Factors That Determine Successful Social Housing of African Green Monkeys () in Same-Sex Pairs and Trios.

Social housing provides a high level of enrichment for captive non-human primates, but providing this in research situations can be challenging. We have developed a multifactorial animal selection and introduction process coordinated by veterinary and animal care behavioral teams. This process sought to successfully establish lasting same-sex pairs and trios for African green monkeys () in studies lasting from three months to over a year.

Safety considerations for working with animal models involving human health hazards.

A human health hazard may constitute a variety of hazards that are encountered in an animal facility. Health hazards include physical, chemical, radioactive, or biological hazards such as cage and rack washers, chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection, experimental drugs or biologics, radioactive isotopes, zoonotic diseases, allergens, experimental infectious agents, or biological toxins. This article will focus on experimental infectious agents and biological toxins (biohazards) that are hazardous to both animals and humans and require biological containment (biocontainment) to prevent their inadvertent release into the environment.

Institutional Oversight of Occupational Health and Safety for Research Programs Involving Biohazards.

Research with hazardous biologic materials (biohazards) is essential to the progress of medicine and science. The field of microbiology has rapidly advanced over the years, partially due to the development of new scientific methods such as recombinant DNA technology, synthetic biology, viral vectors, and the use of genetically modified animals. This research poses a potential risk to personnel as well as the public and the environment.

The role of IKKβ in Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) belongs to the genus Alphavirus, family Togaviridae. VEEV infection is characterized by extensive inflammation and studies from other laboratories implicated an involvement of the NF-κB cascade in the in vivo pathology. Initial studies indicated that at early time points of VEEV infection, the NF-κB complex was activated in cells infected with the TC-83 strain of VEEV.

In vivo murine and in vitro M-like cell models of gastrointestinal anthrax.

Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax and is acquired by three routes of infection: inhalational, gastrointestinal and cutaneous. Gastrointestinal (GI) anthrax is rare, but can rapidly result in severe, systemic disease that is fatal in 25%-60% of cases. Disease mechanisms of GI anthrax remain unclear due to limited numbers of clinical cases and the lack of experimental animal models.

One-step preservation of phosphoproteins and tissue morphology at room temperature for diagnostic and research specimens.

Background: There is an urgent need to measure phosphorylated cell signaling proteins in cancer tissue for the individualization of molecular targeted kinase inhibitor therapy. However, phosphoproteins fluctuate rapidly following tissue procurement. Snap-freezing preserves phosphoproteins, but is unavailable in most clinics and compromises diagnostic morphology.

A Novel Ventilated Transport Container for Transporting Laboratory Animals.

A novel ventilated transport container was developed to allow safe transport of laboratory animals among biocontainment areas, conventional animal holding areas, or laboratories. This specialized device allowed simultaneous transport and concurrent isolation of 2 unanesthetized nonhuman primates carried in standard transport boxes as the primary enclosure. Its use substantially reduced the risk to the primates by eliminating the need for anesthesia during transport between containment areas and, additionally, improved the margin of safety during transport.