INVITOX 2004: 13th Workshop of the European Society of Toxicology In Vitro, organised in cooperation with the Scandinavian Society for Cell Toxicology

INVITOX 2004, the 13th Workshop of the European Society of Toxicology In Vitro, was held on 8-11 September 2004, in Zegrze, Poland, in cooperation with the Scandinavian Society for Cell Toxicology. The workshop was attended by 112 participants from 19 countries. The programme included 11 main sessions and two round table discussions. The lectures of the invited speakers, together with short oral presentations and posters, covered the most important aspects of current research in the field of in vitro toxicology. ECVAM's strategies for the replacement of animal testing for toxic chemicals by alternative test systems were discussed.     

美国实验动物医学发展简史——对中国实验动物医学发展的思考

美国实验动物医学的发展起始于上世纪50年代,目前可能代表着世界上该领域的最高水平.本文对其发展史作了简的地回顾,包括生物医学领域对实验动物兽医的需求,实验动物科学领域早期的兽医实践,实验动物医学会的诞生,实验动物医学领域的培训、教育和考核等的沿革,以及相关法律法规对实验动物医学发展的影响等.笔者依据自身的工作实践和中国国情对中国实验动物医学领域的发展进行了一些思考,期盼实验动物相关法律法规能更加完善、在兽医教育中适度增加实验动物医学相关内容、加强实验动物医学领军人才的培养、加强实验动物医学界多渠道的交流、增加相关领域科研投入和支持等.中国要站在西方发达国家的肩膀上,借鉴其成功的经验,发展有中国特色的实验动物医学事业.     

Global Harmonization of Pain and Distress Classification Systems: Current Analysis and Opportunity for Change

When humans suffer pain or distress, they are generally able to describe their experience to others, including doctors. Medical professionals are also able to convey the likelihood of pain and distress to humans who are voluntarily participating in clinical research trials. The same is not true for nonhuman animals. Due in great part to ethical considerations of nonhuman animals used in scientific research, many countries have developed regulations or guidelines that outline the need for the minimization or alleviation of pain and distress in laboratory animals. However, when it comes to specific regulations or guidelines issued by a country on the classification of pain and distress in research, clear and vast differences appear. This article includes a discussion of the current pain and distress classifications (or lack thereof) in 25 countries, noting similarities and differences, and examines both the barriers to, and recent trends toward, global harmonization of pain and distress classification systems for animals used in research worldwide.     

Fundamental training for individuals involved in the care and use of laboratory animals: a review and update of the 1991 NRC Core Training Module

Public trust demands that individuals who do research, testing, or teaching with animals use humane, ethical, and scientifically sound methods. Furthermore, the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service Policy require research institutions to provide basic training and to ensure that anyone who cares for and/or works with laboratory animals has the appropriate training or experience relevant to their job responsibilities. Institutions accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International must also provide training programs and ensure the qualifications of personnel. The primary goal of this training is to provide individuals with basic knowledge and to reinforce attitudes and behaviors that help to ensure humane animal care and use. This article provides an overview of the core training module outline and content from the 1991 report of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, Education and Training in the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: A Guide for Developing Institutional Programs, as well as pertinent updates for introducing personnel to information regarding the care and use of laboratory animals. Both mandatory and suggested training topics are reviewed, including relevant regulations and standards, ethical considerations, humane methods of animal experimentation and maintenance, and other pertinent topics. Although the fundamental training course content and delivery will vary depending on the nature and complexity of an institution's animal care and use program, this basic training provides the foundation for more in-depth training programs and supports humane and ethical animal care and use.     

Regulatory issues surrounding the use of companion animals in clinical investigations,trials, and studies

Laboratory animal veterinarians sometimes encounter animals with rare conditions and may subsequently become involved in the performance of related animal research outside the laboratory, in homes, in veterinary clinics, or in universities to which owners have donated their animals for study. Similarly, veterinarians may monitor animal companion vaccination studies, performed to optimize preventive health care or minimize physiological variability and research confounders associated with a preventive medicine program for dogs and cats utilized for research procedures. These nontraditional uses of dogs, cats, and other companion animals in research have spurred the establishment of regulations to ensure that the animals benefit from clinical veterinary products and techniques. Included and described are the 2002 Public Health Service Policy, the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the regulations of the US Department of Agriculture in response to the AWA. The complexities of clinical research with companion animals outside standard biomedical research facilities are discussed.     

The Brazilian legal framework on the scientific use of animals

Brazil has an exceptionally dynamic research sector in Latin America in health, biotechnology, and pharmacology, backed by defined government policies on science and technology and a health research agenda focusing on important neglected diseases: malaria, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, turberculosis, leprosy, and dengue. The Brazilian health research policy promotes partnerships and networks among scientists in academic institutions in both wealthy industrialized and disease-endemic countries, and in these efforts the government's guidelines for animal use in biomedical research are considered fundamental to guarantee both animal welfare and the quality of research. Given international discussions of animal experimentation regulations and guidelines, in this article we describe current Brazilian legislation governing the use of animals in scientific investigations. We conclude that, despite advances in the implementation of the 3Rs (reduction, refinement, replacement), the new regulatory framework does not sufficiently incorporate ethical considerations, lacking explicit reference to the 3Rs as well as measures for their full application. The more humane use of animals in research will depend on the approach adopted by Brazil's National Council for the Control of Animal Experimentation to promote the 3Rs and to improve internal regulations as well as data collection and analysis in research institutions. In Brazil as elsewhere, one of the greatest challenges to policymakers is to harmonize the myriad and intertwined legal provisions without hindering biomedical research.     

50 years of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR): 1953-2003

The history of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) begins, as does all of laboratory animal science, with the ancient philosophers, anatomists, and physiologists whose work presaged the use of animals in biomedical research and the institutions that arose due to this use. Modern laboratory animal science and medicine began in the late 1940s and early 1950s as five Chicago-area institutions hired veterinarians to manage their animal facilities. Each of these men became instrumental in the founding of the organizations that collectively make up the laboratory animal science and medicine organizations. Nathan Brewer, one of the "Chicago five," was particularly influential in the founding of ILAR. His boss at the University of Chicago, Dr. Paul Weiss, a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), asked him to help establish a committee with the stated purpose of preparing recommendations to the NAS to develop an office to obtain information on sources of supply for research animals. This office became ILAR, and Brewer was chairman of its first report on the diseases of laboratory animals. He was also a founding diplomat and first president of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. This history recognizes the thoughtful and energetic contributions of scientists and veterinarians to ILAR. It provides a 50-year overview of the programs and reports of ILAR and highlights examples where these reports have been adopted by scientists and federal agencies and incorporated into national laws and policies governing the use of animals in research both in the United States and in other countries.     

Value of juvenile animal studies

The Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology Technical Committee of the ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute has undertaken a project to address the impact of juvenile animal studies on pediatric drug development. A workshop, sponsored and organized by the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity Technical Committee, was held on May 5–6, 2010, in Washington, DC, to discuss the outcome of a global survey and the value of juvenile animal studies in the development of drugs intended for use in pediatric patients. During this workshop, summary data from the 2009–2010 survey were presented, and breakout sessions were used to discuss specific case studies to try to assess the impact of juvenile animal studies performed to support specific pediatric drug development. The objectives of the Workshop on The Value of Juvenile Animal Studies were to (1) provide a forum for scientists representing industry, academia, and regulatory agencies to discuss the impact of juvenile animal studies on pediatric drug development, (2) evaluate summary data from the survey to understand how the juvenile study data are being used and their impact in labeling and risk assessment, (3) discuss selected case studies from the survey to highlight key findings, and (4) identify the areas of improvement for the designs of juvenile animal studies. The take home message that resonated from the workshop discussions was that well‐designed juvenile animal studies have demonstrated value in support of certain pediatric drug development programs. However, it was also clear that a juvenile animal study is not always warranted. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 92:292–303, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Workshop on Animal free Detection of Pertussis Toxin in Vaccines--Alternatives to the Histamine Sensitisation Test

The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI), the Nederlands Vaccin Instituut (NVI) and the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) organised the international scientific workshop "Animal free Detection of Pertussis Toxin in Vaccines--Alternatives to the Histamine Sensitisation Test" at the PEI in Langen (Germany) on 09-10 June 2011. Twenty-seven experts (regulators, representatives from national control laboratories, vaccine manufacturers and academia) from 7 countries participated in this workshop. The meeting was triggered by the lack of satisfaction with the current safety testing for acellular pertussis vaccines, the "Histamine Sensitisation Test" (HIST) in mice, and the growing attention for the alternatives under development. The workshop objectives were: a) to review the current status of available alternative methods, b) to discuss the sensitivity that an alternative test needs, c) to plan experiments that allow for comparison of the alternative tests. The results of the workshop are summarised in this meeting report.     

American society for biochemistry and molecular biology 83rd annual meeting,Houston, Texas, 12th February, 1992, education symposium: Some reflections on the state of biochemistry teaching

A symposium on educational topics, organised by Professor A H Mehler, was one of two sessions that dealt with aspects of teaching in a program that traditionally has been concerned only with scientific research. The session was well attended and, because of the obvious interest in spite of competing attractions, we hope that this area will be represented in futute meetings. The texts of the talks given by the four speakers are printed below.     

U.S. laws, regulations, and policies important to managers of nonhuman primate colonies

The various animal welfare laws, regulations, policies, accreditation standards, and welfare groups have an obvious impact on the activities of managers of nonhuman primate colonies. Federal organizations such as the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Transportation, and the Justice Department regulate many aspects of animal management. Pertinent guidance is available through scientific organizations such as the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care and the National Academy of Sciences. Finally, the recommendations of responsible animal welfare organizations should also receive careful consideration.     

Does Accreditation by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) Ensure Greater Compliance With Animal Welfare Laws?

Accreditation of nonhuman animal research facilities by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) is widely considered the “gold standard” of commitment to the well being of nonhuman animals used in research. AAALAC-accredited facilities receive preferential treatment from funding agencies and are viewed favorably by the general public. Thus, it bears investigating how well these facilities comply with U.S. animal research regulations. In this study, the incidences of noncompliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) at AAALAC-accredited facilities were evaluated and compared to those at nonaccredited institutions during a period of 2 years. The analysis revealed that AAALAC-accredited facilities were frequently cited for AWA noncompliance items (NCIs). Controlling for the number of animals at each facility, AAALAC-accredited sites had significantly more AWA NCIs on average compared with nonaccredited sites. AAALAC-accredited sites also had more NCIs related to improper veterinary care, personnel qualifications, and animal husbandry. These results demonstrate that AAALAC accreditation does not improve compliance with regulations governing the treatment of animals in laboratories.     

The first junior European Calcium Society meeting: calcium research across scales,Kingdoms and countries

The first junior European Calcium Society online meeting, held October 20–21, 2020, aimed to promote junior researchers in the Ca²⁺ community. The meeting included four scientific sessions, covering Ca²⁺ research from molecular detail to whole organisms. Each session featured one invited speaker and three speakers selected based on submitted abstracts, with the overall aim of actively involving early-career researchers. Consequently, the meeting underlined the diversity of Ca²⁺ physiology, by showcasing research across scales and Kingdoms, as presented by a correspondingly diverse speaker panel across career stages and countries. In this meeting report, we introduce the visions of the junior European Calcium Society board and summarize the meeting content.     

Laboratory animal science issues in the design and conduct of studies with endocrine-active compounds

The use of rodent models for research and testing on endocrine-active compounds necessitates an awareness of a number of laboratory animal science issues to standardize bioassay methods and facilitate reproducibility of results between laboratories. These issues are not unique to endocrine research but are particularly important in this field due to the complexities and interdependencies of the endocrine system, coupled with the inherently sensitive and variable nature of physiological endpoints. Standardization of animal models and the control of animal environments depend on the establishment of strong scientific partnerships between research investigators and laboratory animal scientists. Laboratory animal care and use programs are becoming increasingly complex and are constantly changing, fueled in part by technological advances, changes in regulations concerning animal care and use, and economic pressures. Since the early 1980s, many institutions have moved to centralization of animal facility operations concomitant with numerous changes in housing systems, barrier concepts, equipment, and engineering controls of the macro- and microenvironment. These and other changes can have an impact on animals and the conduct of endocrine experiments. Despite the potential impact of animal care and use procedures on research endpoints, many investigators are surprisingly naive to the animal facility conditions that can affect in vivo studies. Several key animal care and use issues that are important to consider in endocrine experiments with rodent models are described.     

实验用鱼遗传质量控制及标准化

在遗传学及其他生命科学研究领域, 实验用鱼已成为一类应用越来越广的实验动物, 但是尚缺少标准化的质量控制标准和监管。在我国, 实验动物实行严格的许可证制度和质量监督制度。实验用鱼遗传质量控制标准是实验用鱼质量控制的基础。为了规范实验用鱼的遗传质量, 避免实验用鱼种质退化、遗传漂移, 导致实验结果误差, 开展了本标准的研究。依据《实验动物管理条例》, 参考国内外实验用鱼遗传学相关的研究成果, 结合我国实验用鱼生产和使用的实际情况, 在全面收集、分析实验数据和广泛征询专家意见的基础上, 以实验用斑马鱼和剑尾鱼遗传质量控制为规范对象, 研究制定了实验用鱼遗传质量控制标准, 供科研工作者参考、讨论。本标准对实验用斑马鱼和剑尾鱼的遗传分类及命名原则、实验用鱼的繁殖方法、近交系和封闭群的遗传质量监测进行了规范。新标准将为实验用鱼的使用和管理提供理论支撑。     

无菌动物与微生态学专题教学改革实践

根据研究生教学特点,为适应肠道菌群与人类疾病关系研究成为新研究热点与前沿的形势,对其无菌动物与微生态学专题教学进行改革实践。根据菌群与疾病关系研究的最新研究进展、研究生科研能力培养规律,在研究生《医学实验动物学》课程的无菌动物与微生态学专题教学中设置微生态学理论与研究技术简介、无菌动物培育原理及特点、无菌动物实验设计方法、国内外无菌动物资源简介等4部分内容。力争紧跟学科发展动态,强调知识的前沿性、实用性、综合性和交叉性,促进研究生课题设计能力培养和科研思路的开拓,创建研究生无菌动物与微生态学专题教学的新模式。     

IACUC issues associated with amphibian research

Numerous species of amphibians are frequently utilized as animal models in biomedical research. Despite their relatively common occurrence as laboratory animals, the regulatory guidelines that institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) must employ provide little in the way of written standards for ectothermic animals. Yet, as vertebrates, laboratory amphibians are covered by the National Research Council Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy for federally funded research. This article focuses on three issues that are relevant to IACUC oversight of the use of amphibians in research: (1) recommended educational requirements of investigators and animal care staff engaged in research with amphibians, (2) zoonoses and other issues of occupational health importance, and (3) indicators of stress and disease. Addressing these issues should enable investigators, IACUCs, and animal care staff to meet the regulatory expectations of the PHS and accrediting bodies such as the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International.     

我校屏障系统动物实验设施的综合管理

随着医学实验动物学科的发展及实验动物生产、使用许可证管理办法的实施,本文介绍了我校屏障系统动物实验设施的运营管理模式,包括建立完整的文件及系统内标准操作的管理体系、人员队伍的建设和管理、实验动物环境设施的管理、系统内环境物品的管理等,总结相关经验以供同行参考。     

A renewed look at laboratory rodent housing and management

Since its publication in 1996, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Research Council, Washington DC, National Academy Press) has become a primary source of information for institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) and research facility managers. In the ensuing years, recommendations relating to laboratory animal care have evolved in response to new scientific information and use of new technology such as ventilated caging. In this article, recent publications are examined to determine the potential impact of new scientific evidence on current practices for the housing and care of laboratory rodents. The discussion points out recent advances in technology and new knowledge of the conditions for the housing of various laboratory rodents, including cage space, single versus group housing, ventilated caging systems, thermoregulation, bedding materials, and enrichment. This new information is provided to aid IACUCs and facility managers in making decisions regarding the housing and care of laboratory rodents.