Background: We currently have international and national guidelines regarding the assessment and monitoring of clinical signs and humane endpoints in animals used in teaching and research, which make the performance o...Background: We currently have international and national guidelines regarding the assessment and monitoring of clinical signs and humane endpoints in animals used in teaching and research, which make the performance of these activities mandatory for any experiment and professional working in this area. Assigning the severity of a research experiment is the result of an analysis of records of observations of the animal’s behavior, and clinical signs. The aim of this study was to describe the importance of carrying out a severity assessment associated with clinical and behavioral monitoring of rodents and rabbits during experimentation to maintain the welfare of these animals undergoing scientific research. Methods: The literature search was carried out using the following terms: “Monitoring”;“Humane endpoints”;“Animal welfare”, “Rodents”;“Rabbits”, and as connectors “and”;“or”, in the following databases: PubMed;LILACS/BIREME and SciELO. Results: A total of 987 articles were identified in the databases, and 20 of these studies were included in this review. Conclusions: Humane endpoint protocols and procedure severity tables are of the utmost importance, both from an ethical point and to refine the results of research conducted on laboratory animals. They should be drawn up jointly by the teams responsible for the project and the maintenance of the animals during the research period, and the data obtained should be published so that the scientific community can have access to it, helping to disseminate these practices, as well as helping to draw up new procedures. Monitoring and evaluating the welfare and clinical condition of animals undergoing scientific research procedures is the responsibility of the professors, researchers, veterinarians, and animal facility coordinators. The Ethics Committee on the Use of Animals must monitor all the activities conducted with the animals, by inspecting the experimental procedures and the physical environment of the laboratory animal facility where the animals are housed.展开更多
Agent-based modeling and controlled human experiments serve as two fundamental research methods in the field of econophysics. Agent-based modeling has been in development for over 20 years, but how to design virtual a...Agent-based modeling and controlled human experiments serve as two fundamental research methods in the field of econophysics. Agent-based modeling has been in development for over 20 years, but how to design virtual agents with high levels of human-like ＂intelligence＂ remains a challenge. On the other hand, experimental econophysics is an emerging field; however, there is a lack of experience and paradigms related to the field. Here, we review some of the most recent research results obtained through the use of these two methods concerning financial problems such as chaos, leverage, and business cycles. We also review the principles behind assessments of agents＇ intelligence levels, and some relevant designs for human experiments. The main theme of this review is to show that by combining theory, agent-based modeling, and controlled human experiments, one can garner more reliable and credible results on account of a better verification of theory; accordingly, this way, a wider range of economic and financial problems and phenomena can be studied.展开更多
Non-human primates （NHPs） are phylogenetically close to humans, with many similarities in terms of physiology, anatomy, immunology, as well as neurology, all of which make them excellent experimental models for biom...Non-human primates （NHPs） are phylogenetically close to humans, with many similarities in terms of physiology, anatomy, immunology, as well as neurology, all of which make them excellent experimental models for biomedical research. Compared with developed countries in America and Europe, China has relatively rich primate resources and has continually aimed to develop NHPs resources. Currently, China is a leading producer and a major supplier of NHPs on the international market. However, there are some deficiencies in feeding and management that have hampered China＇s growth in NHP research and materials. Nonetheless, China has recently established a number of primate animal models for human diseases and achieved marked scientific progress on infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine diseases, reproductive diseases, neurological diseases, and ophthalmic diseases, etc. Advances in these fields via NHP models will undoubtedly further promote the development of China＇s life sciences and pharmaceutical industry, and enhance China＇s position as a leader in NHP research. This review covers the current status of NHPs in China and other areas, highlighting the latest developments in disease models using NHPs, as well as outlining basic problems and proposing effective to better utilize NHP resources and further foster NHP research in China.展开更多
On the basis of the successful establishment of an animal model in tree shrews experimentally in fected with human hepatitis B virus (HHBV), a study on the hepatocarcinogenic effects of HHBV and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by...On the basis of the successful establishment of an animal model in tree shrews experimentally in fected with human hepatitis B virus (HHBV), a study on the hepatocarcinogenic effects of HHBV and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by using this animal model was conducted through a lifelong experiment. Among 41 tree shrews exposed to AFB1, 17 were experimentally infected by HHBV and 24 were uninfected. After 158 weeks, significant difference of primary liver cancer (PLC) incidence was present between the HHBV infected (52.94%) and uninfected (12.5%) groups (p<0.05). No difference was found between these two groups in the amount of AFB4 ingestion. Moreover, 1/9 of the tree shrews infected only by HHBV but not exposed to AFB4 developed PLC. No PLC was found in 6 tree shrews that had neither been infected with HHBV nor been exposed to AFB4. These results suggest the possible etiologic relationship between HHBV infection and PLC, as well as the synergetic effects of HHBV and AFB4 during PLC development.展开更多
Mesenchymal stem cells have been previously shown to exert an immunomodulatory function. The present study sought to investigate the effects of multipotential human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells （hAdM...Mesenchymal stem cells have been previously shown to exert an immunomodulatory function. The present study sought to investigate the effects of multipotential human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells （hAdMSCs） on disease progression and cytokine expression in Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis （EAE） induced by myelin basic protein. The duration of EAE paralysis in the group treated on day 7 posfimmunization with 5 × 10^6 hAdMSCs was significantly reduced compared with the vehicle-treated controls and the 1 x 106 hAdMSC- treated group. The duration of EAE paralysis in the groups treated with 5 × 10^6 hAdMSCs on both day 1 and day 7 postimmunization was significantly reduced compared with the vehicle-treated controls and the groups treated with 5 × 10^6 hAdMSCs on both day 7 and day 10 postimmunization. The mRNA expression of interleukin-10 and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase was significantly decreased in the hAdMSC-treated group compared with the vehicle-treated group. These findings suggest that the ameliorative effects of hAdMSCs on EAE symptoms operate in a dose- and time-dependent manner and can be mediated in part by the ample production of anti-inflammatory cytokines.展开更多
文摘Background: We currently have international and national guidelines regarding the assessment and monitoring of clinical signs and humane endpoints in animals used in teaching and research, which make the performance of these activities mandatory for any experiment and professional working in this area. Assigning the severity of a research experiment is the result of an analysis of records of observations of the animal’s behavior, and clinical signs. The aim of this study was to describe the importance of carrying out a severity assessment associated with clinical and behavioral monitoring of rodents and rabbits during experimentation to maintain the welfare of these animals undergoing scientific research. Methods: The literature search was carried out using the following terms: “Monitoring”;“Humane endpoints”;“Animal welfare”, “Rodents”;“Rabbits”, and as connectors “and”;“or”, in the following databases: PubMed;LILACS/BIREME and SciELO. Results: A total of 987 articles were identified in the databases, and 20 of these studies were included in this review. Conclusions: Humane endpoint protocols and procedure severity tables are of the utmost importance, both from an ethical point and to refine the results of research conducted on laboratory animals. They should be drawn up jointly by the teams responsible for the project and the maintenance of the animals during the research period, and the data obtained should be published so that the scientific community can have access to it, helping to disseminate these practices, as well as helping to draw up new procedures. Monitoring and evaluating the welfare and clinical condition of animals undergoing scientific research procedures is the responsibility of the professors, researchers, veterinarians, and animal facility coordinators. The Ethics Committee on the Use of Animals must monitor all the activities conducted with the animals, by inspecting the experimental procedures and the physical environment of the laboratory animal facility where the animals are housed.
文摘Agent-based modeling and controlled human experiments serve as two fundamental research methods in the field of econophysics. Agent-based modeling has been in development for over 20 years, but how to design virtual agents with high levels of human-like ＂intelligence＂ remains a challenge. On the other hand, experimental econophysics is an emerging field; however, there is a lack of experience and paradigms related to the field. Here, we review some of the most recent research results obtained through the use of these two methods concerning financial problems such as chaos, leverage, and business cycles. We also review the principles behind assessments of agents＇ intelligence levels, and some relevant designs for human experiments. The main theme of this review is to show that by combining theory, agent-based modeling, and controlled human experiments, one can garner more reliable and credible results on account of a better verification of theory; accordingly, this way, a wider range of economic and financial problems and phenomena can be studied.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81172876,81273251,U1202228,81471620)the National Special Science Research Program of China(2012CBA01305)+1 种基金the National Science and Technology Major Project(2013ZX10001-002,2012ZX10001-007)the Knowledge Innovation Program of CAS(KSCX2-EW-R-13,KJZD-EW-L10-02)
文摘Non-human primates （NHPs） are phylogenetically close to humans, with many similarities in terms of physiology, anatomy, immunology, as well as neurology, all of which make them excellent experimental models for biomedical research. Compared with developed countries in America and Europe, China has relatively rich primate resources and has continually aimed to develop NHPs resources. Currently, China is a leading producer and a major supplier of NHPs on the international market. However, there are some deficiencies in feeding and management that have hampered China＇s growth in NHP research and materials. Nonetheless, China has recently established a number of primate animal models for human diseases and achieved marked scientific progress on infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine diseases, reproductive diseases, neurological diseases, and ophthalmic diseases, etc. Advances in these fields via NHP models will undoubtedly further promote the development of China＇s life sciences and pharmaceutical industry, and enhance China＇s position as a leader in NHP research. This review covers the current status of NHPs in China and other areas, highlighting the latest developments in disease models using NHPs, as well as outlining basic problems and proposing effective to better utilize NHP resources and further foster NHP research in China.
文摘On the basis of the successful establishment of an animal model in tree shrews experimentally in fected with human hepatitis B virus (HHBV), a study on the hepatocarcinogenic effects of HHBV and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by using this animal model was conducted through a lifelong experiment. Among 41 tree shrews exposed to AFB1, 17 were experimentally infected by HHBV and 24 were uninfected. After 158 weeks, significant difference of primary liver cancer (PLC) incidence was present between the HHBV infected (52.94%) and uninfected (12.5%) groups (p<0.05). No difference was found between these two groups in the amount of AFB4 ingestion. Moreover, 1/9 of the tree shrews infected only by HHBV but not exposed to AFB4 developed PLC. No PLC was found in 6 tree shrews that had neither been infected with HHBV nor been exposed to AFB4. These results suggest the possible etiologic relationship between HHBV infection and PLC, as well as the synergetic effects of HHBV and AFB4 during PLC development.
文摘Mesenchymal stem cells have been previously shown to exert an immunomodulatory function. The present study sought to investigate the effects of multipotential human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells （hAdMSCs） on disease progression and cytokine expression in Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis （EAE） induced by myelin basic protein. The duration of EAE paralysis in the group treated on day 7 posfimmunization with 5 × 10^6 hAdMSCs was significantly reduced compared with the vehicle-treated controls and the 1 x 106 hAdMSC- treated group. The duration of EAE paralysis in the groups treated with 5 × 10^6 hAdMSCs on both day 1 and day 7 postimmunization was significantly reduced compared with the vehicle-treated controls and the groups treated with 5 × 10^6 hAdMSCs on both day 7 and day 10 postimmunization. The mRNA expression of interleukin-10 and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase was significantly decreased in the hAdMSC-treated group compared with the vehicle-treated group. These findings suggest that the ameliorative effects of hAdMSCs on EAE symptoms operate in a dose- and time-dependent manner and can be mediated in part by the ample production of anti-inflammatory cytokines.
