Administration of galacto-oligosaccharide prebiotics in the Flinders Sensitive Line animal model of depression.

Introduction: Major depressive disorder is the leading source of disability globally and current pharmacological treatments are less than adequate. Animal models such as the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats are used to mimic aspects of the phenotype in the human disorder and to characterise candidate antidepressant agents. Communication between the gut microbiome and the brain may play an important role in psychiatric disorders such as depression.

Machine learning algorithms for systematic review: reducing workload in a preclinical review of animal studies and reducing human screening error.

Background: Here, we outline a method of applying existing machine learning (ML) approaches to aid citation screening in an on-going broad and shallow systematic review of preclinical animal studies. The aim is to achieve a high-performing algorithm comparable to human screening that can reduce human resources required for carrying out this step of a systematic review.

Methods: We applied ML approaches to a broad systematic review of animal models of depression at the citation screening stage.

Similar effect of autologous and allogeneic cell therapy for ischemic heart disease: systematic review and meta-analysis of large animal studies.

Rationale: In regenerative therapy for ischemic heart disease, use of both autologous and allogeneic stem cells has been investigated. Autologous cell can be applied without immunosuppression, but availability is restricted, and cells have been exposed to risk factors and aging. Allogeneic cell therapy enables preoperative production of potent cell lines and immediate availability of cell products, allowing off-the-shelf therapy.