The development and application of Laboratory Animal Science in China

The 14th Scientific Congress of the Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Science was held on October 11‐12,2018 in Qingdao,China.During this congress,an international forum on the development of Laboratory Animal Sciences(LAS)worldwide was held in which participants learnt about the development of new LAS resources and technologies,as well as the progress of LAS in China.The main points that were discussed are as follows.After nearly a century of development,there are more than 200 species of experimental animals,and more than 20 000 inbred lines,outbred lines,genetic engineered animals,animal models of diseases,and other resources all over the world,which provide abundant experimental animal resources for scientific research.These resources are widely used in life science research.

One health, monkeypox prevention, and treatment: The second online academic salon on monkeypox virus by the Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (August 26, 2022, Beijing, China)

The Second Online Academic Salon on Monkeypox Virus: One Health, monkeypox prevention, and treatment was held online on August 26, 2022, at Beijing, China. The Academic Salon was hosted by the Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences(CALAS);organized by the Editorial Office of Animal Models and Experimental Medicine( AMEM), Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica, and the Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine;and co-organized by the China Union of Life Science Societies and Wiley Press. This online salon was simultaneously broadcast live, and attracted more than 2000 participants online from home and abroad.

LasDB: A collective database for laboratory animal strain resources

Background: With the aim of establishing the most comprehensive database of laboratory animal strains, the "laboratory animal strain resources database"(LasDB)was constructed as a searchable online database of all laboratory animal strains,stocks and mutant embryonic stem-cell lines available worldwide, including inbred,outbred, mutant and genetically engineered strains.Methods: MySQL database software was used to construct the LasDB, offering an easy-to-use interface.Results: To date, LasDB has a collection covering data for 21 596 mouse strains,2062 rat strains, 13 monkey strains, 2 hamster strains, 5 dog strains, 5 rabbit strains and more than 50 other laboratory animal strains. LasDB will be continually improved with regular updates of new laboratory animal strains from all over the world.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first database that attempts to systematically integrate all available laboratory animal strain data with the aim of supporting open usage and full resource sharing.

The 1st online academic salon on monkeypox virus by Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences(2022, June 10th,Beijing, China)

The First Academic Salon on Monkeypox Virus was held online on June 10th,2022 in Beijing,China.The Academic Salon was hosted by the Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (CALAS);organized by the Editorial Office of Animal Models and Experimental Medicine (AMEM),Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica,and the Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine,and co-organized by China Union of Life Science Societies.This Academic Salon was also broadcast live on Wiley WeChat Video Channel,and attracted over 2400online attendees home and abroad.

History and development of laboratory animal science in Sri Lanka

The Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo(UCFM), is the forerunner in the laboratory animal science(LAS) field in Sri Lanka. Here laboratory animals such as rats, frogs and rabbits were used in medical education to demonstrate physiological principles in the early 1950 s. The establishment of the first animal house in 1969 at UCFM better facilitated the use of laboratory animals in medical education and research. By 2006, lack of ethical guide lines was an issue and a set of ethical guidelines was developed and published in 2009, which today are followed by researchers and reviewers in many universities and research institutions in the country. With this development, there was a need for an organized system of education for the LAS discipline. This was fulfilled by conducting the first certificate course on LAS in the Asian region in 2011 in collaboration with the Utrecht University,Netherlands. The Sri Lanka Association for LAS has continued LAS education since its establishment in 2012 at UCFM by conducting workshops and short courses.

国际实验动物科学理事会（the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science ICLAS）简介

国际实验动物科学理事会（the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science ICLAS）是一家以促进世界范围内实验动物伦理性关怀和使用为目标，以全面提升人类和动物健康为使命的国际科学组织。

The Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences(ILAS)

The Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences(ILAS)is a unique research organization dedicated to research on laboratory animals and comparative medicine.It is affi liated with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(CAMS)and Peking Union Medical College(PUMC).It was founded in 1980,when China has just begun to develop laboratory animal sciences.ILAS currently has 478 staff working in four main business areas:scientifi c research;laboratory animal resource development conservation and production;comparative medicine technology services;and teaching and training.

The Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences(ILAS)

The Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences(ILAS)is a unique research organization dedicated to research on laboratory animals and comparative medicine.It is affi liated with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(CAMS)and Peking Union Medical College(PUMC).It was founded in 1980,when China has just begun to develop laboratory animal sciences.ILAS currently has 478 staff working in four main business areas:scientifi c research;laboratory animal resource development conservation and production;comparative medicine technology services;and teaching and training.

Tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri)as a novel laboratory disease animal model

The tree shrew （Tupaia belangeri） is a promising laboratory animal that possesses a closer genetic relationship to primates than to rodents. In addition, advantages such as small size, easy breeding, and rapid reproduction make the tree shrew an ideal subject for the study of human disease. Numerous tree shrew disease models have been generated in biological and medical studies in recent years. Here we summarize current tree shrew disease models, including models of infectious diseases, cancers, depressive disorders, drug addiction, myopia, metabolic diseases, and immune-related diseases. With the success of tree shrew transgenic technology, this species will be increasingly used in biological and medical studies in the future.

Alignment silkworms as seismic animal anomalous behavior (SAAB) and electromagnetic model of a fault: a theory and laboratory experiment

Alignment of silkworms and fish, observed as seismic anomalous animal behavior (SAAB) prior to the Kobe earthquake, were duplicated in a laboratory by applying a pulsed electric field assuming SAAB as electrophysiological responses to the stimuli of seismic electric signals (SES). The animals became aligned perpendicularly to the field direction since their skeletal muscle had a higher resistivity perpendicular to the field direction than parallel to it. An electromagnetic model of a fault is proposed in which dipolar charges, ± q are generated due to the change of seismic stress, σ (t) . From a mathematical model,d q /d t=-α (d σ /d t) - q/ερ , where α is the charge generation constant like a piezoelectric coefficient, ε , the dielectric constant and ρ , the resistivity of bedrock granite. A fault having a length 2 a and a displacement or rock rupture time τ , during which the stress is changed, gives pulsed dipolar charge surface densities, +q(t, x) and -q(t, x+2a), or an apparent electric dipole moment of P(t)=2aQ(t)=2aAq(t)=αM 0[ερ/(τ-ερ)](e -t/τ -e -t/ερ ) using the earthquake moment M 0. The fault displacement, D , its initial velocity, D′ and the stress drop, Δ σ give τ=D/D′= (Δ σ/σ 0)(α/β) . The field intensity, F , and seismic current density at a fault zone, J were calculated as F=q/ε and J=F/ρ′ using ρ′ of water as to give J=0.1～1 A/m 2 sufficient to cause SAAB experimentally. The near field ultra low frequency (ULF) waves generated by P(t) give SES reciprocally proportional to the distance R .

A review: Systematic research approach on toxicity model of liver and kidney in laboratory animals

Therapeutic experiments are commonly performed on laboratory animals to inves-tigate the possible mechanism(s)of action of toxic agents as well as drugs or sub-stances under consideration.The use of toxins in laboratory animal models,including rats,is intended to cause toxicity.This study aimed to investigate different models of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in laboratory animals to help researchers advance their research goals.The current narrative review used databases such as Medline,Web of Science,Scopus,and Embase and appropriate keywords until June 2021.Nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity models derived from some toxic agents such as cisplatin,acetaminophen,doxorubicin,some anticancer drugs,and other materials through various signaling pathways are investigated.To understand the models of renal or hepatotoxicity in laboratory animals,we have provided a list of toxic agents and their toxicity procedures in this review.

Biological Safety Issues in Animal Laboratory of Colleges and Universities

As a crucial link in fostering talented students, laboratories in universities have been attached great significance since they help developing practical op- erational ability of students. The unknown factors in laboratories are likely to pose threat to operators. Therefore, it is especially important to guarantee the safety of laboratories. The paper expounded the measures supposed to be taken in university lab-teaching based on bias-safety management problems and hoping to serve the research work and teaching by adopting proper and reasonable methods which are in accordance with scientific purposes.

Distance Education as a Tool for Training Veterinarians in Laboratory Animal Medicine

With increasing globalization and a trend towards international harmonization of standards for the care and use of animals in research and testing,there is a significant need to assist and support countries to develop training programs for laboratory animal veterinarians.Although formal educational opportunities for training laboratory animal veterinarians exist through well-established specialty colleges of laboratory animal medicine such as ACLAM,ECLAM,JCLAM,and KCLAM or through other professional organisations,such as the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations(FELASA),opportunities for participating in these programs are often limited to veterinarians in North America,Western Europe and specific regions of Asia.Creative thinking is required to develop cost-effective,practical,entry-level and advanced continuing education and applied training programs for veterinarians working in the field of laboratory animal medicine around the world.This paper will describe one potential solution for this issue,the use of a distance education program that provides theoretical information in a virtual classroom with applied training modules to deliver knowledge and practical skills to laboratory animal veterinarians.This type of program takes advantage of the online learning environment and can be an effective means to deliver training at the grassroots level to adult learners.

Effects of mesenchymal stem cell on dopaminergic neurons,motor and memory functions in animal models of Parkinson's disease:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Parkinson’s disease is chara cterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars com pacta,and although restoring striatal dopamine levels may improve symptoms,no treatment can cure or reve rse the disease itself.Stem cell therapy has a regenerative effect and is being actively studied as a candidate for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.Mesenchymal stem cells are considered a promising option due to fewer ethical concerns,a lower risk of immune rejection,and a lower risk of teratogenicity.We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells and their derivatives on motor function,memory,and preservation of dopamine rgic neurons in a Parkinson’s disease animal model.We searched bibliographic databases(PubMed/MEDLINE,Embase,CENTRAL,Scopus,and Web of Science)to identify articles and included only pee r-reviewed in vivo interve ntional animal studies published in any language through J une 28,2023.The study utilized the random-effect model to estimate the 95%confidence intervals(CI)of the standard mean differences(SMD)between the treatment and control groups.We use the systematic review center for laboratory animal expe rimentation’s risk of bias tool and the collaborative approach to meta-analysis and review of animal studies checklist for study quality assessment.A total of 33studies with data from 840 Parkinson’s disease model animals were included in the meta-analysis.Treatment with mesenchymal stem cells significantly improved motor function as assessed by the amphetamine-induced rotational test.Among the stem cell types,the bone marrow MSCs with neurotrophic factor group showed la rgest effect size(SMD[95%CI]=-6.21[-9.50 to-2.93],P=0.0001,I^(2)=0.0%).The stem cell treatment group had significantly more tyrosine hydroxylase positive dopamine rgic neurons in the striatum([95%CI]=1.04[0.59 to 1.49],P=0.0001,I^(2)=65.1%)and substantia nigra(SMD[95%CI]=1.38[0.89 to 1.87],P=0.0001,I^(2)=75.3%),indicating a protective effect on dopaminergic neurons.Subgroup analysis of the amphetamine-induced rotation test showed a significant reduction only in the intracranial-striatum route(SMD[95%CI]=-2.59[-3.25 to-1.94],P=0.0001,I^(2)=74.4%).The memory test showed significant improvement only in the intravenous route(SMD[95%CI]=4.80[1.84 to 7.76],P=0.027,I^(2)=79.6%).Mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to positively impact motor function and memory function and protect dopaminergic neurons in preclinical models of Parkinson’s disease.Further research is required to determine the optimal stem cell types,modifications,transplanted cell numbe rs,and delivery methods for these protocols.

Finding biomarkers of experience in animals

At a time when there is a growing public interest in animal welfare,it is critical to have objective means to assess the way that an animal experiences a situation.Objectivity is critical to ensure appropriate animal welfare outcomes.Existing behavioural,physiological,and neurobiological indicators that are used to assess animal welfare can verify the absence of extremely negative outcomes.But welfare is more than an absence of negative outcomes and an appropriate indicator should reflect the full spectrum of experience of an animal,from negative to positive.In this review,we draw from the knowledge of human biomedical science to propose a list of candidate biological markers(biomarkers)that should reflect the experiential state of non-human animals.The proposed biomarkers can be classified on their main function as endocrine,oxidative stress,non-coding molecular,and thermobiological markers.We also discuss practical challenges that must be addressed before any of these biomarkers can become useful to assess the experience of an animal in real-life.

Evaluation of Laboratory Request Forms Completion in a Tertiary Medical Laboratory of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Background: The inadequacy in the completeness of the Laboratory Request Form (LRF) has been reported as one of the major sources of errors during the pre-analytical step of laboratory analysis. To prevent the occurrence of such errors, this study aimed at assessing the level of completeness of LRFs. Methods: A retrospective analysis of laboratory request forms was conducted at the Clinical Biology Laboratory of the Kinshasa University Clinic, DR Congo, between November 2021 to May 2022. The LRFs were evaluated according to the completeness of all sections including administrative data of the patient, data of physician who ordered the test, relevant patient’s clinical data and data of the biological sample. Results: From a total of 2842 LRFs evaluated, none was fully completed with all required information. Particularly, patient’s clinical data including the medical history, provisional diagnosis and current treatment, were the most absent in 99% LRFs. However, two sections related to patient’s ID and prescribed test were informed in 100% LRFs. Conclusion: The results of this preanalytical audit can serve as an improvement opportunity focused on strengthening awareness about complete filling of LRF.