Estimating the predictive validity of diabetic animal models in rosiglitazone studies

For therapeutic studies, predictive validity of animal models - arguably the most important feature of animal models in terms of human relevance - can be calculated retrospectively by obtaining data on treatment efficacy from human and animal trials. Using rosiglitazone as a case study, we aim to determine the predictive validity of animal models of diabetes, by analyzing which models perform most similarly to humans during rosiglitazone treatment in terms of changes in standard diabetes diagnosis parameters (glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting glucose levels). A further objective of this article is to explore the impact of four covariates on the predictive capacity: i) diabetes induction method, ii) drug administration route, iii) sex of animals, and iv) diet during the experiments

Representation of Septic Tanks in Stormwater Management Model (SWMM)

This is the author accepted manuscript.Septic tank systems are commonly used for treating domestic wastewater and an essential part of decentralized wastewater management systems. Many studies have considered septic tanks in terms of their design, performance and their impact on the environment. However, studies that have modelled septic tanks to test their performance for the removal of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) are scant. This paper presents an approach to model septic tanks using the Stormwater Management Model (SWMM).The developed approach has been then applied to assess the influence of septic tank design configurations on pollution reduction.The authors are grateful to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Libya for the financial support to this PhD studies

Kondisi Terumbu Karang Pada Lokasi Wisata Snorkeling Di Kepulauan Karimunjawa, Jawa Tengah

Peningkatan jumlah kunjungan wisata snorkeling di Taman Nasional Karimunjawa dikhawatirkan dapat mengakibatkan penurunan tutupan terumbu karang pada lokasi wisata snorkeling. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui kondisi terumbu karang dan bentuk – bentuk kerusakannya akibat wisata snorkeling. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif dengan manta tow untuk pengambilan data terumbu karang dan metode survey untuk kualitas perairan seperti suhu, salinitas, pH dan kecerahan. Persentase tutupan terumbu karang hidup pada lokasi wisata snorkeling di Taman Nasional Karimunjawa sebesar 33%-52,5%. Kondisi ini termasuk dalam kategori buruk-baik. Persentase tutupan terumbu karang hidup tertinggi terdapat pada Pulau Sintok dengan nilai 52,5% dan persentase tutupan terumbu karang terendah terdapat pada Pulau Menjangan Kecil dengan nilai 33%. Kerusakan terumbu karang yang ditimbulkan dari wisata snorkeling dapat berupa rubble (patahan karang) dan karang keras mati dikarenakan terinjak maupun terkibas fins

Breeding for behavioural change in farm animals: Practical, economic and ethical 1 considerations

In farm animal breeding, behavioural traits are rarely included in selection programmes despite their potential to improve animal production and welfare. Breeding goals have been broadened beyond production traits in most farm animal species to include health and functional traits, and opportunities exist to increase the inclusion of behaviour in breeding indices. On a technical level, breeding for behaviour presents a number of particular challenges compared to physical traits. It is much more difficult and time-consuming to directly measure behaviour in a consistent and reliable manner in order to evaluate the large numbers of animals necessary for a breeding programme. For this reason, the development and validation of proxy measures of key behavioural traits is often required. Despite these difficulties, behavioural traits have been introduced by certain breeders. For example, ease of handling is now included in some beef cattle breeding programmes. While breeding for behaviour is potentially beneficial, ethical concerns have been raised. Since animals are adapted to the environment rather than the other way around, there may be a loss of 'naturalness' and/or animal integrity. Some examples, such as breeding for good maternal behaviour, could enhance welfare, production and naturalness, although dilemmas emerge where improved welfare could result from breeding away from natural behaviour. Selection against certain behaviours may carry a risk of creating animals which are generally unreactive ('zombies'), although such broad effects could be measured and controlled. Finally, breeding against behavioural measures of welfare could inadvertently result in resilient animals ('stoics') that do not show behavioural signs of low welfare yet may still be suffering. To prevent this, other measures of the underlying problem should be used, although cases where this is not possible remain troubling

Enhancing the Academic Library Experience with Chatbots: An Exploration of Research and Implications for Practice

© 2019, © 2019 Ayu Susan Mckie and Bhuva Narayan. This paper explores the potential of using chatbots to improve the academic research experience for university students with a literature-based discussion reflecting on a prototype being developed at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). The paper proposes that information professionals need to adapt emerging technologies such as chatbots to innovate, improve and support library services. Designing a positive experience for the user is essential to ensure that such technological solutions are sustainable. In this exploratory paper, we argue that it is important that librarians engage with the conversational design of the library chatbot in collaboration with the technology developers in order to make it useful, friendly, trustworthy, and customisable for university students

Why in earth? Dustbathing behaviour in jungle and domestic fowl reviewed from a Tinbergian and animal welfare perspective

Dustbathing has been the subject of much research in captive birds. In the present review we bring together the studies of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus) and jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) to provide a more complete picture of the behaviour. Dustbathing is discussed from the four aspects suggested by Tinbergen (1963): ontogeny, phylogeny, function and causation and a general aim is to give as complete review as possible of research on dustbathing behaviour. Studies of ontogeny of dustbathing show that early substrate experience affects later preferences. It appears nevertheless as though the behaviour develops more or less normally even in the absence of appropriate dustbathing stimuli. The behaviour itself is described for a number of species, and there are experimental studies of dustbathing in both jungle fowl and domestic fowl, but there is little comparative research which could provide hypotheses about the phylogeny of the behaviour. Similarly, despite extensive discussions about the function of dustbathing behaviour and the many suggestions regarding the survival value of performing the behaviour, few studies have actually addressed this question. It has been demonstrated that dustbathing reduces the amount of feather lipids, thereby increasing the insulation capacity of the plumage, but other suggested functions, such as control of ectoparasites, have not been tested experimentally. The majority of studies of dustbathing behaviour address the question of causation. Dustbathing shows a clear diurnal rhythm and under unrestricted conditions, hens dustbathe about every two days. Birds deprived of litter show a rebound in dustbathing behaviour when litter is again made available, suggesting an increase in motivation after deprivation and so an influence of internal factors With respect to external factors, it has long been believed that dustbathing is socially facilitated, but this has been questioned in recent studies. The presence of a suitable substrate is an important stimulus for eliciting dustbathing, and hens seem to prefer substrates with a fine structure such as sand and peat. Dustbathing is further increased if the substrate is combined with light and heat. The question of whether or not hens are motivated to dustbathe has important consequences for bird welfare in commercial housing systems, but motivational studies give somewhat conflicting evidence. In the final part of this review, both normal litter dustbathing and ‘sham’ dustbathing in the absence of litter are discussed from a welfare perspective

Does the goal justify the methods? Harm and benefit in neuroscience research using animals

The goal of the present chapter is to open up for discussion some of the major ethical issues involved in animal-based neuroscience research. We begin by approaching the question of the moral acceptability of the use of animals in research at all, exploring the implications of three different ethical theories: contractarianism, utilitarianism and animal rights. In the remainder of the chapter we discuss more specific issues of neuroscience research within what we argue is the mainstream framework for research animal ethics, namely one based on harm-benefit analysis. We explore issues of harms and benefits and how to balance them as well as how to reduce harm and increase benefit within neuroscience research