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Exposing new nurses to theoretical teaching strategies that help them to navigate the ethical challenges in clinical practice is essential for retention and long-term job satisfaction. This article explores the rationale for teaching ethics content in nurse residency programs and ways to navigate ethical decision-making in the clinical setting. Examples of evidence-informed teaching strategies that enhance knowledge retention and reduce the gap between ethical theory and practice are included., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: We initiated a prospective interventional study using a nurse-driven bedside dysphagia screen (BDS) in patients with cervical spine injury (CI) to address three objectives: (1) determine the incidence of dysphagia, (2) determine the utility of the new BDS as a screening tool, and (3) compare patient outcomes, specifically dysphagia-related complications, in the study period with a retrospective cohort., Methods: All patients with CI admitted to a Level I trauma center were enrolled in a prospective 12-month study (June 2016-June 2017) and then were compared with a previous 18-month cohort of similar patients. Our new protocol mandated that every patient underwent a BDS before oral intake. If the patient failed the BDS, a modified barium swallow (MBS) was obtained. Exclusion criteria were emergency department discharge, inability to participate in a BDS, leaving against medical advice, BDS protocol violations, or death before BDS. A failed MBS was defined as a change in diet and a need for a repeat MBS. Dysphagia was defined as a failed MBS or the presence of a dysphagia-related complication., Results: Of 221 consecutive prospective patients identified, 114 met inclusion criteria. The incidence of dysphagia was 16.7% in all prospective study patients, 14.9% in patients with isolated CI, and 30.8% in patients with spinal cord injury. The BDS demonstrated 84.2% sensitivity, 95.8% specificity, 80.0% positive predictive value, and 96.8% negative predictive value. There were no dysphagia-related complications. The prospective study patients demonstrated significantly less dysphagia-related complications (p = 0.048) when compared with the retrospective cohort of 276 patients., Conclusions: The introduction of the BDS resulted in increased dysphagia diagnoses, with a significant reduction in dysphagia-related complications. We recommend incorporating BDS into care pathways for patients with CI., Level of Evidence: Study type diagnostic test, level III.

Context: Fenced conservation reserves are an effective management tool for the conservation of many threatened species. However, conservation fencing is known to inadvertently affect non-target species, ranging from barrier effects to direct mortality. There is a paucity of information on the negative impacts of fencing on reptiles. Aims: Using the woma python, a species of conservation significance, this research aimed to improve our knowledge of how reptiles interact with fences. Methods: The spatial ecology of womas was explored in relation to fencing at the Wild Deserts project partnership site, a rabbit-, cat- and fox-proof fenced area of Sturt National Park in arid Australia. A 6-year dataset of opportunistic observations of womas at the study site were analysed for demographic, spatial and temporal patterns in woma fence interactions. Nine adult pythons were radiotracked over a year to assess space use in relation to fencing. Key results: Twenty-two per cent of all opportunistic woma observations at the site were mortalities associated with entanglements. All 20 entanglement deaths were in 30-mm netting despite 50-mm netting comprising lower segments of 21% of the fence network. Fencing encounters were greatest in dune habitats and during summer and autumn. Fence crossings were infrequent among telemetered pythons and most encounters did not result in entanglement, with four of the nine individuals recorded to have crossed the fence successfully, despite one mortality. Conclusions: Thirty-millimetre netting, particularly in areas of netting overlap, represents an entanglement risk to womas. Implications: This research is applicable to the management of conservation fences and can be extended to other large snake and reptile species. The impacts of small-aperture netting on large snakes and other non-target species should be considered in the planning phases for conservation fencing and mitigation strategies should be sought in the planning phases where possible. Large-aperture netting is preferable to 30-mm netting for pythons, where exclusion of rabbits is not necessary. However, larger netting apertures may disproportionately affect other non-target species such as bearded dragons. Entanglements of woma pythons have been recorded in conservation fencing at the Wild Deserts project partnership site, a safe haven in arid Australia. This prompted us to investigate woma spatial ecology in relation to fencing to inform mitigation actions. Entanglements were only observed from 30-mm netting, with no records from 50-mm netting. Larger netting apertures are preferable when planning future fenced conservation reserves where rabbit exclusion is not required. Photograph by Reece Pedler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Feral cats (Felis catus) have an impact on native wildlife populations around the world but are difficult to control because of their neophobic behaviours and preference for live prey over scavenging poisoned baits. Felixers™ address these challenges by squirting poison-gel directly onto feral cats, exploiting their fastidious oral grooming tendencies to facilitate poison ingestion. Aims: This study trialled Felixers in a landscape-scale arid-ecosystem site to assess their capacity to sustainably manage cat populations in a semi-bounded in situ predator training area and to eradicate cat incursions into a feral-free safe haven. Specifically, the aims were to determine target specificity and firing rates; optimise installation sites to exploit cat behaviour and landscape features; assess the fate of individuals following Felixer interaction; and assess the overall cost, performance and efficacy of Felixers compared with conventional cat control methods. Methods: Up to nine Felixers were simultaneously deployed across three trial periods, spanning 30 months (4,642 trap nights) in Sturt National Park in the Strzelecki Desert dunefields of Australia. Felixers were deployed within and outside of feral-free safe havens, at varying cat densities, with populations monitored through camera-trap activity indices and individual behaviour monitored through satellite tracking. Key results: Felixers fired at 20.3–43.9% of cats that passed in front (292 of 1,144 cats), with the remainder failing to satisfy the discriminatory algorithm's target criteria. The devices had 99.93% target specificity from 17,425 interactions with moving animals and objects. Overall cat activity was lower in a semi-bounded 10,400 ha landscape-scale area where Felixers were intensively used, relative to an adjacent unbounded area where no cat control was occurring, over a 12-month subset of the 30-month trial. Felixers also resolved one of two incursions by cats into a 2,000 ha safe haven. Optimisation of Felixer placement and upgrading of software drove improvements in technical reliability and target identification during the trial. Shortcomings included cost and high incidence of technical faults, causing significant downtime and requiring regular investment of field staff time for monitoring and resolution. Conclusions: Felixers provide a safe tool for cat management and eradication at intensively managed conservation sites. Efficacy could be improved through reductions in cost and improvements in reliability. Implications: Overall Felixers appear to be an effective tool for cat management, when used in an integrated approach. Feral cats are a key threat to biodiversity globally, and particularly in Australia, but effective control is complex because of their broadscale distribution and behaviour. Felixer grooming traps were evaluated at a mammal reintroduction site in the Strzelecki Desert, Australia. Felixers showed extremely high target specificity, low incidence of non-target firing events and appear to have supressed cat activity in a semi-bounded area relative to an adjacent unbounded area where no cat control was occurring. The devices had high cost and incidence of technical faults, but showed promise as highly targeted feral cat control tools. Photograph by Reece Pedler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Routine laboratory animal handling has profound effects on their anxiety and stress responses, but little is known about the impact of handling method. We found that picking up mice by the tail induced aversion and high anxiety, whereas use of tunnels or open hand led to voluntary approach, low anxiety and acceptance of physical restraint. Using the latter methods, one can minimize a widespread source of anxiety in laboratory mice.

Traffic bottlenecks significantly influence the operation efficiency of large-scale road networks. Developing advanced control strategies for bottleneck optimization is a cost-efficient and critical way to deal with network congestion. However, the state-of-the-art studies on network congestion control focus on the topology level, which may fail to relieve congestion by addressing the root cause of bottleneck. This study proposed a hierarchical control framework for alleviating network traffic bottleneck congestion using vehicle trajectory data. First, the bottleneck-related sub-network (BRS) was identified by tracing vehicle trajectories upstream and downstream of the bottleneck based on the traffic flow propagation. Then, a hierarchical control framework was proposed for BRS optimization. Specifically, in the outer layer, i.e., the gating control layer, the multigated intersections in BRS were controlled via a multimemory deep Q-network approach to optimize the network traffic distribution. In the inner layer, i.e., the coordinated control layer, local intersection controllers were coordinated by adjusting the dynamic input and output streams of the bottleneck under the guidance of the outer layer controller, which helps balance the traffic pressure within BRS and avoids congestion transferring in the network. Both simulation and field experiments were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed hierarchical framework. Results reveal that the framework can effectively relieve network traffic congestion with decreased queue length and travel time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Conservation translocations are increasing in number and so too is the interest and expectation from Traditional Owners (TOs) that they will be involved in management occurring on their Country. Aims. Our objectives were to identify the levels of past TO engagement as experienced through the western and TO lenses, examine the key steps, challenges and opportunities that emerged from survey responses, and also to provide a case study of a conservation translocation that describes Indigenous involvement to support a reintroduction of golden bandicoots (Isoodon auratus) in Australia from Martu Country (Western Australia) to Wongkumara and Maljangapa Country (New South Wales). Methods. The key questions the surveys sought to address to western practitioners were as follows: (1) what types of TO involvement were observed; (2) if TOs were not involved in the translocation, was there a reason; and (3) for each translocation project where TOs were involved, (a) why was this engagement sought by their agency; (b) what worked well in terms of involvement and partnerships; and (c) how could these partnerships be improved? From a TO lens, perspectives were sought with a survey addressing the following questions: (1) how were you involved in the translocation; (2) why was it important to you and your community; and (3) ow would you like to be involved in the future? Key results. Of 208 Australian translocations, 27% involved TOs. The following four themes emerged from the survey responses: the need to recognise and adopt the cultural dimension of conservation translocations on Indigenous Country, maintain on-Country relationships between western practitioners and TOs, enable co-ownership of projects, and maintain community links between western and TO practitioners. The golden bandicoot translocation partnership provided a foundation for TO engagement across generations, setting the scene for long-term and future translocation collaboration opportunities. Conclusions. The perspectives of all participants involved in conservation translocations highlighted a common theme: the need to support TOs to be engaged fairly, to be culturally safe during their engagement, and to enable them to be part of a wider project and community team. The case study highlighted a sequential approach for engaging the TO organisation and supporting TOs to work alongside western practitioners to capture, record and transport animals from their Country to a new (reintroduction) site. Implications. We provide suggestions for non-Indigenous managers and practitioners to consider a cultural dimension to conservation translocations when engaging TOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships between adult females are fundamental to understanding diversity in animal social systems. While cooperative relationships between kin are known to promote fitness benefits, the proximate mechanisms underlying this are not well understood. Here we show that when related female house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) cooperate to rear young communally, those with higher endogenous oxytocin levels have more egalitarian and successful cooperative relationships. Sisters with higher oxytocin concentrations in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus weaned significantly more offspring, had lower reproductive skew and spent more equal proportions of time in the nest. By contrast, PVN oxytocin was unrelated to the number of weaned offspring produced in the absence of cooperation, and did not vary in response to manipulation of nest site availability or social cues of outgroup competition. By linking fitness consequences of cooperation with oxytocin, our findings have broad implications for understanding the evolution of egalitarian social relationships. Fitness consequences of communal breeding suggest a role for oxytocin in the evolution of egalitarian social relationships - cooperating sisters with higher hypothalamic oxytocin levels have more equal and greater combined reproductive success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weight gain variation is a great challenge in diet‐induced obesity studies since low‐gainer animals are of limited experimental value. The inbred C57BL/6 (B6) mice are frequently used models due to their genetic homogeneity and susceptibility to diet‐induced obesity (DIO). The aim of this study is to investigate if the gut microbiota (GM) influences the fraction of low weight gainers in DIO studies. A total of 100 male B6 mice (donor population) were fed a high‐fat diet for 14 weeks and divided into the study groups high gainer (HG) and low gainer (LG) based on their weight gain. Subsequently, fecal matter transplantation (FMT) was done on germ‐free B6 mice with GM from HG and LG donors (FMT population). LG (13.35 ± 2.5 g) and HG (25.52 ± 2.0 g) animals were identified by the weight gain from week 1 to week 12. Interestingly, the start weight of the LG (20.36 ± 1.4 g) and HG (21.59 ± 0.7 g) groups differed significantly. Transplanting LG or HG fecal matter to germ‐free mice resulted in significant differences in weight gain between HG and LG, as well as differences in serum leptin levels and epididymal fat pad weight. A clear LG‐specific GM composition could not be distinguished by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Surprisingly, significantly more fighting was recorded in LG groups of both donor populations and when transplanted to germ‐free mice. The HG and LG phenotypes could be transferred to germ‐free mice. The increased fighting in the LG group in both studies suggests not only that the tendency to fight can be transferred by FMT in these mice, but also that fighting should be prevented in DIO studies to minimize the number of LG animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic aortic rupture is highly lethal, and its surgical treatment is complicated by a high rate of paraplegia., Methods: The charts of 263 patients with traumatic aortic rupture from vehicular accidents treated between 1971 and 1998 were reviewed. Patients were grouped according to four periods: group 1, 1971 to 1975, (n = 31); group 2, 1976 to 1985, (n = 83); group 3, 1986 to 1994, (n = 82); and group 4, 1994 to 1998 (n = 67). Seventy-one patients died of exsanguination before definitive care. One hundred-ninety two patients had surgical repair with the following techniques: clamp and sew, 6 in group 1, 22 in group 2, 54 in group 3, none in group 4; shunt, 23 in group 1, 39 in group 2, 2 in group 3; cardiopulmonary bypass, 2 in group 1, 1 in group 3. Forty-three patients had partial bypass with the centrifugal pump and heparin-coated circuits in group 4., Results: Operative mortality was 6 of 31 (19%) in group 1, 22 of 61 (36%) in group 2, 15 of 57 (26%) in group 3, and 7 of 43 (16%) in group 4. There was one case of paraplegia in group 1 (4%), ten in group 2 (18%), 11 in group 3 (26%), and none in group 4. This difference of paraplegia between the groups was significant (p<0.002). Significant factors for paraplegia were intraoperative hypotension (p<0.000002), cross-clamp time longer than 30 minutes (p<0.008), pump versus no pump (p<0.008), and younger age group (28+/-11 versus 39+/-17 years) (p<0.03)., Conclusions: There were no statistically significant improvements in mortality rate over the four periods, although, the mortality rate was lowest in the last period when partial bypass with the centrifugal pump was used exclusively. Further, the use of the centrifugal pump with heparin-coated circuits, with femoral vein cannulation into the right atrium and distal aortic perfusion, reduced paraplegia significantly.

Context: Ongoing learning is essential for freshwater ecosystem management, but there is limited documentation of successful integration into management. Aims: We aimed to increase learning-related understanding required for effective adaptive management of water for the environment, in water-stressed and contested river systems. Methods: We developed a learning approach (requisite learning) for managing water for the environment, demonstrated with real-world examples from the Macquarie River and Marshes, Australia. Key results: Four co-existing, interdependent learning types enable effective management of water for the environment: (1) 'adjusting routines', (2) 'adaptive assessment', (3) 'changing practice', and (4) 'transforming governance', exemplified by using management of water for the environment for the Macquarie River and Marshes. To enable and improve requisite learning, stakeholder social learning, and flexibility in governance arrangements, must develop. Conclusions: Ongoing learning is essential for effective adaptive management. Understanding what requisite learning is and how capacity can be improved, will help achieve outcomes required of managing water for the environment. Implications: Effective management of water for the environment is essential, transparently delivering environmental outcomes and accounting for decision-making. To do this, we need to improve explicit learning understanding by nurturing learning mandates and champions, fostering social learning, increasing flexibility in governance arrangements, and institutionalising learning. We developed a learning approach for managing water for the environment, globally, as learning is essential for effective and successful management. This learning approach is exemplified using the Macquarie River and Marshes in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. To improve ongoing learning in managing water for the environment, we recommend institutionalising learning, increasing flexibility in governance arrangements, fostering social-learning capacity, and developing explicit learning understanding by nurturing learning mandates and champions. This article belongs to the collection Environmental Flows in Northern Murray–Darling Basin: what we know about the science and management after a decade of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk., 1775), stands as one of the most pervasive pests globally, inflicting extensive damage across Asia and Africa. Facilitated by intercontinental migration, the desert locust engages in population exchange between different source areas, perpetuating its widespread proliferation. Despite the wind being recognized as a key factor during migration events, elucidating its precise influence on intercontinental migration has remained elusive. In this study, we scrutinized monitoring data sourced from the FAO monitoring system, pinpointing 13 desert locust events featuring intercontinental migrations since 1967. From these events, four migration routes were summarized, traversing the Red Sea (RS-WE and RS-EW) and the northern Indian Ocean (IO-WE and IO-EW). Typically, RS-WE and IO-EW migrations occurred between December and March, whereas RS-EW and IO-WE migrations were observed from May to June and April to July, respectively. Our examination of wind field data spanning the past 15 years revealed that wind direction and speed facilitated intercontinental migrations. Furthermore, migration trajectory modeling indicated that desert locusts might exhibit migratory behavior both during the day and at night in the cases of RS-WE and RS-EW, with cross-oceanic migration potentially lasting for a week for IO-WE and IO-EW. In summary, our study identifies four migration routes for the intercontinental migration of the desert locust, providing crucial support for the scientific prediction of its occurrence and contributing to international food security efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of studies have highlighted the existence of a sex-specific immune response, wherein men experience a worse prognosis in cases of acute inflammatory diseases. Initially, this sex-dependent inflammatory response was attributed to the influence of sex hormones. However, a growing body of evidence has shifted the focus toward the influence of chromosomes rather than sex hormones in shaping these inflammatory sex disparities. Notably, certain pattern recognition receptors, such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and their associated immune pathways have been implicated in driving the sex-specific immune response. These receptors are encoded by genes located on the X chromosome. TLRs are pivotal components of the innate immune system, playing crucial roles in responding to infectious diseases, including bacterial and viral pathogens, as well as trauma-related conditions. Importantly, the TLRmediated inflammatory responses, as indicated by the production of specific proteins and cytokines, exhibit discernible sex-dependent patterns. In this review, we delve into the subject of sex bias in TLR activation and explore its clinical implications relatively to both the X chromosome and the hormonal environment. The overarching objective is to enhance our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying these sex differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) aims to uncover the processes and consequences of nervous, immune, and endocrine system relationships. Behavior is a consequence of such interactions and manifests from a complex interweave of factors including immune-to-neural and neural-to-immune communication. Often the signaling molecules involved during a particular episode of neuroimmune activation are not known, but behavioral response provides evidence that bioactives such as neurotransmitters and cytokines are perturbed. Immunobehavioral phenotyping is a first-line approach when examining the neuroimmune system and its reaction to immune stimulation or suppression. Behavioral response is significantly more sensitive than direct measurement of a single specific bioactive and can quickly and efficiently rule in or out relevance of a particular immune challenge or therapeutic to neuroimmunity. Classically, immunobehavioral research was focused on sickness symptoms related to bacterial infection, but neuroimmune activation is now a recognized complication of diseases and disorders ranging from cancer to diabesity to Alzheimer's. Immunobehaviors include lethargy, loss of appetite, and disinterest in social activity/surrounding environment. In addition, neuroimmune activation can diminish physical activity, precipitate feelings of depression and anxiety, and impair cognitive and executive function. Provided is a detailed overview of behavioral tests frequently used to examine neuroimmune activation in mice with a special emphasis on pre-experimental conditions that can confound or prevent successful immunobehavioral experimentation., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

AgRP neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) coordinate homeostatic changes in appetite associated with fluctuations in food availability and leptin signaling. Identifying the relevant transcriptional regulatory pathways in these neurons has been a priority, yet such attempts have been stymied due to their low abundance and the rich cellular diversity of the ARC. Here we generated AgRP neuron-specific transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility profiles from male mice during three distinct hunger states of satiety, fasting-induced hunger, and leptin-induced hunger suppression. Cis-regulatory analysis of these integrated datasets enabled the identification of 18 putative hunger-promoting and 29 putative hunger-suppressing transcriptional regulators in AgRP neurons, 16 of which were predicted to be transcriptional effectors of leptin. Within our dataset, Interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) emerged as a leading candidate mediator of leptin-induced hunger-suppression. Measures of IRF3 activation in vitro and in vivo reveal an increase in IRF3 nuclear occupancy following leptin administration. Finally, gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vivo confirm the role of IRF3 in mediating the acute satiety-evoking effects of leptin in AgRP neurons. Thus, our findings identify IRF3 as a key mediator of the acute hunger-suppressing effects of leptin in AgRP neurons. AgRP neurons control appetite, but their transcriptional regulation remains a mystery. Here, the authors generate AgRP neuron transcriptional and chromatin accessibility profiles and show that IRF3 mediates the acute hunger-suppressing effects of leptin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Depression is a human mental disorder that can also be inferred in non-human animals. This study explored whether time spent inactive but awake ("IBA") in the home-cage in mice was further triggered by risk factors similar to those increasing vulnerability to depression in humans (early life stress, genetic predispositions, adulthood stress). Methods: Eighteen DBA/2 J and 18 C57BL/6 J females were tested, of which half underwent as pups a daily maternal separation on post-natal days 2-14 (early-life stress "ELS") (other half left undisturbed). To assess the effect of the procedure, the time the dams from which the 18 subjects were born spent active in the nest (proxy for maternal behavior) was recorded on post-natal days 2, 6, 10 and 14 for 1 h before separation and following reunion (matched times for controls), using live instantaneous scan sampling (total: 96 scans/dam). For each ELS condition, about half of the pups were housed post-weaning (i.e., from 27 days old on average) in either barren (triggering IBA and depression-like symptoms) or larger, highly enriched cages (n = 4-5 per group). Time mice spent IBA post-weaning was observed blind to ELS treatment using live instantaneous scan sampling in two daily 90-min blocks, two days/week, for 6 weeks (total: 192 scans/mouse). Data were analyzed in R using generalized linear mixed models. Results: The dams were significantly more active in the nest over time (p = 0.016), however with no significant difference between strains (p = 0.18), ELS conditions (p = 0.20) and before/after separation (p = 0.83). As predicted, postweaning barren cages triggered significantly more time spent IBA in mice than enriched cages (p < 0.0001). However, neither ELS (p = 0.4) nor strain (p = 0.84) significantly influenced time mice spent IBA, with no significant interaction with environmental condition (ELS × environment: p = 0.2861; strain × environment: p = 0.5713). Discussion: Our results therefore only partly support the hypothesis that greater time spent IBA in mice is triggered by risk factors for human depression. We discuss possible explanations for this and further research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review article delves into the details of the 3R-Refinement principles as a vital framework for ethically sound rodent research laboratory. It highlights the core objective of the refinement protocol, namely, to enhance the well-being of laboratory animals while simultaneously improving the scientific validity of research outcomes. Through an exploration of key components of the refinement principles, the article outlines how these ethics should be implemented at various stages of animal experiments. It emphasizes the significance of enriched housing environments that reduce stress and encourage natural behaviors, non-restraint methods in handling and training, refined dosing and sampling techniques that prioritize animal comfort, the critical role of optimal pain management and the importance of regular animal welfare assessment in maintaining the rodents well-being. Additionally, the advantages of collaboration with animal care and ethics committees are also mentioned. The other half of the article explains the extensive benefits of the 3R-Refinement protocol such as heightened animal welfare, enhanced research quality, reduced variability, and positive feedback from researchers and animal care staff. Furthermore, it addresses avenues for promoting the adoption of the protocol, such as disseminating best practices, conducting training programs, and engaging with regulatory bodies. Overall, this article highlights the significance of 3R-Refinement protocol in aligning scientific advancement with ethical considerations along with shaping a more compassionate and responsible future for animal research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-synthetic and grain-based diets are common rodent diets for biomedical research. Both diet types are considered nutritionally adequate to support breeding, growth, and long life, yet there are fundamental differences between them that may affect metabolic processes. We have characterized the effects of diet type on breeding outcomes, metabolic phenotype, and microbiota profile in adult mice. Healthy 8-week-old female and male C57BL/6J mice were fed a semi-synthetic or a grain-based diet for 12 weeks and changes in body weight and body composition were monitored. Breeding outcomes were determined. Body fat accumulation of female mice was lower on the semi-synthetic diet than on the grain-based diet. Pregnancy rate and newborn pup survival appeared to be lower in mice exposed to semi-synthetic diet compared to grain-based diet. Both female and male mice showed a profound change in fecal microbiota alpha and beta diversity depending on diet type. Our study shows that type of rodent diet may affect breeding outcomes whilst influencing metabolism and health of female laboratory mice. These factors have the potential to influence other experimental outcomes and the results suggest that semi-synthetic and grain-based diets are not interchangeable in research using rodent models. Careful consideration and increased understanding of the consequences of diet choice would lead to improvements in experimental design and reproducibility of study results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4R is a tobacco cembranoid that binds to and modulates cholinergic receptors and exhibits neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activity. Given the established function of the cholinergic system in pain and inflammation, we propose that 4R is also analgesic. Here, we tested the hypothesis that systemic 4R treatment decreases pain-related behaviors and peripheral inflammation via modulation of the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChRs) in a mouse model of inflammatory pain. We elicited inflammation by injecting Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) into the hind paw of male and female mice. We then assessed inflammation-induced hypersensitivity to cold, heat, and tactile stimulation using the Acetone, Hargreaves, and von Frey tests, respectively, before and at different time points (2.5 h – 8d) after a single systemic 4R (or vehicle) administration. We evaluated the contribution of α7 nAChRs 4R-mediated analgesia by pre-treating mice with a selective antagonist of α7 nAChRs followed by 4R (or vehicle) administration prior to behavioral tests. We assessed CFA-induced paw edema and inflammation by measuring paw thickness and quantifying immune cell infiltration in the injected hind paw using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Lastly, we performed immunohistochemical and flow cytometric analyses of paw skin in α7 nAChR-cre::Ai9 mice to measure the expression of α7 nAChRs on immune subsets. Our experiments show that systemic administration of 4R decreases inflammation-induced peripheral hypersensitivity in male and female mice and inflammation-induced paw edema in male but not female mice. Notably, 4R-mediated analgesia and anti-inflammatory effects lasted up to 8d after a single systemic administration on day 1. Pretreatment with an α7 nAChR-selective antagonist prevented 4R-mediated analgesia and anti-inflammatory effects, demonstrating that 4R effects are via modulation of α7 nAChRs. We further show that a subset of immune cells in the hind paw expresses α7 nAChRs. However, the number of α7 nAChR-expressing immune cells is unaltered by CFA or 4R treatment, suggesting that 4R effects are independent of α7 nAChR-expressing immune cells. Together, our findings identify a novel function of the 4R tobacco cembranoid as an analgesic agent in both male and female mice that reduces peripheral inflammation in a sex-dependent manner, further supporting the pharmacological targeting of the cholinergic system for pain treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The distribution of the threatened greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) has significantly contracted since the introduction of feral cats and foxes. To counteract these threats, bilbies have been reintroduced to multiple feral predator exclosures and offshore islands across Australia. Aims. The aims of this study were to monitor the reintroduction of bilbies to the feral predator exclosure at Currawinya National Park and assess three hypotheses: (1) captiveborn founders would establish stable home ranges and utilise habitats similar to those of wildborn bilbies in the exclosure; (2) founders would maintain adequate body condition and weight, enabling the survival of >50% of founders at 12 months post-release; and (3) the population would rapidly increase in the absence of feral predators, due to the high reproductive potential of bilbies. Methods. We used VHF/GPS telemetry to compare home range size and habitat use of 12 founders and 11 wild-born bilbies. Founders were monitored intensively to assess reproductive success, weight, body condition and survival. Pouch activity was monitored to examine reproductive output. Spatially explicit capture–recapture modelling was used to estimate population density/size. Key results. The population rapidly increased to >450 bilbies after 3 years, and founder survivorship was high (70% at 12 months post-release). Male founder home ranges (248.46 ha ± 97.22) were comparable in size to wild-born males (216.74 ha ± 54.19), but female founder home ranges (51.23 ha ± 12.22) were significantly larger than wild-born females (20.80 ha ± 2.94) (P = 0.04). The doubling of the population between 2021 and 2022 may have resulted in the contraction of female home ranges. Reproductive output decreased significantly in 2022, indicating that reproduction may be density-dependent at high densities. There was a significant relationship between track counts and population estimates, indicating that track counts are a reliable method for estimating population size inside the exclosure. Conclusions. This reintroduction has been highly successful to date, demonstrating that bilbies are an adaptable species capable of rapid population growth in the absence of feral predators. Implications. Bilbies are a model species for reintroductions to feral predator exclosures due to high survival rates, reproductive output, dietary flexibility and the ability to utilise a broad range of environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Syrian hamsters are a relatively common pet species in the UK. However, we know very little about how they are kept. The aim of this study was to identify areas of good and poor practices among Syrian hamster owners using owner surveys., Method: A survey of pet hamster owners was conducted with questions on husbandry, behaviour and health., Results: There were 548 survey responses. Over 95% of the owners provided a wheel, hideaway or chew toy, and over 90% housed their hamster alone. However, 18.4% of the owners used hamster balls, hamsters may have been fed a diet that was not entirely appropriate, and over 45% of respondents reported that their hamsters were housed in close proximity to predator species. Most (65.9%) hamsters had never been taken to a veterinarian. Hamster ball use, shallower substrate depth and more frequent handling were significantly associated with greater owner observations of bar biting., Limitations: A key limitation is that the respondents may not be representative of the average pet hamster owner, so this research does not provide a complete picture of the current state of hamster welfare., Conclusion: There are some welfare concerns regarding the way Syrian hamsters are currently kept in the UK. Therefore, attempts to better distribute information about hamster care to owners should be made., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.)

Background: Traditionally, in biomedical animal research, laboratory rodents are individually examined in test apparatuses outside of their home cages at selected time points. However, the outcome of such tests can be influenced by various factors and valuable information may be missed when the animals are only monitored for short periods. These issues can be overcome by longitudinally monitoring mice and rats in their home cages. To shed light on the development of home cage monitoring (HCM) and the current state-of-the-art, a systematic review was carried out on 521 publications retrieved through PubMed and Web of Science. Results: Both the absolute (~ × 26) and relative (~ × 7) number of HCM-related publications increased from 1974 to 2020. There was a clear bias towards males and individually housed animals, but during the past decade (2011–2020), an increasing number of studies used both sexes and group housing. In most studies, animals were kept for short (up to 4 weeks) time periods in the HCM systems; intermediate time periods (4–12 weeks) increased in frequency in the years between 2011 and 2020. Before the 2000s, HCM techniques were predominantly applied for less than 12 h, while 24-h measurements have been more frequent since the 2000s. The systematic review demonstrated that manual monitoring is decreasing in relation to automatic techniques but still relevant. Until (and including) the 1990s, most techniques were applied manually but have been progressively replaced by automation since the 2000s. Independent of the year of publication, the main behavioral parameters measured were locomotor activity, feeding, and social behaviors; the main physiological parameters were heart rate and electrocardiography. External appearance-related parameters were rarely examined in the home cages. Due to technological progress and application of artificial intelligence, more refined and detailed behavioral parameters have been investigated in the home cage more recently. Conclusions: Over the period covered in this study, techniques for HCM of mice and rats have improved considerably. This development is ongoing and further progress as well as validation of HCM systems will extend the applications to allow for continuous, longitudinal, non-invasive monitoring of an increasing range of parameters in group-housed small rodents in their home cages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal and pathological locomotion can be discriminated by analyzing an animal's gait on a linear walkway. This step is labor intensive and introduces experimental bias due to the handling involved while placing and removing the animal between trials. We designed a system consisting of a runway embedded within a larger arena, which can be traversed ad libitum by unsupervised, freely moving mice, triggering the recording of short clips of locomotor activity. Multiple body parts were tracked using DeepLabCut and fed to an analysis pipeline (GaitGrapher) to extract gait metrics. We compared the results from unsupervised against the standard experimenter-supervised approach and found that gait parameters analyzed via the new approach were similar to a previously validated approach (Visual Gait Lab). These data show the utility of incorporating an unsupervised, automated, approach for collecting kinematic data for gait analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refined handling improves laboratory mouse welfare and research outcomes when compared to traditional tail handling, yet implementation does not seem to be widespread. Refined handling includes picking up a mouse using a tunnel or cupped hands. The aim of this study was to determine the current prevalence of and beliefs towards refined handling using the theory of planned behavior. It was predicted that refined handling prevalence is low compared to traditional handling methods, and its implementation is determined by individual and institutional beliefs. Research personnel were recruited via online convenience sampling through email listservs and social media. A total of 261 participants in diverse roles (e.g. veterinarians, managers, caretakers, researchers, etc.) responded primarily from the USA (79%) and academic institutions (61%) Participants were surveyed about their current use, knowledge, and beliefs about refined handling. Quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and generalised regression. Qualitative data were analyzed by theme. Research personnel reported low levels of refined handling implementation, with only 10% of participants using it exclusively and a median estimate of only 10% of institutional mice being handled with refined methods. Individually, participants had positive attitudes, neutral norms, and positive control beliefs about refined handling. Participants' intention to provide refined handling in the future was strongly associated with their attitudes, norms, and control beliefs (p<0.01). Participants believed barriers included jumpy mice, perceived incompatibility with restraint, lack of time, and other personnel. However, participants also believed refined handling was advantageous to mouse welfare, handling ease, personnel, and research. Although results from this survey indicate that current refined handling prevalence is low in this sample, personnel believe it has important benefits, and future use is associated with their beliefs about the practice. People who believed refined handling was good, felt pressure to use it, and were confident in their use reported higher implementation. Increased refined handling could be encouraged through education on misconceptions, highlighting advantages, and addressing important barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggression is a complex social behavior, critically involving brain serotonin (5-HT) function. The neurobiology of female aggression remains elusive, while the incidence of its manifestations has been increasing. Yet, animal models of female aggression are scarce. We previously proposed a paradigm of female aggression in the context of gene x environment interaction where mice with partial genetic inactivation of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (Tph2+/− mice), a key enzyme of neuronal 5-HT synthesis, are subjected to predation stress resulting in pathological aggression. Using deep sequencing and the EBSeq method, we studied the transcriptomic signature of excessive aggression in the prefrontal cortex of female Tph2+/− mice subjected to rat exposure stress and food deprivation. Challenged mutants, but not other groups, displayed marked aggressive behaviors. We found 26 genes with altered expression in the opposite direction between stressed groups of both Tph2 genotypes. We identified several molecular markers, including Dgkh, Arfgef3, Kcnh7, Grin2a, Tenm1 and Epha6, implicated in neurodevelopmental deficits and psychiatric conditions featuring impaired cognition and emotional dysregulation. Moreover, while 17 regulons, including several relevant to neural plasticity and function, were significantly altered in stressed mutants, no alteration in regulons was detected in stressed wildtype mice. An interplay of the uncovered pathways likely mediates partial Tph2 inactivation in interaction with severe stress experience, thus resulting in excessive female aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urinary excretion of dopamine and its metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) were compared in 15 patients with malignant phaeochromocytoma. Six patients with increased dopamine and HVA excretion had disseminated malignancy and the poorest prognosis. Four patients with increased urinary dopamine levels but normal HVA excretion also had widespread metastases and poor prognosis. The best prognosis was for 5 patients who had normal excretion of dopamine and HVA, and minimal disease. When dopamine and HVA excretion were considered separately, it was found that duration of survival was significantly better for patients with normal dopamine excretion than those with increased dopamine excretion (p less than 0.003). There was no significant difference in survival time between patients with normal and increased HVA excretion. In this study dopamine excretion appeared to be a more discriminating biochemical index of malignancy, prognosis and disease progression than HVA excretion.

The ability to store, retrieve, and extinguish memories of adverse experiences is an essential skill for animals' survival. The cellular and molecular factors that underlie such processes are only partially known. Using chondroitinase ABC treatment targeting chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), previous studies showed that the maturation of the extracellular matrix makes fear memory resistant to deletion. Mice lacking the cartilage link protein Crtl1 (Crtl1-KO mice) display normal CSPG levels but impaired CSPG condensation in perineuronal nets (PNNs). Thus, we asked whether the presence of PNNs in the adult brain is responsible for the appearance of persistent fear memories by investigating fear extinction in Crtl1-KO mice. We found that mutant mice displayed fear memory erasure after an extinction protocol as revealed by analysis of freezing and pupil dynamics. Fear memory erasure did not depend on passive loss of retention; moreover, we demonstrated that, after extinction training, conditioned Crtl1-KO mice display no neural activation in the amygdala (Zif268 staining) in comparison to control animals. Taken together, our findings suggest that the aggregation of CSPGs into PNNs regulates the boundaries of the critical period for fear extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Dysphagia is a common clinical condition characterized by difficulty in swallowing. It is sub-classified into oropharyngeal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the mouth and pharynx, and esophageal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the esophageal body and esophagogastric junction. Dysphagia can have a significant negative impact one’s physical health and quality of life as its severity increases. Therefore, proper assessment and management of dysphagia are critical for improving swallowing function and preventing complications. Thus a guideline was developed to provide evidence-based recommendations for assessment and management in patients with dysphagia. Methods: Nineteen key questions on dysphagia were developed. These questions dealt with various aspects of problems related to dysphagia, including assessment, management, and complications. A literature search for relevant articles was conducted using Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and one domestic database of KoreaMed, until April 2021. The level of evidence and recommendation grade were established according to the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. Results: Early screening and assessment of videofluoroscopic swallowing were recommended for assessing the presence of dysphagia. Therapeutic methods, such as tongue and pharyngeal muscle strengthening exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation with swallowing therapy, were effective in improving swallowing function and quality of life in patients with dysphagia. Nutritional intervention and an oral care program were also recommended. Conclusion: This guideline presents recommendations for the assessment and management of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia, including rehabilitative strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frailty indexes (FIs) provide quantitative measurements of nonspecific health decline and are particularly useful as longitudinal monitors of morbidity in aging studies. For mouse studies, frailty assessments can be taken noninvasively, but they require handling and direct observation that is labor-intensive to the scientist and stress inducing to the animal. Here, we implement, evaluate, and provide a refined digital FI composed entirely of computational analyses of home-cage video and compare it to manually obtained frailty scores in both C57BL/6 and genetically heterogeneous Diversity Outbred mice. We show that the frailty scores assigned by our digital index correlate with both manually obtained frailty scores and chronological age. Thus, we provide an automated tool for frailty assessment that can be collected reproducibly, at scale, without substantial labor cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Killing is often an unavoidable and necessary procedure for laboratory mice involved in scientific research, and providing a humane death is vital for public acceptance. Exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2) gas is the most widely used methodology despite well proven welfare concerns. Consequently, the continued use of CO2 and its globally permitted status in legislation and guidelines presents an ethical dilemma for users. We investigated whether killing with hypobaric hypoxia via gradual decompression was associated with better welfare outcomes for killing laboratory mice. We compared the spontaneous behaviour of mice exposed to CO2, decompression or sham conditions, and used analgesic or anxiolytic interventions to determine their relative welfare impact. Gradual decompression resulted in longer times to unconsciousness and death and the pharmacological interventions support the notion of a minimally negative animal experience, while providing further evidence for pain and anxiety associated with exposure to CO2. Decompression resulted in moderate ear haemorrhage, but our welfare assessment suggests this may happen when mice are unconscious. Hence, gradual decompression could be the basis of significant refinement for killing laboratory mice. Future work should corroborate behaviour with neurobiological markers of loss of consciousness to verify the conscious phase of concern for animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the genetic diversity and distribution model of Liriodendron chinense natural population in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the genetic diversity and structure of six natural populations were analyzed by using ten ISSR markers. The results showed that there were abundant genetic diversity in six Liriodendron chinense natural populations. The average (or total) effective number of alleles (Ne), Nei's gene diversity (H) and Shannon information index (I) of six populations were 1.454 1 (1.633 7), 0.257 6 (0.363 3) and 0.378 6 (0.529 3). A limited gene flow (Nm=1.218 4) resulted in a high genetic differentiation (Gst=0.291 0) among populations. The six populations were divided into two groups depending on cluster analysis (UPGMA method). One group (west group) contains the populations near the west (RS-A, HJ and LY) and the other (east group) included the populations near the east (QZ, ZY and RS-L). The east group had a lower genetic diversity and higher differentiation than the west one, which probably implied that populations in east group were strongly disturbed by human activities. Mantel test (R=0.545, P=0.041) displayed a significant isolation by distance model among populations, which also implied that habitat fragmentation due to human activities was an important factor for a highly genetic differentiation among populations. In the light of abundant genetic diversity and highly genetic differentiation on L. chinense populations in Guangxi, not only in situ conservation for the populations with abundant genetic diversity (e.g. RS-A, HJ) is critical, but also ex situ conservation by seeds or cuttings collecting for all populations is also essential for further breeding and propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundament of an evidence-based severity assessment in laboratory animal science is reliable distress parameters. Many readouts are used to evaluate and determine animal distress and the severity of experimental procedures. Therefore, we analyzed four distinct parameters like the body weight, burrowing behavior, nesting, and distress score in the four gastrointestinal animal models (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), pancreatitis, CCl4 intoxication, and bile duct ligation (BDL)). Further, we determined the parameters' robustness in various experimental subgroups due to slight variations like drug treatment or telemeter implantations. We used non-parametric bootstrapping to get robust estimates and 95% confidence intervals for the experimental groups. It was found that the performance of the readout parameters is model-dependent and that the distress score is prone to experimental variation. On the other hand, we also found that burrowing and nesting can be more robust than, e.g., the body weight when evaluating PDA. However, the body weight still was highly robust in BDL, pancreatitis, and CCl4 intoxication. To address the complex nature of the multi-dimensional severity space, we used the Relative Severity Assessment (RELSA) procedure to combine multiple distress parameters into a score and mapped the subgroups and models against a defined reference set obtained by telemeter implantation. This approach allowed us to compare the severity of individual animals in the experimental subgroups using the maximum achieved severity (RELSAmax). With this, the following order of severity was found for the animal models: CCl4 < PDA ≈ Pancreatitis < BDL. Furthermore, the robustness of the RELSA procedure and outcome was externally validated with a reference set from another laboratory also obtained from telemeter implantation. Since the RELSA procedure reflects the multi-dimensional severity information and is highly robust in estimating the quantitative severity within and between models, it can be deemed a valuable tool for laboratory animal severity assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodent behavior is affected by different environmental conditions. These do not only comprise experimental and housing conditions but also familiarization with the experimenter. However, specific effects on pain-related behavior and chronic pain conditions have not been examined. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of different housing conditions, using individually ventilated and standard open top cages, inverted day-night cycles, and experimenter familiarization on male mice following peripheral neuropathy using the spared nerve injury (SNI) model. Using a multimodal approach, we evaluated evoked pain-related- using von Frey hair filaments, measured gait pattern with the CatWalk system, assessed anxiety- and depression-like behavior with the Elevated plus maze and tail suspension test, measured corticosterone metabolite levels in feces and utilized an integrative approach for relative-severity-assessment. Mechanical sensitivity differed between the cage systems and experimenter familiarization and was affected in both sham and SNI mice. Experimenter familiarization and an inverted day-night cycle reduced mechanical hypersensitivity in SNI and sham mice. SNI mice of the inverted day-night group displayed the slightest pronounced alterations in gait pattern in the Catwalk test. Anxiety-related behavior was only found in SNI mice of experimenter-familiarized mice compared to the sham controls. In addition, familiarization reduced the stress level measured by fecal corticosteroid metabolites caused by the pain and the behavioral tests. Although no environmental condition significantly modulated the severity in SNI mice, it influenced pain-affected phenotypes and is, therefore, crucial for designing and interpreting preclinical pain studies. Moreover, environmental conditions should be considered more in the reporting guidelines, described in more detail, and discussed as a potential influence on pain phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the second leading risk factor of premature death in Sub‐Saharan Africa. We use GEOS‐Chem to quantify the effects of (a) trash burning, (b) residential solid‐fuel burning, and (c) open biomass burning (BB) (i.e., landscape fires) on ambient PM2.5 and PM2.5‐attributable mortality in Africa. Using a series of sensitivity simulations, we excluded each of the three combustion sources in each of five African regions. We estimate that in 2017 emissions from these three combustion sources within Africa increased global ambient PM2.5 by 2%, leading to 203,000 (95% confidence interval: 133,000–259,000) premature mortalities yr−1 globally and 167,000 premature mortalities yr−1 in Africa. BB contributes more ambient PM2.5‐related premature mortalities per year (63%) than residential solid‐fuel burning (29%) and trash burning (8%). Open BB in Central Africa leads to the largest number of PM2.5‐attributed mortalities inside the region, while trash burning in North Africa and residential solid‐fuel burning in West Africa contribute the most regional mortalities for each source. Overall, Africa has a unique ambient air pollution profile because natural sources, such as windblown dust and BB, contribute strongly to ambient PM2.5 levels and PM2.5‐related mortality. Air pollution policies may need to focus on taking preventative measures to avoid exposure to ambient PM2.5 from these less‐controllable sources. Plain Language Summary: Air pollution substantially impacts human health in Africa and may continue to get worse in the coming years with population and economic growth and urbanization. In this modeling study, we estimate the health benefits from removing three combustion sources (trash burning, residential biofuel used for home cooking and heating, and open biomass burning) and the regional differences across Africa. Our finding suggests that eliminating these sources in Africa can prevent 167,000 premature mortalities each year in the continent alone and 203,000 deaths globally. The information we provide may help policy makers in developing appropriate policies to mitigate the impacts of air pollution in Africa. Key Points: Three solid‐fuel combustion sources in Africa led to 203,000 annual PM2.5‐attributable premature mortalities globally and 167,700 in AfricaOf the five regions and three sources studied, open biomass burning in Central Africa led to the most PM2.5‐attributed mortalitiesTrash burning contributed the most mortalities in North Africa and residential solid‐fuel burning contributed the most mortalities in West Africa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite considerable progress in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) has been achieved over the past years, chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease (cGvHD) still contributes to high morbidity rates, thus remaining a major hurdle in allo-HCT patients. To understand the complex pathophysiology of cGvHD and to develop refined prophylaxis and treatment strategies, improved pre-clinical models are needed. In this study, we developed two murine cGvHD models, which display high long-term morbidity but low mortality and depict the heterogeneous clinical manifestations of cGvHD seen in patients. We established a haploidentical C57BL/6!B6D2F1 allo-HCT model that uses myeloablative radiation and GCSF-mobilized splenocytes as stem cell source and a sub-lethally irradiated Xenograft model, which utilizes the transfer of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) into NOD scid gamma (NSG)-recipients. We characterized both mouse models to exhibit diverse clinical and histopathological signs of human cGvHD as extensive tissue damage, fibrosis/sclerosis, inflammation and B cell infiltration in cGvHD target organs skin, liver, lung and colon and found a decelerated immune cell reconstitution in the late phase after HCT. Our pre-clinical models can help to gain a deeper understanding of the target structures and mechanisms of cGvHD pathology and may enable a more reliable translation of experimental findings into the human setting of allo-HCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory mice spend most of their lives in cages, not experiments, so improving housing conditions is a first-choice approach to improving their welfare. Despite the increasing popularity of enrichment, little is known about the benefits from an animal perspective. For a detailed analysis, we categorized enrichment items according to their prospective use into the categories 'structural', 'housing', and 'foraging'. In homecage-based multiple binary choice tests 12 female C57BL/6J mice chose between enrichment items within the respective categories over a 46-hour period. A new analyzing method combined the binary decisions and ranked the enrichment items within each category by calculating worth values and consensus errors. Although there was no unequivocal ranking that was true in its entire rank order for all individual mice, certain elements (e.g. lattice ball, second plane) were always among the top positions. Overall, a high consensus error in ranking positions reflects strong individual differences in preferences which could not be resolved due to the relatively small sample size. However, individual differences in the preference for enrichment items highlights the importance of a varied enrichment approach, as there does not seem to be one item that satisfies the wants and needs of all individuals to the same degree. An enrichment concept, in which the needs of the animals are central, contributes to a more specific refinement of housing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key step in understanding animal behaviour relies in the ability to quantify poses and movements. Methods to track body landmarks in 2D have made great progress over the last few years but accurate 3D reconstruction of freely moving animals still represents a challenge. To address this challenge here we develop the 3D-UPPER algorithm, which is fully automated, requires no a priori knowledge of the properties of the body and can also be applied to 2D data. We find that 3D-UPPER reduces by > 10 fold the error in 3D reconstruction of mouse body during freely moving behaviour compared with the traditional triangulation of 2D data. To achieve that, 3D-UPPER performs an unsupervised estimation of a Statistical Shape Model (SSM) and uses this model to constrain the viable 3D coordinates. We show, by using simulated data, that our SSM estimator is robust even in datasets containing up to 50% of poses with outliers and/or missing data. In simulated and real data SSM estimation converges rapidly, capturing behaviourally relevant changes in body shape associated with exploratory behaviours (e.g. with rearing and changes in body orientation). Altogether 3D-UPPER represents a simple tool to minimise errors in 3D reconstruction while capturing meaningful behavioural parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]