The authors have no acknowledgements.

伦理学声明:所有的程序批准了悉尼大学的动物伦理委员会，并符合国家卫生和澳大利亚的指引，医学研究委员会。程序是在其被饲养在悉尼大学的博世灭鼠设施C57 / BL6J小鼠进行。所有小鼠被安置在一个通风良好的房间21°C的环境温度在12小时光暗周期灯在0600小时的独立通风笼与自由采食获得干粮和水。女性晚期妊娠被随机分配到标准或环保丰富的住房条件。 1.房屋（浓缩度）: <ol><li>获得4晚孕成年雌性小鼠。随机指派2至标准状态和他们每个人放入含有一种红色鼠标冰屋一个干净整洁的标准鼠笼（外形尺寸391 X 199×160毫米）。对于富集条件，将REMA都进不去2小鼠成一个干净的老鼠大小的笼子（外形尺寸462 X 403 X404毫米）。 </li><li>进入富集笼，发生各种旨在提高感觉和运动刺激的对象（如运行车轮，视觉刺激，香味棉球，魔术贴带）。 </li><li>每2至3天左右移动的笼中这些对象;刷新任何已被销毁。 </li><li>在21天产后，性动物和地方断奶到男女隔离的外壳，他们提出的环境条件相一致。为富集条件确保有3至10只小鼠每笼2和5只小鼠为标准之间。开始行为测试，一旦动物达到成年（12-14周龄）。 </li></ol> （二）建设的益智箱<ol><li>获得6个白色的丙烯酸（或其它非多孔材料）:1 750 X280毫米，2 280×250毫米，2 750×250毫米，和一个150×280毫米（ 见图1）。 </li><li>获得一块黑色亚克力280×250毫米，具有40×40毫米的方形开口切入此片的一侧（ 见图1）。 </li><li>组装拼图盒如下:使用750 X280毫米片作为框的底部，使用280×250毫米片作为框的端部，和750×250毫米片作为框的侧面。 </li><li>测量150毫米成箱从一端，然后将黑色片的丙烯酸横跨盒子，使其分割成两个腔室（1大，1小）与所述盒的底部的开口齐平。 </li><li>取150×280毫米一块白色的丙烯酸，并将其放置顶上确保其完全覆盖这个区域中，提供一个暗"目标框"室中的盒的小室中。通过铰链贴上这块丙烯酸到主箱的主体中，或将自由地在行为测试完全除去。 </li><li>采取3个丙烯酸（3 4×120 MM），并加入到做一个"U-十八主编"通道。 </li></ol><img alt="图1" fo:content-width="5in" src="/files/ftp_upload/52225/52225fig1highres.jpg" width="500" /> 图1:拼图方块任务的示意图 。的益智方块是丙烯酸箱组成的开放式场区（600×280毫米）和庇护目标框区域（150×280毫米），测量750 X280毫米在所有。分区（灰色）分隔两个区域内的40×40毫米孔径允许动物从开放的领域进入到覆盖目标框区域。该开口阻塞与障碍物越来越难以去除的测试进展。动物经过5天的协议，由四个阻塞条件与三个试验为每个条件。 3.运行的拼图方块任务<ol><li>彻底清洁益智方块用70％的酒精。重复每个动物测试的这一步。 </li><li>目标盒AR内放置一个干净的红色鼠标冰屋EA的益智方块，并更换上的目标盒盖子。 </li><li>如果有一个阻塞条件被测试时，将目标框的门道内的障碍物（ 见图2）。 </li><li>将鼠标被测试到拼图方块的开放领域的部分，面向的目标盒，并在距离球门盒底最远。 </li><li>记录进入益智箱的目标，箱型截面采取的所有四个爪子的动物的时间。 </li><li>如果动物没有进入目标框，则终止试验一旦达到设定的时间限制（ 见表1）。 </li><li>一旦试验完成后，从益智盒中取出的动物，并将其放置到一个单独的控股笼，直到下一次试验开始。保持试验各动物之间的60至180秒的差距。 </li><li>对于每一个动物，进行每日三次试验测试五连续两天，有四个阻塞条件和各种条件的三项试验。第三个三的一个给定的阻塞状况人应该始终施用在随后一天（ 见表1）。 </li></ol><img alt="表1" fo:content-width="5in" src="/files/ftp_upload/52225/52225table1.jpg" width="500" /> 表1:拼图方块的任务计划 。的益智方块任务运行5天，由四个阻塞的条件。有三个试验在每个第一四天，和一个在第五日。每个阻塞条件有三个试验;前两个在一天，第三一天后立即开始。的阻塞状况一审的目的是测试母语解决问题的能力，二审审查任务采集和强化，第三审判作为一种分析解决方案，保留和召回。 <img alt="图2" fo:content-width="6in" src="/files/ftp_upload/52225/52225fig2highres.jpg" width="600" /> 图2:壅的益智方块任务中离子的条件。该拼图方块舞台和阻塞条件本研究中使用的示意图。（A）条件0（C0），与目前开放领域和目标框区域之间的门口内无障碍物。（B）条件1（C1 ），与开场和目标框区之间的门道内的"U形"通道存在。（C）的条件2（C2），其中所述通道被填充有干净的被褥材料。（D）的条件3（C3 ），具有"组织插头"旷场和目标框区之间的门道内本。（E）条件4（C4）的带有"泡沫塞"旷场和目标框之间的门道内本区域。竞技场的尺寸按在方法和图1列出。 4.解读数据<ol><li>数据表示无论是时间采取COM完整的审判（包括空试验动物的地方没有完成规定期限内任务）或作为空试验的次数。 </li><li>使用重复测量ANOVA经拼图盒中的性能评估的住房条件的影响，以阻塞型/条件（C）和任务号（T）内，主体因素和富集水平（标准相对富集的）作为因子主体间。 </li></ol>

The authors declare they have no competing financial interests.

提出的数据表明，该拼图盒可有效地用于评估EE的影响。在丰富的环境中提高小鼠持续了显著少来这套行为分析比没有内标准实验室条件下饲养的动物内解决难题阻塞时间。此外，这种差异在三四个条件测试一审最为突出，这表明EE对动物的原生解决问题的能力有较大的影响，相对于他们的能力，以加强或保留解决方案，通过任务提出的问题。 该拼图方块的主要优点是它的价?...

丰富环境（EE）可以被定义为周围提供动物与社会交往，运动活动，和更大的感官刺激比平常经历在标准实验室environment.EE增加机会已经显示出持续影响动物的行为，使左右变化，如学习和记忆的任务降低压力和焦虑有关的活动8-10，提高了性能8,11，发病初期的运动协调性和探索性的活动11，上瘾的物质变化，产妇护理8以及电阻12 15。此外，EE已经揭示改善神经退行性疾病的影响，延缓其发作和减小在亨廷顿1-4,16，帕金森氏17和阿尔茨海默氏病18的动物模型的症状的严重程度。 这些变化COR相关的解剖和分子改变EE被称为整个大脑诱发。从开发的初期阶段，丰富的环境中饲养的动物表现出无数的神经变化，包括增加大脑的重量和皮质的厚度，树突分支9,2-22和突触密度23。 EE可以改变两者的水平和生长因子表达9,24-30，这已被证明有助于感官25,26,28,29加速发展，助记符30，以及马达电路31,32的定时。 调查EE的影响时，没有考虑到不同类型的个人研究9,24,27,30中使用的动物和环境的前期工作已经揭示了次矛盾的结果。目前，还可以用来测量在不同菌株和规格不同EE范式的有效性没有一致的和简单的行为的任务动物当中。 的益智方块任务的目的是作为一个简单的测试，以确定动物的原生解决问题的能力7。放置在开放区域的动物都必须除去妨碍位于一个小开口内以便访问一个覆盖区域/住房材料。每个受试者给出三个试验具有相同的阻塞，以便评估三种不同的认知属性。一审产生的内在或本地解决问题的能力的基准指标。在第二试验中，在同一天中运行，给出了一些指示来改善，从而加强策略用于除去特定障碍物动物的能力。在第三试验中，在第二天进行的，使我们了解到受试者的保留和召回得知解决该任务的能力。 动机为解决这些"阻塞难题"，由动物可以变化，有可能唤起一种与生俱来的欲望，以避免开放的领域和寻求庇护，还有一种内在驱动探索周围的环境6,7。众多潜在行为的驱动来解决这一难题盒的愿望基本的表明，大脑的不同区域都参与调解的工作性能。以前的工作已经表明，在精神分裂症的鼠模型中，前额叶皮层以及海马中涉及采集此任务5。大鼠病变研究也揭示了大量参与益智箱的性能，包括各种丘脑核，下丘脑，小脑和边缘结构的大脑区域。总之，这些发现表明，从事这一解决问题的任务涉及的主机与认知功能相关的神经结构。 的益智方块已成功地用于评估由M展出了解决问题的小鼠的能力，以及认知缺陷精神分裂症5-7尿液车型。上的任务的性能已被证明是高度一致的，并与其他认知行为测试6的结果很好地相关。这项工作的目的是从而适应拼图方块的任务，成为确定EE的有效性的简单和可靠的手段。

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Black Acrylic Board</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>750 x 280 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>White Acrylic Board</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>280 x 250 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>White Acrylic Board</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>280 x 250 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>White Acrylic Board</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>750 x 250 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>White Acrylic Board</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>750 x 250 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>White Acrylic Board</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>150 x 280 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>White Acrylic Board</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>280 x 250 mm with a 40 x 40 mm &#34;door&#34; cut into one side</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Underpass</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>3 pieces of 40 x 120 mm plexiglass or acrylic</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Note: If unable to access acrylic board, plexiglass or similar non-porous material will suffice.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Webcam</td>
			<td>Logitech</td>
			<td>C210</td>
			<td>Fix to roof with electrical tape. Alternatively, use a tripod.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>VirtualDub v1.10.4</td>
			<td>VirtualDub</td>
			<td>N/A&#160;</td>
			<td>Software for recording behaviour videos. Input from webcam.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TopScan v 3.0</td>
			<td>CleverSys Inc.</td>
			<td>N/A&#160;</td>
			<td>Software for automated top-view tracking and analysis of mouse behaviour. Captured videos are analysed post-hoc.</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

the use of the puzzle box as a means of assessing the efficacy of environmental enrichment

Environmental enrichment can dramatically influence the development and function of neural circuits. Further, enrichment has been shown to successfully delay the onset of symptoms in models of Huntington&#8217;s disease 1-4, suggesting environmental factors can evoke a neuroprotective effect against the progressive, cellular level damage observed in neurodegenerative disorders. The ways in which an animal can be environmentally enriched, however, can vary considerably. Further, there is no straightforward manner in which the effects of environmental enrichment can be assessed: most methods require either fairly complicated behavioral paradigms and/or postmortem anatomical/physiological analyses. This protocol describes the use of a simple and inexpensive behavioral assay, the Puzzle Box 5-7 as a robust means of determining the efficacy of increased social, sensory and motor stimulation on mice compared to cohorts raised in standard laboratory conditions. This simple problem solving task takes advantage of a rodent&#8217;s innate desire to avoid open enclosures by seeking shelter. Cognitive ability is assessed by adding increasingly complex impediments to the shelter&#8217;s entrance. The time a given subject takes to successfully remove the obstructions and enter the shelter serves as the primary metric for task performance. This method could provide a reliable means of rapidly assessing the efficacy of different enrichment protocols on cognitive function, thus paving the way for systematically determining the role specific environmental factors play in delaying the onset of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease.

此处所描述的结果是有代表性的样品，用来自几个队列选自不同窝的拍摄数据。所有的行为测试是0700和1100小时之间进行的，与动物的人群中随机测试顺序。在一个丰富的环境中饲养的动物（N = 14，女7例和7男）花了显著更少的时间到拼图方块比在标准环境下长大内解决阻塞任务（N = 15，女7例和8例男性）（见图3）（重复测量ANOVA与环境因子主体之间，F = 19.525，P &lt;0.001）。的益智方?...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment at JoVE.com

The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment

Environmental enrichment provides a potential protective effect against neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, however, there is no easy way of determining the efficacy of enrichment procedures. This protocol describes a simple &#8220;Puzzle Box&#8221; method for assessing an animal&#8217;s cognitive function, in order to reveal the effectiveness of environmental enrichment.

该拼图方块的使用作为评价环境富集的功效的一种手段

Environmental enrichment can dramatically influence the development and function of neural circuits.  Further, enrichment has been shown to successfully ...

the-use-puzzle-box-as-means-assessing-efficacy-environmental

Research

JoVE Journal

Behavior

11.6K 次观看.  University of Sydney. Environmental enrichment provides a potential protective effect against neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, however, there is no easy way of determining the efficacy of enrichment procedures. This protocol describes a simple “Puzzle Box” method for assessing an animal’s cognitive function, in order to reveal the effectiveness of environmental enrichment.

视频: The Use of the Puzzle Box as a Means of Assessing the Efficacy of Environmental Enrichment

The Crossmodal Congruency Task as a Means to Obtain an Objective Behavioral Measure in the Rubber Hand Illusion Paradigm

The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is a popular experimental paradigm. Participants view touch on an artificial rubber hand while the participants' own hidden hand is touched. If the viewed and felt touches are given at the same time then this is sufficient to induce the compelling experience that the rubber hand is one's own hand. The RHI can be used to investigate exactly how the brain constructs distinct body representations for one's own body. Such representations are crucial for successful interactions with the external world. To obtain a subjective measure of the RHI, researchers typically ask participants to rate statements such as "I felt as if the rubber hand were my hand". Here we demonstrate how the crossmodal congruency task can be used to obtain an objective behavioral measure within this paradigm.
The variant of the crossmodal congruency task we employ involves the presentation of tactile targets and visual distractors. Targets and distractors are spatially congruent (i.e. same finger) on some trials and incongruent (i.e. different finger) on others. The difference in performance between incongruent and congruent trials - the crossmodal congruency effect (CCE) - indexes multisensory interactions. Importantly, the CCE is modulated both by viewing a hand as well as the synchrony of viewed and felt touch which are both crucial factors for the RHI.
The use of the crossmodal congruency task within the RHI paradigm has several advantages. It is a simple behavioral measure which can be repeated many times and which can be obtained during the illusion while participants view the artificial hand. Furthermore, this measure is not susceptible to observer and experimenter biases. The combination of the RHI paradigm with the crossmodal congruency task allows in particular for the investigation of multisensory processes which are critical for modulations of body representations as in the RHI.

We demonstrate how an objective measure can be employed in the widely employed rubber hand illusion paradigm. This measure is obtained by modifying the well-established crossmodal congruency task. This task allows the investigation of multisensory processes which are critical for modulations of body representations as in the rubber hand illusion.

一致性的任务作为一种手段来获取目标行为的措施中的橡胶手错觉范式Crossmodal

The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is a popular experimental paradigm. Participants view touch on an artificial rubber hand while the participants' own hidden ...

科研

行为学

Assessing Forelimb Function after Unilateral Cervical SCI using Novel Tasks: Limb Step-alternation, Postural Instability and Pasta Handling

Cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) can cause devastating neurological deficits, including impairment or loss of upper limb and hand function. A majority of the spinal cord injuries in humans occur at the cervical levels. Therefore, developing cervical injury models and developing relevant and sensitive behavioral tests is of great importance. Here we describe the use of a newly developed forelimb step-alternation test after cervical spinal cord injury in rats. In addition, we describe two behavioral tests that have not been used after spinal cord injury: a postural instability test (PIT), and a pasta-handling test. All three behavioral tests are highly sensitive to injury and are easy to use. Therefore, we feel that these behavioral tests can be instrumental in investigating therapeutic strategies after cSCI.

Three new behavioral tests (forelimb step-alternation, postural instability test, pasta handling test) for evaluating forelimb function after cervical spinal cord injury in rodents are described.

采用新型任务评估前肢功能单侧颈脊髓损伤后:肢体步交替，姿势不稳和面食处理

Cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) can cause devastating neurological deficits, including impairment or loss of upper limb and hand function. A majority ...

The Forced Swim Test as a Model of Depressive-like Behavior

The goal of the present protocol is to describe the forced swim test (FST), which is one of the most commonly used assays for the study of depressive-like behavior in rodents. The FST is based on the assumption that when placing an animal in a container filled with water, it will first make efforts to escape but eventually will exhibit immobility that may be considered to reflect a measure of behavioral despair. This test has been extensively used because it involves the exposure of the animals to stress, which was shown to have a role in the tendency for major depression. Additionally, the FST has been shown to share some of the factors that are influenced or altered by depression in humans, including changes in food consumption, sleep abnormalities and drug-withdrawal-induced anhedonia. The main advantages of this procedure are that it is relatively easy to perform and that its results are easily and quickly analyzed. Moreover, its sensitivity to a broad range of antidepressant drugs that makes it a suitable screening test is one of the most important features leading to its high predictive validity. Despite its appeal, this model has a number of disadvantages. First, the issue of chronic augmentation is problematic in this test because in real life patients need to be treated for at least several weeks before they experience any relief from their symptoms. Last, due to the aversiveness of the FST, it is important to take into account possible influences it might have on brain structure/function if brain analyses are to be carried out following this procedure.

This protocol describes the forced swim test, which is used for the study of depressive-like behavior in rodents. This procedure involves placing an animal in a container filled with water that eventually will lead to the exhibition of immobility behavior, which is considered to reflect behavioral despair.

在强迫游泳试验作为抑郁样行为的模型

The goal of the present protocol is to describe the forced swim test (FST), which is one of the most commonly used assays for the study of depressive-like ...

Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Tool to Induce Plasticity in Pathways Relevant for Extinction Learning

Extinction describes the process of attenuating behavioral responses to neutral stimuli when they no longer provide the reinforcement that has been maintaining the behavior. There is close correspondence between fear and human anxiety, and therefore studies of extinction learning might provide insight into the biological nature of anxiety-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and they might help to develop strategies to treat them. Preclinical research aims to aid extinction learning and to induce targeted plasticity in extinction circuits to consolidate the newly formed memory. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a powerful approach that provides tight temporal and circuit-specific release of neurotransmitters, resulting in modulation of neuronal networks engaged in an ongoing task. VNS enhances memory consolidation in both rats and humans, and pairing VNS with exposure to conditioned cues enhances the consolidation of extinction learning in rats. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for the preparation of custom-made parts and the surgical procedures required for VNS in rats. Using this protocol we show how VNS can facilitate the extinction of conditioned fear responses in an auditory fear conditioning task. In addition, we provide evidence that VNS modulates synaptic plasticity in the pathway between the infralimbic (IL) medial prefrontal cortex and the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), which is involved in the expression and modulation of extinction memory.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has emerged as a tool to induce targeted synaptic plasticity in the forebrain to modify a range of behaviors. This protocol describes how to implement VNS to facilitate the consolidation of fear extinction memory.

迷走神经刺激作为一种工具来诱导可塑性相关途径灭绝学习

Extinction describes the process of attenuating behavioral responses to neutral stimuli when they no longer provide the reinforcement that has been ...

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

Nowadays, the increasing incidence of eating disorders due to poor self-control has given rise to increased obesity and other chronic weight problems, and ultimately, to reduced life expectancy. The capacity to refrain from automatic responses is usually high in situations in which making errors is highly likely. The protocol described here aims at reducing imprudent preference in women during hypothetical intertemporal choices about appetitive food by associating it with errors. First, participants undergo an error task where two different edible stimuli are associated with two different error likelihoods (high and low). Second, they make intertemporal choices about the two edible stimuli, separately. As a result, this method decreases the discount rate for future amounts of the edible reward that cued higher error likelihood, selectively. This effect is under the influence of the self-reported hunger level. The present protocol demonstrates that errors, well known as motivationally salient events, can induce the recruitment of cognitive control, thus being ultimately useful in reducing impatient choices for edible commodities.

Giving in to temptation of tasty food may result in long-term overweight problems. This protocol describes how to reduce imprudent preference for edible commodities during hypothetical intertemporal choices in women by associating them with errors.

作为错误脉冲减少食物选择的一种手段

Nowadays, the increasing incidence of eating disorders due to poor self-control has given rise to increased obesity and other chronic weight problems, and ...

A Method to Test the Effect of Environmental Cues on Mating Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

An individual's sexual drive is influenced by genotype, experience and environmental conditions. How these factors interact to modulate sexual behaviors remains poorly understood. In Drosophila melanogaster, environmental cues, such as food availability, affect mating activity offering a tractable system to investigate the mechanisms modulating sexual behavior. In D. melanogaster, environmental cues are often sensed via the chemosensory gustatory and olfactory systems. Here, we present a method to test the effect of environmental chemical cues on mating behavior. The assay consists of a small mating arena containing food medium and a mating couple. The mating frequency for each couple is continuously monitored for 24 h. Here we present the applicability of this assay to test environmental compounds from an external source through a pressurized air system as well as manipulation of the environmental components directly in the mating arena. The use of a pressurized air system is especially useful to test the effect of very volatile compounds, while manipulating components directly in the mating arena can be of value to ascertain a compound's presence. This assay can be adapted to answer questions about the influence of genetic and environmental cues on mating behavior and fecundity as well as other male and female reproductive behaviors.

A Method to Test the Effect of Environmental Cues on Mating Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

We demonstrate an assay to analyze the environmental and genetic cues that influence mating behavior in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.

测试环境线索对交配行为的影响的方法<em&gt;黑腹果蝇</em

An individual's sexual drive is influenced by genotype, experience and environmental conditions. How these factors interact to modulate sexual behaviors ...

The Knob Supination Task: A Semi-automated Method for Assessing Forelimb Function in Rats

Tasks that accurately measure dexterity in animal models are critical to understand hand function. Current rat behavioral tasks that measure dexterity largely use video analysis of reaching or food manipulation. While these tasks are easy to implement and are robust across disease models, they are subjective and laborious for the experimenter. Automating traditional tasks or creating new automated tasks can make the tasks more efficient, objective, and quantitative. Since rats are less dexterous than primates, central nervous system (CNS) injury produces more subtle deficits in dexterity, however, supination is highly affected in rodents and crucial to hand function in primates. Therefore, we designed a semi-automated task that measures forelimb supination in rats. Rats are trained to reach and grasp a knob-shaped manipulandum and turn the manipulandum in supination to receive a reward. Rats can acquire the skill within 20 &plusmn; 5 days. While the early part of training is highly supervised, much of the training is done without direct supervision. The task reliably and reproducibly captures subtle deficits after injury and shows functional recovery that accurately reflects clinical recovery curves. Analysis of data is performed by specialized software through a graphical user interface that is designed to be intuitive. We also give solutions to common problems encountered during training, and show that minor corrections to behavior early in training produce reliable acquisition of supination. Thus, the knob supination task provides efficient and quantitative evaluation of a critical movement for dexterity in rats.

This manuscript describes a semi-automated task that quantifies supination in rats. Rats reach, grasp, and supinate a spherical manipulandum. The rat is rewarded with a pellet if the turn angle exceeds a criterion set by the user. This task increases throughput, sensitivity to injury, and objectivity compared to traditional tasks.

旋钮旋任务: 一种半自动评估大鼠前肢功能的方法

Tasks that accurately measure dexterity in animal models are critical to understand hand function. Current rat behavioral tasks that measure dexterity ...

Methods of Pairing and Pair Maintenance of New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) Via Behavioral Ethogram, Monitoring, and Interventions

New Zealand White (NZW) laboratory rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), as well as their ancestors the European Rabbit, are a social species that exhibit numerous benefits to being housed accordingly. Although these rabbits are innately gregarious, certain behaviors can still arise when kept in captivity, which if left unchecked, can confound research results or lead to wounding, which in extreme cases can be severe. To prevent these issues, there must be a well-structured plan for the monitoring and maintenance of paired laboratory rabbits. The purpose of this protocol is to present effective procedures for establishing newly paired NZW rabbits as well as methods for successful maintenance. Multiple methods have been tested for the creation of newly paired female rabbits from the vendor, but the most efficacious technique emphasizes capitalizing on the stress bonding from transport, urine marking, pairing in a neutral cage with no forced sharing of resources and a system of monitoring and intervention. To determine the best method of housing paired rabbits in a standard caging environment, data were collected to generate a behavioral ethogram. Behaviors were then quantified as positive, neutral or negative and were tracked across the lifespan of the pair to determine which behaviors indicated pair success or failure. With the newfound knowledge of socially housed laboratory NZW rabbit behavior, enrichment intervention was applied to alleviate aggression and prevent wounding, thus resulting in a higher percentage of successful pairs. Through several years of trialing different pairing methods, the development of the ethogram and the resulting enrichment interventions, understanding of the highly complex social constructs that dominate pair housed rabbit behavior has dramatically increased and allowed for the provision of more species-specific care and increased standards of welfare.

Methods of Pairing and Pair Maintenance of New Zealand White Rabbits Oryctolagus Cuniculus Via Behavioral Ethogram, Monitoring, and Interventions

Though European rabbits are a social species, socially housing them can be challenging. Therefore, there must be a thorough understanding of behaviors and social structures of pair-housed laboratory rabbits. Here we present a protocol to identify pairing methods, species-typical hierarchy establishment behaviors and behaviors that warrant appropriate intervention.

新西兰白兔的配对和配对维护方法 (穴兔家兔) 通过行为 Ethogram、监视和干预

New Zealand White (NZW) laboratory rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), as well as their ancestors the European Rabbit, are a social species that exhibit ...

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure

Valid and efficient measures for assessing the quality of parent-child relationships are needed to facilitate research and evidence-based practice with parents. This paper focuses on such a method, namely Five-Minute Speech Sample-Coherence (FMSS-Coherence). In this method, a parent is asked to speak for five uninterrupted minutes about her/his child and their relationship. The resulted narrative is coded for coherence, namely the extent to which the parent provides&#160;in the narrative&#160;a clear, consistent, multidimensional and well-supported portrayal of the child. FMSS-Coherence is based on attachment research that shows that the coherence of parents&#8217; narratives is indicative of the quality of the parent-child relationship and child adjustment. It overcomes the limitations of attachment narrative measures which are typically labor intensive. FMSS-Coherence is less nuanced than extant attachment narrative measures. Yet, studies of families from different cultural backgrounds, across different child ages and in the context of typically developing children as well as children with special needs suggest that coherence can be reliably evaluated using the FMSS procedure. Furthermore, parents&#8217; FMSS-Coherence is associated with parenting quality and children&#8217;s socio-emotional adjustment. Thus, it holds promise for researchers and practitioners who seek a relatively time- and cost-effective method for assessing the coherence of parents&#8217; narratives regarding their child.

This paper introduces a method for assessing the coherence of parents' short narratives regarding their child and their relationship using the five-minute speech sample procedure.

使用五分钟言语样本程序评估家长对孩子的简短叙述的一致性

Valid and efficient measures for assessing the quality of parent-child relationships are needed to facilitate research and evidence-based practice with ...

Providing Meaningful Environmental Enrichment and Measuring Saliva Cortisol in Pigs Housed on Slatted Flooring

As pork is the most consumed meat worldwide, the welfare of animals in the swine industry has increasingly become a major public concern, which imposes a substantial pressure coming from customers, legislators and other stakeholders, to make management changes to improve the well-being of these animals. Several studies have demonstrated that providing environmental enrichment to pigs allows them to express their natural behavior, such as rooting and exploring, as well as nesting prior to farrowing, and is associated with reduced stress and improved production and welfare. However, many considerations should be taken into account when providing environmental enrichment, such as the type of floor, drainage and sewage systems, the pigs&#39; stage in life, the material, as well as its hanging method, height and location within the pen. The objectives of this paper are (1) to give methodologic information on how to provide a relatively simple and practical meaningful environmental enrichment for pigs which are housed on slatted floors during the different stages of their life, and (2) to demonstrate how to collect saliva samples for the measurement of cortisol concentrations, as a biomarker for acute stress. Protocols include information regarding the use of jute, cotton ropes, straw in racks, as well as chewable silicone sticks devices as environmental enrichment in pens of farrowing and lactation, weaners and finishers. In addition, the use of cotton rope for a non-invasive saliva samples collection for cortisol concentrations analysis is detailed. The protocols provided are relevant for professionals aiming to improve and monitor animal welfare, in both research and industrial swine farming.

This protocol demonstrates how to provide practical meaningful environmental enrichment for pigs which are housed on slatted flooring during the different stages of their lives, and how to collect saliva samples in a non-invasive manner for the measurement of cortisol concentrations, as a biomarker for acute stress.

提供有意义的环境富集和测量唾液皮质醇在猪安置在板状地板

As pork is the most consumed meat worldwide, the welfare of animals in the swine industry has increasingly become a major public concern, which imposes a ...