The Experts below are selected from a list of 180 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Francesco Portaluppi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • ethics and methods for biological rhythm Research on Animals and human beings
    Chronobiology International, 2010
    Co-Authors: Francesco Portaluppi, Michael H. Smolensky, Yvan Touitou
    Abstract:

    This article updates the ethical standards and methods for the conduct of high-quality Animal and human biological rhythm Research, which should be especially useful for new investigators of the rhythms of life. The editors of Chronobiology International adhere to and endorse the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines of the Committee On Publication Ethics (COPE), which encourages communication of such updates at regular intervals in the journal. The journal accepts papers representing original work, no part of which was previously submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts, as well as in-depth reviews. The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International entails Animal and human investigations. The editors and readers of the journal expect authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to the Research of biological rhythms and related phenomena using ethical methods/procedures and unbiased, accurate, and honest reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to declare all potential conflicts of interest. The journal and its editors endorse compliance of investigators to the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, relating to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals, and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, relating to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings. The peer review of manuscripts by Chronobiology International thus includes judgment as to whether or not the protocols and methods conform to ethical standards. Authors are expected to show mastery of the basic methods and procedures of biological rhythm Research and proper statistical assessment of data, including the appropriate application of time series data analyses, as briefly reviewed in this article. The journal editors strive to consistently achieve high standards for the Research of original and review papers reported in Chronobiology International, and current examples of expectations are presented herein.

  • ethical and methodological standards for Laboratory and medical biological rhythm Research
    Chronobiology International, 2008
    Co-Authors: Francesco Portaluppi, Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky
    Abstract:

    The main objectives of this article are to update the ethical standards for the conduct of human and Animal biological rhythm Research and recommend essential elements for quality chronobiological Research information, which should be especially useful for new investigators of the rhythms of life. A secondary objective is to provide for those with an interest in the results of chronobiology investigations, but who might be unfamiliar with the field, an introduction to the basic methods and standards of biological rhythm Research and time series data analysis. The journal and its editors endorse compliance of all investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have adhered to the ethical standards dictated by local, national, and international laws and regulations in the conduct of investigations and to be unbiased and accurate in reporting never-before-published Research findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose all potential conflicts of interest, particularly when the Research is funded in part or in full by the medical and pharmaceutical industry, when the authors are stock-holders of the company that manufactures or markets the products under study, or when the authors are a recent or current paid consultant to the involved company. It is the responsibility of the authors of submitted manuscripts to clearly present sufficient detail about the synchronizer schedule of the studied subjects (i.e., the sleep-wake schedule, ambient light-dark cycle, intensity and spectrum of ambient light exposure, seasons when the Research was conducted, shift schedule in studies involving shift work, and menstrual cycle stage in studies involving young women). Rhythm analysis of time series data should be performed with the perspective that rhythms of different periods might be superimposed upon the observed temporal pattern of interest. A variety of different and complementary statistical procedures can be used for rhythm detection. Fitting a mathematical model to the time series data provides a better and more objective analysis of time series data than simple data inspection and narrative description, and if rhythmicity is documented by objective methods, its characterization is required by relevant parameters such as the rhythm's period (tau), MESOR (time series average), amplitude (range of temporal variation), acrophase (time of peak value), and bathyphase (time of trough value). However, the assumptions underlying the time series modeling must be satisfied and applicable in each case, especially the assumption of sinusoidality in the case of cosinor analysis, before it can be accepted as appropriate. An important aspect of the peer review of manuscripts submitted to Chronobiology International entails judgment of the conformity of Research protocols and methods to the standards described in this article.

  • ethics standards and procedures of Animal and human chronobiology Research
    Chronobiology International, 2006
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky, Francesco Portaluppi
    Abstract:

    The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to biological rhythm and related Research through the ethical conduct of investigations and unbiased and accurate reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest. The journal accepts only papers that are original work, no part of which has been submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts. The journal and its editors endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. The peer review of manuscripts by Chronobiology International thus includes judgment as to whether or not the investigative methods conform to the standards of good Research practice. This article updates the ethical policies, standards, and procedures for manuscripts submitted to Chronobiology International that involve human and Animal biological rhythm Research, both from the perspective of the criteria of quality chronobiology investigation and from the perspective of humane and ethical Research on human beings and Animals.

  • ethics standards and procedures of Animal and human chronobiology Research
    Chronobiology International, 2006
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky, Francesco Portaluppi
    Abstract:

    The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to biological rhythm and related Research through the ethical conduct of investigations and unbiased and accurate reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest. The journal accepts only papers that are original work, no part of which has been submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts. The journal and its editors endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which...

  • ethical principles and standards for the conduct of human and Animal biological rhythm Research
    Chronobiology International, 2004
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Francesco Portaluppi, Michael H. Smolensky, Ludger Rensing
    Abstract:

    Most Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The Journal, its editors and the publication committee endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association relating to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council relating to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. Chronobiology International requires that submitted manuscripts reporting the findings of human and Animal Research conform to the respective policy and mandates of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The peer review of manuscripts will thus include judgment of whether or not the involved Research methods conform to the standards of good Research practice. This article outlines the basic expectations for the methods of human and Animal biological rhythm Research, both from the perspective of the fundamental criteria necessary for quality chronobiology investigation and from the perspective of humane and ethical Research on human beings and Animals.

Yvan Touitou - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • ethics and methods for biological rhythm Research on Animals and human beings
    Chronobiology International, 2010
    Co-Authors: Francesco Portaluppi, Michael H. Smolensky, Yvan Touitou
    Abstract:

    This article updates the ethical standards and methods for the conduct of high-quality Animal and human biological rhythm Research, which should be especially useful for new investigators of the rhythms of life. The editors of Chronobiology International adhere to and endorse the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines of the Committee On Publication Ethics (COPE), which encourages communication of such updates at regular intervals in the journal. The journal accepts papers representing original work, no part of which was previously submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts, as well as in-depth reviews. The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International entails Animal and human investigations. The editors and readers of the journal expect authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to the Research of biological rhythms and related phenomena using ethical methods/procedures and unbiased, accurate, and honest reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to declare all potential conflicts of interest. The journal and its editors endorse compliance of investigators to the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, relating to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals, and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, relating to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings. The peer review of manuscripts by Chronobiology International thus includes judgment as to whether or not the protocols and methods conform to ethical standards. Authors are expected to show mastery of the basic methods and procedures of biological rhythm Research and proper statistical assessment of data, including the appropriate application of time series data analyses, as briefly reviewed in this article. The journal editors strive to consistently achieve high standards for the Research of original and review papers reported in Chronobiology International, and current examples of expectations are presented herein.

  • ethical and methodological standards for Laboratory and medical biological rhythm Research
    Chronobiology International, 2008
    Co-Authors: Francesco Portaluppi, Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky
    Abstract:

    The main objectives of this article are to update the ethical standards for the conduct of human and Animal biological rhythm Research and recommend essential elements for quality chronobiological Research information, which should be especially useful for new investigators of the rhythms of life. A secondary objective is to provide for those with an interest in the results of chronobiology investigations, but who might be unfamiliar with the field, an introduction to the basic methods and standards of biological rhythm Research and time series data analysis. The journal and its editors endorse compliance of all investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have adhered to the ethical standards dictated by local, national, and international laws and regulations in the conduct of investigations and to be unbiased and accurate in reporting never-before-published Research findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose all potential conflicts of interest, particularly when the Research is funded in part or in full by the medical and pharmaceutical industry, when the authors are stock-holders of the company that manufactures or markets the products under study, or when the authors are a recent or current paid consultant to the involved company. It is the responsibility of the authors of submitted manuscripts to clearly present sufficient detail about the synchronizer schedule of the studied subjects (i.e., the sleep-wake schedule, ambient light-dark cycle, intensity and spectrum of ambient light exposure, seasons when the Research was conducted, shift schedule in studies involving shift work, and menstrual cycle stage in studies involving young women). Rhythm analysis of time series data should be performed with the perspective that rhythms of different periods might be superimposed upon the observed temporal pattern of interest. A variety of different and complementary statistical procedures can be used for rhythm detection. Fitting a mathematical model to the time series data provides a better and more objective analysis of time series data than simple data inspection and narrative description, and if rhythmicity is documented by objective methods, its characterization is required by relevant parameters such as the rhythm's period (tau), MESOR (time series average), amplitude (range of temporal variation), acrophase (time of peak value), and bathyphase (time of trough value). However, the assumptions underlying the time series modeling must be satisfied and applicable in each case, especially the assumption of sinusoidality in the case of cosinor analysis, before it can be accepted as appropriate. An important aspect of the peer review of manuscripts submitted to Chronobiology International entails judgment of the conformity of Research protocols and methods to the standards described in this article.

  • ethics standards and procedures of Animal and human chronobiology Research
    Chronobiology International, 2006
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky, Francesco Portaluppi
    Abstract:

    The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to biological rhythm and related Research through the ethical conduct of investigations and unbiased and accurate reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest. The journal accepts only papers that are original work, no part of which has been submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts. The journal and its editors endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. The peer review of manuscripts by Chronobiology International thus includes judgment as to whether or not the investigative methods conform to the standards of good Research practice. This article updates the ethical policies, standards, and procedures for manuscripts submitted to Chronobiology International that involve human and Animal biological rhythm Research, both from the perspective of the criteria of quality chronobiology investigation and from the perspective of humane and ethical Research on human beings and Animals.

  • ethics standards and procedures of Animal and human chronobiology Research
    Chronobiology International, 2006
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky, Francesco Portaluppi
    Abstract:

    The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to biological rhythm and related Research through the ethical conduct of investigations and unbiased and accurate reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest. The journal accepts only papers that are original work, no part of which has been submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts. The journal and its editors endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which...

  • ethical principles and standards for the conduct of human and Animal biological rhythm Research
    Chronobiology International, 2004
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Francesco Portaluppi, Michael H. Smolensky, Ludger Rensing
    Abstract:

    Most Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The Journal, its editors and the publication committee endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association relating to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council relating to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. Chronobiology International requires that submitted manuscripts reporting the findings of human and Animal Research conform to the respective policy and mandates of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The peer review of manuscripts will thus include judgment of whether or not the involved Research methods conform to the standards of good Research practice. This article outlines the basic expectations for the methods of human and Animal biological rhythm Research, both from the perspective of the fundamental criteria necessary for quality chronobiology investigation and from the perspective of humane and ethical Research on human beings and Animals.

Michael H. Smolensky - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • ethics and methods for biological rhythm Research on Animals and human beings
    Chronobiology International, 2010
    Co-Authors: Francesco Portaluppi, Michael H. Smolensky, Yvan Touitou
    Abstract:

    This article updates the ethical standards and methods for the conduct of high-quality Animal and human biological rhythm Research, which should be especially useful for new investigators of the rhythms of life. The editors of Chronobiology International adhere to and endorse the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines of the Committee On Publication Ethics (COPE), which encourages communication of such updates at regular intervals in the journal. The journal accepts papers representing original work, no part of which was previously submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts, as well as in-depth reviews. The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International entails Animal and human investigations. The editors and readers of the journal expect authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to the Research of biological rhythms and related phenomena using ethical methods/procedures and unbiased, accurate, and honest reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to declare all potential conflicts of interest. The journal and its editors endorse compliance of investigators to the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, relating to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals, and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, relating to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings. The peer review of manuscripts by Chronobiology International thus includes judgment as to whether or not the protocols and methods conform to ethical standards. Authors are expected to show mastery of the basic methods and procedures of biological rhythm Research and proper statistical assessment of data, including the appropriate application of time series data analyses, as briefly reviewed in this article. The journal editors strive to consistently achieve high standards for the Research of original and review papers reported in Chronobiology International, and current examples of expectations are presented herein.

  • ethical and methodological standards for Laboratory and medical biological rhythm Research
    Chronobiology International, 2008
    Co-Authors: Francesco Portaluppi, Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky
    Abstract:

    The main objectives of this article are to update the ethical standards for the conduct of human and Animal biological rhythm Research and recommend essential elements for quality chronobiological Research information, which should be especially useful for new investigators of the rhythms of life. A secondary objective is to provide for those with an interest in the results of chronobiology investigations, but who might be unfamiliar with the field, an introduction to the basic methods and standards of biological rhythm Research and time series data analysis. The journal and its editors endorse compliance of all investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have adhered to the ethical standards dictated by local, national, and international laws and regulations in the conduct of investigations and to be unbiased and accurate in reporting never-before-published Research findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose all potential conflicts of interest, particularly when the Research is funded in part or in full by the medical and pharmaceutical industry, when the authors are stock-holders of the company that manufactures or markets the products under study, or when the authors are a recent or current paid consultant to the involved company. It is the responsibility of the authors of submitted manuscripts to clearly present sufficient detail about the synchronizer schedule of the studied subjects (i.e., the sleep-wake schedule, ambient light-dark cycle, intensity and spectrum of ambient light exposure, seasons when the Research was conducted, shift schedule in studies involving shift work, and menstrual cycle stage in studies involving young women). Rhythm analysis of time series data should be performed with the perspective that rhythms of different periods might be superimposed upon the observed temporal pattern of interest. A variety of different and complementary statistical procedures can be used for rhythm detection. Fitting a mathematical model to the time series data provides a better and more objective analysis of time series data than simple data inspection and narrative description, and if rhythmicity is documented by objective methods, its characterization is required by relevant parameters such as the rhythm's period (tau), MESOR (time series average), amplitude (range of temporal variation), acrophase (time of peak value), and bathyphase (time of trough value). However, the assumptions underlying the time series modeling must be satisfied and applicable in each case, especially the assumption of sinusoidality in the case of cosinor analysis, before it can be accepted as appropriate. An important aspect of the peer review of manuscripts submitted to Chronobiology International entails judgment of the conformity of Research protocols and methods to the standards described in this article.

  • ethics standards and procedures of Animal and human chronobiology Research
    Chronobiology International, 2006
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky, Francesco Portaluppi
    Abstract:

    The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to biological rhythm and related Research through the ethical conduct of investigations and unbiased and accurate reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest. The journal accepts only papers that are original work, no part of which has been submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts. The journal and its editors endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. The peer review of manuscripts by Chronobiology International thus includes judgment as to whether or not the investigative methods conform to the standards of good Research practice. This article updates the ethical policies, standards, and procedures for manuscripts submitted to Chronobiology International that involve human and Animal biological rhythm Research, both from the perspective of the criteria of quality chronobiology investigation and from the perspective of humane and ethical Research on human beings and Animals.

  • ethics standards and procedures of Animal and human chronobiology Research
    Chronobiology International, 2006
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Michael H. Smolensky, Francesco Portaluppi
    Abstract:

    The majority of Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The editors and the readers of the journal expect the authors of submitted manuscripts to have made an important contribution to biological rhythm and related Research through the ethical conduct of investigations and unbiased and accurate reporting of findings. Authors of scientific papers are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest. The journal accepts only papers that are original work, no part of which has been submitted for publication elsewhere, except as brief abstracts. The journal and its editors endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association, which relate to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, which...

  • ethical principles and standards for the conduct of human and Animal biological rhythm Research
    Chronobiology International, 2004
    Co-Authors: Yvan Touitou, Francesco Portaluppi, Michael H. Smolensky, Ludger Rensing
    Abstract:

    Most Research papers published in Chronobiology International report the findings of investigations conducted on Laboratory Animals and human beings. The Journal, its editors and the publication committee endorse the compliance of investigators to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association relating to the conduct of ethical Research on human beings and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council relating to the conduct of ethical Research on Laboratory and other Animals. Chronobiology International requires that submitted manuscripts reporting the findings of human and Animal Research conform to the respective policy and mandates of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The peer review of manuscripts will thus include judgment of whether or not the involved Research methods conform to the standards of good Research practice. This article outlines the basic expectations for the methods of human and Animal biological rhythm Research, both from the perspective of the fundamental criteria necessary for quality chronobiology investigation and from the perspective of humane and ethical Research on human beings and Animals.

Jeremy D Bailoo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • effects of weaning age and housing conditions on phenotypic differences in mice
    Scientific Reports, 2020
    Co-Authors: Jeremy D Bailoo, Bernhard Voelkl, Justin Adam Varholick, Janja Novak, Eimear Murphy, Marianna Rosso, Rupert Palme
    Abstract:

    Poor reproducibility is considered a serious problem in Laboratory Animal Research, with important scientific, economic, and ethical implications. One possible source of conflicting findings in Laboratory Animal Research are environmental differences between Animal facilities combined with rigorous environmental standardization within studies. Due to phenotypic plasticity, study-specific differences in environmental conditions during development can induce differences in the Animals' responsiveness to experimental treatments, thereby contributing to poor reproducibility of experimental results. Here, we studied how variation in weaning age (14-30 days) and housing conditions (single versus group housing) affects the phenotype of SWISS mice as measured by a range of behavioral and physiological outcome variables. Weaning age, housing conditions, and their interaction had little effect on the development of stereotypies, as well as on body weight, glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations, and behavior in the elevated plus-maze and open field test. These results are surprising and partly in conflict with previously published findings, especially with respect to the effects of early weaning. Our results thus question the external validity of previous findings and call for further Research to identify the sources of variation between replicate studies and study designs that produce robust and reproducible experimental results.

  • Social dominance hierarchy type and rank contribute to phenotypic variation within cages of Laboratory mice
    Scientific Reports, 2019
    Co-Authors: Justin Adam Varholick, Vanessa Daniele, Alessio Pontiggia, Hanno Würbel, Bernhard Voelkl, Eimear Murphy, Rupert Palme, Jeremy D Bailoo
    Abstract:

    A tacit assumption in Laboratory Animal Research is that Animals housed within the same cage or pen are phenotypically more similar than Animals from different cages or pens, due to their shared housing environment. This assumption drives experimental design, randomization schemes, and statistical analysis plans, while neglecting social context. Here, we examined whether a domain of social context—social dominance—accounted for more phenotypic variation in mice than cage-identity. First, we determined that cages of mice could be categorized into one of three dominance hierarchies with varying degrees of dominance behavior between cage-mates, and low levels of agonistic behavior in the home-cage. Most groups formed dynamic hierarchies with unclear ranks, contrasting with recent accounts of stable transitive hierarchies in groups of mice. Next, we measured some phenotypic traits, and found that social dominance (i.e. dominance hierarchy type and degree of dominance behavior) consistently accounted for some phenotypic variation in all outcome measures, while cage-identity accounted for phenotypic variation in some measures but virtually no variation in others. These findings highlight the importance of considering biologically relevant factors, such as social dominance, in experimental designs and statistical plans.

  • refinement of experimental design and conduct in Laboratory Animal Research
    Ilar Journal, 2014
    Co-Authors: Jeremy D Bailoo, Thomas S Reichlin, Hanno Würbel
    Abstract:

    The scientific literature of Laboratory Animal Research is replete with papers reporting poor reproducibility of results as well as failure to translate results to clinical trials in humans. This may stem in part from poor experimental design and conduct of Animal experiments. Despite widespread recognition of these problems and implementation of guidelines to attenuate them, a review of the literature suggests that experimental design and conduct of Laboratory Animal Research are still in need of refinement. This paper will review and discuss possible sources of biases, highlight advantages and limitations of strategies proposed to alleviate them, and provide a conceptual framework for improving the reproducibility of Laboratory Animal Research.

Gail Davies - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • science culture and care in Laboratory Animal Research interdisciplinary perspectives on the history and future of the 3rs
    Science Technology & Human Values, 2018
    Co-Authors: Gail Davies, Beth Greenhough, Pru Hobsonwest, Robert G W Kirk
    Abstract:

    The principles of the 3Rs—replacement, refinement, and reduction—strongly shape discussion of methods for performing more humane Animal Research and the regulation of this contested area of technoscience. This special issue looks back to the origins of the 3Rs principles through five papers that explore how it is enacted and challenged in practice and that develop critical considerations about its future. Three themes connect the papers in this special issue. These are (1) the multiplicity of roles enacted by those who use and care for Animals in Research, (2) the distribution of “feelings that matter” across species and spaces of Laboratory Animal practice, and (3) the growing importance of “cultures of care” in Animal Research.

  • developing a collaborative agenda for humanities and social scientific Research on Laboratory Animal science and welfare
    PLOS ONE, 2016
    Co-Authors: Gail Davies, Beth Greenhough, Pru Hobsonwest, Robert G W Kirk, Ken Applebee, Laura C Bellingan, Manuel Berdoy, Henry Buller, Helen J Cassaday, Keith Davies
    Abstract:

    Improving Laboratory Animal science and welfare requires both new scientific Research and insights from Research in the humanities and social sciences. Whilst scientific Research provides evidence to replace, reduce and refine procedures involving Laboratory Animals (the ‘3Rs’), work in the humanities and social sciences can help understand the social, economic and cultural processes that enhance or impede humane ways of knowing and working with Laboratory Animals. However, communication across these disciplinary perspectives is currently limited, and they design Research programmes, generate results, engage users, and seek to influence policy in different ways. To facilitate dialogue and future Research at this interface, we convened an interdisciplinary group of 45 life scientists, social scientists, humanities scholars, non-governmental organisations and policy-makers to generate a collaborative Research agenda. This drew on methods employed by other agenda-setting exercises in science policy, using a collaborative and deliberative approach for the identification of Research priorities. Participants were recruited from across the community, invited to submit Research questions and vote on their priorities. They then met at an interactive workshop in the UK, discussed all 136 questions submitted, and collectively defined the 30 most important issues for the group. The output is a collaborative future agenda for Research in the humanities and social sciences on Laboratory Animal science and welfare. The questions indicate a demand for new Research in the humanities and social sciences to inform emerging discussions and priorities on the governance and practice of Laboratory Animal Research, including on issues around: international harmonisation, openness and public engagement, ‘cultures of care’, harm-benefit analysis and the future of the 3Rs. The process outlined below underlines the value of interdisciplinary exchange for improving communication across different Research cultures and identifies ways of enhancing the effectiveness of future Research at the interface between the humanities, social sciences, science and science policy.