Role of the international council for laboratory animal science (ICLAS) in the promotion of care and use of laboratory animals in southeast Europe

The use of animals in research, teaching, and testing is regulated around the world by specific laws. Since regulatory processes are highly variable, a broad variability in the care and use of animals in scientific procedures exists internationally, as well as in the region of Southeast Europe. It is necessary to initiate an effort to promote the harmonization and improvement of laboratory animal science world-wide. The aim of this article is to explain the structure, organization, and aims of the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS) and to describe the role of this organization in the promotion of care and use of laboratory animals in this region of Europe.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Laboratory rats as pets: The potential role of neonatal handling schedule for their life in and after the lab

There are organizations for re-homing animals that are also specialized in re-homing dogs and cats who have been research subjects. Why can’t we do this for more animals and especially for the rats that are used extensively in research and they are not intended to be pets as they are not as common as pets? Even though previous research highlights neonatal handling as an essential process for rearing less stressed and emotionally sensitive adult rats, there is very little information about a specific neonatal handling schedule that could be a crucial factor in promoting their welfare and adoption as pets. The aim of this study is to propose a standardized handling schedule assessment based on implementation of a neonatal handling procedure that mimics maternal behavior, in order to have a positive effect on the rats’ welfare, decreasing their stress responsiveness towards humans and promoting their adoption as pets. DA rats (DA/OlaHsd) were handled during postnatal days 1 (D1) to 21 (D21) (experimental group, n=15) using a handling schedule that imitates rat maternal behavior or received only gold standard neonatal handling (control group, n=14). On D22, blinded researchers evaluated the behaviour of both groups according to their responses to handling. Blinding was used, as to try to eliminate biased results, as to examine the rats' behavior against strangers which is a crucial factor for their suitability as pets. The data were collected through a customized assessment form. The statistical analysis of both groups’ cumulative responses showed that the experimental group had less stressful responses compared to the control group (Mann-Whitney (U) test: U= 13; P < 0.01). This neonatal handling schedule may improve rat welfare during their life in the lab. Also, it could be a method that assists laboratory rats to be adopted as pets after their laboratory life

Comparative study of fertility of adult female rats after long term treatment with tamoxifen.

Η ΤΑΜΟΞΙΦΕΝΗ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΙ ΤΟ ΦΑΡΜΑΚΟ ΕΚΛΟΓΗΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΟΡΜΟΝΙΚΗ ΘΕΡΑΠΕΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΡΚΙΝΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΜΑΣΤΟΥ.Η ΠΡΟΟΠΤΙΚΗ ΤΗΣ ΠΡΟΛΗΠΤΙΚΗΣ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΤΑΜΟΞΙΦΕΝΗΣ ΣΕ ΠΡΟΕΜΜΗΝΟΠΑΥΣΙΑΚΕΣ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΕΣ ΥΨΗΛΟΥ ΚΙΝΔΥΝΟΥ ΔΗΜΙΟΥΡΓΕΙ ΕΝΤΟΝΟ ΠΡΟΒΛΗΜΑΤΙΣΜΟ ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΜΕ ΤΗ ΔΥΝΑΤΟΤΗΤΑ ΜΙΑΣ ΕΠΙΘΥΜΗΤΗΣ ΚΥΟΦΟΡΙΑΣ ΕΝΔΕΧΟΜΕΝΑ ΜΕΤΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΠΗ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΦΑΡΜΑΚΟΥ.ΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΗΤΑΝ Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΤΗΣ ΓΟΝΙΜΟΤΗΤΑΣ ΘΗΛΥΚΩΝ ΕΝΗΛΙΚΩΝ ΕΠΙΜΥΩΝ ΜΕΤΑ ΤΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΠΗ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗΣ ΤΑΜΟΞΙΦΕΝΗΣ ΚΑΙ Η ΣΥΣΧΕΤΙΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΗ ΔΟΣΗ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗΣ.ΧΡΗΣΙΜΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΑΝ 68 ΘΗΛΥΚΟΙ ΕΠΙΜΥΕΣ WISTAR ΜΕΣΟΥ Σ.Β. 147,84+-2,25ΓΡΑΜ. ΚΑΤΑΝΕΜΗΜΕΝΟΙ ΣΕ ΤΡΕΙΣ ΟΜΑΔΕΣ.ΣΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ Α (η=26) ΧΟΡΗΓΗΘΗΚΕ 0,03ΜG/100ΓG Σ.Β. ΤΑΜΟΞΙΦΕΝΗΣ,ΣΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ Β (η=30) 0,3ΜG/100G Σ.Β. ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ Γ (η=12) ΠΡΟΠΥΛΕΝΙΚΗ ΓΛΥΚΟΛΗ.Η ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗ ΓΙΝΟΤΑΝ Ρ.Ο. ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΑ ΓΙΑ 12 ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΕΣ.ΤΗΝ ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΑ ΗΜΕΡΑ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗΣ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ ΕΝΟΣ ΕΝΗΛΙΚΑ ΑΡΣΕΝΙΚΟΥ ΕΠΙΜΥ,ΙΔΙΑΣ ΦΥΛΗΣ,ΣΕ ΚΑΘΕ ΚΛΩΒΟ.ΜΕΤΑ ΔΕΚΑΗΜΕΡΟ ΑΡΧΙΣΕ Η ΑΝΑ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΕΣΣΕΡΙΣ ΣΥΝΕΧΕΙΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΕΣ Η ΕΥΘΑΝΑΣΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΖΩΩΝ.Η ΜΗΤΡΑ ΤΩΝ ΖΩΩΝ ΥΠΟΒΛΗΘΗΚΕ ΣΕ ΜΑΚΡΟΣΚΟΠΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΙΣΤΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΕΞΕΤΑΣΗ.ΟΥΔΕΜΙΑ ΚΥΗΣΗ ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ ΣΤΑ ΖΩΑ ΤΗΣ ΟΜΑΔΑΣ Α ΚΑΙ Β ΚΑΤΑ ΤΗ ΔΙΑΡΚΕΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΔΥΟ ΠΡΩΤΩΝ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΩΝ ΜΕΤΑ ΤΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΠΗ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΤΑΜΟΞΙΦΕΝΗΣ.ΣΤΟ ΤΕΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ 3ΗΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑΣ 2/5 ΖΩΑ ΤΗΣ ΟΜΑΔΑΣ Α ΗΤΑΝ ΕΓΚΥΑ,ΕΝΩ ΣΤΟ ΤΕΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ 4ΗΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑΣ 1/5 ΚΑΙ 2/6 ΖΩΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ Α ΚΑΙ Β ΑΝΤΙΣΤΟΙΧΑ ΚΥΟΦΟΡΟΥΣΑΝ.ΟΛΑ ΤΑ ΖΩΑ ΤΗΣ ΟΜΑΔΑΣ Γ ΔΙΑΠΙΣΤΩΘΗΚΕ ΟΤΙ ΚΥΟΦΟΡΟΥΣΑΝ.Ο ΜΕΣΟΣ ΑΡΙΘΜΟΣ ΕΜΒΡΥΩΝ ΗΤΑΝ 5 ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ Α,2 ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ Β ΚΑΙ 9 ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΟΜΑΔΑ Γ.ΣΥΜΠΕΡΑΙΝΕΤΑΙ ΟΤΙ ΜΕΤΑ ΤΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΠΗ ΜΑΚΡΟΧΡΟΝΙΑΣ ΧΟΡΗΓΗΣΗΣ ΤΑΜΟΞΙΦΕΝΗΣ ΠΑΡΑΤΗΡΕΙΤΑΙ ΤΑΣΗ ΕΠΑΝΟΦΟΡΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΓΟΝΙΜΟΤΗΤΑΣ ΘΥΛΗΚΩΝ ΕΠΙΜΥΩΝ.Η ΓΟΝΙΜΟΤΗΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΟΤΑΜΟΧΙFΕΝ IS WIDELY USED AS ADJUVANT THERAPY IN ALL STAGES OF BREAST CANCER.RECENTLY,INTEREST IS FOCUSED ON ITS PATENTIAL USE AS A PREVENTING AGENT IN WOMEN AT HIGH RISK FOR DEVELOPING THE DISEASE.AS THIS NEW PERSPECTIVE USE ALSO CONCERNS PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN,A DESIRED PREGNΑNCY FOLLOWING THE DISCONTINUATION OF THE TREATMENT MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF TAMOXIFEN OF THE FERTILITY OF FEMALE ADULTS WISTAR RATS FOLLOWING THE DISCONTINUATION OF LONG TERM TREATMENT WITH TWO DIFFERENT DOSES OF TAMOXIFEN.68 ADULTS FEMALE RATS WITH A B.W. 147,84+-2,25G WERE DIVIDED INTO 3 GROUPS.ANIMALS IN GROUP A (n=26)_ WERE GIVEN 0,3MG/KG OF TAMOXIFEN P.O.,ANIMALS IN GROUP B (n=30) 3MG/KG AND IN GROUP C(n=12) RPOPYLENE GLUCOLE,FOR 12 WEEKS.ON THE LAST DAY OF TREATMENT A MALE RAT OF PROVEN FERTILITY WAS INTRODUCED INTO EACH CAGE WITH THE FEMALE RATS.TEN DAYS LATERAND WITH A FREQUENCY 14 ANIMALS/WEEK,RATS WERE EUTHANIZED AND THE REMOVED UTERUS UNDERWENT GROSS AND LIGHT MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION.NO PREGNANCY WAS NOTICED DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS FOLLOWING THE DISCONTINUATION OF TAMOXIFEN IN GROUPS A,B. AT THE 3RD WEEK 2/5 ANIMALS OF GROUP A WERE PREGNANT.AT THE 4TH WEEK 1/5 AND 2/6 ANIMALS OF GROUP A AND B WERE PREGNANT.ALL ANIMALS FROM GROUP C WERE FOUND PREGNANT.AVERAGE NUMBER OF FOETUSES PER ANIMAL WERE 5 FOR GROUP A,2 FOR GROUP B,AND 9 FOR GROUP C.IT IS CONCLUTED THAT ANTIFERTILITY ACTION OF TAMOXIFEN IS REVERSIBLE.TEMPORARY STERILITY AND ITS TIME OF REVERSE ARE NOT DOSE DEPENDENT,AS THE NUMBER OF FOETUSES PER PREGNANCY SEEMS TO BE