LAS Pro September-October 2022

September/October 2022

Getting Down & Derby

Get the Scoop on Our National Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky

Meet New AALAS Trustees and VP-Elect, James Macy Introducing a New Mentorship Program Alzheimer’s-like Pathology in Two Aged Polar Bears

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September/October 2022 Vol. 10 Issue 5

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

16 28 29 30

Go Inside the Meeting

Get a glimpse of select 2022 sessions with these sneak peeks from assorted meeting presenters.

Technical Trade Presentations

Details on what will be showcased in technological innovation at the National Meeting.

Meet James Macy

James Macy takes on the Vice President-Elect role at the conclusion of the Louisville Meeting.

20

Animal Rights in Court

IACUC court battle in Washington.

22 September/October 2022

Getting Down & Derby

Get the Scoop on Our National Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky

Meet New AALAS Trustees and VP-Elect, James Macy Introducing a New Mentorship Program Alzheimer’s-like Pathology in Two Aged Polar Bears

2 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

On the cover: Paula Clifford, MLA, CVT, RLATG, (left) is the Executive Director of Animals for Medical Progress in Washington, DC. Sally Thompson-Iritani, DrPH, DVM, CPIA, (right) is the Asst.

Vice Provost of Animal Care, Outreach, and 3Rs at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.

A Research-Ready® IVC System You Can Scale With Ease Innovive provides the only simple, full-cycle clean environment for accelerated science without the stress and complexity of a washroom.

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60

63

DEPARTMENTS 5 Publisher’s Note

42 Tech Tips

6 People & Places

52 AALAS Connection

My Front Porch

New hires, promotions, awards, memorials

14 PROfiles

Meet Robert Reed

32 Inside the IACUC LAWTE: 25 Years Later

36 Career & training Digital Escape Room

4 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

Insights on techniques and tactics

GLAS Winners

58 Crossword – LATG #3 60 AALAS Foundation

Video Essay Contest Winners

63 Pet Talk 64 Ad Index

PUBLISHER’S NOTE Staff

My Front Porch

Publisher Ann Turner Associate Publisher Chris Lyons

After 21 wonderful years as AALAS’s Executive Director, I have decided that I am ready to retire. Whenever someone asks me how I feel about retiring, my answer varies depending on the day. Some days I am sad, knowing my time with our association is ending.

Some days, especially after a particularly long meeting, I am excited and expectant of retirement. No matter how the day goes, I will always feel grateful for all the memories formed here. AALAS is a truly remarkable organization, and I am proud to have been involved every step of the way.

An event I always look forward to is our National Meeting, and this year is no exception. We have a full house with over 100 sessions and over 200 exhibiting companies, so there will be plenty of people to learn from and engage with.

This is always an excellent time to get to know other LAS professionals and expand your network. With all these events taking place, things can get a little hectic, so I hope you take a moment to wind down and check out what we’ll have set up in the Ask Me Anything section of the Exhibit Hall.

As a special farewell, I decided to do something different this year. I want to invite you to my front porch. While we may not be outside, we will be in rocking chairs, accompanied by cold beverages and warm conversation. As I approach retirement, I am learning to become okay with slowing down and taking the time to truly enjoy my surroundings. What better way to do that than this, right? Attendees of the National Meeting will have the opportunity to sit down with me and talk to me about anything: what are my fondest memories at AALAS, what was the hardest lesson I learned, what do I most look forward to in retirement, and whatever else comes to mind. Of course, I’d love to hear what has stood out to you about your involvement with our community. We are such a unique group of individuals, and we all have so much to learn from each other.

The National Meeting is always the highlight of my year. It does my heart good being around you all, and sometimes I wish it would never end.

There will be a sign on the front porch detailing the times I will be there. If you have something you’d like to discuss but we’re unable to meet, I will have a mailbox set up for you to write a note. I hope you’ll take the opportunity to sit with me on my front porch.

Managing Editor John Farrar Associate Editor Morgan McCloud Ad Sales John Farrar Design/Production Zara Garza

Editorial Advisory Board Leslie Birke Louisiana State Univ Andrew Burich Benaroya Research Institute Bob Dauchy Tulane Univ School of Medicine David DeOrnellis Champions Oncology Penny Devlin Pennsylvania State Univ College of Med Sonia Doss Duke Univ Medical Center Kelly Ethun Emory University Glenn Jackson Cornell University Richard Marble NAMSA Elizabeth Nunamaker Charles River Laboratories Sara Oglesby AbbVie Inc. Jane Olin Edwards Lifesciences Karuna Patil Seattle Children's Research Institute Amy Pierce Tulane Univ School of Medicine Stacy Pritt UT Southwestern Medical Center Robin Tucker Georgetown Univ

Mission Statement Laboratory Animal Science Professional (LAS Pro) is the official magazine for American Association for Laboratory Animal Science members. LAS Pro provides a wide range of useful resources and knowledge to the association’s 14,000 laboratory animal science professionals who are involved in advancing responsible laboratory animal care and use to benefit people and animals. All signed articles, including, committee reports, news, and commentary, reflect the individual views of the authors and are not official views of AALAS. Authorization to photocopy portions for personal or internal use is granted by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. Photocopying for purposes of resale or outside distribution is prohibited unless written approval is obtained from the AALAS Director of Communications.

Copyright 2022 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

Laboratory Animal Science Professional (USPS 010-730) is published bimonthly by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, 9190 Crestwyn Hills Drive, Memphis, TN 38125. Periodicals Postage paid at Memphis, TN 38101 and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AALAS, 9190 Crestwyn Hills Drive, Memphis, TN 38125-8538.

Ann Turner

Publisher Executive Director American Association for Laboratory Animal Science

American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 9190 Crestwyn Hills Drive Memphis, TN 38125-8538 Phone: 901-754-8620 Fax: 901-753-0046 E-mail: info@aalas.org Web: www.aalas.org

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 5

PEOPLE & PLACES - NEW HIRES, MEETING UPDATES, AND MEMORIALS

Ben Cohen Branch Training 2022 !

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he Ben Cohen Branch Management Summit takes place every two years at our national headquarters. This serves as an opportunity for members from all our branches to gather, learn from one another, and continue building camaraderie. The 2022 Ben Cohen Management Summit provided vital information on how to be effective within your local branch of AALAS. The topics included information on the history of AALAS, legal issues, meeting planning, helpful information on various methods of communication to enable members of your local branch to get involved, plus so much more!

“It was an absolutely incredible experience to be able to learn from the great minds of the staff at the National AALAS office while also being able to interact and learn more about each of them, their career pathways, and their commitment to not only the industry but the compassion they share for individuals working in the industry and most importantly the animals that we work with every day.” – Matthew Taylor, BS, CMAR, LATG “Thank you all so much for organizing, hosting, and providing such a unique opportunity for branch leaders all around the country to come together at the 2022 Ben Cohen Management Summit. It was great to see the national offices and to meet so many nice people in person. I look forward to sharing some of your insights with my BOD, and I’ve enjoyed networking with my peers.” - Kate Hoffman, BS, CVT, RLATG

6 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

FELASA 2022

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ELASA, the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations, represents common interests in furthering all aspects of laboratory animal science (LAS) in Europe and beyond. FELASA puts the 3Rs of Laboratory Animal Science 'Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement' center stage. FELASA advocates responsible scientific conduct with animals in the life sciences with particular emphasis on ensuring animal welfare. This year, FELASA took place in Marseille, France. Ann and Sally discussed the significance of laboratory animal research, and Ann presented on our organization.

Executive Director Ann Turner was joined by Sally Westlake.

NIEHS-led Collaboration Receives Director’s Challenge Innovation Award

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ed by Dondrae Coble, D.V.M., chief of the Comparative Medicine Branch, the grant will fund the construction of multiple animal enclosures designed to help researchers observe the effects of 115 environmental chemicals on behavior. The enclosures help ensure that observations are minimally disruptive to the research animals, which include fruit flies and mice. Additionally, the researchers will use the grant to build a system to collect, analyze, store, and share data collected during the experimentation process.

The ultimate goal is to narrow down from 115 to 10 environmental chemicals that are most likely to cause potential neurodevelopmental disorders in fruit flies and mice, which can then be translated into the potential of those chemicals causing neurodevelopmental disorders in human children.

“As a laboratory animal medicine veterinarian, I want to utilize animals in the most responsible and appropriate manner,” Coble said. “If there are opportunities to refine our techniques or reduce animal use, that’s something I’m interested in pursuing.”

Credit: Kelley Christensen at factor.niehs.nih.gov

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 7

PEOPLE & PLACES - NEW HIRES, MEETING UPDATES, AND MEMORIALS

AALAS Foundation Board and Leadership Summit !

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he AALAS Foundation Board and the AALAS Leadership Summit met from June 23-25 to discuss past successes and plan for future endeavors. We were excited to have the AALAS Foundation Board of Directors meet in person at our AALAS offices again for their annual Mid-Year Board meeting. It was a very productive meeting. The Board members have several exciting new projects they hope to roll out in the coming months.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to get to meet so many professionals from our AALAS leadership team and hear about all the various committee plans. But I must admit, my favorite part of the Leadership Summit was the Riverboat dinner cruise, which allowed a fun and relaxing environment to get to know everyone on a more personal level.”

– Vicki Campbell, AALAS staff “It made me feel so proud to see everyone interacting with each other and seeing the impact that our work has on our community.”

– Betty Cartwright, AALAS staff

8 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

IN MEMORIAM Monica Torres

Monica Patricia Schaerer Torres was born on December 11, 1971, in Coral Gables, Florida to Ana Melida Rojas and Rolf Heinz Schaerer.

They moved to Tampa, Florida afterward, where Monica attended Egypt Lake Elementary School.

Monica developed a deep interest in books at a very young age. In August 1998, she met William Torres. They became engaged on July 21, 2001, at Galveston Island, Texas, and married on December 8, 2001. They later moved to Florida to continue and complete their education in Fort Lauderdale and later Tampa. While in Tampa, Monica attended the University of South Florida and earned her BA in Interdisciplinary Social Science in 2010 and her MA in Adult Education in 2016. While there Monica worked as a Lab Manager for the Division of Comparative Medicine at the University of South Florida and Moffitt Cancer Center.

In 2018 they moved back to Houston where Monica, again, worked at Baylor College of Medicine, Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM) as the Senior Training Manager. In November

of 2021, they settled down in the Katy area where they began attending Kingsland Baptist Church.

Monica enjoyed the simple things in life, running, taking walks, the outdoors, beaches, nature, watching sunsets, hearing the rain fall, and even made several hiking trips to Big Bend National Park. She found great peace and enjoyment in gardening and loved decorating the home. She enjoyed a good book to read and a good cat to squeeze.

Monica went to be with the Lord on Friday, June 24, 2022, in Houston, Texas. A friend to all, an inspiration, and a true leader.

Her legacy, and memories, and the impact she’s had on so many lives will live on. She will be greatly missed.

A statement from CBM: "Monica served our Mission as a senior training manager for our Center for Comparative Medicine (CCM). She has been a part of CCM for nearly five years. Her work had a tremendous impact on our research community, as her mission to train our animal care staff directly impacts the quality of service we provide our researchers. She was well respected by her colleagues, both in and out of CCM, including leadership, she will be greatly missed. We hope you keep Monica's family in your thoughts right now, as well as her colleagues in CCM. If you would like to support the Torres family during this difficult time, please visit the family's Go Fund Me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/continuing-on-without-my-wife.”

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 9

PEOPLE & PLACES - NEW HIRES, MEETING UPDATES, AND MEMORIALS

The Ron Orta Award T he Ron Orta Award honors the memory of Ron Orta, a beloved employee, friend, and colleague in our community. Every year we present two awards in his honor to industry leaders who embody the nature of Ron Orta, at the annual District 8 AALAS Meeting and LAMA/ATA Meeting.

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Pictured here is AALAS Past President Morag Mackay, recipient of the 2022 LAMA/Allentown-sponsored Ron Orta Award.

Congratulations, and thank you for your dedication and contributions to our industry!

Credit: Allentown, LLC

2022 HEALTHCARE MARKETING AWARDS SUMMARY

A

NDvertising, Inc. has a long, rich history of producing marketing communications for the Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) that are both informative and creative. One of their most notable works is the FBR Calendar. In 2022, the agency’s work was recognized nationally in two well-known creative competitions: The Healthcare Advertising Awards and the Aster Awards. For the Healthcare Advertising Awards, ANDvertising was given four awards: gold in Multiple Page Brochure and Calendar, silver in Multiple Page Brochure, and bronze in Special Video. For the Aster Awards, ANDvertising won three awards: gold in Multiple Page Brochure and Calendar and silver in Social Media Campaign.

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Wojdyla COPYWRITER Susan Morris ART DIRECTOR Michael John 10 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

Foundation for Biomedical Research

2021 CALENDAR

Catheter Lock & Flush Solutions Pharmaceutical-grade, start to finish.

Beginning with sterile ingredients does not guarantee sterility of the lock and flush solutions you are infusing into your animals. Look for “USP” on the label to ensure they have been prepared to pharmaceutical-grade standards.

It’s good for your science, good for animal welfare, and recommended by AAALAC.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11

www.instechlabs.com

BIO-SERV NEWS – The following is sponsored content

Benefits of Gelled Diet Products to Husbandry and Care

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ertain animal and protocol conditions create a requirement for “special needs” products to ensure animal(s) survival and to encourage reliable research outcomes. Bio-Serv was the first to create a gelled diet product to meet these special needs with the introduction of Nutra-Gel™ in 2003.

Nutra-Gel is a highly palatable, nutritionally complete food and water gelled diet. Bio-Serv has recently broadened the gel product line to include a water gel and an electrolyte gel, all of which serve a critical role in advancing animal care and welfare.

Gel is a tremendous appetite stimulant in poor-doers because it is incredibly flavorful and easy to consume. It contains balanced mineral and glucose levels to provide energy, nutrients, and hydration to facilitate a more rapid recovery. The hydration results are similar to administering SQ fluids without the stress of having to give an injection.

An ongoing challenge when caring for research animals is to strive to minimize experimental variables in the research environment.

This is where incorporating gelled diet products can greatly enhance a husbandry care plan. Gelled diet products are an easy, economical, and a labor friendly method of delivering hydration and nutrition to research animals who may be suffering from stress or impairment due to situations such as shipping, breeding, weaning, protocol demands, or post-op conditions. Bio-Serv offers three different types of gelled diet products, including water hydration, electrolyte replacement, and complete nutrition all of which uniquely meet the needs of research animals in these conditions. Impaired animals need highly palatable diets and easy access to nutrition and hydration. Gelled diet products are packaged in a cup which is simply placed at cage level in front of the animal to promote consumption. Consumption of gelled diet products translates into improved hydration, faster recovery, and better research results.

Gelled Diet Products

Pure-Water Gel™ is a crystal- clear gelled water source that can be a complete water replacement or used as a supplement for research animals. Pure-Water Gel should be used whenever an animal is not able to easily access a water sipper due to mobility issues, post-op conditions or when housing undersized weanlings. It can be used as a sole water source for transport or in emergency situations where there may be a looming threat to the water supply.

Nutra-Gel™ is our nutritionally complete, bacon-flavored gelled diet that is based on the AIN-93G formulation. It is a 100% nutritious, highly palatable food and water source for rodents. Nutra-Gel was developed in 2003, in response to a request from a large government institution to manufacture a gelled ‘mush diet’ for rodents that required a food and water source at cage level. The institution had been creating the diet internally, in a process that was highly laborious and time consuming. Bio-Serv was able to successfully formulate and manufacture the gelled diet for them. Nutra-Gel was then added to our product line because of its success in providing cage-level nutrition with convenience. The popularity of Nutra-Gel steadily escalated, especially as the positive effects of nutritional intervention in debilitated rodents have been realized over the years.

Nutra-Gel remains moist in the cage for 24–48 hours, depending on the type of cage system in use. Most mice consume approximately 10–12 grams of Nutra-Gel per day, and rats consume approximately 26–60 grams of Nutra-Gel per day, depending on strain and age.

Safety and Packaging

Pure-Water Gel™, Electro-Gel™ and Nutra-Gel™ have been formulated by a Ph.D. laboratory animal nutritionist and have been tested by an independent laboratory to ensure safety, shelf life, and nutrient stability. Each of these products are packaged in food-safe polypropylene cups which have passed through Bio-Serv’s stringent contaminant screening program. The gelled diet products are made using food grade ingredients and are gamma irradiated for added biosecurity.

Electro-Gel™ is an oral electrolyte hydration gel based on Bio-Serv’s PRANG™ rehydration formulation. Electro-Gel provides critical electrolytes, Vitamin C, and water in a highly palatable orange or strawberry flavored gel which dramatically improves the hydration status of critically ill or debilitated laboratory animals. ElectroVisit us at booth 536 to see these products and many more!

12 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

LOMIR NEWS – The following is sponsored content

Animal Jacket Selection: Best Practices Ensuring Optimal Fit & Performance

By Teresa Woodger, President, Lomir Biomedical

T

he use of animal jackets in research protocols provides an immense potential for scientists and benefits may include improved animal comfort, reduced acclimation periods, enhanced quality and consistency of data collection, and limited the time spent handling animal subjects. To see these benefits, however, users must select jackets that provide the right fit, as well as features that will accommodate their unique protocols. The following concepts must be given careful thought before purchasing a jacketed solution.

Identify the species and size. Jackets that are too small or large may cause problems such as irritation from chafing. All models can be sized to fit any age and species, from neonatal minipigs to adult Yorkshire swine and baboons. Make sure to access your manufacturer’s measurement sheet and consider your protocol. Will your subjects be gaining significant mass and size during the process? If so, interchangeable, zippered spandex panels, for instance, can be introduced to accommodate changes in fast-growing swine.

Opt for an undershirt. Made with spandex and moisture wicking fabrics, undershirts can be used to secure telemetry equipment and other devices. They may even serve to protect dermal application sites and surgery sites, thus eliminating the need for bandaging. For subjects with sensitive skin, such as swine species, undershirts may also reduce chafing.

Consider how devices or equipment will pair with jackets.

Custom-sized pockets and straps can be added to any jacket to integrate pumps, dermal patches, telemetry equipment, infusion sets, and more. For nonhuman primates in social settings, additional D-rings and zipper protectors can prevent interference with equipment. Additionally, pockets can be made with opaque fabric to protect photosensitive equipment.

Ask the manufacturer about the latest solutions. In recent years, a number of specialized solutions have become available, thanks to advances in materials technology and the miniaturization of devices. These include: smart undershirts that provide integrated ECG leads and wires; full-body jackets for nonhuman primates, to track gait; and custom-colored jackets to track different groups in social housing.

Select features that meet your protocols. As an example, a full body jacket is often used with a tether system, while 3/4-length jackets are better suited for less active subjects.

The padded neck can be snug and high (standard) or lowered into a V-neck that accommodates a pole-and-collar restraint system. If you are working with the manufacturer, jackets can be adapted to meet any such requirement.

Our team has been designing and manufacturing innovative solutions since 1989. Contact us to discuss your next project. www.lomir.com | 1-877-425-3604

Plan for acclimation. This essential process must be considered before purchasing a jacket.

Visit us at booth 800 to see these products and many more!

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 13

5

minutes with...

Robert M Reed Jr, LATG, CMAR LAS PRO-files

Facility/Employer: The University of Arizona, University Animal Care Current Job Title: Animal Care Manager I How did you get in this field? I have always

Getting Personal What companion animals do you have?

I have two dogs: a rambunctious one named Thanos and his new companion, a pup named Valkyrie.

Best binge-watching TV series?

I really enjoy the Game of Thrones series. I can binge GOT over and over again.

What are your favorite hobbies?

I love doing just about anything outdoors. I also enjoy cooking and comedy.

Where is your dream vacation spot?

had a love for animals. From various pets at home to volunteering at the San Diego Zoo. I got my first taste in the field while attending Tuskegee University. Once I did my work study in the Turkey Genome project, I knew this was the field for me.

Who were your mentors? My mentors were Tony Slimp, he hired me for my first job in the field and introduced me to the AALAS program; the late Dr. Roy Ax took me under his wing and piqued my interest in scientific research; Leigh Kleinert introduced me to the surgical aspect of science which has become a passion of mine.

What are your current interests in animal science? I am most interested in performing and perfecting my surgical skills. Currently, my interest lies in creating new techniques to develop and motivate my husbandry staff.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In five years, I see myself still contributing to the science world with my major focus on performing surgeries.

I’ve always wanted to see the Great Barrier Reef.

What is your favorite dessert?

My favorite dessert is banana pudding or fresh fruit.

14 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of my job is the people I work with. I am a student of life on a never-ending knowledge seeking journey. I enjoy learning from my peers and finding innovative ways to relay this info to my staff.

What advice do you have for others just beginning their animal science career? My

advice to a newbie would be to think outside of the box and allow time to explore the field. Animal Science can take you in many directions and provide opportunities you may not expect.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your career? Hands down, the most rewarding

part is that I get to contribute to the field of science. I’ve worked a variety of roles from cage wash to animal tech to procurement to chief surgeon to manager. Each role has been rewarding in its own right.

What is something unexpectedly interesting about your career? I didn’t

expect that this field would provide so many opportunities to travel and meet people from all over the world. My career has been the catalyst for many momentous experiences in my life.

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INSIDE THE MEETING

Tissue Vaccines for Cancer

By Mark Suckow

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ancer represents the second leading cause of death in the United States, second only to cardiovascular disease. Common therapeutic modalities include chemotherapy, surgical tumor reduction, and radiation treatment. Though these approaches have all yielded success, adverse outcomes are common, resulting either directly from the treatment or from incomplete therapeutic efficacy. As a result, there exists great interest in the development of entirely new strategies for cancer treatment.

The idea that the immune system can be strategically harnessed as an approach to cancer treatment has recently received great attention.

A significant challenge is posed to this approach by the antigenic diversity and evolutionary capability of many tumors. That is, while tumors may share some common antigenic targets, all may not be therapeutically relevant. Indeed, tumors can be complex tissues that carry a vast menu of antigenic targets.

Various immunotherapy strategies have been explored. Examples include CAR-T therapy, in which T cells are collected from patients and processed in the laboratory to add chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that bind to specific antigens on the surface of cancer cells; the use of monoclonal antibodies to target cancer cell surface antigens; and immune checkpoint inhibitors, molecules that block proteins (checkpoints) produced by some cancer cells and which stop T cells from killing cancer cells. These approaches have yielded encouraging results for some types of cancer, though adverse side effects have been noted in some cases, particularly with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Because tumors are generally antigenically complex, an approach that provides the immune system with a broad range of antigenic targets relevant to an individual tumor offers the possibility of personalized immunotherapy. In this regard, tissue vaccines that are derived directly from harvested tumor tissue are presumed to include a huge menu of antigens and were used to stimulate the immune system against cancer. Initial studies in rodents demonstrated this approach to be safe and efficacious in tumor prevention and reduction of both tumor metastasis and tumor regrowth following surgical reduction of the primary tumor.5,6 Additional work conducted toward the commercialization of autologous tissue vaccines for the treatment of veterinary patients has demonstrated safety and efficacy under clinical circumstances in dogs, cats, and horses.1-4 Though further work is 16 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

needed to more completely understand and refine the use of tissue vaccines for cancer immunotherapy, results to date are encouraging and suggest this approach is safe and effective.

REFERENCES 1. Crossley RA, MazA, Dew T, Kalinauskas A, Faucette N, Poff B, Silbart LK, Suckow MA. 2019. Safety evaluation of autologous tissue vaccine cancer immunotherapy in a canine model. Anticancer Res 39:1699-1703.

2. Greenberg CB, Javiscas LH, Clauson RM, Suckow MA, Kalinauskas AE, Lucroy MD. 2022. Field safety experience with an autologous cancer vaccine in 41 horses: a retrospective study (2019-2021). J Equine Vet Sci 114:103948.

3. Lucroy MD, Clauson RM, Suckow MA, El-Tayeb F, Kalinauskas A. 2020. Evaluation of an autologous cancer vaccine for the treatment of metastatic canine hemangiosarcoma: a preliminary study.

BMC Vet Res 16:447.

4. Lucroy MD, Kugler AM, El-Tayeb F, Clauson RM, Kalinauskas A, Suckow MA. 2022. Field safety experience with an autologous cancer vaccine in tumor-bearing cats: a retrospective study of 117 cases (2015-2020). J Feline Med Surg 24:493-499.

5. Suckow MA, Heinrich J, Rosen ED. 2007. Tissue vaccines for cancer. Expert Rev. Vaccines 6:925-937.

6. Suckow MA, Wolter WR, Sailes VT. 2008. Inhibition of prostate cancer metastasis by administration of a tissue vaccine. Clin. Exp. Metastasis 25:913-918.

Charles C. Hunter Lecture: Tissue Vaccines for Cancer Monday, October 24

11:00 am - 12:00 pm | Ballroom A Speaker: Mark Suckow

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 17

INSIDE THE MEETING

Why, When, and How to Be Open about Animal Research

By Paula Clifford, MLA, CVT, RLATG and Sally Thompson-Iritani, DVM, PhD, CPIA, CCFP

W

hy is it so important that our community be open about the use of animals in research?

When is the right time to be open – proactive or reactive? How can we communicate about our field and counter misinformation campaigns? Answers to these questions and more are on the minds of many members of the research community. The U.S. Animal Research Openness Initiative (USARO) supports animal research openness. The Initiative strives to answer questions regarding increased communications about animal research in an effort to advocate for the continued advancement of medicine and science in the United States.

The USARO is hosting a discussion at the Annual National AALAS meeting about: • The state of animal research openness in the United States, • The benefits (and challenges) of greater openness, • What a U.S. Animal Research Openness Agreement might look like, and • Effective openness efforts currently underway.

Our society’s demand for medical progress has been highlighted during the current health pandemic. At the same time, we saw the devastating impacts of public mistrust for science and the lack of understanding about the research process. That same mistrust and misunderstanding is amplified in the conversation about animal research because of the unique stewardship that we have over many species' wellbeing and the 18 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

innate empathy that humans share. Anti-research groups have incorporated dangerous claims into mainstream conversations about why, when and how animals are involved in advancing medicine and science. This has halted some research, made scientists targets of activist campaigns and will likely continue to negatively impact the ability to conduct life-saving studies and scientific inquiries about living systems and disease.

Thankfully, national and local biomedical research advocacy groups, scientific societies, and research institutions provide opportunities for the public to gain accurate information about essential animal research.

But, it is not enough.

One important way to stop the momentum aiming to hinder research with animals is to engage the public and other stakeholders in meaningful discourse about why, when and how animals are involved in research. Providing context about animal studies and how laboratory animals are cared for, along with recognizing the consequences of inhibiting animal research, is crucial in helping the public and legislators make informed decisions. These decisions affect the health of both human and veterinary patients as well as our nation’s ability to address current and future public health issues.

A global trend to implement formal “animal research openness agreements” began in the United Kingdom in 2014.

Today, a total of nine countries (see chart) have implemented formal agreements with the goal of improving public trust and understanding about science involving animals while countering misleading activist claims. These agreements call for institutions to commit to increasing animal research openness through a variety of ways. Some involve:

animal research institutions that engage with public audiences about the importance of their work. It is important that we move forward united together so that formal animal research openness efforts help strengthen the biomedical research community as a whole. Contributions from a variety of research community members is essential to ensure that all voices are heard. Openness activities can be tailored to custom-fit another research group and provide a level of comfort and support that is in alignment with the organization’s mission and goals.

One thing is clear, the public continues to demand medical progress and we have a responsibility to help them understand how that progress happens.

If you are unable to join us at AALAS– check us out at USARO.org and decide how you would like to participate in this important outreach effort. We encourage you to join us or send us your questions through the website or by connecting with us at AALAS.

• Websites with clear animal research statements • Images and videos that provide insights on what animal research actually looks like • Providing information or tours for journalists and politicians • Engagement with local community groups or schools on animal research topics A similar effort is now underway in the United States. The U.S. Animal Research Openness Initiative is led by representatives from public and private research organizations, including industry and academia, advocacy groups and scientific societies. The USARO Initiative strives to increase the number of Country

Agreement Name

United Kingdom

Concordat on Openness on Animal Research in the UK

The US Animal Research Openness (USARO) Initiative: Statement of Intent and Status Towards a Formal Openness Wednesday, October 26 12:30pm-2:00pm | Room M107 Leader: Tom Leach Moderator: Paula Clifford Panelists: Gaylen Edwards, F. Claire Hankenson, Wendy Jarrett, Sally Thompson-Iritani

Year Website established 2014 https://concordatopenness.org.uk/

Spain

Transparency Agreement on the use of animals in scientific experimentation in Spain -

2016 https://cosce.org/acuerdo-de-transparencia/

Portugal

Transparency Agreement on Animal Research in Portugal

2018 https://www.eara.eu/portugal?lang=pt

Belgium France

Transparency Agreement on Animal Research in Belgium French transparency Charter on the use of animals for scientific and regulatory purposes

2019 http://bclasorg.webhosting.be/transparency-agreement/ 2021 https://www.recherche-animale.org/transparency-charter

Germany

Transparent Animal Experiments Initiative

2021 https://www.initiative-transparente-tierversuche.de/erklaerung/

Netherlands

Dutch Transparency Agreement on Animal Testing

2021

New Zealand

Openness Agreement on Animal Research and Teaching in New Zealand

2021

Switzerland

Swiss Transparency Agreement on animal research

https://www.swissuniversities.ch/en/organisation/bodies/chamber2022 of-universities/bodies/swiss-transparency-agreement-on-animalresearch-staar

United States TBA

https://nin.nl/dutch-institutions-sign-agreement-about-theirresearch-using-animals/ https://anzccart.org.nz/business-consultancy-on-the-edge/openness-agreement/

2024? www.usaro.org

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 19

INSIDE THE MEETING

Responsibilities, Realities, and Roller Coasters for the Credentialed Veterinary Technician in a Nonhuman Primate Facility

By Victoria Elam, CVT VTS-LAM

T

his year at AALAS the Academy of Laboratory Animal Veterinary Technicians and Nurses (ALAVTN) panel discussion will highlight some of the various positions these CVT’s have who are working with nonhuman primates (NHPs) in a research setting.

ALAVTN is a Veterinary Technician Specialty recognized through the National Association Veterinary Technicians in America, which is a certificate available for Credentialed Veterinary Technicians (CVT) that can qualify to take the rigorous exams by satisfying many requirements and case log reports.

NHPs in the USA only account for approximately 1% of the animals used in research with the 2019 census putting that number at 68,257. This number has likely increased with the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in 2020 when testing for infection rates and transmission in these animals in a research setting. The most common NHP used currently, is the Cynomolgus Macaque. However, we can’t forget the Rhesus Macaque, Vervets (African Greens), Squirrel Monkeys and Common Marmosets to name a few. Other studies using these animals in 20 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

research over the last several years would include but not limited to; Zika, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and anxiety/ depression studies. Although these animal facilities probably receive the most attention from animal rights groups, they are an integral part of the critical research for many diseases and disorders that are similar to humans. Not only do they have a prefrontal cortex, unique family dynamics, emotions; they also share ~ 94% of DNA comparable to humans.

Our panel is going to focus on 4 different CVT positions in different facilities working in NHP research, presenting opportunities, challenges and experiences working with these animals. These presentations are from their viewpoint working as a CVT, support specialist and/or carestaff.

Madi Wheaton, BS, LVT/LVMT, RLATG, VTSLAM, will start our discussion with her presentation, “Rounding the NHP World as a Veterinary Technician” and will discuss a typical day for a clinical technician doing rounds through their colony.

Joanna M. Swerczek, CMAR, CVT/LVT, VTSLAM who works as a Training and Research Support Specialist, her presentation “The Research Support Specialist function in Nonhuman Primate Studies” will discuss how to set up a protocol/project by using guidelines that can best prepare labs for research project support, logistical concerns, housing specifics, animal stress reduction, anesthetic needs, surgical suite/equipment needs and protocol guidelines.

Diana Medina, LVT, RLATG VTS-LAM presentation “Enriching Primates One Day at a Time” will cover enrichment schedules, with rotation interactions that improve the health and welfare of the animals while in their home environment.

Rounding up our talk will be Jodie Ternes CVT, RLATg, VTS-LAM, whose presentation “The Emotional Side of Working with Nonhuman Primates” will talk about the emotional attachment towards the animals in the facility along with the emotional investment one accumulates when caring for these animals.

Responsibilities, Realities, and Roller coasters for the Veterinary Technician in a Nonhuman Primate Facility Tuesday, October 25 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm | M104 Leader/Moderator: Victoria Elam Facilitator: Beth Ann Skiles Panelists: Joanna Swerczek, Jodi M Ternes, Diana Medina, and Madison Wheaton

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September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 21

INSIDE THE MEETING

Presenting Laboratory Animal Research: Engagement Tools And Strategies Written by Logan France, DVM, DACLAM

O

utreach is a critical component of the animal research community, but finding the time to research and develop presentations, handouts, and other educational content can be challenging and prevents some from hosting outreach events. Are you interested in doing outreach but not sure where to start? Are you short on time and looking for materials to easily present to students, scientists, the public, and others? Perhaps you’re a seasoned community educator searching for new resources and activities to incorporate into your presentations.

Laboratory animal science professionals are incredibly busy.

Finding the time to research and develop presentations, handouts, and other educational content can be challenging and prevents some from hosting outreach events. Don’t let a lack of access to effective communication resources deter you from participating in outreach. We can help!

This unique seminar is a presentation about presentations.

Yep, you read that right! It will provide everything you need to begin or enhance your existing animal research outreach, advocacy activities, and goals. For each of the four topics below, speakers active in community outreach will share a presentation-ready slide deck, reviewing the message, key points, and effective ways to present the content. Additionally, they will discuss engagement strategies to enhance participation and provide tips for tailoring the presentation for specific audiences. Upon completion of the seminar, attendees will have online access to all slide decks for use in their outreach efforts.

22 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

Animal Rights and Advocacy

To kick off the session, I will share a presentation-ready slide deck on recent animal rights campaigns in the US and globally, their effect on animal research, and how to present this information to various audiences in an impactful way. Attendees will learn to find local campaigns and incorporate this information into their presentations. The pre-made presentation will cover pro-research organizations and initiatives, including Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD). Finally, attendees will receive tips for facilitating a session in which attendees create elevator speeches to advocate for themselves and animal research.

Careers in Laboratory Animal Science

The opportunities within laboratory animal science are immense and quite variable. Deborah Calantropio-Covington, a veterinary technician at Bristol-Myers Squibb, will share a presen-

tation-ready slide deck covering the many career opportunities within the field and paths for advancement and certification. This presentation can easily be given to any audience – from K-12 to college students looking to learn more about jobs and opportunities that bring together science, innovation, technical skills, veterinary medicine, and research. Deborah will also provide tips for incorporating your experience into the presentation and resources for finding positions.

Animal Models of Human and Animal Diseases

While those in the field are acutely aware of how animals contribute to research, the public often struggles to connect animal research and advancements for humans and animals. Dr. Rachelle Stammen, a veterinarian at Emory National Primate Research Center, will give an overview of an animal model presentation highlighting the incredible species involved in research and their numerous contributions. She will share tips on tailoring the slides and content for various audiences and ways to showcase the species and study at your institution. Additionally, attendees will learn how to find information about animals involved in discovering specific drugs and treatments and available resources that may be incorporated into the presentation.

Animal Research Ethics & Regulations

The ethics of animal research have been debated for centuries.

To close out the seminar, Dr. Thomas Prevot, a scientist at the University of Toronto, will share a presentation focused on animal research ethics, considerations when evaluating animal research protocols, and the risk-benefit analysis for determining

the research value. He will also provide ways to engage attendees in thoughtful discussions about the role of animals in advancing science and medicine. Additionally, the presentation will incorporate an overview of the laws, regulations, and governing bodies protecting research animals. It will prepare attendees to present this content in an exciting and applicable manner.

If you are attending the AALAS 2022 National Meeting, this is a session you don’t want to miss! Attendees will leave with the tools and resources (including ready-to-go presentations) to engage any audience in outreach efforts covering various topics. We hope you will join us for this informative and helpful seminar!

Presentation-Ready Slide Decks and Guidance to Support Research Advocates in Community Outreach Tuesday, October 25

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Moderator: Paula Clifford

Speakers: Logan France, Rachelle Stammen,

Thomas Prevot, Deborah Calantropio-Covington

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INSIDE THE MEETING

Highlighting Uncommon Animal Model Species

By Sylvia Gografe

F

lorida Atlantic University has several campuses along the Atlantic Coast, stretching from Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Pierce.

The location lends itself to research with wildlife species and many aquatics, both in the field and captive housing settings. Wildlife researchers make up about 40% of the scientists in FAU’s animal care and use the program, which, as you can imagine, presents challenges for all involved, including the veterinarians. However, it is also exciting and rewarding. As a result of developing a stingray sentinel program at the behest of my IACUC and learning a lot about turtles, dolphins, sharks, and others, the idea was born to share information about unusual research species with the AALAS community. Hence, in 2014 I submitted an abstract to the National Meeting Program Committee, and it was accepted. At this meeting and the following four AALAS NM’s, presentations ranged on species from exotic rodents to various snakes to birds to cephalopods to electric eels and even to the smallest nonhuman primate, the tree shrew. One presentation was incredibly timely when talking about bats – on October 31!

This year’s seminar brings together a fantastic crew of professionals from diverse institutions who will demonstrate that nothing is impossible. They will help get those creative thoughts flowing you might need in your next project.

Our speaker from central Florida will show how to identify an alligator. You can tag them like your rodents, but instead of ears, you need to find other options. Utilizing a newly acquired skill to distinguish between a scared gator and an unafraid gator will take a bite out of safety concerns.

One doesn’t have to be big to be heard! The croaking African dwarf frog is a model of a cutaneous fungal disease affecting multiple 24 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

frog species. Difficulty acquiring suitable frogs for research is one reason for establishing a breeding colony. Our presenter will provide you with information regarding these animals' taxing husbandry and behavioral specifics to make this task look like a piece of cake.

“Caring for the tiny furry T-rex of the desert, the Lesser Egyptian Jerboa is interesting,” another lecturer says. It’s a strange feeling not to provide any liquid water for animals, but this makes the Jerboa a perfect model for exploring the neurological regulation of thirst.

Did you know that the sea lamprey has unique immunological characteristics? Well, I didn’t and am looking forward to hearing more about its scientific contributions and, of course, seeing some pictures of the “vampire fish” with its odd teeth surrounding a rasplike tongue and eely body.

No matter your role, whether part of husbandry, a veterinary, or an IACUC team, you will find solutions and inspirations for demanding scientific models by attending this seminar. We are excited to see you in Louisville and present you with an opportunity to learn about exotic species, their specialized care requirements, behavior, anatomy and physiology, common clinical conditions, safety, and regulatory challenges, which often span different continents.

An Insight into the Fun and Challenges Working with Unusual Critters Wednesday, October 26

2:45 pm - 5:00 pm | Ballroom E

Leader/Moderator: Sylvia Gografe

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INSIDE THE MEETING

Diversity and Inclusion within AALAS: The Next Steps

By Janet Steele

D

ue to recent events in America, Diversity and Inclusion have been a highlighted topic among organizations and institutions over recent years. National AALAS wanted due diligence to identify if we had room for improvement and growth in how we execute Diversity and Inclusion within our organization. We started this journey by developing a mission statement for National AALAS (see below), but we wanted to do more.

The Diversity and Inclusion Mission of National AALAS

AALAS is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion for all its members, including but not limited to its membership, leadership, educational, and professional opportunities. AALAS promotes a positive atmosphere that welcomes all races, backgrounds, cultures, and job roles and supports initiatives aligned with the AALAS Mission.

Most importantly, AALAS promotes a globally inclusive culture for all religions, races, ages, gender identities, mental and physical capabilities, sexual orientations and ethnicities, or any other differences with the belief that diversity successfully drives the AALAS Mission.

The definition and meaning of diversity and inclusion will evolve, as will AALAS’ approach to ensure advancement and appreciation of contemporary diversity and inclusion concepts within the laboratory animal science community.

At the 2021 National Meeting in Kansas City, the Diversity & Inclusion Ad Hoc Sub-committee presented its Pilot Survey findings regarding Diversity and Inclusion within AALAS and gathered real-time feedback from those who attended. This Survey was created to reveal members’ thoughts and opinions of AALAS regarding Diversity and Inclusivity among the organizations. AALAS felt this needed to be addressed to ensure that we are inclusive and diverse in all facets of our membership, programs, and leadership.

The survey results, session attendees' suggestions, ideas, opinions, and thoughts were collected, discussed, and noted by the Sub-Committee and AALAS Board of Trustees.

We concluded that more could be done and implemented at all levels of AALAS regarding D&I initiatives. During this panel discussion, we will introduce a new initiative, AALAS’s IDEA Advisory Council. IDEA stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility. This Advisory Council will advise and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees (BOT) regarding opportunities and initiatives to continuously improve the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility for the AALAS membership.

26 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

We will also encourage open floor discussions and facilitate more conversations as we move towards and accept the challenge of the words written in the AALAS Diversity & Inclusive Statement.

Diversity and Inclusion Within AALAS: The Next Steps Monday, October 24

12:30pm-2:00pm | Room M107 Speaker: Janet Steele

Moderator: Tracy Parker

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Showcasing Latest LAS Technologies and Innovations Technical Trade Presentations’ dual tracks encourage AALAS National Meeting Attendees to learn from the best.

T

he Exhibitor Advisory Council will host dual tracks again this year for the Technical Trade Presentation (TTP) portion of the 73rd AALAS National Meeting in Louisville, KY. The tracks, set to run on Sunday, October 23 will be held from 1:00 p.m.–4:20 p.m. Room locations will be available in the mobile app.

TTPs are informal talks given by representatives of exhibiting companies within the laboratory animal industry.

These presentations provide a forum for the exchange of tips and information about new technologies and products in the industry that may help to improve animal welfare, research methods, management, production, and facility efficiencies. The dual track concept was launched in 2017, and due to the success of the event, and the quality of submissions, the AALAS Program Committee embraced the opportunity to offer this robust educational event for the sixth time.

The TTPs kick off the presentation portion of the meeting. Attendees can benefit from the presentations by learning about these new technologies, the companies presenting them, and any other potential supporting literature around these products, technologies, and systems.

Additional opportunities to meet and learn from exhibiting companies will begin when the Exhibit Hall opens on Monday, October 24, with the ribbon cutting at 8:30 a.m.

• Scientific Virtual Assistants for Animal Science and Operations: Steve McCoy. 3:00 PM - 3:20 PM (TTP) • Achieving Greater Welfare Compliance in the Measurement and Analysis of Subcutaneous Tumors by Using a 3D and Thermal Imaging Platform: Karl Turley.

3:20 PM - 3:40 PM (TTP) • Modernizing Research: A Connected Platform: Lindsay Andrews. 3:40 PM - 4:00 PM (TTP) • Software Alone Won't Fix Vivarium Management Process Challenges: A Case Study on Optimizing Oncology Research Projects: Mathew D Sanderson. 4:00 PM - 4:20 PM (TTP)

Track II

• Listening to Washroom Planning Stakeholders: How Understanding Inputs Can Transform Standard Equipment into Innovative Solutions: Andrew Arvanites.

1:00 PM - 1:20 PM (TTP) • Alternate Lighting Conundrums: Addressing an Institution's Needs: E Douglas Allen. 1:20 PM - 1:40 PM (TTP) • Peroxigard Disinfectants: Your First Line of Defense against Corynebacterium bovis: Matthew Buccioni. 1:40 PM - 2:00 PM (TTP) • Applications for Incorporating Ultraviolet Light Disinfection into a Vivarium: Emily Lorcheim. 2:00 PM - 2:20 PM (TTP) • It's Foggy Business: Understanding Proper Implementation of Gaseous Biodecontamination in Your Unique Facility: Frances M Grinstead. 2:20 PM - 2:40 PM (TTP) • Understand All Options for Upgrading Your Autoclaves: David Larson. 2:40 PM - 3:00 PM (TTP) • The Possible Effects of Bedding Enrichment on Research Reproducibility: Joel Shepherd. 3:00 PM - 3:20 PM (TTP) • The Change Station as a Hub of Communication in the Animal Room: Stephan E Hammelbacher. 3:20 PM 3:40 PM (TTP) • Humanized Immune System Mice: How to Maximize Experimental Success: Emily Shako. 3:40 PM - 4:00 PM (TTP) • Introduction to Microsurgical Instruments: Alloys and Unique Tools for Research: Edward Dy. 4:00 PM - 4:20 PM (TTP)

Track I

U I SVI L L O

E

L

• Are You Gelling? Get the Most Out of Your Colony with Nutritional Gel Supplementation: Jay Palmer. 1:00 PM 1:20 PM (TTP) • Optimizing the Use of Catheter Access Buttons and Ports: Understand the Basics for Better Studies and Improved Animal Welfare: Brad Gien. 1:20 PM - 1:40 PM (TTP) • Understanding Differences between Inhalant Anesthesia Systems for Small Animals: David Poldiak. 1:40 PM 2:00 PM (TTP) • The Use of Alfaxalone in Biomedical Research Models: Karen Kerr. 2:00 PM - 2:20 PM (TTP) • Best Data and Conduct Practices for Improving Animal Study Reproducibility: Eric M Ibsen. 2:20 PM - 2:40 PM (TTP) • How Digital Transformations Are Improving In Vivo Workflows: Charles Donnelly. 2:40 PM - 3:00 PM (TTP)

28 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

Introducing AALAS’ New Vice President-Elect James Macy joins the Executive Committee in October.

LAS Pro: When did you join AALAS, and why did you decide to join?

MACY: I joined in 1992 when I started my

to benefit people and animals” I look forward to helping “move the needle” closer to achieving our common goals.

lab animal residency. Initially, I joined to get the journals and to attend the national meeting.

LAS Pro: What is your favorite National

LAS Pro: What do you think was the most

national meeting actually happened, despite all of the factors working against it.

important project you worked on as a BOT/ Committee member?

MACY: Diversity and Inclusion Statement (via the Ad Hoc Diversity and Inclusion Committee).

LAS Pro: What will you bring to the table in your new role?

Meeting memory?

MACY: Last year in Kansas City, when the

LAS Pro: Do you have companion animals?

MACY: Two Great Pyrenees.

LAS Pro: Favorite TV show?

MACY: I don’t watch much TV but I did

watch the “Inventing Anna” series on Netflix.

MACY: Leadership experience combined with a broad understanding of our field.

LAS Pro: What would you like to say to the AALAS membership?

MACY: The importance of animal-based

research is more “front and center” than it has been in recent times. It reminds us of our purpose and the significance of AALAS in achieving our mission of “advancing responsible laboratory animal care and use

LAS Pro: Last book you read for fun?

MACY: I don’t think I have read a book for fun during the past 5 years.

LAS Pro: Favorite vacation spot?

MACY: San Diego, CA. LAS Pro: Favorite dessert?

MACY: Tiramisu.

2022 AALAS National Election Results All terms commence on October 21 at the close of the 2022 National Meeting in Louisville.

Trustee at Large: Gordon Yee

District 4 Alternate: Janet Steele

District 5: Stacy Cantrell

District 6 Alternate: Brian Ebert

District 6: Stephen Levin

District 7 Alternate: Ryan Byrd

District 8: Katherine Marshall

District 8 Alternate: Emily Scolum

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 29

Combating Animal Rights Threats in the Courts

By Eva Maciejewski, BA, Jim Newman, BA, and Leah Yonkovich, BA

T

he biomedical research community secured two significant legal victories over the past several months, one in a federal court and the other at the state level.

Victory! For Now …

This past April, a federal judge in the Western District of Washington in Seattle issued a preliminary injunction that prevented the University of Washington (UW) from releasing personally identifiable information about its Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had sought records containing the names of more than 70 individuals who currently serve or previously served on the committee. Considering several alarming incidents in the past, where those involved in animal studies at the university were personally targeted, committee members were rightly concerned about further harassment. In response, they filed suit seeking to prevent the information release, resulting in a court injunction.

University of Washington neuroscientist Jane Sullivan, PhD, is thankful for the court’s decision. Dr. Sullivan, who serves as chair of the UW IACUC, is the only named plaintiff in the lawsuit.

“IACUC members across the country have a right to feel safe as they carry out their federally required and critically important work protecting animals while supporting biomedical research,” she said. PETA has already announced plans to appeal.

Meanwhile, the University of California, Davis scored a significant legal victory over PETA. The animal rights group was trying to obtain yet-to-be-published research data from the California National Primate Research Center. In that case, the Yolo County, California Superior Court judge ruled in January that university scientists did not have to release the materials, upholding their academic freedom and supporting the scientific process.

“The threat to health researchers across this country and around the globe is genuine and unfortunately growing,” said Americans for Medical Progress Executive Director Paula Clifford. “As recently reported in Science Magazine, scientists who conduct necessary and beneficial animal research have been longtime targets of harassment, menacing comments, and even threats. Sadly, COVID-19 researchers and public health officials seeking to control the pandemic are facing these same issues, and the tactics remain consistent. They include threats of physical harm, harassment at home or work, and even death wishes and threats.”

An Alarming Trend

The UW and UC Davis cases demonstrate an alarming trend where those opposed to animal research aggressively seek information that, if publicly released, may place those involved 30 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

PETA organized this protest outside of a UW faculty member’s home.

in animal studies at risk. At the University of Washington, activists have repeatedly harassed faculty members at home, armed with signs accusing individual staff of animal torture.

“Animal extremist groups have a reprehensible history of running intimidation and harassment campaigns against those involved in biomedical research with animals. Science community members should not have to go to work every day with a target painted on their backs. These court decisions are a positive step in the right direction,” Foundation for Biomedical Research and National Association for Biomedical Research President Matthew R. Bailey said.

In addition to home harassment, University of Washington faculty have received a steady stream of threatening emails, letters, and voice messages. One called researchers “vile [expletive] humans” and said, “I’m going to do what is necessary to stop animal research.” On top of that, IACUC members have been on the receiving end of several hostile and menacing comments made during public meetings.

Scientists, lab animal veterinarians, and others are working hard to study diseases and ensure necessary drugs and therapeutics are available to treat humans and animals. These recent court victories will hopefully encourage additional responses from America’s courts, our lawmakers, and the research community to defend academic freedom and critically important animal studies.

Eva Maciejewski, BA, is the director of communications and media relations at the Foundation for Biomedical Research in Washington, D.C. Jim Newman, BA, is the director of strategic communications at Americans for Medical Progress in Washington, D.C.

Leah Yonkovich, BA, is the senior manager of digital communication at the Foundation for Biomedical Research in Washington, D.C.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 31

INSIDE the IACUC For this issue’s “Inside the IACUC” installment, we reached out to the Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE) so that they could write an article in honor of their 25th anniversary. LAWTE is not only an AALAS Affiliate Organization but has a long history of promoting training in laboratory animal medicine.

We encourage everyone to read what Jeremy Jeffrey and Kiirsa Pokryfke, two leaders within the animal research community, have to say about the past and future of LAWTE. Hundreds of current trainers, IACUC administrators, researchers, and veterinarians have LAWTE to thank for giving them the knowledge and skill sets to start, expand, and improve training programs within research institutions. Of note, LAWTE’s beginnings over 25 years ago (they spent three years as an informal group before establishing themselves as a not-for-profit organization) precedes both the current and previous versions of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, which shows you just how much training has meant to our field even before our current set of regulatory and accreditation expectations for training programs.

Several names appearing in this article may also be familiar to you. Dr. Nicole Duffee is the Education & Scientific Affairs Director at AALAS, Dr. Bruce Kennedy is a past AALAS President, and Dr. Stacy Pritt, a past LAWTE President, serves on the Advisory Board for LASPro. Many others have served in leadership positions within AALAS and laboratory animal science.

We hope you enjoy reading about LAWTE. Their biennial meetings are always well-planned and fun! Something to think about for the summer of 2023!

Stacy Pritt, DVM, MS, MBA, CPIA, CHRC, DACAW, is the Associate Vice President of Research Support & Regulatory Management at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. F. Claire Hankenson, DVM, MS, DACLAM, is the Associate Vice Provost for Research and Attending Veterinarian and Executive Director, University Laboratory Animal Resources, at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.

25 Years Later: Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE) Continues To Raise the Bar for Training Written by Jeremy Jeffrey, MLAS, and Kiirsa Pokryfke, MS, CMAR The Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE) is proudly celebrating its 25th anniversary of being incorporated as a 501(c)3 (non-profit) organization.1 LAWTE served the laboratory animal training community for three years prior to receiving its non-profit designation. Over the past 25 years, as a named organization, LAWTE has significantly impacted the way research institutions view and conduct laboratory animal-related training.

LAWTE has always provided a welcoming and inclusive environment for people who are interested in strengthening their institution’s training program in order to provide the best and most comprehensive education to the animal research community. That community has always strove for excellence and continues to ask the question: “How can we adapt our training methods and philosophies to better serve our research community?” This mission remains evident today and can be traced back to the beginning of LAWTE in the 1990s.

LAWTE members hail from full-time training backgrounds, as well as Institutional Care and Use Committee (IACUC) programs, research animal facilities, institutional leadership, veterinary medicine, and research laboratories. Over the years, at LAWTE’s popular biennial conference, the latest training methodologies and adult learning theories are discussed in the hopes that attendees can learn new strategies to improve and reinvigorate their own IACUC, hands-on, classroom, and virtual training offerings, as well as their own institutions’ overall training program goals and objectives.

The Genesis and Formative Years of LAWTE While discussing various topics at a National AALAS Meeting in 1993, Marilyn Miller Heath, Sally Tyree, and Michelle Calkins recognized the need for a national group that would allow employees in the laboratory animal field to share and exchange resources and strategies.1 This idea would lead to how institutions developed comprehensive training

32 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

programs. Heath, Tyree, and Calkins’ ideas resulted in the creation of LAWTE. The first LAWTE conference was held in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994.1 Over 100 people attended the inaugural conference. In addition to the three founders, Dr. Nicole Duffee contributed immensely to developing LAWTE during its formative years and was LAWTE’s first president. Nicole created LAWTE’s first website; this website made sharing training resources and materials much more streamlined for the LAWTE membership. Nicole also created the first LAWTE listserv that at one time reached 800 individuals who had an interest in training in the laboratory animal science field.1,2 In 2002, Bruce Kennedy, IACUC Administrator at Chapman University, published an article in Lab Animal titled “Creating a Training Coordinator Position.”2 This article paved the way for trainers to be recognized as essential and vital contributors to research animal programs.

Past 10 Years of Continued Progress Bruce Kennedy was president of LAWTE from 2012 to 2013. During Bruce’s leadership, LAWTE expanded its international presence and highlighted the training progress of its international colleagues.

LAWTE’s first, and so far, only, international LAWTE meeting was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 2013. LAWTE also participated in a conference for the Association of Veterinary Technician Educators (AVTE) and presented a workshop on lab animal training. This catalyzed LAWTE’s mission to cultivate a broader international footprint.

Paula Clifford, the Executive Director of Americans for Medical Progress, served LAWTE as President from 2014-2015. During Paula’s term, LAWTE launched a new website, implemented new operational and financial procedures to ensure a stable infrastructure for LAWTE, and held a very successful conference at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. At this conference, for the first

time vendors joined attendees in the general sessions to encourage inclusiveness and networking. The following awards were also introduced during the conference in Wisconsin: Impact Award and the Top 3 Awards (Performance, Development, Program). These special awards were preceded by the Founder’s award which, to this day, still recognizes an outstanding trainer in the lab animal science field.2 This conference was extremely profitable and allowed LAWTE to expand resources. LAWTE also debuted a new promotional booth and new procedure to coordinate “taking the booth on the road.” The LAWTE booth then traveled to regional AALAS Branch Conferences and even to the Association for Veterinary Technician Educators conference to invite skilled animal welfare experts to the LAWTE community. These are just a few examples of how LAWTE continually strove to promote its mission and highlight the great work of trainers around the nation and abroad.

Moving forward, both 2016 and 2017, continued to be highly productive years for LAWTE. Lisa Kelly, Support Services Director at the University of Georgia, led LAWTE as president during this time.

At the 2016 National AALAS Meeting in Charlotte, NC, LAWTE organized a panel presentation called “Making Training Stick: Tips & Tools to Enhance Learner Retention.” This presentation was also featured in the September 2016 issue of LAS Pro. LAWTE’s national presence expanded during 2016 and 2017. Grace Aranda, LAWTE’s Booth Coordinator at the time, facilitated the booth display at various AALAS National and Branch meetings including CALAS, TriBranch, and Quad. In 2017, the biennial LAWTE meeting was held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The meeting was aptly named “Sweet Spot: Teaching, Learning, and Supporting Animal Welfare.” During that meeting, the first “Rookie Award” was presented to a well-deserving trainer. During this same two-year time span, LAWTE received a grant from GSK, contributed to a training chapter in the

newly revised LATG manual, introduced the first Commercial Training Partner (CTPer) membership option, and ended up being a very active year for the LAWTE listserv.

Dr. Melissa Dyson, a facility veterinarian from the University of Michigan, acted as LAWTE president from January 2018 to December 2019. Under Melissa’s great leadership, the LAWTE mission statement was updated and LAWTE enhanced the resources offered in the AALAS Learning Library by creating and publishing the “Training in Laboratory Animal Science” course.

LAWTE remains strong as we look to the future of our laboratory animal science training professionals.

Dr. Tiffany Whitcomb, a decade-long member of LAWTE and veterinarian from Penn State College of Medicine, served as president from January 2020 to December of 2021. Under her leadership, the annual LAWTE business meeting at AALAS Nationals was expanded to include continuing education for trainers, the By-Laws were updated, and the design and migration of the new LAWTE website was initiated. In response to the pandemic, LAWTE quickly pivoted and held the 2021 biennial conference virtually. In typical fashion, LAWTE members mustered their creativity as trainers and made the 2021 inaugural virtual conference the most well-attended and highly rated in LAWTE history. Virtual happy hours and webinars were instituted to help LAWTE members stay connected during the pandemic and LAWTE’s social media presence was revived, thanks September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 33

to an expanded publicity committee. Tiffany continues to serve as Past-President and remains in awe of the hard-working and deeply caring volunteers who make up the membership of LAWTE.

The Future of LAWTE

With the committed leadership of the current president, Kiirsa Pokryfke, who is the Training Manager at the University of Michigan, LAWTE remains strong as we look to the future of our laboratory animal science training professionals. Institutions are looking to grow their training staff and educate their trainers, training coordinators, and training specialists on different adult learning theories and principles. Institutions are also continuing to enhance training programs to include more training options and programs for IACUCs, animal care staff, technicians, and researchers.

LAWTE will continue to be a steadfast resource for all training professionals (no matter their experience level). The LAWTE materials enable members to access relevant information about increasing training engagement, gamification, training program/class development, and other training tools to help enrich training programs.

LAWTE is committed to offering regularly scheduled training webinars. Training webinars will cover new training tools, software, and ideas for trainers of all experience levels. Webinars will include speakers from different institutions like pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, and universities.

LAWTE plans to host its next biennial conference in 2023. This conference will be unique as it will have hybrid options, providing both in-person and virtual options. LAWTE is excited to venture into this new world of hybrid conferencing and will use technology to the benefit of membership. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join our organization. Stay tuned for more information about the next LAWTE conference!

REFERENCES: 1. Pritt. S. & Aranda, G. The history and future of the Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE). ALN Magazine. (March 2007).

2. Kennedy, B. LAWTE Turns 21! Lab Animal. (November 2015).

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Low-Flow Anesthesia Systems: Capabilities and Advantages

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ost researchers are familiar with the capabilities of traditional inhalant vaporizers for anesthetizing small animal models.

Isoflurane or sevoflurane is loaded into the reservoir of a large metallic canister that needs to be heated to an elevated temperature to vaporize the liquid anesthetic. It then needs to be mixed with compressed gas at minimum flow rates typically of 500 mL/min or higher with the resulting vapor delivered to the animal. While these instruments are well-suited for the larger animals they were initially designed for, their use for rodents results in excessive anesthesia being delivered to the animals and copious amounts of waste anesthesia gas (WAG) being created—conditions less than ideal for the patients or operators.

For researchers whose work with small animals requires a higher degree of accuracy, reproducibility and increased precision, these traditional vaporizers which were adapted for use in small animals prove inefficient and wasteful. In recent years, Kent Scientific has developed a technology specifically designed to address the more precise needs of animals under a kilogram in weight: the Somno® Low-Flow Electronic Vaporizers. This innovative technology is at the core of two different small animal anesthesia systems each with unique features of their own.

There are several advantages in using low-flow anesthesia delivery over traditional high-flow systems. The first consideration is the amount of anesthetic needed to precisely anesthetize smaller animals, which is obviously less than that needed for larger animal models. Manufacturers’ minimal recommended settings for traditional vaporizers are far greater than necessary for rodents. Somno systems determine anesthetic delivery and flow rate based upon the animal’s body weight. A 30-gram mouse for example does not require a flow rate of 500 mL/min. Because of this and Somnos’ firmware-driven design, users can specify exceedingly lesser amounts of anesthesia and deliver them in precise dosages to their patients. In addition to this greater precision and operator control, the animal is administered proportionally accurate amounts of anesthesia, physiological impact is minimized, and recoveries are quicker.

Delivery of precise anesthesia to small animals using Somno systems results in much less liquid anesthetic consumption. This translates into significant savings when comparing traditional and low flow vaporizers. The decreased amount of anesthesia produced is metabolized by the patient, and the undetectable amounts of WAG are passively scavenged into a charcoal canister, creating a safer surgical working environment for users and patients.

Another advantage provided by low flow systems is that they do not require compressed gas to vaporize the liquid anesthetic. Since they are designed for smaller animals needing lower flow rates, the scale is reduced from that of traditional vaporizers requiring higher volumes of compressed gas. This means that Somnos’ internal pump can use ambient air to sufficiently vaporize iso or sevo and provide sufficient flow rates.

Somno systems are solid state electronic instruments as opposed to their more mechanically designed high-flow counterparts. With fewer moving parts subject to wear and the need for regular replace-

ment, a Somno system does not require the annual recertification or recalibration that a traditional vaporizer does, resulting in greater convenience and savings.

While both Somno systems use the same technology, researchers have a choice to select from two Somno Low-Flow Electronic Anesthesia Systems currently available, depending on their need.

SomnoSuite® is a fully featured anesthesia system that has the added capability to accommodate modular physiological monitoring.

It includes as standard the RightTemp® Temperature Control Warming module, a biofeedback regulated system that uses temperature sensors and a far Infrared warming pad. Additional modules can be optionally added to SomnoSuite to measure pulse oximetry and heart rate, provide ventilation, and measure end tidal CO2, all of which are controlled via a single touch-screen panel.

SomnoFlo® takes a simpler approach, recognizing that not all researchers require built-in vital sign monitors, but a dedicated vaporizer. For researchers that already have or prefer to control physiological monitors separately from their anesthesia system, the SomnoFlo is a standalone low-flow system that offers increased ease of use and a smaller footprint on the workbench.

Regardless of the user preferences, Somno systems offer a single innovative technology in two different systems that provide distinct advantages for precise, reproducible research and successful outcomes.

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September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 35

Management/Career & Training

Creating a Digital Escape Room to Engage Technicians in Pursuit of Certification

By Johnathan DenHerder, DVM, RLATG, and Beth Skiles, BS, RVT, VTS(LAM), RLATG

Introduction

Escape rooms are cooperative style games that involve a teambased approach to achieve a common goal within a given time limit. Most often, the goal is to escape a room in which the participants are “locked,” but it can also be accomplishing a mission, such as diffusing a bomb or locating a lost artifact.

Players must search for clues and solve puzzles or complete challenges to unlock locks and progress in the game. Physical escape rooms debuted in the early 2000s and became popular in the United States in the 2010s.6 As the popularity of escape rooms increased, commercial board game kits and online escape room experiences became widely available.

Many educators have adapted escape room games to enrich learning in their classrooms. With a few modifications, these activities can be a fun and engaging way for students to interact with the content and with each other: Rather than being locked in a dedicated space, students work together to open a locked box or find a code to unlock a digital form; Providing the puzzles in a packet at the start of the game decreases the amount of time to complete the escape room since they do not have to be searched for; Finally, a countdown timer is completely optional – it can motivate students, but can also be a stressor. When presented as a review activity, there is often a time limit imposed by the class schedule anyway.

We coordinate and present prep courses for AALAS certification exams at our respective institutions. When we learned about digital escape rooms as an educational tool, we jumped in and built our own rooms to use in class. There was a learning curve and a significant time investment, but the result was a fun, interactive experience that can easily be modified for use in future courses.

Figure A

Let’s get puzzled!

Beginning with the end in mind, we started our virtual escape games by creating puzzles to review content that was introduced in an AALAS certification prep class. Puzzles can be time consuming to create from scratch, so we used puzzle maker sites available on the web to generate most of them.3, 5, 7, 10-11, 13 A variety of word and picture puzzles were developed to keep the activity engaging and play to the strengths of everyone on the team (Figure 1). Directions were listed at the top of each puzzle and sometimes contained a clue to the solution.

All puzzles were saved in Portable Document Format (pdf ) and placed in a folder for the escape game on Google Drive.

Time to Lock Up!

To create locks for our virtual escape games, we used Google Forms. We selected the Google platform because of its accessibility, ease of use, customization options, and the availability of numerous online escape room tutorials.1, 4, 8-9, 12 The lock is essentially a survey that requires one or more specific responses to move forward and submit. The keys to making the lock function correctly are requiring answers for the survey questions and setting custom validation for those answers. The validation step is the most important – this is where you tell the online survey software the exact answer you require from the respondents before they can continue through the survey.

Once the mechanics are in place, the form can be customized with color schemes and uploaded images.

We began the lock by starting a new blank form. After giving the form a title and description, we selected “paragraph” for the format of the first question to collect information from the

Figure C Figure B

Figure D

Figure 1. A selection of puzzles presented to ALAT escape room participants. To solve the grid maze (A), clues were provided for the starting position and for each successive move to reach the end. For the Animal Welfare Act Cover Up (B), participants marked out the species covered under the AWA, and the remaining letters were unscrambled for a clue. Traditional crossword (C) and word search (D) puzzles were also used to provide additional clues or answers to the locks in the escape room.

36 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

participants (Figure 2). From there, each question added to the form was intended to be a lock. We selected “short answer” as the question type and gave each lock a title in the question text field. The “required” option was turned on, and the validation and description options were accessed by selecting the three vertical dots icon (Figure 3). We added descriptive text to indicate how the answer should be formatted, such as numbers or any type of characters. Validation was set to “Regular expression” that “Matches” the answer text we entered. We also added custom error text: a message that would be displayed if the participant entered an incorrect answer. We chose to use this option to include a hint to the correct answer.

To increase complexity, additional locks were added to the same form but separated by sections so that participants had to progress through the first lock before they could see the next. We used the final section of our form to congratulate the participants and provide further instructions. The final step in creating the lock form was to set it to accept responses. Once we were ready to insert the lock in the virtual escape room, the survey URL was accessed by selecting the “Send” button and then copied to the clipboard.

Figure 2. Title, description, and first question of the Google Form used to collect information from escape room participants.

Figure 3. A “lock” question in the Google Form that requires a specific answer (in this case, RURUURU) to proceed. The three vertical dots icon (arrow) is used to select validation and description options.

Figure 4. Scene created in Google Slides for the escape room. Several items on the slide link to puzzles or other clues for solving the locks.

Putting the Room Together

Google Slides was used to create a “room” in which to place puzzles, clues, and locks. We started by opening a new blank presentation and changing the background. Next, other images were inserted that would become clickable links to the puzzles, clues, and locks. For example, a keypad image was inserted and linked to the Google Form “lock,” and an emergency escape sign image led the participants to a puzzle about disaster planning. To make it appear the items were really in the room, we used .png files with transparent backgrounds and resized them to fit well in the scene (Figure 4). There were some areas in the slide background that we wanted to make “clickable.” To do this, we inserted a shape that approximated the area, such as a rectangle for a door or window or a circle for a doorknob.

After adjusting the size and position of the shape to cover the area, the fill color and border color were both set to transparent.

Each inserted image or transparent shape was linked to the appropriate PDF that would display when the item was selected. First, the sharing link of the PDF in Google Drive was copied to the clipboard, ensuring that the sharing option was selected and set to “anyone with the link” and “Viewer.”

Then, the item on the slide was selected, and the hyperlink tool was used to paste the sharing link. Our escape rooms also contained one or more video clues or websites that would open when an item was clicked. These links were created the same way, but we copied the web page or video URL from the browser’s address bar to paste into the link tool.

The final step in putting the virtual escape room together was editing the sharing link for the slide. We did not want participants to see the slide notes or the toolbar that would allow them to end the presentation or make changes to the slide.

We learned from a video tutorial how to edit the sharing link September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 37

browser. Each clickable clue, puzzle, and lock itself should be set to open in a new window so that the player does not navigate away from the room slide. It is helpful to provide a handout in advance that contains all the puzzles needed for the room. Each puzzle can be stripped of its instructions so that players still need to find the puzzle in the room to know how to complete it. The handout gives the players an idea of how many puzzles to solve and serves as a handy place to jot notes. Print ahead and hand it out or send it as an attachment in an email.

Testing. What better way to discover the kinks than to send the escape room and handout to some beta testers?! We enlisted the help of some friends and challenged them to conquer our escape room. Based on beta tester feedback, the puzzles and clues can be adjusted accordingly.

Figure 5. Directions like these were posted directly in the escape room and at the beginning of the handout.

URL so the slide controls would not be displayed.2 After setting the share options for the slide to “Anyone with the Link” and “Viewer,” we tested our altered URL using an incognito window in the browser (Ctrl + Shift + N). This allowed us to see the slide as our participants would see it. All clickable items in the room were tested to ensure the links functioned properly.

Presentation Tips from Lessons Learned

Once we had working versions of our escape rooms, we were excited to implement them in class! We developed the following list of tips based on what we learned from our first run-through and participant feedback: Time. Physical escape rooms usually have a time limit. With a virtual escape room, the decision to incorporate a timing element should be based on the complexity of the game, time constraints, and the amount of competitive spirit in the group.

For an in-class activity, setting a timer seems natural to fit within the allotted class time. As an asynchronous activity, consider sending the escape room link in an e-mail with timing optional or no time limit.

The handout. One challenge of completing a virtual escape room activity is juggling the many windows open in the web 38 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

Clear directions. The most important thing to remember when presenting a new activity is that some people may not have any experience with it. The concept and process of solving an escape room should be thoroughly explained before releasing the link. Verbal and written directions are a must. Introduce the activity and explain how it works. Add clear directions to the handout or in an e-mail sent out with the link. Post directions in the virtual room itself. (Figure 5) Include specific directions for each puzzle. Add clues to the format of the answers within the locks. The more support built in when creating the escape room, the more successful participants will be at cracking it.

Check in. Whether completed in class or as homework, check in with the teams or individuals periodically to see how they are progressing. Beta testing should highlight which puzzles or locks could be particularly challenging, so it can be helpful to have a few hints at the ready. Most of all, this is an opportune time for encouragement - “keep working that lock – you’ve got this!”

Conclusion

Digital escape rooms are a fun and engaging way for students to review concepts learned in class, but they can also be time-consuming to prepare. Use of existing puzzles or workbook pages can cut down on the initial prep work. Operating on the KISS principle (keep it simple, silly!) and having the objectives in mind help reduce virtual clutter in the room and the amount of time spent assembling it. We used Google apps to organize files and share the escape game with students, but the same concepts may apply to other online file sharing platforms. Numerous tutorials are available for creating a virtual escape game, and those we found most useful are listed in the references. We used our escape games as a review activity for technicians studying to take an AALAS certification exam. Other potential applications we have considered include team building and SOP training/review. While there was a learning curve with some trial and error, we found the process to be rewarding, and our technicians enjoyed this novel approach to learning.

Johnathan DenHerder, DVM, RLATG, is a Clinical Veterinarian and Training Coordinator at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.

Beth Skiles, BS, RVT, VTS(LAM), RLATG, is a Lab Manager and Compliance Supervisor at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana.

REFERENCES 1. Dills, Amanda. [Internet]. 2020. Google slides Bitmoji escape room tutorial. YouTube. [Cited 6 July 2022]. Available at: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjKkmRdQ8ac.

2. Dills, Amanda. [Internet]. 2020. Google slides escape room “hacks” tour. YouTube. [Cited 6 July 2022]. Available at: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=q_gfVADQusY. 3. Discovery Education. [Internet]. 2022. Puzzlemaker. [Cited 18 May 2022] Available at: https://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation. com.

4. Dobbs, Meredith. [Internet]. 2019. How to build a digital escape room. Bespoke ELA. [Cited 6 July 2022]. Available at: https://www.bespokeclassroom.com/blog/2019/10/4/how-to-builda-digital-escape-room-using-google-forms.

5. Edu-games. [Internet]. [Date unknown]. Free printable secret code puzzle maker. [Cited 18 May 2022]. Available at: https:// edu-games.org.

6. French, Sally and Shaw, Jessica Marmor. [Internet]. 2015. ai162973132535_ElmHillLabs_ad.pdf 8/23/2021 The unbelievably lucrative business of escape 1rooms.

Market 10:08:48

Watch. [Cited 6 July 2022]. Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-weird-new-world-of-escape-room-businesses-2015-07-20.

7. Johnson, Matt. [Internet]. 2011. Crossword Labs. [Cited 18 May 2022]. Available at: https://crosswordlabs.com.

8. Kempson, Nicole. [Internet]. 2018. Making A Digital Escape Room. YouTube. [Cited 6 July 2022]. Available at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=hjtvGOV3h6k.

9. Kock, Katie. [Internet]. 2019. Google forms escape room February 2019. YouTube. [Cited 6 July 2022]. Available at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=muM7U6LPtMM. 10. The Teacher’s Corner. [Internet]. 1998-2022. Crossword puzzle maker. [Cited 18 May 2022]. Available at: https://worksheets. theteacherscorner.net/make-your-own/crossword.

11. TheWordSearch.com. [Internet]. [Date unknown]. Word search maker. [Cited 18 May 2022]. Available at: https://thewordsearch. com/maker.

12. Tolen, Mandi and Moura, Karly. [Internet]. 2020. 40+ free digital escape rooms (plus a step by step guide for creating your own).

Ditch that textbook. [Cited 6 July 2022]. Available at: https:// ditchthattextbook.com/30-digital-escape-rooms-plus-tips-andtools-for-creating-your-own.

13. Writtenhouse, Sandy. [Internet]. 2020. 7 free online puzzle makers for your own challenges. [Cited 18 May 2022]. Available at: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/picturedots-create-dot-to-dotAM puzzles.

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Opioid Analgesic FFor subcutaneous use in mice and rats only.

CAUTION: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

LEGAL STATUS--In order to be legally marketed, a new animal drug intended for a minor species must be Approved, Conditionally Approved, or Indexed by the Food and Drug Administration. THIS PRODUCT IS INDEXED--MIF # 900-014.

Extra-label use is prohibited.

This product is not to be used in animals intended for use as food for humans or food-producing animals.

WARNING: ABUSE POTENTIAL, LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION, and ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE Abuse Potential Ethiqa XR contains buprenorphine, a high concentration (1.3 mg/mL) opioid agonist and Schedule III controlled substance with an abuse potential similar to other Schedule III opioids. The high concentration of Ethiqa XR may be a particular target for human abuse. Buprenorphine has opioid properties that in humans may lead to dependence of the morphine type. Abuse of buprenorphine may lead to low or moderate physical dependence or high psychological dependence. The risk of abuse by humans should be considered when storing, administering, and disposing of Ethiqa XR. Persons at increased risk for opioid abuse include those with a personal or family history of substance abuse (including drug or alcohol abuse or addiction) or mental illness (suicidal depression).

Because of human safety risks, this drug should be used only with veterinary supervision. Do not dispense Ethiqa XR. Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression The concentration of buprenorphine in Ethiqa XR is 1.3 mg/mL. Respiratory depression, including fatal cases, may occur with abuse of Ethiqa XR. Ethiqa XR has additive CNS depressant effects when used with alcohol, other opioids, or illicit drugs that cause central nervous system depression.

Because of the potential for adverse reactions associated with accidental injection, Ethiqa XR should only be administered by a veterinarian or laboratory staff trained in the handling of potent opioids.

DESCRIPTION Ethiqa XR is an injectable suspension of extended-release buprenorphine. Buprenorphine hydrochloride, an opioid analgesic, is the active ingredient in Ethiqa XR. Lipid-bound buprenorphine hydrochloride is suspended in medium chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) oil. Lipids encapsulate the buprenorphine limiting diffusion which provides for larger doses and prolonged action.1,2 Ethiqa XR has a slightly yellow to white opaque appearance. Each mL contains approximately 1.3 mg buprenorphine hydrochloride. The sterile product contains cholesterol, gl yceryl tristearate, and buprenorphine hydrochloride suspended in MCT oil.

Buprenorphine Formula C29H41NO4

INDICATIONS Ethiqa XR is indicated for the control of post-procedural pain in mice and rats.

MOUSE DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Wear protective clothing when administering Ethiqa XR (see Human Safety Warnings).

Shake the vial briefly before each use to ensure uniform suspension. If stored refrigerated, bring to room temperature before use.

Use aseptic techniques to withdraw the dose into a disposable 0.5 or 1 mL syringe. A 20 to 23 gauge needle should be used for injections due to the viscosity of the drug suspension.

The dosage of Ethiqa XR is a single subcutaneous injection of 0.05 mL per 20 gram mouse (3.25 mg/kg body weight). Therapeutic drug concentrations are maintained for 72 hours after the initial dose. If needed, a single repeat dose may be administered 72 hours after the initial dose.

Secure the mouse in a scruff-of-the-neck hold. Insert the needle into the dorsal subcutaneous space created by the scruff hold.

Inject the entire dose into the dorsal subcutaneous space. An oily sheen may be observed in the dorsal fur of the mouse after injection due to leakage of the oil-based drug suspension from the injection site. The oily sheen may last for 4 to 5 days post-injection. Leakage from the injection site can be minimized by slowly injecting Ethiqa XR into the subcutaneous space.

The mouse can be returned to its cage immediately after receiving Ethiqa XR. Do not return any unused drug suspension from the syringe back into the vial.

Once the vial is broached, Ethiqa XR can be stored at 15° to 25°C (59° – 77°F) or refrigerated for 28 days. DO NOT FREEZE. Product could change its physical properties if not stored within the specified storage conditions and original vial container.

RAT DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Wear protective clothing when administering Ethiqa XR (see Human Safety Warnings).

Shake the vial briefly before each use to ensure uniform suspension. If stored refrigerated, bring to room temperature before use.

Use aseptic techniques to withdraw the dose into a disposable 0.5 or 1 mL syringe. A 20 to 23 gauge needle should be used for injections due to the viscosity of the drug suspension.

The dosage of Ethiqa XR is a single subcutaneous injection of 0.1 mL per 200 gram rat (0.65 mg/kg body weight). Therapeutic drug concentrations are maintained for 72 hours after the initial dose. If needed, a single repeat dose may be administered 72 hours after the initial dose.

Secure the rat in a passive restraint tube or by holding with a heavy glove with one person to secure the rat and a second person to administer the drug. Insert the needle in the dorsal subcutaneous space. Inject the entire dose into the dorsal subcutaneous space. An oily sheen may be observed in the dorsal fur after injection due to leakage of the oil-based drug suspension from the injection site. The oily sheen may last for 4 to 5 days post-injection. Leakage from the injection site can be minimized by slowly injecting Ethiqa XR into the subcutaneous space. The rat can be returned to its cage immediately after receiving Ethiqa XR. See CONTRAINDICATIONS and Rat PRECAUTIONS for additional information on bedding.

Do not return any unused drug suspension from the syringe back into the vial.

Once the vial is broached, Ethiqa XR can be stored at 15° to 25°C (59° – 77°F) or refrigerated for 28 days. DO NOT FREEZE. Product could change its physical properties if not stored within the specified storage conditions and original vial container.

CONTRAINDICATIONS Only administer Ethiqa XR by subcutaneous injection. Ethiqa XR is not intended for intravenous, intra-arterial, intrathecal, intramuscular, or intra-peritoneal injection.

Do not use on mice or rats with pre-existing respiratory deficiencies.

Do not keep rats on wood chip-type bedding after administration of Ethiqa XR. HUMAN SAFETY WARNINGS Not for use in humans. Keep out of the reach of children.

Human User Safety while handling Ethiqa XR: Two trained staff for administration: Ethiqa XR should only be handled and administered by a veterinarian, veterinary technician, or laboratory staff trained in the handling of potent opioids. To prevent human adverse reactions or abuse, at least 2 trained administrators should be present during injection of Ethiqa XR. Protective covering: To prevent direct contact of Ethiqa XR with human skin or mucous membranes when handling the suspension, protective clothing is recommended.

Mucous membrane or eye contact during administration: Direct contact of Ethiqa XR with the eyes, oral or other mucous membranes of humans could result in absorption of buprenorphine and the potential for adverse reactions. If accidental eye, oral or other mucous membrane contact is made during administration, flush the area with water and contact a physician.

Skin contact during administration: If human skin is accidentally exposed to Ethiqa XR, wash the exposed area with soap and water and contact a physician. Accidental exposure could result in absorption of buprenorphine and the potential for adverse reactions.

Drug Abuse, Addiction, and Diversion of Opioids: Controlled Substance: Ethiqa XR contains buprenorphine, a mu opioid partial agonist and Schedule III controlled substance with an abuse potential similar to other Schedule III opioids. Ethiqa XR can be abused and is subject to misuse, abuse, addiction, and criminal diversion. Ethiqa XR should be handled appropriately to minimize the risk of diversion, including restriction of access, the use of accounting procedures, and proper disposal methods, as appropriate to the laboratory setting and as required by law.

Abuse: Abuse of Ethiqa XR poses a hazard of overdose and death. This risk is increased with concurrent abuse of alcohol and other substances including other opioids and benzodiazepines. Buprenorphine has been diverted for non-medical use into illicit channels of distribution. All people handling opioids require careful monitoring for signs of abuse. Drug abuse is the intentional non-therapeutic use of a prescription drug for its rewarding psychological or physiological effects. Abuse of opioids can occur in the absence of true addiction.

Storage and Discard: Ethiqa XR is a Class III opioid. Store in a locked, substantially constructed cabinet according to DEA and local controlled substance guidelines. Discard broached vials after 28 days. Any unused or expired vials must be destroyed by a DEA registered reverse distributor; for further information, call 1-833-384-4729.

Physician information: Ethiqa XR injectable suspension is a mu-opioid partial agonist (1.3 mg buprenorphine/mL). In the case of an emergency, provide the physician with the package insert. Naloxone may not be effective in reversing respiratory depression produced by buprenorphine. The onset of naloxone effect may be delayed by 30 minutes or more. Doxapram hydrochloride has also been used as a respiratory stimulant.

PRECAUTIONS Mice The safety of Ethiqa XR has not been evaluated in pregnant, lactating, neonatal, or immune-compromised mice. As with other opioids, buprenorphine may cause sedation, decreased blood pressure, decreased heart rate, decreased gastrointestinal mobility, and respiratory depression. Use caution with concomitant administration of Ethiqa XR with drugs that cause respiratory depression. The use of paper or soft bedding for up to 3 days following administration of Ethiqa XR should be considered.

Normal mice may exhibit an obtunded response to stimuli up to 4 hours after receiving Ethiqa XR. Buprenorphine is excreted in the feces (see Clinical Pharmacology section below). Coprophagy may lead to ingestion of buprenorphine or its metabolites by mice treated with Ethiqa XR and untreated cage mates.

Rats The safety of Ethiqa XR has not been evaluated in pregnant, lactating, neonatal, or immune-compromised rats. As with other opioids, buprenorphine may cause sedation, decreased blood pressure, decreased heart rate, decreased gastrointestinal mobility, and respiratory depression. Use caution with concomitant administration of Ethiqa XR with drugs that cause respiratory depression.

Rats may exhibit signs of nausea including pica up to 3 days post-treatment. Rats should be maintained on paper or soft bedding to avoid ingestion of wood chip-type bedding after administration of Ethiqa XR. Pica involving wood chip-type bedding can be lethal in rats.

Buprenorphine is excreted in the feces (see Clinical Pharmacology section below). Coprophagy may lead to ingestion of buprenorphine or its metabolites by rats treated with Ethiqa XR and untreated cage mates.

ADVERSE REACTIONS Mice No adverse reactions were observed in 20 to 25 gram young adult male and female mice after a single subcutaneous injection of Ethiqa XR at a dose 5 times the indicated dose. Laboratory parameters evaluated in the study included hematology and clinical chemistry; histopathology was also performed. In a second study, adult male and female mice received Ethiqa XR subcutaneously at 5 times the indicated dose for three doses at four day intervals. A surgical procedure was performed on the study mice prior to receiving each of the three doses of Ethiqa XR. Mortality was seen in two male mice after the third surgical procedure and dose of Ethiqa XR (total dose of 49 mg buprenorphine/ kg body weight in 8 days).

Weight loss has been observed in mice treated post-procedurally with Ethiqa XR. Rats Adverse reactions were evaluated in 180 to 200 gram young adult male and female rats after a single injection of Ethiqa XR. A surgical procedure was performed on the rats prior to administration of a single dose at the intended dose of 0.65 mg/kg or a single dose of 2, 6 or 10-fold excess dose. Adverse reactions also were evaluated in male and female rats administered 2, 6 and 10 times the intended dose for three doses at four day intervals. A surgical procedure was performed on the rats prior to administration of the first of three doses. Laboratory parameters evaluated in the study included hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, histopathology, and bodyweight.

Signs of nausea were observed at all dose levels within 24 hours of the dose. Signs included self-licking, self-gnawing and efforts to eat wood-chip bedding.

Mortality was seen in 1 of 36 rats exposed to wood chip bedding. Necropsy revealed the stomach and esophagus were compacted with bedding, the bladder was abnormally distended and the urine contained blood.

Mortality was seen in 3 of 222 rats treated with Ethiqa XR due to technical complications with serial bleeding of the jugular vein.

For technical assistance, or to report an adverse drug reaction, please call Fidelis Pharmaceuticals LLC at 1-833-384-4729.

For additional information about adverse drug experience reporting for animal drugs, contact FDA at 1-888-FDA-VETS or http:// www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth.

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY3 Buprenorphine can act as an agonist and antagonist at different classes of opioid receptors. Agonism at the mu opioid receptor and, in some cases, antagonism at the kappa or delta opioid receptors are possible underlying mechanisms for the ceiling effect and bell-shaped dose-response curve of buprenorphine. Studies with knockout mice have shown that the antinociceptive effect of buprenorphine, which is mediated primarily by the mu opioid receptor, is attenuated by the ability of the drug to activate the opioid receptor like (ORL-1) receptor. The drug can be described as a ‘full’ and a ‘partial’ agonist at the same receptor depending on the specific assay. There appears to be no ceiling effect for analgesia, but there is a ceiling effect for respiratory depression.

Pharmacokinetic studies with bolus injections of buprenorphine in mice and rats provide similar models. After bolus intravenous administration, plasma levels decline tri-exponentially. The drug is n-deakylated in the liver to norbuprenorphine (NBN), an active metabolite. Studies have shown that glucuronide metabolites of buprenorphine and NBN are also metabolically active, and can approximate or exceed the concentration of the parent drug. Un-metabolized drug excreted in the urine and feces one week after injection was 1.9 and 22.4% of the dose, respectively, and 92% of the dose was accounted for in one week.3 Mice Pharmacokinetic parameters of Ethiqa XR were studied in 6-8 week old male and female Balb/c mice following a single subcutaneous injection of 3.25 mg/kg bodyweight. Clinically significant blood levels were observed up to 72 hours after subcutaneous injection.

Rats Pharmacokinetic parameters of Ethiqa XR were studied in 8 week old male and female Fischer rats following a single subcutaneous injection of 0.65 mg/kg bodyweight. Clinically significant blood levels were observed up to 72 hours after subcutaneous injection.

HOW SUPPLIED Ethiqa XR is supplied in a 5 mL glass vial containing 3.0 mL of injectable drug suspension (NDC 86084-100-30).

U.S. Patent No. 8,461,173; 10,555,899 STORAGE INFORMATION Store between 15° and 25°C (59° – 77°F) or refrigerated. DO NOT FREEZE. If stored refrigerated, bring to room temperature before use. Once broached, the multi-dose vial should be discarded after 28 days.

REFERENCES 1. Mishra et al., Drug Delivery and Transl. Res, 2:238-253; 2012.

2. Bethune et al., The role of drug-lipid interactions on the disposition of liposome-formulated opioid analgesics in vitro and in vivo. Anesth Analg. 93(4):928-33; 2001.

3. Guarnieri et al., Lab Animal, 41(11): 337-343; 2012.

Manufactured for: Fidelis Pharmaceuticals 675 Highway One Suite B113 North Brunkswick, NJ 08902 833-384-4729 www.EthiqaXR.com Fidelis Pharmaceuticals® and EthiqaXR® are registered trademarks of Fidelis Pharmaceuticals LLC, a Delaware Corporation.

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Ethiqa XR® is the first and only pharmaceutical grade extended-release buprenorphine that’s FDA-indexed to control post-procedural pain for mice and rats up to 72 hours with just one injection.

WARNING: ABUSE POTENTIAL, LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION, and ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE Abuse Potential This formulation contains buprenorphine, a high-concentration (1.3 mg/mL) opioid agonist and Schedule III controlled substance with an abuse potential similar to other Schedule III opioids. The high concentration may be a particular target for human abuse. Buprenorphine has opioid properties that in humans may lead to dependence of the morphine type. Abuse of buprenorphine may lead to low or moderate physical dependence or high psychological dependence. The risk of abuse by humans should be considered when storing, administering, and disposing of Ethiqa XR. Persons at increased risk for opioid abuse include those with a personal or family history of substance abuse (including drug or alcohol abuse or addiction) or mental illness (suicidal depression). Because of human safety risks, this drug should be used only with veterinary supervision.

Do not dispense Ethiqa XR.

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Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression The concentration of buprenorphine in Ethiqa XR is 1.3 mg/mL. Respiratory depression, including fatal cases, may occur with abuse of Ethiqa XR. Ethiqa XR has additive CNS depressant effects when used with alcohol, other opioids, or illicit drugs that cause central nervous system depression. Because of the potential for adverse reactions associated with accidental injection, Ethiqa XR should only be administered by a veterinarian or laboratory staff trained in the handling of potent opioids.

Important Safety Information for Rats and Mice For Rats and Mice: Only administer Ethiqa XR by subcutaneous injection. Ethiqa XR is not intended for intravenous, intra-arterial, intrathecal, intramuscular, or intra-peritoneal injection. Do not use on mice or rats with pre-existing respiratory deficiencies. Do not keep rats on wood chip-type bedding after administration of Ethiqa XR. Use caution with concomitant administration of Ethiqa XR with drugs that cause respiratory depression. For Humans: Ethiqa XR should only be administered by a veterinarian or laboratory staff trained in the handling of potent opioids. Protective clothing is recommended to avoid direct contact with human skin or mucus membranes which could result in absorption of buprenorphine and adverse reactions.

Not for use in humans.

For more information, consult the Prescribing Information including the boxed warning located on the next page. ethiqaxr.com 833-EthiqaXR (833-384-4729) © 2022 Fidelis Animal Health, LLC April 2022 FID-ETH-024

All Rights Reserved

TECH TIPS - HUSBANDRY, ENRICHMENT, NEW TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS

Compressed Paper Column Housing Enrichment for Naked Mole-rats

By Jouvay Pantophlet, LAT, MA, and Daniel McClusky, PhD

N

aked Mole-rats are relative newcomers in the research world. Due to the complexity of their natural subterranean tunneling system, it has been difficult to replicate in the laboratory environment. Housing standards often differ from the hard solidified lateritic loam soils and pure gypsum of Naked Mole-rats’ natural habitat. Usually, the animals are kept in wood shavings, corn cob, corn husks, grasses, or paper towel in captivity, which can limit opportunities for species-appropriate behavior. Here we hope to offer evidence supporting a new potential substrate for the NMR in the laboratory setting that supports an increased biological relevance.

Materials and Methods

Figure 1: Shredded Newspaper soaked in bleach solution.

Figure 2: Plastic discs for paper column mold.

42 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

1. Shredded Newspaper was allowed to soak in a 32gal can for approximately 24-48 hours in a 100ppm (0.01%) bleach solution (Figure 1).

2. The paper-water mixture was then pulped with a stucco paddle until the consistency was that of porridge.

3. A 24-inch acrylic tube was used as a mold. A series of drainage holes, 3/16” in diameter, were drilled all around the tube, covering about 75% of the tube’s height.

4. Using corrugated plastic, two discs were cut- one with a diameter slightly larger than the tube and the other at a diameter that allowed the disc to slip snuggly into the tube. The smaller disc acted similarly to a plunger in a syringe. The larger disc had a series of smaller diameter holes drilled into it for drainage. It was then taped to the bottom of the acrylic tube (Figure 2).

5. The partially assembled mold was placed over a drain. The pulped paper was poured into the tube, filling it about two inches from the top.

The smaller disc was inserted into the tube and pushed down to help press the water out of the drainage holes on the bottom. This process was repeated until a dense cylinder of paper was formed (Figure 3-4) 6. After a few days in a warm room, we removed the bottom disc and pushed the compressed paper out of the tube. It was then left to dry thoroughly for about a week.

3

4

5

6

Figure 3–6: Pouring and pressing the paper column.

While the paper dried, we took another acrylic tube and marked it for drilling a 2-inch inner diameter entry hole so the tube could be attached to our current Naked mole rat enclosure system. Once prepped, the tube was slipped over the paper cylinder. The setup was then placed on top of and adhered to a Plexiglas sheet and attached to the colony system.

Before the Naked Mole-rats were granted access to the paper, we sunk 5 ¼” inner diameter PVC tubes into the columns placed equidistant from one another in a radial pattern. RFID readers were then fed into the tubes so that we could track the chipped NMRs as they explored the new material. We then gave the colony access to the material overnight.

Results

Within one night, the animals had carved a tunnel system that spiraled through the paper column and out the top of it, shoveling the excavated material out the top (Figures 5-6). For the first time, we could afford the animals the ability to move not only on a two-dimensional plane but vertically as well. In the future, we hope to upscale this project to enable a complete colony control of the construction of their burrowing system. Our goals for the future are to decrease the drying time of the blocks, specifically, by finding ways to press the material with greater force, thus, expressing more liquid. We also hope to investigate budget-friendly solutions for lessening the potential pathogenic load which may exist in the newspapers. Finally, we hope to September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 43

7

8

Figure 7–8: Tunneling system created by the Naked Mole-rats after one night of access.

develop a housing system that requires less invasive husbandry but still affords the technicians and the researchers to easily find and gather animals when necessary.

Jouvay Pantophlet LAT, MA, is a laboratory animal technician at the College of Staten Island Animal Facility.

Daniel McCloskey, PhD is an Associate Professor at the College of Staten Island

RESOURCES 1. Buffenstein R, Park T, Hanes M, Artwohl JE. 2012 Jan 1. Chapter 45 - Naked Mole Rat. Suckow MA, Stevens KA, Wilson RP, editors. ScienceDirect.:1055–1074. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ B9780123809209000456.

2. Sherman PW, Jarvis JUM. 2002. Extraordinary life spans of naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber ). Journal of Zoology. 258(3):307–311.

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44 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

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7 2

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4

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A U G U S T

2 0 2 2

Semi-quantitative Assessment of Alzheimer’s-like Pathology in Two Aged Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) The Epidemiology of Invasive, Multiple-antibiotic–resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection in a Breeding Colony of Immunocompromised NSG Mice Reemergence of the Murine Bacterial Pathogen Chlamydia muridarum in Research Mouse Colonies

46 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

TECH TIPS - HUSBANDRY, ENRICHMENT, NEW TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS

Semi-quantitative Assessment of Alzheimer’s-like Pathology in Two Aged Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus)

By Katherine L. Lucot, PhD, and Sherril Green, DVM, PhD

T

he largest bear in the world and one of the planet’s longest living mammals, polar bears (Ursus maritimus), were first listed as threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. In 2015, the ICUN red-listed polar bears as a vulnerable species, i.e. a species facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. For polar bears, this vulnerability is primarily due to the impacts of climate change. As the Arctic ice recedes due to global warming, polar bear habitats and their primary food sources, ringed and bearded seals, are also declining.

The longevity of polar bears, a species that can live up to 45 years under managed care in conservation programs and in zoos, has been documented. Certain neuropathological changes, namely the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in archival, aged polar bear brain tissues have also been reported and described as “Alzheimer’s disease-like.” However, given the difficulty of conducting neurological examinations on aged bears (particularly those with behavioral changes), and the challenges of conducting advanced brain imaging tests using CT or MRI, the implications of these lesions are elusive.

Recently, a team of physicians and veterinary researchers at Stanford University applied a simple, semi-quantitative Alzheimer’s disease (AD) scoring system that correlates the patient’s age, the presence of plaques and tangles, and the signs of cognitive decline with the diagnosis of the disease. Higher plaque and NFT scores indicate a greater likelihood of AD and cognitive impairment. The brains of very old bears, aged 28 and 37, were scored and the clinical history, which was largely observational, was considered. Both bears had high scores for plaques and tangles, and both were reported to show signs of depression, disorientation, and a loss of interest in food and surroundings. Underlying co-morbidities notwithstanding, these behavioral changes could indicate a cognitive decline, similar to those experienced by human patients with Alzheimer’s disease. However, because behavioral assessments in bears have not been described in the veterinary literature, the correlation between the high pathology scores and observation of potential signs of cognitive decline must be interpreted with caution. More bear studies are needed, including clinical reports describing behavioral changes in old bears.

This report does, however, highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations and the comparative approach to disease. As a species, polar bear’s survival may ultimately depend on our deepening knowledge about their age-related changes. Early recognition and support will be important for aged bears under long-term, managed care. Understanding more about the age-related changes in polar bears is critically important in this long-lived but vulnerable species.

Background and Introduction

Age-associated neurodegenerative changes, including amyloid β (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and amyloid angiopathy comparable to those seen in the brains of human patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), have been reported in the brains of aged bears. However, the significance of these findings in bears is unclear due to the difficulty in assessing cognitive impairment and the lack of standardized approaches for the semiquantitative evaluation of Aβ plaques and NFTs. In this study, we evaluate the neuropathologic changes in archival brain tissue of 2 aged polar bears (Ursus maritimus) using the National Institute of Aging-Alzheimer Association (NIA-AA) consensus guidelines for the neuropathologic assessment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The application of NIA-AA consensus guidelines, as applied to the neuropathologic assessment of the aged bears in this report, demonstrates the use of standardized semiquantitative assessment systems for comparative, translational studies of aging in vulnerable wildlife species.

Materials and Methods

These studies were conducted on archival polar bear brain tissues from 2 aged polar bears from the necropsy archives at Stanford University, Department of Comparative Medicine.

Both bears had been housed for several decades at AZA-accredited zoos and were under managed care. The first bear (PB1), a 37-y-old female, displayed progressive disorientation, failure to recognize food, and hind limb weakness. The bear was euthanized on Jan 27, 1997, after 2 wk of supportive care, including antibiotics, vitamin supplements, and corticosteroids. The second bear (PB2), a 28-y-old male, was euthanized on Oct 5, 1984, due to chronic weight loss, depression, and suspected chronic pulmonary disease. Postmortem intervals between euthanasia and necropsy were approximately 1 h for both bears.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 47

Figure 3

The bears were euthanized at their respective zoos, and the brains were collected on location. Whole brains from each bear were fixed, and coronal sections through an entire cerebral hemisphere were blocked, dehydrated in a series of alcohols and xylenes, paraffin embedded, and cut into 6-μm sections in preparation for the histologic studies as described below. For the purpose of methodological controls, human brain samples were obtained through the Stanford Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC). All subjects were free of acute infectious disease. Human brain samples were obtained from archival tissues from a 96-y-old female, 99-y-old female, and 100-y-old male, all diagnosed with AD, and from a 101-y-old female diagnosed with dementia but not AD. Bear and human brain tissue samples were processed, sectioned, and slides were stained in parallel in the Human Pathology/Histology Service Center laboratory at Stanford University, minimally, including sections of the neocortex, neostriatum, and cerebellum.

Tissues were processed for Bielschowsky silver staining, a stain that detects NFTs, amyloid and neuritic plaque components. Bear and human brain sections were baked overnight before rehydration in distilled water. Slides were submerged in preheated 20% silver nitrate solution, baked, then subsequently washed in distilled water. Slides were then placed in ammoniacal silver solution before being developed in a working developer solution. After development, slides were placed in a ‘stop bath’ of 5% sodium thiosulfate, washed in distilled water, and then dehydrated. Tissues were processed for anti-β-amyloid immunohistochemistry. Both bear and human brain sections were incubated overnight before rehydration in a series of xylenes and alcohols. Sections were pretreated with 0.6% H2O2, washed with tris-buffered saline wash buffer, incubated with 2.5% normal horse serum, and then incubated overnight 48 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

with the primary antibody diluted in TBS. Sections were washed and incubated at room temperature for one hour with the secondary antibody. The reaction product was developed with 0.05% 3,3′-Diaminobenzidine (DAB) tetrahydrochloride 0.03% H2O2 for one minute at room temperature. Washes were performed in TBS, with the final wash completed in 0.1 M Tris HCl (pH 7.4). Sections were dehydrated, coverslipped, and examined.

Bear brain tissue sections were grossly evaluated by a veterinarian and a comparative anatomist, and human and bear brains scored independently by a board-certified pathologist and by a research scientist with experience in the TAP, Braak, CERAD, and ABC assessment systems. Specifically, all brain tissue sections were evaluated and scored for accumulation of Aβ plaques using TAP and a 4-point ‘A’ scoring system, and assessed for tau aggregates, as seen in the form of NFTs, using a 4-point ‘B’ scoring system modified from Braak and Braak.

The CERAD score for neuritic plaques was based on the assessment of the frequency of neuritic plaques in the neocortex.

Staging of amyloid accumulation, neurofibrillary aggregates, and neuritic plaques were reported in the form of an ABC score that was translated into one of 4 levels of AD neuropathologic change (ADNC): Not AD, Low, Intermediate, or High AD severity.

Results

The results of silver stains, immunohistochemistry, and the semiquantitative scoring of human and bear brain tissues are summarized in Table 6. Bielschowsky silver stains of bear sections (Figure 3) revealed neuritic plaques throughout both brains with a C score of 3 of 3. Two AD patients had C scores of 3, one AD patient had a C score of 2, and one aged human

Figure 4

patient without dementia had a C score of 0. Silver-impregnated NFTs were observed in the hippocampal formation (CA subfields and entorhinal cortex) in the same location in the AD patient brains and in the brains of both bears (Figure 3). A B score was 2 of 3 in 2 human brains and 3 of 3 in the other 2 human brains. Polar bear 1 had a B score of 3 of 3 and PB2 had a B score of 2 of 3. Amyloid plaques were notably absent in the human cerebellum; however, they had progressed to the cerebellum of both bears resulting in an A score of 3 of 3. Immunohistochemistry (Figure 3) identified numerous Aβ plaques in the bear neocortex, allocortex, striatum, and cerebellum, and both bears had an A score of 3. Both bears had evidence of extensive cerebrovascular amyloid angiopathy (Figure 3). All AD brain samples had A scores of 3, while the human control brain had an A score of 0 (Figure 4). Similarly, the frequency of Aβ plaques in the caudate and putamen of AD brains and in both polar bear brains was less than in the neocortex. The AD and the polar bear brains all had B scores of 2 or higher. In this study population, non-Alzheimer’s disease dementia was diagnosed in one human patient and AD in the other 3. Behavioral changes were observed in both polar bears, although both bears had underlying comorbidities that may have contributed to these changes.

Discussion

Here we report the use of the current consensus NIA-AA guidelines for the neuropathologic assessment of AD to evaluate archival brain tissues from 2 aged polar bears. Components of these guidelines have been used to assess age-related and AD-like pathologic changes in nonhuman primate models of AD and in aging felines, but to date have not been applied to polar bears. The neuropathological findings reported here are in agreement with previous descriptive studies reporting Aβ plaques and neuritic plaques in aged polar bears. The use of a semiquantitative scoring system further refines reporting of the pathologic findings and allows for a more exact analysis.

The scoring systems used here can be correlated with cogni-

tive decline in human patients, even when medical histories are incomplete and are a useful diagnostic aid. Unfortunately, the medical histories of the polar bears in this report are also incomplete and furthermore, it is difficult in veterinary medicine, to obtain brain imaging studies using MRI, or CT, or to collect and analyze CSF biomarkers or to conduct neurologic examinations (beyond what can be observed from a distance) from polar bears antemortem. Our case study is further limited by the lack of availability of archived brain tissue from agematched, zoo-housed polar bears whose brains showed no neurodegenerative pathology. Thus, any correlation between the AD-like pathology and the bears’ observed behavioral changes, particularly disorientation, depression, and failure to recognize food (as reported by the zoo staff ), would be speculative. However, these observed behavioral changes, along with the bears’ high A, B, and C scores suggest that some degree of cognitive impairment may have been present and is related, at least in part, to the neuropathology. Reports of other specific neurologic diseases that might also cause cognitive impairment in polar bears are rare, but differential diagnoses should also include equine herpes virus, suid herpes virus, West Nile virus, and rabies.

Polar bears are currently listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN, are under significant stress due to climate change, and face ongoing population decline. Bears experience many age-related changes, physically and behaviorally, and under managed care in zoos, are living longer than ever. This observation applies especially to polar bears, given their biologic propensity for longevity. Refinement, standardization, and application of scoring systems such as those described here are key to the diagnosis and understanding of aging and the associated neuropathologic changes in the brains of this at-risk species.

If you’d like to learn more, please read our August 2022 publication in Comparative Medicine starting on page 46.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 49

TECH TIPS - HUSBANDRY, ENRICHMENT, NEW TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS

Modernization of Wall Guard Railing for Safe Enrichment in Feline Housing Facilities

By Mary M. Snipes, BSA, Keith A. Wofford, Andrea L. Funk, BS, RLATG, Tanya L. Cooper, RVT, Logan K France, DVM, DACLAM, M.A. McCrackin, DVM, PhD, DACVS, DACLAM, CMAR, CPIA

C

reatively adapting older lab animal housing spaces to improve psychological well-being, welfare, and safety for animals is necessary to meet expectations for animal enrichment. Traditional lab animal facilities are designed to have functional, flexible, durable, and sanitizable housing spaces. Many aged features of these facilities, including wall guard railing, may need to be assessed to improve enrichment and safety for housed animals. In older facilities, guard railing may have been in place decades before recently enhanced enrichment efforts for lab species like cats, some of which include exercise, playtime, or housing outside of standard cages.

A wall guard railing is a typical feature in animal housing rooms and corridors to protect walls from damage from repeated impacts of rolling caging and equipment. This type of railing can be found in some UGA University Research Animal Resources (URAR) facilities, and it is often used in laboratory settings because of the protective, bumper-like effects that it provides. Despite the advantages of these wall guards, the structure of the railing potentially poses a risk for injury for free-roaming (jumping) cats. Between the wall guard and wall, there is space that may serve as a safety hazard for lab animals, especially cats, that enjoy jumping and climbing.

Therefore, we hypothesized that an acrylic platform installed on top of the wall guards would provide novel enrichment for cats in a safe manner. Further, the acrylic platform would serve not only to provide enrichment and improve safety in the housing space but also as a resting surface for cats while they are outside of their cages.1 A collaborative team was formed and brainstormed ideas for enrichment, landing on incorporating the acrylic platform into the feline secondary enclosure. The platform was added to the feline environmental enrichment SOP approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The diverse group of four included a URAR facility supervisor (animal care), a research laboratory technician, a URAR facility manager (facility maintenance), and a veterinarian. Each person brought different knowledge and point of view to the table, and they worked together to innovate a safe, animal-focused solution that would improve the space. This joint effort is an example of how teamwork is important in optimizing welfare, safety, and pragmatism in lab animal medicine and one example of how researchers can be actively involved in evaluating enrichment efforts.1 The platform was cost-effective and relatively simple to create and install (Figure 1). A cardboard template was made to cut the acrylic, which was repurposed from a previous project at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). The 50 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

Figure 1: The acrylic platform in relation to cat cages and other enrichment items in the room.

Figure 2: The depth of the platform in the corners of the room.

Figure 3: The width of the platform along the straight lengths and near the door at the entrance to the room.

cost associated with cutting the acrylic at the machine shop was $120. The time for the shop to cut the acrylic was 4 days, and installation took 4 hours. The platform at the corners of the room is approximately 5 ¾ inches (14.61 cm) deep (Figure 2). The platform is 3 inches (7.62 cm) wide along the straight lengths of the wall then tapers to ½ inch (1.27 cm) near the door at the entrance to the room (Figure 3). The top of the rail is 2.96 ft (0.90 m) above the floor. The platform is routinely sanitized with a fragrance-free 0.5% hydrogen peroxide disinfectant. A foam product is used monthly for room sanitization followed by thorough rinsing with water, and a spray formulation is used for hand cleaning as needed.

The cats housed in the room where we piloted this idea are young, active, clinically healthy, group-housed cats less than 2 years of age. This group of animals and their housing room were prioritized for this project because of their youthful health and need for exercise and engagement. When they are allowed outside of their cages for playtime, the cats are often seen actively playing alone or with other cats in the group, both on and off the acrylic platform. After a full year of use, there have been no adverse events associated with the platform. The platform comes in addition to numerous other enrichment opportunities for these animals. While out of their cages for socialization time, these cats have access to building blocks and other toys. In their own cages, animals have dangling toys, hanging beds, and scratch toys for enrichment.

The URAR animal care staff have witnessed cats using the new acrylic platform as a perch on which to sit, stand, and play (Figure 4). This type of platform has not been installed in all the feline rooms in this UGA CVM facility. However, if there is a need in the future for this type of enrichment strategy, employees are confident that it is beneficial for the cats and helps in improving environmental safety for freely roaming

Figure 4: Two cats playing with each other through the acrylic platform.

Project

Cost

Time

Cutting acrylic material

$120

4.0 days

Platform installation

4 labor hours

0.5 day

Total

$120 + 4 labor hours

4.5 days

cats. Our satisfaction with the function and durability of the acrylic platform and its ability to provide safe enrichment for cats has been excellent.

Mary M. Snipes, BSA is a second year DVM student at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Keith A. Wofford is the facilities manager for the University Research Animal Resources at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Andrea L. Funk, BS, RLATG is a laboratory animal facilities supervisor for the University Research Animal Resources at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Tanya L. Cooper, RVT is a laboratory animal health technician for the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Logan K France, DVM, DACLAM is a clinical veterinarian for the University Research Animal Resources at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. M.A. McCrackin, DVM, PhD, DACVS, DACLAM, CMAR, CPIA is the director of University Research Animal Resources and professor of Population Health at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. REFERENCES 1. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. 2011. Guide for the care and use of laboratory animals, 8th ed. Washington (DC): National Academies Press.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 51

AALAS CONNECTION

The GLAS Program from a Non-Veterinary Perspective

I

nterested in applying to the GLAS program but unsure about applying? Are you a technician or non-vet researcher and have questions? Then this article is for you!

GLAS applicants do not need to have an advanced degree to apply as the PI for the GLAS program. Any applicant is welcome to apply. Each year the GLAS program has one or more laboratory technicians apply as a Principal Investigator (PI).

Overall, there have been 68 technician application submissions since 2007, with 8 submissions awarded a GLAS grant.

You can apply as the PI on the grant, if you are willing to take on the responsibility for the study and you have the support of your institution to apply for a grant and do research.

Study responsibilities are running and completing the study as described in the application, notifying the committee of any changes, submitting a final report, and preparing a scientific manuscript for publication.

If a technician or student applies as a PI, please assemble a team (possible Co-investigators) who can support you. For example, you might consider adding an experienced researcher or a veterinarian to your study. Be sure to verify with your unit director and your institution’s grant office that you will have their support to apply for a grant.

In the next section, two previous GLAS awardees, Jessica Lang and Kathryn Nichols, discuss how they came up with their study question, what was their experience applying to the GLAS program, and how they found mentors at their institution to help and encourage them along the way.

Jessica K. Lang, BSc, BUS, LATG, CM Current Position: Gnotobiotic Core Facility Manager GLAS Awardee 2016 Project Title: Optimizing the evaluation of animal welfare in the murine model of ulcerative colitis

I have always had a keen interest in animal welfare. While working in a gastroenterology lab, the opportunity to have my own project geared toward welfare appealed to me. Thus, applying for a GLAS award was a good fit for this endeavor.

The first GLAS cycle I applied for was for a small grant to do an enrichment study using a colitis associated cancer (CAC) model. While it was an interesting concept, unfortunately that grant did not get funding. Reflecting on this, the proposed project was probably too exploratory to be funded.

During the following year, our lab had a welfare issue. We had a transgenic mouse strain which was given a solution of Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS)- a common animal model for inducing colitis. This experimental model is known to cause 52 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

pain and distress to the animals. The DSS protocol called for daily assessment and weights as a measure of this distress.

Unfortunately, the mice lost more % weight than was described in the protocol, indicating a large degree of distress in the animals.

This project was temporarily paused while we came up with a plan of action. Our Veterinary Director and I discussed methods that could allow for the desired clinical condition while preventing significant weight loss in the animals. Enter fluid hydration therapy. There was little in the literature about hydrating animals on a DSS colitis model. Therefore, we devised a study where we aimed to determine whether fluid supplementation could be used as a welfare-based intervention to minimize animal suffering. She suggested that I reapply for the small GLAS grant based on this proposed project.

Although I had low expectations regarding my chance of receiving the award, my inquisitive nature and desire for more grant writing experience inspired me to pursue the grant.

Excitingly, I was awarded the GLAS grant with this second application attempt!

We performed a pilot study using the GLAS grant funding. The pilot showed that while hydration therapy improved the welfare of the animals, it blunted the clinical response required for it to be an appropriate colitis model. Despite the undesired endpoint, these are still novel and important results as researchers now know that hydration therapy can negatively affect this model from a clinical standpoint. Therefore, other methods to alleviate pain and distress need to be explored to ensure both a desired clinical phenotype of a DSS colitis model while relieving pain and distress for the mice. Aspects of this study were ultimately published as part of a larger scientific article based on work in the laboratory.

I was fortunate in that I had a PI who encouraged my own development and growth as a scientist along with support from the veterinary department. I had worked in the veterinary department (husbandry and veterinary technician) prior to transitioning to the scientific side of laboratory animal science. The Director of the veterinary department provided me with a tremendous amount of guidance and support.

Technicians need to feel comfortable to share their ideas or ask more questions. Everyone with an idea or concept should be encouraged to apply for the GLAS grant. The application was straightforward, and the website has detailed, easy to follow instructions. Publishing the paper in a scientific journal is a more complex process, but people will help you. It is a big accomplishment to design and perform a study that gets published.

My advice to technicians or assistants is not to be shy and to share your ideas and observations. There are no stupid questions in science. In addition, do not forget that you're often the first line of defense and advocates for the welfare of research animals.

Kathryn Nichols, MS, SRS Current Position: Research Associate II/Senior Research Surgeon GLAS Awardee 2018 Project Title: Exploring cardiovascular and metabolic stress responses to carbon dioxide euthanasia in rats

Animal welfare has always been a passion of mine, and our team strives to continually improve our practices and processes in the lab to reduce stress and promote welfare. It's been said that the most common procedure performed in laboratory animal science is euthanasia. There is a lot of ongoing discussion on humane euthanasia with CO2, so I wondered, what is actually happening physiologically to the animal during this process? Are there cardiovascular and metabolic indicators of stress that we haven't yet been able to observe? Is it actually better to pre-anesthetize? Can we capture real-time data to better understand the euthanasia process?

Oh wait, hold on. I have a day job. Who has spare time for passion projects? Who has funding? Would other people care about this the way I do?

I talked with my manager about pursuing this project, and she was very supportive and sent me a link to the GLAS application. I was so excited to pitch my idea! It didn't take long before I felt way out of my league, overwhelmed at the process, and unsure of myself. I needed help. This project turned into a really beautiful team effort--my colleagues shared advice from each of their wheelhouses, from budget to experimental design, to data. My manager was always available and enthusiastic to talk through the project. Her encouragement and mentorship were truly invaluable. After a marathon of late nights and revisions, I clicked "submit" with just a few hours to spare before the deadline.

I had to read the email that my proposal had been funded about five or six times to believe it. It took a lot of careful planning and many detailed discussions with a cross-functional team to execute the study. We had to consider the entire timeline, from implantation surgery through the post-mortem sampling and necropsy. Without such meticulous planning, the study would've failed, and we couldn't simply try again since the endpoint was euthanasia. The whole team worked together to communicate effectively, and each stage of the study went smoothly.

Then the focus shifted; we had all these data and a story to tell. Our research suggested that cardiovascular and metabolic responses to CO2 and isoflurane are similar during loss of consciousness, and that environmental factors play an important role in the euthanasia process. These findings will help us refine our techniques and lay more groundwork for further study in this area. I had authored a few papers during graduate school, but my advisor had been the primary contact with the journal, so much of the process was brand new to me.

The team at JAALAS graciously answered my many questions.

It was really exciting to start seeing others citing our work--it finally felt real that we were helping lay a foundation for other ideas and hypotheses surrounding this important subject.

So, to the technician wondering whether that idea about enrichment is worthwhile--it is. To the new husbandry assistant thinking of a novel approach to an old issue--pursue it. To the lab manager who has observed a positive response anecdotally and wants to prove its significance--do it. Your ideas are important, and your experience is valuable. Ask questions.

Recruit your colleagues and share your passion. Together, we can contribute to our growing body of knowledge in an ever-changing field, and we can make a difference.

Application forms are made available on December 1 of each year with the deadline for submission on February 1. If you have a proposal to improve laboratory animal health and welfare in research, we hope you will submit your idea in a GLAS application!

The Scientific Advisory Committee announced 6 GLAS awardees in 2022! Please visit https://www.aalas.org/glas/recipients to view the newest recipients. Congratulations to the newest GLAS awardees!

AALAS thanks the Novartis Institutes of Biological Research (NIBR) for their 2022 grant to support the GLAS program in advancing 3Rs research in laboratory animal science.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 53

AALAS CONNECTION

Certification Exams: A Peek Behind the Curtain

By Lena Perdue, BS, RLATG

H

ave you ever wondered who in the world comes up with the AALAS certification exam questions?

Did you feel like you were bamboozled when you took an AALAS exam and like nothing you studied was on the test? Well, I promise you that everything on the exam is in the reference materials for each exam level. Let’s dive into who is involved, how the questions come to be, and what happens after questions are created so we can shed some light on what really happens behind the curtain.

Every six to eight years, AALAS sends out a survey known as the Job Analysis Survey ( JAS) to members of the lab animal community across the country. This survey aims to determine what people in lab animal research do in their day-to-day jobs. This information guides AALAS in deciding what knowledge is essential for a certified individual. For instance, if the JAS is completed and reports that 95% of institutions are no longer working with swine, there isn’t a need for much information in the AALAS manuals about swine. On the flip side, if another species becomes more widely used or technologies and processes change, the resources and the exams need to evolve based on the information gathered with the survey.

There are several committees within National AALAS comprised of volunteers that collaborate to evaluate the results of the JAS. Based on this evaluation, the committee determines how best to edit information within the certification resources (manuals, workbooks, Learning Library, etc.) and exam content to accurately reflect the required knowledge base of a certified individual (ALAT, LAT, or LATG). The Educational Resources Committee (ERC) manages content within each of the manuals, workbooks, and other resources available in the bookstore. In contrast, the Online Learning Committee (OLC) manages all the content within the web-based AALAS Learning Library. The Certification & Registry Board (CRB) is responsible for using the ERC-managed resources to create exam questions and auditing the exam.

Based on the results of the JAS, the CRB creates content outlines for each exam that includes main topics of expected knowledge paired with percentages of how important that information

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has been deemed to be. The percentages reflect the content presented within one exam for that one main topic. For instance, the current ALAT content outline lists topic I.A. as “Identification of animals (7-11%)”. This means that of the 120 questions, as few as 8 questions (7%) or as many as 13 questions (11%) on the ALAT exam may relate to the identification of animals. Some sub-topics expand on the main topic, including species recognition, strain identification, sex differentiation, and identification techniques and interpretation. All the content outlines are maintained on the National AALAS website and are available to view at any time by any member. As you can imagine, the percentages and numbers could confuse just about anybody, but there is a method to the madness.

Once it's determined what needs to be tested, the CRB is put to work writing exam questions. This may seem simple, but it takes countless hours of researching, word smithing, and discussions amongst members. To create and manage exam questions, the CRB has a person appointed from Prometric, the contract company that houses and delivers all certification exams, to assess the exams' validity based on the CRB's content outline. Prometric performs statistical analyses of each question using the test takers’ results to determine if questions are written by the CRB meet the criteria of being a ‘good’ exam question. ‘Bad’ exam questions may be re-written to make them better or could be tossed out entirely after evaluation by the CRB. So, what makes a question good or bad? Well, that is where the statistics come into play. Questions are analyzed to determine several factors from a statistical standpoint: the number of individuals having answered a question; the number of individuals have answered the question correctly;

the correlation between how someone answers the question versus how they performed on the whole exam; and the frequency with which each answer choice of a particular question was selected.

To be appropriate and fair, questions should not be easy enough that everyone gets them correct but should not be too hard, resulting in everyone getting them wrong. A good question should also be answered correctly more often by someone who ultimately passes the exam than someone who did not. Each question’s answers should also be chosen at a nearly equivalent percentage. If any of those analytical pieces are off, then Prometric will flag the question and bring it to the CRB for further evaluation.

The CRB meets in person at least twice a year and several times virtually to conference with the appointed Prometric staff member. Activities at these meetings typically include a review of flagged questions, writing new questions to add to the certification exams, and re-referencing current questions to newly released materials. Remember what I said earlier? Every question must be referenceable in one of the resources listed for a particular exam level. If a question is not referenceable, meaning that no one on the CRB can locate the information within a source, then the question cannot be used and must be tossed out. This likely happens when manuals and other additional reading materials are updated where the content is revised within the resources. So the exam material must change to match the reference materials.

You can see how involved a process it is to develop and maintain resources pertaining to technician certifications. It certainly is not something that takes only a select few people; it legitimately takes a village. So, who is in the AALAS ‘village’ for the CRB? The committee is comprised of 12 people, which includes eight at-large members from the AALAS National membership who each serve 3-year terms. In addition, the committee has an appointed Vice Chair, Chair, and Past Chair, one Board of Trustees Liaison to represent National leadership, and at least one AALAS staff liaison to aid in committee flow and management of resources. This is a fantastic group of people with a plethora of knowledge in many different backgrounds with varying degrees of experience. Each member of the CRB is required to be a member of National AALAS, have LATG certification and maintain participation on the Registry for the duration of their committee appointment, or hold a Doctorate. These requirements ensure

there are subject-matter experts that can contribute to the creation and management of technician certification exams.

Still think that exam questions come out of nowhere? I hope this whirlwind tour of the exam process has provided some transparency on the inner workings. If any of this sounds like something you’ve been dreaming of doing and want to be more involved in, please reach out to the National office. They can connect you with me or someone else on the CRB to learn more.

Acknowledgments: Special thanks to the 2022 CRB for their stellar editing prowess!

Lena Perdue, BS, RLATG, is the 2022 CRB Vice Chair and Training Coordinator at UNC Chapel Hill in North Carolina.

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AALAS CONNECTION

AALAS Career Mentorship Program

By Chris Lyons, MBA, CAE, and Morgan McCloud, BA

A

ALAS now offers a new mentorship platform. This program is an online network designed to connect laboratory animal science professionals and establish mutually agreeable short-term engagements to advance career knowledge, negotiate a career path, share experiences, and more. Getting started is easy - whether you are a mentee seeking advice or a mentor ready to offer your time, complete a short registration to be considered. Here are the mentoring categories from which to choose: • • • • • • • • • •

Technician certification Management certification Leadership development AALAS Board prep Abstract poster guidance Scientific manuscript development LAS Pro article writing Grant writing Veterinary school guidance Branch leadership

Why Mentorship Is Important

Mentoring is a crucial part of continuing education and success. It provides the mentees with opportunities to gain confidence and develop leadership skills. Mentors provide encouragement, problem-solve, and maintain accountability for the mentee. Mentors gain interpersonal skills, strength-

56 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

en knowledge, and expand their network. Both mentors and mentees will gain new perspectives and develop a deep sense of appreciation.

Mentors can also specify the maximum number of mentees they can assist at a time and the number of hours per week per mentee. Create an account to register as a mentor or mentee at https://careercenter.aalas.org/ementor/.

Do You Have NHP Behavior Problems?

D

oes your facility house nonhuman primates? Do personnel at your facility need training on managing primate behaviors? Do they need AALAS or RACE CEs? If so, join us on September 15 for the “Identifying, Recording, and Managing Problem Behaviors in Nonhuman Primates” webinar!

People working with nonhuman primates in a research setting should be able to identify a variety of potentially problematic behaviors in the animals. Once recognized, these behaviors can then be appropriately recorded and, in some cases, treatments can be applied to reduce the problem behavior.

Problem behaviors include abnormal behavior and behaviors that reflect anxiety, fear, and depression. This webinar will first describe these different behaviors using rhesus macaque examples. The discussion will include factors that contribute to the expression of these behaviors to better understand why they occur. Ethograms for problem behaviors will be shared, as will examples of documentation systems. Options will be described for treating these behaviors, noting that some treatments have been studied and found to be effective, while other treatments are used based on experience only. There will be a focus on

drug therapies as treatments for self-injurious and stereotyped behaviors. Examples will be provided of behavior thresholds for initiating treatment. Finally, there will be a discussion on the value of attempting to predict future behavioral problems and working to prevent them from occurring.

Speakers include Mollie Bloomsmith (PhD), Jaine Perlman (RLATG, BA), and Sherrie Jean (DVM, DACLAM).

Dr. Bloomsmith is currently Head of Behavioral Management and a Research Professor at Yerkes National Primate Research Center/Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Mollie is a Past President of the American Society of Primatologists. Jaine is the Manager of the Behavior Management Unit at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center/Emory University. She has authored many peer-reviewed papers and contributed to a book chapter in the Management of Animal Care and Use Programs in Research, Education, and Testing (2nd edition).

Dr. Jean is the Associate Veterinarian Scientist at Yerkes National Primate Research Center/Emory University. Sherrie’s responsibilities include research and veterinary support for nonhuman primate (NHP) infectious disease studies; backup veterinary and research support for the center’s rodents.

AALAS Membership Dues Increase

S

tarting on January 1, 2023, all AALAS membership fees will increase. This is due to both a cost-of-living adjustment and the percentage of dues equaling less than 20% of the total revenue. This decision was approved during the summer Board of Trustees meeting, held on May 2, 2022.

Members’ next renewal notice will reflect these changes.

Effective January 1, 2023, AALAS membership fees will be: • Individual Bronze (US) - $55 (Non-US) - $65

• • • • • •

Individual Silver (US) - $115 (Non-US) - $135 Individual Gold (US) - $215 (Non-US) - $240 Institutional Membership (US) - $430 (Non-US) - $485 Affiliate Membership (US) - $400 Global Partners (Non-US) - $450 Commercial Base Membership (US) - $690 (Non-US) $730 • Commercial Premium Membership (US) - $990 (Non-US) - $1200

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 57

AALAS Crossword

By Kari Buchanan, RLATG

LATG #3 1

2 3

4

5

6

7

8 9 10

11

12

13 14

15

16 17

18

19

20 21

23

22

24

ACROSS

DOWN

4 What division of the nervous system is made up of the spinal cord and the brain?

5 What is the hinge that is located on hemostats called?

6 Which type of tissue functions as a protective barrier against mechanical injury, fluid loss, and penetration by infectious agents and noxious chemicals?

8 what physical method of euthanasia quickly separates the spinal cord from the brain?

12 What term means “closer to the belly”?

13 In order for a recipient female to become pregnant with transferred embryos, she must first be in a state of _________.

14 What is the scientific name for a horse?

16 Prevention of implantation due to the introduction of a new male in the female's cage is known as the _____ effect.

20 The time period provided to an animal after shipment to allow physiological and psychological stabilization prior to any experimental manipulation is called: 21 What is the chemical name for bleach?

23 Motorized vehicles used to transport animals should be ______controlled.

24 Nalorphine and naloxone are drugs can _______ the effect of opioids.

1 The abbreviation F0 indicates what type of line?

2 What procedure stores embryos, sperm cells, and ovaries at very low temperatures?

3 What is the act of preventing contamination of a sterile surgical field and other sterile areas called?

7 What condition can occur in susceptible animals due to high room illumination levels?

9 What condition is present when there is redness and inflammation of the tissues around the eyes?

10 What is the route of administration for a drug marked SQ? 11 Eggs, embryos, and sperm are collectively referred to as: 15 _____ transfer is an important factor in promoting acceptance of the new pups by the foster mother.

17 Environmental disturbances are most likely to cause female mice to _________ their pups.

18 What is the process called when fertilized eggs or embryos are taken from a female and implanted into another female who has been tested and found free of pathogens?

19 Puncture proof containers are used in the animal facility to dispose of which items?

22 What is a method of identification that can be placed under the skin?

58 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

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The AALAS Foundation Celebrate the Mouse Video Essay Results

I

n 2017, the AALAS Foundation started a competition for middle and high school students - The Celebrate the Mouse Video Essay Contest. We asked students: “How Has a Mouse Helped You – Or Someone You Know?” The contest asked students to develop a creative, educational and informative video essay to explain how they, a family member, friend, or pet, have benefited from the medical discoveries made possible thanks to work conducted with mice in biomedical research.

Contest winners were eligible to earn cash awards in response to how animals in research have helped the lives of people and animals. This contest was open to all United States or the District of Columbia legal residents who are registered students in grades 5–8 (Level 1) or 9‐12 (Level 2). Every student was eligible whether they were in a public, parochial, private, or independent school or were home‐schooled.

Students were asked to: 1. Describe a mouse's role in discovering or perfecting a surgical procedure, medication, or treatment method used to help the individual or animal; or how a mouse was used to develop a detection technique to identify a disease or condition.

2. The name(s) of the researcher(s) who worked with the mice to achieve the medical discovery.

60 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

3. The date the medical advancement was achieved.

Our 2021 contest received a total of 18 entries. The winners in each category were selected by the AALAS Foundation Technology Committee, which used a scoring system to judge each video independently. Student videos were also posted on the AALAS Foundation’s YouTube and Facebook page for people to vote for a “Fan Favorite” in each category.

The 2021 contest winners are listed as follows:

9th – 12th Grade Category Winners

1st Place Winner – Kaitlyn Culbert, Toms River High School North, Toms River, NJ – $500, trophy & certificate

2nd Place Winner – Elijah Denton, Fikes High School, Wilson, NC - $250, trophy & certificate

3rd Place Winner – Jia Gao, Ronald Wilson High School, Winston-Salem, NC - $100, trophy & certificate

Fan Favorite Award – Kaitlyn Culbert, Toms River High School North, Toms River, NJ - $100, trophy & certificate

5th – 8th Grade Category Winners

1st Place Winner – May Gao – Thomas Jefferson Middle School, WinstonSalem, NC $500, trophy & certificate

2nd Place Winner – Lily Walls – Meadowlark Middle School – Lewisville, NC - $250, trophy & certificate

3rd Place Winner – Bethany Denton – Salle B. Howard School – Wilson, NC - $100, trophy & certificate

Fan Favorite Award – Lily Walls – Meadowlark Middle School – Lewisville, NC - $100, trophy & certificate All category entries may be viewed on the AALAS Foundation YouTube channel.

AALAS Foundation Board Member Molly Romick presented prizes to the student winners in North Carolina. AALAS BOT Pamela Straeter presented prizes to the New Jersey prize winner.

All contestants who entered the contest received a Medical Discoveries in Biomedical Research poster, a Careers in Biomedical Research brochure, a mood pencil, and a Celebrate the Mouse lapel pin.

Many thanks go to the AALAS Foundation’s Technology committee members, who watched and judged all the video entries. The committee comprised Lindsay Holmes, Committee Chair, Nicole La Mattina, Mona Jaffari, Karrie Southwell, and Terri Swanson.

This year’s contest is set to begin accepting entries on September 1, 2022. Submitting entries into the 2022 contest closes on January 31, 2023. Contact foundation@aalas.org for more information.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 61

AALAS Crossword Answers LATG #3 1

10

11

S G P S E U D O P R E B R 16 B R U C E M U P 19 S T L H A A 20 A C C L I M A T I O N S R E M P O S U 23 S C 13

F 3 O A U S N E D P 6 E P I T H E R I 8 C E R 9 C T O E G N A N C Y 14 J H E U N N I C Q T U I E 21 V S O I T L I M A T E S

62 Laboratory Animal Science Professional September 2022

2 4

C E N T 5

B

L I A L V I C A L D I 12

P A L M A 15

Q U U S C A B C 17 C E A N N T N 22 D I U M H Y P B I A C 24 L R E V E I O Z C E H I P

C R Y O P R E S E R V A T I O N

A L X L O C K 7

P H L O C A T I O N T O T L L U S O X 18 R I E C D R E E O C H L O R I T E I I V N R S E A O T P I A O T N H Y

LAS PRO 's

PET TALK Introducing Coco Chanel Written by Janet Steele Coco was adopted from a GSD Study at Duke University nine years ago.

CC is an honorary member of RTB AALAS and enjoyed participating in the annual Homes for Heroes 5K. She loves playing tug of war and long walks in the neighborhood. The neighbor kids call her the "forever puppy" because she still has a puppy face and loves playing with children.

And when mom works from home, she is right there beside her giving her moral support in whatever tasks she is working on.

PET TALK

Be a part of LAS Pro's column this year!

Email us a photo of you with your pet and we will put you in the running for a spot in one of our upcoming issues.

Contact us at laspro@aalas.org.

September 2022 Laboratory Animal Science Professional 63

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