de restos oseos expuestos al calor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Medina, C.; Tiesler, V. [Facultad de Ciencias Antropologicas, UADY, 97000 Merida, Yucatan (Mexico); Quintana, P.; Oliva, A.I. [CINVESTAV, IPN Unidad Merida, Depto. Fisica Aplicada, 97310 Merida (Mexico)

2005-07-01

Heat exposed human remains present physical and chemical changes that, when analysed, may provide important indications about the type of heating they were exposed. This information, jointly with that of the archaeological context, allows us to know about the cultural practices of the past from a methodological perspective that actually, has not been explored sufficiently. The present investigation applies a series of structural parameters of bone in the evaluation of skeletal sample from the archaeological site of Calakmul, which exhibits signs of thermal exposure. Results on the Pre hispanic specimens are compared to those obtained from an experimental series of animal bone, which was submitted to different types of heat with the objective to contribute with new data on the forms of heating and their role in ancient Maya society. (Author)

Light pollution disrupts sleep in free-living animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Raap, Thomas; Pinxten, Rianne; Eens, Marcel

2015-09-04

Artificial lighting can alter individual behaviour, with often drastic and potentially negative effects on biological rhythms, daily activity and reproduction. Whether this is caused by a disruption of sleep, an important widespread behaviour enabling animals to recover from daily stress, is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that light pollution disrupts sleep by recording individual sleep behaviour of great tits, Parus major, that were roosting in dark nest-boxes and were exposed to light-emitting diode light the following night. Their behaviour was compared to that of control birds sleeping in dark nest-boxes on both nights. Artificial lighting caused experimental birds to wake up earlier, sleep less (-5%) and spent less time in the nest-box as they left their nest-box earlier in the morning. Experimental birds did not enter the nest-box or fall asleep later than controls. Although individuals in lit nest-boxes did not wake up more often nor decreased the length of their sleep bouts, females spent a greater proportion of the night awake. Our study provides the first direct proof that light pollution has a significant impact on sleep in free-living animals, in particular in the morning, and highlights a mechanism for potential effects of light pollution on fitness.

Experimental task-based optimization of a four-camera variable-pinhole small-animal SPECT system

Science.gov (United States)

Hesterman, Jacob Y.; Kupinski, Matthew A.; Furenlid, Lars R.; Wilson, Donald W.

2005-04-01

We have previously utilized lumpy object models and simulated imaging systems in conjunction with the ideal observer to compute figures of merit for hardware optimization. In this paper, we describe the development of methods and phantoms necessary to validate or experimentally carry out these optimizations. Our study was conducted on a four-camera small-animal SPECT system that employs interchangeable pinhole plates to operate under a variety of pinhole configurations and magnifications (representing optimizable system parameters). We developed a small-animal phantom capable of producing random backgrounds for each image sequence. The task chosen for the study was the detection of a 2mm diameter sphere within the phantom-generated random background. A total of 138 projection images were used, half of which included the signal. As our observer, we employed the channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) with Laguerre-Gauss channels. The signal-to-noise (SNR) of this observer was used to compare different system configurations. Results indicate agreement between experimental and simulated data with higher detectability rates found for multiple-camera, multiple-pinhole, and high-magnification systems, although it was found that mixtures of magnifications often outperform systems employing a single magnification. This work will serve as a basis for future studies pertaining to system hardware optimization.

Practical application of stereological methods in experimental kidney animal models.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández García, María Teresa; Núñez Martínez, Paula; García de la Fuente, Vanessa; Sánchez Pitiot, Marta; Muñiz Salgueiro, María Del Carmen; Perillán Méndez, Carmen; Argüelles Luis, Juan; Astudillo González, Aurora

The kidneys are vital organs responsible for excretion, fluid and electrolyte balance and hormone production. The nephrons are the kidney's functional and structural units. The number, size and distribution of the nephron components contain relevant information on renal function. Stereology is a branch of morphometry that applies mathematical principles to obtain three-dimensional information from serial, parallel and equidistant two-dimensional microscopic sections. Because of the complexity of stereological studies and the lack of scientific literature on the subject, the aim of this paper is to clearly explain, through animal models, the basic concepts of stereology and how to calculate the main kidney stereological parameters that can be applied in future experimental studies. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Nefrología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Investigations in the scintiscanning of joints of animals with experimental and rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanheide, M.

1982-01-01

In 69 guinea pigs with experimental hyperergic arthritis scintiscanning was done to study the course of the inflammation and the deposition of the radionuclides used. During the first days there was an added storage in the inflamed joints of those animals on whom scintiscanning with Tc99m04 had been performed. The accumulation of Tc99m04 in the joints was due to its uptake by synovial tissue and hydrarthrosis as shown by scintiscanning after haemorrhage and perfusion, macroscopic autoradiography and measurements of radioactivity in tissue samples. In 13 animals with rheumatoid arthritis scintiscanning was done twice with Tc99m04 and three times with Tc99mMDP over a period of 13 to 21 months; concomitantly laboratory tests and X-rays were conducted. After Tc99m04 there was a fall in the scintigraphic inflammation index during treatment. That index was determined by forming the quotient from the activities established above the proximal interphalangeal joints and the tibial head. Scintiscanning with Tc99mMDP led to a fall of the inflammation index in animals with classical rheumatoid arthritis, whereas in the ones with probable rheumatoid arthritis it again rose after an initial fall. Unlike x-ray investigation, scintiscanning permits an early diagnosis and course control. (orig.) [de

Genetic and Pathological Follow-Up Study of Goats Experimentally and Naturally Exposed to a Sheep Scrapie Isolate

Science.gov (United States)

Maestrale, Caterina; Cancedda, Maria G.; Pintus, Davide; Masia, Mariangela; Nonno, Romolo; Ru, Giuseppe; Carta, Antonello; Demontis, Francesca; Santucciu, Cinzia

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Thirty-seven goats carrying different prion protein genotypes (PRNP) were orally infected with a classical scrapie brain homogenate from wild-type (ARQ/ARQ) sheep and then mated to obtain 2 additional generations of offspring, which were kept in the same environment and allowed to be naturally exposed to scrapie. Occurrence of clinical or subclinical scrapie was observed in the experimentally infected goats (F0) and in only one (F1b) of the naturally exposed offspring groups. In both groups (F0 and F1b), goats carrying the R154H, H154H, R211Q, and P168Q-P240P dimorphisms died of scrapie after a longer incubation period than wild-type, G37V, Q168Q-P240P, and S240P goats. In contrast, D145D and Q222K goats were resistant to infection. The immunobiochemical signature of the scrapie isolate and its pathological aspects observed in the sheep donors were substantially maintained over 2 goat generations, i.e., after experimental and natural transmission. This demonstrates that the prion protein gene sequence, which is shared by sheep and goats, is more powerful than any possible but unknown species-related factors in determining scrapie phenotypes. With regard to genetics, our study confirms that the K222 mutation protects goats even against ovine scrapie isolates, and for the first time, a possible association of D145 mutation with scrapie resistance is shown. In addition, it is possible that the sole diverse frequencies of these genetic variants might, at least in part, shape the prevalence of scrapie among naturally exposed progenies in affected herds. IMPORTANCE This study was aimed at investigating the genetic and pathological features characterizing sheep-to-goat transmission of scrapie. We show that in goats with different prion protein gene mutations, the K222 genetic variant is associated with scrapie resistance after natural and experimental exposure to ovine prion infectivity. In addition, we observed for the first time a protective effect of the D145

Health Status of Male Adult Wistar Rats from Two Experimental Animal Houses of UFMG: Leukocyte Counts, Feces and Lung Histological Exams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrade Bruno Horta

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A study was conducted to compare health status of male adult Wistar rats from two Experimental Animal Houses of UFMG with literature data of SPF (free from specific pathogens and conventional rats. The animals were divided into two groups: Group I (n=10, rats from the experimental animal houses of FAFICH and Group II (n=10 from ICB and following aspects were studied: a evident clinical signs (behavior modification, hair loss (alopecia, b leukocyte counts, c feces exam and d histological study of the lungs. The rats did not show clinical signs. However, when compared with SPF and conventional rats, both the groups showed a significant increase (p<0,05 of leukocyte count. On feces exam we detected some parasites and on lung histological exam we observed fungus (Group I and bacteria (Group II. These results showed that the health status of the rats was not satisfactory and required improvements in the conditions of the animal houses.

Physiology, propaganda, and pound animals: medical research and animal welfare in mid-twentieth century America.

Science.gov (United States)

Parascandola, John

2007-07-01

In 1952, the University of Michigan physiologist Robert Gesell shocked his colleagues at the business meeting of the American Physiological Society by reading a prepared statement in which he claimed that some of the animal experimentation being carried out by scientists was inhumane. He especially attacked the National Society for Medical Research (NSMR), an organization that had been founded to defend animal experimentation. This incident was part of a broader struggle taking place at the time between scientists and animal welfare advocates with respect to what restrictions, if any, should be placed on animal research. A particularly controversial issue was whether or not pound animals should be made available to laboratories for research. Two of the prominent players in this controversy were the NSMR and the Animal Welfare Institute, founded and run by Gesell's daughter, Christine Stevens. This article focuses on the interaction between these two organizations within the broader context of the debate over animal experimentation in the mid-twentieth century.

Role of Some Natural Plant to Enhance the Immune System Against Exposure of Ionizing Radiation in Experimental Animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakaria, Kh.M.; IBrahim, S.

2014-01-01

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α), Transforming growth factor (TGF-1β), Interleukin-5 (IL-5), liver enzymes and Malondialdehyde were determined in 50 male albino rats which are divided into 5 groups: control and 4 irradiated groups, all are exposed to the following γ-radiation doses: 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 Gy double dose for two successive weeks, once weekly. All groups except control, 0.5 and 1 Gy groups were treated with Ambrosin extract (natural product) with 20 mg/kg body weight 8 times once weekly. All animals were sacrificed after one week of the last dose of Ambrosin. The results revealed that all immuno response TNF-alpha, TGF-1β and Il-5 showed a highly amelioration after treatment by Ambrosin in the groups which exposed to 1.5, and 2 Gy in comparison with the untreated groups. superoxide dismutase (SOD)

Experimental investigations of sandwich panels using high performance concrete thin plates exposed to fire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hulin, Thomas; Hodicky, Kamil; Schmidt, Jacob Wittrup

2015-01-01

Structural sandwich panels using thin high performance concrete (HPC) plates offer a possibility to address the modern environmental challenges faced by the construction industry. Fire resistance is a major necessity in structures using HPC. This paper presents experimental studies at elevated...... temperatures for panels with 30 mm thick plates stiffened by structural ribs, thick insulation layers, and steel shear connecting systems. Parametric variation assessing the role of each component of the sandwich structure was performed on unloaded specimens of reduced size. Full size walls were tested...... with load. Tests were performed in standard furnaces, following the conditions of REI certification tests. Unloaded specimens successfully passed tests. Loaded specimens met the R and I requirements, failing E due to sustained flaming of the insulation. They exhibited multiple cracking of their exposed...

Advantages of the experimental animal hollow organ mechanical testing system for the rat colon rupture pressure test.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Chengdong; Guo, Xuan; Li, Zhen; Qian, Shuwen; Zheng, Feng; Qin, Haiqing

2013-01-01

Many studies have been conducted on colorectal anastomotic leakage to reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage. However, how to precisely determine if the bowel can withstand the pressure of a colorectal anastomosis experiment, which is called anastomotic bursting pressure, has not been determined. A task force developed the experimental animal hollow organ mechanical testing system to provide precise measurement of the maximum pressure that an anastomotic colon can withstand, and to compare it with the commonly used method such as the mercury and air bag pressure manometer in a rat colon rupture pressure test. Forty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the manual ball manometry (H) group, the tracing machine manometry pressure gauge head (MP) group, and the experimental animal hollow organ mechanical testing system (ME) group. The rats in each group were subjected to a cut colon rupture pressure test after injecting anesthesia in the tail vein. Colonic end-to-end anastomosis was performed, and the rats were rested for 1 week before anastomotic bursting pressure was determined by one of the three methods. No differences were observed between the normal colon rupture pressure and colonic anastomotic bursting pressure, which were determined using the three manometry methods. However, several advantages, such as reduction in errors, were identified in the ME group. Different types of manometry methods can be applied to the normal rat colon, but the colonic anastomotic bursting pressure test using the experimental animal hollow organ mechanical testing system is superior to traditional methods. Copyright © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

9 CFR 430.4 - Control of Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products. 430.4 Section 430.4 Animals and Animal Products FOOD... Control of Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products. (a) Listeria... comes into direct contact with a food contact surface which is contaminated with L. monocytogenes. (b...

System for exposing animals to radiolabeled diesel exhaust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, J.A.; Wolf, I.; Wolff, R.K.; Sun, J.D.; Mokler, B.V.

1981-01-01

One approach to determining the deposition and fate of inhaled diesel particles is the conduct of inhalation exposure studies with radiolabeled diesel fuel. A system was designed, constructed and tested for the simultaneous exposure of animals to radiolabeled diesel exhaust and collection of large quantities of radiolabeled diesel exhaust particles from a single cylinder diesel engine. The system performance was characterized and evaluated over a range of operating conditions: 0 to 1800 watts of engine load, 1000 to 2500 rpm and dilution air rates of 1:2 and 1:10. The exposure system met required design and operating criteria for safety, portability, space and flexibility

Effect of kombucha on some trace element levels in different organs of electromagnetic field exposed rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ola A. Gharib

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile phones have increased exponentially all over the world. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of kombucha (KT on some trace element levels of brain, spleen and intestine in male albino rats exposed to a 950 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF. Four experimental groups labelled as controls, EMF group, KT group and KT + EMF group were formed with six randomly chosen animals in each group. After EMF exposure for eight weeks and the animals were sacrificed by decapitation. Brain, spleen and intestine samples were collected for trace element analysis. The group of animals subjected to electromagnetic waves caused significant increases in iron copper levels and copper/zinc ratio accompanied with a decrease of zinc level in all studied organs. Combined treatment of kombucha with EMF resulted in a successful attenuation of these adverse effects of EMF. From present findings we can state that kombucha as a supplement has an ameliorative signs against the effects of electromagnetic radiation.

Cytokines: applications in domestic food animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Blecha, F

1991-01-01

Cytokines such as human, bovine, and porcine interferons and human and bovine interleukin-1 and interleukin-2 have been used in vivo in cattle and pigs. Colony-stimulating factors and tumor necrosis factor alpha have been evaluated in vitro in food animals. Studies to evaluate cytokines in domestic food animals have shown that specific and nonspecific immunomodulation is possible in immunosuppressed or pathogen-exposed animals. Cytokine prophylaxis or therapy in food animals may have the greatest potential for control of respiratory disease and mastitis.

CHANGING METABOLIC FUNCTIONS IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS AFTER INTRODUCTION OF THE XENOBIOTIC, IMMUNOTROPIC DRUG AND PROBIOTIC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zvyagintseva O.V.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to evaluate in vivo changes in metabolic and barrier function of the resistance factors (activity of enzymes of neutrophils, the efficiency of phagocytosis, some biochemical parameters (concentration of ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin and proliferate activity in vitro cells after introduction of copper sulfate, probiotics and immunostimulant "Fungidol" the experimental animals. Material and methods. The in vivo experiments were performed on 6-month-old male rats of Wistar line. Identified the following groups: group 1 - control animals, which were intraperitoneally injected with saline (n = 5; group 2 - animals that were administered saline per os and 48 hours a solution of copper sulphate intraperitoneally (n = 5; group 3 - animals, which were injected with immunotropic drug "Fungidol" per os and 48 hours a solution of copper sulphate intraperitoneally (n = 5; group 4 animals, which were injected with a solution of probiotics per os and 48 hours a solution of copper sulphate intraperitoneally (n = 5. As a probiotic used capsules firm Yogurt that contains active Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Streptococcus thermophillus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus. The concentration of haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin were determined spectrophotometrically. Oxygen-dependent metabolism of neutrophils was investigated by microscopy according to their ability to absorb nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT-test and restore it to deformazione in the form of granules blue color under the influence of superoxide anion, which is formed in the NADP-oxidase reaction, initiating the process of stimulation of phagocytosis (NBT-test. To determine the barrier function of phagocytic cells by light microscopy to evaluate the activity of phagocytosis of neutrophilic granulocytes with subsequent determination of phagocytic index, phagocytic number and the index of completeness of phagocytosis. As a microbial agent used is a suspension culture of

Review of Research Projects on Qualitative and Quantitative Effects of Radiation on Haematopoietic Tissue in Man and Experimental Animal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hilberg, A. W. [Division of Radiological Health, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Rockville, MD (United States)

1967-07-15

By way of introduction to a review of Research Projects of the Division of Radiological Health concerned with effects of radiation on the haematopoietic tissue in man and the experimental animal, I should like first to discuss briefly the organization of research. Our research is organized into three major disciplines: (1) Epidemiology, (2) Radiation biology, and (3) Environmental sciences. Briefly, epidemiology is concerned with studies, of populations and effects of radiation in.man; radiation biology is concerned with effects in the experimental animal under controlled situations and also concerned with basic research in cellular and sub-cellular effects; and environmental science is concerned with transport mechanisms in the biosphere and how these mechanisms may operate and be interrupted to reduce radiation hazard to man.

Monitoringsprogramma experimentele gecombineerde luchtwassers op veehouderijbedrijven = Measurement program on experimental multi-pollutant air scrubbers at animal houses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Melse, R.W.; Hol, J.M.G.; Mosquera Losada, J.; Nijeboer, G.M.; Huis in 'T Veld, J.W.H.; Hattum, van T.G.; Kwikkel, R.K.; Dousma, F.; Ogink, N.W.M.

2011-01-01

A measurement program was carried out in which the performance of 5 experimental scrubbers on animal farms was monitored for the removal of ammonia, odour and fine dust (PM10, PM2.5). This reports discusses and evaluates the realization of the program and its results.

Disturbances of perinatal carbohydrate metabolism in rats exposed to methylmercury in utero

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snell, K; Ashby, S L; Barton, S J

1977-12-01

Pregnant rats were given a single subcutaneous injection of methylmercuric chloride (at 4 or 8 mg/kg) on the ninth day of gestation. Fetal (2 days prenatal), newborn and postnatal (6 days post partum) animals from the methylmercury-treated mothers were investigated with respect to parameters of carbohydrate metabolism. In the absence of any physical abnormalities, fetal rats exposed to methylmercury in utero showed diminished concentrations of plasma glucose and liver glycogen concentrations and a lower hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity compared to control animals. Newborn rats from the methylmercury-treated mothers showed an impairment in glycogen mobilization in the first hours of extra-uterine life which was accompanied by a severe and protracted hypoglycemic response. Postnatal rats exposed to methylmercury in utero exhibited higher liver glycogen concentration and decreased body weights compared to control rats. The results point to a derangement of perinatal carbohydrate metabolism in the offspring of pregnant rats exposed briefly to low doses of methylmercury during gestation (''metabolic teratogenesis''). The postnatal hypoglycemic episode in exposed rats may contribute to the pathogenesis of the neurological disturbances revealed by these animals in later life.

Animal Structures and Functions, Science (Experimental): 5314.13.

Science.gov (United States)

Silver, Barbara A.

This unit of instruction was designed to introduce the student to the relationship between structure and function in the animal kingdom, with emphasis given to: (1) the evolution of physiological systems in the major animal phyla, (2) the complementarity of structure and function, and (3) the concept of homeostasis. The booklet lists the relevant…

Annual tendency of research papers used ICR mice as experimental animals in biomedical research fields

OpenAIRE

Kim, Ji Eun; Nam, Jung Hoon; Cho, Joon Young; Kim, Kil Soo; Hwang, Dae Youn

2017-01-01

Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice have been widely used in various research fields including toxicology, oncology, pharmacology, and pharmaceutical product safety testing for decades. However, annual tendency of research papers involving ICR mice in various biomedical fields has not been previously analyzed. In this study, we examined the numbers of papers that used ICR mice as experimental animals in the social science, natural science, engineering, medicine-pharmacy, marine agricultur...

Enhancing search efficiency by means of a search filter for finding all studies on animal experimentation in PubMed.

Science.gov (United States)

Hooijmans, Carlijn R; Tillema, Alice; Leenaars, Marlies; Ritskes-Hoitinga, Merel

2010-07-01

Collecting and analysing all available literature before starting an animal experiment is important and it is indispensable when writing a systematic review (SR) of animal research. Writing such review prevents unnecessary duplication of animal studies and thus unnecessary animal use (Reduction). One of the factors currently impeding the production of 'high-quality' SRs in laboratory animal science is the fact that searching for all available literature concerning animal experimentation is rather difficult. In order to diminish these difficulties, we developed a search filter for PubMed to detect all publications concerning animal studies. This filter was compared with the method most frequently used, the PubMed Limit: Animals, and validated further by performing two PubMed topic searches. Our filter performs much better than the PubMed limit: it retrieves, on average, 7% more records. Other important advantages of our filter are that it also finds the most recent records and that it is easy to use. All in all, by using our search filter in PubMed, all available literature concerning animal studies on a specific topic can easily be found and assessed, which will help in increasing the scientific quality and thereby the ethical validity of animal experiments.

COMPARISON OF ANTI - INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF ALPINIA GALANGAL IN THREE EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL MODELS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venuturumilli Lakshmi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Inflammation is not a disease but a non - specific response of the body defence 1 . Anti - inflammatory drugs have become popular because of their ability in controlling the inflammatory reaction and mitigating the suffering in such clinical situations. Edema represents the early phase of inflammation. 2 In the present study acute and subacute experimental methods were compared with standard drug Indomethacin. R at hind paw edema, formalin induced peritonitis in mice were used as acute methods, paper disc induced granuloma in rats was used as subacute method. Institutional animal ethics committee permission was taken for all the methods as per CPCSEA guide lines. Inflammation was induced by the following 3 methods: i Hind paw edema was produced by sub plantar injection of 0.1ml of1% carrageenin 3 and paw volume was measured by digital plethysmometer at 0, 3hours. ii Intraperitoneal injection of 1.5% formalin 3 was given to albino mice in peritonitis method and ascitic fluid was measured after 6hours by sacrificing the animals. iii Under ether anesthesia, sterilized &weighed paper discs were implanted subcutaneously in each axilla and groin of male wistar rats sutur ed under sterilized conditions in granuloma 4 method. The discs were cleared of extraneous tissue, dried and weighed on the 5 th day by sacrificing the animals. In all the methods 6 animals in each group (test, standard and control were taken. Results were tabulated in each method separately and statistical analysis was done by student t test. P value < 0.05 considered significant. Percentage inhibition in each method was calculated.

Grading Gradients: Evaluating Evidence for Time-dependent Memory Reorganization in Experimental Animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine G. Akers

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In humans, hippocampal damage typically produces temporally graded retrograde amnesia, with relative sparing of remote memories compared to recent memories. This observation led to the idea that as memories age, they are reorganized in a time-dependent manner. Here, we evaluate evidence for time-dependent memory reorganization in animal models. We conclude that, although hippocampal lesions may not always produce temporal gradients under all conditions, studies using alternate experimental approaches consistently support the idea that memories reorganize over time—becoming less dependent on the hippocampus and more dependent on a cortical network. We further speculate on the processes that drive memory reorganization such as sleep, memory reactivation, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis.

Animal experimental investigations of the problem of the decorporation of radioactive metal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berner, W.

1973-01-01

Basically, it is possible to reduce the radiation exposure by excretion intensification of incorporated radioactive materials. Chelate agents have proved to be particularly effective for the accelerated elimination of radioactive metal ions. The kinetics of the distribution and excretion of 57 CoCl 2 , 65 ZnCl 2 and 203 HgCl 2 on the rat under the influence of the chelating agent penicillamin (D-ββ-dimethylcystein) was investigated and the reduction of the radiation exposure in man was calculated from the animal-experimentally gained data. At various times after the incorporation of metal ions, the whole body radioactivity and, after killing the animals, the radioactivity of the organs liver, kidney, spleen, skeleton, muscles and blood, were measured. From the course of the measured radioactivities with time, the biokinetic data of the radioactive metal ions (effective half-lives, selection factors and their components) were determined by means of regression analyses. The chelating agent was applied at different times before or after incorporation of the radioactive metal ions. (EK/LH) [de

Experimental Platform for Ultra-high Dose Rate FLASH Irradiation of Small Animals Using a Clinical Linear Accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schüler, Emil; Trovati, Stefania; King, Gregory; Lartey, Frederick; Rafat, Marjan; Villegas, Manuel; Praxel, A. Joe [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Loo, Billy W., E-mail: BWLoo@stanford.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Maxim, Peter G., E-mail: PMaxim@stanford.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States); Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (United States)

2017-01-01

Purpose: A key factor limiting the effectiveness of radiation therapy is normal tissue toxicity, and recent preclinical data have shown that ultra-high dose rate irradiation (>50 Gy/s, “FLASH”) potentially mitigates this effect. However, research in this field has been strongly limited by the availability of FLASH irradiators suitable for small animal experiments. We present a simple methodologic approach for FLASH electron small animal irradiation with a clinically available linear accelerator (LINAC). Methods and Materials: We investigated the FLASH irradiation potential of a Varian Clinac 21EX in both clinical mode and after tuning of the LINAC. We performed detailed FLUKA Monte Carlo and experimental dosimetric characterization at multiple experimental locations within the LINAC head. Results: Average dose rates of ≤74 Gy/s were achieved in clinical mode, and the dose rate after tuning exceeded 900 Gy/s. We obtained 220 Gy/s at 1-cm depth for a >4-cm field size with 90% homogeneity throughout a 2-cm-thick volume. Conclusions: We present an approach for using a clinical LINAC for FLASH irradiation. We obtained dose rates exceeding 200 Gy/s after simple tuning of the LINAC, with excellent dosimetric properties for small animal experiments. This will allow for increased availability of FLASH irradiation to the general research community.

Experimental Platform for Ultra-high Dose Rate FLASH Irradiation of Small Animals Using a Clinical Linear Accelerator.

Science.gov (United States)

Schüler, Emil; Trovati, Stefania; King, Gregory; Lartey, Frederick; Rafat, Marjan; Villegas, Manuel; Praxel, A Joe; Loo, Billy W; Maxim, Peter G

2017-01-01

A key factor limiting the effectiveness of radiation therapy is normal tissue toxicity, and recent preclinical data have shown that ultra-high dose rate irradiation (>50 Gy/s, "FLASH") potentially mitigates this effect. However, research in this field has been strongly limited by the availability of FLASH irradiators suitable for small animal experiments. We present a simple methodologic approach for FLASH electron small animal irradiation with a clinically available linear accelerator (LINAC). We investigated the FLASH irradiation potential of a Varian Clinac 21EX in both clinical mode and after tuning of the LINAC. We performed detailed FLUKA Monte Carlo and experimental dosimetric characterization at multiple experimental locations within the LINAC head. Average dose rates of ≤74 Gy/s were achieved in clinical mode, and the dose rate after tuning exceeded 900 Gy/s. We obtained 220 Gy/s at 1-cm depth for a >4-cm field size with 90% homogeneity throughout a 2-cm-thick volume. We present an approach for using a clinical LINAC for FLASH irradiation. We obtained dose rates exceeding 200 Gy/s after simple tuning of the LINAC, with excellent dosimetric properties for small animal experiments. This will allow for increased availability of FLASH irradiation to the general research community. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epizootic pneumonia of bighorn sheep following experimental exposure to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas E Besser

Full Text Available Bronchopneumonia is a population limiting disease of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis. The cause of this disease has been a subject of debate. Leukotoxin expressing Mannheimia haemolytica and Bibersteinia trehalosi produce acute pneumonia after experimental challenge but are infrequently isolated from animals in natural outbreaks. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, epidemiologically implicated in naturally occurring outbreaks, has received little experimental evaluation as a primary agent of bighorn sheep pneumonia.In two experiments, bighorn sheep housed in multiple pens 7.6 to 12 m apart were exposed to M. ovipneumoniae by introduction of a single infected or challenged animal to a single pen. Respiratory disease was monitored by observation of clinical signs and confirmed by necropsy. Bacterial involvement in the pneumonic lungs was evaluated by conventional aerobic bacteriology and by culture-independent methods. In both experiments the challenge strain of M. ovipneumoniae was transmitted to all animals both within and between pens and all infected bighorn sheep developed bronchopneumonia. In six bighorn sheep in which the disease was allowed to run its course, three died with bronchopneumonia 34, 65, and 109 days after M. ovipneumoniae introduction. Diverse bacterial populations, predominantly including multiple obligate anaerobic species, were present in pneumonic lung tissues at necropsy.Exposure to a single M. ovipneumoniae infected animal resulted in transmission of infection to all bighorn sheep both within the pen and in adjacent pens, and all infected sheep developed bronchopneumonia. The epidemiologic, pathologic and microbiologic findings in these experimental animals resembled those seen in naturally occurring pneumonia outbreaks in free ranging bighorn sheep.

Epizootic pneumonia of bighorn sheep following experimental exposure to Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae.

Science.gov (United States)

Besser, Thomas E; Cassirer, E Frances; Potter, Kathleen A; Lahmers, Kevin; Oaks, J Lindsay; Shanthalingam, Sudarvili; Srikumaran, Subramaniam; Foreyt, William J

2014-01-01

Bronchopneumonia is a population limiting disease of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). The cause of this disease has been a subject of debate. Leukotoxin expressing Mannheimia haemolytica and Bibersteinia trehalosi produce acute pneumonia after experimental challenge but are infrequently isolated from animals in natural outbreaks. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, epidemiologically implicated in naturally occurring outbreaks, has received little experimental evaluation as a primary agent of bighorn sheep pneumonia. In two experiments, bighorn sheep housed in multiple pens 7.6 to 12 m apart were exposed to M. ovipneumoniae by introduction of a single infected or challenged animal to a single pen. Respiratory disease was monitored by observation of clinical signs and confirmed by necropsy. Bacterial involvement in the pneumonic lungs was evaluated by conventional aerobic bacteriology and by culture-independent methods. In both experiments the challenge strain of M. ovipneumoniae was transmitted to all animals both within and between pens and all infected bighorn sheep developed bronchopneumonia. In six bighorn sheep in which the disease was allowed to run its course, three died with bronchopneumonia 34, 65, and 109 days after M. ovipneumoniae introduction. Diverse bacterial populations, predominantly including multiple obligate anaerobic species, were present in pneumonic lung tissues at necropsy. Exposure to a single M. ovipneumoniae infected animal resulted in transmission of infection to all bighorn sheep both within the pen and in adjacent pens, and all infected sheep developed bronchopneumonia. The epidemiologic, pathologic and microbiologic findings in these experimental animals resembled those seen in naturally occurring pneumonia outbreaks in free ranging bighorn sheep.

Effect of chronic ethanol consumption in female rats subjected to experimental sepsis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, C.L. [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ (Brazil); Aguiar-Nemer, A.S. [Departamento de Nutrição, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Castro-Faria-Neto, H.C. [Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Barros, F.R. [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ (Brazil); Rocha, E.M.S. [Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ (Brazil); Silva-Fonseca, V.A. [Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ (Brazil)

2013-12-10

The objective of this research was to evaluate the interference of ethanol consumption by female rats with cytokines involved in the sepsis process and its correlation with mortality, the main outcome of sepsis. Female Wistar rats in estrus phase were evaluated in three experiments. Experiment 1 (n=40) was performed to determine survival rates. Experiment 2 (n=69) was designed for biochemical analysis, measurement of cytokine and estrogen levels before and after sepsis, and experiment 3 (n=10) was performed to evaluate bacterial growth by colony counts of peritoneal fluid. In all experiments, treated animals were exposed to a 10% ethanol/water solution (v/v) as the single drinking source, while untreated animals were given tap water. After 4 weeks, sepsis was induced in the rats by ip injection of feces. In experiment 1, mortality in ethanol-exposed animals was delayed compared with those that drank water (48 h; P=0.0001). Experiment 2 showed increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and decreased interleukin-6 (IL-6) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor in septic animals exposed to ethanol compared to septic animals not exposed. Sepsis also increased TNF-α and IL-6 levels in both ethanol- and water-exposed groups. Biochemical analysis showed higher creatinine, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and decreased glucose levels in septic animals that were exposed to ethanol. In experiment 3, septic animals exposed to ethanol showed decreased numbers of colony-forming units than septic animals exposed to water. These results suggest that ethanol consumption delays the mortality of female rats in estrus phase after sepsis induction. Female characteristics, most probably sex hormones, may be involved in cytokine expression.

Effect of chronic ethanol consumption in female rats subjected to experimental sepsis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, C.L.; Aguiar-Nemer, A.S.; Castro-Faria-Neto, H.C.; Barros, F.R.; Rocha, E.M.S.; Silva-Fonseca, V.A.

2013-01-01

The objective of this research was to evaluate the interference of ethanol consumption by female rats with cytokines involved in the sepsis process and its correlation with mortality, the main outcome of sepsis. Female Wistar rats in estrus phase were evaluated in three experiments. Experiment 1 (n=40) was performed to determine survival rates. Experiment 2 (n=69) was designed for biochemical analysis, measurement of cytokine and estrogen levels before and after sepsis, and experiment 3 (n=10) was performed to evaluate bacterial growth by colony counts of peritoneal fluid. In all experiments, treated animals were exposed to a 10% ethanol/water solution (v/v) as the single drinking source, while untreated animals were given tap water. After 4 weeks, sepsis was induced in the rats by ip injection of feces. In experiment 1, mortality in ethanol-exposed animals was delayed compared with those that drank water (48 h; P=0.0001). Experiment 2 showed increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and decreased interleukin-6 (IL-6) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor in septic animals exposed to ethanol compared to septic animals not exposed. Sepsis also increased TNF-α and IL-6 levels in both ethanol- and water-exposed groups. Biochemical analysis showed higher creatinine, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and decreased glucose levels in septic animals that were exposed to ethanol. In experiment 3, septic animals exposed to ethanol showed decreased numbers of colony-forming units than septic animals exposed to water. These results suggest that ethanol consumption delays the mortality of female rats in estrus phase after sepsis induction. Female characteristics, most probably sex hormones, may be involved in cytokine expression

Physiological and Histopathological Investigations on the Effects of -Lipoic Acid in Rats Exposed to Malathion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atef M. Al-Attar

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The present study was designed to evaluate the influence of -lipoic acid treatment in rats exposed to malathion. Forty adult male rats were used in this study and distributed into four groups. Animals of group 1 were untreated and served as control. Rats of group 2 were orally given malathion at a dose level of 100 mg/kg body weight (BW for a period of one month. Experimental animals of group 3 were orally given -lipoic acid at a dose level of 20 mg/kg BW and after 3 hours exposed to malathion at the same dose given to group 2. Rats of group 4 were supplemented with -lipoic acid at the same dose given to group 3. The activities of serum glutamic oxaloacetic acid transaminase (GOT, glutamic pyruvic acid transaminase (GPT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP, and acid phosphatase (ACP, and the values of creatinine, urea, and uric acid were statistically increased, while the values of total protein and total albumin were significantly decreased in rats exposed to malathion. Moreover, administration of malathion for one month resulted in damage of liver and kidney structures. Administration of -lipoic acid before malathion exposure to rat can prevent severe alterations of hematobiochemical parameters and disruptions of liver and kidney structures. In conclusion, this study obviously demonstrated that pretreatment with -lipoic acid significantly attenuated the physiological and histopathological alterations induced by malathion. Also, the present study identifies new areas of research for development of better therapeutic agents for liver, kidney, and other organs' dysfunctions and diseases.

Alternatives to animal testing: A review

OpenAIRE

Doke, Sonali K.; Dhawale, Shashikant C.

2013-01-01

The number of animals used in research has increased with the advancement of research and development in medical technology. Every year, millions of experimental animals are used all over the world. The pain, distress and death experienced by the animals during scientific experiments have been a debating issue for a long time. Besides the major concern of ethics, there are few more disadvantages of animal experimentation like requirement of skilled manpower, time consuming protocols and high ...

Aspects of Energy Metabolism in Mangalitsa Pigs Exposed at Thermic Neutral Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Pârvu

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The studies aimed the energy metabolism determination in Mangalitsa pigs exposed at thermic neutral temperature, compared to Large White pigs. The experimental period was between 80 and 100 kg liveweight. The animals had free access to standard, isoprotein and isocalory diets, with 13.5% crude protein (CP and 3100 kcal/kg metabolizable energy. Feed intake was measured on a daily basis. The energy-protein balance was calculated on the basis of comparative slaughter made at the beginning and end of the experiment. The metabolizable energy (MEc was estimated by chemical analysis (feed and excreta using mathematical modelling and the Whittemore’s formula. The metabolizable energy utilization efficiency was 0.61 at Large White and 0.53 at Mangalitsa.

Vivisecting Major: a Victorian gentleman scientist defends animal experimentation, 1876-1885.

Science.gov (United States)

Boddice, Rob

2011-06-01

Through an investigation of the public, professional, and private life of the Darwinian disciple George John Romanes, this essay seeks a better understanding of the scientific motivations for defending the practice of vivisection at the height of the controversy in late Victorian Britain. Setting aside a historiography that has tended to focus on the arguments of antivivisectionists, it reconstructs the viewpoint of the scientific community through an examination of Romanes's work to help orchestrate the defense of animal experimentation. By embedding his life in three complicatedly overlapping networks-the world of print, interpersonal communications among an increasingly professionalized body of scientific men, and the intimacies of private life-the essay uses Romanes as a lens with which to focus the physiological apprehension of the antivivisection movement. It is a story of reputation, self-interest, and affection.

Effects of experimental sleep deprivation on anxiety-like behavior in animal research: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pires, Gabriel Natan; Bezerra, Andréia Gomes; Tufik, Sergio; Andersen, Monica Levy

2016-09-01

Increased acute anxiety is a commonly reported behavioral consequence of sleep deprivation in humans. However, rodent studies conducted so far produced inconsistent results, failing to reproduce the same sleep deprivation induced-anxiety observed in clinical experiments. While some presented anxiogenesis as result of sleep deprivation, others reported anxiolysis. In face of such inconsistencies, this article explores the effects of experimental sleep deprivation on anxiety-like behavior in animal research through a systematic review and a series of meta-analyses. A total of 50 of articles met our inclusion criteria, 30 on mice, 19 on rats and one on Zebrafish. Our review shows that sleep deprivation induces a decrease in anxiety-like behavior in preclinical models, which is opposite to results observed in human settings. These results were corroborated in stratified analyses according to species, sleep deprivation method and anxiety measurement technique. In conclusion, the use of animal models for the evaluation of the relationship between sleep deprivation lacks translational applicability and new experimental tools are needed to properly evaluate sleep deprivation-induced anxiogenesis in rodents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge of the Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations Influences Attitudes toward Animal Research

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Recent public-opinion polls indicate that Americans have shown a decline in support for animal experimentation, and several reports suggest a relationship between people's knowledge of animal welfare regulations and their attitudes toward animal research. Therefore, this study was designed to assess respondent's knowledge of several provisions in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Animal Welfare Regulations (AWR), and determine whether exposure to elements of this legislation would influence an individual's attitudes toward the use of animals in research. A survey was used to assess knowledge of animal research regulations and attitudes toward animal research from a sample of individuals recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing marketplace. Results from study 1 confirmed the hypothesis that respondents had little knowledge of various federal regulations that govern animal research activities. Data from study 2 revealed that exposure to elements of the AWA and AWR influenced participants’ attitudes toward the use of animals in research. These results suggest that providing information to the general public about the AWA and AWR that protect laboratory animals from abuse and neglect may help alleviate concerns about using animals in research settings. PMID:25651094

Animals In Synchrotrons: Overcoming Challenges For High-Resolution, Live, Small-Animal Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donnelley, Martin; Parsons, David; Morgan, Kaye; Siu, Karen

2010-01-01

Physiological studies in small animals can be complicated, but the complexity is increased dramatically when performing live-animal synchrotron X-ray imaging studies. Our group has extensive experience in high-resolution live-animal imaging at the Japanese SPring-8 synchrotron, primarily examining airways in two-dimensions. These experiments normally image an area of 1.8 mmx1.2 mm at a pixel resolution of 0.45 μm and are performed with live, intact, anaesthetized mice.There are unique challenges in this experimental setting. Importantly, experiments must be performed in an isolated imaging hutch not specifically designed for small-animal imaging. This requires equipment adapted to remotely monitor animals, maintain their anesthesia, and deliver test substances while collecting images. The horizontal synchrotron X-ray beam has a fixed location and orientation that limits experimental flexibility. The extremely high resolution makes locating anatomical regions-of-interest slow and can result in a high radiation dose, and at this level of magnification small animal movements produce motion-artifacts that can render acquired images unusable. Here we describe our experimental techniques and how we have overcome several challenges involved in performing live mouse synchrotron imaging.Experiments have tested different mouse strains, with hairless strains minimizing overlying skin and hair artifacts. Different anesthetics have also be trialed due to the limited choices available at SPring-8. Tracheal-intubation methods have been refined and controlled-ventilation is now possible using a specialized small-animal ventilator. With appropriate animal restraint and respiratory-gating, motion-artifacts have been minimized. The animal orientation (supine vs. head-high) also appears to affect animal physiology, and can alter image quality. Our techniques and image quality at SPring-8 have dramatically improved and in the near future we plan to translate this experience to the

Preference for safflower oil in rats exposed to a cold environment under free-feeding conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Saitoh, Masaji; Ishii, Toshiaki; Takewaki, Tadashi; Nishimura, Masakazu

2005-07-01

There are several benefits to a high-fat diet for animals exposed to cold, including improved tolerance to severe cold conditions and increased survival rates in cold environments. It is therefore of interest to examine whether animals exposed to cold will selectively consume lipids. We examined the intake of safflower oil (SO) by rats exposed to cold (4 +/- 2 degrees C) under a feeding condition in which the rats were given free access to SO. Rats exposed to cold consumed more SO than those housed at 25 +/- 2 degrees C. This finding suggests that rats prefer SO in a cold environment. There was no significant difference in the ratio of calories of SO ingested to that of matter (standard laboratory chow plus SO) ingested between rats exposed to cold and those at 25 +/- 2 degrees C. The high SO intake also affected cold tolerance and metabolite kinetics in the rats. Factors that affected the SO intake of rats exposed to cold are also discussed.

PHYTOTHERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF AVOCADOS AND SOYA AS DRUG ON HEART OF RATS EXPOSED TO GAMMA RADIATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

OMRAN, M.F.; IBRAHIM, N.K.; ABU-ZIED, N.M.

2008-01-01

This study was planed to determine the role of single oral dose of avocados and soya in irradiated rats exposed to gamma radiation. the experimental animals were randomly divided into four groups; 12 rats for each. Group 1: kept as control. Group 2: rats received piascledine for 14 consecutive days. Group 3: rats submitted to whole body gamma rays (4 Gy). Group 4: rats received the same piascledine 14 days post-exposure to 4 Gy gamma radiation. The animals were weighed then dissected after one and fourteen days post-administration and the cardiac tissue and plasma were stored at 12 oC till used for biochemical analysis and kept in ice. The following parameters were determined: plasma total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, LDH, phospholipids, ALT, CPK and TBARS. In cardiac tissue, determinations of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, phospholipids and TBARS were conducted.It can be concluded that administration of avocados and soy as natural drug (piascledine) post-irradiation in rats is a favorable modificator against the impaired physiological processes in animal body due to gamma irradiation

Effects of experimental radiotherapy and hyperthermia on tumors and normal tissues in small animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wondergem, J.

1985-01-01

Experiments on responses of tumors, implanted subcutaneously in the leg, to irradiation alone or combined with heat are reported. The influence of factors modifying the fraction of hypoxic cells (e.g. anesthesia of the animal and tumor volume) is also discussed. The radiosensitivity of developing lung tumors was examined for spontaneous as well as for artificial lung metastases. Both experimental tumor models were compared with regard to their value in experimental radiotherapy. Data obtained on the response of artificial metastases and lung tissue to combined treatment with irradiation and several drugs are presented. Data on damage of the mouse foot, as a result of heat and/or irradiation treatments are presented. In particular the influence of thermotolerance on thermal enhancement of the radiation induced skin reaction was studied. Tolerance of the skin of previously irradiated mice to retreatment with irradiation, to hyperthermia alone and combined with X-rays was assessed. (Auth.)

Genomic Tools and Animal Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Zanella, Ricardo

2016-09-07

Animals have been selected to improve their productivity in order to increase the profitability to the producer. In this scenario, not much attention was given to health traits. As a consequence of that, selection was made for animals with higher production and a shortened productive life. In addition to that, the intense production system used in livestock has forced animals to be exposed to higher pathogen loads, therefore predisposing them to infections. Infectious diseases are known to be caused by micro-organisms that are able to infect and colonize the host, affecting their physiological functions and causing problems in their production and on animal welfare. Even with the best management practices, diseases are still the most important cause of economic losses in the animal industry. In this review article we have addressed the new tools that could be used to select animals to better cope with diseases and pathogens.

Dosage response mortality of Japanese beetle, masked chafer, and June beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) adults when exposed to experimental and commercially available granules containing Metarhizium brunneum

Science.gov (United States)

Adult beetles of three different white grub species, Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, June beetle, Phyllophaga spp., and masked chafer, Cyclocephala spp. were exposed to experimental and commercially available granules containing Metarhizium brunneum (Petch) strain F52, to determine susceptibilit...

'I think it will eventually be done away with': Attitudes among healthcare professionals towards the current system of animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dignon, Andrée

2016-08-01

This article describes a study of attitudes to the current system of animal experimentation (for the production of health interventions) among 52 UK healthcare professionals. These healthcare professionals participated in three separate focus groups (of 18, 17 and 17 participants) and were invited to respond to the question 'what is your opinion about the current system of animal testing?' The study focused specifically on their views of the current system (rather than their views of animal testing in general). The healthcare professionals were critical of the current system, particularly with regard to regulation, secrecy, validity, unnecessary suffering and welfare. © The Author(s) 2014.

Capacity for work researching method in animal experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pul'nov, V.N.; Mashneva, N.I.

1978-01-01

The existing methods of examining the work capacity of animals are discussed with reference to extrapolation of animal data to man. A modified procedure for measuring maximal physical strength is proposed, whereby static endurance of animals at a given exercise rate can be measured. For an integrated evaluation of work capacity, a formula of absolute work capacity is suggested. The proposed procedure may be used to study the working capacity of animals exposed to unfavorable factors of radiation or nonradiation nature

Gentamicin nephrotoxicity: Animal experimental correlate with human pharmacovigilance outcome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olufunsho Awodele

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background: National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC, which is responsible for pharmacovigilance activity in Nigeria, recently withdrew injection gentamicin 280 mg, used in the management of life-threatening and multidrug-resistant infections from circulation, due to reported toxicity. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the toxicity profile of the commonly used strengths (80 mg and 280 mg of gentamicin on kidney using animal models. Methods: Animals were divided into five groups of 16 rats each. For rats of groups 1 and 2, gentamicin (1.14 mg/kg each group was administered intramuscularly twice daily for 7 and 14 days, respectively, after which eight of them were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Blood was collected via cardiac puncture and the kidneys were carefully removed and weighed immediately. The remaining eight animals were kept for reversibility study for another 7 and 14 days, respectively. For groups 3 and 4, gentamicin (4 mg/kg each group was administered as a single daily dose for 7 and 14 days, respectively, and eight animals from the groups were subjected to reversibility study for 7 and 14 days, respectively. Group 5, the control group animals, were given 10 ml/kg distilled water for 14 days. Histopathology of the kidneys, serum creatinine levels, and antioxidant enzyme activities were investigated. Results: Significant increase (p ≤ 0.001 in the level of creatinine of rats administered 4.0 mg/kg for 14 days was observed compared with all other groups. Significant (p ≤ 0.001 elevations in the lipid peroxidation in all gentamicin-administered animals and acute tubular necrosis in most of the gentamicin-administered animals were observed. Conclusion: Toxicity profile of gentamicin on the kidneys is dependent on both dose and duration of administration. The findings justify the decision made by NAFDAC to ban the use of high-dose inj. gentamicin 280 mg in Nigeria.

Liver changes under the influence of chronic experimental intoxication with nitrogen oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kosmider, S; Misiewicz, A

1973-01-01

Male guinea pigs were divided into three groups: a control group; a group of animals breathing air containing 1 ppM nitrogen oxides during 6 months, 8 hr/day; and third group exposed to products of reactions between nitrogen oxide and gaseous ammonia. The animals lived through the 6 mo with no increase in mortality. The body weight of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides increased during the 6 mo by 62 g on the average, while in the control group the body weight increased by 395 g on the average. In homogenates of the livers of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides, the activities of aldolase, lactic dehydrogenase, acid, and alkaline phosphatase increased, and the activities of cholinesterase, ceruloplasmin, and aminotransferases (aspartic and alanine) decreased. Neutralization of NO/sub x/ by gaseous ammonia restored the disorders in enzyme activities in the liver of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides to their normal values. The study was statistically analyzed. The livers of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides contained small foci of necrosis, and hemorrhages could be observed. In some animals, fatty degeneration of the liver could be observed. The changes in the liver can also be associated with inhibited protein synthesis, enhanced catabolic processes, and hypovitaminosis.

CARDIOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF NATIVE ANTIHYPOXANTS IN EXPERIMENTAL COBALT CARDIOMYOPATHY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. V. Zadnipryany

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of research – the study of cardioprotective properties of antioxidants in terms of histotoxic hypoxia under experimental conditions.Materials and methods. The study was conducted on 20 adult male Wistar rats divided into 3 experimental groups, which for 7 days were intraperitoneally injected aqueous CoCl2 solution at a dose of 60 mg/kg. Rats of the first experimental group (n = 6 had no administered drug correction, a the second group of animals (n = 7 after the cobalt chloride daily injections was administered intragastrically Enoant Premium aqueous solution at a dose of 2.5 ml / kg, along with 0.05 ml of water, the rats the third test group (n = 7 after the administration of cobalt chloride were exposed to cytoflavin correction concentrate and grape polyphenols administered simultaneously. Studies of myocardium were conducted using light and electron microscopy.Results of the research. The result of the cobalt toxic effect on the heart of animals in experiments lead to the development of cardiomyopathy, which required timely cardioprotection. Morphological changes in the second group of rats, despite a slight improvement compared with the group without correction,were characterized, above all, by uneven from mild to severe edema of the myocardium. Structure of myocardium observed in the third group of male rats after cobalt intoxication, generally reflected a tendency to minimization of the extent of the damage, which was manifested in the form of normalization of cell structures and muscle fibers.Conclusion. The administration of succinic acid derivatives combined with the grape polyphenols demonstrated vivid cytoprotective properties evidenced by mostly preserved myocardium structure in rats exposed to histotoxic hypoxia in comparison to only administration of plant polyphenols group. 

Exercise Enhances the Behavioral Responses to Acute Stress in an Animal Model of PTSD.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Jay R; Ostfeld, Ishay; Kaplan, Zeev; Zohar, Joseph; Cohen, Hagit

2015-10-01

This study examined the effects of endurance exercise on the behavioral response to stress and patterns of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and δ-opioid receptor (phospho-DOR) expression in the hippocampus. Animals ran on a treadmill at 15 m·min, 5 min·d gradually increasing to 20 min·d, 5 d·wk for 6 wk. After training, one group of animals was exposed to a predator scent stress (PSS) protocol for 10 min. Outcome measurements included behavior in an elevated plus-maze (EPM) and acoustic startle response (ASR) 7 d after exposure to stress. Immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression of the BDNF, NPY, and phospho-DOR in the hippocampus 8 d after exposure. Sedentary animals exposed to PSS were observed to have a greater incidence of extreme behavior responses including higher anxiety, less total activity in the EPM, and greater amplitude in the ASR than unexposed and/or trained animals. Exercise-trained animals exposed to PSS developed a resiliency to the stress, reflected by significantly greater total activity in the EPM, reduced anxiety, and reduced ASR compared to the sedentary, exposed animals. Exercise in the absence of stress significantly elevated the expression of BDNF and phospho-DOR, whereas exposure to PSS resulted in a significant decline in the expression of NPY, BDNF, and phospho-DOR. Trained animals that were exposed maintained expression of BDNF, NPY, and phospho-DOR in most subregions of the hippocampus. Results indicated that endurance training provided a mechanism to promote resilience and/or recovery from stress. In addition, exercise increased expression of BDNF, NPY, and DOR signaling in the hippocampus that was associated with the greater resiliency seen in the trained animals.

Animal Locomotion

CERN Document Server

Taylor, Graham K; Tropea, Cameron

2010-01-01

This book provides a wide-ranging snapshot of the state-of-the-art in experimental research on the physics of swimming and flying animals. The resulting picture reflects not only upon the questions that are of interest in current pure and applied research, but also upon the experimental techniques that are available to answer them. Doubtless, many new questions will present themselves as the scope and performance of our experimental toolbox develops over the coming years.

Identification of Surface Exposed Elementary Body Antigens of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study sought to identify the surface exposed antigenic components of Cowdria ruminantium elementary body (EB) by biotin labeling, determine effect of reducing and non-reducing conditions and heat on the mobility of these antigens and their reactivity to antibodies from immunized animals by Western blotting.

Reproductive function of animals exposed to low-dose external γ-radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izhevskij, P.V.; Krupitskaya, L.I.; Startsev, N.V.

1993-01-01

Chronic external γ-radiation effects on the reproductive function were simulated in male rats at doses equivalent to the dose obtained by the persons who participated in the liquidation of the Chernobyl poer plant accident aftereffects and by the population. The incidence of the pre-and postimplantation deaths was found increased in the progeny of males exposed to chronic external γ-irradiation at total doses of 158 and 237 Gy, though no strict dose dependence was observed

Physical and biological dosimetry at the RA-3 facility for small animal irradiation: preliminary BNCT studies in an experimental model of oral cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pozzi, Emiliano; Miller, Marcelo; Thorp, Silvia I.; Heber, Elisa M.; Trivillin, Veronica A.; Zarza, Leandro; Estryk, Guillermo; Schwint, Amanda E.; Nigg, David W.

2007-01-01

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a binary treatment modality based on the capture reaction that occurs between thermal neutrons and boron-10 atoms that accumulate selectively in tumor tissue, emitting high linear energy transfer (LET), short range (5-9 microns) particles (alpha y 7 Li). Thus, BNCT would potentially target tumor tissue selectively, sparing normal tissue. Herein we evaluated the feasibility of treating experimental oral mucosa tumors with BNCT at RA-3 (CAE) employing the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model and characterized the irradiation field at the RA-3 facility. We evaluated the therapeutic effect on tumor of BNCT mediated by BPA in the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model and the potential radio toxic effects in normal tissue. We evidenced a moderate biological response in tumor, with no radio toxic effects in normal tissue following irradiations with no shielding for the animal body. Given the sub-optimal therapeutic response, we designed and built a 6 Li 2 CO 3 shielding for the body of the animal to increase the irradiation dose to tumor, without exceeding normal tissue radio tolerance. The measured absolute magnitude of thermal neutron flux and the characterization of the beam with and without the shielding in place, suggest that the irradiation facility in the thermal column of RA-3 would afford an excellent platform to perform BNCT studies in vitro and in vivo in small experimental animals. The present findings must be confirmed and extended by performing in vivo BNCT radiobiological studies in small experimental animals, employing the shielding device for the animal body. (author) [es

Alternatives to animal experimentation: The regulatory background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garthoff, Bernward

2005-01-01

The framework, in which alternatives to animal experiments can be developed, standardized, respectively formally validated, has to be seen in a global context. The ever increasing demand of testing for hazard and risk assessment in health and environment, exemplified by the EU REACH program, subsequently triggers laboratory animal testing. This holds especially true, if no valid alternative methods agreed to by the regulatory authorities and the scientific community are available. At least for regulatory toxicity testing, the global frame and network are given by institutions such as OECD, ICH, and alike. However, due to the necessity of global consent of states, organizations, and stakeholders, the time gap between availability of a novel alternative test method and its final acceptance by authorities and implementation thereafter is widening. The lack of new technologies or opportunities for alternative method application such as, for example, the broad use of transgenic animals for refinement of existing tests, adds to the problem. The bare existence of certain in vivo tests increases also the gap between public demands for testing versus availability of alternative tests. Industries operating on a worldwide basis support the alternative test development in their respective area of research and operational business. However, a more coordinating approach such as that of the ecopa-organization (European Consensus Platform on Alternatives) is needed to exploit the existing possibilities within the current regulatory framework. This will speed up the process of acceptance and challenge the political worldto feel responsible for the sequels of their demanding more testing, that is, by funding alternative method development in academia and industry

Perceptions of Animal Experimentation: A Longitudinal Survey with Veterinary Students in Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, Gisele F.; Melo, Guilherme D.; Perri, Silvia H. V.; Fernandes, Fernando V.; Moraes, Olívia C.; Souza, Milena S.; Grano, Fernanda G.; Silva, José E. S.; Nunes, Cáris M.

2017-01-01

Animal experimentation is a controversial topic, especially among the general public and the scientific community. Thirty-eight undergraduate students attending the College of Veterinary Medicine--São Paulo State University in the municipality of Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, were followed up between 2008 and 2011 and were asked to complete an…

Aspects of research on effects of population exposed to low level radiation in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, L.

1992-01-01

Research works of epidemiology and experimental biology concerning health effects on populations exposed to low level ionizing radiation in China have been reviewed, with emphasis on the studies of mortality of malignancies and prevalence of hereditary diseases in a high background radiation area (HBRA) (radiation level is about three times of the control area of normal background CA), where the inhabitant families have lived for many generations. About one million person-years in HBRA and as many in CA were observed for cancer mortality. Statistical analysis showed that no difference was found either in mortality of all cancers or leukemias between HBRA and CA. The incidence of Down Syndrome in HBRA was within the range of spontaneous incidence and dependent on age of maternity. The characteristics of adaptive response induced by low level irradiation in humans as well as in experimental animal lymphocytes observed in Chinese laboratories are also discussed in this presentation

Annual tendency of research papers used ICR mice as experimental animals in biomedical research fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ji Eun; Nam, Jung Hoon; Cho, Joon Young; Kim, Kil Soo; Hwang, Dae Youn

2017-06-01

Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice have been widely used in various research fields including toxicology, oncology, pharmacology, and pharmaceutical product safety testing for decades. However, annual tendency of research papers involving ICR mice in various biomedical fields has not been previously analyzed. In this study, we examined the numbers of papers that used ICR mice as experimental animals in the social science, natural science, engineering, medicine-pharmacy, marine agriculture-fishery, and art-kinesiology fields by analyzing big data. Numbers of ICR mouse-used papers gradually increased from 1961 to 2014, but small decreases were observed in 2015 and 2016. The largest number of ICR-used papers were published in the medicine-pharmacy field, followed by natural science and art-kinesiology fields. There were no ICR mouse-used papers in other fields. Furthermore, ICR mice have been widely employed in cell biology studies within the natural science field as well as in biochemistry and pathology in the medicine-pharmacy field. Few ICR mouse-used papers were published in exercise biochemistry and exercise nutrition in the art-kinesiology field. Regardless in most fields, the total numbers of published papers involving ICR mice were higher in 2014 than in other years, although the numbers in some fields including dentistry, veterinary science, and dermatology were high in 2016. Taken together, the present study shows that various ICR stocks, including Korl:ICR mice, are widely employed as experimental animals in various biomedical research fields.

Embryo developmental capacity of oocytes fertilised by sperm of mouse exposed to forced swimming stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghasem, S.; Majid, J.; Shiva, R.

2013-01-01

Objective: To assess developmental capacity of fertilised oocytes by sperm of mouse exposed to forced swimming stress. Methods: The experimental study was conducted at the Physiology Research Center of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, from August 2011 to January 2012. It comprised 20 adult male and 10 female mice. The male mice were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=10): control and experimental. Animals of the experimental group were submitted to forced swimming stress. All male mice were euthanised and the cauda epididymis removed before contents were squeezed out. A pre-incubated capacitated sperm was gently added to the freshly collected ova of the two groups of study. The combined sperm-oocyte suspension was incubated for 4-6 hours under a condition of 5% Carbon dioxide and 37 degree C temperature. The ova were then washed through several changes of medium and finally incubated. Fertilisation was assessed by recording the number of 1-cell embryos 4-6 hours after insemination. The 1-cell embryos were allowed to further develop in vitro for about 120 hours. Development of embryos everyday and during 5 days of culture was observed by using inverted microscope. SPSS 13.0.1 was used for statistical analysis. Results: The percentage of oocytes fertilised was 75:96 (78.12+-4.8%) and 50:10 (49.5+-3.9%) in the control and experimental groups, respectively. The difference was significant (p 0.05) between the two groups in terms of speed and developmental capacity of blastocysts. Conclusions: Fertilisation capacity of male mice affected by forced swimming stress and also the developmental capacity of oocyte fertilised by sperm of mouse exposed to forced swimming stress decreased. (author)

Embryo developmental capacity of oocytes fertilised by sperm of mouse exposed to forced swimming stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasem, Saki; Majid, Jasemi; Shiva, Razi

2013-07-01

To assess developmental capacity of fertilised oocytes by sperm of mouse exposed to forced swimming stress. The experimental study was conducted at the Physiology Research Center of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, from August 2011 to January 2012. It comprised 20 adult male and 10 female mice. The male mice were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=10): control and experimental. Animals of the experimental group were submitted to forced swimming stress. All male mice were euthanised and the cauda epididymis removed before contents were squeezed out. A pre-incubated capacitated sperm was gently added to the freshly collected ova of the two groups of study. The combined sperm-oocyte suspension was incubated for 4-6 hours under a condition of 5% Carbon dioxide and 37 degreeC temperature. The ova were then washed through several changes of medium and finally incubated. Fertilisation was assessed by recording the number of 1-cell embryos 4-6 hours after insemination. The 1-cell embryos were allowed to further develop in vitro for about 120 hours. Development of embryos everyday and during 5 days of culture was observed by using inverted microscope. SPSS 13.0.1 was used for statistical analysis. The percentage of oocytes fertilised was 75:96 (78.12+/-4.8%) and 50:10 (49.5+/-3.9%) in the control and experimental groups, respectively. The difference was significant (p 0.05) between the two groups in terms of speed and developmental capacity of blastocysts. Fertilisation capacity of male mice affected by forced swimming stress and also the developmental capacity of oocyte fertilised by sperm of mouse exposed to forced swimming stress decreased.

In vitro cell-mediated immunity studies of plutonium-exposed beagle dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, J.E.; Graham, T.; Park, J.F.

1980-01-01

Mitogen-induced activation was measured in spleen and mesenteric lymph node cell preparations from dogs exposed to a single inhalation exposure of plutonium oxide ( 238 Pu or 239 Pu). Reduced stimulation indices of splenic lymphocytes from exposed animals suggest that a reduction in lymphocyte function has occurred in this tissue. No apparent reduction in mitogen stimulation indices was observed in mesenteric lymph node cultures

Evaluation of the effect of conventionally prepared swarna makshika bhasma on different bio-chemical parameters in experimental animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudhaldev Mohapatra

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Swarna makshika (chalcopyrite bhasma (SMB has been used for different therapeutic purposes since long in Ayurveda. The present study is conducted to evaluate the effect of conventionally prepared SMB on different bio-chemical parameters in experimental animals, for providing scientific data base for its logical use in clinical practice. The genuine SMB was prepared by following classical techniques of shodhana and marana most commonly used by different Ayurvedic drug manufacturers. Shodhana was done by roasting raw swarna makshika with lemon juice for three days and marana was performed by 11 putas . The experimental animals (rats were divided into two groups. SMB mixed with diluted honey was administered orally in therapeutic dose to Group SMB and diluted honey only was administered to vehicle control Group, for 30 days. The blood samples were collected twice, after 15 days and after 30 days of drug administration and different biochemical investigations were done. Biochemical parameters were chosen based on references from Ayurvedic classics and contemporary medicine. It was observed that Hb% was found significantly increased and LDL and VLDL were found significantly decreased in Group SMB when compared with vehicle control group. This experimental data will help the clinician for the logical use of SMB in different disease conditions with findings like low Hb% and high LDL, VLDL levels.

Human-animal relationships: from daily life to animal-assisted therapies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marine Grandgeorge

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Humans have a long history of relationship with domestic animals and nowadays pets often act as "social substitutes" through bonding. There is some evidence that pet presence at home may induce well being in people and the development of social skills in children. Animal assisted therapies aim at developing these skills in patients on the basis of human animal interactions. Experimental data obtained on animal models suggest that this is indeed a promising line. There is however a lack of clear scientific data that would help defines what the most appropriate procedures or species may be. Improvements are observed, but again sound scientific data are mostly missing. Attention must be given to the welfare of the animals being used.

Dry-distillation of experimental animal wastes containing radioisotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyatake, Hideo; Saito, Kazumi; Kurihara, Norio

1988-01-01

Mice were dry-distilled at 800deg C for 10 min, after [ 32 P]orthophosphate or L-[4,5- 3 H]leucine was intraperitoneally administered. Phosphorus-32 was quantitatively recovered in the residual solid, whereas 95% of 3 H was found in the distillate (condensed water). When 14 C (L-[U- 14 C]malic acid or L-[U- 14 C]leucine) was administered to mice and they were dry-distilled, 14 C-radioactivity was distributed into two fractions; residual solid and exhaust gas. In these cases, the recovery percentage of 14 C in residual solid was not very high but increased as the treating temperature decreased. It reached about 40% of the administered 14 C at 400deg C for 120 min. By the dry-distillation of animals, their weight was reduced to about 10% in every animal tested (mice, rats and rabbits). The volume was reduced to about 20% in cases of mice and rats, and about 30% in case of rabbits. It was concluded that the dry-distillation can be useful as a pre-treatment for disposal of animal wastes containing radioisotopes. (author)

The animal experimentation controversy: Ethical views of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... and scientific research. The responses were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results showed that most prospective teachers are in favour of animal rights and that females are more averse to vivisection than males. A number of suggestions are made with regard to vivisection in schools and tertiary institutions.

Hematological Changes Induced by Mercury Ions and Ionizing Radiation in Experimental Animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin-Kyu; Lee, Yun-Jong; Choi, Dae-Seong; Kim, Ji-Hyang; Cebulska-Wasilewska, Antonina

2006-01-01

Toxic metals such as lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury and arsenic are widely found in our environment. Humans are exposed to these metals from numerous sources, including contaminated air, water, soil and food. Mercury, one of the most diffused and hazardous organ specific environmental contaminants, exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states, each of which has unique characteristics for a target organ specificity. Although reports indicate that mercury induces deleterious damage, little is known about its effects on living organisms. Ionizing radiation, an extensively used therapeutic modality in oncology, not only eradicates neoplastic cells but also generates inevitable side effects for normal tissues. Such biological effects are made through the production of reactive oxygen species which include a superoxide anion, a hydroxyl radical and a hydrogen peroxide. These reactive species may contribute to the radiation-induced cytotoxicity (e.g., chromosome aberrations, protein oxidation, and muscle injury) and to the metabolic and morphologic changes (e.g., increased muscle proteolysis and changes in the central nervous system) in animals and humans. In the present study, radioimmunoassay of the cortisol in the serum and the analysis of the hematological components and enzymes related to a tissue injury were carried out to evaluate the effects of mercury chloride in comparison with those of ionizing radiation

Hematological Changes Induced by Mercury Ions and Ionizing Radiation in Experimental Animals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jin-Kyu; Lee, Yun-Jong; Choi, Dae-Seong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ji-Hyang [Biotechnology Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cebulska-Wasilewska, Antonina [The Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics, Krakow (Poland)

2006-07-01

Toxic metals such as lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury and arsenic are widely found in our environment. Humans are exposed to these metals from numerous sources, including contaminated air, water, soil and food. Mercury, one of the most diffused and hazardous organ specific environmental contaminants, exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states, each of which has unique characteristics for a target organ specificity. Although reports indicate that mercury induces deleterious damage, little is known about its effects on living organisms. Ionizing radiation, an extensively used therapeutic modality in oncology, not only eradicates neoplastic cells but also generates inevitable side effects for normal tissues. Such biological effects are made through the production of reactive oxygen species which include a superoxide anion, a hydroxyl radical and a hydrogen peroxide. These reactive species may contribute to the radiation-induced cytotoxicity (e.g., chromosome aberrations, protein oxidation, and muscle injury) and to the metabolic and morphologic changes (e.g., increased muscle proteolysis and changes in the central nervous system) in animals and humans. In the present study, radioimmunoassay of the cortisol in the serum and the analysis of the hematological components and enzymes related to a tissue injury were carried out to evaluate the effects of mercury chloride in comparison with those of ionizing radiation.

Modelling the risk of mortality of Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) (Bivalvia: Corbiculidae) exposed to different turbidity conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Avelar, W E P; Neves, F F; Lavrador, M A S

2014-05-01

The provision of sediment in rivers, due to erosion processes that occur in the environment, consists of a major source of pollution and alteration of the physicochemical conditions of water resources. In addition, the increase in water turbidity may cause siltation, dramatically impacting aquatic communities. Specifically considering the bivalve Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774), the aim of this study was to analyse the effect of exposure to different turbidity conditions of sediments, as a risk factor for the animals. For this purpose, a docking device was designed to ensure water circulation in a closed system and to maintain the desired levels of turbidity. Although C. fluminea can generally tolerate environmental changes in aquatic systems, an intolerance to high turbidity levels was experimentally observed, expressed by the mortality rate of the animals when exposed to conditions above 150 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU). This value was similar to the one recorded at study sites in the rivers Pardo (Serrana-SP-Brazil) and Mogi Guaçu (Porto Ferreira-SP-Brazil) during the rainy season. Using a logistic regression model, the experimental results were analysed and the observed mortality rates indicate that the exposure of the animals to turbidity levels above 150 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), for periods longer than 120 hours, may be considered a probable cause of mortality for the species.

'If you are empathetic you care about both animals and people. I am a nurse and I don't like to see suffering anywhere': Findings from 103 healthcare professionals on attitudes to animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dignon, Andrée

2016-11-01

This report presents qualitative and quantitative data from 103 UK healthcare professionals describing attitudes to the current system of animal testing (to produce medicines and health interventions). To gather qualitative testimony, these healthcare professionals were organised into six separate focus groups (of 18, 17, 17, 15, 17 and 19 participants) where they were asked 'what is your opinion about the current system of animal testing?' The study focussed on attitudes to the current system rather than attitudes to animal testing in general. The healthcare professionals also completed a quantitative attitude scale questionnaire consisting of 20 statements (all favourable) towards the system of animal testing as currently practised. Statements such as 'Testing agencies abide by legislation to safeguard animal welfare' were displayed and the healthcare professionals were invited to agree or disagree with these statements. The results from both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that healthcare professionals were opposed to the current system of animal experimentation.

COMPARING BEHAVIORAL DOSE-EFFECT CURVES FOR HUMANS AND LABORATORY ANIMALS ACUTELY EXPOSED TO TOLUENE.

Science.gov (United States)

The utility of laboratory animal data in toxicology depends upon the ability to generalize the results quantitatively to humans. To compare the acute behavioral effects of inhaled toluene in humans to those in animals, dose-effect curves were fitted by meta-analysis of published...

Experimental infection of Balb/c nude mice with Hepatitis E virus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhu Jianguo

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Several animal species can reportedly act as reservoirs for Hepatitis E virus (HEV, a zoonotic pathogen. HEV and antibody to the virus have been detected in a variety of animals including rodents. Pig and rat models for HEV have been established for HEV, but a nude mouse has not yet been developed. Methods Balb/c nude mice were inoculated with swine HEV, both orally and via intravenous injection to insure infection. Negative control and experimental contact-exposed groups of mice were also included in the study. The liver, spleen, kidney, jejunum, ileum, cecum and colon of each mouse from all three groups were collected for reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR detection, indirect immunofluorescence observation and histopathologic examination. The sera from nude mice were tested for anti-HEV IgG by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Activities of liver enzymes, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST and alkaline phosphatase (ALP, as well as total bilirubin (TBIL were also measured in the sera of the nude mice. Results HEV antigens and HEV RNA were detected in liver, spleen, kidney, jejunum, ileum and colon both by indirect immunofluorescence and by RT-nPCR in all of the inoculated and in one of the contact-exposed nude mice. Histopathological changes were observed in the liver and spleen of these mice. Infected mice showed increased levels of AST, ALP, and anti-HEV IgG in sera. The livers of contact-exposed mice showed obvious histopathological damage. Conclusion Nude mice could be readily infected by HEV isolated from pigs. The nude mouse may therefore be a useful animal model for studying the pathogenesis of HEV.

Association of Diet With Skin Histological Features in UV-B-Exposed Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharyya, Tapan K; Hsia, Yvonne; Weeks, David M; Dixon, Tatiana K; Lepe, Jessica; Thomas, J Regan

2017-09-01

Long-term exposure to solar radiation produces deleterious photoaging of the skin. It is not known if diet can influence skin photoaging. To study the influence of a calorie-restricted diet and an obesity diet in mice exposed to long-term UV-B irradiation to assess if there is an association between diet and histopathological response to UV-B irradiation. In this animal model study in an academic setting, the dorsal skin of SKH1 hairless mice receiving normal, calorie-restricted, and obesity diets was exposed to UV-B irradiation 3 times a week for 10 weeks and were compared with corresponding controls. The mice were placed in the following groups, with 8 animals in each group: (1) intact control (C) with regular diet and no UV-B exposure, (2) intact control with UV-B exposure (CR), (3) calorie-restricted diet (CrC), (4) calorie-restricted diet with UV-B exposure (CrR), (5) obesity diet (OC), and (6) obesity diet with UV-B exposure (OR). The experiment was conducted during October through December 2013. Tissue processing and histological analysis were completed in 2016. Histomorphometric analysis was performed on paraffin-embedded skin sections stained by histological and immunohistochemical methods for estimation of epidermal thickness, epidermal proliferating cell nuclear antigen index, collagen I, elastic fibers, fibroblasts, mast cells, dermal cellularity, and adipose layer ratio. Changes in wrinkles were noted. Hairless female mice (age range, 6-8 weeks) were obtained. With a normal diet, changes from UV-B irradiation occurred in epidermal thickness, epidermal proliferating cell nuclear antigen index, collagen I, elastic fibers, fibroblasts, and mast cells, which were modestly influenced by an obesity diet. Calorie restriction influenced the skin in nonirradiated control animals, with higher values for most variables. After UV-B exposure in animals with calorie restriction, epidermal thickness was increased, but other variables were unaffected. Animals

Hypoxia and oxidation levels of DNA and lipids in humans and animal experimental models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Peter; Risom, Lotte; Lundby, Carsten

2008-01-01

The objective of this review was to evaluate the association between hypoxia and oxidative damage to DNA and lipids. Evaluation criteria encompassed specificity and validation status of the biomarkers, study design, strength of the association, dose-response relationship, biological plausibility......, analogous exposures, and effect modification by intervention. The collective interpretation indicates persuasive evidence from the studies in humans for an association between hypoxia and elevated levels of oxidative damage to DNA and lipids. The levels of oxidatively generated DNA lesions and lipid...... in subjects at high altitude. Most of the animal experimental models should be interpreted with caution because the assays for assessment of lipid peroxidation products have suboptimal validity....

Self-Reported Acute Health Effects and Exposure to Companion Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Krueger, W S; Hilborn, E D; Dufour, A P; Sams, E A; Wade, T J

2016-06-01

To understand the etiological burden of disease associated with acute health symptoms [e.g. gastrointestinal (GI), respiratory, dermatological], it is important to understand how common exposures influence these symptoms. Exposures to familiar and unfamiliar animals can result in a variety of health symptoms related to infection, irritation and allergy; however, few studies have examined this association in a large-scale cohort setting. Cross-sectional data collected from 50 507 participants in the United States enrolled from 2003 to 2009 were used to examine associations between animal contact and acute health symptoms during a 10-12 day period. Fixed-effects multivariable logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confident intervals (CI) for associations between animal exposures and outcomes of GI illness, respiratory illness and skin/eye symptoms. Two-thirds of the study population (63.2%) reported direct contact with animals, of which 7.7% had contact with at least one unfamiliar animal. Participants exposed to unfamiliar animals had significantly higher odds of self-reporting all three acute health symptoms, when compared to non-animal-exposed participants (GI: AOR = 1.4, CI = 1.2-1.7; respiratory: AOR = 1.5, CI = 1.2-1.8; and skin/eye: AOR = 1.9, CI = 1.6-2.3), as well as when compared to participants who only had contact with familiar animals. Specific contact with dogs, cats or pet birds was also significantly associated with at least one acute health symptom; AORs ranged from 1.1 to 1.5, when compared to participants not exposed to each animal. These results indicate that contact with animals, especially unfamiliar animals, was significantly associated with GI, respiratory and skin/eye symptoms. Such associations could be attributable to zoonotic infections and allergic reactions. Etiological models for acute health symptoms should consider contact with companion animals, particularly exposure to unfamiliar animals

Histomorphological patterns in osseous rests exposed at fire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medina, C.; Tiesler, V.; Oliva, A.I.; Quintana, P.

2005-01-01

Histomorphology as part of morphological research studies bony structure on the tissue level. Its methods are applied in this investigation to evaluate histomorphological impact patterns in heat-exposed bony material, particularly color changes, fissure patterns, volumetric reduction, and changes in the size of Haversian canals. These variables were evaluated in exposed thin sections of porcine long bones, obtained during two experimental series. The first one was conducted under stable thermal conditions in a furnace by measuring heat impact in stepped time (I to S hours) and temperature intervals (200 to 800 C). During a second experimental phase, bony samples were exposed to direct fire in defined time and heat intervals. The treated specimens were then sectioned and microscopically scrutinized. The results presented here were designed to offer new analytical, measurable standards in the investigation of forms of heat exposition of the human body, applicable in forensics and the study of ancient Maya posthumous body treatments. (Author)

Aspectos éticos da experimentação animal Aspectos éticos de la experimentación animal Ethics and animal experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taylor Brandão Schnaider

2003-04-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O tema abordado é de suma importância, pois almeja-se que o ser humano atinja seu bem-estar físico, mental, social e espiritual, sem esquecer os sagrados direitos de todos os animais. A maioria dos códigos internacionais que tratam das normas de pesquisa na área da saúde cita que a pesquisa desenvolvida em seres humanos deve estar fundamentada na experimentação prévia realizada em animais, em laboratórios ou em outros fatos científicos. O presente artigo tem por objetivo explanar os aspectos éticos da experimentação animal. CONTEÚDO: Os autores revêem os conceitos de dissertação e tese, tese experimental, ensaio experimental ou experiência piloto e de biotério. A seguir fazem uma retrospectiva histórica acerca da primeira tentativa para se estabelecer normas em relação à pesquisa experimental, ocorrida em meados do século XIX em Londres. É ressaltado que alguns critérios definidos àquela época persistem até o presente. A primeira comissão de ética em pesquisa animal foi criada na Suécia em 1979, e a seguir nos EUA em 1984. No Brasil, os comitês de ética em pesquisa animal foram constituídos a partir da década de noventa. Desde maio de 1979 existe a Lei Federal 6638 que estabelece normas para a prática didático-científica da vivissecção de animais. Essa lei, entretanto, ainda aguarda regulamentação. Além dela, tramitam no Congresso Nacional alguns anteprojetos dispondo sobre o uso de animais para atividades de ensino e pesquisa. Finalmente, são apresentadas na íntegra as normas adotadas pelo Colégio Brasileiro de Experimentação Animal e a Declaração Universal dos Direitos dos Animais. CONCLUSÕES: Os docentes, pós-graduandos, residentes e graduandos de uma Faculdade de Medicina, envolvidos em pesquisas realizadas em animais, devem conhecer os princípios éticos que visam proteger os animais selecionados para a realização de um trabalho científico.JUSTIFICATIVA Y

Beagle: an appropriate experimental animal for extrapolating the organ distribution pattern of Th in humans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, N.P.; Zimmerman, C.J.; Taylor, G.N.; Wrenn, M.E.

1988-01-01

The concentrations and the organ distribution patterns of 228Th, 230Th and 232Th in two 9-y-old dogs of our beagle colony were determined. The dogs were exposed only to background environmental levels of Th isotopes through ingestion (food and water) and inhalation as are humans. The organ distribution patterns of the isotopes in the beagles were compared to the organ distribution patterns in humans to determine if it is appropriate to extrapolate the beagle organ burden data to humans. Among soft tissues, only the lungs, lymph nodes, kidney and liver, and skeleton contained measurable amounts of Th isotopes. The organ distribution pattern of Th isotopes in humans and dog are similar, the majority of Th being in the skeleton of both species. The average skeletal concentrations of 228Th in dogs were 30 to 40 times higher than the average skeletal concentrations of the parent 232Th, whereas the concentration of 228Th in human skeleton was only four to five times higher than 232Th. This suggests that dogs have a higher intake of 228Ra through food than humans. There is a similar trend in the accumulations of 232Th, 230Th and 228Th in the lungs of dog and humans. The percentages of 232Th, 230Th and 228Th in human lungs are 26, 9.7 and 4.8, respectively, compared to 4.2, 2.6 and 0.48, respectively, in dog lungs. The larger percentages of Th isotopes in human lungs may be due simply to the longer life span of humans. If the burdens of Th isotopes in human lungs are normalized to an exposure time of 9.2 y (mean age of dogs at the time of sacrifice), the percent burden of 232Th, 230Th and 228Th in human lungs are estimated to be 3.6, 1.3 and 0.66, respectively. These results suggest that the beagle may be an appropriate experimental animal for extrapolating the organ distribution pattern of Th in humans

Alternatives to animal testing: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Doke, Sonali K; Dhawale, Shashikant C

2015-07-01

The number of animals used in research has increased with the advancement of research and development in medical technology. Every year, millions of experimental animals are used all over the world. The pain, distress and death experienced by the animals during scientific experiments have been a debating issue for a long time. Besides the major concern of ethics, there are few more disadvantages of animal experimentation like requirement of skilled manpower, time consuming protocols and high cost. Various alternatives to animal testing were proposed to overcome the drawbacks associated with animal experiments and avoid the unethical procedures. A strategy of 3 Rs (i.e. reduction, refinement and replacement) is being applied for laboratory use of animals. Different methods and alternative organisms are applied to implement this strategy. These methods provide an alternative means for the drug and chemical testing, up to some levels. A brief account of these alternatives and advantages associated is discussed in this review with examples. An integrated application of these approaches would give an insight into minimum use of animals in scientific experiments.

Lung Morphological Changes in Closed Chest Injury (an experimental study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. M. Golubev

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to study lung morphological changes in a closed chest injury model in laboratory animals. Material and methods. Experiments were carried out in 30 male albino nonbred rats weighing 350—380 g. Closed chest injury was simulated, by exposing the chest of anesthetized rats to a 300-g metal cylinder falling from a height of 30 cm. The observation periods were 1, 3, 6, and 24 hours. Results. The signs of evident perivenular edema that was uncharas-teristic to acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by other causes are an important peculiarity of lung morphological changes in this experimental model of closed chest injury. Conclusion. The experimental studies clarified the pattern of lung morphological changes in the early period after closed chest injury. Key words: closed chest injury, pulmonary edema.

Peculiapities of free radioal processes in tissues of animals exposed to fast neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fedorchenko, V.I.

1982-01-01

The influence of preliminary effect of gaseous medium with the alterated content of oxygen on post-radiation content of free radicals in tissues of irradiated rates, is studied. Results of experiments have shown that after the effect of ionizing radiation the content of free radicals in tissues of animals, adapted to hypoxy, is reduced, i. e. preliminary adaptation to hypoxy increases radiation resistance of animals. As compared with ''protective'' effect of preliminary adaptation to hypoxy in the case of affecting with X-rays and fast neutrons, no considerable difference is found

Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Yersinia antibodies and pregnancy outcome in Danish women with occupational exposure to animals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kantsø, Bjørn; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Mølbak, Kåre

2014-01-01

to occupational exposure to animals in women exposed to food producing animals. METHODS: We used data and blood samples from the Danish National Birth Cohort. Serum samples collected during the first trimester from 192 pregnant women who were occupationally exposed to domestic animals and 188 randomly selected...... unexposed pregnant women were analysed for IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies against Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Yersinia. Pregnancy outcomes of interest were identified through the Danish National Patient Register. RESULTS: Women with occupational exposure to animals had significantly higher IgG antibody...

Does melatonin influence the apoptosis in rat uterus of animals exposed to continuous light?

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Cecília S; Carvalho, Kátia C; Maganhin, Carla C; Paiotti, Ana P R; Oshima, Celina T F; Simões, Manuel J; Baracat, Edmund C; Soares, José M

2016-02-01

Melatonin has been described as a protective agent against cell death and oxidative stress in different tissues, including in the reproductive system. However, the information on the action of this hormone in rat uterine apoptosis is low. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of melatonin on mechanisms of cell death in uterus of rats exposed to continuous light stress. Twenty adult Wistar rats were divided into two groups: GContr (vehicle control) and GExp which were treated with melatonin (0.4 mg/mL), both were exposed to continuous light for 90 days. The uterus was removed and processed for quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR), using PCR-array plates of the apoptosis pathway; for immunohistochemistry and TUNEL. The results of qRT-PCR of GEXP group showed up-regulation of 13 and 7, pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes, respectively, compared to GContr group. No difference in pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax, Fas and Faslg) expression was observed by immunohistochemistry, although the number of TUNEL-positive cells was lower in the group treated with melatonin compared to the group not treated with this hormone. Our data suggest that melatonin influences the mechanism and decreases the apoptosis in uterus of rats exposed to continuous light.

Nutrient Removal Efficiency of Rhizophora mangle (L. Seedlings Exposed to Experimental Dumping of Municipal Waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Maricusa Agraz-Hernández

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Mangrove forests are conspicuous components of tropical wetlands that sustain continuous exposure to wastewater discharges commonly of municipal origins. Mangroves can remove nutrients from these waters to fulfill their nutrients demand, although the effects of continuous exposure are unknown. An experimental greenhouse imitating tidal regimes was built to measure the efficiency of mangrove seedlings to incorporate nutrients, growth and above biomass production when exposed to three periodic wastewater discharges. The experiment totaled 112 d. Nutrient removal by the exposed group, such as phosphates, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (97%, 98.35%, 71.05%, 56.57% and 64.36%, respectively was evident up to the second dumping. By the third dumping, all nutrient concentrations increased in the interstitial water, although significant evidence of removal by the plants was not obtained (p > 0.05. Nutrient concentrations in the control group did not change significantly throughout the experiment (p > 0.05. Treated plants increased two-fold in stem girth when compared to the control (p < 0.05, although control plants averaged higher heights (p < 0.05. Biomass of treated group increased up to 45% against 37% of the control during the duration of the experiment (p < 0.05. We suggest that nutrient removal efficiency of mangroves is linked to the maintenance of oxic conditions in the pore-water because of oxygen transference from their aerial to their subterranean radicular system that facilitates the oxidation of reduced nitrogen compounds and plants uptake. Nevertheless, continuous inflows of wastewater would lead to eutrophication, establishment of anoxic conditions in water and soil, and lessening of nutrient absorption of mangroves.

Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) as Animal Models of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Science.gov (United States)

Glatigny, Simon; Bettelli, Estelle

2018-01-08

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifocal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) leading to the progressive destruction of the myelin sheath surrounding axons. It can present with variable clinical and pathological manifestations, which might reflect the involvement of distinct pathogenic processes. Although the mechanisms leading to the development of the disease are not fully understood, numerous evidences indicate that MS is an autoimmune disease, the initiation and progression of which are dependent on an autoimmune response against myelin antigens. In addition, genetic susceptibility and environmental triggers likely contribute to the initiation of the disease. At this time, there is no cure for MS, but several disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are available to control and slow down disease progression. A good number of these DMTs were identified and tested using animal models of MS referred to as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this review, we will recapitulate the characteristics of EAE models and discuss how they help shed light on MS pathogenesis and help test new treatments for MS patients. Copyright © 2018 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

The radiopharmacological behaviour of Ida-derivatives in normal experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, P.H.

1981-01-01

Whilst Technetium-Ida derivatives all show basically similar patterns of biodistribution and as such are suited for cholescintigraphy they nevertheless differ significantly enough from each other to have warranted more detailed comparisons to select the reagent most suited for cholescintigraphy in humans. A review of the basic biological behaviour in animals immediately demonstrates that not only are there observable differences between derivatives but there are also differences in the biological behaviour of any one derivative in different species of animal. Animal data does not therefore directly relate to human biodistribution although many qualitative resemblances can be found. (Auth.)

The exposed proteomes of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and B. pilosicoli.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa Casas

2016-07-01

Full Text Available B. hyodysenteriae and B. pilosicoli are well-known intestinal pathogens in pigs. B. hyodysenteriae is the causative agent of swine dysentery, a disease with an important impact on pig production while B. pilosicoli is responsible of a milder diarrheal disease in these animals, porcine intestinal spirochetosis. Recent sequencing projects have provided information for the genome of these species facilitating the search of vaccine candidates using reverse vaccinology approaches. However, practically no experimental evidence exists of the actual gene products being expressed and of those proteins exposed on the cell surface or released to the cell media. Using a cell-shaving strategy and a shotgun proteomic approach we carried out a large-scale characterization of the exposed proteins on the bacterial surface in these species as well as of peptides and proteins in the extracellular medium. The study included 3 strains of B. hyodysenteriae and 2 strains of B. pilosicoli and involved 148 LC-MS/MS runs on a high resolution Orbitrap instrument. Overall, we provided evidence for more than 29000 different peptides pointing to 1625 and 1338 different proteins in B. hyodysenteriae and B. pilosicoli, respectively. Many of the most abundant proteins detected corresponded to described virulence factors and vaccine candidates. The level of expression of these proteins, however, was different among species and strains, stressing the value of determining actual gene product levels as a complement of genomic-based approaches for vaccine design.

DOES AEROBIC EXERCISE TRAINING PROMOTE CHANGES IN STRUCTURAL AND BIOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE TENDONS IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Márcio A. Bezerra

2012-11-01

Full Text Available To develop a systematic review to evaluate, through the best scientific evidence available, the effectiveness of aerobic exercise in improving the biomechanical characteristics of tendons in experimental animals. Two independent assessors conducted a systematic search in the databases Medline/PUBMED and Lilacs/BIREME, using the following descriptors of Mesh in animal models. The ultimate load of traction and the elastic modulus tendon were used as primary outcomes and transverse section area, ultimate stress and tendon strain as secondary outcomes. The assessment of risk of bias in the studies was carried out using the following methodological components: light/dark cycle, temperature, nutrition, housing, research undertaken in conjunction with an ethics committee, randomization, adaptation of the animals to the training and preparation for the mechanical test. Eight studies, comprising 384 animals, were selected; it was not possible to combine them into one meta-analysis due to the heterogeneity of the samples. There was a trend to increasing ultimate load without changes in the other outcomes studied. Only one study met more than 80% of the quality criteria. Physical training performed in a structured way with imposition of overloads seems to be able to promote changes in tendon structure of experimental models by increasing the ultimate load supported. However, the results of the influence of exercise on the elastic modulus parameters, strain, transverse section area and ultimate stress, remain controversial and inconclusive. Such a conclusion must be evaluated with reservation as there was low methodological control in the studies included in this review.

Principles of animal extrapolation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calabrese, E.J.

1991-01-01

Animal Extrapolation presents a comprehensive examination of the scientific issues involved in extrapolating results of animal experiments to human response. This text attempts to present a comprehensive synthesis and analysis of the host of biomedical and toxicological studies of interspecies extrapolation. Calabrese's work presents not only the conceptual basis of interspecies extrapolation, but also illustrates how these principles may be better used in selection of animal experimentation models and in the interpretation of animal experimental results. The book's theme centers around four types of extrapolation: (1) from average animal model to the average human; (2) from small animals to large ones; (3) from high-risk animal to the high risk human; and (4) from high doses of exposure to lower, more realistic, doses. Calabrese attacks the issues of interspecies extrapolation by dealing individually with the factors which contribute to interspecies variability: differences in absorption, intestinal flora, tissue distribution, metabolism, repair mechanisms, and excretion. From this foundation, Calabrese then discusses the heterogeneticity of these same factors in the human population in an attempt to evaluate the representativeness of various animal models in light of interindividual variations. In addition to discussing the question of suitable animal models for specific high-risk groups and specific toxicological endpoints, the author also examines extrapolation questions related to the use of short-term tests to predict long-term human carcinogenicity and birth defects. The book is comprehensive in scope and specific in detail; for those environmental health professions seeking to understand the toxicological models which underlay health risk assessments, Animal Extrapolation is a valuable information source.

Compendium of animal rabies prevention and control, 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-04

Rabies has one of the highest case-fatality ratios of any infectious disease. This report provides recommendations for public health officials, veterinarians, animal control officials, and other parties engaged in rabies prevention and control activities and should serve as the basis for standardizing procedures among jurisdictions. The recommendations regarding domestic animal vaccination, management of animals exposed to rabies, and management of animals that bite humans are the core elements of animal rabies control and human rabies prevention. These updated 2011 guidelines include the national case definition for animal rabies and clarify the role of the CDC rabies laboratory in providing confirmatory testing of suspect animals. The table of rabies vaccines licensed and marketed in the United States has been updated, and additional references have been included to provide scientific support for information in this report.

An experimental test on large animals of MCNP application for whole body counting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borisov, N.; Yatsenko, V.; Kochetkov, O.; Gusev, I.; Vlasov, P.; Kalistratova, V.; Nisimov, P.; Levochkin, F.; Borovkov, M.; Stolyarov, V.; Tsedish, S.; Tyurin, I.; Franck, D.; Carlan, L. de

2005-01-01

Measurements of actinide body burden using whole body counting spectrometry is hampered due to intensive absorption of γ-rays inside the patient's body, which depends on the anatomy of a patient. To establish the correspondence between pulse-height-spectra intensity and radionuclide activity, Monte Carlo calculations are widely used. For such calculations, the radiation transport geometry is usually described in terms of small rectangular boxes (voxels) retrieved from computed tomography or magnetic resonance images. The software for Monte Carlo-assisted calibration of whole body counting, which performs automatic creation of individual MCNP voxel phantoms, was checked in a quasi-in vivo experiment on large animals. During the experiment, pigs of 35-40 kg body mass were used as phantoms for measurement of actinides body burden. 241 Am was administered (via injection of a radioactive solution or via implantation of plastic capsules containing the radioactive material) into the lungs of pigs. The pigs were measured using the pure germanium low-energy γ-spectrometers. The images of animals were obtained using the computed tomography machine. On the base of these tomograms, MCNP4c2 calculations were done to obtain the pulse-height-spectra of the whole body counters. The experimental results were reproduced in calculations with error of less than 30% for 241 Am administered via injection and less than 10% for 241 Am administered inside the capsules. (authors)

Experimental Aerosol Inoculation and Investigation of Potential Lateral Transmission of Mycobacterium bovis in Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana).

Science.gov (United States)

Fenton, Karla A; Fitzgerald, Scott D; Bolin, Steve; Kaneene, John; Sikarskie, James; Greenwald, Rena; Lyashchenko, Konstantin

2012-01-01

An endemic focus of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) infection in the state of Michigan has contributed to a regional persistence in the animal population. The objective of this study was to determine if Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) contribute to disease persistence by experimentally assessing intraspecies lateral transmission. One wild caught pregnant female opossum bearing 11 joeys (young opossum) and one age-matched joey were obtained for the study. Four joeys were aerosol inoculated with M. bovis (inoculated), four joeys were noninoculated (exposed), and four joeys plus the dam were controls. Four replicate groups of one inoculated and one exposed joey were housed together for 45 days commencing 7 days after experimental inoculation. At day 84 opossums were sacrificed. All four inoculated opossums had a positive test band via rapid test, culture positive, and gross/histologic lesions consistent with caseogranulomatous pneumonia. The exposed and control groups were unremarkable on gross, histology, rapid test, and culture. In conclusion, M. bovis infection within the inoculated opossums was confirmed by gross pathology, histopathology, bacterial culture, and antibody tests. However, M. bovis was not detected in the control and exposed opossums. There was no appreciable lateral transmission of M. bovis after aerosol inoculation and 45 days of cohabitation between infected and uninfected opossums.

Experimental Aerosol Inoculation and Investigation of Potential Lateral Transmission of Mycobacterium bovis in Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla A. Fenton

2012-01-01

Full Text Available An endemic focus of Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis infection in the state of Michigan has contributed to a regional persistence in the animal population. The objective of this study was to determine if Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana contribute to disease persistence by experimentally assessing intraspecies lateral transmission. One wild caught pregnant female opossum bearing 11 joeys (young opossum and one age-matched joey were obtained for the study. Four joeys were aerosol inoculated with M. bovis (inoculated, four joeys were noninoculated (exposed, and four joeys plus the dam were controls. Four replicate groups of one inoculated and one exposed joey were housed together for 45 days commencing 7 days after experimental inoculation. At day 84 opossums were sacrificed. All four inoculated opossums had a positive test band via rapid test, culture positive, and gross/histologic lesions consistent with caseogranulomatous pneumonia. The exposed and control groups were unremarkable on gross, histology, rapid test, and culture. In conclusion, M. bovis infection within the inoculated opossums was confirmed by gross pathology, histopathology, bacterial culture, and antibody tests. However, M. bovis was not detected in the control and exposed opossums. There was no appreciable lateral transmission of M. bovis after aerosol inoculation and 45 days of cohabitation between infected and uninfected opossums.

Experimental animal studies on effects of hyperthermia on the central nervous system: an overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haveman, J; Hulshof, M C.C.M. [Department of Radiotherapy, Academisch Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Sminia, P [Department of Radiation Oncology, Section Radiobiology, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Wondergem, J [Department of Occupational Health and Risk Assessment, Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, Leiden (Netherlands); Zee van der, J [Department of Radiation Oncology, Hyperthermia Unit, Erasmus MC - Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam (Netherlands)

2005-07-01

Full text: From the experimental studies reported in the literature it may be concluded that the maximum tolerable heat dose in CNS is 42{sup o}C to 42.5{sup o}C for 40 to 60 min or 43{sup o}C for 10 to 30 min. This in spite of diversity in animal species studied, as well as the different endpoints for assessment of effects, the different parts of CNS treated, differences in procedures used for anesthesia, thermometry and heating techniques applied. The effects of hyperthermia are expressed immediately or within a few days after treatment and heat injury to neural tissue apparently results in neurological abnormalities which, unless lethal, are transient in most cases. Histological studies show irreversible lesions after high heat dose, characterized by coagulation necrosis. Thermal injury to normal neural tissue is repaired by fibrotic or gliotic scarring. Surviving neuronal elements my be responsible for functional recovery from heat injury, which is, however, dependent on the injured volume and anatomical site of the lesion. Hence, the data indicate a correlation between the exposed volume and toxicity of the heat treatment. The relatively high heat dose tolerated in interstitial heating can be ascribed to this volume effect, since the heated volume of normal neural tissue generally was small and not responsible for vital functions. Late effects, many months after treatment have not been reported. The spinal cord data on maximum tolerable heat dose, point in the same direction as the data on the brain. All studies show that, as with brain, the spinal cord is sensitive to heat. The maximum tolerated heat dose of the cervical part after local hyperthermia lies in the range of 40-60 min at 42-42.5{sup o}C, or less than 30 min at 43{sup o}C. No late effects were reported. The observations on neurology and heat sensitivity of the spinal cord in mice are very similar to those of the rat. There is good evidence indicating that white matter is more heat resistant than

Experimental animal studies on effects of hyperthermia on the central nervous system: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haveman, J.; Hulshof, M.C.C.M.; Sminia, P.; Wondergem, J.; Zee van der, J.

2005-01-01

Full text: From the experimental studies reported in the literature it may be concluded that the maximum tolerable heat dose in CNS is 42 o C to 42.5 o C for 40 to 60 min or 43 o C for 10 to 30 min. This in spite of diversity in animal species studied, as well as the different endpoints for assessment of effects, the different parts of CNS treated, differences in procedures used for anesthesia, thermometry and heating techniques applied. The effects of hyperthermia are expressed immediately or within a few days after treatment and heat injury to neural tissue apparently results in neurological abnormalities which, unless lethal, are transient in most cases. Histological studies show irreversible lesions after high heat dose, characterized by coagulation necrosis. Thermal injury to normal neural tissue is repaired by fibrotic or gliotic scarring. Surviving neuronal elements my be responsible for functional recovery from heat injury, which is, however, dependent on the injured volume and anatomical site of the lesion. Hence, the data indicate a correlation between the exposed volume and toxicity of the heat treatment. The relatively high heat dose tolerated in interstitial heating can be ascribed to this volume effect, since the heated volume of normal neural tissue generally was small and not responsible for vital functions. Late effects, many months after treatment have not been reported. The spinal cord data on maximum tolerable heat dose, point in the same direction as the data on the brain. All studies show that, as with brain, the spinal cord is sensitive to heat. The maximum tolerated heat dose of the cervical part after local hyperthermia lies in the range of 40-60 min at 42-42.5 o C, or less than 30 min at 43 o C. No late effects were reported. The observations on neurology and heat sensitivity of the spinal cord in mice are very similar to those of the rat. There is good evidence indicating that white matter is more heat resistant than grey matter as data

PARP-1 inhibition alleviates diabetic cardiac complications in experimental animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, Esraa M; El-Bassossy, Hany M; El-Maraghy, Nabila N; Ahmed, Ahmed F; Ali, Abdelmoneim A

2016-11-15

Cardiovascular complications are the major causes of mortality among diabetic population. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 enzyme (PARP-1) is activated by oxidative stress leading to cellular damage. We investigated the implication of PARP-1 in diabetic cardiac complications. Type 2 diabetes was induced in rats by high fructose-high fat diet and low streptozotocin dose. PARP inhibitor 4-aminobenzamide (4-AB) was administered daily for ten weeks after diabetes induction. At the end of study, surface ECG, blood pressure and vascular reactivity were studied. PARP-1 activity, reduced glutathione (GSH) and nitrite contents were assessed in heart muscle. Fasting glucose, fructosamine, insulin, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels were measured in serum. Finally, histological examination and collagen deposition detection in rat ventricular and aortic sections were carried out. Hearts isolated from diabetic animals showed increased PARP-1 enzyme activity compared to control animals while significantly reduced by 4-AB administration. PARP-1 inhibition by 4-AB alleviated cardiac ischemia in diabetic animals as indicated by ECG changes. PARP-1 inhibition also reduced cardiac inflammation in diabetic animals as evidenced by histopathological changes. In addition, 4-AB administration improved the elevated blood pressure and the associated exaggerated vascular contractility, endothelial destruction and vascular inflammation seen in diabetic animals. Moreover, PARP-1 inhibition decreased serum levels of TNF-α and cardiac nitrite but increased cardiac GSH contents in diabetic animals. However, PARP-1 inhibition did not significantly affect the developed hyperglycemia. Our findings prove that PARP-1 enzyme plays an important role in diabetic cardiac complications through combining inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis mechanisms. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cerebral microcirculation during experimental normovolaemic anaemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judith eBellapart

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Anaemia is accepted amongst critically ill patients as an alternative to elective blood transfusion. This practice has been extrapolated to head injury patients with only one study comparing the effects of mild anaemia on neurological outcome. There are no studies quantifying microcirculation during anaemia. Experimental studies suggest that anaemia leads to cerebral hypoxia and increased rates of infarction, but the lack of clinical equipoise when testing the cerebral effects of transfusion amongst critically injured patients, supports the need of experimental studies. The aim of this study was to quantify cerebral microcirculation and the potential presence of axonal damage in an experimental model exposed to normovolaemic anaemia, with the intention of describing possible limitations within management practices in critically ill patients. Under non-recovered anaesthesia, six Merino sheep were instrumented using an intracardiac transeptal catheter to inject coded microspheres into the left atrium to ensure systemic and non-chaotic distribution. Cytometric analyses quantified cerebral microcirculation at specific regions of the brain. Amyloid precursor protein staining was used as an indicator of axonal damage. Animals were exposed to normovolaemic anaemia by blood extractions from the indwelling arterial catheter with simultaneous fluid replacement through a venous central catheter. Simultaneous data recording from cerebral tissue oxygenation, intracranial pressure and cardiac output was monitored. A regression model was used to examine the effects of anaemia on microcirculation with a mixed model to control for repeated measures. Homogeneous and normal cerebral microcirculation with no evidence of axonal damage was present in all cerebral regions, with no temporal variability, concluding that acute normovolaemic anaemia does not result in short term effects on cerebral microcirculation in the ovine brain.

Lung cell reactions in guinea pigs exposed to tobacco smoke and silica dust or bacterial lipopolysaccharides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sjoestrand, M; Rylander, R

1984-02-01

In order to investigate the possibility of the synergistic effects of tobacco smoke and/or silica dust (SiO2) or bacterial endotoxins (LPS), guinea pigs were exposed to combinations of these agents. A 15-day exposure to SiO2 alone caused a decrease in intracellular lysosomal enzymes of alveolar macrophages (AM) and an increase of lysosomal enzymes detected in lung lavage fluid which was present 16 weeks after exposure. The effect was the same in animals which received SiO2 in combination with tobacco smoke. Exposure to LPS caused an increase in the number of neutrophils recovered in lavage fluid. The increase in neutrophils was less in animals previously exposed to tobacco smoke alone or in combination with LPS. Acute exposure to LPS also caused an increase in lactate dehydrogenase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase activity detectable in lung lavage fluid. The increase was less pronounced in animals previously exposed to smoke. Cathepsin D was increased in AM after tobacco smoke exposure alone and was decreased to below control values of the animals which received an acute LPS exposure.

Clinical findings on in utero exposed microcephalic children

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabuchi, Akira; Hirai, Tsuyoshi; Nakagawa, Shigeru; Shimada, Katsunobu; Fujito, Junro

1966-12-24

Since animal experiments have shown that microcephaly is induced by fetal exposure to radiation and microcephaly has been found in children of mothers exposed to x-ray therapy during pregnancy (Murphy et al), the main cause of microcephaly in children exposed in utero to the A-bomb is considered to be ionizing radiation. Wood et al reported the increased incidence of microcephaly and mental retardation in children exposed in utero at proximal distances which they felt could not be attributed to any other known variable. ABCC has recently concluded that the effect of in utero exposure is primarily due to the immediate effect of radiation upon the fetuses although in A-bomb exposure the physical injury to the mother due to the A-bomb cannot be completely ignored. Our survey likewise revealed an increase of microcephaly in children exposed early in pregnancy at less than 15 weeks at closer distances than 1500 m. Thus, we presume that A-bomb radiation increases the incidence of microcephaly. 16 references, 8 tables.

EXPOSE-R2: The Astrobiological ESA Mission on Board of the International Space Station

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elke Rabbow

2017-08-01

Full Text Available On July 23, 2014, the Progress cargo spacecraft 56P was launched from Baikonur to the International Space Station (ISS, carrying EXPOSE-R2, the third ESA (European Space Agency EXPOSE facility, the second EXPOSE on the outside platform of the Russian Zvezda module, with four international astrobiological experiments into space. More than 600 biological samples of archaea, bacteria (as biofilms and in planktonic form, lichens, fungi, plant seeds, triops eggs, mosses and 150 samples of organic compounds were exposed to the harsh space environment and to parameters similar to those on the Mars surface. Radiation dosimeters distributed over the whole facility complemented the scientific payload. Three extravehicular activities later the chemical samples were returned to Earth on March 2, 2016, with Soyuz 44S, having spent 588 days in space. The biological samples arrived back later, on June 18, 2016, with 45S, after a total duration in space of 531 days. The exposure of the samples to Low Earth Orbit vacuum lasted for 531 days and was divided in two parts: protected against solar irradiation during the first 62 days, followed by exposure to solar radiation during the subsequent 469 days. In parallel to the space mission, a Mission Ground Reference (MGR experiment with a flight identical Hardware and a complete flight identical set of samples was performed at the premises of DLR (German Aerospace Center in Cologne by MUSC (Microgravity User Support Center, according to the mission data either downloaded from the ISS (temperature data, facility status, inner pressure status or provided by RedShift Design and Engineering BVBA, Belgium (calculated ultra violet radiation fluence data. In this paper, the EXPOSE-R2 facility, the experimental samples, mission parameters, environmental parameters, and the overall mission and MGR sequences are described, building the background for the research papers of the individual experiments, their analysis and results.

Reproductive toxicity parameters and biological monitoring in occupationally and environmentally boron-exposed persons in Bandirma, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Duydu, Yalçın; Başaran, Nurşen; Üstündağ, Aylin; Aydin, Sevtap; Ündeğer, Ülkü; Ataman, Osman Yavuz; Aydos, Kaan; Düker, Yalçın; Ickstadt, Katja; Waltrup, Britta Schulze; Golka, Klaus; Bolt, Hermann M

2011-06-01

Boric acid and sodium borates have been considered as being "toxic to reproduction and development", following results of animal studies with high doses. Experimentally, a NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) of 17.5 mg B/kg-bw/day has been identified for the (male) reproductive effects of boron in a multigeneration study of rats, and a NOAEL for the developmental effects in rats was identified at 9.6 mg B/kg-bw/day. These values are being taken as the basis of current EU safety assessments. The present study was conducted to investigate the reproductive effects of boron exposure in workers employed in boric acid production plant in Bandirma, Turkey. In order to characterize the external and internal boron exposures, boron was determined in biological samples (blood, urine, semen), in workplace air, in food, and in water sources. Unfavorable effects of boron exposure on the reproductive toxicity indicators (concentration, motility, morphology of the sperm cells and blood levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and total testosterone) were not observed. The mean calculated daily boron exposure (DBE) of the highly exposed group was 14.45 ± 6.57 (3.32-35.62) mg/day. These human exposures represent worst-case exposure conditions to boric acid/borates in Turkey. These exposure levels are considerably lower than exposures, which have previously led to reproductive effects in experimental animals. In conclusion, this means that dose levels of boron associated with developmental and reproductive toxic effects in animals are by far not reachable for humans under conditions of normal handling and use.

Discrepant Results of Experimental Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy after Myocardial Infarction: Are Animal Models Robust Enough?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melina C den Haan

Full Text Available Human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs have been reported to preserve cardiac function in myocardial infarction (MI models. Previously, we found a beneficial effect of intramyocardial injection of unstimulated human MSCs (uMSCs on cardiac function after permanent coronary artery ligation. In the present study we aimed to extend this research by investigating the effect of intramyocardial injection of human MSCs pre-stimulated with the pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma (iMSCs, since pro-inflammatory priming has shown additional salutary effects in multiple experimental disease models.MI was induced in NOD/Scid mice by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Animals received intramyocardial injection of uMSCs, iMSCs or PBS. Sham-operated animals were used to determine baseline characteristics. Cardiac performance was assessed after 2 and 14 days using 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging and pressure-volume loop measurements. Histology and q-PCR were used to confirm MSC engraftment in the heart.Both uMSC and iMSC therapy had no significant beneficial effect on cardiac function or remodelling in contrast to our previous studies.Animal models for cardiac MSC therapy appear less robust than initially envisioned.

[Healing of a deep skin wound using a collagen sponge as dressing in the animal experiment].

Science.gov (United States)

Sedlarik, K M; Schoots, C; Oosterbaan, J A; Klopper, J P

1992-10-01

The high number of available wound dressing materials as well as the scientific reports about the topic indicates that the problem of an ideal wound dressing is not jet solved. In the last thirty years lot of scientific reports about collagen as wound covering has been published. The positive effect of collagen by his application on a wound ist well known. We investigated the effect of a collagen sponge on healing of full thickness skin wound in guinea pig. The animals were divided in two control groups and two experimental groups. In the control group there were air exposed wounds and another wounds covered with paraffin gauze. In the experimental groups were such wounds covered with natural reconstituted collagen sponge as well as wounds covered with chemically prepared collagen sponge with hexamethyldiisocyanat. The results were compared. The air exposed wounds healed in 50 days, the wounds covered with paraffin gauze healed in 48 days. By covering the wounds with collagen sponge the healing was shortened in 24 or 27 days respectively. Not only the healing time was shortened but also the quality of the wound repair by dressing the wounds with collagen sponge was enhanced.

Review of pulmonary toxicity of indium compounds to animals and humans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Akiyo; Hirata, Miyuki; Kiyohara, Yutaka; Nakano, Makiko; Omae, Kazuyuki; Shiratani, Masaharu; Koga, Kazunori

2010-01-01

Due to the increased production of ITO, the potential health hazards arising from occupational exposure to this material have attracted much attention. This review consists of three parts: 1) toxic effects of indium compounds on animals, 2) toxic effects of indium compounds on humans, and 3) recommendations for preventing exposure to indium compounds in the workplace. Available data have indicated that insoluble form of indium compounds, such as ITO, indium arsenide (InAs) and indium phosphide (InP), can be toxic to animals. Furthermore, InP has demonstrated clear evidence of carcinogenic potential in long-term inhalation studies using experimental animals. As for the dangers to humans, some data are available concerning adverse health effects to workers who have been exposed to indium-containing particles. The Japan Society for Occupational Health recommended the value of 3 μg/L of indium in serum as the occupational exposure limit based on biological monitoring to preventing adverse health effects in workers resulting from occupational exposure to indium compounds. Accordingly, it is essential that much greater attention is focused on human exposure to indium compounds, and precautions against possible exposure to indium compounds are most important with regard to health management among indium-handling workers.

Pressure and intracorporal acceleration measurements in pigs exposed to strong shock waves in a free field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vassout, P.; Franke, R.; Parmentier, G.; Evrard, G.; Dancer, A.

1987-01-01

A theoretical study on the propagation of a pressure wave in a diphasic medium, when compared to the onset mechanism of pulmonary lesions in subjects exposed to strong shock waves, shows an increase in the incident overpressure at the interface level. Using hydrophones, intracorporal pressure was measured in pigs. The authors recorded the costal wall acceleration on the side directly exposed to the shock wave and calculated the displacement of the costal wall after a shock wave passed by. These experiments were conducted for shock waves in a free field, at an overpressure peak level ranging from 26 kFPa to 380 kPa and for a first positive phase lasting 2 ms. Sensors placed in an intracorporal position detected no increase of the overpressure level for any value of the incident pressure. A comparison of the costal wall displacement, measured experimentally, relative to the theoretical displacement of the entire animal mass indicates that the largest relative displacement of the costal wall could be the origin of the pulmonary lesions found. 5 refs., 13 figs

Studies on the transmission of malignant catarrhal fever in experimental animals: A serial infection of cattle and buffalo by means of whole blood inoculation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agus Wiyono

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF is a fatal disease especially affecting cattle and buffaloes. A study on the serial blood transmission of MCF was conducted by injecting whole blood of MCF animals into 9 experimental animals. Diagnosis of MCF was based on the clinico-pathological fmdings and polymerase chain reaction (PCR test. The disease has successfully, been achieved in six animals of three Bali cattle and three buffaloes but not in a Bali-cross breed and two Bos indicus (Ongole cattle. Wide range of clinical signs and gross-pathological features were observed. The study showed the degree of susceptibility of experimental animals: Bali cattle and buffalo were highly susceptible (3 out of 3 affected with MCF, Bali-cross breed and Bos indicus (Ongole cattle seemed not susceptible to whole blood experimental transmission. It shows that when Bali cattle acted as inoculum donor, buffalo tended to be clinically more severe than Bali cattle. On the other hand, when buffalo acted as inoculum donor, Bali cattle suffered from MCF more severe than buffalo. The diagnosis of MCF by histopathological examination and the PCR test bad positive correlation (100% in the first experiment, while in the second experiment the PCR test tends to be more sensitive. Based on the restriction endonuclease (RE test, the MCF causal agent in this study appeared to be genetically similar in each case. It is concluded that the serial experimental transmission of MCF by means of whole blood inoculation has been successfully achieved in Bali cattle and buffalo but not in Bali-cross breed and Ongole cattle, and there is a positive correlation between the PCR test and histopathological examination with the PCR test tends to be more sensitive.

Demystifying animal 'personality' (or not): why individual variation matters to experimental biologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Dominique G; Careau, Vincent; Binning, Sandra A

2016-12-15

Animal 'personality', defined as repeatable inter-individual differences in behaviour, is a concept in biology that faces intense controversy. Critics argue that the field is riddled with terminological and methodological inconsistencies and lacks a sound theoretical framework. Nevertheless, experimental biologists are increasingly studying individual differences in physiology and relating these to differences in behaviour, which can lead to fascinating insights. We encourage this trend, and in this Commentary we highlight some of the benefits of estimating variation in (and covariation among) phenotypic traits at the inter- and intra-individual levels. We focus on behaviour while drawing parallels with physiological and performance-related traits. First, we outline some of the confusion surrounding the terminology used to describe repeatable inter-individual differences in behaviour. Second, we argue that acknowledging individual behavioural differences can help researchers avoid sampling and experimental bias, increase explanatory power and, ultimately, understand how selection acts on physiological traits. Third, we summarize the latest methods to collect, analyse and present data on individual trait variation. We note that, while measuring the repeatability of phenotypic traits is informative in its own right, it is only the first step towards understanding how natural selection and genetic architecture shape intra-specific variation in complex, labile traits. Thus, understanding how and why behavioural traits evolve requires linking repeatable inter-individual behavioural differences with core aspects of physiology (e.g. neurophysiology, endocrinology, energy metabolism) and evolutionary biology (e.g. selection gradients, heritability). © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

THE HISTORY OF LABORATORY ANIMALS AND THE 3RS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alstrup, Aage Kristian Olsen

This talk will give an introduction to the history of the use of laboratory animals with focus on the history of the three Rs (3Rs). We will see how animal experimentation has been performed early in our civilization, and how the suffering of animals has been justified. This will include Rene...... Descartes´s mechanical view of animals in the seventeenth century, and Charles Darwin's ambivalent relationship to animal experimentation, which he views as cruel but necessary. In the 1870s the Danish Foundation for Protection of Animals (“Dyrenes Beskyttelse”) and Professor Peter Panum discussed the use...

Assessment of the radiomodifying effect of the herbal preparation 'Elixir-3' in laboratory animals exposed to external whole-body gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenchova, V.; Topalova, S.; Stefanova, D.; Kuzova, K.

2002-01-01

The study of preparations obtained from natural products, free of any toxic effects on the organism, has important practical implications on the prophylaxis against and correction of eventual sequelae of ionizing radiation. It is the purpose of the study to assay the radiomodifying action of the herbal preparation 'Elixir-3' (E-3) on mice exposed to acute whole-body irradiation with 3 and 7 Gy gamma-rays, using a prophylactic-therapeutic scheme of application over 30 days. E-3 represents alcohol-water extract of basil, hops, briar, nettle, walnut and peppermint. Bone marrow femoral and spleen cellularity, endogenous spleen colony-forming units (E-CFUs), overall plasma oxidation activity and phagocytic activity of neutrophils are evaluated. E-3, administered in a prophylactic-therapeutic scheme, promotes post-radiation recovery of hematopoiesis in mice irradiated with non-lethal and median-lethal gamma ray doses, and exerts a favourable effect on the anti-oxidation status and phagocytic activity of neutrophils in laboratory animals.(authors)

Sildenafil Can Affect Innate and Adaptive Immune System in Both Experimental Animals and Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kniotek, Monika; Boguska, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

Sildenafil, a type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitor (PDE5-I), is primarily used for treating erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil inhibits the degradation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) by competing with cGMP for binding site of PDE5. cGMP is a secondary messenger activating protein kinases and a common regulator of ion channel conductance, glycogenolysis, and cellular apoptosis. PDE5 inhibitors (PDE-Is) found application in cardiology, nephrology, urology, dermatology, oncology, and gynecology. Positive result of sildenafil treatment is closely connected with its immunomodulatory effects. Sildenafil influences angiogenesis, platelet activation, proliferation of regulatory T cells, and production of proinflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies. Sildenafil action in humans and animals appears to be different. Surprisingly, it also acts differently in males and females organisms. Although the immunomodulatory effects of PDE5 inhibitors appear to be promising, none of them reached the point of being tested in clinical trials. Data on the influence of selective PDE5-Is on the human immune system are limited. The main objective of this review is to discuss the immunomodulatory effects of sildenafil in both patients and experimental animals. This is the first review of the current state of knowledge about the effects of sildenafil on the immune system.

Sketching with animation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vistisen, Peter

This book offers a contribution to the theory, method and techniques involved in the use of animation as a tool for temporal design sketching. Lifted from its traditional role as a genre of entertainment and art and reframed in the design domain, animation offers support during the early phases...... of exploring and assessing the potential of new and emerging digital technologies. This approach is relatively new and has been touched upon by few academic contributions in the past. Thus, the aim of the text is not to promote a claim that sketching with animation is an inherently new phenomenon. Instead......, the aim is to present a range of analytical arguments and experimental results that indicate the need for a systematic approach to realising the potential of animation within design sketching. This will establish the foundation for what we label animation-based sketching....

Experimental study of gene expression in lung and bronchus of radon-exposed mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Zhiying; Tian Mei; Liu Jianxiang; Ruan Jianlei; Piao Chunnan; Su Xu

2008-01-01

Objective: To construct and identify differentially expressed cDNA library in lung and bronchus of mice exposed to radon. Methods: 2 week old, weighing (18-22)g, male BALB/c mice were placed in a SR-NIM02 radon chamber. One group of mice was exposed to radon, which was equivalent to the accumulative dose of 30 WLM. The control group was about 0.02 WLM. To construct a subtracted cDNA library enriched with differentially expressed genes, the Super SMART technique and the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) were performed. The obtained forward and reverse cDNA fragments were directly inserted into pGEM-T-easy vector and transformed into E. coli DH5α. The inserts in plasmid were amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and some of which were sequenced. In the end these sequences were BLASTed with GeneBank. Results: 146 of 460 clones obtained randomly were positive clones contained (1000-1500)bp inserted cDNA fragments. The forward and reverse subtracted cDNA library in lung and bronchus of mice exposed to radon was constructed, and 48 up-regulation and 61 down-regulation cDNA sequences selected were homologous with GeneBank in different extent. Conclusions: The subtracted cDNA library in lung and bronchus of mice exposed to radon is successfully constructed, and genes that differentially expressed are identified. Some genes might have relation with the immunity, cell cycle and apoptosis. (authors)

Animal studies on growth and development.

Science.gov (United States)

Lerchl, Alexander

2011-12-01

Despite the fact that no plausible biological mechanism has yet been identified how electromagnetic fields below recommended exposure limits could negatively affect health of animals or humans, many experiments have been performed in various animal species, mainly mice and rats, to investigate the possible effects on growth and development. While older studies often suffered from sub-optimal exposure conditions, recent investigations, using sophisticated exposure devices and thus preventing thermal effects, have been performed without these limitations. In principle, two types of studies can be addressed: those which have investigated the carcinogenic or co-carcinogenic effects of exposure in developing animals, and those which have been done in developing animals without the focus on carcinogenic or co-carcinogenic effects. In both areas, the vast majority of publications did not show adverse effects. The largest study so far has been done in normal mice which have been chronically exposed to UMTS signals up to 1.3 W/kg SAR, thus 16 times higher than the whole-body exposure limit for humans. Even after four generations, no systematic or dose-dependent alterations in development or fertility could be found, supporting the view that negative effects on humans are very unlikely. Ongoing experiments in our laboratory investigate the effects of head-only exposure in rats (up to 10 W/kg local SAR) which are exposed from 14 days of age daily for 2 h. A battery of behavioral tests is performed in young, adult, and pre-senile animals. The results will help to clarify possible effects of exposure on brain development. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

XX. Animal models of pneumocystosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dei-Cas, E.; Brun-Pascaud, M.; Bille-Hansen, Vivi

1998-01-01

As in vitro culture systems allowing to isolate Pneumocystis samples from patients or other mammal hosts are still not available, animal models have critical importance in Pneumocystis research. The parasite was reported in numerous mammals but P. carinii pneumonia (PCP) experimental models were...... a source of parasites taxonomically related to P. carinii sp. f hominis. Moreover, primates might be used as experimental hosts to human Pneumocystis. A marked variability of parasite levels among corticosteroid-treated animals and the fact that the origin of the parasite strain remains unknown......, are important drawbacks of the corticosteroid-treated models. For these reasons, inoculated animal models of PCP were developed. The intratracheal inoculation of lung homogenates containing viable parasites in corticosteroid-treated non-latently infected rats resulted in extensive, reproducible Pneumocystis...

Differential numbers of foci of lymphocytes within the brains of Lewis rats exposed to weak complex nocturnal magnetic fields during development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Persinger, Michael A

2009-01-01

To discern if specific structures of the rat brain contained more foci of lymphocytes following induction of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and exposures to weak, amplitude-modulated magnetic fields for 6 min once per hour during the scotophase, the residuals between the observed and predicted values for the numbers of foci for 320 structures were obtained. Compared to the brains of sham-field exposed rats, the brains of rats exposed to 7-Hz 50 nT (0.5 mG) amplitude-modulated fields showed more foci within hippocampal structures and the dorsal central grey of the midbrain while those exposed to 7-Hz 500 nT (5 mG) fields showed greater densities within the hypothalamus and optic chiasm. The brains of rats exposed to either the 50 nT or 500 nT amplitude-modulated 40-Hz fields displayed greater densities of foci within the midbrain structures related to rapid eye movement. Most of the enhancements of infiltrations within the magnetic field-exposed rats occurred in structures within periventricular or periaqueductal regions and were both frequency- and intensity-dependent. The specificity and complexity of the configurations of the residuals of the numbers of infiltrated foci following exposures to the different fields suggest that the brain itself may be a "sensory organ" for the detection of these stimuli.

Animal science: Isotopes and nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vercoe, J.E.

1978-01-01

In many regions of the world, animal production is limited by poor growth, reproductive performance and milk output of livestock, thus limiting the availability of animal products such as meat, milk, leather, etc., for use by man. Reduced animal production results from inadequate or unbalanced nutrition, lack of adaptation to climatic conditions, and parasitic and other diseases The production from animals can be improved on the one hand by improving genotypes (the breeds and strains within a given species) to make them better suited to the environment to which they are exposed, and on the other hand by modifying the components of the environment which are limiting the production. In practice, a combination of these two strategies is usually desirable but the relative importance of each is determined by short- and long-term economic considerations and the likely environmental consequences. Isotopes and radiation play an important part in identifying and alleviating the genetic and environmental limitations to animal production

Bias During the Evaluation of Animal Studies?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Knight

2012-02-01

Full Text Available My recent book entitled The Costs and Benefits of Animal Experiments seeks to answer a key question within animal ethics, namely: is animal experimentation ethically justifiable? Or, more precisely, is it justifiable within the utilitarian cost:benefit framework that fundamentally underpins most regulations governing animal experimentation? To answer this question I reviewed more than 500 scientific publications describing animal studies, animal welfare impacts, and alternative research, toxicity testing and educational methodologies. To minimise bias I focused primarily on large-scale systematic reviews that had examined the human clinical and toxicological utility of animal studies. Despite this, Dr. Susanne Prankel recently reviewed my book in this journal, essentially accusing me of bias. However, she failed to provide any substantive evidence to refute my conclusions, let alone evidence of similar weight to that on which they are based. Those conclusions are, in fact, firmly based on utilitarian ethical reasoning, informed by scientific evidence of considerable strength, and I believe they are robust.

Bias During the Evaluation of Animal Studies?

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Andrew

2012-02-23

My recent book entitled The Costs and Benefits of Animal Experiments seeks to answer a key question within animal ethics, namely: is animal experimentation ethically justifiable? Or, more precisely, is it justifiable within the utilitarian cost:benefit framework that fundamentally underpins most regulations governing animal experimentation? To answer this question I reviewed more than 500 scientific publications describing animal studies, animal welfare impacts, and alternative research, toxicity testing and educational methodologies. To minimise bias I focused primarily on large-scale systematic reviews that had examined the human clinical and toxicological utility of animal studies. Despite this, Dr. Susanne Prankel recently reviewed my book in this journal, essentially accusing me of bias. However, she failed to provide any substantive evidence to refute my conclusions, let alone evidence of similar weight to that on which they are based. Those conclusions are, in fact, firmly based on utilitarian ethical reasoning, informed by scientific evidence of considerable strength, and I believe they are robust.

Extrapolation of experimental data on late effects of low-dose radionuclides in man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalistratova, V.S.; Nisimov, P.G.

1997-01-01

The situation of living of population on radionuclide contamination areas was simulated in the experimental study using white strainless rats of different ages. The significance of age for late stochastic effects of internal radionuclide contamination with low doses of 131 I, 137 Cs, 144 Ce and 106 Ru was studied. Some common regularities and differences in late effects formation depending on age were found. Results of the study showed that the number of tumors developed increased in groups of animals exposed at the youngest age. The younger animal at the moment of internal radionuclide contamination, the higher percentage of malignant tumors appeared. It was especially so for tumors of endocrine glands (pituitary, suprarenal,- and thyroid). Differences in late effects formation related to different type of radionuclide distribution within the body were estimated. On the base of extrapolation the conclusion was made that human organism being exposed at early postnatal or pubertal period could be the most radiosensitive (1.5-2.0 or sometimes even 3-5 times higher than adults). Data confirmed the opinion that children are the most critical part of population even in case of low dose radiation exposure. (author)

Coupler for surgery on small animals

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, J. E., Jr.; Swartz, P. F.

1979-01-01

Minicoupler simplifies exchange of fluids with organs of laboratory animals enabling one person to perform surgery on experimental animals such as rats and mice. Innovation eliminates obstructing hands and instruments from areas of surgery.

Biomarkers of genetic damage in human populations exposed to pesticides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aiassa, Delia; Manas, Fernando; Bosch, Beatriz; Gentile, Natalia; Bernardi, Natali; Gorla, Nora

2012-01-01

The effect of pesticides on human, animal and environmental health has been cause of concern in the scientific community for a long time. Numerous studies have reported that pesticides are not harmless and that their use can lead to harmful biological effects in the medium and long term, in exposed human and animals, and their offspring. The importance of early detection of genetic damage is that it allows us to take the necessary measures to reduce or eliminate the exposure to the deleterious agent when damage is still reversible, and thus to prevent and to diminish the risk of developing tumors or other alterations. In this paper we reviewed the main concepts in the field, the usefulness of genotoxicity studies and we compiled studies performed during the last twenty years on genetic monitoring of people occupationally exposed to pesticides. we think that genotoxicity tests, including that include chromosomal aberrations, micronucleus, sister chromatid exchanges and comet assays, should be considered as essential tools in the implementation of complete medical supervision for people exposed to potential environmental pollutants, particularly for those living in the same place as others who were others have already developed some type of malignancy. This action is particularly important at early stages to prevent the occurrence of tumors, especially from environmental origins.

Relevance of experimental animal studies to the human experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fry, R.J.M.

1982-01-01

Animal experiments are being used to examine a number of physical and biological factors that influence risk estimations though not usually in coordination with epidemiologists. It is clear that the different mechanisms involved in different types of tumors are reflected in the diversity of dose-response relationships. The forms of the dose-response relationships are influenced by both the initial events and their expression. Evidence is accumulating that many initiated cells do not get expressed as overt cancers and host factors may play a major role in the expression of potential tumor cells. There is a need for information about the relationship of the natural incidence and susceptibility to radiation induction for more tumor types. Such experiments will help answer the question of which risk estimate models are appropriate for different tumor types and can be carried out on animals. Perhaps because of the importance of host factors risk estimates as a percentage of the natural incidence appear to be similar for human beings and mice for a small number of tumor types. The elucidation of the mechanisms involved in different tissues while a slow business remains an important role of animal experiments

Novel animal model for Achilles tendinopathy: Controlled experimental study of serial injections of collagenase in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

de Cesar Netto, Cesar; Godoy-Santos, Alexandre Leme; Augusto Pontin, Pedro; Natalino, Renato Jose Mendonça; Pereira, Cesar Augusto Martins; Lima, Francisco Diego de Oliveira; da Fonseca, Lucas Furtado; Staggers, Jackson Rucker; Cavinatto, Leonardo Muntada; Schon, Lew Charles; de Camargo, Olavo Pires; Fernandes, Túlio Diniz

2018-01-01

Our goal was to develop a novel technique for inducing Achilles tendinopathy in animal models which more accurately represents the progressive histological and biomechanical characteristic of chronic Achilles tendinopathy in humans. In this animal research study, forty-five rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups and given bilateral Achilles injections. Low dose (LD group) (n = 18) underwent a novel technique with three low-dose (0.1mg) injections of collagenase that were separated by two weeks, the high dose group (HD) (n = 18) underwent traditional single high-dose (0.3mg) injections, and the third group were controls (n = 9). Six rabbits were sacrificed from each experimental group (LD and HD) at 10, 12 and 16 weeks. Control animals were sacrificed after 16 weeks. Histological and biomechanical properties were then compared in all three groups. At 10 weeks, Bonar score and tendon cross sectional area was highest in HD group, with impaired biomechanical properties compared to LD group. At 12 weeks, Bonar score was higher in LD group, with similar biomechanical findings when compared to HD group. After 16 weeks, Bonar score was significantly increased for both LD group (11,8±2,28) and HD group (5,6±2,51), when compared to controls (2±0,76). LD group showed more pronounced histological and biomechanical findings, including cross sectional area of the tendon, Young's modulus, yield stress and ultimate tensile strength. In conclusion, Achilles tendinopathy in animal models that were induced by serial injections of low-dose collagenase showed more pronounced histological and biomechanical findings after 16 weeks than traditional techniques, mimicking better the progressive and chronic characteristic of the tendinopathy in humans.

Practical experiences with irradiation of laboratory animals' feed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamiker, D.

1979-01-01

The increasing need for well-defined, standardized experimental animals for research has led to the development of many new methods of keeping the animals free from pathogenic microorganisms. In this connection the problem of contaminated food has taken on ever greater significance. The methods most commonly used today, namely chemical treatment and heat treatment of the fodder, have many disadvantages and interest in the use of radiation sterilization has accordingly increased. The author discusses the various aspects of this method in relation to SPF animals and reports on the three years' experience of the Research Institute for Experimental Animal Breeding (University of Vienna) in Himberg with the use of exclusively radiation-treated diets in the rearing of rats and mice. The ease of handling irradiated fodder, the reliability of the method from the microbiological point of view and the excellent breeding results already obtained make this process - despite its somewhat higher cost - the best possible method of pasteurizing the feed of experimental animals. (author)

9 CFR 72.23 - Cars or other vehicles having carried infested or exposed cattle in quarantined area shall be...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cars or other vehicles having carried... treated. Cars or others vehicles which have carried cattle exposed to or infested with ticks within the... TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS (INCLUDING POULTRY) AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS TEXAS (SPLENETIC) FEVER IN CATTLE § 72.23 Cars...

[Animal testing ethics and human testing. Thoughts on our conduct with and our relationship to animals].

Science.gov (United States)

Locker, Alfred

2004-01-01

After many years of experimental work with animals of diverse species, the author felt confronted with the question whether the great expenditure of sacrificed animal life would pay off when compared with the results gained. By self-critically considering his work, he gradually experienced a conversion from an unconcerned experimenter to a man feeling a deep sympathy with his fellow creatures. This motivated him to ponder the true nature of animals. Instead of applying ethics--though justified in its own realm--the author preferred to look at the problem using the General Systems Theory (GST), which can describe "the other side" of any system, the side into which any system may occasionally or necessarily transform. It occurred to him to assume that--provided we see a living organism as a system (as Ludwig von Bertalanffy, the founder of GST, did)--the "other side" of the animal would correspond to an innocent "genius" who suffers for man (thereby assuming a Christ-like position), whereas in its transitory life the true essence of the animal is hidden. Thus, by fancifully viewing the role of animals destined to suffer, a connection between GST and theology or religion arises. The consequence for us would be to pay honour to the test animal, irrespective of whether or not painful experiments could be avoided. The differentiation between a sacrifice (spiritually surrendering for a greater good) and a victim (involuntarily subjected to suffering) reveals that the experimental animal primarily belongs to the latter. But it can be elevated to the former when the full meaning of its suffering becomes obvious. The same holds true for "human testing", if, in contrast to the formidable atrocities, e.g. of concentration camps, the momentum of voluntariness is guaranteed, as pioneers of medical research frequently demonstrated by carrying out experiments on themselves.

Carcinogenesis and Inflammatory Effects of Plutonium-Nitrate Retention in an Exposed Nuclear Worker and Beagle Dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Christopher E.; Wang, Xihai; Robinson, Robert J.; Brooks, Antone L.; Lovaglio, Jamie A.; Patton, Kristin M.; McComish, Stacey; Tolmachev, Sergei Y.; Morgan, William F.

2014-01-01

The genetic and inflammatory response pathways elicited following plutonium exposure in archival lung tissue of an occupationally exposed human and experimentally exposed beagle dogs were investigated. These pathways include: tissue injury, apoptosis and gene expression modifications related to carcinogenesis and inflammation. In order to determine which pathways are involved, multiple lung samples from a plutonium exposed worker (Case 0269), a human control (Case 0385), and plutonium exposed beagle dogs were examined using histological staining and immunohistochemistry. Examinations were performed to identify target tissues at risk of radiation-induced fibrosis, inflammation, and carcinogenesis. Case 0269 showed interstitial fibrosis in peripheral and subpleural regions of the lung, but no pulmonary tumors. In contrast, the dogs with similar and higher doses showed pulmonary tumors primarily in brochiolo-alveolar, peripheral and subpleural alveolar regions. The TUNEL assay showed slight elevation of apoptosis in tracheal mucosa, tumor cells, and nuclear debris was present in the inflammatory regions of alveoli and lymph nodes of both the human and the dogs. The expression of apoptosis and a number of chemokine/cytokine genes was slightly but not significantly elevated in protein or gene levels compared to that of the control samples. In the beagles, mucous production was increased in the airway epithelial goblet cells and glands of trachea, and a number of chemokine/cytokine genes showed positive immunoreactivity. This analysis of archival tissue from an accidentally exposed worker and in a large animal model provides valuable information on the effects of long-term retention of plutonium in the respiratory tract and the histological evaluation study may impact mechanistic studies of radiation carcinogenesis

Expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase in rat kidneys exposed to high +Gz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyun-Soo Kim

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Exposure to high gravitational acceleration forces acting along the body axis from the head to the feet (+Gz severely reduces blood flow to the visceral organs, including the kidneys. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK figures predominantly in mediating kidney cell responses to a wide variety of stress-related stimuli. Though previous studies have shown the activation of ERK in some experimental models, the regulation of ERK associated with +Gz exposure has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of high +Gz exposure on ERK activation in the kidneys. Using a small animal centrifuge, eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to +10Gz or +13Gz three times for 3 minutes each. The bilateral kidneys were obtained from each rat, and the expression levels of phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. In the control group, the collecting duct epithelium displayed faint cytoplasmic staining with no nuclear staining of p-ERK. By contrast, rats exposed to +10Gz showed strong nuclear staining intensity for p-ERK. In the renal papilla, the epithelial cells of collecting ducts and thin segments of the loop of Henle exhibited strong nuclear immunoreactivity for p-ERK. Rats exposed to +13Gz also showed the same staining intensity and distribution of p-ERK expression as that of rats exposed to +10Gz. This study is the first to describe +Gz exposure-induced alteration in the expression of p-ERK in the kidneys. Our finding suggests that high +Gz exposure leads to the activation of ERK in the renal papilla.

Animal toxicology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amdur, M.

1996-12-31

The chapter evaluates results of toxicological studies on experimental animals to investigate health effects of air pollutants and examines the animal data have predicted the response to human subject. Data are presented on the comparative toxicity of sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid. The animal data obtained by measurement of airway resistance in guinea pigs and of bronchial clearance of particles in donkeys predicted clearly that sulfuric acid was more irritant than sulfur dioxide. Data obtained on human subjects confirmed this prediction. These acute studies also correctly predicted the comparative toxicity of the two compounds in two year studies of monkeys. Such chronic studies are not possible in human subjects but it is a reasonable to assume that sulfuric acid would be more toxic than sulfur dioxide. Current findings in epidemiological studies certainly support this assumption.

Evaluation of Religious Animations in the IRIB

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nematoallah Moussa Pour

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Religious education has an elevated status and a great value in Iranian religious society. Using different methods and instruments to realize this goal has been always considered by those involved in education. At the present time, television is an effective means for communicating with social groups. One of those groups is children who can be exposed to messages by animations. The effectiveness of animation is a function of the manner in which it has been produced. Therefore, we can ask whether psychological principles have been observed in the production of religious animations for children. This article, written for evaluating religious animations used in the television, aims at identifying sixteen principles governing the production of animations for children. To do this, the authors referred to authentic sources in psychology and media studies after gathering data and composing them, managed to identify the principles governing the production of animation. The numbers of these principles have been applied to the production of animations, a checklist was prepared and the data were extracted from analyzing two religious animations, two domestic non-religious animations and two foreign non-religious animations. Non-religious animations were analyzed to make possible the suggested that the producers of religious animations pay special attention to do this point.

Developmental dental defects in children exposed to PCBs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jan, J. [Ljubljana Univ. (Slovenia). Fac. of Medicine; Sovcikova, E.; Kovrizhnykh, I.; Wimmerova, S.; Trnovec, T. [Slovak Medical Univ., Bratislava (Slovakia). Inst. of Preventive and Clinical Medicine; Kocan, A. [Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava (Slovakia). Dept. of Toxic Organic Pollutants

2004-09-15

Developing enamel is sensitive to a wide range of local and systemic disturbances. Because of the absolute metabolic stability of its structure, changes in enamel during its development are permanent in nature. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) have been shown to disturb tooth development in experimental animals, but only limited amounts of data exist on their adverse effects in humans. Dental changes such as mottled, chipped, carious, and neonatal teeth have been reported in accidentally exposed humans. Nevertheless, co-contamination with polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs) was largely responsible for the overall toxicity4. Alaluusua et al. found that developmental dental defects were correlated with the total exposure to polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons via mother's milk. The correlation was strong with exposure to prevailing levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and furans (PCDF) but weak with exposure to PCBs alone. In our previous study we have shown developmental dental defects in children exposed to PCBs alone6, suggesting that the developing human teeth are vulnerable to PCBs. In the Michalovce region of eastern Slovakia, PCBs from a chemical plant manufacturing Delors contaminated the surrounding district7. The total serum PCB levels in samples from the general population there exceeded by several times the background levels in subjects living in a comparable unexposed Svidnik district. PCB levels in breast milk samples in the Michalovce region were the highest in Slovakia. Levels of toxic polychlorinated aromatics (PCDFs, PCNs, and planar PCBs) in technical Delors were high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of long-term exposure to PCBs, measured at the individual level, on developmental dental defects in children in eastern Slovakia.

"Watch out for the gerbils, my child!" the role of maternal information on children's fear in an experimental setting using real animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Remmerswaal, Danielle; Muris, Peter; Huijding, Jorg

2013-06-01

Using an experimental approach, we examined the effects of verbal information as provided by the mothers on children's fear of real novel animals. Mothers of children aged 8 to 12 years (N=47) were shown a cage containing a pair of exotic rodents (i.e., Mongolian gerbils) and then received either positive or negative information about these animals. Mothers were told that their child would have to approach the animals and had the opportunity to prepare their children for this confrontation. Results showed that mothers spontaneously passed over the information they had received to their children. Most importantly, this information to some extent determined children's fear reactions towards the animals. That is, whereas no clear effects of information were found on subjective fear ratings, the data did indicate that children of mothers in the negative information condition were more reluctant to approach the animals as compared to children of mothers who had received positive information. The findings provide further support for the idea that verbal information as provided by parents may induce fear in their offspring. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Design standards for experimental and field studies to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of tests for infectious diseases in aquatic animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurin, E; Thakur, K K; Gardner, I A; Hick, P; Moody, N J G; Crane, M S J; Ernst, I

2018-05-01

Design and reporting quality of diagnostic accuracy studies (DAS) are important metrics for assessing utility of tests used in animal and human health. Following standards for designing DAS will assist in appropriate test selection for specific testing purposes and minimize the risk of reporting biased sensitivity and specificity estimates. To examine the benefits of recommending standards, design information from published DAS literature was assessed for 10 finfish, seven mollusc, nine crustacean and two amphibian diseases listed in the 2017 OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals. Of the 56 DAS identified, 41 were based on field testing, eight on experimental challenge studies and seven on both. Also, we adapted human and terrestrial-animal standards and guidelines for DAS structure for use in aquatic animal diagnostic research. Through this process, we identified and addressed important metrics for consideration at the design phase: study purpose, targeted disease state, selection of appropriate samples and specimens, laboratory analytical methods, statistical methods and data interpretation. These recommended design standards for DAS are presented as a checklist including risk-of-failure points and actions to mitigate bias at each critical step. Adherence to standards when designing DAS will also facilitate future systematic review and meta-analyses of DAS research literature. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pathomorphological features of the skin and muscle tissue of experimental animals in the case of lifetime and postmortem damage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Kis

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The problem of forensic medical diagnosis of tissue injury is currently the subject of numerous investigations. Pathomorphological changes of the skin and muscle tissue of experimental animals, resulting in the case of lifetime and postmortem traumatic injuries, depending on the time and temperature, were revealed by the author. Data obtained by the author is very necessary for improving the forensic medical diagnosis of traumatic soft tissue injuries.

Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in women exposed to livestock animals, Denmark, 1996 to 2002

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Stine Yde; Molbak, K; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

2013-01-01

Q fever is a zoonotic infection which can pose a danger to pregnant women. To our knowledge, Denmark has never experienced a clinically verified Q fever outbreak. We aimed to quantify risk of infection in pregnant women occupationally and environmentally exposed to Coxiella burnetii. The Danish...

Challenges of influenza A viruses in humans and animals and current animal vaccines as an effective control measure

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are genetically diverse and variable pathogens that share various hosts including human, swine, and domestic poultry. Interspecies and intercontinental viral spreads make the ecology of IAV more complex. Beside endemic IAV infections, human has been exposed to pandemic and zoonotic threats from avian and swine influenza viruses. Animal health also has been threatened by high pathogenic avian influenza viruses (in domestic poultry) and reverse zoonosis (in swine). Considering its dynamic interplay between species, prevention and control against IAV should be conducted effectively in both humans and animal sectors. Vaccination is one of the most efficient tools against IAV. Numerous vaccines against animal IAVs have been developed by a variety of vaccine technologies and some of them are currently commercially available. We summarize several challenges in control of IAVs faced by human and animals and discuss IAV vaccines for animal use with those application in susceptible populations. PMID:29399575

[A NEW APPROACH FOR FOOD PREFERENCE TESTING IN ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION].

Science.gov (United States)

Albertin, S V

2015-10-01

An article describes the original method allowing to study a mechanism of food preference related to the sensory properties of foods in animals. The method gives a good possibility to select the role of visual and orosensory signaling in food preference as well as to model the processes of physiological and pathological food and drug dependence in animal experiments. The role of discrete food presentation in the formation of the current motivations and food preferences was discussed.

Influence of a productive solution of uranium on some biochemical parameters of blood of an organism at experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svambaev, Z.A.; Svambaev, E.A.; Sultanbekov, G.A; Tusupbekova, S.T.

2010-01-01

In the work authors inform results on studying influence of a productive solution of uranium on some biochemical parameters of blood of an organism at experimental animals. It is established that all samples of a productive solution of uranium possesses high toxicity and causes destruction of experimental animals with infringement of a picture of blood. Experiments on influence on biochemical and hematology defined parameters of blood on chickens - broilers and on which female quails from daily age raised on cellular batteries in communities on 50 heads in conditions adequate to the requirement. Fed in plenty with the dry forages prepared according to 'Recommendations on the normalized feeding an agricultural bird' (1996), recipes 5-2; 6-1. To chickens in plenty allowed water from auto drinking bowls. Conditions of a micro climate corresponded to hygienic requirements. At carrying out of experiences studied the following parameters: preservation of a livestock, the reason of a withdrawal, weight of a body - weekly up to the end of experience, consumption of a forage, an expense of a forage for 1 kg of a gain have established weight of a body the methods standard in poultry farming. After application of a productive solution took blood from under wings of a vein and in blood have established maintenance of hemoglobin, quantity of red cells, leukocytes and a leukocyte of the formula, the maintenance of calcium and phosphorus. An application of a productive solution for experimental birds for the fifth day has caused clinical symptoms of a poisoning and destruction in groups. At the survived birds in blood it has been established changes biochemical and hematology. Week age chickens of skilled group lagged behind in growth development in comparison with control group on 30 % and at the end of the skilled period skilled have lagged behind in growth and development on 62 %. Among a livestock of chickens of skilled group of a case was more on 53 % on comparisons with the

An environmental friendly animal waste disposal process with ammonia recovery and energy production: Experimental study and economic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Ye; Tan, Michelle Ting Ting; Chong, Clive; Xiao, Wende; Wang, Chi-Hwa

2017-10-01

Animal manure waste is considered as an environmental challenge especially in farming areas mainly because of gaseous emission and water pollution. Among all the pollutants emitted from manure waste, ammonia is of greatest concern as it could contribute to formation of aerosols in the air and could hardly be controlled by traditional disposal methods like landfill or composting. On the other hand, manure waste is also a renewable source for energy production. In this work, an environmental friendly animal waste disposal process with combined ammonia recovery and energy production was proposed and investigated both experimentally and economically. Lab-scale feasibility study results showed that 70% of ammonia in the manure waste could be converted to struvite as fertilizer, while solid manure waste was successfully gasified in a 10kW downdraft fixed-bed gasifier producing syngas with the higher heating value of 4.9MJ/(Nm 3 ). Based on experimental results, economic study for the system was carried out using a cost-benefit analysis to investigate the financial feasibility based on a Singapore case study. In addition, for comparison, schemes of gasification without ammonia removal and incineration were also studied for manure waste disposal. The results showed that the proposed gasification-based manure waste treatment process integrated with ammonia recovery was most financially viable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicological significance of soil ingestion by wild and domestic animals

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, W. Nelson; Fries, George F.; Hoffman, David J.; Rattner, Barnett A.; Burton, G. Allen; Cairns, John

2003-01-01

Most wild and domestic animals ingest some soil or sediment, and some species may routinely, or under special circumstances, ingest considerable amounts. Ingested soil supplies nutrients, exposes animals to parasites and pathogens, and may play a role in developing immune systems.1 Soil ingestion is also sometimes the principal route of exposure to various environmental contaminants.2-7 Ingestion of soil and earthy material is defined as geophagy and may be either intentional or unintentional, occurring as an animal eats or grooms.

The administration of a high refined carbohydrate diet promoted an increase in pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress in mice exposed to cigarette smoke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pena KB

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Karina Braga Pena,1 Camila de Oliveira Ramos,1 Nícia Pedreira Soares,1 Pamela Félix da Silva,1 Ana Carla Balthar Bandeira,2 Guilherme de Paula Costa,3 Sílvia Dantas Cangussú,1 André Talvani,3 Frank Silva Bezerra1 1Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology (LAFEx, 2Laboratory of Metabolic Biochemistry (LBM, 3Laboratory of Immunobiology of Inflammation (LABIIN, Department of Biological Sciences (DECBI, Center of Research in Biological Sciences (NUPEB, Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a high refined carbohydrate diet and pulmonary inflammatory response in C57BL/6 mice exposed to cigarette smoke (CS. Twenty-four male mice were divided into four groups: control group (CG, which received a standard diet; cigarette smoke group (CSG, which was exposed to CS; a high refined carbohydrate diet group (RG, which received a high refined carbohydrate diet; and a high refined carbohydrates diet and cigarette smoke group (RCSG, which received a high refined carbohydrate diet and was exposed to CS. The animals were monitored for food intake and body weight gain for 12 weeks. After this period, the CSG and RCSG were exposed to CS for five consecutive days. At the end of the experimental protocol, all animals were euthanized for subsequent analyses. There was an increase of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF of CSG compared to CG and RCSG compared to CG, CSG, and RG. In addition, in the BALF, there was an increase of tumor necrosis factor alpha in RCSG compared to CG, CSG, and RG; interferon gamma increase in RCSG compared to the CSG; and increase in interleukin-10 in RCSG compared to CG and RG. Lipid peroxidation increased in RCSG compared to CG, CSG, and RG. Furthermore, the oxidation of proteins increased in CSG compared to CG. The analysis of oxidative stress showed an increase in superoxide dismutase in RCSG compared to CG, CSG, and RG and an

Magnetic resonance imaging used for the evaluation of water presence in wood plastic composite boards exposed to exterior conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Marek Gnatowski; Rebecca Ibach; Mathew Leung; Grace Sun

2014-01-01

Two wood plastic composite (WPC) boards, one experimental and one commercial, were exposed to exterior conditions and evaluated non-destructively using a clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit for moisture content (MC) and distribution. The experimental board was exposed in Vancouver, British Columbia, for more than 8 years, and the commercial board was exposed...

Animal models of osteoporosis - necessity and limitations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turner A. Simon

2001-06-01

Full Text Available There is a great need to further characterise the available animal models for postmenopausal osteoporosis, for the understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease, investigation of new therapies (e.g. selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs and evaluation of prosthetic devices in osteoporotic bone. Animal models that have been used in the past include non-human primates, dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, guinea pigs and minipigs, all of which have advantages and disadvantages. Sheep are a promising model for various reasons: they are docile, easy to handle and house, relatively inexpensive, available in large numbers, spontaneously ovulate, and the sheep's bones are large enough to evaluate orthopaedic implants. Most animal models have used females and osteoporosis in the male has been largely ignored. Recently, interest in development of appropriate prosthetic devices which would stimulate osseointegration into osteoporotic, appendicular, axial and mandibular bone has intensified. Augmentation of osteopenic lumbar vertebrae with bioactive ceramics (vertebroplasty is another area that will require testing in the appropriate animal model. Using experimental animal models for the study of these different facets of osteoporosis minimizes some of the difficulties associated with studying the disease in humans, namely time and behavioral variability among test subjects. New experimental drug therapies and orthopaedic implants can potentially be tested on large numbers of animals subjected to a level of experimental control impossible in human clinical research.

Using robots to understand animal cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Frohnwieser, Anna; Murray, John C; Pike, Thomas W; Wilkinson, Anna

2016-01-01

In recent years, robotic animals and humans have been used to answer a variety of questions related to behavior. In the case of animal behavior, these efforts have largely been in the field of behavioral ecology. They have proved to be a useful tool for this enterprise as they allow the presentation of naturalistic social stimuli whilst providing the experimenter with full control of the stimulus. In interactive experiments, the behavior of robots can be controlled in a manner that is impossible with real animals, making them ideal instruments for the study of social stimuli in animals. This paper provides an overview of the current state of the field and considers the impact that the use of robots could have on fundamental questions related to comparative psychology: namely, perception, spatial cognition, social cognition, and early cognitive development. We make the case that the use of robots to investigate these key areas could have an important impact on the field of animal cognition. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Influence of taurine and vitaiodurol on the development frequency of experimental stellate cataracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fedorenko, B.S.; Kabachenko, A.N.; Vajnshtejn, E.S.; Yartsev, E.I.; Kolesnikov, Yu.A.

1978-01-01

Comparative investigations of medical efficiency of 4% solutions of taurine and vita-iodurol have been carried out using the model of experimental stellate cataract in mice. 140 male mice of CBAxC 57 BL 6 line with 14-16g mass were investigated. Animals of 3 groups (35 mice in each) were exposed to 300 rad dose gamma-radiation with Co 60 . Radiation intensity was 10 rad/s. The animals were examined before irradiation and each 4 weeks after irradiation. In 25 weeks after irradiation, when lenticular opacity was observed in more than half the mice, the animals of the first group were dropped in two eyes by 1 drop of 4% distilled water taurine solution during a month. Animals of the second group got instillations of vita-iodurol by the same method. The third group of animals was the irradiated control group. The fourth group of mice was used as the intact control group. Lenticular opacities developed were classified by the Christenberry and Furth method, suggested for evaluating stellate lenticular opacities in small laboratory animals. It was shown, that instillations of 4% taurine solution into animals with initial stellate cataract during a month result in reducing the frequency of lenticular opacities by 30%. Taurine in used concentration results in pronounced medical effect. Vita-iodurol hadn't any therapentic effect on the course of initial stellate catarat in mice

Ethical guidelines, animal profile, various animal models used in periodontal research with alternatives and future perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasupuleti, Mohan Kumar; Molahally, Subramanya Shetty; Salwaji, Supraja

2016-01-01

Laboratory animal models serve as a facilitator to investigate the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease, are used to know the efficacy of reconstructive and regenerative procedures, and are also helpful in evaluation of newer therapeutic techniques including laser and implant therapies prior to application in the human beings. The aim of this review is to know the different animal models used in various specialties of dental research and to know the ethical guidelines prior to the usage of experimental models with main emphasis on how to refine, replace, and reduce the number of animal models usage in the laboratory. An online search for experimental animal models used in dental research was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed database. Publications from 2009 to May 2013 in the specialty of periodontics were included in writing this review. A total of 652 references were published in PubMed/MEDLINE databases based on the search terms used. Out of 245 studies, 241 were related to the periodontal research published in English from 2009 to 2013. Relevant papers were chosen according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After extensive electronic and hand search on animal models, it has been observed that various animal models were used in dental research. Search on animal models used for dental research purpose revealed that various animals such as rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbit, beagle dogs, goats, and nonhuman primates were extensively used. However, with the new advancement of ex vivo animal models, it has become easy to investigate disease pathogenesis and to test the efficacy of newer therapeutic modalities with the reduced usage of animal models. This review summarized the large amount of literature on animal models used in periodontal research with main emphasis on ethical guidelines and on reducing the animal model usage in future perspective.

Ethical guidelines, animal profile, various animal models used in periodontal research with alternatives and future perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohan Kumar Pasupuleti

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Laboratory animal models serve as a facilitator to investigate the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease, are used to know the efficacy of reconstructive and regenerative procedures, and are also helpful in evaluation of newer therapeutic techniques including laser and implant therapies prior to application in the human beings. The aim of this review is to know the different animal models used in various specialties of dental research and to know the ethical guidelines prior to the usage of experimental models with main emphasis on how to refine, replace, and reduce the number of animal models usage in the laboratory. An online search for experimental animal models used in dental research was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed database. Publications from 2009 to May 2013 in the specialty of periodontics were included in writing this review. A total of 652 references were published in PubMed/MEDLINE databases based on the search terms used. Out of 245 studies, 241 were related to the periodontal research published in English from 2009 to 2013. Relevant papers were chosen according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After extensive electronic and hand search on animal models, it has been observed that various animal models were used in dental research. Search on animal models used for dental research purpose revealed that various animals such as rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbit, beagle dogs, goats, and nonhuman primates were extensively used. However, with the new advancement of ex vivo animal models, it has become easy to investigate disease pathogenesis and to test the efficacy of newer therapeutic modalities with the reduced usage of animal models. This review summarized the large amount of literature on animal models used in periodontal research with main emphasis on ethical guidelines and on reducing the animal model usage in future perspective.

Study of analgesic activity of ethanol extract of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus on experimental animal models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apurba Mukherjee

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to evaluate the central and peripheral analgesic action of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus in experimental animal models. The extract was prepared by percolation method and acute oral toxicity testing was performed as per OECD guidelines. Analgesic activity was assessed by tail flick method (for central action and glacial acetic acid-induced writhing test (for peripheral action. Leaves extract (500 mg/kg, p.o. and aspirin (100 mg/kg showed significant peripheral analgesic activity (p<0.05. Leaves extract (500 mg/kg, p.o. and pethidine (50 mg/kg, i.p. also showed significant central analgesic activity (p<0.05. Naloxone (1 mg/kg, s.c. was used to find the mechanism of central analgesic action. Some partial agonistic activity for the opioid receptors seems to be probable mechanism of action.

The Directive 2010/63/EU on animal experimentation may skew the conclusions of pharmacological and behavioural studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Macrì, Simone; Ceci, Chiara; Altabella, Luisa; Canese, Rossella; Laviola, Giovanni

2013-01-01

All laboratory animals shall be provided some form of environmental enrichment (EE) in the nearest future (Directive 2010/63/EU). Displacing standard housing with EE entails the possibility that data obtained under traditional housing may be reconsidered. Specifically, while EE often contrasts the abnormalities of consolidated disease models, it also indirectly demonstrates that their validity depends on housing conditions. We mimicked a situation in which the consequences of a novel pharmacological compound were addressed before and after the adoption of the Directive. We sub-chronically exposed standard- or EE-reared adolescent CD1 mice (postnatal days 23-33) to the synthetic compound JWH-018, and evaluated its short- and long-term potential cannabinoid properties on: weight gain, locomotion, analgesia, motor coordination, body temperature, brain metabolism ((1)H MRI/MRS), anxiety- and depressive-related behaviours. While several parameters are modulated by JWH-018 independently of housing, other effects are environmentally mediated. The transition from standard housing to EE shall be carefully monitored.

Euthanasia of Small Animals with Nitrogen; Comparison with Intravenous Pentobarbital

OpenAIRE

Quine, John P.; Buckingham, William; Strunin, Leo

1988-01-01

Intravenous pentobarbital (with or without addition of saturated potassium chloride) was compared with nitrogen gas exposure for euthanasia of small animals (dogs, cats, and rabbits) in a humane society environment. Initially, electrocardiographic) and electroencephalographic monitoring were used to establish the time of death in presedated animals given either pentobarbital or exposed to nitrogen; later, nitrogen euthanasia alone was studied. Sedation with acepromazine delayed the effects of...

Radon risks in animals with reference to man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, E.S.; Cross, F.T.

1988-10-01

Radon inhalation studies in animals provide important supplementary information to human data. Because the measurement of exposure characteristics in experimental studies is more accurate than in epidemiological studies, animal studies may provide a more reliable assessment of the dependence of risks on radon-daughter cumulative exposure. Experimental data have also provided information on the dependence of risks on radon-progeny exposure rate, unattached fraction, and disequilibrium, as well as on concomitant exposures to cigarette smoke. A summary of radon studies in animals has been published. Two examples of results from these studies are included; in both cases, results were based on the percent of animals with lung tumors. 8 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs

Evaluation of 99mTc-nitroimidazole in animal of myocardial necrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimpi, H.H.; Mahapatra, S.; Noronha, O.P.D.

1998-01-01

Full text: Extensive studies carried out using 99m Tc-nitroimidazole (BMS 181321) suggested that it is a useful agent to investigate the status of hypoxia in solid tumors and ischemic myocardium. In vitro studies also showed that 99m Tc nitroimidazole is preferentially trapped in and retained by hypoxic, but viable cardiac muscle. We have evaluated the compound in an animal (rat) model of myocardial necrosis. 99m Tc-nitromidazole was labelled with 99m Tc by using cyclan and Sn-glucaric acid. The radiochemical purity was >95%. It was found to be very stable. Experimental (rat) animal of myocardial necrosis or ischemic necrosis was obtained by injecting iso proternol HCl subcutaneously (S.C.) at a dose of 5.25 mg/kg body weight. After 48 h, gross and microscopic necrotic changes were seen in the heart which closely resembled the myocardial infarct of necrotic lesion akin to ischemic necrosis of the myocardium. Animal biodistribution study demonstrated that 99m Tc nitroimidazole cleared very fast from the blood stream of both normal system. Significantly higher uptake was seen in heart of experimental animals compared to normal animals at 60 min. The ratios of heart to blood, liver and kidneys in both normal and experimental animals showed significantly higher ratios in experimental animals. The heart to blood ratio of experimental animal remained same up to 60 min. compared to a sharp decline with time in normal animals. The above results show that 99m Tc-nitroimidazole could be used for detection of myocardial necrosis or myocardial infarct in clinical conditions

Kinetics of sup(99m)Tc-EHDP administered by intramuscular injection in man and in experimental animals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vattimo, A.; Lore, F.; Pisani, M.

1981-06-01

With the aim of assessing the kinetics of a diphosphonate administered by intramuscular injection, we have studied the behaviour of sup(99m)Tc-labelled 1-hydroxy-1, 1-diphosphonate in man and in experimental animals, after intramuscular injection. The curves of plasma and urine radioactivity were analyzed in a six-compartment kinetic model containing seven transition coefficients. The results show that the diphosphonate given by intramuscular injection is absorbed rapidly and completely. Therefore the possibility of using this way of administration should be considered in the pathological conditions in which diphosphonates are used as therapeutic agents.

Steroidogenesis-related gene expression in the rat ovary exposed to melatonin supplementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gisele Negro Lima

2015-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To analyze steroidogenesis-related gene expression in the rat ovary exposed to melatonin supplementation. METHODS: Thirty-two virgin adult female rats were randomized to two groups as follows: the control group GI received vehicle and the experimental group GII received melatonin supplementation (10 µg/night per animal for 60 consecutive days. After the treatment, animals were anesthetized and the collected ovaries were immediately placed in liquid nitrogen for complementary deoxyribonucleic acid microarray analyses. A GeneChip¯ Kit Rat Genome 230 2.0 Affymetrix Array was used for gene analysis and the experiment was repeated three times for each group. The results were normalized with the GeneChip¯ Operating Software program and confirmed through analysis with the secondary deoxyribonucleic acid-Chip Analyzer (dChip software. The data were confirmed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Genes related to ovarian function were further confirmed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We found the upregulation of the type 9 adenylate cyclase and inhibin beta B genes and the downregulation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element modulator and cytochrome P450 family 17a1 genes in the ovarian tissue of GII compared to those of the control group. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that melatonin supplementation decreases gene expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, which changes ovarian steroidogenesis.

Antistress activity of Argyreia speciosa roots in experimental animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikunj B Patel

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The antistress effect of a seven-day treatment (100 and 200 mg / kg, p.o. of the hydroalcoholic extract of Argyreia speciosa root (ASE was evaluated by using the swimming endurance test, acetic acid-induced writhing test, pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsion test, anoxic tolerance test, cold-restraint, stress-induced gastric ulcers, aspirin-induced ulcers, and biochemical, and histopathological changes in the cold-restraint stress test. The immunomodulatory activity was also evaluated for the same doses, and treatment of ASE was done using the hemagglutination test. Both the doses of ASE showed antistress activity in all the tested models. The ASE-treated animals showed a decrease in immobility time and an increase in anoxic tolerance time in swimming endurance and the anoxic tolerance tests, respectively. The effect of glacial acetic acid and pentylenetetrazole were also reduced by decreasing the number of writhing responses and increasing the onset of convulsions, respectively. In the cold restrained stress and aspirin-induced gastric ulcer models, ASE showed a significant reduction in the ulcer index. Pretreatment with ASE significantly ameliorated the cold stress-induced variations in biochemical levels such as increased plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, total protein, and cortisol. ASE was also effective in preventing the pathological changes in the adrenal gland, due to cold restrained stress, in rats. In mice immunized with sheep red blood cells, the treatment groups subjected to restraint stress prevented the humoral immune response to the antigen. The immunostimulating activity of the ASE was indicated by an increase in the antibody titer in mice pre-immunized with sheep red blood cells and subjected to restraint stress. The findings of the present investigations indicate that the ASE has significant antistress activity, which may be due to the immunostimulating property and increased resistance, nonspecifically, against all

Histopathologic and biochemical responses in Arctic marine bivalve molluscs exposed to experimentally spilled oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neff, J.M.; Hillman, R.E.; Carr, R.S.; Buhl, R.L.; Lahey, J.I.

1987-01-01

Following two experimental spills of chemically dispersed and undispersed crude oil in shallow bays on the northwest coast of Baffin Island bivalve molluscs accumulated significant amounts of petroleum hydrocarbons in bay receiving dispersed oil and in those receiving crude oil alone. Specimens of Mya truncata and Macoma calcarea for histopathologic examination were collected immediately before, immediately after and one year after the experimental oil spills. Immediately after there was increased gill and digestive tract necrosis in Mya from the chemically dispersed oil. After one year a few clams had granulocytomas throughout the tissues. Three clams receiving oil alone collected one year after the spill had invasive neoplasias. There were few lesions in Macoma immediatelly after or one year after the spill; animals had a high incidence of vacuolization of the digestive tubule epithelium. The incidence of parasitism and hemocytic infiltration also was higher in Maccoma. Clams Mya truncata were collected for biochemical analysis before, after and two weeks after the simulated oil spills. Concentations in the clam tissues of glucose, glycogen, trehalose, total lipid, and free amino acids were measured; free amino acids in adductor muscles were the most useful indices of pollutant stress. The results of the biochemical analyses indicate that Mya were not severely stressed by either dispersed oil or oil alone. After two weeks, clams from the dispersed oil bays were nearly normal, while those from the bay receiving oil alone appeared stressed. These results seem to corroborate results that the acute effects of dispersed oil are greater than those of undispersed oil, but effects of undispersed oil on infaunal molluscs develop more slowly and persist longer than those from dispersed oil. 43 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.

[Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-pyretic activities of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, etofenamate, in experimental animals].

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, H; Motoyoshi, S; Imazu, C; Ishii, K; Yokoyama, Y; Seto, Y; Kadokawa, T; Shimizu, M

1982-08-01

Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-pyretic activities of orally administered etofenamate, the diethylene glycol ester of flufenamic acid, were investigated in experimental animals. Against acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice and ultra-violet light-induced erythema in guinea pigs, etofenamate produced a dose related inhibition at doses of 40--320 mg/kg and 5--20 mg/kg, respectively. In rats, felt-pellet-induced granuloma formation and adjuvant-induced arthritis were significantly inhibited by repeated administration of etofenamate at doses of 20 mg/kg/day for 5 days and 40 mg/kg/day for 21 days, respectively. Etofenamate showed an inhibitory activity on the squeak response caused by flexing and extending the silver nitrate-induced arthritic joint in rats; and it produced a dose related anti-writhing activity at doses of 50--300 mg/kg and 10--80 mg/kg in mice and rats, respectively, in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. Etofenamate showed a significant anti-pyretic activity at doses of 0.2 mg/kg or more. These potencies of etofenamate were 0.5 to 1.6 times those of flufenamic acid. In particular, the anti-erythema, anti-arthritis, and anti-pyretic activities of etofenamate were approximately equivalent to or superior to those of flufenamic acid. From these results, it was suggested that etofenamate given orally, like other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, showed anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-pyretic activities in experimental animals.

Animal Exposure During Burn Tests

Science.gov (United States)

Gaume, J. G.

1978-01-01

An animal exposure test system (AETS) was designed and fabricated for the purpose of collecting physiological and environmental (temperature) data from animal subjects exposed to combustion gases in large scale fire tests. The AETS consisted of an open wire mesh, two-compartment cage, one containing an exercise wheel for small rodents, and the other containing one rat instrumented externally for electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration. Cage temperature is measured by a thermistor located in the upper portion of the rat compartment. Animal activity is monitored by the ECG and the records indicate an increase in EMG (electromyograph) noise super-imposed by the increased activity of the torso musculature. Examples of the recordings are presented and discussed as to their significance regarding toxicity of fire gases and specific events occurring during the test. The AETS was shown to be a useful tool in screening materials for the relative toxicity of their outgassing products during pyrolysis and combustion.

Measuring reinforcement learning and motivation constructs in experimental animals: relevance to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

Markou, Athina; Salamone, John D.; Bussey, Timothy; Mar, Adam; Brunner, Daniela; Gilmour, Gary; Balsam, Peter

2013-01-01

The present review article summarizes and expands upon the discussions that were initiated during a meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS; http://cntrics.ucdavis.edu). A major goal of the CNTRICS meeting was to identify experimental procedures and measures that can be used in laboratory animals to assess psychological constructs that are related to the psychopathology of schizophrenia. The issues discussed in this review reflect the deliberations of the Motivation Working Group of the CNTRICS meeting, which included most of the authors of this article as well as additional participants. After receiving task nominations from the general research community, this working group was asked to identify experimental procedures in laboratory animals that can assess aspects of reinforcement learning and motivation that may be relevant for research on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, as well as other disorders characterized by deficits in reinforcement learning and motivation. The tasks described here that assess reinforcement learning are the Autoshaping Task, Probabilistic Reward Learning Tasks, and the Response Bias Probabilistic Reward Task. The tasks described here that assess motivation are Outcome Devaluation and Contingency Degradation Tasks and Effort-Based Tasks. In addition to describing such methods and procedures, the present article provides a working vocabulary for research and theory in this field, as well as an industry perspective about how such tasks may be used in drug discovery. It is hoped that this review can aid investigators who are conducting research in this complex area, promote translational studies by highlighting shared research goals and fostering a common vocabulary across basic and clinical fields, and facilitate the development of medications for the treatment of symptoms mediated by reinforcement learning and motivational deficits. PMID:23994273

Measuring reinforcement learning and motivation constructs in experimental animals: relevance to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Markou, Athina; Salamone, John D; Bussey, Timothy J; Mar, Adam C; Brunner, Daniela; Gilmour, Gary; Balsam, Peter

2013-11-01

The present review article summarizes and expands upon the discussions that were initiated during a meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS; http://cntrics.ucdavis.edu) meeting. A major goal of the CNTRICS meeting was to identify experimental procedures and measures that can be used in laboratory animals to assess psychological constructs that are related to the psychopathology of schizophrenia. The issues discussed in this review reflect the deliberations of the Motivation Working Group of the CNTRICS meeting, which included most of the authors of this article as well as additional participants. After receiving task nominations from the general research community, this working group was asked to identify experimental procedures in laboratory animals that can assess aspects of reinforcement learning and motivation that may be relevant for research on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, as well as other disorders characterized by deficits in reinforcement learning and motivation. The tasks described here that assess reinforcement learning are the Autoshaping Task, Probabilistic Reward Learning Tasks, and the Response Bias Probabilistic Reward Task. The tasks described here that assess motivation are Outcome Devaluation and Contingency Degradation Tasks and Effort-Based Tasks. In addition to describing such methods and procedures, the present article provides a working vocabulary for research and theory in this field, as well as an industry perspective about how such tasks may be used in drug discovery. It is hoped that this review can aid investigators who are conducting research in this complex area, promote translational studies by highlighting shared research goals and fostering a common vocabulary across basic and clinical fields, and facilitate the development of medications for the treatment of symptoms mediated by reinforcement learning and motivational deficits. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier

Anticonvulsant activity of the fractionated extract of Crinum jagus bulbs in experimental animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azikiwe CCA

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the anticonvulsant activity of the bulbs of Crinum jagus in experimental animals. Methods: The uprooted bulbs were air dried for a week and ground into creamy-paste. 200g of paste was macerated each in 2 litres of water, ethanol and petroleum ether and filtered after 48 h. The obtained filtrates were each evaporated at the appropriate temperature to solid residue. The residues were further fractionated with successive changes of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol into a pooled filtrate which was further evaporated to dry solid brown-paste. Phytochemistry was carried out based on Treas and Evans method of 1987. The acute toxicity study (LD50 was carried based on Lorke ’s 1983 method. Convulsion was induced using maximum electric shock (MEST, pentylenetetrazole(PTZ, strychnine and Picrotoxin in the appropriate animal models. Seizures onset time and death time were used as successful induction of convulsion while prolongations of these features were taken as anticonvulsant activity. Results where possible, were statistically analyzed using SPSS-16.0 version. Results: The LD 50 was got at 1118.003mg/kg (IP in mice using Lorke ’s 1983 method. Fractionated extract of Crinum jagus exhibited dose dependent antiseizure against MEST induced seizure (P<0.001 and comparable to that of phenytoin, a standard anti generalized tonic-clonic seizure. There were also observable antiseizure activity of the fractionated extracts against PTZ, strychnine and Picrotoxin induced seizure and comparable to their standard corresponding antiseizures. Conclusions: We conclude that the bulbs of Crinum jagus possess proven broad spectrum antiseizure and perhaps antiepileptogenic activity thus justifies its use in traditional medicine. Clinical trial in man is recommended.

Meeting report: batch-to-batch variability in estrogenic activity in commercial animal diets--importance and approaches for laboratory animal research.

Science.gov (United States)

Heindel, Jerrold J; vom Saal, Frederick S

2008-03-01

We report information from two workshops sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that were held to a) assess whether dietary estrogens could significantly impact end points in experimental animals, and b) involve program participants and feed manufacturers to address the problems associated with measuring and eliminating batch-to-batch variability in rodent diets that may lead to conflicting findings in animal experiments within and between laboratories. Data were presented at the workshops showing that there is significant batch-to-batch variability in estrogenic content of commercial animal diets, and that this variability results in differences in experimental outcomes. A combination of methods were proposed to determine levels of total estrogenic activity and levels of specific estrogenic constituents in soy-containing, casein-containing, and other soy-free rodent diets. Workshop participants recommended that researchers pay greater attention to the type of diet being used in animal studies and choose a diet whose estrogenic activity (or lack thereof) is appropriate for the experimental model and end points of interest. Information about levels of specific phytoestrogens, as well as estrogenic activity caused by other contaminants and measured by bioassay, should be disclosed in scientific publications. This will require laboratory animal diet manufacturers to provide investigators with information regarding the phytoestrogen content and other estrogenic compounds in commercial diets used in animal research.

Side effects of pain and analgesia in animal experimentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jirkof, Paulin

2017-03-22

This review highlights selected effects of untreated pain and of widely used analgesics such as opioids, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and antipyretics, to illustrate the relevance of carefully planned, appropriate and controlled analgesia for greater reproducibility in animal experiments involving laboratory rodents.

Small animal radiotherapy research platforms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verhaegen, Frank; Granton, Patrick [Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht 6201 BN (Netherlands); Tryggestad, Erik, E-mail: frank.verhaegen@maastro.nl [Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231 (United States)

2011-06-21

Advances in conformal radiation therapy and advancements in pre-clinical radiotherapy research have recently stimulated the development of precise micro-irradiators for small animals such as mice and rats. These devices are often kilovolt x-ray radiation sources combined with high-resolution CT imaging equipment for image guidance, as the latter allows precise and accurate beam positioning. This is similar to modern human radiotherapy practice. These devices are considered a major step forward compared to the current standard of animal experimentation in cancer radiobiology research. The availability of this novel equipment enables a wide variety of pre-clinical experiments on the synergy of radiation with other therapies, complex radiation schemes, sub-target boost studies, hypofractionated radiotherapy, contrast-enhanced radiotherapy and studies of relative biological effectiveness, to name just a few examples. In this review we discuss the required irradiation and imaging capabilities of small animal radiation research platforms. We describe the need for improved small animal radiotherapy research and highlight pioneering efforts, some of which led recently to commercially available prototypes. From this, it will be clear that much further development is still needed, on both the irradiation side and imaging side. We discuss at length the need for improved treatment planning tools for small animal platforms, and the current lack of a standard therein. Finally, we mention some recent experimental work using the early animal radiation research platforms, and the potential they offer for advancing radiobiology research. (topical review)

Small animal radiotherapy research platforms

Science.gov (United States)

Verhaegen, Frank; Granton, Patrick; Tryggestad, Erik

2011-06-01

Advances in conformal radiation therapy and advancements in pre-clinical radiotherapy research have recently stimulated the development of precise micro-irradiators for small animals such as mice and rats. These devices are often kilovolt x-ray radiation sources combined with high-resolution CT imaging equipment for image guidance, as the latter allows precise and accurate beam positioning. This is similar to modern human radiotherapy practice. These devices are considered a major step forward compared to the current standard of animal experimentation in cancer radiobiology research. The availability of this novel equipment enables a wide variety of pre-clinical experiments on the synergy of radiation with other therapies, complex radiation schemes, sub-target boost studies, hypofractionated radiotherapy, contrast-enhanced radiotherapy and studies of relative biological effectiveness, to name just a few examples. In this review we discuss the required irradiation and imaging capabilities of small animal radiation research platforms. We describe the need for improved small animal radiotherapy research and highlight pioneering efforts, some of which led recently to commercially available prototypes. From this, it will be clear that much further development is still needed, on both the irradiation side and imaging side. We discuss at length the need for improved treatment planning tools for small animal platforms, and the current lack of a standard therein. Finally, we mention some recent experimental work using the early animal radiation research platforms, and the potential they offer for advancing radiobiology research.

Small animal radiotherapy research platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verhaegen, Frank; Granton, Patrick; Tryggestad, Erik

2011-01-01

Advances in conformal radiation therapy and advancements in pre-clinical radiotherapy research have recently stimulated the development of precise micro-irradiators for small animals such as mice and rats. These devices are often kilovolt x-ray radiation sources combined with high-resolution CT imaging equipment for image guidance, as the latter allows precise and accurate beam positioning. This is similar to modern human radiotherapy practice. These devices are considered a major step forward compared to the current standard of animal experimentation in cancer radiobiology research. The availability of this novel equipment enables a wide variety of pre-clinical experiments on the synergy of radiation with other therapies, complex radiation schemes, sub-target boost studies, hypofractionated radiotherapy, contrast-enhanced radiotherapy and studies of relative biological effectiveness, to name just a few examples. In this review we discuss the required irradiation and imaging capabilities of small animal radiation research platforms. We describe the need for improved small animal radiotherapy research and highlight pioneering efforts, some of which led recently to commercially available prototypes. From this, it will be clear that much further development is still needed, on both the irradiation side and imaging side. We discuss at length the need for improved treatment planning tools for small animal platforms, and the current lack of a standard therein. Finally, we mention some recent experimental work using the early animal radiation research platforms, and the potential they offer for advancing radiobiology research. (topical review)

Small Animal [18F]FDG PET Imaging for Tumor Model Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Sang Keun; Kim, Kyeong Min; Cheon, Gi Jeong

2008-01-01

PET allows non-invasive, quantitative and repetitive imaging of biological function in living animals. Small animal PET imaging with [ 18 F]FDG has been successfully applied to investigation of metabolism, receptor, ligand interactions, gene expression, adoptive cell therapy and somatic gene therapy. Experimental condition of animal handling impacts on the biodistribution of [ 18 F]FDG in small animal study. The small animal PET and CT images were registered using the hardware fiducial markers and small animal contour point. Tumor imaging in small animal with small animal [ 18 F]FDG PET should be considered fasting, warming, and isoflurane anesthesia level. Registered imaging with small animal PET and CT image could be useful for the detection of tumor. Small animal experimental condition of animal handling and registration method will be of most importance for small lesion detection of metastases tumor model

An experimental study on inelastic behavior for exposed-type steel column bases under three-dimensional loadings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Jae Hyouk [Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Yeol [Kyungpook National University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2013-03-15

Considerable damage occurred to steel structures during the Kobe earthquake in Japan. Numerous exposed-type column bases failed in several consistent patterns caused by brittle base plate fracture, excessive anchor bolt elongation, unexpected early anchor bolt failure, and inferior construction work. An exposed-type column base receives axial force and biaxial bending when receiving an arbitrary multidirectional earthquake motion. Up to now, numerous researchers have examined methods to identify their stiffness and strength, but those studies have heretofore been restricted to in-plane behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the inelastic behavior of exposed type steel column bases under biaxial lateral loading and axially compressive-tensile loading, which is a closer simulation of the real seismic excitation. In this study, exposed type steel column bases with different failure types, anchor bolt yielding and base plate yielding, are tested under different loading programs, then moment resisting mechanisms and failure modes are investigated.

An experimental study on inelastic behavior for exposed-type steel column bases under three-dimensional loadings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Jae Hyouk; Choi, Yeol

2013-01-01

Considerable damage occurred to steel structures during the Kobe earthquake in Japan. Numerous exposed-type column bases failed in several consistent patterns caused by brittle base plate fracture, excessive anchor bolt elongation, unexpected early anchor bolt failure, and inferior construction work. An exposed-type column base receives axial force and biaxial bending when receiving an arbitrary multidirectional earthquake motion. Up to now, numerous researchers have examined methods to identify their stiffness and strength, but those studies have heretofore been restricted to in-plane behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the inelastic behavior of exposed type steel column bases under biaxial lateral loading and axially compressive-tensile loading, which is a closer simulation of the real seismic excitation. In this study, exposed type steel column bases with different failure types, anchor bolt yielding and base plate yielding, are tested under different loading programs, then moment resisting mechanisms and failure modes are investigated

Short-term social memory deficits in adult female mice exposed to tannery effluent and possible mechanism of action.

Science.gov (United States)

Estrela, Fernanda Neves; Rabelo, Letícia Martins; Vaz, Boniek Gontijo; de Oliveira Costa, Denys Ribeiro; Pereira, Igor; de Lima Rodrigues, Aline Sueli; Malafaia, Guilherme

2017-10-01

The accumulated organic residues in tannery-plant courtyards are an eating attraction to small rodents; however, the contact of these animals with these residues may change their social behavior. Thus, the aim of the present study is to investigate whether the exposure to tannery effluent (TE) can damage the social recognition memory of female Swiss mice, as well as to assess whether vitamin C supplementation could provide information about how TE constituents can damage these animals' memory. We have observed that resident females exposed to TE (without vitamin supplementation) did not explore the anogenital region, their body or chased intruding females for shorter time or with lower frequency during the retest session of the social recognition test, fact that indicates social recognition memory deficit in these animals. Such finding is reinforced by the confirmation that there was no change in the animals' olfactory function during the buried food test, or locomotor changes in females exposed to the pollutant. Since no behavioral change was observed in the females exposed to TE and treated with vitamin C (before or after the exposure), it is possible saying that these social cognitive impairments seem to be directly related to the imbalance between the cellular production of reactive oxygen species and the counteracting antioxidant mechanisms (oxidative stress) in female mice exposed to the pollutant (without vitamin supplementation). Therefore, the present study evidences that the direct contact with tannery effluent, even for a short period-of-time, may cause short-term social memory deficits in adult female Swiss mice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Farm animal welfare

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandøe, Peter; Christiansen, Stine Billeschou; Appleby, M. C.

2003-01-01

An experimental survey was undertaken to explore the links between the characteristics of a moral issue, the degree of moral intensity/moral imperative associated with the issue (Jones, 1991), and people’s stated willingness to pay (wtp) for policy to address the issue. Two farm animal welfare...

Comparison of rats and dogs exposed to 239PuO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahaffey, J.A.; Sanders, C.L.; Park, J.F.; Dagle, G.E.

1979-01-01

Rats and dogs inhaled aerosols of 239 PuO 2 at comparable ages relative to their lifespan. Both received a single exposure. The estimated lung doses at death in dogs were between 1100 and 11,000 rad. From two inhalation experiments, rats receiving doses in this range were chosen from the high-level exposed animals for comparison. Based on this data base, several comparisons were investigated. Metabolism of the material was compared for all animals and for animals which developed lung tumors. The differences in histopathology and tumor incidence in the lung were also reviewed. Although there were several differences between species, there were also many similarities. On-going research in dogs should produce data which will allow clarification of these relationships

Evaluation of the immunological cellular response of Cebus apella exposed to the carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and treated with CANOVA®.

Science.gov (United States)

Feio, Danielle Cristinne Azevedo; Muniz, José Augusto Pereira Carneiro; Montenegro, Raquel Carvalho; Burbano, Rommel Rodriguez; De Brito Junior, Lacy Cardoso; De Lima, Patrícia Danielle Lima

2014-01-01

The immune response modifier Canova® is a homeopathic remedy indicated for patients with depressed immune system, since this drug appears to increase adaptive immunity and induce an immune response against multiple and severe pathological conditions, including cancer. We evaluated the pattern of immune cellular response in non-human primates of the species Cebus apella exposed to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) with and without Canova®. Twelve animals were divided into four groups, with three animals each: negative control and three experimental groups, MNU-alone (35 days); MNU (35 days)-plus-Canova® (3 days) and Canova®-alone (3 days). The animals received MNU orally and Canova® by three intravenous injections. Evaluation of the cellular immune response was performed by immunophenotyping of T-lymphocytes (CD4(+), CD8(+)), B-lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Analysis was also performed of the cell cycle. Our results suggest an increase of T-lymphocytes (CD4(+)CD3(+)) only in the Canova® group, while in the MNU-plus-Canova® group only B-lymphocytes increased. Copyright © 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Animal models for clinical and gestational diabetes: maternal and fetal outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, Ana Ci; Lima, Paula Ho; Sinzato, Yuri K; Takaku, Mariana; Takeno, Marisa A; Rudge, Marilza Vc; Damasceno, Débora C

2009-10-19

Diabetes in pregnant women is associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity and remains a significant medical challenge. Diabetes during pregnancy may be divided into clinical diabetes and gestational diabetes. Experimental models are developed with the purpose of enhancing understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases that affect humans. With regard to diabetes in pregnancy, experimental findings from models will lead to the development of treatment strategies to maintain a normal metabolic intrauterine milieu, improving perinatal development by preventing fetal growth restriction or macrosomia. Based on animal models of diabetes during pregnancy previously reported in the medical literature, the present study aimed to compare the impact of streptozotocin-induced severe (glycemia >300 mg/dl) and mild diabetes (glycemia between 120 and 300 mg/dl) on glycemia and maternal reproductive and fetal outcomes of Wistar rats to evaluate whether the animal model reproduces the maternal and perinatal results of clinical and gestational diabetes in humans. On day 5 of life, 96 female Wistar rats were assigned to three experimental groups: control (n = 16), severe (n = 50) and mild diabetes (n = 30). At day 90 of life, rats were mated. On day 21 of pregnancy, rats were killed and their uterine horns were exposed to count implantation and fetus numbers to determine pre- and post-implantation loss rates. The fetuses were classified according to their birth weight. Severe and mild diabetic dams showed different glycemic responses during pregnancy, impairing fetal glycemia and weight, confirming that maternal glycemia is directly associated with fetal development. Newborns from severe diabetic mothers presented growth restriction, but mild diabetic mothers were not associated with an increased rate of macrosomic fetuses. Experimental models of severe diabetes during pregnancy reproduced maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant women

Animal models for clinical and gestational diabetes: maternal and fetal outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiss Ana CI

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Diabetes in pregnant women is associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity and remains a significant medical challenge. Diabetes during pregnancy may be divided into clinical diabetes and gestational diabetes. Experimental models are developed with the purpose of enhancing understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases that affect humans. With regard to diabetes in pregnancy, experimental findings from models will lead to the development of treatment strategies to maintain a normal metabolic intrauterine milieu, improving perinatal development by preventing fetal growth restriction or macrosomia. Based on animal models of diabetes during pregnancy previously reported in the medical literature, the present study aimed to compare the impact of streptozotocin-induced severe (glycemia >300 mg/dl and mild diabetes (glycemia between 120 and 300 mg/dl on glycemia and maternal reproductive and fetal outcomes of Wistar rats to evaluate whether the animal model reproduces the maternal and perinatal results of clinical and gestational diabetes in humans. Methods On day 5 of life, 96 female Wistar rats were assigned to three experimental groups: control (n = 16, severe (n = 50 and mild diabetes (n = 30. At day 90 of life, rats were mated. On day 21 of pregnancy, rats were killed and their uterine horns were exposed to count implantation and fetus numbers to determine pre- and post-implantation loss rates. The fetuses were classified according to their birth weight. Results Severe and mild diabetic dams showed different glycemic responses during pregnancy, impairing fetal glycemia and weight, confirming that maternal glycemia is directly associated with fetal development. Newborns from severe diabetic mothers presented growth restriction, but mild diabetic mothers were not associated with an increased rate of macrosomic fetuses. Conclusion Experimental models of severe diabetes during pregnancy

MODULACIÓN DE LA SINTESIS DE METALOTIONINAS EN Perna viridis PREEXPUESTOS A COBRE Y EXPUESTOS A CADMIO | MODULATION OF METALLOTHIONEIN SYNTHESIS IN Perna viridis PRE EXPOSED TO COPPER AND EXPOSED TO CADMIUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marín Lemus,

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The metallothioneins (Mts have been used as biomarkers because toxic metals such as Hg, Cd, Cu can induce their synthesis; however, environmental factors and the presence of other xenobiotics can determine the magnitude of the response in future exposures to metal ions. Metallothionein concentration was determinate in the soft tissue of Perna viridis juveniles pre-exposed to Cu and exposed to Cd (Cu/Cd for 21 days. For this, three experimental groups were established: exposed to Cd, pre-exposed to Cu and exposed to Cd and the control group (no metal. Cadmium accumulation in tissues of P. viridis was significantly higher in pre-exposed organisms to Cu, with an average value of 6.6 ± 1.9 mg/g, while in those exposed to Cd, was 4.7 ± 2.4 mg/g. Mts concentrations were also higher in the Cu/Cd experimental group, with a value of 1.36 ± 0.52 mg/g in relation to those exposed to Cd which had a value of 0.79 ± 0.47 mg/g. The relationship between Mts and bioaccumulation of Cd was significant in the group exposed to Cd, but not in the exposed Cu/Cd. These results suggest that Cu possibly acted as an inducer of Mts in the body, which led to increased accumulation of Cd in P. viridis and increase in Mts concentration. Tolerance and bioaccumulation of Cd in P. viridis was determined by previous exposure of the organism and hence its response on levels of MTs also depends on it.

Behavioral profiling as a translational approach in an animal model of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Ardi, Ziv; Albrecht, Anne; Richter-Levin, Alon; Saha, Rinki; Richter-Levin, Gal

2016-04-01

Diagnosis of psychiatric disorders in humans is based on comparing individuals to the normal population. However, many animal models analyze averaged group effects, thus compromising their translational power. This discrepancy is particularly relevant in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where only a minority develop the disorder following a traumatic experience. In our PTSD rat model, we utilize a novel behavioral profiling approach that allows the classification of affected and unaffected individuals in a trauma-exposed population. Rats were exposed to underwater trauma (UWT) and four weeks later their individual performances in the open field and elevated plus maze were compared to those of the control group, allowing the identification of affected and resilient UWT-exposed rats. Behavioral profiling revealed that only a subset of the UWT-exposed rats developed long-lasting behavioral symptoms. The proportion of affected rats was further enhanced by pre-exposure to juvenile stress, a well-described risk factor of PTSD. For a biochemical proof of concept we analyzed the expression levels of the GABAA receptor subunits α1 and α2 in the ventral, dorsal hippocampus and basolateral amygdala. Increased expression, mainly of α1, was observed in ventral but not dorsal hippocampus of exposed animals, which would traditionally be interpreted as being associated with the exposure-resultant psychopathology. However, behavioral profiling revealed that this increased expression was confined to exposed-unaffected individuals, suggesting a resilience-associated expression regulation. The results provide evidence for the importance of employing behavioral profiling in animal models of PTSD, in order to better understand the neural basis of stress vulnerability and resilience. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Animal models for testing anti-prion drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Borges, Natalia; Elezgarai, Saioa R; Eraña, Hasier; Castilla, Joaquín

2013-01-01

Prion diseases belong to a group of fatal infectious diseases with no effective therapies available. Throughout the last 35 years, less than 50 different drugs have been tested in different experimental animal models without hopeful results. An important limitation when searching for new drugs is the existence of appropriate models of the disease. The three different possible origins of prion diseases require the existence of different animal models for testing anti-prion compounds. Wild type, over-expressing transgenic mice and other more sophisticated animal models have been used to evaluate a diversity of compounds which some of them were previously tested in different in vitro experimental models. The complexity of prion diseases will require more pre-screening studies, reliable sporadic (or spontaneous) animal models and accurate chemical modifications of the selected compounds before having an effective therapy against human prion diseases. This review is intended to put on display the more relevant animal models that have been used in the search of new antiprion therapies and describe some possible procedures when handling chemical compounds presumed to have anti-prion activity prior to testing them in animal models.

Reduced number of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors in the myocardium of rats exposed to tobacco smoke

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larue, D.; Kato, G.

1981-04-09

The concentration of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors--as measured by specific (/sup 3/H)WB-4101 and (-)-(/sup 3/H)dihydroalprenolol binding--was diminished by 60% below control values in the hearts of rats exposed to tobacco smoke. These changes in receptor numbers took place almost immediately after tobacco smoke exposure and were rapidly reversible after termination of the exposure. The dissociation constant, KD, for (/sup 3/H)WB-4101 was identical in exposed (KD . 0.34 +/- 0.09 nM) and control (KD . 0.35 +/- 0.07 nM) hearts but was significantly different in the case of (-)-(3H)dihydroalprenolol binding (exposed, KD . 2.83 +/- 0.30 mM vs. control KD . 5.22 +/- 0.61 nM). For beta-receptor binding there was no significant difference between exposed and control animals in the Ki values for (-)-epinephrine, (-)-norepinephrine, (-)-alprenolol, (+/-)-propranolol or timolol. (-)-Isoproterenol, however, was found to bind with lower affinity in exposed compared with control hearts. For alpha-receptor binding there was no significant difference between control and 'smoked' animals in the Ki values for (-)-epinephrine, (-0)-norepinephrine or phentolamine. The decrease in alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor concentration may be related to the phenomenon of receptor desensitization resulting from a release of catecholamines in rats exposed to tobacco smoke.

Brain glucose metabolism in an animal model of depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Detka, J; Kurek, A; Kucharczyk, M; Głombik, K; Basta-Kaim, A; Kubera, M; Lasoń, W; Budziszewska, B

2015-06-04

An increasing number of data support the involvement of disturbances in glucose metabolism in the pathogenesis of depression. We previously reported that glucose and glycogen concentrations in brain structures important for depression are higher in a prenatal stress model of depression when compared with control animals. A marked rise in the concentrations of these carbohydrates and glucose transporters were evident in prenatally stressed animals subjected to acute stress and glucose loading in adulthood. To determine whether elevated levels of brain glucose are associated with a change in its metabolism in this model, we assessed key glycolytic enzymes (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase), products of glycolysis, i.e., pyruvate and lactate, and two selected enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (pyruvate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase) in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Additionally, we assessed glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, a key enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Prenatal stress increased the levels of phosphofructokinase, an important glycolytic enzyme, in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. However, prenatal stress had no effect on hexokinase or pyruvate kinase levels. The lactate concentration was elevated in prenatally stressed rats in the frontal cortex, and pyruvate levels remained unchanged. Among the tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes, prenatal stress decreased the level of pyruvate dehydrogenase in the hippocampus, but it had no effect on α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Like in the case of glucose and its transporters, also in the present study, differences in markers of glucose metabolism between control animals and those subjected to prenatal stress were not observed under basal conditions but in rats subjected to acute stress and glucose load in adulthood. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was not reduced by prenatal stress but was found to be even higher in animals exposed to

Linking animal population dynamics to alterations in foraging behaviour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Sibly, Richard; Tougaard, Jakob

Background/Question/Methods The survival of animal populations is strongly influenced by the individuals’ ability to forage efficiently, yet there are few studies of how populations respond when disturbances cause animals to deviate from their natural foraging behavior. Animals that respond...... that are increasingly exposed to noise from ships, wind turbines, etc. In the present study we investigate how the dynamics of the harbor porpoise population (Phocoena phocoena) in the inner Danish waters is influenced by disturbances using an agent- based simulation model. In the model animal movement, and hence...... the animals’ ability to forage efficiently and to sustain their energy intake, is influenced by noise emitted from wind turbines and ships. The energy levels in turn affect their survival. The fine-scale movements of the simulated animals was governed by a spatial memory, which allowed the model to produce...

Performance and exposure indices of rats exposed to low concentrations of lead.

Science.gov (United States)

Cory-Slechta, D A; Weiss, B; Cox, C

1985-04-01

To further characterize the lower end of the function relating lead exposure and biological exposure indices to behavior, male weanling rats were exposed chronically to drinking solutions containing 25 ppm sodium acetate (controls) or 25 ppm lead acetate. Behavioral training began when the animals reached 50 days of age, and performance on a fixed-interval 1-min schedule of food reinforcement was then assessed over 90 experimental sessions (136 days). This exposure produced overall response rate increases over the first 40 sessions that were similar to those observed previously with higher concentrations of lead. Response rates of the two groups tended to merge subsequently. The increased overall response rates in the treated group derived primarily from an increased frequency of shorter interresponse times (IRTs) and increased running rates (calculated without the postreinforcement interval). Blood lead (PbB) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) values were determined following sessions 30, 60, and 90. PbB values of the lead-exposed group averaged 15 to 20 micrograms/dl throughout the study; ZPP did not differ. The mean brain lead value of the treated group was 0.07 micrograms Pb/g. Blood-brain ratios (1.38 to 4.06) were substantially greater than those previously observed at higher exposures. These data extend to even lower exposures, and lower blood lead concentrations, the effective concentration for behavioral effects, and further emphasize the importance of the sensitivity of the endpoint in assessing behavioral toxicity.

A SUBCHRONIC INHALATION STUDY OF FISCHER 344 RATS EXPOSED TO 0, 0.4, 1.4 OR 4.0 PPM ACROLEIN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KUTZMAN, R.S.

1981-01-01

Fischer 344 rats were exposed to 0.0, 0.4, 1.4, or 4.0 ppm acrolein for 62 days. The major objective of the study was to relate the results of a series of pulmonary function tests to biochemical and pathological alterations observed in the lung. Cytological and reproductive potential endpoints were also assessed after acrolein exposure. Rats were exposed to acrolein for 6 hours/day, 5 days/week for 62 days. Mortality was observed only in the 4.0 ppm chamber where 32 of 57 exposed males died; however, none of the 8 exposed females died. Most of the mortality occurred within the first 10 exposure days. Histologic examination indicated that the animals died of acute bronchopneumonia. The surviving males and females exposed to 4.0 ppm acrolein gained weight at a significantly slower rate than control animals. The growth of both sexes in the 0.4 and 1.4 ppm groups was similar to that of their respective controls. Histopathologic examination of animals after 62 days of exposure revealed bronchiolar epithelial necrosis and sloughing, bronchiolar edema with macrophages, and focal pulmonary edema in the 4.0 ppm group. These lesions were, in some cases, associated with edema of the trachea and peribronchial lymph nodes, and acute rhinitis which indicated an upper respiratory tract effect of acrolein. Of particular interest was the variability of response between rats in the 4.0 ppm group, some not affected at all while others were moderately affected. Intragroup variability in toxicity was also apparent in the 1.4 ppm exposure group where only 3 of 31 animals examined had lesions directly related to acrolein exposure. Extra respiratory organs appeared unaffected

Automated measurement of pulmonary emphysema and small airway remodeling in cigarette smoke-exposed mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Laucho-Contreras, Maria E; Taylor, Katherine L; Mahadeva, Ravi; Boukedes, Steve S; Owen, Caroline A

2015-01-16

COPD is projected to be the third most common cause of mortality world-wide by 2020((1)). Animal models of COPD are used to identify molecules that contribute to the disease process and to test the efficacy of novel therapies for COPD. Researchers use a number of models of COPD employing different species including rodents, guinea-pigs, rabbits, and dogs((2)). However, the most widely-used model is that in which mice are exposed to cigarette smoke. Mice are an especially useful species in which to model COPD because their genome can readily be manipulated to generate animals that are either deficient in, or over-express individual proteins. Studies of gene-targeted mice that have been exposed to cigarette smoke have provided valuable information about the contributions of individual molecules to different lung pathologies in COPD((3-5)). Most studies have focused on pathways involved in emphysema development which contributes to the airflow obstruction that is characteristic of COPD. However, small airway fibrosis also contributes significantly to airflow obstruction in human COPD patients((6)), but much less is known about the pathogenesis of this lesion in smoke-exposed animals. To address this knowledge gap, this protocol quantifies both emphysema development and small airway fibrosis in smoke-exposed mice. This protocol exposes mice to CS using a whole-body exposure technique, then measures respiratory mechanics in the mice, inflates the lungs of mice to a standard pressure, and fixes the lungs in formalin. The researcher then stains the lung sections with either Gill's stain to measure the mean alveolar chord length (as a readout of emphysema severity) or Masson's trichrome stain to measure deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins around small airways (as a readout of small airway fibrosis). Studies of the effects of molecular pathways on both of these lung pathologies will lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of COPD.

Environmental exposure to asbestos and other inorganic fibres using animal lung model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fornero, Elisa [Dipartimento di Scienze dell' Ambiente e della Vita, Universita del Piemonte Orientale ' A. Avogadro' , Via Bellini 25/g, 15100 Alessandria (Italy); Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio degli Amianti e di altri Particolati Nocivi ' Giovanni Scansetti' , Universita degli Studi di Torino, Torino (Italy)], E-mail: elisa.fornero@mfn.unipmn.it; Belluso, Elena [Dipartimento di Scienze Mineralogiche e Petrologiche, Universita degli Studi di Torino, Via V. Caluso 35, 10125 Torino (Italy); Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse, CNR-Unita di Torino, Via V. Caluso 35, 10125 Torino (Italy); Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio degli Amianti e di altri Particolati Nocivi ' Giovanni Scansetti' , Universita degli Studi di Torino, Torino (Italy); Capella, Silvana [Dipartimento di Scienze Mineralogiche e Petrologiche, Universita degli Studi di Torino, Via V. Caluso 35, 10125 Torino (Italy); Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio degli Amianti e di altri Particolati Nocivi ' Giovanni Scansetti' , Universita degli Studi di Torino, Torino (Italy); Bellis, Donata [Servizio di Anatomia, Istologia Patologica e Citodiagnostica, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni Bosco, ASLTO2 Piazza Donatori del Sangue 3, 10154 Torino (Italy); Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio degli Amianti e di altri Particolati Nocivi ' Giovanni Scansetti' , Universita degli Studi di Torino, Torino (Italy)

2009-01-15

Professional exposure to asbestos fibres is widely recognized as very dangerous to human health and for this reason many countries have banned their commercial uses. People, nevertheless, continue to be exposed to low dose of asbestos from natural and anthropogenic sources still in loco, for which the potential hazard is unknown. The aim of this research is to assess environmental exposure in an area with outcropping serpentinite rocks, which bear asbestos mineralizations, using sentinel animals which are a non-experimental animal model. We studied the burden of inorganic fibres in cattle lungs which come from two areas in Italy's Western Alps bearing serpentinitic outcrops: Susa Valley with a heavy anthropization and Lanzo Valleys, with a minor human impact. The identification and quantification of inorganic fibres were performed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). In comparison to humans, studies of animals have some advantages, such as no occupational exposure or history of smoking and, in the case of cattle, a sedentary life restricted to one region. Results spotlight that over than 35% of inorganic fibres found both in Susa and Lanzo valleys, belong to asbestos mineralogical species (asbestos tremolite/actinolite, chrysotile s.s., asbestos grunerite, crocidolite). We also observed a higher concentration of artificial fibrous products in Susa samples showing a correlation with the level of anthropization. These results confirm that sentinel animals are an excellent model to assess breathable environmental background because it is possible to eliminate some variables, such as unknown occupational exposure.

Environmental exposure to asbestos and other inorganic fibres using animal lung model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fornero, Elisa; Belluso, Elena; Capella, Silvana; Bellis, Donata

2009-01-01

Professional exposure to asbestos fibres is widely recognized as very dangerous to human health and for this reason many countries have banned their commercial uses. People, nevertheless, continue to be exposed to low dose of asbestos from natural and anthropogenic sources still in loco, for which the potential hazard is unknown. The aim of this research is to assess environmental exposure in an area with outcropping serpentinite rocks, which bear asbestos mineralizations, using sentinel animals which are a non-experimental animal model. We studied the burden of inorganic fibres in cattle lungs which come from two areas in Italy's Western Alps bearing serpentinitic outcrops: Susa Valley with a heavy anthropization and Lanzo Valleys, with a minor human impact. The identification and quantification of inorganic fibres were performed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). In comparison to humans, studies of animals have some advantages, such as no occupational exposure or history of smoking and, in the case of cattle, a sedentary life restricted to one region. Results spotlight that over than 35% of inorganic fibres found both in Susa and Lanzo valleys, belong to asbestos mineralogical species (asbestos tremolite/actinolite, chrysotile s.s., asbestos grunerite, crocidolite). We also observed a higher concentration of artificial fibrous products in Susa samples showing a correlation with the level of anthropization. These results confirm that sentinel animals are an excellent model to assess breathable environmental background because it is possible to eliminate some variables, such as unknown occupational exposure

Bioethical Principles of Biomedical Research Involving Animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bakir Mehić

2011-08-01

Full Text Available A major requirement both of national and international ethical codes for human experimentation, and of national legislation in many cases, is that new substances or devices should not be used for the first time on human beings unless previous tests on animals have provided a reasonable presumption of their safety. That is so called: Good Clinical Praxis (GCP. There are two international ethical codes intended principally for the guidance of countries or institutions that have not yet formulated their own ethical requirements for human experimentation: The Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association and The Proposed International Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences and the World Health Organization[1].Animal experimentation is fundamental to the biomedical sciences, not only for the advancement of specific vital processes, but also for the improvement of methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease both in man and in animals. The use of animals is also indispensable for testing the potency and safety of biological substances used in human and veterinary medicine, as well as for determining the toxicity of the rapidly growing number of molecules that never existed before in nature and which may represent a hazard to health. This extensive exploitation by man of animals implies philosophical and moral problems that are not peculiar to their use for scientific purposes, and there are no objective ethical criteria by which to judge claims and counterclaims in such matters[2]. However, there is a consensus that „deliberate cruelty is repugnant”.While many countries have general laws or regulations imposing penalties for ill-treatment of animals, relatively few make specific provision for their use for scientific purposes. Because of differing legal systems and cultural backgrounds there are varying approaches to the use of

Innovativeness as an emergent property: a new alignment of comparative and experimental research on animal innovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Andrea S

2016-03-19

Innovation and creativity are key defining features of human societies. As we face the global challenges of the twenty-first century, they are also facets upon which we must become increasingly reliant. But what makes Homo sapiens so innovative and where does our high innovation propensity come from? Comparative research on innovativeness in non-human animals allows us to peer back through evolutionary time and investigate the ecological factors that drove the evolution of innovativeness, whereas experimental research identifies and manipulates underpinning creative processes. In commenting on the present theme issue, I highlight the controversies that have typified this research field and show how a paradigmatic shift in our thinking about innovativeness will contribute to resolving these tensions. In the past decade, innovativeness has been considered by many as a trait, a direct product of cognition, and a direct target of selection. The evidence I review here suggests that innovativeness will be hereon viewed as one component, or even an emergent property of a larger array of traits, which have evolved to deal with environmental variation. I illustrate how research should capitalize on taxonomic diversity to unravel the full range of psychological processes that underpin innovativeness in non-human animals. © 2016 The Author(s).

The difficult relationship between occlusal interferences and temporomandibular disorder - insights from animal and human experimental studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Q; Li, X; Xu, X

2013-04-01

The aetiology of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is multifactorial, and numerous studies have addressed that occlusion may be of great importance. However, whether occlusion plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of TMD remains controversial. Study designs utilising animal models have been used to study the effects of artificial occlusal alterations. Experimental traumatic occlusion affects blood flow in the temporomandibular joint and results in changes in the condylar cartilage, and artificial occlusal interference induces masticatory muscle nociceptive responses that are associated with peripheral sensitisation and lead to central sensitisation, which maintains masticatory muscle hyperalgesia. The possibility that occlusal interference results in TMD has been investigated in humans using a double-blind randomised design. Subjects without a history of TMD show fairly good adaptation to interferences. In contrast, subjects with a history of TMD develop a significant increase in clinical signs and self-report stronger symptoms (occlusal discomfort and chewing difficulties) in response to interferences. Meanwhile, psychological factors appear meaningful for symptomatic responses to artificial interferences in subjects with a history of TMD. Thus, individual differences in vulnerability to occlusal interferences do exist. Although there are advantages and disadvantages to using human and animal occlusal interference models, these approaches are indispensable for discovering the role of occlusion in TMD pathogenesis. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Aspects of Experimental Hepatocarcinogenesis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1974-06-22

Jun 22, 1974 ... Few lysosomes and autophagic vacuoles were present. Fig. 4. Prominent Golgi bodies in the perinuclear area. (x 30000). DISCUSSION. In the cirrhotic livers of animals-exposed to p-DAB, the hyperplastic nodules display a wide range of histological appearances and those described in this article are com-.

Investigating Differential Learning Outcomes of Students in Physics Using Animation and Textual Information Teaching Strategies in Ondo State Secondary School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blessing Eguabor

2017-06-01

Full Text Available BackgroundThe study investigated the main effects of animation information and textual information on students'performance and improving students' attitude towards physics.Material and methodsThe study adopted the pre-test post-test control group design. The population was made up of SSS 2 students inOndo State. Three Local Government Areas were randomly selected from the 18 Local Government Areas ofOndo State. Simple random technique was used to select three schools in the selected Local Government Areas.The schools were randomly assigned to two experimental groups namely animation and, textual informationstrategy and one control group. Two instruments were used for the study.ResultsOne-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA, Scheffe Post-Hoc pair-wise comparison Analysis, and two-way Analysisof Variance was used. The results showed that there was a significant main effect of animation and textual strategieson students performance in physics. The results also showed that there was a significant difference in the post testattitudinal score of students' exposed to the strategies with the effectiveness in the order of animation, textual, andconventional strategiesConclusionsThe study concluded that computer- based instruction such as animation and textual strategies could enhancelearning outcomes in Physics in senior secondary school irrespective of students' sex.

Effect of dietary supplementation of vitamin C on growth, reactive oxygen species, and antioxidant enzyme activity of Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka) juveniles exposed to nitrite

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Zuoyong; Wang, Baojie; Liu, Mei; Jiang, Keyong; Liu, Mingxing; Wang, Lei

2014-07-01

Different amounts of vitamin C were added to diets fed to juveniles (2.5 ± 0.15 g) of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonic u s (Selenka) in an attempt to reduce the stress response of specimens exposed to nitrite stress. A commercial feed was used as the control diet and three experimental diets were made by supplementing 1 000, 1 500, or 2 000 mg vitamin C/kg diet to control diet separately in a 45-day experiment. Sea cucumbers were exposed to three different levels (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/L) of nitrite stress for 4, 8, and 12 h at four time intervals (0, 15, 30, and 45 d). Growth of the animals was recorded during the experiment. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) (i.e. hydroxyl free radical (-OH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC)) and antioxidant enzyme activities (i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)) were measured. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analyze the effect of multiple factors on ROS indices and enzyme activities. Weight gain (WG) and special growth rate (SGR) of vitamin C supplementation groups were significantly higher than those of control group ( P < 0.05). The levels of -OH and MDA increased under exposure time extending and nitrite concentration increasing, whereas T-AOC level decreased. SOD and CAT activities increased at 4 h and 8 h and decreased at 12 h. During the days in which the animal consumed experimental diets, the levels of -OH and MDA decreased and that of T-AOC increased. This result suggests that diets containing vitamin C could reduce the nitrite stress response in the animals and increase their antioxidant capacity. The multifactor regression equation of growth performance, ROS indices, and duration of feeding results suggest that vitamin C supplementation of 1 400-2 000 mg/kg diet for 29-35 days could reduce effectively the effects of nitrite exposure.

Fulminant infection by uncommon organisms in animal bite wounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, J K

1998-10-01

In 1995 and 1996, 215 patients exposed to different species of animals were treated at the Amarnath Polyclinic, Balasore, in India. Among them were two children infected by uncommon organisms, i.e., Capnocytophaga canimorsus and Pasteurella multocida; the patients recovered with appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Fulminant infection by uncommon organisms in animal bite wounds.

OpenAIRE

Dutta, J. K.

1998-01-01

In 1995 and 1996, 215 patients exposed to different species of animals were treated at the Amarnath Polyclinic, Balasore, in India. Among them were two children infected by uncommon organisms, i.e., Capnocytophaga canimorsus and Pasteurella multocida; the patients recovered with appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Bioaccumulation and biological effects in the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to natural and depleted uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giovanetti, Anna, E-mail: anna.giovanetti@enea.i [ENEA, Institute of Radiation Protection, CR Casaccia Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome (Italy); Fesenko, Sergey [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Agency' s Laboratories Seibersdorf, A-2444 Seibersdorf (Austria); Cozzella, Maria L. [ENEA, National Institute for Metrology of Ionizing Radiation, CR Casaccia Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome (Italy); Asencio, Lisbet D. [Centro de Estudios Ambientales, Carretera a Castillo de Jagua, CP. 59350 C. Nuclear, Cienfuegos (Cuba); Sansone, Umberto [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Agency' s Laboratories Seibersdorf, A-2444 Seibersdorf (Austria)

2010-06-15

The accumulations of both natural (U) and depleted (DU) uranium in the earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were studied to evaluate corresponding biological effects. Concentrations of metals in the experimental soil ranged from 1.86 to 600 mg kg{sup -1}. Five biological endpoints: mortality, animals' weight increasing, lysosomal membrane stability by measuring the neutral red retention time (the NRRT), histological changes and genetic effects (Comet assay) were used to evaluate biological effects in the earthworms after 7 and 28 days of exposure. No effects have been observed in terms of mortality or weight reduction. Cytotoxic and genetic effects were identified at quite low U concentrations. For some of these endpoints, in particular for genetic effects, the dose (U concentration)-effect relationships have been found to be non-linear. The results have also shown a statistically significant higher level of impact on the earthworms exposed to natural U compared to depleted U.

Bioaccumulation and biological effects in the earthworm Eisenia fetida exposed to natural and depleted uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giovanetti, Anna; Fesenko, Sergey; Cozzella, Maria L.; Asencio, Lisbet D.; Sansone, Umberto

2010-01-01

The accumulations of both natural (U) and depleted (DU) uranium in the earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were studied to evaluate corresponding biological effects. Concentrations of metals in the experimental soil ranged from 1.86 to 600 mg kg -1 . Five biological endpoints: mortality, animals' weight increasing, lysosomal membrane stability by measuring the neutral red retention time (the NRRT), histological changes and genetic effects (Comet assay) were used to evaluate biological effects in the earthworms after 7 and 28 days of exposure. No effects have been observed in terms of mortality or weight reduction. Cytotoxic and genetic effects were identified at quite low U concentrations. For some of these endpoints, in particular for genetic effects, the dose (U concentration)-effect relationships have been found to be non-linear. The results have also shown a statistically significant higher level of impact on the earthworms exposed to natural U compared to depleted U.

A graphical review of radiogenic animal cancer data using the 'dose and dose-rate map'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Kazuo; Hoshi, Yuko; Sakai, Kazuo

2008-01-01

We have been investigating the effects of low dose or low dose rate irradiation on mice, using our low dose-rate irradiation facilities. In these studies, we found that the effects were highly dependent on both total dose and dose rate. To show this visually, we proposed the 'dose/dose rate map', and plotted the results of our laboratory and our co-workers. The map demonstrated that dose/dose rate plane could be divided into three areas; 1) An area where harmful effects are observed, 2) An area where no harmful effects are observed, and 3) Another area, between previous two areas, where certain protective functions are enhanced. As this map would be a powerful tool to find some trend among the vast numbers of data relating the biological effects of ionizing radiation, we have developed a computer program which plots the collected data on the dose/dose rate map sorting by experimental conditions. In this study, we graphically reviewed and analyzed the data relating to the lifespan studies of animals with a view to determining the relationships between doses and dose rates of ionizing radiation and cancer incidence. The data contains about 800 sets of experiments, which concerns 187,000 animals exposed to gamma ray or X-ray and their 112,000 controls, and total of about 30,000 cancers in exposed animals and 14,000 cancers in controls. About 800 points of data were plotted on the dose/dose rate map. The plot showed that 1) The divided three areas in the dose/dose rate map were generally confirmed by these 800 points of data, and 2) In some particular conditions, e.g. sarcoma by X-rays, the biologically effective area is extended to relatively high dose/dose rate area. (author)

Development of tumours in dogs exposed to low doses of gamma radiation for a long time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakovleva, V.I.

1974-01-01

150 animals were exposed to chronic (doses 21, 63 and 125 rad/year, with dose rates of 0.06, 0.17 and 0.34 rad/day, respectively) or combined γ-irradiation (chronic irradiation at 63 rad/year and acute irradiation at 58 and 126 rad/year) for a total period of 6 years. Post-mortem examination of 74 irradiated a7 animals revealed malignant neoplasms in 5 (flat-cell pulmonary carcinoma, hepatocellular liver carcinoma, skin basalioma, osteogenic costal sarcoma, and eye melanoma) and bening neoplasms also in 5 (3 leidigomas, parenchymatous thyroid struma and angiofibroma of hypodermic tissue). Of the 19 dogs in the control group, 2 had mammary tumours (cystadenoma and adenofibroma that changed to adenocarcinoma). Most of the neoplasms were seen in animals exposed to chronic irradiation with the highest dose rates as well as in those which received the highest total doses used in chronic irradiation. Acute effects were noted twice as often as chronic ones

Ice nucleation of ammonia gas exposed montmorillonite mineral dust particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Salam

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The ice nucleation characteristics of montmorillonite mineral dust aerosols with and without exposure to ammonia gas were measured at different atmospheric temperatures and relative humidities with a continuous flow diffusion chamber. The montmorillonite particles were exposed to pure (100% and diluted ammonia gas (25 ppm at room temperature in a stainless steel chamber. There was no significant change in the mineral dust particle size distribution due to the ammonia gas exposure. 100% pure ammonia gas exposure enhanced the ice nucleating fraction of montmorillonite mineral dust particles 3 to 8 times at 90% relative humidity with respect to water (RHw and 5 to 8 times at 100% RHw for 120 min exposure time compared to unexposed montmorillonite within our experimental conditions. The percentages of active ice nuclei were 2 to 8 times higher at 90% RHw and 2 to 7 times higher at 100% RHw in 25 ppm ammonia exposed montmorillonite compared to unexposed montmorillonite. All montmorillonite particles are more efficient as ice nuclei with increasing relative humidities and decreasing temperatures. The activation temperature of montmorillonite exposed to 100% pure ammonia was 15°C higher than for unexposed montmorillonite particles at 90% RHw. In the 25 ppm ammonia exposed montmorillonite experiments, the activation temperature was 10°C warmer than unexposed montmorillonite at 90% RHw. Degassing does not reverse the ice nucleating ability of ammonia exposed montmorillonite mineral dust particles suggesting that the ammonia is chemically bound to the montmorillonite particle. This is the first experimental evidence that ammonia gas exposed montmorillonite mineral dust particles can enhance its activation as ice nuclei and that the activation can occur at temperatures warmer than –10°C where natural atmospheric ice nuclei are very scarce.

Comparison of in vitro toxicological effects of biomass smoke from different sources of animal dung.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Claire E; Duffney, Parker F; Wyatt, Jeffrey D; Thatcher, Thomas H; Phipps, Richard P; Sime, Patricia J

2017-09-01

Worldwide, over 4 million premature deaths each year are attributed to the burning of biomass fuels for cooking and heating. Epidemiological studies associate household air pollution with lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections. Animal dung, a biomass fuel used by economically vulnerable populations, generates more toxic compounds per mass burned than other biomass fuels. The type of animal dung used varies widely depending on local agro-geography. There are currently neither standardized experimental systems for dung biomass smoke research nor studies assessing the health impacts of different types of dung smoke. Here, we used a novel reproducible exposure system to assess outcomes related to inflammation and respiratory infections in human airway cells exposed to six different types of dung biomass smoke. We report that dung biomass smoke, regardless of species, is pro-inflammatory and activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and JNK transcription factors; however, dung smoke also suppresses interferon responses after a challenge with a viral mimetic. These effects are consistent with epidemiological data, and suggest a mechanism by which the combustion of animal dung can directly cause lung diseases, promote increased susceptibility to infection, and contribute to the global health problem of household air pollution. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Exposing broiler eggs to green, red and white light during incubation.

Science.gov (United States)

Archer, G S

2017-07-01

Previous work has shown that exposing broiler eggs to white light during incubation can improve hatchability and post-hatch animal welfare. It was hypothesized that due to how different wavelengths of light can affect avian physiology differently, and how pigmented eggshells filter light that different monochromatic wavelengths would have differential effects on hatchability and post-hatch animal welfare indicators. To determine, we incubated chicken eggs (n=6912) under either no light (dark), green light, red light or white light; the light level was 250 lux. White and red light were observed to increase hatch of fertile (P0.05). Fear response of during isolation and tonic immobility was reduced (P0.05) from dark incubated broilers. All light incubated broilers had lower (Phatchery efficiency and post-hatch animal welfare at the same time.

Lung cancer risk models from experimental animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, E.S.

1988-03-01

The objective of this paper is to present analyses of data based on methods that adequately account for time-related factors and competiting risks, and that yield results that are expressed in a form comparable to results obtained from recent analyses of epidemiological studies of humans exposed to radon and radon daughters. These epidemiological analyses have modeled the hazard, or age-specific death rates, as a function of factors such as dose and dose rate, time from exposure, and time from cessation of exposure. The starting point for many of the analyses of human data has been the constant relative risk modeling which the age-specific death rates are assumed to be a function of cumulative dose, and the risks due to exposure are assumed to be proportional to the age-specific baseline death rates. However, departures from this initial model, such as dependence of risks on age at risk and/or time from exposure, have been investigated. These analyses have frequently been based on a non-parametric model that requires minimal assumptions regarding the baseline risks and their dependence on age

Ethics in Animal-Based Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Dominik; Tolba, René H

2015-01-01

In recent years, there have been a number of new demands and regulations which have reignited the discussion on ethics in animal-based research. In the light of this development, the present review first presents an overview of underlying core ethical questions and issues. This is followed by an outline of the current discussion on whether animals (used for experimentation) should have rights ascribed to them and whether animals need to have certain characteristics in order to be the beneficiaries of rights. The discourse on concepts of sentience and the 'sociozoological scale' in particular is mapped out in this regard. There follows an outline of relevant ethical positions and current moral approaches to animal-based research (animal rights position, utilitarianism, 'convergence position', intrinsic cultural value of fundamental research, 'contractarianism', anthropocentrism, principle of the three Rs). 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Experimental results and first 22Na source image reconstruction by two prototype modules in coincidence of a liquid xenon positron emission tomograph for small animal imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallin-Martel, M.-L.; Grondin, Y.; Gac, N.; Carcagno, Y.; Gallin-Martel, L.; Grondin, D.; Marton, M.; Muraz, J.-F; Rossetto, O.; Vezzu, F.

2012-01-01

A detector with a very specific design using liquid Xenon (LXe) in the scintillation mode is studied for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of small animals. Two prototype modules equipped with Position Sensitive Photo Multiplier Tubes (PSPMTs) operating in the VUV range (178 nm) and at 165 K were built and studied in coincidence. This paper reports on energy, time and spatial resolution capabilities of this experimental test bench. Furthermore, these experimental results were used to perform the first image reconstruction of a 22 Na source placed in the experimental setup.

Use of the information from experiment by animal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inaba, Jiro

1976-01-01

In order to calculate the radiation dose to various parts of human body tissue from internally deposited radionuclides, we need to know their pattern of uptake and retention within the human body. In the case that appropriate data for man are not available it is commonly necessary to use data collected from experimental animals. Since animal experiment can offer analytical approaches to the subject, the information from the experiment is considered to be rather essential for biologically logical description of the metabolism of the radionuclides. The animal experiment can be divided into three categories by the purpose; i.e., construction of a quantitative metabolic model, evaluation of the factors affecting the parameters used in the model and understanding the mechanisms of the metabolism. Extrapolation of animal data to man are subject to considerable criticism, and probably justifiably so because of the variations among species. An example of species variability is the difference of the whole-body retention rate of radiocesium between newborn of rat and human. Until adequate experimental data are collected from human subjects, we have no choice to rely mainly on information from experimental animals. As our knowledge is insufficient to provide a strong theoretical basis for the extraporation from animal to human, we should be very careful at the practice of the extrapolation, moreover, we should promote the study to establish a good interspecies correlation which will provide a better basis for the extrapolation. (auth.)

Experimental study of antiradiation properties of recombinant superoxide dismutase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derimedvyid', L.V.; Simonova, L.Yi.; Gertman, V.Z.

2003-01-01

The study involved 250 mongrel white male mice weighing 18-22 g. It was shown that the superoxide dismutase had a marked radioprotective effect. The experiments on animals exposed to ionizing radiation at a absolute and mean lethal doses demonstrate considerable increase of survival rate, mean life span of the dead animals, shifts in the peaks of lethality to later terms, reduction in the percentage of animals with intestinal syndrome,

Animals from the Outside In, Science (Experimental): 5314.01.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinman, David Z.

Presented is an outline of a basic course (low level) in biology for students whose interest and background are very limited. The study and dissection of earthworm, crayfish, perch, and bird are included. A detailed study of the frog is undertaken as a representative of the animal kingdom. Performance objectives are presented, as well as a course…

Immediate ketamine treatment does not prevent posttraumatic stress responses in an animal model for PTSD.

Science.gov (United States)

Juven-Wetzler, Alzbeta; Cohen, Hagit; Kaplan, Zeev; Kohen, Avi; Porat, Oren; Zohar, Joseph

2014-03-01

Clinical studies suggest that administration of ketamine hydrochloride-an antagonist at the N-methyl-d-aspartate ionophore-provides short-term amelioration for depressive symptoms. The effects of a brief course of ketamine given immediately following exposure to psychogenic stress on the behavioral stress responses were assessed in an animal model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Animals exposed to stress were treated 1h later with ketamine (0.5, 5, and 15 mg/kg) or vehicle for three days (N = 107). Outcome measures included behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and acoustic startle response (ASR) tests 30 days after initial exposure and freezing behavior upon exposure to a trauma-cue on day 31. Pre-set cut-off behavioral criteria classified exposed animals according to their EPM and ASR response-patterns into "extreme," "minimal," or "partial" behavioral response for analysis of prevalence rates of "PTSD-like behavior." Circulating corticosterone levels were assessed 20 min after injection of ketamine in exposed and unexposed animals (N = 62). The dexamethasone suppression test was used to assess negative feedback inhibition of the HPA axis. Prevalence rates of extremely-, partially-, or minimally-disrupted behavior demonstrated that ketamine administered immediately following stress exposure was ineffective in alleviating "PTSD-like behavior" at day 30 after exposure. Administration of ketamine was associated with increase in freezing behavior after exposure to a trauma-cue on day 31. Corticosterone levels were significantly suppressed by ketamine only in the exposed animals. Administration of ketamine immediately following trauma-exposure may not only be ineffective but actually detrimental in the long term. A disruption of the post-stress HPA-response has been raised as a contributing factor. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. and ECNP.

Animal experimental model of a graft-versus-host (GVH) reaction after allogenic transplantation of bone marrow in lethally irradiated mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwenke, H.; Muench, S.; Haubold, S.; Weber, B.

1977-01-01

The graft-versus-host (GVH) disease represents a serious still unsolved problem in the human allogenic transplantation of bone marrow. An experimental model of GVH reaction after an allogenic transplantation of bone marrow in the adult mouse has been worked out as a prerequisite for further studies on the therapeutic influence of this syndrome. 3 groups have been formed out of 82 lethally X-irradiated C57 Bl mice. The non-transplanted control group died to a hundred per cent within 12 days. While out of the 2nd group treated with syngenic bone marrow 55 per cent survived from the 22nd day, 30 per cent of the third animal group, allogenicly transplanted with histoincompatible AKR donor marrow developed a chronic GVH syndrome. The following symptoms were observed: retardation, alterations of the skin, diarrhea, edemas of the legs, failing increase of leukocytes in blood and proliferation of lymphocytes in bone marrow of about 60 per cent (18 per cent in syngenically transplanted animals), in lacking proliferation of hematopoiesis. The increase of liver and especially spleen index is not characteristic in comparison with the syngenically transplanted group, since in the latter there is also an increase of the values on account of a strong hematopoetic proliferation. The model is suitable and sufficiently well characterized for the performance of further experimental studies. (author)

Autoradiographic thyroid evaluation in short-term experimental diabetes mellitus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nascimento-Saba C.C.A.

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that in vitro thyroid peroxidase (TPO iodide oxidation activity is decreased and thyroid T4-5'-deiodinase activity is increased 15 days after induction of experimental diabetes mellitus (DM. In the present study we used thyroid histoautoradiography, an indirect assay of in vivo TPO activity, to determine the possible parallelism between the in vitro and in vivo changes induced by experimental DM. DM was induced in male Wistar rats (about 250 g body weight by a single ip streptozotocin injection (45 mg/kg, while control (C animals received a single injection of the vehicle. Seven and 30 days after diabetes induction, each diabetic and control animal was given ip a tracer dose of 125I (2 µCi, 2.5 h before thyroid excision. The glands were counted, weighed, fixed in Bouin's solution, embedded in paraffin and cut. The sections were stained with HE and exposed to NTB-2 emulsion (Kodak. The autohistograms were developed and the quantitative distribution of silver grains was evaluated with a computerized image analyzer system. Thyroid radioiodine uptake was significantly decreased only after 30 days of DM (C: 0.38 ± 0.05 vs DM: 0.20 ± 0.04%/mg thyroid, P<0.05 while in vivo TPO activity was significantly decreased 7 and 30 days after DM induction (C: 5.3 and 4.5 grains/100 µm2 vs DM: 2.9 and 1.6 grains/100 µm2, respectively, P<0.05 . These data suggest that insulin deficiency first reduces in vivo TPO activity during short-term experimental diabetes mellitus

Incorporating Animation Concepts and Principles in STEM Education

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Henry L., III; Hummell, Laura J.

2010-01-01

Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of static images that creates the illusion of movement. This optical illusion is often called perception of motion, persistence of vision, illusion of motion, or short-range apparent motion. The phenomenon occurs when the eye is exposed to rapidly changing still images, with each image being changed…

Reducing animal experimentation in foot-and-mouth disease vaccine potency tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeve, Richard; Cox, Sarah; Smitsaart, Eliana; Beascoechea, Claudia Perez; Haas, Bernd; Maradei, Eduardo; Haydon, Daniel T; Barnett, Paul

2011-07-26

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Manual and the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) still prescribe live challenge experiments for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) immunogenicity and vaccine potency tests. However, the EP allows for other validated tests for the latter, and specifically in vitro tests if a "satisfactory pass level" has been determined; serological replacements are also currently in use in South America. Much research has therefore focused on validating both ex vivo and in vitro tests to replace live challenge. However, insufficient attention has been given to the sensitivity and specificity of the "gold standard"in vivo test being replaced, despite this information being critical to determining what should be required of its replacement. This paper aims to redress this imbalance by examining the current live challenge tests and their associated statistics and determining the confidence that we can have in them, thereby setting a standard for candidate replacements. It determines that the statistics associated with the current EP PD(50) test are inappropriate given our domain knowledge, but that the OIE test statistics are satisfactory. However, it has also identified a new set of live animal challenge test regimes that provide similar sensitivity and specificity to all of the currently used OIE tests using fewer animals (16 including controls), and can also provide further savings in live animal experiments in exchange for small reductions in sensitivity and specificity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory animal: biological reagent or living being?

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, C V P; Almeida, A E C C de

2014-01-01

The duties of humans toward non-human animals and their rights in society have been debated for a long time. However, a discussion on the terminology used for the identification of laboratory animals is usually not considered, although the employment of inadequate terminology may generate disastrous consequences for the animals before, during, and after the experiment. This study intends to defend the use of appropriate terminology, call attention to an unethical attitude of certain professionals when dealing with experimental animals, and also propose operational mechanisms, which allow for those distortions to be corrected.

STUDY OF THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF CYPERMETHRIN IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Mehmood Hasan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on the toxic effects of a commercially available pesticide, cypermethrin (CM, on animals. This pesticide was administered in the form of aerosol spray through a nebulizer. The study was performed in four different groups and a constant dose of the pesticide was administered once, twice, thrice and four times a day to the respective group for a period of 30 days. The animals were then dissected to study the pesticide effects on different organs. The organs were preserved in 10% formalin. The tissues were processed by basic histopathological method and the slides were prepared for observation. The results were recorded on a performa and were quantified by a unique scoring system. It is concluded that the injurious effects to the mentioned organs were dose and frequency dependent.

Alteration of cytokine profiles in mice exposed to chronic low-dose ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Suk Chul [Radiation Health Research Institute, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., 388-1, Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul 132-703 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kyung-Mi [Global Research Lab, BAERI Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 136-705 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Yu Mi [Radiation Health Research Institute, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., 388-1, Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul 132-703 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kwanghee [Global Research Lab, BAERI Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 136-705 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Cha Soon; Yang, Kwang Hee; Jin, Young-Woo [Radiation Health Research Institute, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., 388-1, Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul 132-703 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chong Soon [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan 612-030 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hee Sun, E-mail: hskimdvm@khnp.co.kr [Radiation Health Research Institute, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., 388-1, Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul 132-703 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-07-09

While a high-dose of ionizing radiation is generally harmful and causes damage to living organisms, a low-dose of radiation has been shown to be beneficial in a variety of animal models. To understand the basis for the effect of low-dose radiation in vivo, we examined the cellular and immunological changes evoked in mice exposed to low-dose radiation at very low (0.7 mGy/h) and low (3.95 mGy/h) dose rate for the total dose of 0.2 and 2 Gy, respectively. Mice exposed to low-dose radiation, either at very low- or low-dose rate, demonstrated normal range of body weight and complete blood counts. Likewise, the number and percentage of peripheral lymphocyte populations, CD4{sup +} T, CD8{sup +} T, B, or NK cells, stayed unchanged following irradiation. Nonetheless, the sera from these mice exhibited elevated levels of IL-3, IL-4, leptin, MCP-1, MCP-5, MIP-1{alpha}, thrombopoietin, and VEGF along with slight reduction of IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17, and IFN-{gamma}. This pattern of cytokine release suggests the stimulation of innate immunity facilitating myeloid differentiation and activation while suppressing pro-inflammatory responses and promoting differentiation of naive T cells into T-helper 2, not T-helper 1, types. Collectively, our data highlight the subtle changes of cytokine milieu by chronic low-dose {gamma}-radiation, which may be associated with the functional benefits observed in various experimental models.

Technical Nuances of Exposing Rat Common Carotid Arteries for Practicing Microsurgical Anastomosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tayebi Meybodi, Ali; Aklinski, Joseph; Gandhi, Sirin; Lawton, Michael T; Preul, Mark C

2018-04-17

Animal models are commonly used in training protocols for microsurgical vascular anastomosis. Rat common carotid arteries (CCAs) are frequently used for this purpose. Much attention has been paid to the technical details of various anastomosis configurations using these arteries. However, technical nuances of exposing rat CCAs have been understudied. The purpose of this study is to describe nuances of technique for safely and efficiently exposing rat CCAs in preparation for a vascular anastomosis. Bilateral CCAs were exposed and prepared for anastomosis in 10 anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats through a midline cervical incision. The exposed length of the CCA was measured. Additionally, technical nuances of exposure and surgically relevant anatomic details were recorded. The CCAs were exposed from the sternoclavicular joint to their bifurcation (average length, 19.1 ± 2.8 mm). Tenets important for a safe and efficient exposure of the CCAs included 1) generous subcutaneous dissection to expose the external jugular veins (EJVs), 2) avoiding injury to or compression of the EJVs, 3) superior mobilization of the salivary glands, 4) division of internal jugular veins, 5) opening the carotid sheath at its midlevel and from medial to lateral, and 6) avoiding injury to the vagus nerve or sympathetic trunk. Using the principles introduced in this study, trainees may safely and efficiently expose rat CCAs in preparation for a bypass. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Animals and ICE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Hemmen, J Leo; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jakob; Carr, Catherine E

2016-01-01

experimental and mathematical foundation, it is known that there is a low-frequency regime where the internal time difference (iTD) as perceived by the animal may well be 2-5 times higher than the external ITD, the interaural time difference, and that there is a frequency plateau over which the fraction i......TD/ITD is constant. There is also a high-frequency regime where the internal level (amplitude) difference iLD as perceived by the animal is much higher than the interaural level difference ILD measured externally between the two ears. The fundamental tympanic frequency segregates the two regimes. The present special...... issue devoted to "internally coupled ears" provides an overview of many aspects of ICE, be they acoustic, anatomical, auditory, mathematical, or neurobiological. A focus is on the hotly debated topic of what aspects of ICE animals actually exploit neuronally to localize a sound source....

Pulmonary hypertension and vascular remodeling in mice exposed to crystalline silica.

Science.gov (United States)

Zelko, Igor N; Zhu, Jianxin; Ritzenthaler, Jeffrey D; Roman, Jesse

2016-11-28

Occupational and environmental exposure to crystalline silica may lead to the development of silicosis, which is characterized by inflammation and progressive fibrosis. A substantial number of patients diagnosed with silicosis develop pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension associated with silicosis and with related restrictive lung diseases significantly reduces survival in affected subjects. An animal model of silicosis has been described previously however, the magnitude of vascular remodeling and hemodynamic effects of inhaled silica are largely unknown. Considering the importance of such information, this study investigated whether mice exposed to silica develop pulmonary hypertension and vascular remodeling. C57BL6 mice were intratracheally injected with either saline or crystalline silica at doses 0.2 g/kg, 0.3 g/kg and 0.4 g/kg and then studied at day 28 post-exposure. Pulmonary hypertension was characterized by changes in right ventricular systolic pressure and lung histopathology. Mice exposed to saline showed normal lung histology and hemodynamic parameters while mice exposed to silica showed increased right ventricular systolic pressure and marked lung pathology characterized by a granulomatous inflammatory reaction and increased collagen deposition. Silica-exposed mice also showed signs of vascular remodeling with pulmonary artery muscularization, vascular occlusion, and medial thickening. The expression of pro-inflammatory genes such as TNF-α and MCP-1 was significantly upregulated as well as the expression of the pro-remodeling genes collagen type I, fibronectin and the metalloproteinases MMP-2 and TIMP-1. On the other hand, the expression of several vasculature specific genes involved in the regulation of endothelial function was significantly attenuated. We characterized a new animal model of pulmonary hypertension secondary to pulmonary fibrosis induced by crystalline silica. Our data suggest that silica promotes the damage of the

An Experimental Animal Model for Abdominal Fascia Healing after Surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, J; Pommergaard, H-C; Klein, M

2013-01-01

be used to evaluate the actively healing fascia. Such an animal model may promote future research in the prevention of IH. Methods: 86 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish a model involving six experiments (experiments A-F). Mechanical testing of the breaking strength of the healed fascia......Background: Incisional hernia (IH) is a well-known complication after abdominal surgical procedures. The exact etiology of IH is still unknown even though many risk factors have been suggested. The aim of this study was to create an animal model of a weakly healed abdominal fascia that could...... was performed by testing tissue strips from the healed fascia versus the unincised control fascia 7 and 28 days postoperatively. Results: During the six experiments a healing model was created that produced significantly weaker coherent fascia when compared with the control tissue measured in terms...

Animals in nuclear research: where ethics and expediency meet