Compassion Fatigue, Euthanasia Stress, and Their Management in Laboratory Animal Research.

This review is designed to assist both individuals and organizations involved in animal-based research to understand and appreciate the importance and potential risks of compassion fatigue and euthanasia stress. We reviewed current literature regarding compassion fatigue and euthanasia stress as they relate to the laboratory animal science community. Definitions, recognition, and mitigation steps are clarified. We offer educational and mitigation advice and present needs for future research on these topics that is related directly to the laboratory animal science community.

Modulation of endotoxin-induced cardiopulmonary dysfunction by S-nitroso-albumin.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenous vasodilator and modulator of inflammation. During endotoxemia, the beneficial effects of NO are overwhelmed by the inflammatory cascade, resulting in a functional depletion of NO. S-nitroso-albumin (S-NO-alb) exists as a novel and highly stable NO thiol complex that slowly releases NO into the vascular micro-environment. Using a porcine model, we examined the ability of intravenous S-NO-alb to modulate cardiopulmonary dysfunction characteristic of endotoxemia. Pigs were anesthetized, instrumented for standard cardiopulmonary function measurements, and randomly assigned to receive: (i) albumin + saline; (ii) albumin + LPS; or (iii) S-NO-alb + LPS. Cardiopulmonary parameters were evaluated every 30 min and ex vivo phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated superoxide release was serially determined as a marker of in vivo neutrophil priming. Lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was measured as a marker of neutrophil migration into the lung. LPS-induced cardiopulmonary dysfunction was characterized by a sustained elevation in mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and peak intratracheal pressure, as well as a reduction in cardiac index, stroke volume index and PaO(2) over 6 h. Pretreatment with S-NO-alb attenuated LPS-induced cardiopulmonary dysfunction without adversely affecting systemic hemodynamics. Moreover, S-NO-alb blunted the LPS-induced hypoxemic response and reduced neutrophil activation. S-NO-alb did not, however, attenuate LPS-induced increases in lung MPO. Our results suggest that S-NO-alb can selectively modulate endotoxin-induced pulmonary dysfunction, attenuate neutrophil priming and block the early mortality (40%) in this model.

Cytologic assessment of the vaginal epithelium in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): a preliminary new approach to reproductive screening.

The application of vaginal cytology in defining reproductive events is a widely accepted and applied diagnostic tool in many species. Here we present a preliminary approach to recognizing a correlation between changes in vaginal epithelial cytology and circulating plasma progesterone in the common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, such that vaginal cytology could be diagnostically appropriate for reproductive management. We assessed six captive-born adult female common marmosets for the duration of one complete estrus cycle. Cytologic samples, collected by vaginal swab, and blood for plasma progesterone concentration were collected twice weekly. Cytologic samples were blindly assessed, and vaginal epithelial maturation was defined on the basis of the karyopyknotic index (KPI). In the three consistently cycling females (cj0328, cj0732, and cj0678), a marked increase in KPI corresponded with rising plasma progesterone levels, which subsequently decreased throughout the duration of follicular phase. The remaining three females who had previously irregular estrus cycles (cj0608, cj0680, cj0724) demonstrated irregularity in their progesterone profiles which correlated with inconsistent KPIs. Although KPI is not a very sensitive single sampling indicator of ovulation, evaluating changes in cytologic morphology over time aid in predicting the timing of an ovulatory event. Our results suggest that vaginal cytology can be an effective alternative to blood sampling for reproductive management of the common marmoset.