{"title":"Ethical Architecture and Scientific Partnership: The Enduring Role of the Laboratory Animal Veterinarian.","authors":"Mark A Suckow, Daniel D Myers","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-26-037","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-26-037","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13086219/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147464491","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":"Enhancing Rodent Welfare, Cost Savings, and Efficiency: Implementation and Review of Data-Driven Improvements.","authors":"Kerith R Luchins, Jessica L Felgenhauer","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-170","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-170","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>At the University of Chicago, we have implemented multiple practical, data-driven 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement) strategies to improve rodent welfare over the past 5 years. As there are limited publications that outline an institutional approach, this work reviews the enhancements in animal welfare and operational practices implemented in our rodent program, offering a resource and reference for other institutions. These measures encompass the use of environmental health monitoring for both colony and quarantine surveillance and housing modifications, as well as advancements in enrichment, including nesting and structural options, adoption of mouse-preferred bedding substrate, and housing room temperature modifications to better support the thermoregulatory needs of the mice. In addition, we implemented cage change modifications, which include a scent transfer and reduced cage change frequency. Finally, the use of animal handling improvements at our institution includes refined handling techniques and transport cart modifications. Ultimately, we have been successful at improving animal welfare while also implementing cost savings and efficiency improvements.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13086197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147367810","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}
Alessandro P Lamacchia, Christin Herrmann, Kevin M O'Brien, Ken Cadwell, Blythe H Philips
{"title":"Maintaining Welfare While Extending Cage-Change Intervals: A Performance-Based Study in IVC-Housed Mice.","authors":"Alessandro P Lamacchia, Christin Herrmann, Kevin M O'Brien, Ken Cadwell, Blythe H Philips","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-26-011","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-26-011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most animal facilities schedule regular, time-dependent cage changes to manage the microenvironment within mouse cages. A 2-week cage-change frequency is accepted as the industry standard for individually ventilated cages (IVCs). Experiments involving certain enteric viruses may call for longer intervals between full changes to sustain persistent infection. Cage-change frequency is tied to both increases in animal stress and labor costs. Using 8-week-old wild-type C57BL/6J mice housed in IVCs (76.03 sq. in. with approximately 75 air changes per hour), we assessed the ability to extend the full cage-change interval for cages housing either 2 males or 2 females per cage. As an alternative to full cage changes, we also assessed the effect of changing half the bedding every 14 days for cages containing either 2 female, 4 female, or 2 male mice. We monitored microenvironmental parameters (in-cage ammonia, humidity, and temperature) along with visual cleanliness scores, daily health assessments, and histopathology of nasal tissue at study endpoint to determine the maximum acceptable time between full cage changes. We found that both pair-housed males and females could be housed without bedding change for 42 days, reaching exclusion due to soiled bedding accumulation instead of ammonia threshold or animal health concern. Cages with 2 male or 2 female mice that underwent biweekly partial bedding changes could be housed without a complete cage change for 84 days. Cages with 4 female mice on biweekly partial bedding changes maintained appropriate microenvironmental parameters for 62 days. No mice, in any group, exhibited severe histopathologic evidence of ammonia-induced injury or other disease. Our results indicate that, when cage density is reduced or partial bedding changes can be completed, extending the time before full cage change did not exceed predefined action thresholds and did not produce clinically apparent illness or histologic evidence consistent with ammonia-related injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13249067/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147438705","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}
Mariana E Ferreira, André A Justo, Andressa F K T Lima, Juliana R Moncayo, Bruno R Laurito, Silvia R G Cortopassi
{"title":"Oxygen Supplemented via Face Mask Counteracts Hypoxemia in Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus spp.) under Butorphanol-Ketamine-Midazolam Restraint.","authors":"Mariana E Ferreira, André A Justo, Andressa F K T Lima, Juliana R Moncayo, Bruno R Laurito, Silvia R G Cortopassi","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-177","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-177","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This prospective, randomized, complete crossover study evaluated the effects of supplemental oxygen on arterial oxygenation and recovery quality in adult capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.; n = 8; 6 males and 2 females) chemically restrained with intramuscular butorphanol (0.5 mg/kg), ketamine (15 mg/kg), and midazolam (1 mg/kg). Each monkey underwent 2 anesthetic events, separated by a 2-week interval: one breathing room air (GAIR) and one receiving oxygen via face mask at 3 L/min (GOXY), both conducted during dorsal recumbency. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), and rectal temperature were registered every 10 minutes for 45 minutes. Arterial blood gases were analyzed at 10 and 30 minutes postrestraint, with oxygen supplementation in GOXY initiated after the 10-minute time point and maintained for 35 minutes. Recovery was continuously video-recorded for later assessment of time to standing and recovery quality by one blinded and one nonblinded observer. At 10 minutes, 14 of 16 monkeys exhibited hypoxemia (partial pressure of arterial oxygen [PaO2] range: 48-81 mm Hg). By 30 minutes, PaO2 and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) increased significantly in GOXY, reaching 298-458 mm Hg and 100%, respectively, whereas GAIR animals remained hypoxemic (47-70 mm Hg and ≤92%, respectively). Pulse oximetry-derived SpO2 consistently overestimated saturation at low SaO2 values. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) rose significantly in GOXY, with hypercapnia (PaCO2 range: 33-57 mm Hg) documented in 6/8 individuals at 30 minutes. In contrast, no cases of hypercapnia were observed in GAIR (PaCO2 range: 22-45 mm Hg) at the same time point. No significant between-group differences were detected in SpO2, HR, RR, or temperature over time. Time to standing and recovery quality were similar between groups. Supplemental oxygen via face mask effectively corrected hypoxemia in Sapajus spp. chemically restrained with butorphanol, ketamine, and midazolam.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13086204/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147476742","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}
Stephanie Yang, Christopher D Fry, Laura B Durham, Daniel D Myers, Patrick A Lester
{"title":"Pharmacokinetics and Analgesic Efficacy of a Novel Extended-Release Buprenorphine Formulation in Mice.","authors":"Stephanie Yang, Christopher D Fry, Laura B Durham, Daniel D Myers, Patrick A Lester","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-192","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-192","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Long-acting buprenorphine formulations present a remarkable refinement for the care and management of postoperative pain in rodents. We describe here the evaluation of a novel extended-release buprenorphine formulation (Bup ER) for use in laboratory mice. The pharmacokinetics of a single subcutaneous dose of Bup ER (5 mg/kg) were characterized in male and female CD-1 mice at 0.5, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 168 hours postinjection. Plasma buprenorphine concentrations exceeded 1 ng/mL within 0.5 hours and were maintained above this threshold for up to 120 hours postadministration. The analgesic efficacy of Bup ER was assessed using a tail flick thermal nociception assay and a plantar incisional hypersensitivity model. Mice received Bup ER (5 mg/kg SC, once) or saline (subcutaneously, once) prior to tail flick nociception testing or plantar incisional surgery with corresponding mechanical (von Frey) and thermal (Hargreaves) hypersensitivity testing. Tail flick thermal nociception testing for male and female CD-1 mice indicated significant differences in maximum possible effect between Bup ER and saline groups from 0.5 to 96 hours. Mechanical hypersensitivity was not observed in male or female Bup ER-treated groups for up to 96 hours. Although thermal hypersensitivity was observed in male and female mice that received Bup ER, mice presented significantly less thermal hypersensitivity (attenuation) compared with the saline group from 1 to 48 hours. No abnormal clinical observations were appreciated. Gross findings revealed mild erythema or alopecia at the injection site, and 3 mice developed skin ulcerations that were attributed to injection technique where use of small-gauge needles led to administration into the intradermal compared with subcutaneous space. Ulcerative lesions were not observed after procedures to confirm injection site administration were implemented. Bup ER provided effective postoperative analgesia for 48-96 hours in mice and demonstrated an extended plasma concentration profile up to 120 hours for long-acting analgesia.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13249351/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147464422","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}
Gina A Kim, Saniya S Sabnis, Taylor A Sheridan, Grace Chester, Magdalena A Argomaniz, Wayne T Cheng, Sarah H Roberson, Celia L Saney, Mary A McCrackin, Chester J Joyner
{"title":"Cage-Side Blood Collections from the Ear Can Be Used for Hematological Evaluations in Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata).","authors":"Gina A Kim, Saniya S Sabnis, Taylor A Sheridan, Grace Chester, Magdalena A Argomaniz, Wayne T Cheng, Sarah H Roberson, Celia L Saney, Mary A McCrackin, Chester J Joyner","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-160","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-160","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) are used in biomedical research where frequent, small-volume blood sampling for monitoring the animal's health may be required. Femoral blood collected under anesthesia is the standard for obtaining CBC analyses from nonhuman primates to assess their health. However, anesthetizing animals to obtain these collections may not be ideal due to adverse impacts of frequent anesthesia. Cage-side blood sampling from the pinna of the ear is a convenient and less invasive method for blood collection without anesthesia. However, it is unknown whether hematologic parameters from blood collected from the pinna are representative of femoral blood collections. The objective of this study was to determine whether hematologic parameters obtained from blood collected from the pinna of the ear can be used as a surrogate for hematologic parameters from blood collected from the femoral vein in Japanese macaques. Ten male Japanese macaques were trained to present their pinnae for blood collections without anesthesia, after which the macaques were anesthetized for pinna and femoral blood sampling for comparison. Anesthesia, rather than blood sampling site, was responsible for statistically significant differences in leukocyte parameters between pinna and femoral blood samples. In contrast, differences in erythrocyte and platelet parameters between pinna and femoral blood were driven by the collection site, with anesthesia contributing to a lesser degree. While statistical differences were identified, the clinical relevance of these differences was minimal. Taken together, this study indicates that cage-side pinna blood samples collected from conscious Japanese macaques are different than femoral blood samples collected under anesthesia but are suitable for frequent hematologic monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13249070/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518045","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":"The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals: A Vet's Vision for a More Humane Future, 2026, University of California Press, Oakland (ISBN 978-0520403963, 360 Pages, Hardback, 6.1-in. × 9-in., $26.95).","authors":"Stacy Pritt","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-26-045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-26-045","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147655551","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}
Amanda L Day, Kelly S Santangelo, Sarah M Ozawa, João Brandão, Miranda J Sadar
{"title":"Determination of Cardiac Troponin I in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus) under Different Restraint Methods and Using a Point-of-Care Assay or Laboratory Analyzer.","authors":"Amanda L Day, Kelly S Santangelo, Sarah M Ozawa, João Brandão, Miranda J Sadar","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-181","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-181","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Guinea pigs are a commonly used model for laboratory research, as well as being housed in zoological institutions and kept as pets. These animals can develop cardiac disease, and additional diagnostic modalities are needed to help expediently and accurately diagnose it. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a cardiac-specific biomarker associated with myocyte damage. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the utility of a point-of-care (POC) cTnI assay in guinea pigs via cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue homogenates serially diluted in saline; (2) compare this POC assay to a high-sensitivity assay; and (3) determine the effect of restraint method (awake, isoflurane, and ketamine-xylazine) on cTnI measurements. A total of 45 guinea pigs were used in this study. Homogenates of cardiac muscle produced detectable concentrations of cTnI, while skeletal muscle homogenates did not. There was a significant difference between the POC (cTnI median 0.000 [range 0.000-0.0450] ng/mL) and the high-sensitivity (cTnI 0.025 [range 0.010-0.042] ng/mL) assays, suggesting that the former may require its own reference interval. There were no significant differences detected among the order of treatments (P = 0.66320), the method of restraint (P = 0.2315), or the interaction between the treatments (P = 0.9755); however, there were more nonzero values obtained for cTnI 7 days after anesthesia with ketamine-xylazine. These results suggest that this POC assay may be useful in the detection of cTnI in guinea pigs using a variety of restraint methods, although a high-sensitivity assay is recommended when low concentrations or small variations in concentration need to be detected.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13249292/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147367778","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}
Tracy J Brown, Trinity Rudd, Robert C diTargiani, Jeffrey L Langston, Todd M Myers, Elliot Ramos-Rivera, Laura E Riddle, Amy E Field, Hilary McCarren
{"title":"A Pharmacokinetic and Efficacy Study of FDA-Indexed Pharmaceutical-Grade Extended-Release Buprenorphine and Compounded Sustained-Release Buprenorphine in African Green Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops).","authors":"Tracy J Brown, Trinity Rudd, Robert C diTargiani, Jeffrey L Langston, Todd M Myers, Elliot Ramos-Rivera, Laura E Riddle, Amy E Field, Hilary McCarren","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-163","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-163","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Compounded sustained-release buprenorphine (SRB) has historically been used at our institution for postoperative analgesia in African green monkeys (AGMs), but it is not FDA approved and lacks species-specific data. With the recent FDA indexing of pharmaceutical-grade extended-release buprenorphine (EXR; Ethiqa XR; Fidelis), we aimed to compare the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile using serial plasma sampling up to 96 hours and postoperative analgesic efficacy of EXR compared with SRB. A total of 10 AGMs (n = 5 per test article) received 0.2 mg/kg SC of either EXR or SRB to complete the PK study. For the efficacy study, 20 animals (n = 10 per test article) were monitored for 3 days postoperatively after EEG telemetry surgery with femoral artery catheterization for behavioral indicators of pain and adverse effects. Plasma buprenorphine levels were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PK study observations included appetite, fecal output, and injection site reactions. Both formulations achieved plasma concentrations above the presumed therapeutic threshold (0.1 ng/mL) for up to 96 hours. SRB produced higher mean plasma levels at early time points (30 minutes, 4 hours), but the overall PK profiles were similar. Injection site reactions were minimal and resolved spontaneously. For the efficacy assessment, clinical observations were evaluated using a postoperative score sheet. No significant differences were observed in postoperative pain scores between groups. Both EXR and SRB at 0.2 mg/kg SC provided sustained therapeutic plasma levels up to 96 hours and were well tolerated in AGMs, with comparable efficacy in postoperative pain control. EXR offers a compliant and effective alternative to compounded SRB for analgesia in AGMs, supporting its use in laboratory settings and regulatory compliance with current guidelines.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13086206/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146121360","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}
Bianca Franzoni Ribeiro, Luisa Maria Gomes de Macedo Braga, Thiago Zaqueu de Lima, Luis Gabriel Alves Santos, Marta Lorena Speck da Silva, Vitor Barbosa Fialho Martins, Lauriene Luiza de Souza Munhoz, Patricia Reginato Facciotti, Daniele Dos Santos Martins, Vera Letticie de Azevedo Ruiz
{"title":"Enhancing Laboratory Animal Welfare through Motivational Training of Facility Personnel: A One Welfare Approach.","authors":"Bianca Franzoni Ribeiro, Luisa Maria Gomes de Macedo Braga, Thiago Zaqueu de Lima, Luis Gabriel Alves Santos, Marta Lorena Speck da Silva, Vitor Barbosa Fialho Martins, Lauriene Luiza de Souza Munhoz, Patricia Reginato Facciotti, Daniele Dos Santos Martins, Vera Letticie de Azevedo Ruiz","doi":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-169","DOIUrl":"10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-25-169","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Measuring the effect of laboratory animal facilities employees' motivational training on laboratory animal welfare is essential to study the impact of the human factor on experimental results. To test this, 15 volunteers were initially recruited, with 14 completing the motivational training, and its impact on animal welfare was evaluated in 174 Swiss mice, specifically primiparous pregnant females. The mice were grouped into a control group (n = 90), observed before the motivational training, and a treated group (n = 84), observed immediately after training. Animal welfare was assessed through various measures, including nesting ability, scored from 0 to 5, time to integrate into nest test, and maternal behavior (considering rates of maternal care such as licking/grooming and staying with the pups). Each volunteer's motivational level was evaluated using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) Profiler, and The Authentic Happiness Inventory. The motivational training was based on Yale University's course \"The Science of Well-Being,\" the book The How of Happiness, and \"Motivation and Action.\" Results indicated that the methods used to assess mouse welfare might have been influenced by environmental differences at each research center, resulting in a lack of reproducibility. The motivational training effect varied across research centers, suggesting context-dependent outcomes potentially influenced by environmental or institutional factors for nesting scores and maternal behavior tests. However, no effect of motivational training was observed on the time to integrate into nest test, although facility-related differences were significant. The questionnaires revealed improvements in personnel well-being, although the effect on happiness was attenuated in one facility, indicating possible institutional barriers to intervention efficacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":94111,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13086186/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147319353","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}