Keely N Wharton, Courtney A Walsh, Tory J Bauer-Pisani, Peter C Smith, Steven R Wilson
{"title":"Effect of Cage Change Frequency on Perinatal Mortality in C57BL/6J Mice.","authors":"Keely N Wharton, Courtney A Walsh, Tory J Bauer-Pisani, Peter C Smith, Steven R Wilson","doi":"10.30802/aalas-jaalas-23-000055fs1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30802/aalas-jaalas-23-000055fs1","url":null,"abstract":"Perinatal mortality is a common problem in mouse breeding colonies. Few studies have examined the influence of environmental changes on mouse pup survival. In this study, monogamous breeding cages of C57BL/6J mice were set up and randomized into 3 cage change groups: 1) cage change at 8 d after parturition, 2) cage change at 3 d after parturition, or 3) cage change at 3 d after parturition with the addition of a polycarbonate hut in the cage. Pairs were bred to produce a minimum of 4 litters. Pup survival to weaning relative to experimental cage change date, and survival rates after cage change were evaluated. The results revealed no significant differences between experimental groups. The majority of pup loss occurred within the first 24 h after birth for those pups that were alive at birth. Overall, the postpartum day of cage change did not affect the perinatal survival of mouse pups.","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138983537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Letter to the Editor.","authors":"John J Hasenau","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000095","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136400885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brandon A McKenna, Hannah L Weaver, Jeffrey Kim, Madelyn W Bowman, Heather K Knych, Lon V Kendall
{"title":"A Pharmacokinetic and Analgesic Efficacy Study of Carprofen in Female CD1 Mice.","authors":"Brandon A McKenna, Hannah L Weaver, Jeffrey Kim, Madelyn W Bowman, Heather K Knych, Lon V Kendall","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000041","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The minimization of pain in research animals is a scientific and ethical necessity. Carprofen is commonly used for pain management in mice; however, some data suggest that the standard dosage of 5 mg/kg may not provide adequate analgesia after surgery. We hypothesized that a higher dose of carprofen in mice would reduce pain-associated behaviors and improve analgesia without toxic effects. A pharmacokinetic study was performed in mice given carprofen subcutaneously at 10 or 20 mg/kg. Plasma concentrations were measured at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h after dosing (<i>n</i> = 3 per time point and treatment). At these doses, plasma levels were above the purported therapeutic level for at least 12 and 24 h, respectively, with respective half-lives of 14.9 and 10.2 h. For the efficacy study, 10 mice per group received anesthesia with or without an ovariectomy. Mice were then given 5 or 10 mg/kg of carprofen, or saline subcutaneously every 12 h. Orbital tightening, arched posture, wound licking, rearing, grooming, nesting behavior, and activity were assessed before surgery and at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery. The von Frey responses were assessed before and at 4, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery. The efficacy study showed that all surgery groups had significantly higher scores for orbital tightening, arched posture, and wound licking than did the anesthesia-only groups at 4, 8, 12, and 24-h time points. At the 8 h time point, the surgery groups treated with carprofen had significantly lower arched posture scores than did the surgery group treated with saline only. No significant differences were found between carprofen treatment groups for rearing, grooming, von Frey, activity, or nesting behavior at any time point. These results indicate that subcutaneous carprofen administered at these doses does not provide sufficient analgesia to alleviate postoperative pain in female CD1 mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"545-552"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772918/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41158749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
April J George, Carly I O'Malley, Rachel Eb Bulock, Brianne J Harmsen, Glenn E Brado, Patricia V Turner, Wendy O Williams
{"title":"Implementation of an Alternative Training Method for Cardiac Blood Collection in Mice.","authors":"April J George, Carly I O'Malley, Rachel Eb Bulock, Brianne J Harmsen, Glenn E Brado, Patricia V Turner, Wendy O Williams","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000040","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Training personnel to work with animals presents a variety of challenges, both logistically and with regard to animal welfare. These issues make training an ideal opportunity to evaluate practices and to implement the 3R principles (refinement, replacement, and reduction). Cardiac blood collection from mice is a procedure that can compromise the 3Rs by requiring repeated practice and animal euthanasia. The development of a non-animal training model would promote the 3R principles. Our goals for the development of a new training model for cardiac blood collection from mice were to reduce the number of mice needed to achieve competency, improve our culture of care, and refine the training approach by improving competency. The training model was developed using commonly available materials. The total cost of the model was less than $15 USD per model. Two training curricula were conducted concurrently over a 5-mo period: 1) a curriculum in which trainees used the model before progressing to live mice and 2) the traditional curriculum, which used euthanized mice throughout. The measured variables included the total number of mice used, proportions of trainees who reached competency, the time needed to reach competency, method comprehension, quality of skill performance, trainer and trainee feedback, and training costs. The alternative group used at least 10 fewer mice per technician as compared with the traditionally trained group. The alternative group had a higher competency rate, with 82% (9 of 11 trainees) reaching competency compared with 60% (3 of 5 trainees) in the traditional group. Skill comprehension and quality were superior in the alternative group, as evidenced by fewer gross lesions at necropsy. Overall, personnel in the alternative group provided positive feedback with regard to the use of fewer mice, acquisition of both skill and confidence, and benefits for compassion fatigue. The use of this model is now our standard approach for training personnel in cardiac blood collection in mice. Our results demonstrate that the use of models in training curricula can enhance skill development and reduce the use of mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"487-493"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772913/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41175996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chloe L Karaskiewicz, Melissa Ramirez, Karen L Bales
{"title":"Physiological and behavioral effects of hormonal contraceptive treatment in captive, pair-bonded primates (<i>Plecturocebus cupreus</i>).","authors":"Chloe L Karaskiewicz, Melissa Ramirez, Karen L Bales","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000017","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hormonal contraception is an effective, reversible tool for managing birth rates in humans and nonhuman animals alike. However, manipulating reproductive hormones has behavioral consequences that can impact social and sexual behavior between conspecifics. First, we studied 18 pairs of nonreproductive titi monkeys (<i>Plecturocebus cupreus</i>) to test the efficacy of a novel method of hormonal contraception (deslorelin acetate implants) on reproductive hormone cycling in females and found significant reductions in urinary estrogens and progestagens among treated females compared to untreated controls. We then studied 35 nonreproductive pairs of coppery titi monkeys (<i>Plecturocebus cupreus</i>) to ascertain whether treating females with one of 2 different forms of hormonal contraception (deslorelin acetate implants (<i>n</i> = 17) or medroxyprogesterone acetate injections (<i>n</i> = 9)) would influence the relationship between pair mates compared to the relationship between untreated females and their vasectomized male mates (<i>n</i> = 9). Over a 5-month period, we found no differences in affiliative behaviors between pairs containing untreated females compared to pairs in which the female was treated with either deslorelin acetate or medroxyprogesterone acetate. Similarly, we found no differences in affiliation between pairs in the 2 treatment groups. This study is the first to examine behavioral consequences of hormonal contraception in a pair-bonding species. The results are encouraging for captive, managed breeding colonies of such social animals, especially those used in behavioral research.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"494-501"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772904/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136400886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Robert F Oldt, Brianne Beisner, Ashley Cameron, Ori Pomerantz, Sree Kanthaswamy
{"title":"Pedigree Data from Six Rhesus Macaque (<i>Macaca mulatta</i>) Matrilines at the California National Primate Research Center Indicate Inbreeding and Loss of Genetic Variation.","authors":"Robert F Oldt, Brianne Beisner, Ashley Cameron, Ori Pomerantz, Sree Kanthaswamy","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000038","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Relatedness and kinship structure in matrilines are a potential source of social stability. The current study aimed to analyze the extant pedigrees of 6 living matrilines in different field cages to assess rates of cross-generational inbreeding and loss of genetic variation over time. All 6 matrilines showed increasing levels of inbreeding over generation time, although the rates of increase were different. The female-to-male-adult sex ratio was correlated with average matriline inbreeding levels, while the number of adult males was positively correlated with average matriline genetic diversity. Over five times more paternal half-sibs than maternal half-sibs were present because paternity had been restricted to a few males yearly. Therefore, the relatedness through the paternal lines was over five times greater than that of the maternal lines. Overall, each matriline lost low to moderate levels of genetic variation with time. The current rates of gene flow between field cages by cross-fostered infants have not stopped inbreeding within these matrilines or loss of diversity due to genetic drift. This situation probably developed because translocated animals, especially males, may not breed successfully. Only 4 of the 22 translocated individuals, all females, eventually reproduced, resulting in 13 offspring and generating an overall breeding success of 0.59 across all 6 study matrilines. However, even this low rate of reproduction by the translocated animals reduced inbreeding and kinship among matrilines and increased genetic heterogeneity in the matrilines. Based on this study, we propose several colony management strategies, including equalizing adult sex ratios to increase the effective population size in the field cages, increasing the number of cross-fostered infants, and relying more on multigenerational pedigree data to aid the alignment of genetic and behavioral management techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"502-511"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772905/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41224217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Challie Jj Anderson-Mondella, Taronna R Maines, Cassandra M Tansey, Jessica A Belser
{"title":"Meeting Ferret Enrichment Needs in Infectious Disease Laboratory Settings.","authors":"Challie Jj Anderson-Mondella, Taronna R Maines, Cassandra M Tansey, Jessica A Belser","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000057","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000057","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Environmental enrichment is a necessary component of all research vivarium settings. However, appropriate enrichment decisions vary greatly depending on the species involved and the research use of the animals. The increasing use of ferrets in research settings-notably for modeling the pathogenicity and transmissibility of viral pathogens that require containment in ABSL-2 to -4 environments-presents a particular challenge for veterinary and research staff to ensure that enrichment needs for these animals are met consistently. Here, we discuss the species-specific enrichment needs of ferrets, enrichment considerations for ferrets housed in research settings, and the challenges and importance of providing appropriate enrichment during experimentation, including when ferrets are housed in high-containment facilities. This article is organized to support the easy availability of information that will facilitate the design and implementation of optimal environmental enrichment for ferrets used in diverse research efforts in vivarium settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"518-524"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772907/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49686774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brittany A Munro, Dexter R Merenick, Julia M Gee, Daniel Sj Pang
{"title":"Use of Loss of Righting Reflex to Assess Susceptibility to Carbon Dioxide Gas in Three Mouse Strains.","authors":"Brittany A Munro, Dexter R Merenick, Julia M Gee, Daniel Sj Pang","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000035","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exposure to CO₂ gas is a common rodent euthanasia method. CO₂ activates nociceptors in rats and is painful to humans at concentrations equal to or greater than 32.5% The concentration of CO₂ at which rodents become unconsciousness is inadequately defined. We used loss of righting reflex (LORR) to identify the concentration at which CO₂ caused loss of consciousness in C57Bl/6, CD1 and 129P3J mice (16 females and 16 males per strain). We used a custom built, rotating, motorized cylinder to determine LORR as CO₂ concentrations were increased. Two LORR assessment methods were used: 1) a 1-Paw assessment in which the righting reflex was considered to be present if one or more paws contacted the cylinder after rotation into dorsal recumbency and 2) a 4-Paw assessment in which the righting reflex was considered to be present only if all 4 paws contacted the cylinder. LORR test data were analyzed with Probit regression and dose response curves were plotted. 1-Paw EC<sub>95</sub> values (CO₂ concentration at which LORR occurred for 95% of the population) were: C57Bl/6; 30.7%, CD1; 26.2%, 129P3J; 20.1%. The EC<sub>95</sub> for C57Bl/6 was significantly higher than that of the 129P3J mice, with no significant differences between other strains. Four-Paw EC<sub>95</sub> values were: C57Bl/6; 22.8%, CD1; 25.3%, 129P3J; 20.1%. Values for 129P3J mice were significantly lower than those of CD1 mice), with no significant difference between other strains. The EC<sub>95</sub> varied significantly between 1-Paw and 4-Paw methods only for C57Bl/6 mice. These results suggest a potential for nociception and pain to occur in some individuals of some mouse strains during CO₂ euthanasia.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"553-558"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772915/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41175733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Martin Donnelley, Lina Lagerquist, Patricia Cmielewski, Nikki Reyne, Kaye Morgan, David Parsons
{"title":"Noncontact Respiratory Motion Detection in Anesthetized Rodents.","authors":"Martin Donnelley, Lina Lagerquist, Patricia Cmielewski, Nikki Reyne, Kaye Morgan, David Parsons","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000018","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Small animal physiology studies are often complicated, but the level of complexity is greatly increased when performing live-animal X-ray imaging studies at synchrotron radiation facilities. This is because these facilities are typically not designed specifically for biomedical research, and the animals and image detectors are located away from the researchers in a radiation enclosure. In respiratory X-ray imaging studies one challenge is the detection of respiration in free-breathing anaesthetised rodents, to enable images to be acquired at specific phases of the breath and for detecting changes in respiratory rate. We have previously used a Philtec RC60 sensor interfaced to a PowerLab data acquisition system and custom-designed timing hub to perform this task. Here we evaluated the Panasonic HL-G108 for respiratory sensing. The performance of the two sensors for accurate and reliable breath detection was directly compared using a single anesthetized rat. We also assessed how an infrared heat lamp used to maintain body temperature affected sensor performance. Based on positive results from these comparisons, the HL-G108 sensor was then used for respiratory motion detection in tracheal X-ray imaging studies of 21 rats at the SPring-8 Synchrotron, including its use for gated image acquisition. The results of that test were compared to a similar imaging study that used the RC60 for respiratory detection in 19 rats. Finally, the HL-G108 sensor was tested on 5 mice to determine its effectiveness on smaller species. The results showed that the HL-G108 is much more robust and easier to configure than the RC60 sensor and produces an analog signal that is amenable to stable peak detection. Furthermore, gated image acquisition produced sequences with substantially reduced motion artefacts, enabling the additional benefit of reduced radiation dose through the application of shuttering. Finally, the mouse experiments showed that the HL-G108 is equally capable of detecting respiration in this smaller species.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"559-568"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772912/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41224216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Ethics in Biomedical Animal Research in Mexico.","authors":"Anayántzin Heredia-Antúnez, Miguela Galarde-López, Elizabetha Téllez-Ballesteros, Beatriz Vanda-Cantón","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000012","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-23-000012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The most widely accepted ethical concept for the mitigation of harm to animals used in biomedical research is known as the 3Rs, which refer to replacement, reduction, and refinement. The aim of our study was to determine the ethical and regulatory criteria that researchers in Mexico consider when developing their animal research protocols and that members of the ethics committees use when they evaluate and approve these protocols. We circulated a survey to 300 individuals from different research institutions and received responses from 179 researchers and members of ethics committees on questions related to their knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward the use of animals in research based on the 3Rs. The responses obtained indicate that the respondents were aware of the 3R concept, and they claim to apply these principles. However, the responses revealed resistance to using alternatives for research, testing, and teaching (66%). Nineteen percent of the researchers reported that their institutions do not have an integrated Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Around 80% of respondents were aware of Mexican regulations. The knowledge and application of the 3Rs by researchers and members of the IACUC is a fundamental concept in animal research. Such knowledge contributes the use of ethical standards, attitudes, and practices relevant to the use of animals in research.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"478-486"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10772910/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136400884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}