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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

An analysis of the Home Office Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 2004.

The 2004 Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals were released by the Home Office in December 2005. They indicate that, for the third year running, there has been a significant increase in the number of laboratory animal procedures undertaken in Great Britain, and that increasing numbers of animals are involved. The overall trends in the use of toxicological and non-toxicological procedures involving animals are described. Particular emphasis is placed on the production and use of genetically modified animals, the production of biological materials, and acute toxicity testing. The use of non-human primates and dogs is also discussed. The implications of these latest statistics are considered with reference to the implementation of the Three Rs and their consequences for animal welfare.

Animal Experimentation↗

Scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain in 2003: the facts, figures and consequences.

The statistics for animal procedures performed in 2003 were recently released by the Home Office. They indicate that, for the second year running, there was a significant increase in the number of laboratory animal procedures undertaken in Great Britain. The species and genera used, the numbers of toxicology and non-toxicology procedures, and the overall trends, are described. The implications of these latest statistics are discussed with reference to key areas of interest and to the impact of existing regulations and pending legislative reforms.

Animal Experimentation↗

Adrenocortical responses of Japanese quail to a routine weighing procedure and to tonic immobility induction.

Tonic immobility (TI) is induced by brief manual restraint, and it is a commonly used test of fearfulness, particularly in poultry. However, in view of increasing ethical concerns about experimentation on living animals, there is a need to ensure that the tests used do not elicit unacceptable distress. In the United Kingdom, there is some debate as to whether TI should be classified as a regulated experimental procedure that requires a Home Office license to experiment on living animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act of 1986. The present study compared plasma corticosterone (PC) concentrations in undisturbed Japanese quail (controls) with those exposed to the induction of TI or those exposed to a routine weighing procedure. Circulating PC concentrations were higher following TI induction or weighing than in the controls, but the 2 treatments elicited similar adrenocortical responses. Further, the PC levels found here were lower than those reported elsewhere when quail were exposed to crating, transport, or mechanical immobilization stressors. We therefore concluded that the induction of TI might be best regarded as a mild stressor. Furthermore, studies using this technique can identify ways of alleviating fear and thereby improving well-being. Collectively, we believe that the use of TI is justified, and it does not require classification as a regulated procedure in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.

Animal Welfare↗

Complexities in ETS-domain transcription factor function and regulation: lessons from the TCF (ternary complex factor) subfamily. The Colworth Medal Lecture.

The ETS-domain transcription factor family can be divided into a series of subfamilies. Elk-1 represents the founding member of the ternary complex factor (TCF) subfamily. By focusing on the TCF subfamily, we can demonstrate the complexities that exist in the function and regulation of ETS-domain transcription factors. This article focuses on Elk-1 in detail and summarizes the functions of other TCFs. The key themes covered include the domain structure of the TCFs, the mechanisms of complex formation with serum response factor, regulation of TCFs by mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, and transcriptional regulatory properties of the TCFs. Finally, the emerging role of the TCFs in vivo is discussed. A picture is developing indicating that, while these proteins exhibit significant sequence and functional conservation, key differences in their structure and regulation are being identified which may relate to unique functions of these proteins in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Animal experiments.

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Advisory Committees↗

Animal bill.

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Advisory Committees↗

Control of variability.

Genetic variability is an important component of the phenotypic variation within populations; however, there are often many other contributing factors, which receive little attention. Randomization techniques or grouping factors known to contribute to variability can do much to isolate, or at least accommodate, this variability. The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods addressed some of these approaches in 1998, and others are considered in this article. However, laboratory animals are living beings that respond to scientific procedures, or indeed to subtle variations in husbandry conditions, which our senses do not equip us to comprehend readily. These variations may either bias our experimental results or introduce sufficient background noise to mask differences arising from the scientific procedures. In planning an experiment, it is important to devote adequate time considering such factors and developing appropriate strategies to handle them.

Animal Husbandry↗