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Isolation
of neonatal porcine islet tissue and transplantation into diabetic mice.
A methodological evaluation.
by Thomas Buschmann Nielsen, Knud Bonnet Yderstraede, Helle Juul Rasmussen
& Henning Beck-Nielsen (e-mail: tb.nielsen@winsloew.ou.dk)
Shortage of human donors for islet of Langerhans transplantation has given attention to the pig as an alternative donor in xenotransplantations. We describe and discuss a method for isolation of neonatal porcine islet tissue and its transplantation beneath the renal capsule of streptozotocin diabetic mice. The transplantation procedures are applicable in many similar models including different cell types.
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Individually ventilated cages - Microbiological containment testing.
by
Borrello Patrizia., D'Amore Emanuela, Panzini Gianluca, Valeri Mauro &
Lorenzini Rodolfo Nello
The aim of our experimental activity was to evaluate the isolating and protective capacity of a ventilated cage system (IVC). IVC can be used to house infected animals and exhaust air, if not perfectly filtered, may represent a potential danger for personnel and other animals housed in the facility. Sampling was performed in a conventional animal facility by SAS and AGI-30 and inside the cages by AGI-30. Our results confirm the capacity of IVC to contain the micro-organisms in negative and positive pressure and demonstrate the ability of AGI-30 to investigate the micro-environmental in the cage.
166
Laboratory animal science in the future: a vision.
by C. Max Lang, & George T. Harrell
Presented at the 30TH Annual Symposium and Educational Days of the Scandinavian Society for Laboratory Animal Science Djurönäset, Stockholm, Sweden May 5, 2000
Conclusions
We have a rich legacy to maintain and further build. Our future will be influenced by new developments such as nanotechnology and genomics, which will lead to "designer" animals. To successfully meet the challenges of the future, we need to pay close attention to, and eliminate or stabilize, environmental variables that can affect the interpretation of research data. This new era of research at the cellular level will push the demand for harmonization of diets, both for accuracy of data and to make it easier to build on research information conduced in multinational laboratories. Genetic engineering on a large scale may further increase public concern about what we do; therefore, it will be imperative that we do all that we can to educate the public and our elected officials. The cost of animal research will continue to be a concern, and we must seek ways of controlling these costs in a manner that is consistent with the research project. You are familiar with the 3Rs by Russell and Burch (1959).
· Reduction - Any decrease in the numbers of animals used to obtain information of a given amount and precision.
· Refinement - Any decrease in the incidence or severity of procedures applied to animals necessarily used.
· Replacement - The substitution of conscious living higher animals by non-sentient material.
· With the same scientific result.
I would like to propose a complementary set of 3Rs:
· Reduction of environmental variables that can affect the interpretation of research data.
· Refinement of diets.
· Replacement of common practices with scientifically-based reasons.
· With improved scientific results.
173
The effects of and tolerances for Carbon Dioxin relation to recent
developments in laboratory animal housing.
by Thomas C. Krohn & Axel Kornerup Hansen (e-mail: tkr@kvl.dk)
The present paper summarizes the effects of CO2 in order to put these into a new perspective in relation to housing animals in new containment systems. During the last decades not much focus has been on the deleterious effects of CO2, but as tightly sealed containment systems are increasingly being used it is reasonable also to focus on the impact of CO2 on the animals. At present no official limits for acceptable exposure in laboratory animals have been set, but some papers recommend levels for humans to be applied, although the effects of CO2 on animals seem to be quite harmless and reversible. In an un-ventilated filter-topped Type II cage with five mice the CO2 concentration inside the cage during one hour rises to 3.7%. The reaction of animals exposed to CO2 seems to mimic a stress reaction. In humans exposed to different levels below 1.0% only minor effects, which normalized after 10 - 15 days, were discovered. Animals and humans exposed to higher concentrations respond by increased adrenal secretion and decreased numbers of eosinophils and lymphocytes. Also respiratory parameters may change. In general, these effects are reversible. Further research is needed to investigate the animals' reactions when exposed to different levels of CO2 before any solid recommendations can be made. Until such studies have been conducted, animals exposed to a CO2 level significantly higher than the atmosphere, e.g. above 1.5%, should be used for experimental purpose with caution and allowed a few days of recovery after exposure.
182
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186
Meetings
191
Scholarships