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Brandwein C, Leenaars CHC, Becker L, Pfeiffer N, Iorgu AM, Hahn M, Vairani GA, Lewejohann L, Bleich A, Mallien AS, Gass P. A systematic mapping review of the evolution of the rat Forced Swim Test: Protocols and outcome parameters. Pharmacol Res 2023; 196:106917. [PMID: 37690532 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
As depression is projected to become the leading mental disease burden globally by 2030, understanding the underlying pathology, as well as screening potential anti-depressants with a higher efficacy, faster onset of action, and/or fewer side-effects is essential. A commonly used test for screening novel antidepressants and studying depression-linked aspects in rodents is the Porsolt Forced Swim Test. The present systematic mappping review gives a comprehensive overview of the evolution and of the most prevalently used set-ups of this test in rats, including the choice of animals (strain, sex, and age), technical aspects of protocol and environment, as well as reported outcome measures. Additionally, we provide an accessible list of all existing publications, to support informed decision-making for procedural and technical aspects of the test, to thereby enhance reproducibility and comparability. This should further contribute to reducing the number of unnecessarily replicated experiments, and consequently, reduce the number of animals used in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Brandwein
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Cathalijn H C Leenaars
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Laura Becker
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Natascha Pfeiffer
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ana-Maria Iorgu
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Melissa Hahn
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gaia A Vairani
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Max‑Dohrn‑Str. 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany; Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Animal Welfare, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - André Bleich
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Anne S Mallien
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Gass
- Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Leenaars C, Häger C, Stafleu F, Nieraad H, Bleich A. A Systematic Review of the Effect of Cystic Fibrosis Treatments on the Nasal Potential Difference Test in Animals and Humans. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3098. [PMID: 37835841 PMCID: PMC10572895 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13193098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
To address unmet treatment needs in cystic fibrosis (CF), preclinical and clinical studies are warranted. Because it directly reflects the function of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR), the nasal potential difference test (nPD) can not only be used as a reliable diagnostic test for CF but also to assess efficacy of experimental treatments. We performed a full comprehensive systematic review of the effect of CF treatments on the nPD compared to control conditions tested in separate groups of animal and human subjects. Our review followed a preregistered protocol. We included 34 references: 20 describing mouse studies, 12 describing human studies, and 2 describing both. We provide a comprehensive list of these studies, which assessed the effects of antibiotics, bone marrow transplant, CFTR protein, CFTR RNA, directly and indirectly CFTR-targeting drugs, non-viral and viral gene transfer, and other treatments. Our results support the nPD representing a reliable method for testing treatment effects in both animal models and human patients, as well as for diagnosing CF. However, we also observed the need for improved reporting to ensure reproducibility of the experiments and quantitative comparability of the results within and between species (e.g., with meta-analyses). Currently, data gaps warrant further primary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathalijn Leenaars
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christine Häger
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Frans Stafleu
- Department of Animals in Science and Society—Human-Animal Relationship, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Nieraad
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - André Bleich
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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A mapping review of refinements to laboratory rat housing and husbandry. Lab Anim (NY) 2023; 52:63-74. [PMID: 36759746 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-023-01124-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Refining the housing and husbandry of laboratory rats is an important goal, both for ethical reasons and to allow better quality research. We conducted a mapping review of 1,017 studies investigating potential refinements of housing and husbandry of the laboratory rat to assess what refinements have, and have not, been studied, and to briefly assess whether there is evidence to support any impact on rat welfare. Among the many refinements studied, the majority involve changes to the cage, but some also involve alterations to the wider environment. The effects of these refinements were assessed using a range of readouts, many of which are difficult to interpret from a welfare perspective. Preference studies, which are easier to interpret, provide evidence that rats prefer complex environments, including shelters and multiple objects, which offer different areas/resources allowing the rat to engage in diverse behaviors. The reporting of methodology in papers was often poor, indicating that studies were potentially subject to biases. Given that many refinements co-occurred, it was often difficult to tease apart which ones were most beneficial for rat welfare. Effects of refinements were also moderated by a number of factors including age, sex, strain and photoperiod. Altogether our findings show that a one-size-fits-all approach to refinements is not appropriate, because different refinements will impact different rats in different ways. Our review has also produced a database of >1,000 articles that can be used for further and more detailed analyses. Our findings have also highlighted areas where future research is likely to be valuable, including refinements to rat transport, handling and the use of training.
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Aulehner K, Leenaars C, Buchecker V, Stirling H, Schönhoff K, King H, Häger C, Koska I, Jirkof P, Bleich A, Bankstahl M, Potschka H. Grimace scale, burrowing, and nest building for the assessment of post-surgical pain in mice and rats-A systematic review. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:930005. [PMID: 36277074 PMCID: PMC9583882 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.930005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies suggested an informative value of behavioral and grimace scale parameters for the detection of pain. However, the robustness and reliability of the parameters as well as the current extent of implementation are still largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to systematically analyze the current evidence-base of grimace scale, burrowing, and nest building for the assessment of post-surgical pain in mice and rats. The following platforms were searched for relevant articles: PubMed, Embase via Ovid, and Web of Science. Only full peer-reviewed studies that describe the grimace scale, burrowing, and/or nest building as pain parameters in the post-surgical phase in mice and/or rats were included. Information about the study design, animal characteristics, intervention characteristics, and outcome measures was extracted from identified publications. In total, 74 papers were included in this review. The majority of studies have been conducted in young adult C57BL/6J mice and Sprague Dawley and Wistar rats. While there is an apparent lack of information about young animals, some studies that analyzed the grimace scale in aged rats were identified. The majority of studies focused on laparotomy-associated pain. Only limited information is available about other types of surgical interventions. While an impact of surgery and an influence of analgesia were rather consistently reported in studies focusing on grimace scales, the number of studies that assessed respective effects was rather low for nest building and burrowing. Moreover, controversial findings were evident for the impact of analgesics on post-surgical nest building activity. Regarding analgesia, a monotherapeutic approach was identified in the vast majority of studies with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs and opioids being most commonly used. In conclusion, most evidence exists for grimace scales, which were more frequently used to assess post-surgical pain in rodents than the other behavioral parameters. However, our findings also point to relevant knowledge gaps concerning the post-surgical application in different strains, age levels, and following different surgical procedures. Future efforts are also necessary to directly compare the sensitivity and robustness of different readout parameters applied for the assessment of nest building and burrowing activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Aulehner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Cathalijn Leenaars
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Verena Buchecker
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Helen Stirling
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina Schönhoff
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Hannah King
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Christine Häger
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Ines Koska
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Paulin Jirkof
- Office for Animal Welfare and 3Rs, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - André Bleich
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Marion Bankstahl
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Heidrun Potschka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany,*Correspondence: Heidrun Potschka
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Rix A, Girbig R, Porte C, Lederle W, Leenaars C, Kiessling F. Development of a Systematic Review Protocol and a Scoping Review of Ultrasound-Induced Immune Effects in Peripheral Tumors. Mol Imaging Biol 2022; 24:288-297. [PMID: 34845660 PMCID: PMC8983530 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-021-01686-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Publication numbers reporting that ultrasound can stimulate immune reactions in tumors steadily increase. However, the presented data are partially conflicting, and mechanisms are difficult to identify from single publications. These shortcomings can be addressed by a systematic review and meta-analysis of current literature. As a first step, we here present the methodology and protocol for a systematic review to answer the following research question: Does ultrasound alter the immune reaction of peripheral solid tumors in humans and animals compared to control conditions without ultrasound? PROCEDURES We designed a protocol to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis. The suitability of the protocol to detect and sort relevant literature was tested using a subset of publications. We extracted study characteristics, ultrasound parameters, and study outcomes to pre-evaluate the differences between publications and present the data as a scoping review. RESULTS From 6532 publications detected by our preliminary literature search, 320 were selected for testing our systematic review protocol. Of the latter, 15 publications were eligible for data extraction. There, we found large differences between study characteristics (e.g., tumor type, age) and ultrasound settings (e.g., wavelength 0.5-9.5 MHz, acoustic pressure 0.0001-15,000 W/cm2). Finally, study outcomes included reports on cells of the innate (e.g., dendritic cells, macrophages) and adaptive immune system (e.g., CD8-/CD4-positive T cells). CONCLUSION We designed a protocol to identify relevant literature and perform a systematic review and meta-analysis. The differences between extracted features between publications show the necessity for a comprehensive search and selection strategy in the systematic review to get a complete overview of the literature. Meta-analyses of the extracted outcomes can then enable evidence-based conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Rix
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Renée Girbig
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Céline Porte
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Wiltrud Lederle
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Cathalijn Leenaars
- Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Population Health Science, Unit Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, 3508 TD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Fabian Kiessling
- Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen International University, Aachen, Germany
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Moraes GS, Albach T, Sugio CY, de Oliveira FB, Neppelenbroek KH, Urban VM. Experimental animal models for denture stomatitis: A methodological review. Lab Anim 2022; 56:331-343. [PMID: 35072576 DOI: 10.1177/00236772211069249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Denture stomatitis is the most prevalent form of oral candidiasis and the most frequent oral lesion in removable prosthesis wearers. It is characterized by an inflammatory response of the denture-bearing mucosa, especially the palatal mucosa, and its clinical signs include chronic edema and erythema, and papillary hyperplasia. Despite having a multifactorial etiology, its main etiological agent is the infection by Candida albicans. Given its high treatment failure rates, an in vivo model of denture stomatitis should be established to test alternative treatments. The aim of this study is to review the existing denture stomatitis models and to provide an overview of the main methodological differences between them. Over the last 40 years, different animal models were developed in order to study denture stomatitis etiopathogenesis and to assess novel therapies. Many approaches, including the use of antibiotics and immunosuppressors, have to be further investigated in order to establish which protocol is more appropriate and effective for the development of an animal model of denture stomatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo S Moraes
- Department of Dentistry, 67883State University of Ponta Grossa, State University of Ponta Grossa, Brazil
| | - Thaís Albach
- Department of Dentistry, 67883State University of Ponta Grossa, State University of Ponta Grossa, Brazil
| | - Carolina Yc Sugio
- Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontics, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio B de Oliveira
- Department of Dentistry, 67883State University of Ponta Grossa, State University of Ponta Grossa, Brazil
| | - Karin H Neppelenbroek
- Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontics, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanessa M Urban
- Department of Dentistry, 67883State University of Ponta Grossa, State University of Ponta Grossa, Brazil
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Kresin T, Forster EM. Suicide Awareness Training: A Literature Review with Application to Queensland Nurses. Issues Ment Health Nurs 2022; 43:13-21. [PMID: 34319837 DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2021.1948641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite decades of strategic intervention, Queensland's suicide rates exceed both national and global rates. This is surely an indicator that not enough is being done to address this cause of death. The authors suggest that this problem may be addressed, in part, by provision of improved suicide awareness training for nurses. The purpose of this review was to support this through examination of the contemporary status of suicide awareness training in Queensland nurses, the efficacy of suicide awareness training in general, and the experiences of nurses, other health professionals, and suicidal patients in healthcare settings. We concluded that while efficacious, suicide awareness training in Queensland nurses is presently inadequate, and that both nurses and patients may benefit from improved suicide awareness training.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth M Forster
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt, Australia
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Editorial overview: Disrupting the animal test with in vitro innovations. CURRENT OPINION IN TOXICOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Leenaars CH, Van der Mierden S, Joosten RN, Van der Weide MA, Schirris M, Dematteis M, Meijboom FL, Feenstra MG, Bleich A. Risk-Based Decision Making: A Systematic Scoping Review of Animal Models and a Pilot Study on the Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Rats. Clocks Sleep 2021; 3:31-52. [PMID: 33498259 PMCID: PMC7838799 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep3010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals, including humans, frequently make decisions involving risk or uncertainty. Different strategies in these decisions can be advantageous depending the circumstances. Short sleep duration seems to be associated with more risky decisions in humans. Animal models for risk-based decision making can increase mechanistic understanding, but very little data is available concerning the effects of sleep. We combined primary- and meta-research to explore the relationship between sleep and risk-based decision making in animals. Our first objective was to create an overview of the available animal models for risky decision making. We performed a systematic scoping review. Our searches in Pubmed and Psychinfo retrieved 712 references, of which 235 were included. Animal models for risk-based decision making have been described for rodents, non-human primates, birds, pigs and honey-bees. We discuss task designs and model validity. Our second objective was to apply this knowledge and perform a pilot study on the effect of sleep deprivation. We trained and tested male Wistar rats on a probability discounting task; a “safe” lever always resulted in 1 reward, a “risky” lever resulted in 4 or no rewards. Rats adapted their preferences to variations in reward probabilities (p < 0.001), but 12 h of sleep deprivation during the light phase did not clearly alter risk preference (p = 0.21).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathalijn H.C. Leenaars
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (S.V.d.M.); (A.B.)
- Department for Health Evidence (Section HTA), SYRCLE, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6600 Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Unit Animals in Science and Society, Population Health Sciences, Utrecht University, 3500 Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-532-1368
| | - Stevie Van der Mierden
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (S.V.d.M.); (A.B.)
- Department for Health Evidence (Section HTA), SYRCLE, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6600 Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud N.J.M.A. Joosten
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1000 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (R.N.J.M.A.J.); (M.A.V.d.W.); (M.S.); (M.G.P.F.)
| | - Marnix A. Van der Weide
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1000 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (R.N.J.M.A.J.); (M.A.V.d.W.); (M.S.); (M.G.P.F.)
| | - Mischa Schirris
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1000 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (R.N.J.M.A.J.); (M.A.V.d.W.); (M.S.); (M.G.P.F.)
| | - Maurice Dematteis
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Grenobles Alpes University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Grenoble Alpes University, 38400 Grenoble, France;
| | - Franck L.B. Meijboom
- Unit Animals in Science and Society, Population Health Sciences, Utrecht University, 3500 Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Matthijs G.P. Feenstra
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1000 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (R.N.J.M.A.J.); (M.A.V.d.W.); (M.S.); (M.G.P.F.)
| | - André Bleich
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (S.V.d.M.); (A.B.)
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Whaley P, Edwards SW, Kraft A, Nyhan K, Shapiro A, Watford S, Wattam S, Wolffe T, Angrish M. Knowledge Organization Systems for Systematic Chemical Assessments. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:125001. [PMID: 33356525 PMCID: PMC7759237 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the implementation of systematic review and evidence mapping methods stands to improve the transparency and accuracy of chemical assessments, they also accentuate the challenges that assessors face in ensuring they have located and included all the evidence that is relevant to evaluating the potential health effects an exposure might be causing. This challenge of information retrieval can be characterized in terms of "semantic" and "conceptual" factors that render chemical assessments vulnerable to the streetlight effect. OBJECTIVES This commentary presents how controlled vocabularies, thesauruses, and ontologies contribute to overcoming the streetlight effect in information retrieval, making up the key components of Knowledge Organization Systems (KOSs) that enable more systematic access to assessment-relevant information than is currently achievable. The concept of Adverse Outcome Pathways is used to illustrate what a general KOS for use in chemical assessment could look like. DISCUSSION Ontologies are an underexploited element of effective knowledge organization in the environmental health sciences. Agreeing on and implementing ontologies in chemical assessment is a complex but tractable process with four fundamental steps. Successful implementation of ontologies would not only make currently fragmented information about health risks from chemical exposures vastly more accessible, it could ultimately enable computational methods for chemical assessment that can take advantage of the full richness of data described in natural language in primary studies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6994.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Whaley
- Evidence Based Toxicology Collaboration, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Stephen W. Edwards
- GenOmics, Bioinformatics, and Translational Research Center, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Andrew Kraft
- Chemical Pollutant Assessment Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kate Nyhan
- Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health and Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Andrew Shapiro
- Chemical Pollutant Assessment Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sean Watford
- National Center for Computational Toxicology, U.S. EPA, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Steve Wattam
- WAP Academy Consultancy Ltd, Thirsk, Yorkshire, UK
| | - Taylor Wolffe
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Michelle Angrish
- Chemical Pollutant Assessment Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. EPA, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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