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ATW April 2024

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Vol 23 No 1 April 2024ISSN 2752-3918Offi cial Journal of the Institute of Animal Technology and European Federation of Animal TechnologistsIAT JournalAnimal Technology and Welfare●Congress 2023 poster winners● Andrew Blake Tribute Award winning poster 2024● Impact of loadshedding in animal facilities in South Africa ● Mary Lyon’s brilliant and illuminating conjecture

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1TECH-2-TECH Caring for insects Jonathan ThorntonMary Lyon’s brilliant and illuminating conjecture Professor Sir Richard GardnerPOSTERSComparing the use of enrichment items by cattle in a high containment facility Rosanna Smith-LangridgeAnaesthetics that compliment radiotracers [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE, [18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT Imaging in Rodents Jillene Visser, Cecile Swanepoel, Catheryn Helena Stanford Driver and Thomas EbenhanA collaborative effort to improve the welfare of SKH1 mice Thomas Bosley, Rachel Walker, Pedro Durao and Amaya VirósEffi cacy of chlorine dioxide gas for the destruction of Syphacia muris eggs Lorna Cleverley, Callum Logan and Rebecca LawsonCore needle biopsy – novel refi nement technique Filipa Pereira Lopes, James Kerr, Matthew Wilson and Lukasz MagieraVol 23 No 1 April 2024Editorial Diane Hazlehurst, Chair of the Editorial BoardElectricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South Africa Busisiwe Mogodi, Linda Howells andJohn ChipanguraHow, why, what happened next: an introduction to scientifi c writing Jasmine BarleyABSTRACT TRANSLATIONSEditorialJas Barley, Chair of the Editorial BoardReport of the 2019 RSPCA/UFAW RodentWelfare Group meetingChloe Stevens, Emily Finnegan, Jasmine Clarkson,Charlotte Burns, Sonia Bains, Colin Gilbert,Caroline Chadwick, Samantha Izzard, Charlotte Inman,Penny Hawkins (Secretary) and Huw GolledgeReduction of the negative effects ofmethionine on bone parameters in broilers’embryos by intra-egg injection of Vitamin B12Mohammad Naser Nazem, Shima Tasharofi,Negin Amiri and Sepideh SabzekarThe care of the Childr en’s Python(Antaresia children)Alexander Hosking and Gary MartinicFeline-assisted therapy: a promising part of animal assisted therapy (AAT)Eliska Mičková and Krityna MachovaThe care of Central and Pygmy Bearded DragonsAlexander Hosking and Gary MartinicPAPER SUMMARY TRANSLATIONSFrench, German, Italian, SpanishLOOKING BACKPhysical hazards in the laboratory animal houseR.T. CharlesThe incidence of a pathogenic strain of pseudomonas in a rabbit colonyG.R. Alpen and K. MaerzTECH-2-TECHDevelopment of a sifting cage change method for rats to improve welfareSeonagh HendersonVol 1 9 No 2 A ugust 2020CONTENTSiAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 4/8/20 10:48 Page i211173317413644465155

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vOFFICERSPresidentDr Robin Lovell-Badge CBE FRSImmediate Past PresidentProfessor Sir Richard Gardner MA PhD FRSBFIAT (Hon) FRSVice-PresidentsSenga Allan MIAT RAnTech, David Anderson MRCVS,Stephen Barnett BA MSc FIAT (Hon) CBiol FRSBRAnTech, Miles Carroll PhD, Paul Flecknell MA Vet MBPhD DLAS DipLECVA MRCVS FIAT (Hon), PennyHawkins PhD BSc, Wendy Jarrett MA, Judy MacArthur-Clark CBE BVMS DLAS FRSB DVMS (h.c.) DipECLAMFRAgS DipACLAM MRCVS, Fiona McEwen BSc BVM&SMSc MRCVS, Tim Morris BVetMed PhD DipACLAMDipECLAM CBiol FRSB CertLAS MRCVS, Clive PageOBE PhD BSc, Jan-Bas Prins PhD MSc, Vicky RobinsonCBE BSc PhD, Paul Sanders MIAT RAnTech, DavidSpillane FIAT, Gail Thompson RLATG, RobertWeichbrod PhD RLATGLife MembersKen Applebee OBE FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech,Charlie Chambers MIAT RAnTech, Roger Francis MScFIAT RAnTech, Pete Gerson MSc FIAT RAnTech,Cathy Godfrey FIAT RAnTech, John Gregor y BSc (Hons)FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech, Patrick Hayes FIAT DipBARAnTech, Robert Kemp FIAT (Hon) RAnTech,Phil Ruddock MIAT RAnTech, Ted Wills FIAT (Hon)RAnTechHonorary MembersMark Gardiner MIAT RAnTech, Sarah Lane MSc FIAT,Sue McHugh BSc FIAT, Norman Mortell BA (Hons)MIAT RAnTech, Wendy Steel BSc (Hons) FIATMembers of CouncilMatthew Bilton, Kally Booth, Steven Cubitt,Simon Cumming, Haley Daniels, Glyn Fisher,Nicky Gent, Alan Graham, Linda Horan, Sam Jameson,Elaine Kirkum, Adele Kitching, Theresa Langford,Sylvie Mehigan, Steve Owen, Alan Palmer, AllanThornhill, John Waters, Lynda Westall, Carole Wilson,Adrian WoodhouseCouncil OfficersChair: Linda Horan BSc (Hons) MIAT RAnTechVice Chair: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechHonorary Secretary:Simon Cumming BSc FIAT RAnTechHonorary Treasurer: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechChair of Board of Educational Policy:Steven Cubitt MSc FIAT RAnTechChair Registration & Accreditation Board:Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechATW Editor: Jas Barley MSc FIAT RAnTechBulletin Editor: Carole Wilson BSc MIATATW/Bulletin Editorial Board:IAT REPRESENTATIVESAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 4/2/21 13:19 Page vvOFFICERSPresidentDr Robin Lovell-Badge CBE FRSImmediate Past PresidentProfessor Sir Richar d Gardner MA PhD FRSBFIAT (Hon) FRSVice-PresidentsSenga Allan MIAT RAnTech, David Anderson MRCVS,Stephen Barnett BA MSc FIAT (Hon) CBiol FRSBRAnTech, Miles Carroll PhD, Paul Flecknell MA Vet MBPhD DLAS DipLECVA MRCVS FIAT (Hon), PennyHawkins PhD BSc, Wendy Jarrett MA, Judy MacArthur-Clark CBE BVMS DLAS FRSB DVMS (h.c.) DipECLAMFRAgS DipACLAM MRCVS, Fiona McEwen BSc BVM&SMSc MRCVS, Tim Morris BVetMed PhD DipACLAMDipECLAM CBiol FRSB CertLAS MRCVS, Clive PageOBE PhD BSc, Jan-Bas Prins PhD MSc, Vicky RobinsonCBE BSc PhD, Paul Sanders MIAT RAnTech, DavidSpillane FIAT, Gail Thompson RLATG, RobertWeichbrod PhD RLATGLife MembersKen Applebee OBE FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech,Charlie Chambers MIAT RAnTech, Roger Francis MScFIAT RAnTech, Pete Gerson MSc FIAT RAnTech,Cathy Godfrey FIAT RAnTech, John Gregor y BSc (Hons)FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech, Patrick Hayes FIAT DipBARAnTech, Robert Kemp FIAT (Hon) RAnTech,Phil Ruddock MIAT RAnTech, Ted Wills FIAT (Hon)RAnTechHonorary MembersMark Gardiner MIAT RAnTech, Sarah Lane MSc FIAT,Sue McHugh BSc FIAT, Norman Mortell BA (Hons)MIAT RAnTech, Wendy Steel BSc (Hons) FIATMembers of CouncilMatthew Bilton, Kally Booth, Steven Cubitt,Simon Cumming, Haley Daniels, Glyn Fisher,Nicky Gent, Alan Graham, Linda Horan, Sam Jameson,Elaine Kirkum, Adele Kitching, Theresa Langford,Sylvie Mehigan, Steve Owen, Alan Palmer, AllanThornhill, John Waters, Lynda Westall, Carole Wilson,Adrian WoodhouseCouncil OfficersChair: Linda Horan BSc (Hons) MIAT RAnTechVice Chair: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechHonorary Secretary:Simon Cumming BSc FIAT RAnTechHonorary Treasurer: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechChair of Board of Educational Policy:Steven Cubitt MSc FIAT RAnTechChair Registration & Accreditation Board:Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechATW Editor: Jas Barley MSc FIAT RAnTechBulletin Editor: Carole Wilson BSc MIATATW/Bulletin Editorial Board:IAT REPRESENTATIVESAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 4/2/21 13:19 Page vChronic liver damage models Cameron Back and Hannah BissmireDevelopment of restraint for non-human primates during inhalation dosing Jamie TuckExploring enrichment enjoyed by Zebrafish Nell WaghornRefinements to goat housing for ADME collections Elaine WardropPair housing of female rabbits on MTD and reproductive toxicology studies Kerryann MooneyPOSTER PRESENTATIONSAssessing pain in models of Rheumatoid ArthritisSamuel Singleton, Meriam Nefla, Ngaire Dennison, Simon Arthur and Tim HalesRefinements to health monitoringHannah Jones and Rebecca KingBiosecurity risks and the pre-implantation embryo; lessons from the mouseJean Cozzi, Mendy Verrier and Jimmy MancipEnvironmental enrichment for a small colony of ratsNick Blackburn, Gemma Cronshaw and Mike MitchellOestr us checking – increasing productivity and embracing the 3RsSamantha Hoskins and Jack BrownUsing habituation to reduce str ess for rats being transported short distancesSarah TaylorShining a light on rearing pigmentless ZebrafishJacqueline Glover, Thom Berriman, Dimitra Mantzorou, William Havelange,Sam Berry and Bruno Correia da SilvaThe jacket with pulling power – a novel approach to early stage evaluationof magnetic nanoparticlesAlison Ritchie, James Dixon, Phil Clarke and Anna GrabowskaiiCONTENTSIndex to AdvertisersABPI ..................................................................x,xi LBS ..................................................................iiAS-ET ...............................................................OBC Somni Scientific ................................................ivDatesand Ltd......................................................IFC Special Diets Services .....................................viiiInstitute of Animal Technology ...............................vii Tecniplast UK Ltd .............................................xiiIPS Product Supplies Ltd.....................................IBCAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 12/8/20 07:54 Page iiATW PROFILEATW aims to be the medium for Animal Technologists and all those concerned with the care and welfare of animals used for research purposes to communicate ‘good practice’.ATW especially aims to promote and develop the 3Rs particularly in respect of Refinement. More importantly, ATW promotes the generally accepted 4th R, Responsibility. The responsibility that all Animal Technologists have in ensuring dissemination of ‘good practice’ to every institution using animals in research.ATW enjoys a unique position as the scientific publication for the leading organisation for the welfare of animals used in research.ATW seeks to publish peer-reviewed articles, technical notes and reviews allied to animal science and technology, management and education. Particular encouragement is given to authors submitting papers leading to improvements in environmental enrichment and the care and welfare of genetically altered animals.A commemorative plaque, a cheque for £250 and free registration at the IAT Congress awaits the winner of the Marjorie (Sandiford) Whittingham Memorial Prize awarded annually to the best original article.Editorial– Peer-reviewed papers– Translations of paper summaries into 4 European languages– Tech-2-Tech informal short articles on l new or refined techniques l discussion forum reports l commercial submissions welcome (specific equipment advertorials will not be accepted)– Posters from international meetings– Book reviews– Letters to the editorMember StatesEFAT comprises of Member States of the European Union and Council of Europe https://www.efat.org/AFSTAL Association Francaise des Sciences et Techniques de L’Animal de Laboratoire DALAS Dutch Association for Laboratory Animal ScienceSECAL Sociedad Española para las Ciencias del Animal de LaboratorioATWAnimal Technology and Welfarewww.atwjournal.com 6064666958

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3vOFFICERSPresidentDr Robin Lovell-Badge CBE FRSImmediate Past PresidentProfessor Sir Richar d Gardner MA PhD FRSBFIAT (Hon) FRSVice-PresidentsSenga Allan MIAT RAnTech, David Anderson MRCVS,Stephen Barnett BA MSc FIAT (Hon) CBiol FRSBRAnTech, Miles Carroll PhD, Paul Flecknell MA Vet MBPhD DLAS DipLECVA MRCVS FIAT (Hon), PennyHawkins PhD BSc, Wendy Jarrett MA, Judy MacArthur-Clark CBE BVMS DLAS FRSB DVMS (h.c.) DipECLAMFRAgS DipACLAM MRCVS, Fiona McEwen BSc BVM&SMSc MRCVS, Tim Morris BVetMed PhD DipACLAMDipECLAM CBiol FRSB CertLAS MRCVS, Clive PageOBE PhD BSc, Jan-Bas Prins PhD MSc, Vicky RobinsonCBE BSc PhD, Paul Sanders MIAT RAnTech, DavidSpillane FIAT, Gail Thompson RLATG, RobertWeichbrod PhD RLATGLife MembersKen Applebee OBE FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech,Charlie Chambers MIAT RAnTech, Roger Francis MScFIAT RAnTech, Pete Gerson MSc FIAT RAnTech,Cathy Godfrey FIAT RAnTech, John Gregor y BSc (Hons)FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech, Patrick Hayes FIAT DipBARAnTech, Robert Kemp FIAT (Hon) RAnTech,Phil Ruddock MIAT RAnTech, Ted Wills FIAT (Hon)RAnTechHonorary MembersMark Gardiner MIAT RAnTech, Sarah Lane MSc FIAT,Sue McHugh BSc FIAT, Norman Mortell BA (Hons)MIAT RAnTech, Wendy Steel BSc (Hons) FIATMembers of CouncilMatthew Bilton, Kally Booth, Steven Cubitt,Simon Cumming, Haley Daniels, Glyn Fisher,Nicky Gent, Alan Graham, Linda Horan, Sam Jameson,Elaine Kirkum, Adele Kitching, Theresa Langford,Sylvie Mehigan, Steve Owen, Alan Palmer, AllanThornhill, John Waters, Lynda Westall, Carole Wilson,Adrian WoodhouseCouncil OfficersChair: Linda Horan BSc (Hons) MIAT RAnTechVice Chair: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechHonorary Secretary:Simon Cumming BSc FIAT RAnTechHonorary Treasurer: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechChair of Board of Educational Policy:Steven Cubitt MSc FIAT RAnTechChair Registration & Accreditation Board:Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechATW Editor: Jas Barley MSc FIAT RAnTechBulletin Editor: Carole Wilson BSc MIATATW/Bulletin Editorial Board:IAT REPRESENTATIVESAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 4/2/21 13:19 Page vvOFFICERSPresidentDr Robin Lovell-Badge CBE FRSImmediate Past PresidentProfessor Sir Richar d Gardner MA PhD FRSBFIAT (Hon) FRSVice-PresidentsSenga Allan MIAT RAnTech, David Anderson MRCVS,Stephen Barnett BA MSc FIAT (Hon) CBiol FRSBRAnTech, Miles Carroll PhD, Paul Flecknell MA Vet MBPhD DLAS DipLECVA MRCVS FIAT (Hon), PennyHawkins PhD BSc, Wendy Jarrett MA, Judy MacArthur-Clark CBE BVMS DLAS FRSB DVMS (h.c.) DipECLAMFRAgS DipACLAM MRCVS, Fiona McEwen BSc BVM&SMSc MRCVS, Tim Morris BVetMed PhD DipACLAMDipECLAM CBiol FRSB CertLAS MRCVS, Clive PageOBE PhD BSc, Jan-Bas Prins PhD MSc, Vicky RobinsonCBE BSc PhD, Paul Sanders MIAT RAnTech, DavidSpillane FIAT, Gail Thompson RLATG, RobertWeichbrod PhD RLATGLife MembersKen Applebee OBE FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech,Charlie Chambers MIAT RAnTech, Roger Francis MScFIAT RAnTech, Pete Gerson MSc FIAT RAnTech,Cathy Godfrey FIAT RAnTech, John Gregor y BSc (Hons)FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech, Patrick Hayes FIAT DipBARAnTech, Robert Kemp FIAT (Hon) RAnTech,Phil Ruddock MIAT RAnTech, Ted Wills FIAT (Hon)RAnTechHonorary MembersMark Gardiner MIAT RAnTech, Sarah Lane MSc FIAT,Sue McHugh BSc FIAT, Norman Mortell BA (Hons)MIAT RAnTech, Wendy Steel BSc (Hons) FIATMembers of CouncilMatthew Bilton, Kally Booth, Steven Cubitt,Simon Cumming, Haley Daniels, Glyn Fisher,Nicky Gent, Alan Graham, Linda Horan, Sam Jameson,Elaine Kirkum, Adele Kitching, Theresa Langford,Sylvie Mehigan, Steve Owen, Alan Palmer, AllanThornhill, John Waters, Lynda Westall, Carole Wilson,Adrian WoodhouseCouncil OfficersChair: Linda Horan BSc (Hons) MIAT RAnTechVice Chair: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechHonorary Secretary:Simon Cumming BSc FIAT RAnTechHonorary Treasurer: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechChair of Board of Educational Policy:Steven Cubitt MSc FIAT RAnTechChair Registration & Accreditation Board:Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechATW Editor: Jas Barley MSc FIAT RAnTechBulletin Editor: Carole Wilson BSc MIATATW/Bulletin Editorial Board:IAT REPRESENTATIVESAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 4/2/21 13:19 Page vCouncil OfficersChair: Linda Horan BSc (Hons) MIAT RAnTechVice Chair: Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTechHonorary Secretary: Simon Cumming BSc FIAT RAnTechHonorary Treasurer: Sam Jameson MIAT RAnTechChair of Board of Educational Policy: Robin Labesse MIAT RAnTechChair Registration & Accreditation Board: Ken Applebee OBE FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech ATW Editor: Diane Hazlehurst MIAT RAnTechBulletin Editor: Carole Wilson BSc MIATATW/Bulletin Editorial Board: Diane Hazlehurst (Chair), Jas Barley, Patrick Hayes, Elaine Kirkum, Lynda Westall, Carole Wilson Branch Liaison Officer: Lynda Westall FIAT RAnTechEFAT Representatives:Glyn Fisher, Robin Labesse, Toby SandersWebsite Coordinator: Allan Thornhill FIAT RAnTechWebsite Support: Sam JamesonAnimal Welfare Group:Carmen Abela (Chair), Kally Booth, Nicky Gent, Diane Hazlehurst, Sam Jameson, Sylvie Mehigan, Steve Owen, John WatersBoard of Educational Policy:Robin Labesse (Chair), Adele Kitching (Secretary), Steven Cubitt, Diane Hazlehurst, Theresa Langford, Tina O’MahoneyCommunications Group:Adrian Woodhouse (Chair) Carmen Abela, Kally Booth, Hannah Easter, Sam Jameson, Wendy Jarrett, Elaine Kirkum, Theresa Langford, Sylvie Mehigan, Toby Sanders, Allan Thornhill, Lynda WestallVice-PresidentsSenga Allan MIAT RAnTech, David Anderson MRCVS, Miles Carroll PhD, Penny Hawkins PhD BSc, Wendy Jarret MA, Judy MacArthur-Clark CBE BVMS DLAS FRSB DVMS (h.c.) DipACLAM DipELAM CBiol FRSB CertLAS MRCVS, Clive Page OBE PhD BSc, Jan-Bas Prins PhD MSc, Sally Robinson MA PhD, Vicky Robinson CBE BSc PhD, David Spillane FIAT, Gail Thompson RLATG, Robert Weichbrod PhD RLATGLife MembersKen Applebee OBE FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech, Jas Barley MSc FIAT RAnTech, Charlie Chambers MIAT RAnTech, Roger Francis MSc FIAT RAnTech, Pete Gerson MSc FIAT RAnTech, Cathy Godfrey FIAT RAnTech, John Gregory BSc (Hons) FIAT CBiol FRSB RAnTech, Patrick Hayes FIAT DipBA RAnTech, Robert Kemp FIAT (Hon), Phil Ruddock MIAT RAnTech, Ted Wills FIAT (Hon) RAnTechHonorary MembersAndy Domone MIAT, Martin Heath MSc FRSB FIAT FIScT RAnTech, Stuart Mackrell FIAT RAnTech, Sarah Reed FIAT RAnTech, Pete Willan DMS FInstMgt MIAT RAnTech Members of CouncilCarmen Abela, Richard Berks, Kally Booth, Steven Cubitt, Simon Cumming, Haley Daniels, Glyn Fisher, Alan Graham, Diane Hazlehurst, Linda Horan, Sam Jameson, Adele Kitching, Robin Labesse, Theresa Langford, Sylvie Mehigan,Tina O’Mahony, Emma Owen, Claire Pearce, Toby Sanders, Allan Thornhill, John Waters, Lynda Westall, Carole Wilson, Adrian WoodhouseFront cover credit: Claire Lyons

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4BRANCH SECRETARIES 2022Cambridge: Tony Davidge cambridgebranch@iat.org.ukEdinburgh: Kery-Anne Lavin-Thomson edinburghbranch@iat.org.ukHuntingdon, Suffolk & Norfolk: Jo Martin hssbranch@iat.org.ukIreland: Lisa Watson irelandbranch@iat.org.ukLondon: Rebecca Towns londonbranch@iat.org.ukMidlands: Ian Fielding midlandsbranch@iat.org.ukNorth East England: Zoe Smith and John Bland northeastbranch@iat.org.ukNorth West: Nicky Windows cheshirebranch@iat.org.ukOxford: Adam Truby oxfordbranch@iat.org.ukSurrey, Hampshire & Sussex: Francesca Whitmore shsbranch@iat.org.ukWest Middlesex: Josefine Woodley westmiddxbranch@iat.org.ukWales & West: Rhys Perry waleswestbranch@iat.org.ukWest of Scotland: Joanne King westscotlandbranch@iat.org.ukIAT OFFICERS M AY BECONTACTED VIA:IAT Administrator:admin@iat.org.ukOR VIA THE IAT WEBSITE AT :www.iat.org.ukOR THE REGISTERED OFFICE:5 South Parade, Summertown,Oxford OX2 7JLAdvertisement Managers:PRC Associates LtdEmail: mail@prcassoc.co.ukAlthough every effort is made to ensure that no inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or statement appear in thejournal, the Institute of Animal Technology wish to expound that the data and opinions appearing in the articles,poster presentations and advertisements in ATW are the responsibility of the contributor and advertiser concerned.Accordingly the IAT, Editor and their agents, accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any suchinaccurate or misleading data, opinion, statement or advertisement being published. Furthermore the opinionsexpressed in the journal do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or the Institute of Animal Technology.© 2024 Institute of Animal TechnologyAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.CPD Officer: Alan Palmer MIAT RAnTechRegistration and Accreditation Board:Glyn Fisher (Chair), John Gregor y,Cathy Godfrey, Kathy Ryder (Home Office),Stuart StevensonObserver: Ngaire Dennison (LAVA)Congress Committee:Alan Graham (Chair), Haley Daniels, Adele Kitching,Allan Thornhill, John WatersDiversity Officer:Haley Daniels MBA MSc MIAT RAnTech CIPDUK Biosciences ASG Representative/Home Office:Alan Palmer MIAT RAnTechviAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 12/8/20 07:54 Page viRegistration and Accreditation Board:Ken Applebee (Chair), Glyn Fisher (Secretary), Charlie Chambers, John Gregory, Cathy Godfrey, Kathy Ryder, Stuart Stevenson Observer: Ngaire Dennison (LAVA)Congress Committee:Alan Graham (Chair), Haley Daniels, Adele Kitching, Claire Pearce, Allan ThornhillEquity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer:Haley Daniels MBA MSc MIAT RAnTech CIPDIndex to AdvertisersBRANCH SECRETARIES 2022Cambridge: Tony Davidge cambridgebranch@iat.org.ukEdinburgh: Kery-Anne Lavin-Thomson edinburghbranch@iat.org.ukHuntingdon, Suffolk & Norfolk: Jo Martin hssbranch@iat.org.ukIreland: Lisa Watson irelandbranch@iat.org.ukLondon: Rebecca Towns londonbranch@iat.org.ukMidlands: Ian Fielding midlandsbranch@iat.org.ukNorth East England: Zoe Smith and John Bland northeastbranch@iat.org.ukNorth West: Nicky Windows cheshirebranch@iat.org.ukOxford: Adam Truby oxfordbranch@iat.org.ukSurrey, Hampshire & Sussex: Francesca Whitmore shsbranch@iat.org.ukWest Middlesex: Josefine Woodley westmiddxbranch@iat.org.ukWales & West: Rhys Perry waleswestbranch@iat.org.ukWest of Scotland: Joanne King westscotlandbranch@iat.org.ukIAT OFFICERS M AY BECONTACTED VIA:IAT Administrator:admin@iat.org.ukOR VIA THE IAT WEBSITE AT :www.iat.org.ukOR THE REGISTERED OFFICE:5 South Parade, Summertown,Oxford OX2 7JLAdvertisement Managers:PRC Associates LtdEmail: mail@prcassoc.co.ukAlthough every effort is made to ensure that no inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or statement appear in thejournal, the Institute of Animal Technology wish to expound that the data and opinions appearing in the articles,poster presentations and advertisements in ATW are the responsibility of the contributor and advertiser concerned.Accordingly the IAT, Editor and their agents, accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any suchinaccurate or misleading data, opinion, statement or advertisement being published. Furthermore the opinionsexpressed in the journal do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or the Institute of Animal Technology.© 2024 Institute of Animal TechnologyAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.CPD Officer: Alan Palmer MIAT RAnTechRegistration and Accreditation Board:Glyn Fisher (Chair), John Gregor y,Cathy Godfrey, Kathy Ryder (Home Office),Stuart StevensonObserver: Ngaire Dennison (LAVA)Congress Committee:Alan Graham (Chair), Haley Daniels, Adele Kitching,Allan Thornhill, John WatersDiversity Officer:Haley Daniels MBA MSc MIAT RAnTech CIPDUK Biosciences ASG Representative/Home Office:Alan Palmer MIAT RAnTechviAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 12/8/20 07:54 Page viAAALAC International .........................................9Animals in Science – Education Trust............... OBCAvid plc ............................................................5Datesand Ltd................................................ IFCInstitute of Animal Technology .......8, 38, 39, 40, 50IPS Product Supplies Ltd ................................IBCLBS Serving Biotechnology Ltd ...........................6Tecniplast UK Ltd ..........................................10BRANCH SECRETARIES 2024Cambridge: Tony Davidge tony.davidge@cruk.cam.ac.ukEdinburgh: Kerry Lavin-Thomson edinburghbranch@iat.org.ukHuntingdon, Suffolk & Norfolk (HNS): Joanna Owen Joanna.owen@labcorp.comIreland: Lisa Watson lisawatsonafbi@outlook.comLondon: Louise Fisher l.fisher@ucl.ac.ukMidlands: Alison Richie Alison.ritchie@nottingham.ac.ukNorth East England: John Bland John.bland@york.ac.uk Zoe Smith z.a.smith@bradford.ac.ukNorth West: Emma Owen Emma.L.Owen@manchester.ac.ukOxford: Adam Truby Adam.truby@ndm.ox.ac.ukSurrey, Hampshire & Sussex (SHS): Francesca Whitmore Fran.whitmore@pirbright.ac.ukWest Middlesex: Hannah Easter Hannah.easter@crick.ac.ukWest of Scotland: Nicola Munroe Nicola.munro@glasgow.ac.uk

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Tel: +44 (0)1293 827940 Email: sales@lbs-biotech.comwww.lbs-biotech.com

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7August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareEditorialJas BarleyChair of the Editorial BoardLooking back over issues of the Journal through its various identities, one thing is apparent and that is the contribution thatoverseas authors have made to the content. Topics have varied from dealing with exotic species, lack of sophisticated equipment,different attitudes to everyday problems, staff training and education and disease outbreaks. However, the resolute that has beenconstant throughout, despite the differences across the world, is the love and concern for the animals being cared for.Many include interesting photographs but I unfortunately am unable to use them as the quality of images is so poor whenrepr oduced, to the extent in some cases, they become worthless.Obviously, things have changed over seven decades and the technology described in contributions from overseas is less differentfrom what we use in the UK. This issue welcomes contributions from Australia, the Czech Republic and Iran as well, of coursefrom the UK. Since ATW became an Open Access publication and is being published electronically, it is enjoying a wider audienceand is attracting more contributions than usual. Not all are relevant to our profession, but knowledge is transferable so whatseems ‘off beat’ today may become useful in the future. However, as Editor I will always strive to maintain the quality of ourpublications and the usefulness to our readers.In this issue we include the RSPCA 2019 Rodent and Rabbit Welfare group meeting report. The 26th meeting that the RSPCA haveorganised focussed on ‘sentience, positive welfare and psychological well being’. The report contains contributions from 11presenters as well as notes on the interactive discussion session on sentience that closed the meeting.A paper from Iran, a first as far as I can see for the Jour nal, on reducing the negative effects of methionine on bone parametersin broilers’ embryos may seem of little relevance but it offers a better understanding of how methionine affects bone structurewhich is important to most species. Similarly, Feline Assisted Therapy as described by the team at the University of Life SciencesPrague does not appear to fall into the realms of Animal Technology but it gives us a better understanding of how animals can havea positive effect on some people, which in the cur rent situation may be of significant benefit to a wider population. Our final paperfrom the team at Western Sydney University, details the care of the Children’ Python and two species of Bearded Dragons. Notperhaps the run of the mill laboratory animals but just as important to many Animal Technologists globally as mice and rats. If youkeep r eptiles at home or know of someone who is contemplating one as a pet these papers make useful reference documents. Wealso offer two papers from previous issues of the Journal which were very different in appearance and content than today’s Journalof Animal Technology and Welfare and not only because of the change of title. Issues were printed in black and white and in the veryearly days were produced by hand. The paper from France on Physical Hazards in the laboratory animal house will bring back manymemories for some of the older technicians, myself included, but not necessarily good ones. The use of ether as an anaestheticwhich I know is still used in some countries where resources are limited, for human surgery, presented a very real danger to bothanimals and staff. Disease in laboratory animal units was often a recurring problem, bacterial infections such as Pseudomonas asdescribed in the reprint of the article were still presenting Animal Technologists with problems as late as the end of the 1980s. Whenimporting animals and tissues from overseas it is important to realise that they may be carrying disease not seen in the UK forseveral decades. In recent times, Ectromelia was introduced into a unit in the USA via antibodies produced overseas. Precautionsmust be taken until such time as you are sure that the animals and tissues are clear of any underlying infections.We are also able to offer in this issue an interesting Tech-2-Tech article by Seonagh Henderson of the University of Glasgow, ona novel technique of cage cleaning which hasa positive effect on the welfare of laboratory rats. Finally, we included several postersprepared for AST2020 but sadly at the moment r emain unpresented.Thanks again to all of our authors, past and present, both internationally and here in the UK. There would not have been 70 yearsof the Journal without you. Here is to the next seven decades and beyond.THE INSTITUTE OF ANIMAL TECHNOLOGYETHICAL STATEMENT“In the conduct of their Professional duties, Animal Technologists have a moral and legalobligation, at all times, to promote and safeguard the welfare of animals in their care,recognising that good laboratory animal welfare is an essential component of goodlaboratory animal technology and science.The Institute recognises and supports the application of the principles of the 3Rs(Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) in all areas of animal research.”ixAugust20:Animal Technology and Welfare 12/8/20 07:54 Page ixWe hope that you enjoy the content of this journal as much as we have putting it together. In this edition we have the winners of the 2024 Andrew Blake Tribute Award for their poster called ‘A collaborative effort to improve the welfare of SKH1 mice’, discussing how exposure to ultraviolet light (UV) has a profound effect on skin biology both macroscopically and physiologically. A mouse strain that is prone to UV damage, the same as in human skin has been used in this study.The Congress 2023 poster award for comparing the use of enrichment items by cattle in a high containment facility is in this edition and details how environmental enrichment can reduce morbidity, aggression and stereotypic behaviours which improve Animal Welfare and scientific data. Also taking into considered the space constraints and the different types of enrichment that were preferred by the cattle.The winner of the scientific poster was anaesthetics that complement radiotracers [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE, [18F] FDG and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT imaging in rodents. Different anaesthetic compounds are used for preclinical imaging investigations to avoid animal movement but they can influence tracer update and may increase mortality risks during anaesthesia. There is a paper on the issue of electricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South Africa. Loadshedding is a deliberate and temporary interruption of electricity supply which is intended to reduce the demand for electricity during periods of high demand.There are two Tech-2-Tech papers, Mary Lyon’s brilliant and illuminating conjecture was a presentation given at Congress 2023 which discussed mammalian genetics and Mary Lyon as a great pioneer of 20th century biology. Caring for insects is a personal view of how a research technician feels about using insects for advancing scientific discoveries and the difference of attitudes between mammals, birds, fish and amphibians compared to insects and that invertebrate animals are not considered protected by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Posters from Congress 2023Efficacy of chlorine dioxide gas for the destruction of Syphacia muris eggs was a poster based on an environmentally friendly safe disinfectant that can be used to kill pinworm eggs which have always been difficult to remove from the environment. A novel refinement technique to perform core needle biopsy which does not have an impact on tumour growth kinetics or Animal Welfare. Chronic liver damage models inform us that the purpose of this mouse model is to understand how normal and malignant stem cells (marked by fluorescent reporters) behave in response to the liver damaging agent diethoxy carbonyl 1,4-dihydrocolidine (DDC). Development of restraint for nonhuman primates during inhalation dosing was a poster to find the best design of an inhalation face mask and the development of a chair used to restrain the primates when required.EditorialDiane HazlehurstChair of the Editorial Board Email: info@atwjournal.com April 2024 Animal Technology and Welfare

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8Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Posters from Congress 2024Exploring enrichment enjoyed by Zebrafi sh discusses how different types of enrichment affect spatial distribution in laboratory Zebrafi sh. Pair housing of female rabbits on MTD and reproductive toxicology studies with an objective to establish whether rabbits undergoing these studies could benefi t from the same social housing exercise regimes that is standard for rabbits not undergoing these studies. Refi nements to goat housing for ADME collections are performed inside metabolism cages designed to singly house animals and the provision of a stimulating environment has a signifi cant positive impact on their welfare.Remember that our journal can be used as sources of references for both your independent learning and your IAT educational journey and to gather the great ideas that people come up with to improve the Health and Welfare of the animals in our care.We are here to provide you with the opportunity to publish your work as we are always looking for new material for ATW focussing on Animal Welfare and the 3Rs. The assistance the ATW editorial board provide you, will turn your ideas and concepts into realities.EditorialNACWO InitiativeThe IAT is launching an initiative for NACWOs or those delegated the responsibility and we need your inputWe are looking to understand the current working environment for NACWOs, both good and bad. To start the project we would like to collect comments from NACWOs. These comments will be viewed as pilot information, which will then assist a social scientist to create a set of questions. The responses in these questions will form the basis for more in-depth key informant interviews from a broad selection of chosen NACWOs. The outcomes will contribute to a report that will help us understand the current landscape and how the IAT may be able to assist aspects of your role. If you did not attend Congress but would like to be involved, please complete the online form at:https://forms.offi ce.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=YwceYzMV60elzQRXvuWUThgGcjvjywJMooFPwQcJJqZUNjdYVlBXODhYQlBLTTVFMEs1RTNTTUc5Ty4uThe questionnaire is anonymous, unless you choose to leave your details.Sponsored by:Please email Robert Orvis: robert.orvis@astrazeneca.com to book your team and their meal option. Choices are: Beef or Chicken or Spicy-Bean burger meal.6 persons per team at £10.00 each as Agenda Life Sciences is generously sponsoring the remaining £8.95 per person.Note: Teams of fewer than 6 in a team are welcome, but the minimum cost is £60. Prizes for the highest scoring team and individual.Booking & Payment - in advance.Latest booking date: 10th May BACS payment to: HSBC - Cambridge I.A.T. branch 40-40-45 41322745 Reference: Your team nameWednesday 17th May 2023Tenpin Cambridge Leisure Park, Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7DYArrive at 5.30 - Bowling starts at 6pm“Life-changing!”“The highlight of my professional career.”“This experience offers the most unique opportunity in our industry.”https://www.aaalac.org/awards/fellowship-award/DEADLINE IS JUNE 1, 2024The IAT RAnTech winner will receive a week-long guest visit to prestigious biomedical research facilities in the USA plus complimentary attendance at the National AALAS Meeting, the USA’s largest laboratory animal science and technology meeting. All registration, travel, lodging, meals and out-of-pocket expenses are covered (receipts are required).Timeline for the IAT RAnTech Participants nomination process:• Call for nominations: February, March, April, May• Nomination package deadline: June 1• Selection Committee reviews nomination packages: June-July• Award recipients notified: August 1 by the AAALAC International Fellowship CommitteeAward is presented by AAALAC International through grants from Datesand Group Ltd, in cooperation with AALAS, IAT, the Medical Research Council, and the National Institutes of Health. AAALAC also wishes to acknowledge Priority One Services, Inc. for its previous long-standing support.If you have any questions about this award call +301.696.9626 or email fellow@aaalac.org. If you are IAT RAnTech...Don’t delay get your application in now!APPLY ONLINE

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“Life-changing!”“The highlight of my professional career.”“This experience offers the most unique opportunity in our industry.”https://www.aaalac.org/awards/fellowship-award/DEADLINE IS JUNE 1, 2024The IAT RAnTech winner will receive a week-long guest visit to prestigious biomedical research facilities in the USA plus complimentary attendance at the National AALAS Meeting, the USA’s largest laboratory animal science and technology meeting. All registration, travel, lodging, meals and out-of-pocket expenses are covered (receipts are required).Timeline for the IAT RAnTech Participants nomination process:• Call for nominations: February, March, April, May• Nomination package deadline: June 1• Selection Committee reviews nomination packages: June-July• Award recipients notified: August 1 by the AAALAC International Fellowship CommitteeAward is presented by AAALAC International through grants from Datesand Group Ltd, in cooperation with AALAS, IAT, the Medical Research Council, and the National Institutes of Health. AAALAC also wishes to acknowledge Priority One Services, Inc. for its previous long-standing support.If you have any questions about this award call +301.696.9626 or email fellow@aaalac.org. If you are IAT RAnTech...Don’t delay get your application in now!APPLY ONLINE

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As the Laboratory Animal industries onlyend to end fully integrated solutionprovider, Tecniplast UK pride ourselves oneffective project management of vivariumequipment installations. By producingCapability Reports we can share theexperiences of the client and ourselves forthe benefit of future projects allowing usto achieve your facility requirements,scientific goals and return on investmentplans.HOW WE WORKWWW.TECNIPLAST.IT/UK | INFO@TECNIPLASTUK.COM | 0345 050 4556PATERSON BUILDING CAPABILITY REPORTAVAILABLE NOW!NEW!Contact Us

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11August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareApril 2024 Animal Technology and WelfareAbstractLoadshedding is a deliberate and temporary interruption of electricity supply intended to reduce the demand for electricity during periods of high demand. While loadshedding affects various sectors of the economy, itsimpact on Research Animal Facilities (RAF) is particularlyconcerning and this has not been systematically reviewed. We discuss the implications of loadshedding on Animal Health and Welfare, the quality of experimental data and compliance with RAF regulatory requirements. RAFare designed for the housing laboratory animals that arebeing used in research that benefi ts humans, animals and the environment. Scientifi c data emanating from these facilities needs to be credible and the housing environment should be maintained constantly. Laboratory animals may experience stress when there is disruption to the environmental conditions caused by electricity supply interruptions to the equipment used to maintain a stable and constant facility environment. Constant environmental parameters are essential for maintaining a comfortable working environment for personnel workingin the facility as well. Keywords: Animal Welfare, loadshedding, research animal facility, electricity and environmental housingIntroductionA RAF is a specially designed building with a controlled internal environment for the housing and maintenance of laboratory animals used for scientifi c research and teaching purposes. A constantly stable environment is a cornerstone for good Animal Welfare and the integrity of research data. The equipment required to maintain a constant environment is highly dependent on a stable electricity supply. Disruptions caused to the electricity supply can lead to rapid changes in environmental conditions and subsequent stress is caused to laboratory animals.Stressors confronting laboratory animals fall into two general categories:– Stressors associated with experimental procedures.– Stressors associated with husbandry practices1with experimental procedures given much scrutiny onethical approval. Inadequately designed housing environments can induce stress from unstable environmental parameters from sources such asventilation systems and equipment.2 Stress alleviation should thus not only be for the purposes of getting ethical approval but also to ensure the research is reputable. To ensure that valid reproducible results are obtained from animal experiments and the minimum number of animals are used, it begins with ensuring that a constant RAF environment is maintained. In South Africa and most African countries it is increasingly becoming very diffi cult to maintain a constant animal housing environment due to problems brought about by electricity loadshedding. Electricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South AfricaBUSISIWE MOGODI1, LINDA HOWELLS2and JOHN CHIPANGURA11 Research Animal Facility, University of Cape Town, South Africa2 LAT Working group member, University of Cape Town, South AfricaCorrespondence: busisiwe.mogodi@uct.ac.za

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12Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Loadshedding is a deliberate and temporary interruption of electricity supply to certain areas on a rotational basis with the intention to reduce the demand for electricity during periods of high electricity demands.3 In South Africa loadshedding periods vary from anytime between one to six hours or more. The Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM) of South Africa was established in 1923 with the mandate to efficiently supply electricity in a sustainable way that meets future electricity demands by customers.4 In 1994, the national government prioritised the development of previously disadvantaged communities,5 which led to the passing of the ‘ESCOM Amendment Act No. 126 of 1998’. The shift in focus by the ESCOM was aimed at providing low-cost electricity to previously disadvantaged communities.6 However in 2007, it became clear that ESCOM were unable to generate enough power to cater for the entire nation simultaneously and it was at that point when stages of loadshedding were first implemented aimed at preventing the entire power grid from collapsing due to high electricity demand. Although loadshedding is an effective short-term solution to prevent to total collapse of the electricity supply grid, it disrupts the stable and continuous operation of research animal facilities, which can cause devastating consequences for Animal Welfare, research outcomes, and regulatory compliance. Implications of loadshedding on the economy have been investigated and documented for example a customer survey conducted by Akepji et al.7 that led to the creation of economic models illustrating the impact of loadshedding to the South African economy. In another study, Schoeman and Saunders,8 investigated the consequences of loadshedding on small business in Johannesburg. Ateba et al. (2019)9 investigated the impact of loadshedding on industrial operations while Goldberg (2015),10 explored the effects of loadshedding on the retail sector. Loadshedding does not only negatively affect the economy, but also puts pressure on the healthcare system. Gehringer, Rode and Schomaker (2018)11 conducted a study to examine the effects of loadshedding on paediatric health and their findings concluded that loadshedding increased paediatric hospital admissions by 10%. Healthcare professionals are finding it very difficult to provide and maintain essential healthcare services during loadshedding, with issues ranging from the inability to sterilise equipment to the disruption of critical electronic devices and equipment.12There is paucity of literature regarding the impact of load shedding on Animal Welfare, experimental outcomes and research animal facility operations but the Boon et al. (1983)13 study found that brief power failures are more detrimental to pigs in extreme hot or cold conditions than in moderate weather. Documenting the effects of loadshedding on RAFs is crucial for identifying weaknesses and enabling the implementation of mitigation measures, given the apparent global problem of loadshedding currently affecting multiple countries. For example, Zambia’s national power utility has implemented loadshedding which can extend for up to 12 hours daily.14 Ghana experienced periods of loadshedding lasting 16 hours a day,15 while Pakistan commonly experiences power cuts due to electricity shortages and distribution problems.16 Nepal has had power shortages, where parts of the country would be without power for up to 14 hours daily.17 In 2003 there was a very large power outage in the North eastern United States of America, which lasted for over a day (Lin et al., 2011).18 It has become evident that loadshedding remains a possibility in most resource poor countries since electricity generation infrastructure is now obsolete. The information documented in this article also applies to any other form of electricity supply disruption to research animal facilities that can emanate from any other challenges such as distant acute onset disasters (fire, earthquake, etc.). Impact of loadshedding on animal health and welfareAppropriate animal housing and maintenance of a constant environment is essential for animal wellbeing as well as the quality of animal research. Laboratory animals should be housed within temperature, humidity, light cycle and air changes appropriate for the species. Unlike animals in the wild (their natural environment), laboratory animals are housed in confined spaces for their entire life. The stress caused by the limited environmental space as well as variation in environmental parameters (e.g. temperature) can negatively impact the animals’ physiological state and consequently confound experimental outcome. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is used to maintain a constant environment required in a RAF, and for optimal functioning and relies on a constant electricity supply. Loadshedding has made it very difficult for RAFs to maintain a constant housing environment for laboratory animals. Exposing laboratory animals to temperature and humidity fluctuations can lead to behavioural and physiologic changes with negative implications on Animal Welfare and research outcome.19,20,21 In the case of rats, low relative humidity, may result in a condition called ringtail. Ringtail is a condition involving ischemic necrosis of the tail and sometimes toes.22 On the other hand, high relative humidity may lead to high ammonia concentrations in the cage environment22,23 which can irritate the nasal passages and potentially alter some biologic responses because of the stress reaction.24 It is also important to note that body temperature has been observed to play a crucial role on metabolism and cardiovascular function. Notably, significant differences have been observed in mice housed at temperatures between 20 to 26°C when compared to those housed at 30 to 31°C, in terms of metabolism level23 and immunity and tumour Electricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South Africa

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13August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and Welfaregrowth.25 These temperature related variations can have implications for data emanating from animals used in scientific experiments leading to biased experimental results as well as interpretation of results.Variation in the lighting cycle has been found to disturb the natural biological rhythms, leading to physiological changes such as melatonin production suppression, sympathetic nervous system stimulation and alteration in the circadian clock gene expression. Studies have shown that heart rate of rats housed in a standard 12 light and 12 dark cycles at 200 lux light intensity is higher when compared to that for rats housed at a light intensity of 10 lux. Additionally, increasing the dark cycle to 16 h (8 hours light and 16 hours darkness) at 200 lux decreased the heart rate of undisturbed male rats. Additionally, loadshedding can disrupt the normal feeding and water drinking patterns for laboratory animals, which can lead to dehydration, starvation and other health issues. The lack of ventilation and air circulation can also create a hazardous environment for animals, that can lead to respiratory and other health problems. Impact of loadshedding on experimental data qualityIn RAF, the quality and integrity of experimental data is critical for the advancement of science. However, loadshedding can have devastating consequences on the conduct of experiments and negatively impact the quality of experimental data. Experimental outcome can be influenced by loadshedding in the following ways: • disruption in sample collection timesResearchers may face challenges in maintaining consistent sample collection schedules due to sudden power interruptions. Time-sensitive experiments, such as those involving biological samples or chemical reactions, may be compromised.• disruptions to data recording equipmentAdditionally, power outages can also cause disruptions to data recording equipment, leading to lost or corrupted data. The continuous collection of data cannot be completed between cycles of loadshedding or are disrupted when loadshedding stages are changed at short notice. This affects the generation of data and results in not only the loss of samples (and animals in the case of animal surgery experiments) but it does negatively affect projected timelines. Changes in parameters of equipment during a run can also affect the accuracy and validity of the data generated, requiring experiments to be re-started or repeated with major implications for delivery on project milestones.• inappropriate sample storage conditionsFor instance, a power outage can affect the temperature at which samples are stored, potentially confounding the results of the experiment.• delayed sample analysisResearch animals are often used in experiments that require precise control of environmental conditions as discussed in the Welfare section. Loadshedding can disrupt the controlled environment needed for experiments, leading to inaccurate results, loss of experimental animals and waste of valuable resources. Moreover, even if the experiment is not completely lost due to a power outage, the quality of the data can still be compromised. Impact of loadshedding on regulatory complianceRAF are subject to strict regulatory requirements, which are designed to ensure the safety and welfare of animals and researchers. Loadshedding can compromise compliance with these requirements which can have serious consequences for both animals and researchers. These regulations often require that animals be housed under specific environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity control and that their care is overseen by trained professionals. Additionally, regulations often require that researchers undergo training in Animal Welfare and that they follow specific protocols for conducting experiments with animals. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in legal and financial penalties, as well as damage to the facility’s reputation. As such, RAFs must work diligently to ensure that they follow all relevant regulations and that they are providing the highest level of care to the animals in their care. For instance, many regulatory guidelines require that animals receive a minimum level of lighting and environmental control. Loadshedding can cause these requirements to be violated, leading to regulatory compliance issues and potential penalties. Damage to equipment and loss of specificationsSupply interruptions and changeovers due to loadshedding impacts the electrics and functionality of research equipment and will result in damage to equipment such as incubators, freezers and related biobanking equipment used for storage of invaluable research samples and specimens, which cannot be recovered if lost. Insufficient capacity to maintain the HVAC systems capacity causes spikes in temperatures in the laboratories which impacts research activities and the functioning and lifespans of freezers in these areas. Electricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South Africa

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14Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Power supplies and battery back-ups for the access-controlled card reader doors fail without constant power and when there is insufficient time to recharge between loadshedding cycles. This has resulted in personnel being stranded in or outside of their offices and/or labs on several occasions, resulting in serious safety concerns and not being able to take care of animals. This is also a major concern as the doors are open and anyone can gain access to the laboratory and disrupt animal experiments. Without restricted access on the doors, anyone can walk into the laboratory and remove these samples.Occupational health and safety implicationsOccupational health and safety is a multidisciplinary field that is concerned with the health, safety and welfare of people working in the research animal facility. Occupational health and safety is important for personnel working in RAFs because it reduces risks or accidents or injuries by identifying and mitigating the hazards. The RAFs occupational health and safety manual requires that safety protocols should be implemented to protect personnel from injury. With the current problem of loadshedding, several occupational health and safety protocols cannot be implemented or followed thereby putting personnel working in the lab and people outside the lab at risk. Specifically, loadshedding can impact the ventilation, lighting, and temperature control systems that are essential for maintaining a safe working environment for personnel. For example, loadshedding can affect the microbiological monitoring of individually ventilated cage systems, which can lead to an increased risk of infectious diseases spreading between cages and the exposure to the personnel. For example, ventilation is not providing appropriate air quality and a stable environment. Equipment that dilutes gaseous and particulate contaminants including animal dander, fur, urine smell, soiled bedding, allergens and airborne pathogens is affected. The moisture content and temperature of the room air can create air pressure differentials (directional air flow between adjoining spaces). If not autoclaved beforehand, allergens can be transferred out of the RAF on documents, or clothing.Financial implicationsIn addition to the disruptions as outlined here, the lifespan of equipment would be adversely affected which would have severe financial implications.Potential solutions to mitigate the impact of loadsheddingThere are several potential solutions to mitigate the impact of loadshedding on biocontainment RAF. Loadshedding can have a significant impact, as it can disrupt the power supply needed for research activities. To mitigate the impact of loadshedding, there are several potential solutions that can be implemented. First, RAF should invest in backup power sources, such as larger generators, uninterrupted power supply (UPS), inventers and solar power systems. Generators can be used to provide a reliable source of power during loadshedding, while solar power systems can provide a more sustainable and cost-effective solution. Second, RAF should consider investing in energy-efficient equipment and appliances. This can help reduce the amount of energy needed to power the facility, which can help reduce the impact of loadshedding. Third, RAF should consider implementing energy conservation measures, such as using energy-efficient lighting and appliances, and using natural ventilation and cooling systems. These measures can help reduce the amount of energy needed to provide power and can help reduce the impact of load shedding. Finally, RAF should consider investing in energy storage solutions, such as batteries and flywheels. These solutions can help store energy during times of low demand and can be used to provide a reliable source of power during loadshedding. By implementing these solutions, RAF can reduce the impact of their operations and ensure that their research activities are not disrupted. Mitigation can be eased in larger generators that have the capacity to load all the essential equipment, installation of inverter, or an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). Invest in renewable energy system such as solar and wind.It is important to have emergency and disaster plans in place, these plans should include procedures for moving animals to cooler areas, ensuring that animals have access to ample cool water and checking animals regularly throughout the day for signs of heat stress. Furthermore, animal facilities should be constructed to the needs of the scientific team while ensuring appropriate husbandry care of the animals. In addition to these strategies, it is important to follow health and safety regulations to ensure the wellbeing of animals and personnel. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides guidelines for the safe handling of animals in a research facility, including the use of personal protective equipment, proper ventilation and the handling of hazardous materials. Training personnel on how to operate safely during loadshedding events. This training should include procedures for preventing injuries and exposure to hazardous materials.Electricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South Africa

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15August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareConclusionIn conclusion, loadshedding can have a significant impact on RAFs, affecting Animal Health and Welfare, experimental data quality and regulatory compliance. Without reliable energy access, facilities are unable to operate effectively, leaving scientists unable to develop new treatments, products and technologies. It is evident that RAF in South Africa should address the issue of loadshedding to sustain scientific research.To avoid the devastating consequences of interrupted power supply, measures for backup power supply should be put in place such as generators or solar systems. Sufficient generator capacity should be available to maintain normal operation in the event of power outage or breakdown of mechanical systems. However, these systems are not able to provide power to all major equipment, such as large autoclaves, cage washing machines and the HVAC system. Thus, it is imperative to remain prepared for unexpected power outages. It is also important that RAF work with energy providers and heads of institutions to explore ways to minimise the risks associated with loadshedding. By taking these steps, RAFs can continue to make important contributions to scientific knowledge and the development of new treatments. We recommend that further studies be conducted to analyse the effect of loadshedding on Laboratory Animal Welfare by evaluating stress hormone responses during different stages of loadshedding. References1 NRC (National Research Council). In press. Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals.2 Poole, T.B. (1997). Happy animals make good science. Laboratory Animals Apr;31(2):116-24. doi: 10.1258/002367797780600198.3 Naidoo, C. (2023). The Impact of Load Shedding on the South Africa Economy. Journal of Public Administration, 58(1), pp.7-16.4 South Africa (2008). Electricity, Gas and Water Supply, 2006.5 Rankin, R., & Rousseau, P. (2008). Demand side management in South Africa at industrial residence water heating systems using in line water heating methodology. Energy Conversion and Management, 49(1), 62–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman. 2007.05.0226 Eckert, S., & Köhler, S. (2014). Urbanization and Health in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review. World Health & Population, 15, 7-20. https://doi.org/ 10.12927/whp.2014.237227 Akpeji, K.O., Olasoji, A.O., Gaunt, C.T., Oyedokun, D.T., Awodele, K.O. and Folly, K.A. (2020). Economic impact of electricity supply interruptions in South Africa. SAIEE Africa Research Journal, 111(2), pp.73-87.8 Schoeman, T. and Saunders, M. (2018). The impact of power outages on small businesses in the City of Johannesburg. In 10th International Conference on Education, Business, Humanities and Social Sciences Studies.9 Ateba, B.B., Prinsloo, J.J. and Gawlik, R. (2019). The significance of electricity supply sustainability to industrial growth in South Africa. Energy Reports, 5, pp.1324-1338.10 Goldberg, A. (2015). The economic impact of load shedding: The case of South African retailers (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria).11 Gehringer, C., Rode, H. and Schomaker, M. (2018). The effect of electrical load shedding on paediatric hospital admissions in South Africa. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 29(6), p.841.12 Laher, A.E., Van Aardt, B.J., Craythorne, A.D., Van Welie, M., Malinga, D.M. and Madi, S. (2019). ‘Getting out of the dark’: implications of load shedding on healthcare in South Africa and strategies to enhance preparedness. South African Medical Journal, 109(12), pp.899-901.13 Boon, C.R., Hague, P. and Walser, E.S. (1983). Effects of temporary power failure on temperature, humidity and the activity of pigs in an experimental piggery. Applied Animal Ethology, 10(3), pp.219-232.14 Umar, B.B. and Kunda-Wamuwi, C.F. (2019). Socio- Economic effects of load shedding on poor urban households and small business enterprises in Lusaka, Zambia. Energy and Environment Research, 9(2), pp.20-29.15 Nduhuura, P., Garschagen, M. and Zerga, A. (2020). Mapping and spatial analysis of electricity load shedding experiences: A case study of communities in Accra, Ghana. Energies, 13(17), p.4280.16 Bakht, M.P., Salam, Z., Bhatti, A.R., Ullah Sheikh, U., Khan, N. and Anjum, W. (2022). Techno-economic modelling of hybrid energy system to overcome the load shedding problem: A case study of Pakistan. PloS one, 17(4), p.e0266660.17 Timilsina, G. and Steinbuks, J. (2021). Economic costs of electricity load shedding in Nepal. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 146, p.111112.18 Lin, S., Fletcher, B.A., Luo, M., Chinery, R. and Hwang, S.A. (2011). Health impact in New York City during the Northeastern blackout of 2003. Public Health Reports, 126(3), pp.384-393.19 Gordon, C.J. (1990) “Thermal biology of the laboratory rat,” Physiology & Behavior, 47(5), pp. 963–991. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(90)90025-y20 Pennycuik, P.R. (1967). A comparison of the effects of a variety of factors on the metabolic rate of the mouse. Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, 45(4), pp.331-346.21 Chong, M.T., Garrard, W.T. and Bonner, J. (1974). Purification and properties of a neutral protease from rat liver chromatin. Biochemistry, 13(25), pp.5128-5134.Electricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South Africa

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16Animal Technology and Welfare August 202022 Crippa, L., Gobbi, A., Ceruti, R.M., Clifford, C.B., Remuzzi, A. and Scanziani, E. (2000). Ringtail in suckling Munich WistaFromter rats: a histopathologic study. Comparative Medicine, 50(5), pp.536-53923 Corning, B.F. and Lipman, N.S. (1991). “A comparison of rodent caging systems based on microenvironmental parameters.,” Laboratory Animal Science, 41(5), pp. 498–503.24 Hasenau, J.J., Baggs, R.B. and Kraus, A.L. (1993). Microenvironments in Microisolation Cages Using BALB/c and CD-1 Mice. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science, 33(1), pp.11-16.25 Gordon, L.B., Nolan, S.C., Ksander, B.R., Knopf, P.M. and Harling-Berg, C.J. (1998). Normal cerebrospinal fluid suppresses the in vitro development of cytotoxic T cells: role of the brain microenvironment in CNS immune regulation. Journal of neuroimmunology, 88 (1-2), pp.77-84.Electricity loadshedding and its implications on Animal Welfare in research animal facilities in South Africa

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17August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareApril 2024 Animal Technology and WelfareHow, why, what happened next: an introduction to scientific writingJASMINE BARLEYInstitute of Animal Technology, 5 South Parade, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7JL UK Correspondence: atweditor@iat.org.uk Based on a workshop presented at both the IAT Virtual Congress 2021 and F2F Congress 2022Introduction Scientific writing and writing about science, does not come naturally to most people but it is a skill, some would say an art, that can be learnt. From deciding on your audience through to checking the proofs, this article will cover the fundamentals of an Animal Technologist’s first ventures in scientific reporting. Scientific writing takes many forms, from posters, reports, articles and formal scientific papers amongst others and all have a different format and purpose. All are distinctive in style which needs to be precise, succinct and logical. What is the difference between scientific writing and writing about science? Scientific writing involves writing for scientists and technologists who can be expected to have some familiarity with the topic under discussion (although some may be novices). Writing about science is concerned with explaining science to a non-science/technology audience. Most of this article is dedicated to scientific writing but Animal Technologists do have to write for the general public from time to time so it is sensible to start with that.Writing about scienceIn my experience this is science journalism, you do not necessarily need to be a journalist but you do need to understand how publications work and know your subject inside out and back to front. There is nothing worse than to read something in the popular press that is inaccurate and patronising. The style of writing required is usually Informal but may be formal.The aim is to explain science in terms a lay person will understand – something that many scientists find difficult (you only have to listen to or read some of the reporting of the COVID-19 pandemic to appreciate this). The Institute of Animal Technology (IAT) regularly produces communications in the category of writing about science. This was particularly important at the height of the animal rights campaign, there were many articles in the press, magazines, etc., for and against the use of animals in medical research. Many from the anti-vivisection lobby repeated ill-informed ideas about how animals were used and the degree of suffering animals underwent, which meant that it became vital to be able to explain to the general public what animal research meant for animals and people, particularly to children and young people. Resources were provided to teachers in an attempt to redress the balance, an example of this was the IAT bespoke website called Medical Micky which not only explained about research but also provided animal care articles. The information included in Medical Micky was provided by Animal Technologists – producing it was a massive learning curve for those involved as not only did they have to understand their subject but also understand how to write clearly in non-technical language and to be politically correct e.g. not to refer to mum and dad, as a reader may be a member of a single parent family or where the family includes same sex parents. Scientific writing Writing for a scientific audience usually comes at the end of an extensive period of study, experimental work and thought which starts with an idea or observation. It is important to discuss the idea with more experienced colleagues as they can provide advice on how to proceed and they may know if the idea has been tried before.

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18Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Planning the StudyAt an early stage it is important to carry out a literature search for reports of closely related studies already published. A good source of these articles is PubMed, a free to use database that contains 32 million citations (references) for biomedical literature mainly from MEDLINE (a more detailed database), life science journals and online books. The citations may include links to the full text content from PubMed Central and publisher websites. People working in scientific institutes will probably have access to other databases and library resources who will be able to obtain any articles that are required. Scientific literature is being published all the time so it is important to keep checking for articles throughout the study and to keep accurate records of them to include in the reference section of your written report.After reviewing the literature the study itself can be planned. All experimental studies will take time and most will cost money so permission will need to be gained to go further. This process will be helped if a detailed proposal is submitted stating the aim of the study, why it is necessary, how it will be carried out and benefits that will accrue from it. Before planning the study it is necessary to read the PREPARE guidelines (Planning Research and Experimental Procedures on Animals: Recommendations for Excellence (see submissions at www.atwjournal.com).1 This will ensure the study will be meaningful and avoid animals being wasted. It will also help when writing the report as following the guidelines will ensure all the required data for the various elements of the paper have been collected.As well as the PREPARE guidelines1 it is useful to read the NC3Rs Animal Research Reporting on in Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines (https://arriveguidelines.org).2 Although these are more relevant to writing the report it is good practice to be aware of them at the planning stage to ensure all relevant information needed for the report is recorded during the study.Accurate records of the study must be kept, including details of what does not work as well as that what does. Notes of observations should be kept as the project proceeds and results must be recorded accurately so that statistics can be carried out and tables, graphs, charts, etc., can be produced.It is important to back up computer data in at least two different places every day so that if something unforeseen happens the data is safe and efforts have not been wasted – this is the voice of experience writing! Starting to Write the ReportUsually each journal will have its own set of Instructions to Authors (see www.atwjournal.com) and articles generally have to conform to these instructions. However not all papers will contain every element of the instructions for example some ATW papers do not relate to experimental situations for example those about management, health and safety etc., so possibly will have no method or results section. If in doubt the editor should be contacted for guidance.As has been said before being familiar with the ARRIVE guidelines is important.2 Adherence to these guidelines ensures transparent and thorough reporting. This enables readers and reviewers to scrutinise the research adequately, evaluate its methodological rigour and reproduce the methods or findings. The guidelines contain a useful checklist for ensuring all the elements of accurate reporting of studies are included. When writing a manuscript, the checklist can be used as an aide memoire to ensure that the manuscript contains all relevant information.Being familiar with the journal the article will be published in will make the writing process easier. In the IAT Journal Animal Technology and Welfare (ATW) papers, articles and posters that have won prizes are good guides as to what is expected. The scientific report about identifying mice from the team at the Royal Veterinary College, which was a winner of the Marjorie Whittingham Journal Article Prize (2019) is recommended.3Divisions in a scientific paperAbstract/Summary Although published papers usually start with an abstract it is in fact written last. They should be relatively short, around one or two paragraphs and should provide a brief outline of what the paper is about without regurgitating chunks of the paper. At the end of the abstract you should provide key words, usually a maximum of 6, which can be used by someone searching for papers on a particular subject or species. For example, key words for a paper on comparison of environmental enrichment in mice might be Mice, Environmental Enrichment, Bedding, Refinement, Welfare. Formal paper abstracts in ATW are translated into 4 European languages enabling non-English speakers (particularly Animal Technologists) to decide if a paper is of interest and if to go for a full translation. Why = Background/IntroductionAn introduction is a way of familiarising the reader with you work. For example, why was study undertaken and what you hoped to achieve – this can be varied, to answer a question, establishing a condition observed etc. Lerner, N. (2007) considers that the content of an introduction varies according to its purpose and the Why, how, what happened next: an introduction to scientific writing

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19August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and Welfareaudience.5 Avoid giving unnecessary background or repeating yourself. One of the common failures of an introduction is that it fails to focus on a clear research question or hypothesis. State which legislation you were working under if appropriate e.g. this work was carried out under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). When study was conducted and general time frame. Do not forget to reference as you go. How = Method The Method section gives the experimental design, basically what you did and used. The method section should include animals used, source strain, age number, sex, etc., cages, cage furniture and diet fed. Timing of observations, precautions taken, etc. Give names of sources of equipment, etc. “The key to a successful Methods section is to include the right amount of detail -- too much, and it begins to sound like a laboratory manual; too little, and no one can repeat what was done.” Successful Scientific Writing, 2nd ed.5Provide enough detail for readers to be able to reproduce the work in their own facility. Results Use graphs to explain the data collected and state statistical method used (if used) e.g. Student t, ANNOVA, etc. Ask for help before you start the study as you need a statiscally viable number of animals and to collect the correct type of data.Include Observations – anything unexpected or went wrong – this is sometimes more helpful than what worked and allows other studies to avoid the pitfalls you encounteredDiscussion/conclusion Fundamentally what you have decided your results mean. Include suggestions for future work and recommendations as to how you think the study could have been improved pointing out any shortcomings. It is an opportunity to compare the results you achieved with those you expected, including consideration of unexpected results and how you might test these explanations. Acknowledgements This is where you can thank the team that helped you with the work. Only need names (given and family unless they prefer initials).References/ BibliographyCheck the referencing method the journal uses – Harvard or Vancouver are the usual systems. ATW uses the Vancouver system i.e numeric in order of appearance. References to sources such as guidelines should include the date accessed as these may change in future versions and readers will then know which version was used. Proofreading Make corrections as you go and add words that your computer does not recognise to its internal dictionary first making sure that they are spelt correctly. It will save you a lot of work in the long run. Read through the paper several times, preferably with a day in between what you think is the final draft and what will be the final draft. Read it out loud at least once, ask someone else to read it and then ask someone with experience to read it again, make any corrections and do not forget to save them and give the file a version number. Authors with a great deal of experience still follow this rule, this particular article has been read by at least 3 other people all of whom either have experience in either writing papers and articles or proof-reading. So far, we have been concerned with preparing scientific papers which report experimental studies. The next part deals with short communications featured in ATW.Tech-2-Tech articlesThese articles lend themselves to a more relaxed style of writing and are often produced from presentations for college courses, in house meetings, etc., and of course Congress posters/workshops. They are a good introduction to publishing for first time authors but not exclusively so. Subjects covered are often about practical aspects such as new systems of cage cleaning, husbandry of unusual species, observations of characteristics of strains particularly adverse effects in GA animals, challenges presented by a new role, etc. They tend to be very visual with lots of photos or graphics. Presentations can be converted into a Tech-2-Tech article as long as the notes of the narrative that accompanies the slides are kept. Usually Tech-2-Tech articles are relatively short and as a guideline are not more than 2600 words (3 pages in ATW) including pictures/graphics (each one equals 250 words) and references. However, there are no hard and fast rules as to length – submit a manuscript, it can always be edited or a longer article published. A good example of a Tech-2-Tech article is the study on cryopreservation in Zebrafish which won the AS-ET Tech-2-Tech prize.4Why, how, what happened next: an introduction to scientific writing

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20Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020General rules of scientific writing1. Before you start writing you must obtain permission of your employer who will probably require you to go through an internal approval. There is nothing worse than to spend time writing to find out bosses will not let you publish. Similarly if you are reporting on a finding of someone else’s study you must check with them that it is OK to publish as you may find that they are intending to use some of the data in their own paper and many journals insist that material has not been published before and is therefore original research. Most journals will require you to sign that you have authority to publish. 2. Read the Instructions to Authors before you start writing – use the ARRIVE guideline checklist or possibly develop your own including the required elements so that you do not unintentionally omit something important.2 3. Check referencing method stated in Instructions. ATW uses the Vancouver system which is numeric – citations are numbered in the order they appear in the text. 4. Set proofing language to English (UK) but some international journals will specify the language papers must use e.g. English (USA). 5. Turn on spell check but when changing spellings check that the word is being used in the correct context and double check technical language. 6. Usually report in the past tense if appropriate but not always – you may be writing about some proposed changes, etc. Use formal English grammar and punctuation. If using acronyms then the full name must be given at least once, the first time it is used with the acronym in brackets immediately afterwards e.g. Institute of Animal Technology (IAT).7. Latin terms such as in vivo or a species name e.g. Homo sapien and foreign language words are usually written in italics. 8. If you use someone else’s photograph/quote, etc., you must check about copyright and ask the copyright owner for permission to use it – they will generally say yes if you acknowledge their ownership. This is usually given in brackets after the legend. To make life easier for authors using material published in ATW, copyright is held by the IAT and anybody wanting to use it can contact the Editor and we will say yes or no – we always protect the author and will refuse permission if we feel the use of something is not appropriate. Copyright in the UK usually lapses 70 years after the death of the author so you can use a quote from a classical author such as Keats but not one by Ted Hughes unless you contacted the copyright owner. Also, product names may be Trademarked or have a registered mark in which case the symbols, superscript TM or R in a circle, that must follow the word e.g. ™ ® the first time it is used. 9. If you lack confidence about using English grammar obtain a copy of a good book on English grammar and punctuation – an Editor will help but if the English is very poor your manuscript may be sent back to you. Editors can usually recognise authors with conditons such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, etc., and we will help correct any errors if we can but there is no excuse for laziness. Acknowledgements My thanks goes to Stephen Barnett and Patrick Hayes for reviewing this article and providing suggestions which have greatly improved the quality of my writing. Producing issues of Animal Technology and Welfare would not be achieved without a team of reviewers and people I call on for advice and technical advice and of course all the authors who submit material for publication. Special thanks must go to PRC Associates together with the typesetters of Warwick Printing, without whom ATW would never be produced or be the quality publication I believe it to be. I must also thank all the past editors of the IAT Journal Animal Technology and Welfare who have over the last 70 years continued to produce an official publication for the Institute. I have learnt so much both as an Animal Technologist and as an Editor - even things I was not aware that I had learnt! References1 PREPARE guidelines https://norecopa.no/prepare 2 ARRIVE guidelines https://arriveguidelines.org3 Mazlan, N., Lopez-Salesanky, N. Burn, C., and Wells, D. (2014). Mouse identification methods and potential welfare issues: a survey of current practices in the UK. Animal Technology and Welfare Vol 13.1 pp1-10.4 Mantzorou, D., Berriman, T., Havelange, W., Glover, J., Berry, S., Correia de Silva, B.(2019). Sperm cryopreservation and in vitro fertilisation in Zebrafish facilities at King’s College London. Animal Technology and Welfare Vol 18.3 pp194-1985 Lerner, N. Ogren-Balkama. A Guide to Scientific Writing Neal Lerner Marilee Ogren-Balkama Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Microsoft Word - Guide_to_Scientific_Writing.doc (mit.edu)6 Matthews, J.R., Bowen, J.M., Matthews, R.W. (2000). 2nd edition. Successful Scientific Writing: A step-by-step guide for the biological and medical sciences. Cambridge University Press.Why, how, what happened next: an introduction to scientific writing

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21August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareApril 2024 Animal Technology and WelfarePAPER SUMMARY TRANSLATIONSCONTENU DE LA REVUELe délestage électrique et ses implications sur le bien-être animal dans les installations animales de recherche en Afrique du SudBUSISIWE MOGODI1, LINDA HOWELLS2 ET JOHN CHIPANGURA1 1 Research Animal Facility, Université du Cap, Afrique du Sud2 Rapport du Groupe de travail de la LAT. Université du CapCorrespondance: busisiwe.mogodi@uct.ac.za Résumé Le délestage est une interruption délibérée et temporaire de l’alimentation électrique afin de réduire la demande en énergie pendant les périodes de pointe. Bien que le délestage touche divers secteurs de l’économie, son impact sur les installations animales de recherche (RAF) est particulièrement préoccupant et n’a pas fait l’objet d’un examen systématique. Nous discutons des implications du délestage sur la santé et le bien-être des animaux, la qualité des données expérimentales et la conformité aux exigences réglementaires des RAF. Les RAF sont conçues pour héberger des animaux de laboratoire utilisés dans la recherche qui profite aux humains, aux animaux et à l’environnement. Les données scientifiques émanant de ces installations doivent être crédibles et l’environnement dans lequel vivent les animaux doit rester constant. Les animaux de laboratoire peuvent être stressés lorsque leurs conditions environnementales sont perturbées par des interruptions de l’alimentation électrique ayant un impact sur l’équipement utilisé pour maintenir un environnement stable et constant dans l’installation. Des paramètres environnementaux constants sont également essentiels pour maintenir un environnement de travail confortable pour le personnel travaillant sur place. ★ ★ ★

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22Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Paper Summary TranslationsLa conjecture brillante et éclairante de Mary LyonPROFESSEUR SIR RICHARD GARDNER, Hon. FIAT, Hon. ScD, FRSB, FRSNUniversité d’OxfordCorrespondance: atweditor@iat.org.uk Chez les animaux, la répartition correcte des gènes généralement constatée est de deux, soit une copie héritée de chaque parent. La déviation par rapport à cette condition diploïde conduit généralement à une anomalie ou à une létalité. Le fait que chez les mammifères, le chromosome X porte de nombreux gènes qui sont absents du bien plus petit chromosome Y déterminant le mâle semble clairement poser un problème de répartition. Pour résoudre ce problème, il a été suggéré que les gènes de chacun des deux X des femelles pourraient être exprimés à la moitié de ceux qui sont attachés au X unique des mâles. Cette possibilité n’est toutefois étayée par aucun précédent évident. En 1961, Mary Lyon a proposé une solution des plus élégantes au problème dans un article de la revue Nature. Ce modèle de clarté et de brièveté a aussi su résister à l’épreuve du temps. Elle a abordé la question en faisant trois déductions à partir de seulement deux observations chez des souris. Entre autres choses, sa conjecture offre une explication convaincante quant à la raison pour laquelle les femelles sont beaucoup moins sensibles aux effets néfastes de la mutation des gènes portés sur le chromosome X que les mâles. ★ ★ ★Comparaison de l’utilisation d’éléments d’enrichissement par les bovins dans une installation à confinement élevéROSANNA SMITH-LANGRIDGEDépartement de pathologie et des sciences animales, Agence de la santé des animaux et des plantes, WeybridgeCorrespondance: Rosanna.smith-langridge@apha.gov.uk Contexte L’interaction avec des éléments d’enrichissement de l’environnement peut réduire la morbidité, l’agressivité et les comportements stéréotypiques, améliorant ainsi à la fois le bien-être animal et la production de données scientifiques1. Les installations à confinement élevé disposent d’un espace limité sans paysage naturel. Les bovins y sont maintenus ensemble en petits groupes et sont fréquemment en contact étroit avec les humains, ce qui peut créer un environnement potentiellement stressant.L’enrichissement de l’environnement à l’intérieur d’installations à confinement élevé est plus précieux mais peu pratique et il est important de connaître les éléments les plus efficaces pour améliorer le bien-être des animaux.Cette étude a testé un filet à foin, un baril de produits chimiques propre et vide, une balle Kong et une corde à nœuds pour établir les éléments avec lesquels le bétail préférait interagir et ce qui avait le plus de potentiel d’enrichissement.

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23August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePaper Summary TranslationsEffort collaboratif pour améliorer le bien-être des souris SKH1THOMAS BOSLEY1, RACHEL WALKER1, PEDRO DURAO2 ET AMAYA VIRÓS11 Unité de recherche biologique, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute2 Laboratoire de recherche sur le cancer de la peau et le vieillissement, Cancer Research UK Manchester InstituteCorrespondance: Thomas.bosley@manchester.ac.uk ContexteL’exposition aux rayons ultraviolets (UV) a un effet profond sur la biologie de la peau, tant au niveau macroscopique que physiologique. Afin d’étudier un milieu plus pertinent sur le plan clinique, nous avons été étroitement impliqués dans un projet utilisant une souche de souris connue pour imiter les dommages infligés par les UV sur la peau humaine. Cette souche de souris est très fragile et nécessite une culture de soins élevée. Nous avons eu recours aux 3R pour maintenir cette souche et avons mis en place un certain nombre de procédures opérationnelles standard pour améliorer leur bien-être. ★ ★ ★Anesthésiques complétant les traceurs radioactifs [68Ga]GA-DOTA-TATE, [18F]FDG et [68Ga]GA-PSMA-11 pour les examens d’imagerie TEP/TDM des rongeurs JILLENE VISSER1,2, CECILE SWANEPOEL1, CATHERYN HELENA STANFORD DRIVER1,2 ET THOMAS EBENHAN1,2,3,41 Centre d’imagerie préclinique - Infrastructure de recherche en médecine nucléaire NPC, Pretoria, Afrique du Sud2 NECSA, Radiochimie, Pretoria, 0001, Afrique du Sud3 Université de Pretoria, Médecine nucléaire, Pretoria, Afrique du Sud4 DSI/PCDDP, Université du Nord-Ouest, Potchefstroom, Afrique du SudCorrespondance: jillenevisser@gmail.com Introduction Les composés anesthésiques sont couramment utilisés pendant les examens d’imagerie préclinique pour éviter les artefacts de mouvement. Ces agents peuvent toutefois influencer la prise du traceur et augmenter les risques de mortalité pendant l’anesthésie. Ils doivent donc être étudiés minutieusement avant de choisir un agent anesthésique.Objectif L’objectif de cette étude était de résumer l’effet des anesthésiques courants sur la biodistribution attendue de trois traceurs radioactifs couramment utilisés dans les examens d’imagerie préclinique.

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24Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020INHALTVERZEICHNISLastabwurf und seine Auswirkungen auf das Tierwohl in Tierforschungseinrichtungen in SüdafrikaBUSISIWE MOGODI1, LINDA HOWELLS2 UND JOHN CHIPANGURA1 1 Research Animal Facility, University of Cape Town, South Africa2 LAT Working group member. University of Cape TownKorrespondenz: busisiwe.mogodi@uct.ac.za Abstract Lastabwürfe (Loadshedding) sind gezielte temporäre Unterbrechungen der Stromversorgung, um den Stromverbrauch in Zeiten hoher Nachfrage zu reduzieren. Lastabwürfe beeinträchtigen verschiedenste Wirtschaftssektoren. Besonders besorgniserregend und bisher nicht systematisch untersucht sind die Auswirkungen des Loadsheddings auf Tierforschungseinrichtungen (RAF, Research Animal Facilities).Wir erörtern die Auswirkungen von Loadshedding auf die Gesundheit und das Wohlergehen von Tieren, die Qualität von Versuchsdaten und die Einhaltung der gesetzlichen Bestimmungen für RAF. RAF sind für die Unterbringung von Labortieren konzipiert, die in der Forschung zum Nutzen von Mensch, Tier und Umwelt eingesetzt werden. Die wissenschaftlichen Daten, die aus diesen Einrichtungen stammen, müssen zuverlässig sein, und die Haltungsbedingungen müssen konstant aufrechterhalten werden. Labortiere können unter Stress leiden, wenn die Umgebungsbedingungen durch Unterbrechungen der Stromversorgung für Geräte, die zur Aufrechterhaltung einer stabilen und konstanten Umgebung in der Einrichtung verwendet werden, gestört werden. Konstante Umweltparameter sind auch für die Aufrechterhaltung einer angenehmen Arbeitsumgebung für das in der Einrichtung tätige Personal von wesentlicher Bedeutung. ★ ★ ★Paper Summary Translations

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25August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareMary Lyons geniale und einleuchtende SchlussfolgerungPROFESSOR SIR RICHARD GARDNER, Hon. FIAT, Hon. ScD, FRSB, FRSNUniversity of OxfordKorrespondenz: atweditor@iat.org.uk Bei Tieren gelten im Allgemeinen zwei Gene als korrekte Gendosis, wobei eine Kopie von jedem Elternteil vererbt wird. Eine Abweichung von diesem diploiden Zustand führt in der Regel entweder zu Anomalien oder Letalität. Die Tatsache, dass das X-Chromosom bei Säugetieren viele Gene trägt, die auf dem viel kleineren, das Männchen bestimmende Y-Chromosom nicht vorhanden sind, scheint eindeutig ein Dosisproblem darzustellen. Ein Lösungsansatz dieses Problems war, dass die Gene auf jedem X bei Weibchen nur halb so stark exprimiert werden wie die Gene auf dem einzigen X bei Männchen. Es gab jedoch keinen offenkundigen Präzedenzfall für eine solche Möglichkeit.1961 präsentierte Mary Lyon in einem Artikel in der Zeitschrift Nature eine äußerst elegante Lösung für das Problem, die sich nicht nur durch Klarheit und Prägnanz auszeichnete, sondern auch die Zeit überdauert hat. Sie zog drei Rückschlüsse aus nur zwei Beobachtungen bei Mäusen. Unter anderem bietet ihre Hypothese eine überzeugende Erklärung dafür, warum Weibchen viel weniger anfällig für negative Auswirkungen von Genmutationen sind, die auf dem X-Chromosom liegen, als Männchen.★ ★ ★Vergleich der Verwendung von Anreicherungselementen durch Rinder in einer HochsicherheitsanlageROSANNA SMITH-LANGRIDGEDepartment of Pathology and Animal Sciences, Animal Plant Health Agency, WeybridgeKorrespondenz: Rosanna.smith-langridge@apha.gov.ukBackground Die Interaktion mit einem angereicherten Umfeld kann Morbidität, Aggression und stereotypes Verhalten verringern und eine Verbesserung von Tierwohl und wissenschaftlichen Daten bewirken1. Hochsicherheitsanlagen sind räumlich begrenzt und bieten keine natürliche Umgebung. Die Rinder werden dort in kleinen Gruppen gehalten und haben häufig engen Kontakt mit Menschen. Dies kann ein potenziell stressiges Umfeld schaffen.Eine Anreicherung des Umfelds in Hochsicherheitsanlagen ist zwar sinnvoll, aber unpraktisch. Dabei ist es wichtig zu wissen, welche Elemente zur Verbesserung des Tierwohls am wirksamsten sind.In dieser Studie wurden ein Heunetz, ein sauberes leeres Chemikalienfass, ein Kong-Ball und ein verknotetes Seil getestet, um herauszufinden, mit welchen Gegenständen Rinder am liebsten interagieren und welche das größte Anreicherungspotenzial haben.Paper Summary Translations

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26Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Gemeinsame Anstrengungen zur Verbesserung des Wohlergehens von SKH1-Mäusen THOMAS BOSLEY1, RACHEL WALKER1, PEDRO DURAO2 UND AMAYA VIRÓS11 Biological Research Unit, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute2 Skin Cancer and Ageing Lab, Cancer Research UK Manchester InstituteKorrespondenz: Thomas.bosley@manchester.ac.uk Background Die Exposition gegenüber ultravioletter Strahlung (UV) hat tiefgreifende, sowohl makroskopische als auch physiologische Auswirkungen auf die Hautbiologie. Zur Untersuchung eines klinisch relevanteren Umfelds haben wir intensiv an einem Projekt unter Verwendung eines Mäusestamms mitgewirkt, der bekanntermaßen UV-Schäden in der menschlichen Haut nachahmt. Dieser Mäusestamm ist sehr empfindlich und erfordert eine ausgeprägte Culture of Care. Wir haben zur Betreuung dieses Stammes das 3R-Prinzip angewandt und eine Reihe von Standardarbeitsverfahren eingeführt, um das Wohlergehen der Tiere zu verbessern. ★ ★ ★Anästhetika zur Ergänzung der PET/CT-Bildgebung mit den Radiotracern [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE, [18F]FDG und [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 bei Nagern JILLENE VISSER1,2, CECILE SWANEPOEL1, CATHERYN HELENA STANFORD DRIVER1,2 UND THOMAS EBENHAN1,2,3,41 Pre-clinical Imaging Facility – Nuclear Medical Research Infrastructure NPC, Pretoria, Südafrika2 NECSA, Radiochemistry, Pretoria, 0001, Südafrika3 University of Pretoria, Nuclear Medicine, Pretoria, Südafrika4 DSI/PCDDP, North-West University, Potchefstroom, SüdafrikaKorrespondenz: jillenevisser@gmail.com Einleitung Bei präklinischen Bildgebungsuntersuchungen werden routinemäßig Anästhetika eingesetzt, um Bewegungsartefakte zu vermeiden. Diese Mittel können jedoch die Traceraufnahme beeinflussen und das Mortalitätsrisiko während der Anästhesie erhöhen, so dass der Wahl eines Narkosemittels eine gründliche Prüfung vorausgehen muss.Ziel Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Auswirkungen gängiger Narkosemittel auf die erwartete Biodistribution dreier Radiotracer, die üblicherweise bei präklinischen Bildgebungsuntersuchungen verwendet werden, zusammenfassend darzulegen.Paper Summary Translations

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27August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareINDICE DELLA REVISTAAlleggerimento automatico del carico e implicazioni sul benessere animale nei centri di ricerca per animali del SudafricaBUSISIWE MOGODI1, LINDA HOWELLS2 E JOHN CHIPANGURA1 1 Centro di ricerca per animali, Università di Città del Capo, Sudafrica2 Membro del gruppo di lavoro LAT. Università di Città del CapoCorrispondenza: busisiwe.mogodi@uct.ac.za Abstract L’alleggerimento automatico del carico comporta un’interruzione deliberata e temporanea della fornitura elettrica rete con l’obiettivo di ridurre il fabbisogno elettrico durante periodi di forte richiesta. Benché l’alleggerimento del carico interessi vari settori dell’economia, il suo impatto sui Centri di ricerca per animali (Research Animal Facilities - RAF) desta particolare preoccupazione, anche se tale situazione non è stata sottoposta a una revisione sistematica. Le nostre discussioni vertono sulle implicazioni dell’alleggerimento automatico del carico sulla salute e sul benessere animale, sulla qualità dei dati sperimentali e sulla conformità ai requisiti normativi dei RAF. I centri di ricerca sono concepiti per la stabulazione degli animali da laboratorio utilizzati in studi di ricerca condotti a beneficio di esseri umani, animali e ambiente. È importante che i dati scientifici provenienti da queste strutture risultino credibili e l’ambiente di stabulazione sia mantenuto a un livello costante. Gli animali da laboratorio potrebbero andare incontro a una situazione di stress in caso di alterazione delle condizioni ambientali causata dalle interruzioni di fornitura elettrica alle apparecchiature utilizzate per mantenere un ambiente stabile e costante all’interno del centro. Parametri ambientali costanti sono essenziali anche per il mantenimento di un ambiente di lavoro piacevole per il personale della struttura di ricerca. ★ ★ ★Paper Summary Translations

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28Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020L’eccezionale e illuminante ipotesi di Mary Lyon PROFESSEUR SIR RICHARD GARDNER, Hon. FIAT, Hon. ScD, FRSB, FRSNUniversità di OxfordCorrispondenza: atweditor@iat.org.uk Una scoperta generale del mondo animale è che il dosaggio corretto di geni corrisponde a due, con una copia ereditata da ciascun genitore. La deviazione da questa condizione diploide è causa solitamente di anomalie o di decesso. Il fatto che nei mammiferi il cromosoma X abbia un numero superiore di geni assenti invece nel cromosoma Y più piccolo determinante del sesso maschile sembra porre chiaramente un problema di dosaggio. Per far fronte a una situazione del genere, è stato suggerito di esprimere i geni di ogni cromosoma X nelle femmine a metà del livello di quelli presenti nei singoli cromosomi X dei maschi. Tuttavia, non esisteva alcun chiaro precedente per una possibilità del genere. Nel 1961, Mary Lyon ha offerto una soluzione estremamente elegante al problema in un articolo pubblicato sulla rivista Nature che si è rivelata non solo un modello di chiarezza e concisione, ma ha anche resistito alla prova del tempo. La ricercatrice ha affrontato la questione avanzando tre deduzioni basate su solo due osservazioni nei topi. Tra le altre cose, la sua ipotesi spiega in maniera molto convincente perché le femmine sono molto meno suscettibili agli effetti avversi della mutazione dei geni trasportati sul cromosoma X rispetto ai maschi.★ ★ ★Confronto dell’uso di articoli di arricchimento da parte del bestiame in una struttura ad alto contenimentoROSANNA SMITH-LANGRIDGEDepartment of Pathology and Animal Sciences, Animal Plant Health Agency, WeybridgeCorrispondenza: Rosanna.smith-langridge@apha.gov.ukContesto L’interazione con l’arricchimento ambientale può ridurre la morbilità, l’aggressività e i comportamenti stereotipi, con conseguente miglioramento del benessere animale e della produzione di dati scientifici1. Le strutture ad alto contenimento racchiudono uno spazio limitato, non offrono un paesaggio naturale, il bestiame è allevato in piccoli gruppi ed è frequentemente a stretto contatto con l’uomo, dando vita a un ambiente potenzialmente stressante.Sebbene la fornitura di arricchimento ambientale all’interno di strutture ad alto contenimento sia più preziosa, rimane tuttavia inadeguata ed è importante individuare gli articoli che migliorano con più efficacia il benessere animale.Questo studio ha messo alla prova una rete da fieno, un bidone chimico vuoto e pulito, una palla interattiva kong e una corda annodata per stabilire con quali articoli il bestiame preferisse interagire e quali presentassero il più alto potenziale di arricchimento.Paper Summary Translations

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29August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareUno sforzo collaborativo per il miglioramento del benessere dei topi SKH1 THOMAS BOSLEY1, RACHEL WALKER1, PEDRO DURAO2 E AMAYA VIRÓS11 Biological Research Unit, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute2 Skin Cancer and Ageing Lab, Cancer Research UK Manchester InstituteCorrispondenza: Thomas.bosley@manchester.ac.uk ContestoL’esposizione alle radiazioni ultraviolette (UV) ha un profondo effetto sulla biologia cutanea sia a livello macroscopico che fisiologico. Al fine di studiare un ambiente più clinicamente rilevante, abbiamo partecipato attivamente a un progetto che utilizza un ceppo di topi per simulare i danni dei raggi UV sulla pelle umana. Questo ceppo murino è molto delicato e richiede un’elevata cultura della cura. Abbiamo sfruttato le 3 R per mantenere questo ceppo e impostare una serie di procedure operative standard per il miglioramento del loro livello di benessere. ★ ★ ★Anestetici complementari ai radiotraccianti [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE, [18F]FDG e [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT per l’imaging nei roditori JILLENE VISSER1,2, CECILE SWANEPOEL1, CATHERYN HELENA STANFORD DRIVER1,2 E THOMAS EBENHAN1,2,3,41 Pre-clinical Imaging Facility – Nuclear Medical Research Infrastructure NPC, Pretoria, Sudafrica 2 NECSA, Radiochemistry, Pretoria, 0001, Sudafrica3 Università di Pretoria, Medicina Nucleare, Pretoria, Sudafrica4 DSI/ PCDDP, North-West University, Potchefstroom, SudafricaCorrispondenza: jillenevisser@gmail.com Introduzione I composti anestetici sono usati abitualmente durante le indagini di imaging preclinico per evitare artefatti dovuti al movimento. Tuttavia, questi agenti possono influenzare l’assorbimento dell’elemento tracciante e accrescere il rischio di mortalità durante l’anestesia e, pertanto, è opportuno condurre un’indagine minuziosa prima di procedere alla scelta di un agente anestetico. Obiettivo Questo studio si è prefisso di riepilogare l’effetto degli agenti anestetici comuni sulla biodistribuzione prevista di tre radiotraccianti abitualmente usati in indagini di imaging preclinico.Paper Summary Translations

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30Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020INDICE DE LA REVISTALa desconexión de la carga eléctrica y sus implicaciones para el bienestar animal en centros de investigación con animales de SudáfricaBUSISIWE MOGODI1, LINDA HOWELLS2 Y JOHN CHIPANGURA1 1 Instalación de investigación con animales, Universidad de Ciudad del Cabo, Sudáfrica2 Miembro del grupo de trabajo “Tecnología de animales de laboratorio”. Universidad de Ciudad del CaboCorrespondencia: busisiwe.mogodi@uct.ac.za Resumen La desconexión de carga consiste en la interrupción deliberada y temporal del suministro eléctrico para reducir el consumo en periodos de gran demanda. Aunque afecta a varios sectores de la economía, su repercusión en los centros de investigación con animales es especialmente preocupante y no se ha estudiado de forma consistente. Examinamos las implicaciones de la desconexión de carga sobre la salud y el bienestar de los animales, la calidad de los datos experimentales y el cumplimiento de los requisitos normativos de los centros de investigación con animales. Los centros de investigación con animales están diseñados para albergar animales de laboratorio que se utilizan en investigaciones que buscan beneficiar a los seres humanos, los animales y el medioambiente. Los datos científicos que se obtienen de estos centros deben ser creíbles. Asimismo, debe asegurarse el mantenimiento constante del entorno. Los animales de laboratorio pueden sufrir estrés cuando se alteran las condiciones ambientales debido a interrupciones del suministro eléctrico a los equipos utilizados para mantener un entorno estable y constante en los centros. Disponer de parámetros ambientales constantes es primordial para mantener un ambiente de trabajo cómodo también para el personal que trabaja en los centros. ★ ★ ★Paper Summary Translations

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31August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareLa brillante y esclarecedora conjetura de Mary Lyon PROFESOR SIR RICHARD GARDNER, Hon. FIAT, Hon. ScD, FRSB, FRSNUniversidad de OxfordCorrespondencia: atweditor@iat.org.uk Una observación general en cuanto a los animales es que la dosis génica correcta es dos, con una copia heredada de cada progenitor. La desviación de esta condición diploide suele provocar anomalías o letalidad. El hecho de que en los mamíferos el cromosoma X contenga muchos genes que están ausentes en el cromosoma Y, mucho más pequeño y determinante del sexo masculino, parece plantear un problema de dosis. Una sugerencia para resolver esta cuestión fue expresar los genes de cada cromosoma X en las hembras a la mitad del nivel de los del único cromosoma X en los machos. Sin embargo, no había ningún precedente evidente para tal posibilidad. En 1961, Mary Lyon ofreció una solución muy ingeniosa al problema en un artículo publicado en la revista Nature que no sólo fue un ejemplo de claridad y concisión sino que ha probado su eficacia a lo largo del tiempo. Lyon abordó la cuestión haciendo tres deducciones a partir de dos observaciones sobre los roedores. Entre otras cosas, su conjetura ofrece una explicación convincente del motivo por el que las hembras son mucho menos susceptibles a los efectos adversos de la mutación de genes contenidos en el cromosoma X que los machos.★ ★ ★Comparación del uso de material de enriquecimiento para ganado en un centro de alta contenciónROSANNA SMITH-LANGRIDGEDepartamento de Patología y Ciencias Animales, Agencia de Sanidad Animal y Vegetal, WeybridgeCorrespondencia: Rosanna.smith-langridge@apha.gov.uk Antecedentes La interacción con el enriquecimiento ambiental puede reducir la morbilidad, la agresividad y los comportamientos estereotipados, lo cual a su vez mejora tanto el bienestar animal como la generación de datos científicos1. Los centros de alta contención cuentan con espacio limitado y carecen de un paisaje natural. Asimismo, el ganado se mantiene en pequeños grupos y tiene contacto frecuente con los humanos, lo que puede crear un entorno potencialmente estresante.Apostar por el enriquecimiento ambiental dentro de los centros de alta contención resulta beneficioso pero también conlleva inconvenientes, por lo que es importante saber qué elementos son los más eficaces a la hora de mejorar el bienestar animal.En este estudio se probaron una red de heno, un bidón químico vacío y limpio, una pelota Kong y una cuerda anudada para determinar con qué objetos prefería interactuar el ganado y cuáles presentaban mayor potencial de enriquecimiento.Paper Summary Translations

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32Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Un esfuerzo conjunto para mejorar el bienestar de los ratones SKH1 THOMAS BOSLEY1, RACHEL WALKER1, PEDRO DURAO2 Y AMAYA VIRÓS11 Unidad de Investigación Biológica, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute2 Laboratorio de Cáncer de Piel y Envejecimiento, Cancer Research UK Manchester InstituteCorrespondencia: Thomas.bosley@manchester.ac.uk Antecedentes La exposición a la radiación ultravioleta (UV) afecta significativamente a la biología de la piel, tanto macroscópica como fisiológicamente. Con el fin de estudiar un entorno clínicamente más relevante, hemos colaborado estrechamente en un proyecto en el que se utiliza una cepa de ratón conocida por imitar los daños causados por los rayos UV en la piel humana. Esta cepa de ratón es muy frágil y requiere unos altos estándares de cuidado. Hemos aplicado el principio de las tres R para mantener esta cepa y hemos establecido una serie de procedimientos operativos estándar para mejorar su bienestar. . ★ ★ ★Anestésicos que complementan los radiotrazadores [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE, [18F]FDG y [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 en la obtención de imágenes PET/TC en roedores JILLENE VISSER1,2, CECILE SWANEPOEL1, CATHERYN HELENA STANFORD DRIVER1,2 Y THOMAS EBENHAN1,2,3,41 Centro de imágenes preclínicas, Nuclear Medical Research Infrastructure NPC, Pretoria, Sudáfrica. 2 NECSA, Radioquímica, Pretoria, 0001, Sudáfrica3 Universidad de Pretoria, Medicina Nuclear, Pretoria, Sudáfrica4 DSI/PCDDP, North-West University, Potchefstroom, SudáfricaCorrespondencia: jillenevisser@gmail.com Introducción Para evitar los artefactos de movimiento durante las pruebas de diagnóstico por imagen preclínicas, se utilizan compuestos anestésicos de forma rutinaria. No obstante, estos agentes pueden influir en la captación del trazador y pueden aumentar los riesgos de mortalidad durante la anestesia, por lo que deben investigarse exhaustivamente antes de elegir un agente anestésico.Objetivo El objetivo de este estudio es resumir el efecto de los agentes anestésicos comunes sobre la biodistribución esperada de tres radiotrazadores utilizados habitualmente en pruebas de diagnóstico por imagen preclínicas.Paper Summary Translations49Haven’t the time to write a paper but want to have something published? Then read on!This section offers readers the opportunity to submit informal contributions about anyaspects of Animal Technology. Comments, observations, descriptions of new or refinedtechniques, new products or equipment, old products or equipment adapted to new use,any subject that may be useful to technicians in other institutions. Submissions can bepresented as technical notes and do not need to be structured and can be as short or aslong as is necessary. Accompanying illustrations and/or photos should be high resolution.NB. Descriptions of new products or equipment submitted by manufacturers are welcomebut should be a factual account of the product. However, the Editorial Board gives nowarranty as to the accuracy or fitness for purpose of the product.What 3Rs idea have you developed?EMMA FILBYMira Building, University of Cambridge, University Biomedical Services,Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FSCorrespondence: emma.filby@admin.cam.ac.ukBased on an ar ticle written for the National Centre for the 3RsApril 2020 Animal Technology and We lfareTECH-2-TECHBackgroundEmma was invited to write an article as a 3Rschampion in NC3Rs ‘Tech 3Rs’ Issue 5, November2019.Here is her response describing how she has used anautomated system to reduce how frequently mousecage bedding is changed without compromisingcleanliness.IntroductionOur unit opened in 2017, during the procurement ofnew equipment we had the opportunity to purchase adigital ventilated rack system from Tecniplast UK. Thecages are referred to as the Digitally Ventilated Cage orDVC. This system uses the data collected by sensorsbelow the cage to flag when to clean out based on thechange in an electromagnetic signal. To have thisfunctionality we first needed to create an algorithmduring a learning phase.The learning phase: devising analgorithmWe held a meeting to agree what warranted a cage basechange based on pictures to avoid being subjective. Wereferred to the Home Office Codes of Practice for thehousing and care of animals bred, supplied or used forscientific purposes (HOCoP) for advice on husbandr ypractices to set our criteria, balancing hygiene and theimportance of olfactory cues to rodents and their needfor control over their environment.1We started the trial, noting when the cage reached thepoint it required a base change. We assessed airquality, what proportion of the cage base was wet andwhether the animals still had choice over theirenvironment and their ability to show spatial separationof different behaviours such as nesting and excretion,for example their nest was free of faeces. During the‘learning phas e’ we as ke d our Named VeterinarySurgeon (NVS) and Home Office inspector (HOI) tocheck that they agreed with our assessment.APRIL_1-628207435_4-628196990.e$S:Animal Technology and Welfare 24/9/20 06:51 Page 49

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33August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareIntroductionAs a research technician at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), I have had ten years’ experience of rearing multiple mosquito colonies and over a year of rearing a tsetse fly colony. Throughout my career, I have attended various talks about the counselling and support options available to technicians working with the school’s experimental mice but I have never seen any of this available to those that rear insects. This has led to me thinking about how radically different our attitudes are towards mammals, birds, fish and amphibians used in scientific research compared to insects. I have reflected on this drawing on my years of experience and have asked the question, why this is the case? Increasing the use of insects in research demonstrates the complexity of cognition and potential for feeling pain.Animal testing in the United Kingdom (UK) is tightly regulated and rightly so. I am sure many people are familiar with the guidelines enshrined in law of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), a summation from the UK Research and Innovation website.– Animals protected by the law include all living vertebrates, including those most commonly used in scientific procedures, such as mice, rats and other rodents, and fish. Other species used include amphibians, reptiles and birds. Horses, cats, dogs and non-human primates are specially protected species under ASPA.Invertebrate animals such as the fruit fly, Drosophila, and worms, which are also commonly used in biomedical research are not protected by the law.1Why are invertebrate animals not included under these protections? New legislation in parts of the world offers protection to cephalopods, given recent research 49Haven’t the time to write a paper but want to have something published? Then read on!This section offers readers the opportunity to submit informal contributions about anyaspects of Animal Technology. Comments, observations, descriptions of new or refinedtechniques, new products or equipment, old products or equipment adapted to new use,any subject that may be useful to technicians in other institutions. Submissions can bepresented as technical notes and do not need to be structured and can be as short or aslong as is necessary. Accompanying illustrations and/or photos should be high resolution.NB. Descriptions of new products or equipment submitted by manufacturers are welcomebut should be a factual account of the product. However, the Editorial Board gives nowarranty as to the accuracy or fitness for purpose of the product.What 3Rs idea have you developed?EMMA FILBYMira Building, University of Cambridge, University Biomedical Services,Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FSCorrespondence: emma.filby@admin.cam.ac.ukBased on an ar ticle written for the National Centre for the 3RsApril 2020 Animal Technology and We lfareTECH-2-TECHBackgroundEmma was invited to write an article as a 3Rschampion in NC3Rs ‘Tech 3Rs’ Issue 5, November2019.Here is her response describing how she has used anautomated system to reduce how frequently mousecage bedding is changed without compromisingcleanliness.IntroductionOur unit opened in 2017, during the procurement ofnew equipment we had the opportunity to purchase adigital ventilated rack system from Tecniplast UK. Thecages are referred to as the Digitally Ventilated Cage orDVC. This system uses the data collected by sensorsbelow the cage to flag when to clean out based on thechange in an electromagnetic signal. To have thisfunctionality we first needed to create an algorithmduring a learning phase.The learning phase: devising analgorithmWe held a meeting to agree what warranted a cage basechange based on pictures to avoid being subjective. Wereferred to the Home Office Codes of Practice for thehousing and care of animals bred, supplied or used forscientific purposes (HOCoP) for advice on husbandr ypractices to set our criteria, balancing hygiene and theimportance of olfactory cues to rodents and their needfor control over their environment.1We started the trial, noting when the cage reached thepoint it required a base change. We assessed airquality, what proportion of the cage base was wet andwhether the animals still had choice over theirenvironment and their ability to show spatial separationof different behaviours such as nesting and excretion,for example their nest was free of faeces. During the‘learning phas e’ we as ke d our Named VeterinarySurgeon (NVS) and Home Office inspector (HOI) tocheck that they agreed with our assessment.APRIL_1-628207435_4-628196990.e$S:Animal Technology and Welfare 24/9/20 06:51 Page 49TECH-2-TECHCaring for insectsJONATHAN THORNTONLiverpool School of Tropical MedicineCorrespondence: jhthornton@hotmail.comApril 2024 Animal Technology and Welfare

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34Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020demonstrating their intelligence. But insects are still firmly kept off this list. Generally, it is assumed that their nervous systems are too undeveloped and their lifespans too short for them to feel pain. However recent research has demonstrated that some species of insects, in particular ants and bees, are capable of much more complex acts of cognition than we realised and further research suggesting that insects might indeed feel pain.2 This clearly raises ethical implications for the use of insects in scientific testing. It is not my intention to indicate that using insects for testing is wrong, indeed it would be hypocritical of me to say so given my role. However, I do want to open a space of discomfort, a provocation for myself as much as all the rest of us involved in scientific research and animal rights, to ask, why are we so quick to exclude insects from protections offered to other animals? What are my responsibilities of care and respect towards these creatures that I work with? If insects do feel pain, do we need to rethink our entire conception of them?DebateInsects are fascinating creatures and we have learned an incredible amount from them over their long history of use in scientific research.3 The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a model organism. It has a short lifespan and an easily manipulated genome which has been used to learn a great many things about human and animal physiology, from embryonic development to disease mechanisms. Insects produce numerous and varied bioactive compounds which have given us antibiotics as well as treatments for cancer and neurological disorders. Insects that decompose bodies are used in forensic examinations to determine time of death and help to solve crimes. Many conservation programmes for insects involve the trapping and dissecting of many specimens of a species to identify and monitor the population. The insects which I look after are mosquitoes and tsetse flies fall into this last category. We study these to help prevent vector borne diseases such as malaria, Dengue fever, Zika and sleeping sickness. These horrible diseases affect many of the world’s poorest populations. The 2021 World Malaria Report4 showed that during 2020, that annual malaria related deaths increased to six hundred and twenty-seven thousand which was the highest level in nearly a decade due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. My role supports the important work that LSTM performs in finding ways to combat these diseases. Remember there is a very real toll in human death and suffering caused by these diseases before we discuss ethical considerations. Most of our work is related to finding effective ways to kill the insect vectors to prevent the transmission of diseases.This creates a complicated relationship for me and my fellow insectary technicians with the insects we rear. I believe that everyone who spends time nurturing and caring for another living thing, whatever it may be, develops a sense of care and responsibility towards this living thing. However, most of our work revolves around testing the efficacy of different insecticides designed to kill the insects we have reared or infecting them with experimental viral or plasmodium infections to study the dynamics of the disease in the insect vector. To do this, it is necessary to maintain the colonies at a level of husbandry where they are happy, healthy and thriving. Mosquito and tsetse fly colonies are very sensitive and must be carefully nurtured. All the colonies must be kept at specific conditions, regularly cleaned, not too overcrowded, fed and watered the correct amount at the correct time. Much time, effort and care go into rearing these creatures, many of which are killed during experiments. This contradiction is where my fellow insectary technicians and I live. We keep these creatures alive to find better ways of killing them. I feel it is worth consciously embracing this contradiction and one of the ways I try to do this is by keeping myself aware of my tsetse flies as animals with a right to exist on their own terms and as vectors of a deadly disease. By my own personal strange rituals, I say thank you and goodbye to each cage of flies I dispose of. I am not under any delusions that this means anything to the flies themselves but it allows me to think of them as creatures worthy of respect while I am working with them.ConclusionLike others that work within scientific research that uses animals, I had to find ways to make peace with the work that I do and it is always an ongoing process, especially with new research creating new information and new questions. I freely admit that I have more questions than answers but by keeping those questions alive and embracing the discomfort that comes from them is important. In ‘Minds Without Spines: Evolutionarily Inclusive Animal Ethics’5, Irena Mikhalevich and Russell Powell call out our inherent biases in privileging vertebrate welfare over invertebrate welfare and call for more moral consistency in dealing with arthropods in particular. Regardless of whether they feel pain or qualify as sentient, insects are still living beings worthy of our respect. Our research is important and necessary in alleviating human suffering and I am not by any means denigrating insect testing. But these contradictions are worth holding in our minds and as an insectary technician I aim to approach the flies I work on with both respect and care, as living beings worthy of such. Caring for insects

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35August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareReferences1 UK Research and Innovation (2023). ‘Regulation and Policy’ https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/mrc/our- policies-and-standards/research/research-involving-animals/regulation-and-policy Accessed 27 November 2023.2 Crump, A., Gibbons, M., Barrett, M., Birch, J., Chittka, L. (2023). Is it time for insect researchers to consider their subjects’ welfare? PLoS Biol 21(6): e3002138. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio. 30021383 Royal Entomological Society (2023). ‘What Have Insects Done for Us?’ https://www.royensoc.co.uk/what-have- insects-done-for-us Accessed 27 November 2023.4 Malaria No More UK (2023). ‘New Figures Show a Dramatic Rise in Malaria Deaths’ https://malaria nomore.org.uk/who-world-malaria-report-2021 Accessed 27 November 20235 Mikhalevich, I., & Powell, R. (2020). Minds without spines: Evolutionarily inclusive animal ethics. 29. DOI: 10.51291/2377-7478.1527.Caring for insects

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36Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Animal Technology and Welfare April 2024A general finding in animals is that the correct dosage of genes is two, with one copy inherited from each parent. Deviation from this diploid condition typically leads either to abnormality or lethality. That in mammals the X-chromosome carries many genes that are absent from the much smaller male-determining Y-chromosome clearly seems to pose a dosage problem. One suggestion for addressing this was that genes on each X in females might be expressed at half the level of those on the single X in males. However, there was no obvious precedent for such a possibility. In 1961 Mary Lyon offered a most elegant solution to the problem in a paper in the journal Nature which was not only a model of clarity and brevity but has withstood the test of time. She addressed the issue by making three deductions from just two observations in mice. Among other things, her conjecture offers a compelling explanation as to why females are much less susceptible to adverse effects of mutation of genes carried on the X-chromosome than males.Mary Frances Lyon was born in Norwich in 1925 as the eldest of three children but the family moved several times during her childhood for her father’s work. Mary’s secondary education began at King Edward VI High school for Girls in Birmingham where she developed a passion for Biology and it continued at Woking High School from where she had to cycle some distance to at least two other schools to obtain the necessary advanced instruction in the sciences and mathematics. When the time came for her to sit the Entrance Exam for Cambridge University she realised that this included compulsory Latin which she had never studied. However, she managed to learn enough of the subject in 6 weeks to pass the Exams and be admitted to Girton College. As a woman she did not qualify for a full degree but was awarded just a ‘titular’ one, a miscarriage of justice that was finally rectified by the University at a Special Ceremony in 1998. Mary started research in genetics at Cambridge under the supervision of the eccentric Sir Ronald Fisher of statistical fame but could not relate to him and thus moved to Edinburgh to complete her PhD under Douglas Falconer (Figure 1). In 1954 she moved with Toby Carter’s Group to MRC Harwell where she spent the entire remainder of her research career. In 1962 she was made head of the Genetics Section at Harwell. From 1971 she lived in Crabtree Cottage near Abingdon until her death on Christmas Day 2014. For the last decade of her life she suffered from Parkinson’s Disease but this did not prevent her from maintaining an active interest in mouse genetics. So what made Mary’s contribution to mammalian genetics so special? To understand this, we need to note that the normal action of a gene depends on its being present in two copies or doses, one from each parent. Absence of one copy or presence of more than 2 is associated with abnormal development or function. An example of this is Down Syndrome which is due to the presence of extra genes due to inheritance of three rather than the normal 2 copies human chromosome 21. However, when we look at the sex chromosomes, X and Y, we are confronted with a problem of dosage because the X- carries many more genes than the Y-, a difference estimated to be of the order of tenfold in the human. In the 1950s, several researchers grappled unsuccessfully with the problem of how the effective dosage for such genes could be equalised between female with 2 X-chromosomes and males with just one. It was Mary Lyon in 1961 that came up with the correct solution to this problem with what Sir Henry Harris, a previous Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford, described in a book “as one of the most brilliant and illuminating conjectures in the history of embryology”. Mary Lyon’s brilliant and illuminating conjecture PROFESSOR SIR RICHARD GARDNERUniversity of OxfordCorrespondence: atweditor@iat.org.uk

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37August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareSo what was this solution? In a very brief paper published in Nature1 in 1961 Mary drew 3 conclusions from 2 observations.1. Mice with just one X chromosome and no Y i.e. XO mice were essentially normal fertile females, so that only a single X was necessary for normal development and function. This is not quite true in humans where XO individuals are infertile, as Turner’s Syndrome cases.2. Females that inherit X chromosomes carrying different forms (alleles) of genes affecting coat colouror texture do not show typical uniform Mendelian dominance of one form over the other or a uniform intermediate state, but multiple patches of each type. From these observations Mary drew the following three conclusions regarding the behaviour of the two X-chromosomes in female embryos.1. Very early in embryonic development one X chromosomeis switched off (inactivated) in every cell.2. It is random whether the maternally or paternally inherited X is switched off in any given cell.13 Figure 1. Mary Lyon in the Genetics Department of the Institute of Animal Genetics in Edinburgh in 1950. © Medical Research Council.3. Inactivation is a stable heritable property in that once a cell has switched off the maternal or paternal X all its (clonal) descendants have the same X inactive.One signifi cant consequence of X-inactivation is that female mammals are genetically mosaic for all genes in which parents contribute distinct variants (alleles). As a consequence, women who receive an X-link haemophilia mutation from one parent and the normal variant from the other, typically have enough cells expressing the normal variant or allele to protect them from adverse effects of the mutant one. Of course, no such protection is afforded to males who happen to receive the mutant X from their mothers.As is often the case, truly novel ideas often seem with hindsight to be rather obvious. Thomas Henry Huxley, nicknamed ‘Darwin’s Bulldog’ for his robust defence of Darwin, is reputed to have responded to being made aware of the concept of natural selection with “why didn’t I think of that?”.Many share my view that Mary should have received the Nobel Prize for her discovery and it is very hard to understand why she did not. However, in honour of her achievements, the MRC established the Mary Lyon Centre at Harwell in 2004. Of course, no human being is perfect and Mary Lyon had two conspicuous vices. The fi rst was a serious addiction to all forms of chocolate and the second a marked propensity to cheat at party games like musical chairs!Mary suffered from Parkinson’s disease for more than a decade following her formal retirement but this in no way impaired her intellectual commitment to mouse genetics or her encyclopaedic memory regarding mouse mutations.In conclusion, Mary was one of the really great pioneers of 20th Century biology and serves as an excellent role model for Women in Science.Reference1Lyon, M.F. (1961). Gene action on the X-chromosome of the mouse (Mus musculus L). Nature 190, 372-373.Mary Lyon’s brilliant and illuminating conjecture

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It’s OK … NOT TO BE OKAY …Let’s Talk compassion fatigue - the cost of caringCompassion is an emotion of which we ought never to be ashamed... HUGH BLAIR (http://greatthoughtstreasury.com/author/hugh-blair)Animal Technicians throughout the UK are renowned for the care they afford to laboratory animals. Animal Technicians invest a lot of emotion in providing the best care and are devoted to ensuring that all the physical and psychological needs of their animals are met on a daily basis. The IAT is very proud of the high standard of care and welfare that Animal Technicians invest into animals under their care. As a result of the time spent with animals there is very often an emotional bond formed between the animal and technician, and when this bond is broken it can have a detrimental effect on the technician. A lot is invested into animal welfare but the welfare of the Animal Technicians should not be overlooked.What is compassion fatigue?Compassion fatigue is a state of exhaustion and biologic, physiologic and emotional dysfunction resulting from prolonged exposure to compassion stress.1How can compassion fatigue affect our Animal Techs?Compassion fatigue can affect all those that care for and work with laboratory animals, including Animal Technicians, veterinary staff, researchers, and support staff. It is known as the ‘cost of caring’. It can affect us emotionally to invest so much care for laboratory animals and the effect can be intensified in those that form strong bonds with their animals. This is an emotional cost that is paid little attention in the UK. In the USA, extensive research has been conducted and some very useful programmes are put into place surrounding compassion fatigue.Susan A Iliff in her paper asks the question, “Should we have a fourth ‘R’ – Remembering the animals?”. This paper is a worthwhile read for Animal Technicians who potentially are exposed to compassion fatigue.How do I recognise compassion fatigue?People who experience compassion fatigue may exhibit a variety of symptoms including:l lowered concentration l numbness or feelings of helplessnessl irritabilityl lack of self-satisfaction l withdrawal and detachmentl aches and painsl work absenteeism l excessive sadness or bottling up of emotionsl isolating oneselfl neglecting your appearancel abusing substances to copel feeling mentally and physically tiredl having difficulty concentratingl reduced sense of meaning or purpose in one’s workIt’s OK … NOT TO BE OKAY … Let’s Talk compassion fatigue - the cost of caringMental Health Awarenesswww.iat.org.ukSupportSome establishments realise that compassion fatigue can have a large effect (often unrecognised) on Animal Technicians/care staff and are starting to put mechanisms together to help support the staff emotionally when times get hard. It is important to understand and appreciate the potential impact of compassion fatigue. Employers should try and support Animal Technicians as much as possible and try and spot the signs that compassion fatigue could be manifesting itself. In the USA support mechanisms have been put in place to support animal care staff, examples include:- Welfare programmes or initiatives.- Memorial gardens/ places of reflection.- Memory boards / memory cards.- AALAS compassion fatigue module.- Fostering a culture of openness around compassion fatigue.Currently work is ongoing surrounding compassion fatigue in the UK with establishments being encouraged to look at the effects on Animal Technicians and incorporate compassion fatigue into their culture of care. The IAT Equality and Diversity Group realises the impact of compassion fatigue and if you need any support please see https://www.iat.org.uk/equalityThis article has been collated using information from the AALAS Compassion fatigue model which can be accessed through their website at www.aalas.orgReferences:1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6526492/ AALAS www.aalas.orghttp://greatthoughttreasury.com/author/hugh-blairIliff, Susan A. (2002). An Additional “R”: Remembering the Animals. ILAR Journal 43(1), 38-47, 2002 https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.43.1.38Plaque of remembrance at the National Institute of HealthInstitute of Animal TechnologyCOUNCILEDI GroupEquity, Diversity and Inclusion

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It’s OK … NOT TO BE OKAY …Let’s Talk compassion fatigue - the cost of caringCompassion is an emotion of which we ought never to be ashamed... HUGH BLAIR (http://greatthoughtstreasury.com/author/hugh-blair)Animal Technicians throughout the UK are renowned for the care they afford to laboratory animals. Animal Technicians invest a lot of emotion in providing the best care and are devoted to ensuring that all the physical and psychological needs of their animals are met on a daily basis. The IAT is very proud of the high standard of care and welfare that Animal Technicians invest into animals under their care. As a result of the time spent with animals there is very often an emotional bond formed between the animal and technician, and when this bond is broken it can have a detrimental effect on the technician. A lot is invested into animal welfare but the welfare of the Animal Technicians should not be overlooked.What is compassion fatigue?Compassion fatigue is a state of exhaustion and biologic, physiologic and emotional dysfunction resulting from prolonged exposure to compassion stress.1How can compassion fatigue affect our Animal Techs?Compassion fatigue can affect all those that care for and work with laboratory animals, including Animal Technicians, veterinary staff, researchers, and support staff. It is known as the ‘cost of caring’. It can affect us emotionally to invest so much care for laboratory animals and the effect can be intensified in those that form strong bonds with their animals. This is an emotional cost that is paid little attention in the UK. In the USA, extensive research has been conducted and some very useful programmes are put into place surrounding compassion fatigue.Susan A Iliff in her paper asks the question, “Should we have a fourth ‘R’ – Remembering the animals?”. This paper is a worthwhile read for Animal Technicians who potentially are exposed to compassion fatigue.How do I recognise compassion fatigue?People who experience compassion fatigue may exhibit a variety of symptoms including:l lowered concentration l numbness or feelings of helplessnessl irritabilityl lack of self-satisfaction l withdrawal and detachmentl aches and painsl work absenteeism l excessive sadness or bottling up of emotionsl isolating oneselfl neglecting your appearancel abusing substances to copel feeling mentally and physically tiredl having difficulty concentratingl reduced sense of meaning or purpose in one’s workIt’s OK … NOT TO BE OKAY … Let’s Talk compassion fatigue - the cost of caringMental Health Awarenesswww.iat.org.ukSupportSome establishments realise that compassion fatigue can have a large effect (often unrecognised) on Animal Technicians/care staff and are starting to put mechanisms together to help support the staff emotionally when times get hard. It is important to understand and appreciate the potential impact of compassion fatigue. Employers should try and support Animal Technicians as much as possible and try and spot the signs that compassion fatigue could be manifesting itself. In the USA support mechanisms have been put in place to support animal care staff, examples include:- Welfare programmes or initiatives.- Memorial gardens/ places of reflection.- Memory boards / memory cards.- AALAS compassion fatigue module.- Fostering a culture of openness around compassion fatigue.Currently work is ongoing surrounding compassion fatigue in the UK with establishments being encouraged to look at the effects on Animal Technicians and incorporate compassion fatigue into their culture of care. The IAT Equality and Diversity Group realises the impact of compassion fatigue and if you need any support please see https://www.iat.org.uk/equalityThis article has been collated using information from the AALAS Compassion fatigue model which can be accessed through their website at www.aalas.orgReferences:1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6526492/ AALAS www.aalas.orghttp://greatthoughttreasury.com/author/hugh-blairIliff, Susan A. (2002). An Additional “R”: Remembering the Animals. ILAR Journal 43(1), 38-47, 2002 https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.43.1.38Plaque of remembrance at the National Institute of HealthInstitute of Animal TechnologyCOUNCILEDI GroupEquity, Diversity and Inclusion

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151IntroductionA hallmark symptom of rheumatoid arthritis in humansis painful swollen joints. Pain can manifest before anyinflammation is noticeable1,2as well as persist longafter inflammation has resolved.3In rodent models of arthritis, ankle or foot pad width isa commo nly u sed surrogate marker of pain (seeFigure 1).Measur ing footpad wi dth assumes that increasedswelling is proportional to enhanced pain. A mildarthritis phenotype in which there is minimal swellingmay therefore inaccurately reflect the extent of painand discomfort.POSTER PRESENTATIONSOriginally presented at:IAT Congress 2019Assessing pain in models ofRheumatoid ArthritisSAMUEL SINGLETON,1MERIAM NEFLA,1NGAIRE DENNISON,1SIMON ARTHUR2and TIM HALES1School of Life Sciences, Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, University of Dundee,Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK2MRSU and Institute of Academic Anaesthesia, Division of Systems Medicine, NinewellsHospital, University of Dundee, DD1 9SY, UKCorrespondence: s.z.singleton@dundee.ac.ukAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareFigure 1. Footpad width as a surrogate measure of pain in arthritis models. Commonly used methods to assess painare footpad width (A), ankle width (B) or footpad ankle length (C).BCAAim: We aimed to determine how well pain correlated to footpad widths using the collagen antibody arthritismodel.August20:Animal Technology and Welfare 12/8/20 07:54 Page 151Enquiries to Congress Committee via congress@iat.org.ukCome and celebrate the IAT’s75th anniversary with us atCongress20254th - 7th MarchNORTH WEST VENUEDelivering a Full Scientific Programme addressing current themes Attend the wide range of Scientific Papers and Poster DisplaysVisit one of the largest Trade Exhibitions in the UKDetails for Congress 2025 will be available on the IAT websitewww.iat.org.uk and published in the monthly BulletinBookings will open September 2024The largest UK event run entirely for Animal Technologists and TechniciansCongress2025CONGRESS

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41August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareApril 2024 Animal Technology and WelfarePOSTER PRESENTATIONS151IntroductionA hallmark symptom of rheumatoid arthritis in humansis painful swollen joints. Pain can manifest before anyinflammation is noticeable1,2as well as persist longafter inflammation has resolved.3In rodent models of arthritis, ankle or foot pad width isa commo nly u sed surrogate marker of pain (seeFigure 1).Measur ing footpad wi dth assumes that increasedswelling is proportional to enhanced pain. A mildarthritis phenotype in which there is minimal swellingmay therefore inaccurately reflect the extent of painand discomfort.POSTER PRESENTATIONSOriginally presented at:IAT Congress 2019Assessing pain in models ofRheumatoid ArthritisSAMUEL SINGLETON,1MERIAM NEFLA,1NGAIRE DENNISON,1SIMON ARTHUR2and TIM HALES1School of Life Sciences, Division of Cell Signalling and Immunology, University of Dundee,Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK2MRSU and Institute of Academic Anaesthesia, Division of Systems Medicine, NinewellsHospital, University of Dundee, DD1 9SY, UKCorrespondence: s.z.singleton@dundee.ac.ukAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareFigure 1. Footpad width as a surrogate measure of pain in arthritis models. Commonly used methods to assess painare footpad width (A), ankle width (B) or footpad ankle length (C).BCAAim: We aimed to determine how well pain correlated to footpad widths using the collagen antibody arthritismodel.August20:Animal Technology and Welfare 12/8/20 07:54 Page 151BackgroundInteracting with environmental enrichment can reduce morbidity, aggression and stereotypic behaviours improving both Animal Welfare and scientifi c data output.1 High containment facilities are limited on space, do not have natural scenery, the cattle are kept in together, in small groups and have frequent close contact with humans which can create a potentially stressful environment.The provision of environmental enrichment inside highcontainment facilities is more valuable but inconvenient and it is important to know which items are most effective to improve Animal Welfare.Figure 1.Following posters originally presented at: IAT Congress 2023Comparing the use of enrichment items by cattle in a high containment facilityROSANNA SMITH-LANGRIDGEDepartment of Pathology and Animal Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, WeybridgeCorrespondence: Rosanna.smith-langridge@apha.gov.ukSponsored by

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42Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020This study tested a hay net, clean empty chemical drum, kong ball and knotted rope to establish which items the cattle preferred to interact with and what had the most enrichment potential.MethodA broom head and salt lick were placed in each of the pens as the control for the enrichment. Each pen except for a control pen was given 1 test item for 1 week and then swapped. All items were hung using natural rope toallow a swinging motion and easy access. The cows wereobserved via close circuit television (CCTV) for 5 minuteseach at 2 set times and 1 random time every day to maximise the representation of their whole day2 (Figure 1).The set times for the observations were 10:00 and 18:00 when the cows were most active outside of their feed times. This had previously been identifi ed and notedas pre-study data.Figure 2 shows the total length of time the cows spent interacting with their environmental enrichment. They spent signifi cantly more time with the hay net than the other items (P<0.01).ResultsThe Kruskall-wallis statistical test method was applied using P<0.05 for signifi cance. The winner was the hay net! The cows interacted the most frequently and for the longest period of time with the hay net. This combined foraging and playing together resulting in long interactions and long-term interest. (see Figure 4)The ball and drum were both successful environmental enrichment and were utilised in similar ways (headbutting, chewing, swinging) perhaps due to their structural similarity. They were played with as frequently as the haynet but for shorter periods of time (see Figures 2 and 3).The rope was played with less than the control items and was deemed as an unsuccessful environmental enrichment aid. Interest in each of the items decreased with time as the novelty wore off (p<0.01). Figure 1 Figure 2 shows the total number of times the cows interacted with the environmental enrichment items. The hay net, ball and drum were not significantly different from each other (P>0.05) Figure 2 Figure 2. Figure 1 Figure 2 shows the total number of times the cows interacted with the environmental enrichment items. The hay net, ball and drum were not significantly different from each other (P>0.05) Figure 2 Figure 3.Figure 4.Figure 3 shows the total number of times the cows interacted with the environmental enrichment items. Thehay net, ball and drum were not signifi cantly different from each other (P>0.05).Poster Presentations

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43August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster PresentationsConclusionThis study recommends the hay net as the most effective enrichment item for cattle in a high containment environment. This may be due to the nutritional incentive along with the daily novelty created by refilling it each morning to maintain their interest. The drum and ball are also effective enrichment and were very popular for repeated short play, engaging oral manipulation and headbutting behaviours. The knotted rope was rarely interacted with and is not recommended.The cows’ interest in the control items remained relatively constant reinforcing their use as minimum environmental enrichment for essential behavioural outlets e.g. grooming. To maximise Animal Welfare, introduce a variety of items sporadically to prevent habituation/boredom thus making them redundant.References1 Mandel et al. 2016. J. Dairy Sci (99) p1695-1715. 2 Eisenhauer & Hanks 2020. Environmetrics 31(6) p2618.Acknowledgments Anna Roberts PhD, Simon Ratcliffe.

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44Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Anaesthetics that compliment radiotracers [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE, [18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT Imaging in Rodents JILLENE VISSER1,2, CECILE SWANEPOEL1, CATHERYN HELENA STANFORD DRIVER1,2and THOMAS EBENHAN1,2,3,41Pre-clinical Imaging Facility – Nuclear Medical Research Infrastructure NPC, Pretoria, South Africa2 NECSA, Radiochemistry, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa 3 University of Pretoria, Nuclear Medicine, Pretoria, South Africa4 DSI/ PCDDP, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South AfricaCorrespondence: jillenevisser@gmail.comIntroductionAnaesthetic compounds are routinely used during preclinical imaging investigations to avoid movement artefacts. However these agents can infl uence tracer uptake and may increase mortality risks during anaesthesia and should thus be investigated thoroughly prior to choosing an anaesthetic agent. AimTo summarise the effect of common anaesthetic agents on the expected biodistribution of three radiotracers commonly used in preclinical imaging investigations.1ResultsTable 1. Compatibility of various anaesthetic agents for optimal micro PET/CT imaging of indicated radiotracers.[18F]FDG [68Ga]-DOTA-TATE[68Ga]-PSMA11Isofl uraneSevofl uraneKetamine/XylazinePentobarbitalPropofolFentanylcitrate fl uanisone/Diazepamn/a n/aInhalationInjectable Table 1: Compatibility of various anaesthetic agents for optimal micro PET/CT imaging of indicated radiotracers Method RED – Contraindicated with high physiological interference regarding tracer uptake and biodistributionORANGE– Increased safety risk to animal with possiblity of morality– Moderate interference with tracer uptakeGREEN – Low interference with physiological processesand expected tracer uptakeSponsored byAnimal Technology and Welfare April 2024

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45August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareMethodA systemic literature search was performed which was specifi c to anaesthesia in rodents which was considered to micro PET/CT imaging studies.Further refi nement was included for the following radiotracers:[18F]FDG (glucose metabolism) (Figure 1)[68Ga] Ga-DOTA-TATE (somatostatin 2 receptor ligand) (Figure 2)[68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (prostate specifi c antigen ligand) (Figure 3)Effects on respiration rate, body temperature, heart rate and glucose metabolism were evaluated with respect to the radiotracer expected/known biodistribution.Discussion– Isofl urane is the most optimal inhalation anaesthetic.1,5– Care should be taken when imaging [68Ga] Ga-DOTA-TATE as this infl uences glucocorticoid levelsand other neuroendocrine abnormalities2.– When compared to Sevofl urane it is also more favourable due to decreased cardiac depression and increased tracer uptake.3– Pentobarbital and Propofol are suitable injectable anaesthetic agents for [68Ga] Ga-DOTA-TATE and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 imaging.– Care must be taken with Pentobarbital monitoring the vital signs due to increased respiratory and cardiac depression.– Propofol is not suitable for cerebral [18F]FDG imaging due to lowering the glucose metabolism in the brain resulting in decreased cerebral uptake.– Fentanyl citrate fl uanisone/Diazepam is the most suited injectable anaesthetic option for [18F]FDG.–Shows the least interference with glucose metabolism which results in optimal tumour imaging.4References1 Cesarovic, N., Nicholls, F., Rettich, A., et al. (2010).Isofl urane and sevofl urane provide equally effective anaesthesia in laboratory mice. Laboratory Animals. Vol. 44, no 4, p329-336.2Martynyuk, A.E., Ju, L.S., Morey, T.E., Zhang, J.Q.(2020).Neuroendocrine, epigenetic, and intergenerational effects of general anesthetics. World J Psychiatry. Vol.10 (5), p 81-94. 3 Constantinides, C., Mean, R., Janssen, B.J.(2011). Effects of isofl urane anesthesia on the cardiovascular function of the C57BL/6 mouse. ILAR J. Vol. 52, no 3, p21-31.4Fueger B.J., Czernin, J., Hildebrandt, I., et al. (2006).Impact of animal handling on the results of [18F]-FDG PET studies in mice. J Nucl Med. Vol. 47, no.6, p999-1006.5Kober, F., Iltis, I., Cozzone, P.J. and Bernard, M.(2005). Myocardial blood fl ow mapping in mice usinghigh-resolution spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging: Infl uence of ketamine/xylazine and isofl uraneanesthesia. Magn. Reson. Med. Vol. 53, p601-606.ConclusionAnaesthetics used for PET and CT imaging need to match the radiotracer and expected biodistribution to allow for optimal, uninterrupted image acquisition.Better understanding of the interplay between radiotracersand available anaesthetic agents will improve the standard, performance and outcome of the imaging studies that aim to use radiotracers as a sensitive in vivo biomarker i.e. to study drug effects.This summary can be used as a guideline as part of initial study planning when implementing the 3R principles, ARRIVE and PREPARE guidelines. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Conclusion Anaesthetics used for PET and CT imaging need to match the radiotracer and expected biodistribution to allow for optimal, uninterrupted image acquisition. Better understanding of the interplay between radiotracers and available anaesthetic agents will improve the standard, performance and outcome of the imaging studies that aim to use radiotracers as a sensitive in vivo biomarker i.e. to study drug effects. Figure 1. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Conclusion Anaesthetics used for PET and CT imaging need to match the radiotracer and expected biodistribution to allow for optimal, uninterrupted image acquisition. Better understanding of the interplay between radiotracers and available anaesthetic agents will improve the standard, performance and outcome of the imaging studies that aim to use radiotracers as a sensitive in vivo biomarker i.e. to study drug effects. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Conclusion Anaesthetics used for PET and CT imaging need to match the radiotracer and expected biodistribution to allow for optimal, uninterrupted image acquisition. Better understanding of the interplay between radiotracers and available anaesthetic agents will improve the standard, performance and outcome of the imaging studies that aim to use radiotracers as a sensitive in vivo biomarker i.e. to study drug effects. Figure 2. Figure 3.Poster Presentations

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46Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020A collaborative effort to improve the welfare of SKH1 miceTHOMAS BOSLEY1, RACHEL WALKER1, PEDRO DURAO2and AMAYA VIRÓS21 Biological Research Unit, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute2 Skin Cancer and Ageing Lab, Cancer Research UK Manchester InstituteCorrespondence: Thomas.bosley@manchester.ac.uk BackgroundExposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) has a profound effecton skin biology both macroscopically and physiologically. In order to study a more clinically relevant setting we have been closely involved with a project that is using a mouse strain known to mimic UV damage in human skin. This mouse strain is very frail and requires a high Culture of Care. We have been employing the 3Rs to maintain this strain and set up a number of standard operating procedures to improve their welfare. The SKH1 mouse model: pros and consBackgroundExposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) has a profound effect on skin biology both macroscopically and physiologically. In order to study a more clinically relevant setting we have been closely involved with a project that is using a mouse strain known to mimic UV damage in human skin. This mouse strain is very frail and requires a high Culture of Care. We have been employing the 3Rs to maintain this strain and set up a number of standard operating procedures to improve their welfare.1. The SKH1 mouse model: pros and consUV (Once a week)Dom/KetAntisedanProsConsImmunocompetent mice.Mimics UV damage in human skin.C57/Bl6 background (good for cellengraftment).Widely used for dermatology and cancer research studies.Highly sensitive to anaesthetic (Ketamine).Highly sensitive skin.Abscess development.Dehydration and body weight loss.Homozygous females are sterile.ProsImmunocompetent mice. Mimics UV damage in human skin.C57/BL6 background (good for cell engraftment).Widely used for dermatology and cancer research studies.ConsHighly sensitive to anaesthetic (Ketamine). Highly sensitive skin. Abscess development.Dehydration and bodyweight loss. Homozygous females are sterile. Animal Technology and Welfare April 2024

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47August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster PresentationsAnaesthetic optimisation:1. Remove ketamine2. Reduce original ketamine dose to ½ Tackling the cons: anaestheticVery weak sedation and did not stay still enough to cover with UV clothesVery deep sedation. A few mice lost due to high dose.3. Reduce original ketamine dose to 1/3 and keep mice longer on heating mats Injectable anaesthesia is suffi cient to perform the procedure and mice quickly recover after Antisedan. No deaths reported due to UV procedure.Anaesthetic dose used for C57/BL6 mice was too concentrated for SKH1 mice.Tackling the cons: abscessSpontaneous abscesses.Measure their growth (Figure 1)• if not growing: keep mouse alive with additional monitoring • if growing and impacting welfare (such as walking): cull mice Figure 1- Mouse with a spontaneous abscess in the genital area. They usually appear on the genital or chest areas and don’t usually grow. Sore skin due to UV exposure Daily application of E45 cream Figure 2 Sore skin due to UV exposure usually occur 48 hours after UV exposure. All UV exposed mice are creamed daily with E45 cream 4. Tackling the cons: Sensitive Skin Figure 1. Mouse with a spontaneous abscess in the genitalarea. They usually appear on the genital or chest areas and don’t usually grow.Tackling the cons: sensitive skinSore skin due to UV exposure.Daily application of E45 cream. Figure 1- Mouse with a spontaneous abscess in the genital area. They usually appear on the genital or chest areas and don’t usually grow. Sore skin due to UV exposure Daily application of E45 cream Figure 2 Sore skin due to UV exposure usually occur 48 hours after UV exposure. All UV exposed mice are creamed daily with E45 cream 4. Tackling the cons: Sensitive Skin Figure 2.

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48Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Poster PresentationsSore skin due to UV exposure usually occurs 48 hours after UV exposure. All UV exposed mice are creamed daily with E45 cream and their backs are always checked prior to the next UV session. Mice that still show UV lesions will skip a week of UV to allow their backs to fully heal.Sore skin due to skin to skin contact/scratching (Figure 3).and their backs are always checked prior to the next UV session. Mice that still show UV lesions will skip a week of UV to allow their backs to fully heal. Sore skin due to skin to skin contact/scratching (figure 3) Application of green clay Figure 3 Sore skin around the neck is common and happened due to skin to skin contact/ scratching. When these are seen, green clay is applied. Green clay (figure 4) has shown to greatly improve the sore areas. Large sore areas will fully heal after consistent application of clay. Figure 3.Sore skin around the neck is common and happened due to skin to skin contact/scratching. When these are seen, green clay is applied.Green clay (Figure 4) has shown to greatly improve thesore areas. Large sore areas will fully heal after consistent application of clay.Figure 4.Tackling the cons: dehydration and bodyweight lossDehydration signs:• change in skin colour (from pink to grey)• hunched and lethargic• bodyweight lossWeigh the mice on a daily basis.Switch from water automatic system to water bottles.Provide sugar free jelly. Figure 5 Figure 6 6. Tackling the cons: females are homozygous sterile Homozygous SKH1 female mice are sterile and cannot lactate and the colony needs to be maintained as heterozygous males and females to ensure more robust data. Dehydrated mouse drinking from a water tray. We decided to use water bottles and trays of watery jelly (figure 5) This has shown to greatly improve their welfare. The jelly has greatly encouraged them to put weight back on and fully recover from dehydration (figure 6) Figure 5.Dehydrated mouse drinking from a water tray. We decided to use water bottles and trays of watery jelly (Figure 5).Application of green clay

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49August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster PresentationsThis has shown to greatly improve their welfare. The jelly has greatly encouraged them to put weight back on and fully recover from dehydration (Figure 6). Figure 5 Figure 6 6. Tackling the cons: females are homozygous sterile Homozygous SKH1 female mice are sterile and cannot lactate and the colony needs to be maintained as heterozygous males and females to ensure more robust data. Dehydrated mouse drinking from a water tray. We decided to use water bottles and trays of watery jelly (figure 5) This has shown to greatly improve their welfare. The jelly has greatly encouraged them to put weight back on and fully recover from dehydration (figure 6) Figure 6.Tackling the cons: females are homozygous sterileHomozygous SKH1 female mice are sterile and cannot lactate and the colony needs to be maintained as heterozygous males and females to ensure more robust data. 7 Conclusions: The SKH1 is a great mouse model to study how UV damage changes the slin both macroscopically as well as molecularly however the strain is very frail. During the project and in strong collaboration with the Skin Cancer and Ageing group and the Named Veterinary Surgeon, multiple standard operating proceudres (SOPs) were put inplace to ensure a better Culture of Care for these mice. Thanks to this collaboratortive work, the mouse colony has thrived by refining various steps of the process, including daily monitoring, E45 cream and green clay application as well as replacing mash for jelly. These SOPs could be implemented for any other mouse strain showing the same welfare issues. We are currently testing the use of jelly instead of mash in another study using C57/bl6 mice. Females used for breeding and males are sacrificed All mice used for studies and some males used for breeding. Conclusions The SKH1 is a great mouse model to study how UV damage changes the skin both macroscopically as well as molecularly however the strain is very frail.During the project and in strong collaboration with theSkin Cancer and Ageing group and the Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS), multiple standard operating proceudres (SOPs) were put inplace to ensure a better Culture of Care for these mice.Thanks to this collaborative work, the mouse colony has thrived by refi ning various steps of the process including daily monitoring, E45 cream and green clay application as well as replacing mash for jelly.These SOPs could be implemented for any other mouse strain showing the same welfare issues. We are currently testing the use of jelly instead of mash in another study using C57/BL6 mice.

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Institute ofAnimal TechnologyFor further information, visit our websites: www.iat.org.uk www.atwjournal.com www.iateducation.co.ukMembers of the IAT agree to a code of practice that helps employers to maintain the highest standards of Animal Welfare and global best practice by:•Supporting cutting-edge research with highly-skilled professional and committed Animal Technologists.•Recognised qualifications: Register of Animal Technologists (RAnTech), Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO), IAT FE and HE governed by Ofqual, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).•Access to the wider research community, including government legislators and other professional bodies.•Network support and social opportunities for Animal Technologists.•Career progression, maximise potential through globally, recognised qualification apprenticeship courses.•Animal Technology learning resources such as IAT website members’ section, IAT Bulletin and IAT official Journal Animal Technology and Welfare.Since 1950, the Institute of Animal Technology (IAT) has been the UK’s most prominent professional body in the field of Animal Technology. Our goal is to promote advancing knowledge and standards in the care and welfare of animals in science and support technicians working in the field.Benefits of belonging to the IAT

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51August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareApril 2024 Animal Technology and WelfareIntroductionChlorine dioxide gas is a powerful oxidant with excellent anti-microbial activity against a variety of micro-organisms including viruses, bacteria and parasites.1 It is considered an environmentally friendly safe disinfectant that could be used to kill pinworms eggs. The pinworm nematodes, Syphacia muris, (Figure 1) are commonly encountered inbioresearch facilities infecting laboratory rodents. The availability of disinfectants to successfully eradicatepinworm eggs from the environment is limited to potentphenolic compounds such as Neopredisan and traditionaldisinfectants such as Formaldehyde and Ethylene oxide.Effi cacy of chlorine dioxide gas for the destruction of Syphacia muris eggsLORNA CLEVERLEY, CALLUM LOGAN and REBECCA LAWSONFera Science Ltd, York, UKCorrespondence: Lorna.Cleverley@fera.co.uk These disinfectants are limited in their use due to fl ammability of Neopredisan and carcinogenic properties of formaldehyde and ethylene oxide. A publication by Czara, Adams and Carter2 et al. (2014) demonstrated that chlorine dioxide exposure at a concentration of 1mg/L for 4 hours renders pinworm eggs non-viable. We sought to confi rm this fi nding and determine if the exposure time could be reduced by increasing the concentration of chlorine dioxide gas.MethodAnimalsA total of 33 Cax mice (Cambridge cream) of known health status with an established Syphacia muris infection were sampled. The animals were group housed as 3 to 4 mice with husbandry procedures carried out in accordance with the Animals (Scientifi c Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).Collection of eggsEggs were collected by sellotape impressions of the anal area. Samples were taken in the afternoon to optimise collection. Each slide was scanned to identify the number of eggs present. The sellotape impressions were dissected at 40x magnifi cation into sections containing 10 viable eggs and placed sticky side up and fi xed to slides in the centre of 55mm petri dishes using 10mm acid free craft dots (Figure 2).Non-viable eggs were identifi ed by the presence of degradation of the lipids inside infective juveniles, this indicated that the nematodes within the eggs were unable to hatch. These eggs were omitted from the tapes. The tapes were allocated as treatment or control replicates.IntroductionChlorine dioxide gas is a powerful oxidant with excellent anti-microbial activity against a variety of micro-organisms including viruses, bacteria and parasites1. It is considered an environmentally friendly safe disinfectant that could be used to kill pinworms eggs. The pinworm nematodes, Syphacia muris, (figure 1) are commonly encountered in bioresearch facilities infecting laboratory rodents. Figure 1 head region of female Syphacia murisThe availability of disinfectants to successfully eradicate pinwormeggs from the environment is limited to potent phenolic compounds such as Neopredisan and traditional disinfectants such as Formaldehyde and Ethylene oxide.Figure 1. Head region of female Syphacia muris.

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52Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Poster PresentationsChlorine dioxide exposure Chlorine dioxide gas was generated using a Serosep minidox-M decontamination system into a sealed 62.5 L chamber (Figures 3 and 4). Two exposure concentrations and times were investigated.Replicates (Figure 2) 1 to 5 were exposed for 4 hours at 1mg/L. Humidity was maintained at 58.5 to 60.1% rH. Temperature was maintained at 20.8 to 23.3°C. Replicates 6 to10 were exposed for 1 hour at 4mg/L, humidity was maintained at 51.8 to 55.8 % rH, temperature was maintained at 24.6 to 25.9°C. The treatment replicate petri-dishes were placed in the following conformation in (Figure 5).The chamber was monitored throughout the process to maintain the concentration of chlorine dioxide gas. At the end of each exposure period the chamber was aerated with a charcoal scrubber before removing the petri dishes from the chamber.slide was scanned to identify the number of eggs present. The sellotape impressions were dissected at 40x magnification into sections containing 10 viable eggs and placed sticky side up and fixed to slides in the centre of 55mm petri dishes using 10mm acid free craft dots (figure 2). Figure 2 55mm petri dishes containing Syphacia muris eggs Non-viable eggs were identified by the presence of degradation of the lipids inside infective juveniles, this indicated that the nematodes within the eggs were unable to hatch. These eggs were omitted from the tapes. The tapes were allocated as treatment or control replicates. Figure 2. 55mm petri dishes containing Syphacia muris eggs. Chlorine dioxide exposure Chlorine dioxide gas was generated using a Serosep minidox-M decontamination system into a sealed 62.5 L chamber (Figures 3 and 4). Figure 3. Minidox-M Chlorine Dioxide management system. Figure 3 Minidox-M Chlorine Dioxide management system Figure 4 Minidox-M system (courtesy of Castium Ltd) Two exposure concentrations and times were investigated. Replicates (figure 2) 1 to 5 were exposed for 4 hours at 1mg/L. Humidity was maintained at 58.5 to 60.1% rH. Temperature was Figure 4. Minidox-M system (courtesy of Castium Ltd).maintained at 20.8 to 23.3°C. Replicates 6 to10 were exposed for 1 hour at 4mg/L, humidity was maintained at 51.8 to 55.8 % rH, temperature was maintained at 24.6 to 25.9°C. The treatment replicate petri-dishes were placed in the following conformation in (Figure 5). Figure 5 Replicate positions in chlorine dioxide chamber The chamber was monitored throughout the process to maintain the concentration of chlorine dioxide gas. At the end of each exposure period the chamber was aerated with a charcoal scrubber before removing the petri dishes from the chamber. Staining Figure 5. Replicate positions in chlorine dioxide chamber.

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53August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster PresentationsStainingA 0.05% solution of Medola’s blue stain in an 0.85% saline solution was added to the treatment and control petri dishes and incubated for 30 minutes at room temperature before being de-stained by immersion in distilled water for 30 minutes at room temperature.Treatment and control tapes were scanned at x60 magnifi cation and the number of viable and non-viable eggs was recorded. Eggs were considered non-viable if they appeared blue (Figure 6) and viable if they did not take up the Medola’s blue stain.A 0.05% solution of Medola’s blue stain in an 0.85% saline solution was added to the treatment and control petri dishes and incubated for 30 minutes at room temperature before being de-stained by immersion in distilled water for 30 minutes at room temperature. Treatment and control tapes were scanned at x60 magnification and the number of viable and non-viable eggs was recorded. Eggs were considered non-viable if they appeared blue (Figure 6) and viable if they did not take up the Medola’s blue stain. Figure 6. Non-viable eggs stained with Medola’s blue (x60 mag).HatchingThe hatching medium was prepared as described previouslyby Dix, Astill and Whelan.3Treatment and control eggs were covered in hatching medium and incubated in ambient air at 37°C overnight. After incubation tapes were scanned x60 magnifi cation and the number of hatched and non-hatched eggs recorded. Eggs were considered non-viable if the operculum was intact or the eggs contained larva. Any eggs without larva or those with an open operculum were considered viable (Figures 7 and 8). The data was recorded for each replicate. Figure 7 non-viable eggs showing an open operculum (x60 mag) Figure 7. Non-viable eggs showing an open operculum (x60 mag). Figure 7 non-viable eggs showing an open operculum (x60 mag) Figure 8. Hatched larvae after 6 hours incubation at 37°C.

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54Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Poster PresentationsResultsMedola’s blue viability stain – the number of non-viable eggsSummaryChlorine dioxide gas resulted in 100% kill of Syphacia muris eggs at a concentration of 1mg per 4 hours and 4mg per 1 hour under the temperature and humidity conditions described. The current disinfectants used in animal facilities include Neopredisan which is flammable and cannot be used for electrical items. Ethylene oxide is carcinogenic.The use of Chlorine dioxide could provide a useful tool in our arsenal against highly successful pinworm species particularly as this chemical is considered safe for use.AcknowledgementsThe Chlorine dioxide gas generation in the study and photographs of the Minidox-M system were supplied by Castium Ltd.References1 Jefri, U.H.N.M., Khan, A., Lim Y.C., Lee, K.S., Liew, K.B., Kassab, Y.W., Choo, C.-Y., Al-Worafi, Y.M., Ming, L.C., Kalusalingam, A. (2022). A systemic review on chlorine dioxide as a disinfectant. Journal of Medicine and Life 15:3; 313-318.2 Czarra, J.A., Adams, J.K., Carter, C.L., Hill, W.A., Coan, P.N. (2014). Exposure to Chlorine Dioxide Gas for 4 Hours Renders Syphacia eggs Nonviable. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. 53: 4; 364–367.3 Dix, J., Astill, J., Whelan, J. (2003). Assessment of methods for the destruction of Syphacia muris eggs. Laboratory Animals (2004) 38, 11–16.Replicate1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Test Tapes10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10Control Tapes0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Number of eggs that hatchedReplicate1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Test Tapes0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Control Tapes10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

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55August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareApril 2024 Animal Technology and WelfareAbstractTo fi ll the gap of adopting a translational tool to sample tumour specimens in mice, we assessed and validated this unique capability using a core needle biopsy (CNB) sampling method for preclinical tumour models.Tumour sampling for diagnostic or research purposes was established in the clinic but not for preclinical cancer models.CNB yields a large intact tissue fragment, therefore providing suitable samples for demanding pharmacodynamic (PD) endpoints such as imaging, proteomics and genomics.IntroductionIdentifying response biomarkers or drug resistance mechanisms preclinically requires the evaluation of tumours at baseline and during treatment.Clinical methods for longitudinal tumour sampling, such as CNB, are diffi cult to scale down for mouse models.Summary – materials and methodsThis technique was applied in different tumour models but with preference in the Large Cell Lung Carcinoma (LCLC) as part of the project in interest. It was confi rmed the sampling does not have any detrimental impact on the tumour growth kinetics or on Animal Welfare.CNB samples were collected from cadavers using three different needle gauges to evaluate the sample yield.Core needle biopsy – novel refi nement technique FILIPA PEREIRA LOPES1, JAMES KERR2, MATTHEW WILSON2andLUKASZ MAGIERA21 AstraZeneca – R&D – CPSS2 AstraZeneca – Oncology BioscienceCorrespondence: fi lipa.pereiralopes@astrazeneca.com This also prompted us to develop a pipeline to process relatively small biopsy samples for PD analysis by Western Blots, qPCR, WES/RNAseq, fl ow cytometry and histology.ResultsCNB procedure was adapted to sample mouse tumours (Figures 1 and 2). Figure 1 Figure 2 CNB samples were collected from cadavers using three different needle gauges to evaluate sample yield. Figure 1.

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56Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020CNB samples were collected from cadavers using three different needle gauges to evaluate sample yield. Figure 1 Figure 2 CNB samples were collected from cadavers using three different needle gauges to evaluate sample yield. Figure 2. Figure 1 Figure 2 CNB samples were collected from cadavers using three different needle gauges to evaluate sample yield. 16-gauge (g) needles were used to collect the best yield.This provided between 2 to 20 milligrams (mg) of intact tissue fragment (Figure 3).16-gauge (g) needles were used to collect the best yield. This provided between 2 to 20 milligrams (mg) of intact tissue fragment (figure 3). Figure 3 biopsy sample (left), biopsy gun sampling modus operandi (right) The data obtained demonstrated the CNB sampling technique did not compromise tumour growth. The mice recovered quickly and their bodyweight was not affected by the procedure (figure 4) Figure 3. Biopsy sample (left), biopsy gun sampling modusoperandi (right).The data obtained demonstrated the CNB sampling technique did not compromise tumour growth. The mice recovered quickly and their bodyweight was not affected by the procedure (Figure 4).Figure 4. Bodyweight records during the length of the study with the CBN technique.Advantages– Biopsy sampling offers a non-terminal procedure for sample collection.– CNB capability minimised biological variability within in vivo studies.–This enabled longitudinal analysis of a treatment overtime from effi cacy studies, enabling simultaneousgeneration of pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) and tumour growth inhibition (TGI).– Check sustainability of a broad range of mouse tumour models for biopsy sampling.–Reduces the number of animals required for preclinicalstudies (3Rs). Figure 4 bodyweight records during the length of the study with the CBN technique Advantages • Biopsy sampling offers a non-terminal procedure for sample collection. • CNB capability minimised biological variability within in vivo studies. • This enabled longitudinal analysis of a treatment over time from efficacy studies, enabling simultaneous generation of pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) and tumour growth inhibition (TGI). • Check sustainability of a broad range of mouse tumour models for biopsy sampling. Days post randomisationBodyweight (% change)Control tumoursBiopsied tumoursPoster Presentations

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57August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareNext steps– Optimise the procedure to maximise the success rate and increase the tissue yield in live animals.–Check sustainability of a broad range of mouse tumourmodels for biopsy sampling.– Conduct further studies utilising CNB sampling and then implement this method across other oncology projects.ConclusionRepeated tumour sampling using CNB enables a potential reduction of the number of animals required for an in vivostudy while accelerating data and sample generation (e.g. running an effi cacy and PK/PD in a single study.CNB may be used to characterise heterogenous tumour responses (responders and non-responders) over the course of the study.Pre-treatments biopsy may enable predictive biomarker assessment ahead of clinical trials.AcknowledgementsElizabeth Hardaker, Giorgia Anacreonte, John Calver, Adina Hughes (AZ Oncology Bioscience)AST Cambridge (AZ R&D – CPSS) University of Cambridge (AMB)Poster Presentations

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58Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020BackgroundThe purpose of our chronic liver damage model is tounderstand how normal and malignant stem cells (marked by fl uorescent reporters) behave in response to the liver damaging agent diethoxy carbonyl 1,4-dihydrocolidine (DDC) in mouse models. Chronic liver damage modelsCAMERON BACK and HANNAH BISSMIREUniversity of Cambridge, Cancer Research UK, Cambridge InstituteCorrespondence: Hannah.Bissmire@cruk.cam.ac.uk and Cameron.Back@cruk.cam.ac.uk WeighingAll the mice were weighed daily and when a 10% body weight loss was reached, they received diet mash (80% DDC diet + 20% normal diet soaked in water).Bodyweights were taken during the morning which provided suffi cient time to address any concerns found.Here we discuss our methodologies and impact on the mouse models with suggestions for improvement in Animal Welfare.MethodDiet administrationMice were given three pellets of DDC diet each in apetri dish that was placed on the cage fl oor and refreshed if soiled or eaten. Background The purpose of our chronic liver damage model is to understand how normal and malignant stem cells (marked by fluorescent reporters) behave in response to the liver damaging agent diethoxy carbonyl 1,4-dihydrocolidine (DDC) in mouse models. Here we discuss our methodologies and impact on the mouse models with suggestions for improvement in Animal Welfare. Method Diet administration Mice were given three pellets of DDC diet per mouse in a petri dish that was placed on the cage floor and refreshed if soiled or eaten. Background The purpose of our chronic liver damage model is to understand how normal and malignant stem cells (marked by fluorescent reporters) behave in response to the liver damaging agent diethoxy carbonyl 1,4-dihydrocolidine (DDC) in mouse models. Here we discuss our methodologies and impact on the mouse models with suggestions for improvement in Animal Welfare. Method Diet administration Mice were given three pellets of DDC diet per mouse in a petri dish that was placed on the cage floor and refreshed if soiled or eaten. Mice were rotated 1 week on DDC and 1 week off (provided with normal diet) for 4 weeks. This was to helptheir bodyweights stabilise as we believed the diet was not very palatable. Mice were rotated 1 week on DDC and 1 week off (provided with normal diet) for 4 weeks. This was to help their body weights to stabilise as we believed the diet was not very palatable. Weighing All the mice were weighed daily and when a 10% body weight loss was reached, they received diet mash (80% DDC diet + 20% normal diet soaked in water). Weights were taken during the morning which provided sufficient time to address any concerns found with the mice. Mice were all weighed at the same time each day to ensure consistency. Blood sampling The mice on this study were split into two groups. Mice were weighed at the same time each day to ensure consistency. Blood samplingThe mice on this study were split into two groups.– Group 1 mice had blood sampled on Tuesday every week and group 2 mice on Wednesday every week.– 20 microlitres of blood was sampled (from the tail vein) from each mouse at the same time and day to ensure consistency. – Mice were placed in a tube restrainer to collect the blood sample. All mice appeared to respond well to the restrainer which could be due to the result of being handled daily throughout the study.– Weighing and diet administration were performed at the same time as blood sampling to prevent over handling the mice (Figure 1).Animal Technology and Welfare April 2024

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59August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareFindings and what we would changeBodyweight signifi cantly decreased when placed on DDC diet and signifi cantly increased when placed back on normal diet. The graph below (Figure 2) refl ects this from one of the study mice.We could introduce DDC diet gradually to counteract the weight loss when moved to DDC diet.Weight decrease was possibly linked to the palatability of diet.Mash with Nesquik could improve the palatability (has worked in other diet studies at the Cambridge Institute.Other sampling alternatives could have been using the saphenous vein as a refi nement.A cone restrainer could be used rather than a tube restrainer as the tube restrainers can have implications relating to stress with the mouse being confi ned. With a cone restrainer the mouse is not confi ned to a small area.AcknowledgementsMany thanks to Eric Rahrmann and Linda Hu for allowing us to share their work. Thanks to our BRU colleagues for their support during this study. • Group 1 mice had blood sampled on Tuesday every week and group 2 mice on Wednesday every week.• 20L of blood was sampled (from the tail vein) from each mouse at the same time and day for consistency. • Mice were placed in a tube restrainer to collect the blood sample. All mice appeared to respond well to the restrainer which could be due to the result of being handled every day throughout the study.• Weighing and diet administration were performed at the same time as blood sampling to prevent over handling of the mice(figure 1).Figure 1 mouse being handled dailyFigure 1. Mouse being handled daily.Findings and what we would change Body weight significantly decreased when placed on DDC diet and significantly increased when placed back on normal diet. The graph below (figure 2) reflects this from one of the study mice. Figure 2 body weights of mice We could introduce DDC diet gradually to counteract the weight loss when moved to DDC diet. Weight decrease was possibly linked to lack of palatability of diet. Mash with Nesquik could improve the palatability (has worked in other diet studies at the CI). Other sampling alternatives could have been through the saphenous vein as a refinement. A cone restrainer could be used rather than a tube restrainer as the tube restrainers can have implications relating to stress with the Figure 2. Bodyweights of mice.Poster Presentations

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60Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Animal Technology and Welfare April 2024Development of restraint for non human primates during inhalation dosingJAMIE TUCKLabcorp Early Development Laboratories Limited, Huntingdon, UKCorrespondence: Jamie.tuck@labcorp.com Inhalation masksOur fi rst design (Figure 1) that we used was one that was available off the shelf which needed to be secured using Velcro® straps around the sides and over the top of the head of the primate.Inhalation masksOur first design (figure 1) that we used was one that was available off the shelf which needed to be secured using Velcrostraps around the sides and over the top of the head of the primate.Figure 1 primate inhalation maskProduction of this mask has since stopped, resulting in the need for us to source a new mask. This pushed us to design and make one ourselves, which we knew would meet our requirements.The triangular shape from the original mask (figure 1) was used as the basis for our new design (figure 2). The main change was the addition of dual ports for both the inlet and extract. The Velcro strap secured the mask around the sides and over the head.Figure 1. Primate inhalation mask.Production of this mask has since stopped, resulting in the need for us to source a new mask. This pushed us to design and make one ourselves which we knew would meet our requirements.The triangular shape from the original mask (Figure 1) was used as the basis for our new design (Figure 2). The main change was the addition of dual ports for both the inlet and extract. The Velcro strap secured the mask around the sides and over the head.Whilst using this design, Animal Technicians realised that the mask had a pinch point in the top of the triangle which resulted in abrasions on the bridge of the primate’s nose due to where the silicone seal rubbed. Another observation was the triangular design with the Velcro strap over the top of the head reduced the primate’s vision.The following design of face masks (Figures 3 and 4) moved away from triangular to a circular one which Figure 2 new design of maskWhilst using this design, Animal Technicians realised that the mask had a pinch point in the top of the triangle which resulted in abrasions on the bridge of the primate’s nose due to where the silicone seal rubbed. Another observation was the triangular design with the Velcro strap over the top of the head reduced the primate’s ability to see around them.The following design of face masks (figures 3 and 4) moved away from triangular to a circular shape which reduced pinching with the silicone on the bridge of the nose. This design improved the primate’s ability to see due to less eye obstruction and did not have a strap going over the top of the head, but instead had two straps going around the sides of the head providing differing size configurations to ensure a better fit for primates with a range of Figure 2. New design of mask.Figure 2 new design of maskWhilst using this design, Animal Technicians realised that the mask had a pinch point in the top of the triangle which resulted in abrasions on the bridge of the primate’s nose due to where the silicone seal rubbed. Another observation was the triangular design with the Velcro strap over the top of the head reduced the primate’s ability to see around them.The following design of face masks (figures 3 and 4) moved away from triangular to a circular shape which reduced pinching with the silicone on the bridge of the nose. This design improved the primate’s ability to see due to less eye obstruction and did not have a strap going over the top of the head, but instead had two straps going around the sides of the head providing differing size configurations to ensure a better fit for primates with a range of Figure 3. Face mask.different sized faces. This gave a better seal, less escape from test material and less rubbing on their face due to movement.Figure 3 face maskFigure 4 face maskThe futureOur future design (figure 5) for the mask involves moving away from the use of Velcro and substituting a silicone strap with holes at

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61August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster Presentationsreduced pinching with the silicone on the bridge of the nose. This design improved the primate’s ability to see due to less eye obstruction and did not have a strap going over the top of the head, but instead had two straps going around the sides of the head providing differing size confi gurations to ensure a better fi t for primates with a range of different sized faces. This gave a better seal, less escape from test material and less rubbing on their face due to movement.The futureOur future design (Figure 5) for the mask involves moving away from the use of Velcro and substituting a silicone strap with holes at different increments to hold the maskin place. The use of our new Einscan® scanning device and 3D printing allows us to scan faces of the primates. This allows us to create masks that fi t the primates’ faces much better and that can be modifi ed for a variety of facial sizes.Chair restraintThe fi rst chair (Figure 6) was designed to meet our requirements and was a basic model consisting of a seatplatform above a bar for the legs.Figure 4. Face mask.different sized faces. This gave a better seal, less escape from test material and less rubbing on their face due to movement.Figure 3 face maskFigure 4 face maskThe futureOur future design (figure 5) for the mask involves moving away from the use of Velcro and substituting a silicone strap with holes at Figure 5. different increments to hold the mask in place. The use of our newEinscan®scanning device and 3D printing allows us to scan faces of the primates. This allows us to create masks that fit the primates’ faces much better and that can be modified for a variety of facial sizes.Figure 5Chair restraintThe first chair (figure 6) was designed to meet our requirements and was a basic model consisting of a seat platform above a bar for the legs.Figure 6. First chair. Figure 6 first chair Two plates secured around the abdomen and two plates secured around the neck gave primates sufficient room to move but were unable to get out of the chair. The height of each section could be adjusted to the size of the primate being restrained. Due to the size of the plates, primates could reach up to remove their inhalation mask, which then meant their arms may be restrained using Velcro to prevent this from occurring. Depending on the primate’s behaviour, legs could also be restrained to the leg bar at the bottom using Velcro.

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62Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Two plates secured around the abdomen and two plates secured around the neck gave primates sufficient room to move but were unable to get out of the chair. The height of each section could be adjusted to the size of the primate being restrained.Due to the size of the plates, primates could reach up to remove their inhalation mask which then meant their arms may be restrained using Velcro to prevent this from occurring. Depending on the primate’s behaviour, legs could also be restrained to the leg bar at the bottom using Velcro. The second type (Figure 7) of chair allowed us to push through the ideas from the original design. The basic principle was the same with the technicians suggesting padding around the neck/head plate to improve the comfort of the primate. This was provided by using a padded cover of the plate that could be removed and washed.The length of the neck plate was increased to reduce the ability of the primate to reach up and remove their mask. A Perspex® side plate was made to fit on both sides of the chair which prevented them from reaching up or grabbing items to the side of the chair. This allowed them to sit without their arms being restrained providing more comfort and freedom whilst sitting in the chair.An additional refinement (Figure 8) that was suggested by technicians to enhance the inhalation use of the chair was to provide a way to direct the tubes and masks from above which prevents the mask from pulling the primate’s head downward due to the additional weight of the tubes and mask.This was achieved by using a frame which ran the pipes up and over the primate with the tubes being adjustable in length allowing the frame to hold the weight of the mask from above.Poster PresentationsFigure 7. Second design.The second type (figure 7) of chair allowed us to push through the ideas from the original design. Figure 7 second design The basic principle was the same with the Technicians suggesting padding around the neck/head plate to improve the comfort of the primate. This was provided by using a padded cover of the plate that could be removed and washed. Figure 8. Third design.The length of the neck plate was increased to reduce the ability of the primate to reach up and remove their mask. A Perspex® side plate was made to fit on both sides of the chair which prevented them from reaching up or grabbing items to the side of the chair. This allowed them to sit without their arms being restrained providing more comfort and freedom whilst sitting in the chair. An additional refinement (figure 8) that was suggested by Technicians to enhance the inhalation use of the chair was to provide a way direct the tubes and masks from above which prevent the mask from pulling the primate’s head downward due to the additional weight of the tubes and mask.

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63August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster PresentationsThe futureThe newest design (Figures 9 and 10) that is being trialled has allowed us to keep the longer head plate and added built-in padding for the neck/head plate.The sitting position has now completely changed with the primate sitting under/behind the cross-section. This allows them to either sit in a more natural position with the knees up in front or dangling. The part which holds the primate in a sitting position acts as a back support too and they have something to lean back onto. As with previous designs of chairs, the height is fully adjustable to each primate’s needs. The design permits us to continue with the arm and leg restraint-free method, which should result in a calmer, less-stressed primate.Figure 9. Figure 8 third design This was achieved by using a frame which ran the pipes up and over the primate with the tubes being adjustable in length allowing the frame to hold the weight of the mask from above. The future The newest design (figures 9 and 10) that are being trialled has allowed us to keep the longer head plate and added built-in padding for the neck/head plate. Figure 9 Figure 10. Figure 8 third design This was achieved by using a frame which ran the pipes up and over the primate with the tubes being adjustable in length allowing the frame to hold the weight of the mask from above. The future The newest design (figures 9 and 10) that are being trialled has allowed us to keep the longer head plate and added built-in padding for the neck/head plate. Figure 9

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64Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Animal Technology and Welfare April 2024Exploring enrichment enjoyed by Zebrafish NELL WAGHORNUniversity of BristolCorrespondence: dp20978@bristol.ac.uk How does different enrichment affect spatial distribution in laboratory Zebrafish?IntroductionThroughout a long-term enrichment study being conducted at the University of Bristol Zebrafish aquarium, aquarium staff remarked that fish with physical gravel in their tanks appeared to spend more time grouped at the bottom of their tanks. Many studies highlighted that gravel is a preferred enrichment of Zebrafish1,2,3 therefore we were keen to explore this anecdotal evidence further, to ascertain if the spatial distribution of the Zebrafish was significantly linked to the presence of physical enrichment within the tanks and if this could be a potential indicator of enrichment efficacy. Zebrafish having the ability to interact with their surroundings would mimic a more natural habitat and promote more typical behaviour of wild Zebrafish, leading to higher welfare standards opposed to the standard barren tanks currently used. We were interested in whether this effect was seen only with physical enrichment or if it could also be seen in the presence of a laminate insert of gravel enrichment.Materials and method1. 9 tanks were divided into three different categories (Figure 1):• 3 x standard control tanks• 3 x glass bead gravel tanks• 3 photographic insert tanksFollowing posters originally displayed at: IAT Congress 2024Figure 1. Example of a photographic timepoint of the spatial distribution study.interested in whether this effect was seen only with physical enrichment or if it could also be seen in the presence of a laminate insert of gravel enrichment. Materials and method 1. 9 tanks were divided into three different categories (figure 1) - 3 x standard control tanks - 3 x glass bead gravel tanks - 3 photographic insert tanks Figure 1 example of a photographic timepoint of the spatial distribution study 2. The individual tank spaces were divided into three sections of: top, middle and bottom. We also had a defined middle line on the tanks

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65August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster Presentations2. The individual tank spaces were divided into three sections of: top, middle and bottom. We also had a defi ned middle line on the tanks (Figure 2) to allow for more analysis options depending on the effect size.3. At pre-set intervals the tanks were removed from their rack and placed into a designated photography room and left to habituate for 30 minutes.4. After 30 minutes, a picture would be taken to capture the whereabouts of the Zebrafi sh in their tank.5. We recorded on a table which section of the tank the fi sh were in alongside the enrichment tank they were in (Figure 3).ConclusionThis study highlighted the importance of investigating anecdotal evidence, as humans may be unconsciously biased to notice false patterns, especially when something is new or potentially a positive outcome. It is also possible that the behaviour of Zebrafi sh in a busy laboratory setting may differ to that of the Zebrafi sh we studied in a quiet, undisturbed environment. Whilst there are other preference studies highlighting the value of the inclusion of physical enrichment for Zebrafi sh, this method of monitoring spatial distribution has not correlated with other such methods of enrichmentevaluation.AcknowledgementsI would like to give a huge thank you to Dr Rachel Chance for her guidance and support with this study, Francesca Wilson for her help collating my results, Mathew Green as Aquarium Manager and Dr Jo Roe for sponsoring the work.References1 Kistler, C., et al. (2011). Preference for structured environment in Zebrafi sh (Danio rerio) and checker barbs (Puntius oligolepis). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 135(4), pp.318-327.2 Schroeder, P., et al. (2014). What do Zebrafi sh want? Impact of social grouping, dominance and gender on preference for enrichment. Laboratory Animals, 48(4), pp.328-337.3 DePasquale et al. (2019). The impact of fl ow and physical enrichment on preferences in Zebrafi sh. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 215, pp.77-81.Figure 2. Tank marking layout and the laminate insert enrichment.(figure 2) to allow for more analysis options depending on the effect size. Figure 2 tank marking layout and the laminate insert enrichment 3. At pre-set intervals the tanks were removed from their rack and placed into a designated photography room and left to habituate for 30 minutes. 4. After 30 minutes, a picture would be taken to capture the whereabouts of the zebrafish in their tank. 5. We recorded on a table which section of the tank the fish were in alongside the enrichment tank they were in (figure 3). Figure 3. Proportion of Zebrafi sh present in the lower thirdof the study tanks (n=3) at photograph intervals throughout 21 days. The error bars show standard deviation.Figure 3 Proportion of zebrafish present in the lower third of the study tanks (n=3) at photograph intervals throughout 21 days. The error bars show standard deviation.ResultsThe data was statistically analysed with a generalised linear mixed model (with tank treatment as a fixed variable and photo session cohort as a random effect variable). Analysis showed no significant relationship between each enrichment type and the spatial distribution of zebrafish (p = >0.5). Data from proportions of fish in the lower half of the tank was also not significantly related to enrichment presence. ResultsThe data was statistically analysed with a generalised linear mixed model (with tank treatment as a fi xed variable and photo session cohort as a random effect variable). Analysis showed no signifi cant relationship between each enrichment type and the spatial distribution of Zebrafi sh (p = >0.5). Data from proportions of fi sh in thelower half of the tank was also not signifi cantly related to enrichment presence.

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66Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Animal Technology and Welfare April 2024Refinements to goat housing for ADME collections ELAINE WARDROPCharles River Laboratories Edinburgh Ltd, Elphinstone Research Centre, East Lothian, UKCorrespondence: elaine.wardrop@crl.com IntroductionThe assessment and understanding of Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Elimination (ADME) for new pharmaceuticals is required in regulatory submissions. Typically, ADME studies are conducted using metabolism cages designed for the single housing of animals to enable the quantitative collection of urine and faeces, normally over a 1 to 2 week period.It is well documented that providing a stimulating environment for social animals such as goats has a significant positive impact on their welfare.As traditional single housing cages are small (Figure 1), a new larger cage with improved features was designed.In addition to the welfare benefits for the goats with improved space and social interaction, the refinements Figure 1. Traditional single housing cages. Figure 1 traditional single housing cages In addition to the Welfare benefits for the goats with improved space and social interaction, the refinements introduced enabled more efficient study conduct, accurate dose calculation, improved urine and faecal collections, including their stable food intake and bodyweight (figure 2).

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67August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePoster Presentationsintroduced enabled more efficient study conduct, accurate dose calculation, improved urine and faecal collections, including their stable food intake and bodyweight (Figure 2).Cage design and refinementOur original ADME cages were stainless steel construction and relatively small, significantly restricting animal movement and limiting their social interaction.Whilst the study design still required individual housing during sample collections, our aim was to improve the cage size and design whilst also having companion goats in proximity within the room.Several new cages were custom manufactured (Figure 3), these had a large area of 4 square meters which provided sufficient room for the goats to move around freely, self-groom and sleep comfortably. They incorporated enrichment devices and had hay suspended from a basket.During sample collections they had several other goats in proximity in the room providing them with social stimulus.Figure 2. Traditional single housing cages. Cage design and refinement Our original ADME cages were stainless steel construction and relatively small, significantly restricting animal movement and limiting their social interaction. Whilst the study design still required individual housing during sample collections, our aim was to improve the cage size and design whilst also having companion goats in proximity within the room. Figure 3. Several new cages were custom manufactured (figure 3), these had a large area of 4 square meters which provided sufficient room for the goats to move around freely, self-groom and sleep comfortably. They incorporated enrichment devices and had hay suspended from a basket. During sample collections they had several other goats in proximity in the room providing them with social stimulus. Welfare and study benefits On a comparison study that had a fourteen day sample collection, two goats in old cages and two in the new cages, we identified the following benefits: Several new cages were custom manufactured (figure 3), these had a large area of 4 square meters which provided sufficient room for the goats to move around freely, self-groom and sleep comfortably. They incorporated enrichment devices and had hay suspended from a basket. During sample collections they had several other goats in proximity in the room providing them with social stimulus. Welfare and study benefits On a comparison study that had a fourteen day sample collection, two goats in old cages and two in the new cages, we identified the following benefits:

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68Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020Welfare and study benefitsOn a comparison study that had a fourteen day sample collection, two goats in old cages and two in the new cages, we identified the following benefits:– The goats in the new cages were more relaxed, demonstrated natural behaviours and interacted positively with technicians and goats in adjacent cages.– The new cage environment allowed space for the goats to walk around, stretch, groom themselves and lie down in a comfortable position.– There were stable food consumptions with the new cages – enabling dose rates closer to target and less variable.– Their weight remained stable or gained throughout the collection phase, vs ~5% loss in the old cages.– Urine sample quality was significantly better with less contamination from hay and faeces, which improved analysis.– There was less hay present in the cage wash samples making them easier to analyse and more accurate.– There was less urine-soaked hay and faeces lost outside of the cages which helped to achieve mass balance.Poster Presentations

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69August 2020 Animal Technology and WelfareAugust 2020 Animal Technology and WelfarePair housing of female rabbits on MTD and reproductive toxicology studies KERRYANN MOONEYCharles River Laboratories Edinburgh Ltd, Elphinstone Research Centre, East Lothian, UKCorrespondence: Kerryann.Mooney@crl.com IntroductionThis project was a combination of several studies conducted at Charles River, Edinburgh and Charles River, Lyon to assess and validate pair housing of rabbits on a range of MTD and reproductive toxicology studies.The objective was to determine if rabbits on these studies could benefit from the same social housing and exercise regimes that is standard on other non-reproductive rabbit studies, without compromising scientific integrity (Figure 1).The Edinburgh rabbits were housed in two linked cages, with hay, enrichment devices, hand fed fruit and vegetables, with exercise sessions in a large floor pen 2-3 times per week.The initial study in Edinburgh comprised pair housing of six pregnant rabbits, followed by a further study with eighteen pregnant rabbits, from gestation days 2 to 29. A further study conducted at Lyon combined pair housing in similar linked cages with a validation of a new analgesia method on thirty pregnant rabbits, on gestation days 0 to 29.Figure 1. Social housing of rabbits.Introduction This project was a combination of several studies conducted at Charles River, Edinburgh and Charles River, Lyon to assess and validate pair housing of rabbits on a range of MTD and reproductive toxicology studies. The objective was to determine if rabbits on these studies could benefit from the same social housing and exercise regimes that is standard on other non-reproductive rabbit studies, without compromising scientific integrity (figure 1). Figure 1 social housing of rabbits April 2024 Animal Technology and Welfare

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70Animal Technology and Welfare August 2020ResultsPair housed rabbits utilised both combined cages and spent time both together and apart in various parts of their cage (Figures 2, 3 and 4).– There were no adverse clinical or physical observations and no aggression noted. – Bodyweights had minor initial fluctuations, followed by expected growth curve. – Food consumption was consistent with minor fluctuations.– Positive behaviour traits evident, nuzzling cage mates, grooming, etc.Figure 2. Cage positions with and without cage mate. Figure 2 Cage positions with and without cage mate Figure 3. Paired rabbit cage positions. Figure 3 paired rabbit cage positions ⎯ There were no adverse clinical or physical observations and no aggression noted. ⎯ Bodyweights had minor initial fluctuations, followed by expected growth curve. ⎯ Food consumption was consistent with minor fluctuations. Under the shelfCage Position Recorded for Paired Rabbits Lower section On top of the shelf– Normal clinical and physical observations.– Maternal performance and care were normal. – Pre-weaning development was also normal.– No adverse foetal weights or morphology.– No gross pathology findings.– The animals were separated to single housing from day twenty-nine for the parturition phase.Figure 4. Paired rabbits in cages.⎯ Positive behaviour traits evident, nuzzling cage mates, grooming etc. ⎯ Normal clinical and physical observations. ⎯ Maternal performance and care were normal. ⎯ Pre-weaning development was normal as well. ⎯ No adverse foetal weights or morphology ⎯ No gross pathology findings. ⎯ The animals were separated to single housing from day twenty-nine for the parturition phase. Figure 4 paired rabbits in cages ConclusionAll three studies demonstrated positive welfare benefits to pair housing pregnant females during the gestation period of days 0-29 on reproductive studies.Animals were calm and comfortable; socialising, grooming and moving freely in the enlarged caging.Although there were minor fluctuations initially in food consumption and bodyweights, these soon settled to give expected results.There were no adverse in-life or terminal findings.Rabbits can be successfully pair-housed for reproductive studies, meeting the scientific objectives whilst significantly refining Animal Welfare.Edinburgh has now established pair housing as standard practice during gestation, benefitting an average of ~1000 rabbits per year.Other sites within Charles River are progressing with plans to introduce similar social housing as standard protocol.Poster Presentations

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