How stra(i)nge are your controls? A comparative analysis of metabolic phenotypes in commonly used C57BL/6 substrains.

In recent years, insufficiently characterised controls have been a contributing factor to irreproducibility in biomedical research including neuroscience and metabolism. There is now a growing awareness of phenotypic differences between the C57BL/6 substrains which are commonly used as control animals. We here investigated baseline metabolic characteristics such as glucose regulation, fasted serum insulin levels and hepatic insulin signalling in five different C57BL/6 substrains (N, J, JOla, JRcc) of both sexes, obtained from two commercial vendors, Charles River Laboratories (Crl) and Envigo (Env).

Sex Differences in Behavior and Molecular Pathology in the 5XFAD Model.

Background: The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is greater in women compared to men, but the reasons for this remain unknown. This sex difference has been widely neglected in experimental studies using transgenic mouse models of AD.

Objective: Here, we studied behavior and molecular pathology of 5-month-old 5XFAD mice, which express mutated human amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 on a C57BL/6J background, versus their wild-type littermate controls, to compare both sex- and genotype-dependent differences.

PEERS - An Open Science "Platform for the Exchange of Experimental Research Standards" in Biomedicine.

Laboratory workflows and preclinical models have become increasingly diverse and complex. Confronted with the dilemma of a multitude of information with ambiguous relevance for their specific experiments, scientists run the risk of overlooking critical factors that can influence the planning, conduct and results of studies and that should have been considered . To address this problem, we developed "PEERS" (Platform for the Exchange of Experimental Research Standards), an open-access online platform that is built to aid scientists in determining which experimental factors and variables are most likely to affect the outcome of a specific test, model or assay and therefore ought to be considered during the design, execution and reporting stages.

Systematic review of guidelines for internal validity in the design, conduct and analysis of preclinical biomedical experiments involving laboratory animals.

Over the last two decades, awareness of the negative repercussions of flaws in the planning, conduct and reporting of preclinical research involving experimental animals has been growing. Several initiatives have set out to increase transparency and internal validity of preclinical studies, mostly publishing expert consensus and experience. While many of the points raised in these various guidelines are identical or similar, they differ in detail and rigour.

Adolescent cannabis exposure increases heroin reinforcement in rats genetically vulnerable to addiction.

On the basis of epidemiological studies it has been proposed that cannabis use plays a causal role in the abuse of highly addictive drugs (Gateway Hypothesis). However, epidemiological studies are intrinsically unable to provide evidence of causality. Experimental studies can provide this evidence but they are feasible only in animal models and to date such evidence is lacking.

Lights and shadows of schizophrenia therapy research: Lessons from oral risperidone and olanzapine.

Background: Recently, patents of several atypical antipsychotics have reached their expiration date.

Aims: The purpose of the study was to highlight whether modifications of economic/scientific factors may be associated with possible changes in ongoing clinical research on antipsychotic drugs.

Methods: A large systematic analysis was used to depict the time-dependent distribution of published research articles addressing the clinical properties of oral risperidone and olanzapine conventional tablets, two largely prescribed atypical antipsychotics for which the patents have already expired in most of the countries.

Childhood disintegrative disorder and autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review.

Aim: In an attempt to clarify the debate surrounding the diagnostic validity of childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), we systematically reviewed its characteristics and compared it with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Method: Four databases were searched (PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science). Included articles had participants with CDD, as defined by symptoms present in the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision and the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision.

Widespread reduction of dopamine cell bodies and terminals in adult rats exposed to a low dose regimen of MDMA during adolescence.

Although MDMA (3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy) neurotoxicity in serotonin neurons is largely recognized in a wide variety of species including man, neurotoxicity in dopamine (DA) neurons is thought to be species-specific. MDMA is mainly consumed by adolescents, often in conjunction with caffeine (Energy Drinks) and this association has been reported to exacerbate MDMA toxic effects. In order to model these aspects of MDMA use, vis-à-vis their impact on DA neurons, we investigated the effects of adolescent exposure to low doses of MDMA (5 mg/kg for 10 days), alone or in combination with caffeine (10 mg/kg) on neuronal and functional DA indices and on recognition memory in adult rats.

Use of the human hepcidin gene to build a positive-selection vector for periplasmic expression in Escherichia coli.

Recombinant proteins are often produced in the periplasm of Escherichia coli because this facilitates the purification process. The oxidizing environment favors the formation of disulfide bridges. We showed that the periplasmic expression of the human hormone hepcidin 25 (Hep25) fused to the maltose-binding protein (MBP) resulted in cell death.