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Effects of cannabinoids in Parkinson’s disease animal models: a systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-12-01 Berzenn Urbi, Yunjoo Lee, Ian Hughes, Sarah Thorning, Simon A Broadley, Arman Sabet, Saman Heshmat
Objectives Cannabis has been proposed as a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) due to its neuroprotective benefits. However, there has been no rigorous review of preclinical studies to evaluate any potential treatment effect. This systematic review was undertaken to provide evidence in support or against a treatment effect of cannabinoids in animal models of PD. Methods Databases were
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Analysis of rod-cone dystrophy genes reveals unique mutational patterns BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-12-01 Lama Jaffal, Mariam Ibrahim, Said El Shamieh
Background Rod-cone dystrophy (RCD) is the most common inherited retinal disease that is characterised by the progressive degeneration of retinal photoreceptors. RCD genes classification is based exclusively on gene mutations’ prevalence and does not consider the implication of the same gene in different phenotypes. Therefore, we first investigated the mutations occurrence in autosomal recessive RCD
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Protocol for a systematic review of the validity of animal models of polydipsia with a basis in schizophrenia aetiology BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-10-01 Brian J Slattery, Sophie Sabherwal, William T O’Connor
Objective Primary polydipsia most commonly affects those with schizophrenia. The pathophysiology of this occurrence is not established. The aim of this systematic review is to critically assess the internal and external validity of the preclinical animal models available. Search strategy PubMed and Embase will be searched systematically to identify all relevant animal studies that describe polydipsia
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Protocol for a systematic review of good surgical practice guidelines for experimental rodent surgery BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-09-01 Felix Gantenbein, Tim Buchholz, Kimberley Elaine Wever, Merel Ritskes Hoitinga, Stephan Zeiter, Petra Seebeck
Objective Surgery is an integral part of many experimental studies. Aseptic and minimal invasive surgical technique and optimal perioperative and post-operative care are prerequisites to achieve surgical success and best possible animal welfare outcomes. Good surgical practice cannot only improve the animal’s postoperative recovery, but also study outcome and validity. There seems to be a lack of implementation
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Preclinical safety study of nacre powder in an intraosseous sheep model BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-09-01 Donata Iandolo, Norbert Laroche, Dung Kim Nguyen, Miriam Normand, Christophe Met, Ganggang Zhang, Laurence Vico, Didier Mainard, Marthe Rousseau
Objectives The purpose of this preclinical study was to evaluate the safety, the local tissue effects and bone healing performance (osteoconduction, osseointegration) of nacre powder in a sheep intraosseous implantation model. This represents the first preclinical study to assess nacre safety and efficacy in supporting new bone formation in accordance with the ISO 10993 standard for biomedical devices
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Genome-wide DNA methylation in an animal model and human studies of schizophrenia: a protocol for a meta-analysis BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Thabo Magwai, Fredrick Otieno Oginga, Bonginkosi Chiliza, Thabisile Mpofana, Khethelo Richman Xulu
Introduction and objective Neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia are heterogeneous in that they occur because of the interaction of factors. These factors include but are not limited to genetic, epigenetic, neurobiological and environmental factors. Methylation of DNA, like other erpigenetic modifications, is risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders. Candidate gene approach projects have
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Meta-analysis on reporting practices as a source of heterogeneity in in vitro cancer research BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-06-01 Timo Sander, Joly Ghanawi, Emma Wilson, Sajjad Muhammad, Malcolm Macleod, Ulf Dietrich Kahlert
Objectives Heterogeneity of results of exact same research experiments oppose a significant socioeconomic burden. Insufficient methodological reporting is likely to be one of the contributors to results heterogeneity; however, little knowledge on reporting habits of in vitro cancer research and their effects on results reproducibility is available. Exemplified by a commonly performed in vitro assay
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Road to FAIR genomes: a gap analysis of NGS data generation and sharing in the Netherlands BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-04-01 Jeroen A M Belien, Anke E Kip, Morris A Swertz
Objective This study investigates current standards and operational gaps in the management and sharing of next generation sequencing (NGS) data within the healthcare and research setting and according to Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) principles. Methods The analysis was performed as the basis from which to bridge identified gaps and develop widely accepted working standards
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Preregistration of animal research protocols: development and 3-year overview of preclinicaltrials.eu BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-03-01 Mira van der Naald, Steven A J Chamuleau, Julia M L Menon, Wim de Leeuw, Judith de Haan, Dirk J Duncker, Kimberley Elaine Wever
Open, prospective registration of a study protocol can improve research rigour in a number of ways. Through preregistration, key features of the study’s methodology are recorded and maintained as a permanent record, enabling comparison of the completed study with what was planned. By recording the study hypothesis and planned outcomes a priori, preregistration creates transparency and can reduce the
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What has preclinical systematic review ever done for us? BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-03-01 Ash Allanna Mark Russell, Brad A Sutherland, Lila M Landowski, Malcolm Macleod, David W Howells
Systematic review and meta-analysis are a gift to the modern researcher, delivering a crystallised understanding of the existing research data in any given space. This can include whether candidate drugs are likely to work or not and which are better than others, whether our models of disease have predictive value and how this might be improved and also how these all interact with disease pathophysiology
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Fibroblasts: the neglected cell type in peripheral sensitisation and chronic pain? A review based on a systematic search of the literature BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2022-01-01 Naomi Shinotsuka, Franziska Denk
Chronic pain and its underlying biological mechanisms have been studied for many decades, with a myriad of molecules, receptors and cell types known to contribute to abnormal pain sensations. Besides an obvious role for neurons, immune cells like microglia, macrophages and T cells are also important drivers of persistent pain. While neuroinflammation has therefore been widely studied in pain research
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Evaluation of bone marrow-derived cell-based therapies in the hindlimb ischaemia model: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-12-01 Femke Christina Ching Chuan van Rhijn-Brouwer, Robin Wilhelmus Maria Vernooij, Kimberley Wever, Iris Schilt, Joos Ougust Fledderus, Maria Christina Verhaar, Hendrik Gremmels
Objective Bone marrow(BM)-derived cell-based therapies for critical limb ischamia showed less clinical benefit than expected. While this might be due to patient-specific factors, it remains possible that important details were lost in the bench-to-clinic translation. The hindlimb ischaemia model is the golden standard to evaluate cell-based therapies aimed at promoting neovascularisation. To inform
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Misinformation: an empirical study with scientists and communicators during the COVID-19 pandemic BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-11-01 Lisa Parker, Jennifer A Byrne, Micah Goldwater, Nick Enfield
Objectives To study the experiences and views within the health science community regarding the spread and prevention of science misinformation within and beyond the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods An exploratory study with an empirical ethics approach using qualitative interviews with Australians who produce, communicate and study health science research. Results Key elements that participants
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Protocol for a preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis of pharmacological targeting of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in experimental renal injury BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-11-01 William P Martin, Yeong H D Chuah, Emer Conroy, Alison L Reynolds, Conor Judge, Francisco J López-Hernández, Carel W le Roux, Neil G Docherty
Introduction Impaired lipid metabolism in the renal tubule plays a prominent role in the progression of renal fibrosis following acute kidney injury (AKI) and in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are promising druggable targets to mitigate renal fibrosis by redirecting metabolism, including restoration of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) capacity. We aim to
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Stability testing of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine: a translational study in UK vaccination centres BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-09-01 Laila Kudsiova, Alison Lansley, Greg Scutt, Marcus Allen, Lucas Bowler, Sian Williams, Samantha Lippett, Selma Stafford, Michael Tarzi, Michael Cross, Michael Okorie
Objective The roll-out of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine has brought many logistical challenges, such as the absence of comprehensive stability data leading to strict handling instructions during dilution and administration. Accidental mishandling therefore presents challenging clinical dilemmas, which often led vaccine providers to err on the side of caution and discard mishandled vials
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Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversityand protect health BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-09-01 Lukoye Atwoli, Abdullah H Baqui, Thomas Benfield, Raffaella Bosurgi, Fiona Godlee, Stephen Hancocks, Richard Horton, Laurie Laybourn-Langton, Carlos Augusto Monteiro, Ian Norman, Kirsten Patrick, Nigel Praities, Marcel GM Olde Rikkert, Eric J Rubin, Peush Sahni, Richard Smith, Nicholas J Talley, Sue Turale, Damián Vázquez
> Wealthy nations must do much more, much faster. The United Nations General Assembly in September 2021 will bring countries together at a critical time for marshalling collective action to tackle the global environmental crisis. They will meet again at the biodiversity summit in Kunming, China, and the climate conference (Conference of the Parties (COP)26) in Glasgow, UK. Ahead of these pivotal meetings
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How a few poorly designed COVID-19 studies may have contributed to misinformation in Brazil: the case for evidence-based communication of science BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-09-01 Charles Phiilipe de Lucena Alves, João de Deus Barreto Segundo, Gabriel Gonçalves da Costa, Tatiana Pereira-Cenci, Kenio Costa Lima, Flávio Fernando Demarco, Inácio Crochemore-Silva
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in the end of 2019, an aetiologic agent responsible for the 1SARS plunged the world into an unprecedented sanitary crisis. Papers on COVID-19 have been fast-tracked since then.2–5 Accelerated time from submission to publication6–8 and qualitative changes in peer review,9 associated with empirical evidence that duplicate and implausible clinical trials have been carried out
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Technological advances in preclinical meta-research BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-07-01 Alexandra Bannach-Brown, Kaitlyn Hair, Zsanett Bahor, Nadia Soliman, Malcolm Macleod, Jing Liao
Metaresearch is a scientific field involving the study of research itself. It has been applied to clinical trials since the 1980s,1 but has only become an emerging discipline over the last decade in the preclinical field. The primary tool of metaresearch is the systematic review, which uses predefined methods to provide a transparent and comprehensive summary of the evidence relating to a research
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Combined meta-analysis of preclinical cell therapy studies shows overlapping effect modifiers for multiple diseases BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-04-01 Peter-Paul Zwetsloot, Ana Antonic-Baker, Hendrik Gremmels, Kimberley Wever, Chris Sena, Sanne Jansen of Lorkeers, Steven Chamuleau, Joost Sluijter, David W Howells
Introduction Cell therapy has been studied in many different research domains. Cellular replacement of damaged solid tissues is at an early stage of development, with much still to be understood. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are widely used to aggregate data and find important patterns of results within research domains. We set out to find common biological denominators affecting efficacy in
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Development and uptake of an online systematic review platform: the early years of the CAMARADES Systematic Review Facility (SyRF) BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-03-01 Zsanett Bahor, Jing Liao, Gillian Currie, Can Ayder, Malcolm Macleod, Sarah K McCann, Alexandra Bannach-Brown, Kimberley Wever, Nadia Soliman, Qianying Wang, Lee Doran-Constant, Laurie Young, Emily S Sena, Chris Sena
Preclinical research is a vital step in the drug discovery pipeline and more generally in helping to better understand human disease aetiology and its management. Systematic reviews (SRs) can be powerful in summarising and appraising this evidence concerning a specific research question, to highlight areas of improvements, areas for further research and areas where evidence may be sufficient to take
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What is the optimum design for my animal experiment? BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-03-01 Natasha A Karp, Derek Fry
Within preclinical research, attention has focused on experimental design and how current practices can lead to poor reproducibility. There are numerous decision points when designing experiments. Ethically, when working with animals we need to conduct a harm–benefit analysis to ensure the animal use is justified for the scientific gain. Experiments should be robust, not use more or fewer animals than
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Protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence linking hippocampal neurogenesis to the effects of antidepressants on mood and behaviour BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-03-01 Juliana Aparecida Bolzan, Cilene Lino de Oliveira
Objective Studies in rodents associated the deficits of adult hippocampal neurogenesis with behavioural anomalies which may be reversed by antidepressant treatments. A previous systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis (MA) indicated a hierarchy within the proneurogenic effects of different antidepressants in naive rodents. The present review aims to evaluate a more comprehensive sample of studies investigating
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Comparison of commonly used methods in random effects meta-analysis: application to preclinical data in drug discovery research BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-02-01 Ezgi Tanriver-Ayder, Christel Faes, Tom van de Casteele, Sarah K McCann, Malcolm R Macleod
Background Meta-analysis of preclinical data is used to evaluate the consistency of findings and to inform the design and conduct of future studies. Unlike clinical meta-analysis, preclinical data often involve many heterogeneous studies reporting outcomes from a small number of animals. Here, we review the methodological challenges in preclinical meta-analysis in estimating and explaining heterogeneity
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A protocol for the systematic review and meta-analysis of thigmotactic behaviour in the open field test in rodent models associated with persistent pain BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-01-01 Xue Ying Zhang, Jan Vollert, Emily S Sena, Andrew SC Rice, Nadia Soliman
Objective Thigmotaxis is an innate predator avoidance behaviour of rodents and is enhanced when animals are under stress. It is characterised by the preference of a rodent to seek shelter, rather than expose itself to the aversive open area. The behaviour has been proposed to be a measurable construct that can address the impact of pain on rodent behaviour. This systematic review will assess whether
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Moving towards less biased research BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2021-01-01 Mark Yarborough
Bias, perhaps best described as ‘any process at any stage of inference which tends to produce results or conclusions that differ systematically from the truth,’ can pollute the entire spectrum of research, including its design, analysis, interpretation and reporting.1 It can taint entire bodies of research as much as it can individual studies.2 3 Given this extensive detrimental impact, effective efforts
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Multicentre translational Trial of Remote Ischaemic Conditioning in Acute Ischaemic Stroke (TRICS): protocol of multicentre, parallel group, randomised, preclinical trial in female and male rat and mouse from the Italian Stroke Organization (ISO) Basic Science network BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-11-01 Mauro Tettamanti, Simone Beretta, Giuseppe Pignataro, Stefano Fumagalli, Carlo Perego, Luigi Sironi, Felicita Pedata, Diana Amantea, Marco Bacigaluppi, Antonio Vinciguerra, Alessia Valente, Susanna Diamanti, Jacopo Mariani, Martina Viganò, Francesco Santangelo, Chiara Paola Zoia, Virginia Rogriguez-Menendez, Laura Castiglioni, Joanna Rzemieniec, Ilaria Dettori, Irene Bulli, Elisabetta Coppi, Giorgia
Introduction Multicentre preclinical randomised controlled trials (pRCT) are emerging as a necessary step to confirm efficacy and improve translation into the clinic. The aim of this project is to perform two multicentre pRCTs (one in rats and one in mice) to investigate the efficacy of remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) in an experimental model of severe ischaemic stroke. Methods and analysis Seven
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Effects of dietary fat manipulation on cognition in mice and rats: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-11-01 Fiona J Ramage, Alexander S Clewlow, Lynda M Williams, Malcolm R Macleod, Rosamund F Langston
Introduction and objective The Western diet that comprises high levels of long-chain saturated fats and sugar is associated not only with metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes but also has been recently linked to brain changes and cognitive dysfunction. However, in animal studies, reported effects are variable, and the mechanisms underlying these effects are unclear. In the proposed
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Crocodylus porosus: a potential source of anticancer molecules BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-10-01 Shareni Jeyamogan, Naveed Ahmed Khan, K Sagathevan, Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
Background Cancer remains a global threat resulting in significant morbidity and mortality despite advances in therapeutic interventions, suggesting urgency for identification of anticancer agents. Crocodiles thrive in polluted habitat, feed on germ-infested meat, are exposed to carcinogenic heavy metals, are the very few species to survive the catastrophic Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, yet
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Clinical impact of high-profile animal-based research reported in the UK national press BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-10-01 Jarrod Bailey, Michael Balls
Objectives We evaluated animal-based biomedical ‘breakthroughs’ reported in the UK national press in 1995 (25 years prior to the conclusion of this study). Based on evidence of overspeculative reporting of biomedical research in other areas (eg, press releases and scientific papers), we specifically examined animal research in the media, asking, ‘In a given year, what proportion of animal research
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Ethiopian medicinal plants used for their anti-inflammatory, wound healing or anti-infective activities: protocol for systematic literature review and meta-analysis BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-09-01 Dereje Nigussie, Belete Adefris Legesse, Gail Davey, Abebaw Fekadu, Eyasu Makonnen
Objectives Medicinal plants are used globally as alternative medicines in the management of a range of disease conditions and are widely accepted across differing societies. Ethiopia hosts a large number of plant species (>7000 higher plant species), of which around 12% are thought to be endemic, making it a rich source of plant extracts potentially useful for human health. The aim of this review is
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Publication rate in preclinical research: a plea for preregistration BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-08-01 Mira van der Naald, Steven Wenker, Pieter A Doevendans, Kimberley E Wever, Steven A J Chamuleau
Objectives The ultimate goal of biomedical research is the development of new treatment options for patients. Animal models are used if questions cannot be addressed otherwise. Currently, it is widely believed that a large fraction of performed studies are never published, but there are no data that directly address this question. Methods We have tracked a selection of animal study protocols approved
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In vivo studies on antibiotic combination for the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-07-01 Elda Righi, Luigia Scudeller, Margherita Chiamenti, Kamilia Abdelraouf, Thomas Lodise, Elena Carrara, Alessia Savoldi, Dario Menghin, Gloria Pellizzari, Sally Ellis, Francois Franceschi, Laura Piddock, Chiara Rebuffi, Maurizio Sanguinetti, Evelina Tacconelli
Objective There is poor evidence to determine the superiority of combination regimens versus monotherapy against infections due to carbapenem-resistant (CR) Gram-negative bacteria. In vivo models can simulate the pathophysiology of infections in humans and assess antibiotic efficacy. We aim to investigate in vivo effects of antibiotic combination on mortality and disease burden for infections due to
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The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0: updated guidelines for reporting animal research BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-07-01 Nathalie Percie du Sert, Viki Hurst, Amrita Ahluwalia, Sabina Alam, Marc T Avey, Monya Baker, William J Browne, Alejandra Clark, Innes C Cuthill, Ulrich Dirnagl, Michael Emerson, Paul Garner, Stephen T Holgate, David W Howells, Natasha A Karp, Stanley E Lazic, Katie Lidster, Catriona J MacCallum, Malcolm Macleod, Esther J Pearl, Ole H Petersen, Frances Rawle, Penny Reynolds, Kieron Rooney, Emily S
Reproducible science requires transparent reporting. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) were originally developed in 2010 to improve the reporting of animal research. They consist of a checklist of information to include in publications describing in vivo experiments to enable others to scrutinise the work adequately, evaluate its methodological rigour and reproduce
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Systematic review of guidelines for internal validity in the design, conduct and analysis of preclinical biomedical experiments involving laboratory animals BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-04-01 Jan Vollert, Esther Schenker, Malcolm Macleod, Anton Bespalov, Hanno Wuerbel, Martin Michel, Ulrich Dirnagl, Heidrun Potschka, Ann-Marie Waldron, Kimberley Wever, Thomas Steckler, Tom van de Casteele, Bruce Altevogt, Annesha Sil, Andrew S C Rice
Over the last two decades, awareness of the negative repercussions of flaws in the planning, conduct and reporting of preclinical research involving experimental animals has been growing. Several initiatives have set out to increase transparency and internal validity of preclinical studies, mostly publishing expert consensus and experience. While many of the points raised in these various guidelines
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Are researchers moving away from animal models as a result of poor clinical translation in the field of stroke? An analysis of opinion papers BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-02-01 Pandora Pound, Rebecca Ram
Objectives Despite decades of research using animals to develop pharmaceutical treatments for patients who have had a stroke, few therapeutic options exist. The vast majority of interventions successful in preclinical animal studies have turned out to have no efficacy in humans or to be harmful to humans. In view of this, we explore whether there is evidence of a move away from animal models in this
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Therapeutic potential of extracellular vesicles in preclinical stroke models: a systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-02-01 Josephine M Thomas, Catriona J Cunningham, Catherine B Lawrence, Emmanuel Pinteaux, Stuart M Allan
Objectives Currently there is a paucity of clinically available regenerative therapies for stroke. Extracellular vesicles (EV) have been investigated for their potential as modulators of regeneration in the poststroke brain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide a summary of the efficacy of therapeutic EVs in preclinical stroke models, to inform future research in this emerging field
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Comorbidity and age in the modelling of stroke: are we still failing to consider the characteristics of stroke patients? BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2020-01-01 Sarah K McCann, Catherine B Lawrence
![Graphic][1] Stroke is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity for which there are limited treatment options. Virtually all drug interventions that have been successful preclinically in experimental stroke have failed to translate to an effective treatment in the clinical setting. In this review, we examine one of the factors likely contributing to this lack of translation, the failure of preclinical
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Methodological standards, quality of reporting and regulatory compliance in animal research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2019-08-01 Joana G Fernandes,Nuno H Franco,Andrew J Grierson,Jan Hultgren,Andrew J W Furley,I Anna S Olsson
OBJECTIVES The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research community was one of the first to adopt methodology guidelines to improve preclinical research reproducibility. We here present the results of a systematic review to investigate how the standards in this field changed over the 10-year period during which the guidelines were first published (2007) and updated (2010). METHODS We searched for
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3Rs missing: animal research without scientific value is unethical. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2019-07-04 Daniel Strech,Ulrich Dirnagl
The current, widely established 3R framework for the ethical use of animals in research consists of three guiding principles, that is, Replacement, Reduction and Refinement, all aiming to safeguard the overarching ethical principle of animal welfare. However, animal welfare alone does not suffice to make animal research ethical if the research does not have sufficient scientific value. The scientific
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Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of data from preclinical studies employing forced swimming test: an update. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2019-05-31 A B Ramos-Hryb,Z Bahor,S McCann,E Sena,M R MacLeod,C Lino de Oliveira
OBJECTIVE Forced swimming test (FST) in rodents is a widely used behavioural test for screening antidepressants in preclinical research. Translational value of preclinical studies may be improved by appraisal of the quality of experimental design and risk of biases, which remains to be addressed for FST. The present protocol of a systematic review with meta-analysis aims to investigate the quality
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Administration of galacto-oligosaccharide prebiotics in the Flinders Sensitive Line animal model of depression. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2019-05-25 Alexandra Bannach-Brown,Sandra Tillmann,Malcolm Robert MacLeod,Gregers Wegener
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
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Did a change in Nature journals' editorial policy for life sciences research improve reporting? BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2019-02-26
OBJECTIVE To determine whether a change in editorial policy, including the implementation of a checklist, has been associated with improved reporting of measures which might reduce the risk of bias. METHODS The study protocol has been published at doi: 10.1007/s11192-016-1964-8. DESIGN Observational cohort study. POPULATION Articles describing research in the life sciences published in Nature journals
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Lower retention after retrograde coronary venous infusion compared with intracoronary infusion of mesenchymal stromal cells in the infarcted porcine myocardium. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2019-01-07 Wouter A Gathier,Mira van der Naald,Bas R van Klarenbosch,Anton E Tuinenburg,John Lm Bemelmans,Klaus Neef,Joost Pg Sluijter,Frebus J van Slochteren,Pieter A Doevendans,Steven Aj Chamuleau
BACKGROUND Commonly used strategies for cell delivery to the heart are intramyocardial injection and intracoronary (IC) infusion, both having their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, alternative strategies, such as retrograde coronary venous infusion (RCVI), are explored. The aim of this confirmatory study was to compare cardiac cell retention between RCVI and IC infusion. As a secondary end
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Effects of experimental sleep deprivation on aggressive, sexual and maternal behaviour in animals: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2018-11-23 Gabriel Natan Pires,Andréia Gomes Bezerra,Rob B M de Vries,Cathalijn H C Leenaars,Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga,Sergio Tufik,Monica Levy Andersen
OBJECTIVE Because of the relevance for the research on sleep deprivation and human behaviour, many preclinical studies have been conducted on aggressive, sexual and maternal behaviours in this field. Considering the available data and the complexity of the factors involved, the most appropriate way to summarise the effects of sleep deprivation on these behaviours is through systematic reviews and meta-analyses
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Behavioural effects of methylphenidate in the spontaneously hypertensive rat model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2018-10-19 Douglas Teixeira Leffa,Alana Castro Panzenhagen,Diego Luiz Rovaris,Claiton Henrique Dotto Bau,Luis Augusto Rohde,Eugenio Horacio Grevet,Gabriel Natan Pires
INTRODUCTION Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent condition related to several negative outcomes, and its pathophysiology is still poorly understood. The spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) are the most commonly used animal model of ADHD. How ever, its validity, and especially its predictive validity, has been questioned. Therefore, the current protocol discloses the background
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Protocol for a systematic review of guidelines for rigour in the design, conduct and analysis of biomedical experiments involving laboratory animals. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2018-09-07 Jan Vollert,Esther Schenker,Malcolm Macleod,Anton Bespalov,Hanno Wuerbel,Martin Christian Michel,Ulrich Dirnagl,Heidrun Potschka,Kimberley E Wever,Thomas Steckler,Bruce Altevogt,Andrew S C Rice,
OBJECTIVE Within the last years, there has been growing awareness of the negative repercussions of unstandardized planning, conduct and reporting of preclinical and biomedical research. Several initiatives have set the aim of increasing validity and reliability in reporting of studies and publications, and publishers have formed similar groups. Additionally, several groups of experts across the biomedical
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Revision of the ARRIVE guidelines: rationale and scope. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2018-06-12 Nathalie Percie du Sert,Viki Hurst,Amrita Ahluwalia,Sabina Alam,Douglas G Altman,Marc T Avey,Monya Baker,William Browne,Alejandra Clark,Innes C Cuthill,Ulrich Dirnagl,Michael Emerson,Paul Garner,David W Howells,Natasha A Karp,Catriona J MacCallum,Malcolm Macleod,Ole Petersen,Frances Rawle,Penny Reynolds,Kieron Rooney,Emily S Sena,Shai D Silberberg,Thomas Steckler,Hanno Würbel,Stephen T Holgate
In 2010, the NC3Rs published the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines to improve the reporting of animal research. Despite considerable levels of support from the scientific community, the impact on the quality of reporting in animal research publications has been limited. This position paper highlights the strategy of an expert working group established to revise the
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Inaugural editorial: advancing preclinical and translational research of relevance to medicine. BMJ Open Sci. Pub Date : 2017-09-25 Emily S Sena