Orbital sinus blood sampling in rats: effects upon selected behavioural variables

The question addressed was whether the behaviour of rats is changed after orbital sinus blood sampling while they are under diethyl-ether anaesthesia. Twelve rats were subjected to sham anaesthesia, diethyl-ether anaesthesia and anaesthesia plus orbital puncture according to a Latin square. After each treatment, the behaviour of the rats was automatically monitored using the so-called LABORAS method, which discriminates between grooming, locomotion and inactivity. Treatment ended, and behaviour monitoring began, when the light period changed over to the dark period. The various behaviours were quantified as relative duration and frequency. Anaesthesia versus sham anaesthesia reduced the relative duration of grooming during the first 5 h after treatment. Anaesthesia plus orbital puncture versus anaesthesia alone did not significantly influence grooming, but orbital puncture did reduce the relative duration and the frequency of locomotion during the entire 20 h period, which was mainly due to a decrease in the dark period. After orbital puncture, the animals were also less frequently inactive. It is concluded that orbital puncture has an effect on behaviour superimposed on that of diethyl-ether anaesthesia. This observation may contribute new arguments to the debate on the acceptability of the orbital puncture technique.     

Blood sampling from the retro-orbital plexus, the saphenous vein and the tail vein in rats: comparative effects on selected behavioural and blood variables

We compared the behaviours of rats, and measured various blood parameters, after three blood sampling techniques: orbital puncture while they were under diethyl-ether anaesthesia, blood collection by tail vein puncture under O2-N2O-halothane anaesthesia and puncture of the saphenous vein without anaesthesia. Twelve rats were subjected to the three treatments according to a Latin square design. After each treatment, the behaviour of the rats was automatically monitored using the so-called LABORAS method, which discriminates between grooming, locomotion and inactivity in rats. Based on excitation scores and urine production, it was found that induction of diethyl-ether anaesthesia combined with orbital puncture caused more distress than did the other two blood sampling techniques. The three techniques had no differential effects on the behaviours of grooming, locomotion and inactivity. Collecting 0.5 ml of blood by orbital puncture was +/-7 times faster than doing so by saphenous vein puncture and +/- 15 times faster than collecting blood by tail vein puncture while the rats were under O2-N2O-halothane anaesthesia. The levels of some haematological and plasma variables differed significantly between the three blood collection techniques. These observations may help to select the most appropriate technique of blood sampling with respect to anticipated discomfort in the animals.     

Dose-response effects of orexin-A on food intake and the behavioural satiety sequence in rats

Although intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of orexin-A has been reported to stimulate food intake and/or feeding behaviour in rats, mice and goldfish, little attention has thus far been paid to its effects on normal patterns of feeding. In the present study, a continuous monitoring technique was used to characterise the effects of this novel neuropeptide on the microstructure of rat behaviour during a 1-h test with palatable wet mash. Particular attention was devoted to the behavioural satiety sequence, in which feeding is followed by grooming and resting. Although results confirmed the hyperphagic effects of orexin-A (3.33-30.0 microg i.c. v.), gross behavioural analysis failed to reveal any reliable effects of peptide treatment on eating, drinking, sniffing, grooming, resting, locomotion or rearing. However, microstructural analysis revealed behavioural effects of orexin-A that are both dose- and time-dependent. At lower doses (3.33-10.0 microg), orexin-A primarily delayed behavioural satiety, i.e. the normal transition from eating to resting. In contrast, the 30 microg dose initially induced a sedative-like effect, significantly suppressing eating and other active behaviours for the first 15-20 min of the test period. This sedative-like effect resulted in a phase-shifting of the entire behavioural sequence with higher than control levels of eating, grooming, locomotion, rearing and sniffing observed over the second half of the test session. Present findings illustrate the advantages of microstructural behavioural analysis and suggest that the hyperphagic response to low doses of orexin-A results largely from a delay in behavioural satiety while that seen in response to high doses may occur in rebound to initial behavioural suppression. Further studies will be required to confirm the identity of the specific orexin receptors (i.e. OX(1) or OX(2)) involved in mediating the dose-dependent behavioural effects reported.     

年龄、集群、生境及天气对鄱阳湖白鹤越冬期日间行为模式的影响

于2012年1—3月和2012年12—2013年3月,采用瞬时扫描法研究了鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区越冬白鹤(Grusleucogeranus)的昼间时间分配模式和日活动节律,分析了年龄、集群大小、生境类型和天气对白鹤越冬行为的影响。结果表明,白鹤越冬期的主要行为有觅食、警戒、理羽、游走、休息和争斗。其中,觅食是鄱阳湖越冬白鹤主要行为,占其昼间活动时间的82.94%;警戒占11.94%,理羽占3.52%,游走占1.88%,休息占0.15%,争斗占0.02%。白鹤在越冬期间的觅食、游走、休息和争斗行为存在明显的昼间节律性,其中游走、觅食和争斗行为在每天的上午和下午各存在1个高峰,休息行为在中午出现一个高峰;警戒和理羽行为则没有显著的昼间节律变化。年龄、集群大小、天气和生境对白鹤的越冬行为具有显著的影响:幼鹤取食的时间显著多于成鹤,而警戒时间则显著的小于成鹤;与家庭群中的个体相比,集体群中的个体取食和争斗时间显著增加,警戒时间显著减少;在天气晴朗时,白鹤的警戒时间显著大于阴天的警戒时间,取食时间则显著少于阴天时白鹤的取食时间;白鹤在大风天气显著增加理羽行为;在有雾的天气会显著增加取食时间,减少警戒时间。在草洲和浅水两种生境中,白鹤的游走和理羽行为存在显著差异,而觅食和警戒行为没有显著的差异,这可能源于草洲和浅水生境相互毗邻,并且具有相同程度的人为干扰。GLM分析结果表明,年龄和集群大小、年龄和生境、集群大小和天气、集群大小和生境、天气和生境对白鹤昼间时间分配模式的影响存在显著交互效应。     

The effects of buprenorphine on behaviour in the ACI and BN rat inbred strains

Buprenorphine is a partial mu, kappa agonist that has been shown to influence spontaneous behaviour in animals. Previously, we have demonstrated significant differences in the analgesic response to buprenorphine between the August Copenhagen Irish (ACI)/SegHsd and the Brown Norway (BN)/RijHsd inbred rat strains. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these strains also differed in their behavioural response to buprenorphine in order to provide an additional parameter for the genetic analysis and localization of genes involved in this response. Male and female rats of both strains were used (n = 6/strain/sex) for this study. Each rat was subjected, respectively, to three treatment regimens at 15:00 h: (A) unchallenged; (B) intravenous saline; (C) intravenous buprenorphine (0.05 mg/kg) according to a crossover design. The relative duration (s/h) of locomotion, grooming, drinking and eating behaviour was subsequently determined from 15:30 to 07:00 h using the automatic registration system, Laboratory Animal Behaviour Registration and Analysis System(trade mark). Significant strain differences were observed in unchallenged behaviour between the ACI and the BN rats. ACI rats, but not BN rats, responded to buprenorphine treatment with decreased levels of locomotion, drinking and eating behaviour. The same treatment resulted in an increased grooming behaviour in both strains. Slight but significant sex differences were observed for locomotion and eating in the analysis of variance procedure, but did not reach the level of statistical significance in the multiple comparison procedure. The results of this study emphasize the possibility that strain-specific effects must be taken into account when using behavioural parameters for the assessment of the analgesic effects of buprenorphine in rats.     

秦岭川金丝猴的昼间活动时间分配

1999年12月至2004年11月,通过野外直接跟踪观察,采用焦点取样和瞬时记录的方法,对秦岭川金丝猴西梁猴群的昼间活动时间分配进行了研究。将川金丝猴的昼间活动定义为摄食、休息、理毛、移动和其他行为5 种类型,结果发现：川金丝猴昼间活动中有两个摄食高峰,分别在每天的上午和下午,中午有一个较长时间的休息期。川金丝猴昼间的主要行为类型是摄食和休息（约占全部活动时间的62%）,各种行为依所占时间比例依次为：摄食（34.64 ± 1.70%）、休息（26.83 ± 1.69%）、理毛（11.58 ± 0.96%）、移动（18.93 ±1.08%）和其他行为（8.02 ± 0.82%）。在不同季节各种行为类型所占时间比例有明显的变化,表现为摄食和休息行为占昼间活动时间比例在夏（75.00%）、秋季（74.15%） 大于春（52.74%）、冬季（56.64%）;而移动、理毛和其他行为所占时间比例之和在夏（25.00%）、秋季（ 25.85%） 则明显小于冬（ 43.4%）、春季（47.3%）。不同季节间的活动时间分配经非参数检验（ Kruskal Wallis H test,N = 199）,理毛行为（ x² =11.438,df = 3,P < 0.05）有显著差异,摄食（x² = 20.469,df = 3,P < 0.01）、休息（x² = 27.235,df = 3,P < 0.01）、移动（x² = 24.110,df = 3,P < 0.01） 和其他行为（ x² = 60.810,df = 3,P < 0.01） 季节间差异非常显著;除摄食行为外,其余各行为类型的时间分配在不同性别-年龄组间也存在显著差异（P < 0.05）。     

Quantitative observations of grooming behavior in free-rangingMacaca mulatta

Quantitative methods of observation and analysis were used in a 12-month study of grooming behavior of free-rangingMacaca mulatta on La Cueva Island at La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Observations lasting 30–120 minutes were made from eight positions on the island at a standard time of day when monkeys were either feeding or resting. Two dependent variables were obtained: (1) the number of monkeys present in the observation area were noted by age and sex class at five-minute intervals throughout each observation, and (2) the frequency of grooming encounters was tabulated by the age and sex class(es) of groomer and recipient. These data were computed as grooms/hour/possible interacting combination of monkeys. Grooming frequencies were higher in non-feeding situations than when monkeys were feeding. The largest social group had the lowest mean grooming rates, while the smallest group had the highest grooming frequencies. More grooming occurred during the November-to-February mating season than at other periods of the year. Adult females were involved in over 60% of all grooming behavior, juveniles participated in 25% of the grooming, while adult males groomed females, primarily during the mating season, and rarely groomed other males or juveniles. Genealogical relationships, levels of group aggression and the feeding or resting context all influenced the frequency of grooming. This study provides support for the hypothesis that the basic social unit for rhesus macaques consists of a core of adult females with their juvenile and infant progeny.     

不同天气条件下青头潜鸭越冬期行为的响应模式

2018年11—12月在河南民权国家湿地公园,采用定点观察法、扫描取样法对越冬青头潜鸭在不同天气条件下的行为响应模式进行研究。结果表明: 在晴天,静息、飞行、运动是青头潜鸭越冬期的优势行为(65.5%),觅食、修整是次要行为(31.9%);行为节律表现为上午觅食、中午静息、下午觅食修整;飞行通常发生在觅食高峰前,运动行为多与其他行为相伴,其时间分配与觅食呈正响应,与静息呈负响应。相较于晴天,阴雨天青头潜鸭增加了对静息和觅食的时间分配,静息、觅食和运动为阴雨天的主要行为(76.5%),修整、飞行为次要行为(20.3%);觅食和静息的高峰时段后移,傍晚时达到高峰,飞行和修整时间显著减少。与晴天相比,雾霭天青头潜鸭静息、觅食、运动和修整的时间分配增加,飞行行为减少;觅食高峰后移至中午和下午,静息高峰后移至下午;静息、运动和觅食为雾霭天的优势行为(70.6%),修整和飞行为次要行为(27.5%)。研究表明,不同天气条件下,民权湿地公园青头潜鸭的越冬期行为在时间分配、行为节律、优势行为方面存在一定的响应;阴雨天和雾霭天青头潜鸭会分配更多的静息和觅食时间,并通过增加能量摄入和减少耗能行为应对恶劣天气。     

Effect of access to a running wheel on behavior of C57BL/6J mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate how and when mice run on a running wheel and how ad libitum access to the wheel affect behavior, feed intake, and weight gain. METHODS: Seventeen 2-month-old C57BL/6J mice had access to the wheel, whereas 19 control mice did not. After 3 to 6.5 weeks, behavior was video-recorded over 24 h for each mouse. RESULTS: Experimental mice ran an average 2 km/24 h in 114 min. Highest running activity took place at the onset of darkness. Experimental mice spent 22 min more feeding on the cage floor than did control mice. These times were deducted from those for all other behaviors: 74 min from resting time, 39 min from climbing and feeding on the cage lid, 14 min from locomotion on the cage floor, and 10 min from grooming. In relative figures, deduction from sleeping time was only 9%, whereas climbing time was halved. CONCLUSIONS: Climbing on the cage lid has a similar circadian rhythm as does wheel running and high-energy expenditure. Because experimental mice climbed less, their weight gain and feed intake were similar to those of control mice. Thus, wheel running can substitute for other forms of energy-consuming behaviors and vice versa.     

CRF-induced excessive grooming behavior in rats and mice

We studied the grooming response to lateral ventricle injection of CRF in both rats and mice under similar conditions. One microgram of CRF ICV induced a pronounced increase (3- to 4-fold) in the frequency of self-grooming in rats, but only a much smaller (less than 20%) increase in mice. The minimum effective dose of CRF in rats was 300 ng. Although ACTH1-24 induced less grooming in mice than in rats, the difference in potency did not appear to be sufficient to explain the differences between the effectiveness of CRF in the two species. Whereas ACTH increased all types of grooming scored. CRF increased all forms of grooming except flank scratching with the hind limb. The major effect of CRF was to increase the number of episodes of grooming, whereas ACTH1-24 tended to prolong the length of individual episodes. The excessive grooming induced by ICV CRF was not affected by prior treatment with dexamethasone, suggesting that the increased grooming was not due to secondary release of ACTH from the pituitary. Nevertheless, ICV CRF might induce grooming by releasing MSH/ACTH from cerebral storage sites. CRF-induced grooming, like ACTH-induced grooming, was inhibited by naloxone pretreatment. Despite the small qualitative differences, CRF-induced grooming could be due to secondary release of ACTH.     

The organization and control of grooming in cats

Grooming in small felids has received little attention compared with grooming in rodents, bovids and primates where grooming is also common. This study set out to describe the general pattern, time budget and degree of cephalocaudal sequencing of self-oral grooming in the domestic cat. In 11 cats confined for the purposes of videotaping, sleeping and resting accounted for 50% of the time budget. Oral grooming, 91% of which was to multiple body regions, accounted for 4% of the overall time budget or 8% of non-sleeping/resting time. Scratch grooming, always directed to single regions, occupied about 1/50 of the time of oral grooming. There was a moderate and significant cephalocaudal trend to grooming. An increased likelihood for oral grooming to follow periods of sleep or rest was indicated by a significant negative correlation between sleep/rest duration and latency to the subsequent grooming bout. The effect of enforced deprivation of grooming on the subsequent occurrence of grooming was explored by the 3-day application of Elizabethian collars, which prevented oral grooming or control collars that did not prevent grooming. In the 12 h immediately after removal of the Elizabethian collars, oral grooming increased by 67% and scratch grooming by 200% compared with the grooming rate after removal of control collars. By the second 12 h, the apparent catch-up effect of grooming had disappeared. The occurrence of cephalocaudally-directed, multiple-region oral grooming and deprivation-enhanced grooming would appear to represent aspects of a central control mechanism for the organization and regulation of grooming.     

The MSH/ACTH(4-9) analog Org2766 counteracts isolation-induced enhanced social behavior via the amygdala.

MSH/ACTH-like peptides influence social behavior induced by isolation It has been previously demonstrated that changes in locomotor activity as a result of isolation can be counteracted by Org2766 via the amygdala. The present study investigates whether isolation-induced changes in social behavior can also be affected by this peptide via the amygdala. A fully automated observation system was applied for detailed registration and analysis of movements of group-housed and 7-day isolated rats in a social interaction test. Administration of the MSH/ACTH(4-9) analog into the central nucleus of the amygdala elicited decreased locomotion, approach, and avoidance behaviors after isolation as compared to placebo-treated controls. However, general activity and social interest of group-housed rats were not affected by the MSH/ACTH(4-9) fragment. It is hypothesized that the amygdala is a site of action for neuropeptides in modulating social behavior.     

Digital registration and analysis of visual information in behavioral experiment

A new software for recording, registration and computer analysis of behavior of laboratory animals, EthoStudio, has been developed. The software allows the latency, number and duration of up to 10 behavioral patterns to be simultaneously registered with parallel recording of video on a hard disk. The video records can be played back to track animal locomotion using a computer. EthoStudio was applied to study mouse behavior in the open field test. The numbers of rearings and groomings as well as accumulated time of grooming were interactively assayed by pressing and holding buttons on a computer keyboard. The number of squares crossed, the number of entries into the center and the time spend therein were assayed by computer analysis. EthoStudio can be applied to objectively study various kinds of animal behavior with reliability and accuracy necessary for modern ethological, physiological and pharmacological experiment.     

Motor activity and emotional response in the open field test in rats after pharmacologic stimulation or blockade of neuropeptides in terminals of primary sensory neurons

Effects of high and low doses of capsaicin on the open-field behavioral patterns were examined in Wistar rats. The treated animals exhibited a significant increase in locomotion, grooming, and exploratory activity.     

Time, gender, and seasonality in vervet activity: A chronobiological approach

A chronobiological approach has been used to highlight the issue of how climatic factors and breeding seasonality may affect male and female diurnal activity budget. We investigated gender differences for vervet monkeys in the diurnal distribution of feeding, locomotion, inactivity, and social grooming within and between birth, pre-mating, and mating seasons. The main climatic traits were that days were shorter, drier, and cooler in the mating season. Non-parametric statistics showed that female activities changed with time of day to a greater extent than did male activities. When the constraints imposed by climatic factors and mate competition increased, from the birth to the mating season, male maintenance activities were more independent of the time of day whereas females continued to vary. Gender differences in timing were therefore greater in the mating season, except for social grooming; males and females were more coordinated in diurnal timing of their grooming in the mating season. It is argued that these changes may result in reduced levels of male-female contest competition, and may be related to higher levels of male-female socialization in the mating season. Finally, it is inferred that an out-of-phase synchronization between inactivity and feeding for males in the birth season, and for females in the mating season, may result from each sex investing more time feeding at the expense of resting in those periods.     

Behavioral effects of MK-801 in morphine-dependent and non-dependent mice

The behavioral effects of MK-801 were compared in morphine-dependent and non-dependent mice. The dose of MK-801 selected for these studies was previously demonstrated to attenuate some of the morphine withdrawal signs. Subjects were repeatedly exposed to morphine (8 days, b.i.d., 10–100 mg/kg, s.c.). Twenty-four hours after last morphine injection mice received naloxone (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.) and the observation was commenced. Animals were pretreated with either MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline 30 min prior to testing. It was found that the behavioral effects of MK-801 (decreased sociability and increased rate of transitions between behavioral elements, locomotion, grooming) were less pronounced in morphine-dependent compared to non-dependent subjects. However, the intensified almost stereotypic eating possibly reflected increased psychotomimetic potency of MK-801 in morphine-withdrawn animals.     

Description of the behavior of praying mantis with particular reference to grooming

Eighteen behavior patterns, encompassing most of the observable behavior of individually housed praying mantids, Sphodromantis lineola, were recorded using a point sampling technique. The data were sorted into four major behavioral categories: (1) food acquisition, (2) grooming, (3) inactivity, and (4) locomotion and miscellaneous. The mantids spent most of the time in an inactive state, which is consistent with their way of life as ambushing predators. Most of the animals' active time was spent in food acquisition (60%). Grooming behaviors comprised 16.7% of the active time; foreleg grooming represented 82% of grooming, while head grooming represented 14.3%. Analysis of the behavioral states in close temporal proximity to head grooming indicated that head grooming often follows foreleg grooming, occuring in bouts of about 1/2 to 1 min duration. Foreleg grooming is also closely associated with eating and seems to represent a pivotal behavior pattern between food acquisition and grooming, possibly sharing causal factors with both.     

鄱阳湖围垦区藕塘越冬白鹤的时间分配与行为节律

2016年12月—2017年3月,采用瞬时扫描法研究了鄱阳湖围垦区藕塘生境中白鹤Grus leucogeranus越冬期的行为,共扫描2560次,23219只次,包括18031只次成鹤和5188只次幼鹤。结果表明,觅食(41.78%)、警戒(25.02%)、修整(15.00%)和休息(10.84%)是白鹤越冬期的主要行为。与自然生境相比,藕塘生境中白鹤主要采取多休息和修整的策略来节省能量支出。成鹤的觅食行为(35.29%)显著低于幼鹤(62.42%)(F_(1,12)=45.977,P0.01),警戒行为(28.66%)则显著高于幼鹤(10.26%)(F_(1,12)=38.975,P0.01)。家庭群成鹤觅食行为(43.96%)极显著高于非家庭群成鹤(27.04%)(F_(1,12)=60.169,P0.01)。家庭群成鹤需要喂食幼鹤,它们花费更多的时间觅食弥补能量的消耗。行为节律上,白鹤各时段觅食行为占总行为的比例均较高,11:00—11:59出现明显高峰,占总行为的48.64%。警戒行为无明显的低谷和高峰。成鹤在各时段的觅食行为比例均明显低于幼鹤,成鹤和幼鹤的觅食曲线变化趋势相似,即觅食比例的升高和降低比较同步。成鹤在各时段的警戒行为和修整行为比例均明显高于幼鹤,成幼鹤的休息行为比例在各时段差别不大,均在14:00—14:59有个明显的高峰。家庭群成鹤的觅食行为比例几乎在各时段均明显高于非家庭群,家庭群成鹤的修整行为和休息行为在大部分时段均低于非家庭群成鹤。因此家庭群成鹤采取多取食,少休息和修整的策略提高自身的适合度,同时保证对后代的抚育。     

Effects of rubberized flooring on Asian elephant behavior in captivity

Six Asian elephants at the Oregon Zoo were observed to determine the effects of a poured rubber flooring substrate on captive Asian elephant behavior. Room utilization also was evaluated in seven rooms used for indoor housing, including Front and Back observation areas. Data were collected in three phases. Phase I (Baseline Phase) examined elephant behavior on old concrete floors. In Phase II (Choice Phase), elephant behavior was observed in the Back observation area where room sizes were comparable and when a choice of flooring substrates was available. Phase III (Final Phase) examined elephant behavior when all rooms in both observation areas, Front and Back, were converted to rubberized flooring. Room use in both observation areas remained stable throughout the study, suggesting that flooring substrate did not affect room use choice. However, there was a clear pattern of decreased discomfort behaviors on the new rubber flooring. Normal locomotion as well as stereotypic locomotion increased on the new rubber flooring. In addition, resting behavior changed to more closely reflect the resting behavior of wild elephants, which typically sleep standing up, and spend very little time in lateral recumbence. Overall, these findings suggest that the rubber flooring may have provided a more comfortable surface for locomotion as well as standing resting behavior. It is suggested that poured rubber flooring may be a beneficial addition to similar animal facilities. Zoo Biol 0:1–11, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Effects of fourth ventricle bombesin injection on meal-related parameters and grooming behavior.

Injections of bombesin (BN) into the vicinity of the caudal brainstem suppress food intake in rats. In the present study, the food intake parameters [meal size (MS), intermeal interval (IMI), satiety ratio (SR)] affected by 4th ventricle BN injections were determined. Following a 15-h food deprivation, rats were administered 4th ventricle injections of saline (0.15 M) and BN in doses of 1, 5, 10, and 20 ng BN, and were then given access to sweetened milk. The animals' behaviors (feeding, resting, grooming, exploring) were scored every one min and milk intake every five min for 60 min following the injections. Fourth ventricle injections of 5 ng BN and greater reliably suppressed milk. intake. This reduction was reflected in a significant reduction in the MS. The IMI was not affected. As a result, the SR (IMI2/MS1), which is thought to represent the satiating property of food, was reliably greater following BN than following saline administration. The reduced food intake was accompanied by a significant increase in grooming behavior and a corresponding decrease in exploring. The amount of time spent resting (inactive) was similar following saline and all but the highest dose of BN. To demonstrate that the behavioral effects of BN were mediated by specific caudal brainstem BN receptors, 4th ventricle injections of [D-Phe12,Leu14]BN, a BN receptor antagonist, or saline preceded the 4th ventricle injection of 5 ng BN. Pretreatment with [D-Phe12,Leu14]BN reliably blocked the effects of BN on food intake and grooming.