Publications

Posture as a non-invasive indicator of arousal in American toads (Anaxyrus americanus)

Animal welfare has become a priority for modern zoos and aquariums. However, amphibians have not yet been the focus of much welfare research, perhaps in part because they do not tend to display many quantifiable active behaviors. This study focused...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad

Citation: Woody, S. M., Santymire, R. M., Cronin, K. A. 2021. Posture as a non-invasive indicator of arousal in American toads (Anaxyrus americanus). Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 2(1), 1–9.

Chronic social comparison elicits depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in male rats

Social comparison is a fundamental human characteristic; however, long-term social comparison may induce psychological stress and can lead to depression and anxiety. Recent studies have shown that nonhuman primates compare themselves with others; however, no studies have investigated whether social...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Xue, B., Ma, Y.-Y., Zhu, J.-Y. et al. 2023. Chronic social comparison elicits depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in male rats. Animal Cognition 26(5), 1505–1519.

Behavioral correlates of 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats: Progressive operant discrimination learning reduces frequency modulation and increases overall amplitude

Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in rats are thought to contain ecological signals reflecting emotional states. These USVs are centered on 50-kHz, and frequency modulation (FM) is hypothesized to indicate positive emotion; however, results from recent studies are inconsistent with this hypothesis....

Year Published: 2014Topics: Vocalization, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Yuki, S., Okanoya, K. 2014. Behavioral correlates of 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats: Progressive operant discrimination learning reduces frequency modulation and increases overall amplitude. Animal Behavior and Cognition 1(4), 452–463.

Emotional contagion and social support in pigs with the negative stimulus

This study expects to confirm the existence of emotional transmission in pigs from multiple perspectives and to provide theoretical references for improving animal welfare in livestock farming. A group that could directly observe (DO) and a group that could not...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Zhang, Y., Yu, J., Zhang, Y. et al. 2023. Emotional contagion and social support in pigs with the negative stimulus. Animals 13(20), 3160.

Effects of different auditory environments on behavior, learning ability, and fearfulness in 4-week-old laying hen chicks

Environmental enrichment can improve animal welfare. As a method of environmental enrichment, the effect of different auditory stimulations on the behavior response and welfare of laying hen chicks has yet to be investigated. Therefore, this study was aimed at exploring...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Zhao, S., Cui, W., Yin, G. et al. 2023. Effects of different auditory environments on behavior, learning ability, and fearfulness in 4-week-old laying hen chicks. Animals 13(19), 3022.

Association of Primate Veterinarians guidelines for domestic transport of nonhuman primates in biomedical research

The purpose of this guidance document is to provide veterinarians and other individuals associated with domestic transportation of nonhuman primates (NHP) with an overview of the critical aspects of the process including planning, execution, and post-transport phases. These guidelines are...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Association of Primate Veterinarians. 2023. Association of Primate Veterinarians guidelines for domestic transport of nonhuman primates in biomedical research. JAALAS 62(3), 198-201.

The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals (9th ed.)

The latest edition of the seminal reference on the care and management of laboratory and research animals. The newly revised ninth edition of The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals delivers an up-to-date...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Euthanasia, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Relocation & Transport, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Cephalopod, Crustacean, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Goat, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Invertebrate, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Mole Rat, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Bird, Other Fish, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Sheep, Snake, Tree Shrew, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Golledge, H., Richardson, C. (Eds.) 2024. The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals (9th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. 1040 p.

As the world turns: Identifying and documenting continuing education for IACUC committee members and staff

In this column, we will describe how the IACUC Office at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) identifies and documents the participation of IACUC members and staff in continuing education opportunities. The prioritization of continuing education (CE) in...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Wilkerson, J., Cavanaugh, K. 2022. As the world turns: Identifying and documenting continuing education for IACUC committee members and staff. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 10(6) (November/December), 36-38.

Novel ferret enrichment: Ferrets have a ball

The best types of enrichment for lab animals are ones that encourage the expression of positive species-specific behavior. Ferrets were domesticated for their hunting prowess to control vermin and ability to tunnel narrow holes to ferret out prey. To satisfy...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Ferret

Citation: Madera, N., Adams, D., Offord, S. et al. 2022. Novel ferret enrichment: Ferrets have a ball. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 10(6) (November/December), 40-42.

Mice prone to tinnitus after acoustic trauma show increased pre-exposure sensitivity to background noise

Noise-induced tinnitus is generally associated with hearing impairment caused by traumatic acoustic overexposure. Previous studies in laboratory animals and human subjects, however, have observed differences in tinnitus susceptibility, even among individuals with similar hearing loss. The mechanisms underlying increased sensitivity...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Behavioral & Cognitive TestingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Rybalko, N., Suchánková, Š., Bureš, Z. et al. 2023. Mice prone to tinnitus after acoustic trauma show increased pre-exposure sensitivity to background noise. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 17.