The laboratory animal management system--an animal housing management data-processing system]

The Laboratory Animal Management System (LAMS) is a flexible, multi-purpose animal house management tool. It has a decentralized structure and was developed using UNIFACE and Oracle-database software. The multiuser LAMS system runs on a Micro-Vax computer and can be accessed from several workstations. LAMS has been designed to manage the following functions: animal study details; animal procurement; book keeping and follow-up; amendments; update of data; inquiries; statistics and numerous additional tasks. LAMS is a user-friendly interactive system which does not allow input of incorrect data and can be operated by staff with very little computer experience. The system fully complies with German legal requirements and is becoming an increasingly important tool for routine management of animal house facilities and animal experimentation.     

A biometric approach to laboratory rodent identification

Individual identification of laboratory rodents typically involves invasive methods, such as tattoos, ear clips, and implanted transponders. Beyond the ethical dilemmas they may present, these methods may cause pain or distress that confounds research results. The authors describe a prototype device for biometric identification of laboratory rodents that would allow researchers to identify rodents without the complications of other methods. The device, which uses the rodent's ear blood vessel pattern as the identifier, is fast, automatic, noninvasive, and painless.     

Mycotoxins in laboratory rodent feed

Twenty-one batches of fixed-formula rodent diets from three feed manufacturers were tested for the presence of five mycotoxins: deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), HT-2 toxin, T-2 toxin and ochratoxin A (OTA). Five batches were also tested for the presence of zearalenone (ZEN) and six batches for aflatoxins. Detectable levels of DON (up to 298 microg/kg), NIV (up to 118 microg/kg), OTA (up to 3.1 microg/kg) or ZEN (up to 26.7 microg/kg) were found in samples from all manufacturers. Three batches contained two (DON or NIV and OTA or ZEN) and one batch contained three (DON, OTA and ZEN) different mycotoxins. Aflatoxins, T-2 and HT-2 were not detected in any of the batches. The concentrations of mycotoxins detected in the feed were low, but indicated that feed ingredients, probably the cereal ingredients, were contaminated by mycotoxins. Since mycotoxins are known to have toxic and/or immunosuppressive effects, non-contaminated ingredients should be used for production of laboratory animal feed. The results imply that an improved quality control of ingredients used for laboratory rodent feed should be implemented.     

A first look at biosensors

This is a very elementary guide to biosensors, outlining the principles of operation of some optoelectronic and current measuring biosensors. Factors which can influence successful translation to the marketplace are addressed.     

A small rodent research facility for flight with columbus laboratory

During 2001 ESA has finalised the definition of an animal holding facility able to support experimentation with small rodent for the ISS International Space Station. The name of this facility is MISS or Mice on ISS. A facility Science Team is consolidating with ESA the MISS Requirement specification that is driving the Phase A/B Study, where Laben is acting as Prime contractor. In the frame of this Phase A/B that will last until the end 2003, Laben is working in co-operation with qualified European companies with recognised specific area of excellence and heritage. This article presents the Study heritage, the different scenarios under assessment, the critical areas to be explored and then preliminary candidates for bread boarding that is the final task of the Study to consolidate the final Facility Specification.     

A DNA-centric look at protein-DNA complexes

The availability of many DNA-protein structures makes their classification timely and important. In this issue of Structure, the method of Akinori Sarai and his collaborators (Prabakaran et al., 2006) utilizes aspects of the binding interactions and DNA properties to identify seven clusters of structures with a classification scheme that differs significantly from previous approaches.     

A new look at cytokine signaling

Signal transduction is initiated when a cytokine binds to the extracellular domains of its receptors, bringing them together and triggering a complicated sequence of events inside the cell. In this issue, LaPorte et al. (2008) present crystal structures of three signaling complexes of the cytokines interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 with their receptors, showing how events taking place outside the cell may affect the specificity of signal transduction.     

A closer look at prion strains

Prions are infectious proteins that are responsible for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and consist primarily of scrapie prion protein (PrP^Sc), a pathogenic isoform of the host-encoded cellular prion protein (PrP^C). The absence of nucleic acids as essential components of the infectious prions is the most striking feature associated to these diseases. Additionally, different prion strains have been isolated from animal diseases despite the lack of DNA or RNA molecules. Mounting evidence suggests that prion-strain-specific features segregate with different PrP^Sc conformational and aggregation states.

Strains are of practical relevance in prion diseases as they can drastically differ in many aspects, such as incubation period, PrP^Sc biochemical profile (e.g., electrophoretic mobility and glycoform ratio) and distribution of brain lesions. Importantly, such different features are maintained after inoculation of a prion strain into genetically identical hosts and are relatively stable across serial passages.

This review focuses on the characterization of prion strains and on the wide range of important implications that the study of prion strains involves.