FELASA guidelines for the production and nomenclature of transgenic rodents

The standardized nomenclature of rodent strains, genes and mutations has long been the focus of careful attention. Its aim is to provide proper designation of laboratory animals used in research projects and to convey as much information on each strain as possible. Since the development of different techniques to mutate the genome of laboratory rodents on a large scale, the correct application of current nomenclature systems is of increased significance. It facilitates not only the accurate communication of scientific results but is indispensable in controlling the dramatically increased number of transgenic animal models in experimental units, archives and databases. It is regrettable that many publications, especially on transgenic rodents, use vague and inappropriate strain designation. This situation should definitely be improved, particularly considering the increasingly emphasized importance of genetic background on the phenotype of mutations. The aim of these guidelines is to raise awareness about specific features of production and of the current nomenclature system used for transgenic rodents.     

Report of the FELASA Working Group on evaluation of quality systems for animal units

This report compares and considers the merits of existing, internationally available quality management systems suitable for implementation in experimental animal facilities. These are: the Good Laboratory Practice Guidelines, ISO 9000:2000 (International Organization for Standardization) and AAALAC International (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International). Good laboratory practice (GLP) is a legal requirement for institutions undertaking non-clinical health and environmental studies for the purpose of registering or licensing for use and which have to be 'GLP-compliant'. GLP guidelines are often only relevant for and obtainable by those institutions. ISO is primarily an external business standard, which provides a management tool to master and optimize a business activity; it aims to implement and enhance 'customer satisfaction'. AAALAC is primarily a peer-reviewed system of accreditation which evaluates the organization and procedures in programmes of animal care and use to ensure the appropriate use of animals, safeguard animal well-being (ensuring state-of-the-art housing, management, procedural techniques, etc.) as well as the management of health and safety of staff. Management needs to determine, on the basis of a facility's specific goals, whether benefits would arise from the introduction of a quality system and, if so, which system is most appropriate. The successful introduction of a quality system confers peer-recognition against an independent standard, thereby providing assurance of standards of animal care and use, improving the quality of animal studies, and contributing to the three Rs-reduction, refinement and replacement.     

Undergraduate and postgraduate students' responses to mandatory courses (FELASA category C) in laboratory animal science

The results from the analysis of the course evaluations from FELASA category C compulsory courses in laboratory animal science at Uppsala University showed that the students realize that theoretical knowledge of the subject and practical skills are of great importance to the success of their future research involving animal experiments. All the subjects and elements of the course, in particular the practicals on animal handling and procedures using live anaesthetized animals, were fully appreciated by the students.     

蝗科高级阶元的分子系统发育(英文）

迄今,蝗科内各分类阶元之间的系统发生关系大部分是未知的。本文用来自中国24种蝗科昆虫的12SrDNA和16SrDNA2个基因的联合序列(共795bp)数据,以锥头蝗科的锥头蝗(Pyrgomorpha conica)为外群,重建了分子系统树。研究结果表明,在12SrDNA与16SrDNA组成的联合数据中,转换的替代速率明显比颠换的替代速率高得多,核酸的替代已经发生了饱和。分子系统树表明:斑翅蝗亚科是一单系群,该亚科是一个合法的亚科,但斑腿蝗亚科和蝗亚科都不是单系群;斑翅蝗亚科在蝗科内是一个相对原始的类群,而稻蝗亚科比斑翅蝗亚科相对进化,比蝗科的其他亚科的种类相对原始。     

论婴儿类别形成的过程

文章简要回顾了婴儿类别形成中的知觉类别和概念类别之争,提出了婴儿类别形成阶段的假设：知觉类别与概念类别的形成是同一个过程。类别形成和概念形成是同时发生的两个不同阶段。婴儿类别的形成是建立诊断标准的过程,而概念形成是信息分析的过程,并且概念的形成影响类别的形成。     

类别学习的双系统模型

概念和类别学习是认知心理学研究的核心问题之一,以往的理论主要基于类别学习的单系统理论假设,而近十多年来概念和类别的研究关注类别学习的双重系统问题。目前双系统模型不仅得到了行为学实验的支持,更重要的是得到了临床神经心理和认知神经研究的广泛支持,本文回顾了双系统模型的非行为学研究证据,并指出了今后概念和类别研究应该注意的问题。     

Guidelines for the veterinary care of laboratory animals: report of the FELASA/ECLAM/ESLAV Joint Working Group on Veterinary Care

Veterinary professionals working in partnership with other competent persons are essential for a successful animal care and use programme. A veterinarian's primary responsibilities are defined by their own professional regulatory bodies, but in this area of work there are further opportunities for contribution, which will assist in safeguarding the health and welfare of animals used in research. These guidelines are aimed not only at veterinarians to explain their duties, and outline the opportunities to improve the health and welfare of animals under their care, but also at employers and regulators to help them meet their responsibilities. They describe the desirability for postgraduate education towards specialization in laboratory animal medicine and detail the many competencies necessary to fulfil the role of the laboratory animal veterinarian. They detail the need for veterinary expertise to promote good health and good welfare of animals used in biomedical research during husbandry as well as when under experimental procedures. Regulatory and ethical aspects are covered as are the involvement of the veterinarian in education and training of others working in the animal care and use programme. Managerial aspects, including occupational health and safety, are also areas where the veterinarian's input can assist in the successful implementation of the programme.     

Changes to Category C of the British List†

In its maintenance of the British List, the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) is responsible for assigning species to categories to indicate their status on the List. In 1995, the British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) held a conference on naturalized and introduced birds in Britain ( Holmes & Simons 1996 ). This led to a review of the process of establishment of such species and the terms that best describe their status ( Holmes & Stroud 1995 ) as well as a major review of the categorization of species on the British List ( Holmes et al. 1998 ). The BOURC continues to review the occurrence and establishment of birds of captive origin in Britain. This paper summarizes the status of naturalized and introduced birds in Britain and announces changes to the categorization of many on the British List or its associated appendices (Categories D and E): Mute Swan Cygnus olor Categories AC change to AC2 Black Swan Cygnus atratus Category E* – no change Greylag Goose Anser anser Categories ACE* change to AC2C4E* Snow Goose Anser caerulescens Categories AE* change to AC2E* Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis Categories ACE* change to C2E* Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis Categories AE* change to AC2E* Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus Categories CE* change to C1E* Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Categories BDE* – no change Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata Category E* – alert JNCC Wood Duck Aix sponsa Category E* – no change Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata Categories CE* change to C1E* Gadwall Anas strepera Category A change to AC2 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Categories AE* change to AC2C4E* Red‐crested Pochard Netta rufina Categories AE* change to AC2E* Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Categories CE* change to C1E* Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Categories AE – no change Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Categories BC change BC3 Red‐legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Categories CE* change to C1E* Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Categories ACE change to AC2E Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Categories CE* change to C1E* Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus Categories CE* change to C1E* Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae Categories CE* change to C6E* Black‐crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Categories AE* – no change Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Category E – no change Red Kite Milvus milvus Categories AC change to AC3 White‐tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Categories ACE change to AC3E Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Categories AE* change to AC3E* Rock/Feral Pigeon Columbia livia Categories AE* change to AC4E* Rose‐ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri Categories CE* change to C1E* Barn Owl Tyto alba Categories AE* – no change Little Owl Athene noctua Category C change to C1     

The Category of Age in the Psychology and Pedagogy of Development

Vygotsky's words, uttered about sixty years ago, may serve as a very special epigraph to the analysis that follows; they have not lost their meaning even today: "The problem of age is not only central to the whole of child psychology: it is the key to all questions of practice as well" [4. P. 260].

The key importance of the concept of age as a category in educational psychology has become obvious now, in light of the urgent need for a reorganization of education, a need to give it a developmental character. This category is just as important for a practice-oriented pedagogy, which can no longer be satisfied with simple study of individual phenomena in educational psychology; it must necessarily become a composite and, even more, a projective science, since it involves contriving complex, synthetic objects that bring together concrete studies, blueprints for educational systems, the programs and technology of continuous education throughout a person's entire life, and expert systems for evaluating and means for monitoring the effectiveness of such continuous education.     

Survival of western Gulf Coast Mottled Ducks (Anas fulvigula) in the path of a Category 4 hurricane

Tropical cyclones are the most powerful storms on earth, causing catastrophic damage to human lives and infrastructure. Hurricanes also cause wildlife mortality when they make landfall, but the severity of these effects is difficult to quantify because data collection is either logistically impossible or deprioritized in the wake of human tragedy. On August 27, 2020, Hurricane Laura made landfall in southwestern Louisiana with maximum sustained winds of 241 kph (150 mph), making it one of the most powerful storms to strike the mainland United States. Hurricane Laura passed directly over the core breeding range of the western Gulf Coast population of Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula), during a time when many adult birds were undergoing a simultaneous wing feather molt and were flightless. We used GPS‐GSM telemetry data to evaluate survival rates of adult female Mottled Ducks in late summer 2020 (bracketing August 27 by one month on either side) relative to the same period in 2018 and 2019. Mortality was lower in 2018 (12 out of 29; 41%) and 2019 (8 out of 28; 29%) than in 2020 (12 out of 18; 67%), and 7 out of 12 mortalities documented in 2020 occurred when Hurricane Laura made landfall. Survival analyses in program MARK confirmed lower survival probability in 2020, but there was overlap in 85% confidence intervals in all years. This single storm resulted in the death of ~40% of all marked birds in our sample, suggesting that hurricanes have the potential to influence population demographics. In addition, Hurricane Laura resulted in widespread habitat loss and degradation that has reduced available nesting habitat in 2021, and possibly for years to come. The acute and chronic effects of hurricanes may exacerbate Mottled Duck population declines, which may worsen in the face of increasingly frequent and more severe tropical storms.     

Principles and practice in ethical review of animal experiments across Europe: summary of the report of a FELASA working group on ethical evaluation of animal experiments

This paper summarizes a more detailed report produced by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA 2005), which describes and explores a set of principles for the conduct of ethical review of laboratory animal use. It presents a synopsis of results from a questionnaire that elicited information on how each of 20 countries represented in FELASA currently approaches such ethical review. This information suggests that, although local practices differ, there is an emerging consensus on the key elements that any ethical review process should involve. Drawing on the questionnaire findings, this summary also includes a brief discussion to support and amplify a series of recommendations, covering the objectives of ethical review; legal requirements; the scope of work reviewed and the 'level' at which review is approached; general principles for the organization of ethical review processes; the factors considered in the review; needs for ongoing review after initial authorization; participants in the review process; wider impacts of the review process; and strategies that can help to ensure quality and consistency of review outcomes. For further information and examples of current practice, as well as more detailed discussion to support the recommendations, readers are urged to refer to the complete report, available at http://www.lal.org.uk/pdffiles/FELASA_ethics_FULL_Report. pdf or via: http://www.felasa.eu/recommendations.htm.