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Modular Microstructural Feeding &
Drinking Analysis & Activity Monitoring for
Rodents
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| Model
80350 Standard Feeding Analysis System |
| Model
80351 High-Precision Feeding Analysis
System |
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A modular system for rats capable of a
wide range of sensitivity in recording weight of food
consumed and timed feeding bouts. For research of
feeding disorders and ethological measures of behavior. |
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The Campden
Microstructural Feeding System is modular in two
respects. Firstly, it can be tailored to be sensitive to
the feeding of different rodents and secondly its
modularity extends to how the hardware is configured.
The feeding/drinking
station, consisting of the feed hopper or bottle, load
cell and associated electronics can be fitted to any of
our rodent chambers of appropriate size. Load cells of a
range of sensitivities are available to whatever
accuracy of weight is desired, it should also be
remembered however that the more sensitive the load cell
is the less total load it is able to sustain. Thus for
prolonged experiments at high sensitivities it may be
necessary to refill the food hopper or bottle either
manually or by a mechanical system. |
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The aperture into which
the animal inserts its head to gain access to the
powdered diet or drinking spout can be varied by a
slide to account for different sizes of animal and
cannulated animals. A separate catch tray extends 25mm
into the cage, under the grid floor in order to catch
any spillage when the animal withdraws from the
feeding hole. The presence of the animal at the
feeding/drinking station is detected by infra red
beams and measurements are then taken immediately
before and after a ‘meal’. The software, a menu driven
Windows ®
–based package allows the user to define the minimum
size of a ‘meal’ and the minimum time between meals at
the outset.
Animal
activity is reported concurrently and presented onto
an Excel spreadsheet. Up to 16 chambers can be run
from one Interface Box and one Acquisition Card. For
17 to 32 chambers two Interface boxes and two
Acquisition cards are required. |
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PC requirements are
IBM compatible PC with the following features:
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Minimum Pentium
processor.
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One free ISA slot
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150MB free hard disk
space for the application and minimum 16MB RAM
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Standard Windows®
95 keyboard and serial
port mouse.
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The modular
components of the Model 80350 Microstructural Feeding
/ Drinking Analysis System are described as follows:
Feeding Station
Model 80350IBC:
Interface Box and PC
Acquisition Card
Model 80350S16:
Software for 1-16 chambers
Model 80350S32:
Software for 1-32 chambers
Model 80350SC:
Small chamber
Model 80350LC:
Large Chamber
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The Feeding Station
Component Model 80350FS
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The picture above shows
the Feeding Station fitted to the rear wall of animal
chamber, with the associated electronics. The rear
wall is removable from the rest of the chamber for
cleaning purposes. The slide to accommodate head size
can be seen above the feed tray, with the water bottle
holder to the top left. The food hopper itself has
been removed so as not to obscure the other features
and is placed in front by the coiled lead, which plugs
into the Interface Box. |
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the
Interface Box and Acquisition
Card
Component Model 80350IBC |
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The Interface Box connects to the Data
Acquisition Card (not shown) by the digital and
analogue cables seen above. The Interface Box can
accommodate up to 16 Feeding Stations. Two Interface
Boxes fitting to two Data Acquisition cards can
accommodate 32 Feeding / Drinking Stations.
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The
Animal Chambers
Models 80350SC and 80350LC |
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Picture 1 |
Picture 2 |
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In Picture 1 the large chamber,
on the right, has the rear wall, with Feeding / Drinking Station,
removed and placed centrally in the photograph. An example small
chamber [without feeding /drinking station] is shown on the left. The
large chamber is constructed to UK Government requirements to
accommodate large rodents up to 1Kg in weight; its features are as
follows: Dimensions are 430mm (front to back) x 235 (width) x 400mm
(height from grid floor) with clear Polycarbonate top lid and front
for observation by person or video camera. Top lid is removable as the
means of placing and removing the animal. Floor is a grid of 2mm
diameter bars with a 7mm gap (5mm pitch) with cross supports of 35mm
pitch. Chamber is detachable from feeding station for cleaning with a
pressure washer. Back wall with food hopper and water bottle is free
standing on the bench and the hole the access the food hopper has a
vertical sliding panel by which the hole can be elongated to
accommodate cannulated or stimulated animals. Separate catch tray
extends 25mm into the cage, under the grid floor in order to catch any
spillage when the animal withdraws from the feeding hole. The small
chamber dimensions are 285 (front to back) x 210 (width) x 200mm
(height from grid floor) and otherwise has common features with the
larger cage. Alternatively if you require different dimensions of
chamber and grid floor we will be pleased to accommodate your
requirements.
In Picture 2 shows the large
chamber with an axle-less running wheel fitted. The removal of the
central axle and the design of the recessed wheel allows the animals
that are cannulated or stimulated to run without the danger of the
connection being caught in the turning mechanism. Activity data can be
collected to PC with our activity wheel data collection and software
system, see pictures below: |
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Feeding /
Drinking Analysis Software
Models
80350S16 and 80350S32 |
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Software Features:
Chambers can be started
individually in sequence from 1 onwards as the animal is
placed into each one and will then run concurrently
until each chamber has completed its allotted time
period.
Animal activity is reported
concurrently and presented onto a Microsoft®
Excel spreadsheet.
A feeding bout or 'meal' is
defined and entered by the user beforehand. This will be
defined by a minimum weight (x grams to 1 d.p.) followed
by a minimum time (y minutes to 2 d.p.'s) during which
feeding does not occur. The local eating rate can be
calculated as the meal intake per eating episode (grams
per time of eating). The time of the experimental period
can be set between 1 and 24 hours (to 1 d.p.). Weight
measurements are not taken when the animal is feeding.
Measurements are as
follows:
Latency to eating i.e. time
from being placed into the chamber to commencing first
meal. (minutes)
The number of meals (as an
integer)
The meal size, being the amount
of food taken in each meal (grams)
Total food intake over the
experimental period (grams)
The total time spent eating
(minutes)
The duration of each meal
(minutes)
The duration of intervals
between meals (minutes)
All experimental data files are
stored in a spreadsheet compatible CSV format
Use of colour and symbols is so as
not to be corruptible by the red light if the PC is
inside the experimental area. All panels are designed to
be simple to use and self-explanatory as to their
function.
The Top-level menu is visible
whenever the program is launched and allows the user to
select any of the sub-menus Run experiment and View
results.
To define the experiment the
operator can to perform the following functions:
Open an existing database
Save a current database (with a
new name if required)
Edit a currently open database
Move backwards and forwards
through the entries in an open database in single
steps
Move to entry (n) in the
currently open database
Each chamber is allocated it's own
database filename for ease of use:
Exiting a sub-menu will return the
operator to the top level
On-screen help available via a
'help' button.
Information saved in Microsoft®
Excel database types
Running the experiment:
The run experiment sub-menu is used
to define the parameters for individual experiments
and control the system during experiment.
Three buttons are provided
on-screen to control an experiment:
START
Begin an experiment (All data must be entered first)
STOP
Stop an experiment before it has completed. Results to
date will be saved.
TIMER
Setting of hours from 1 to 24.
Upon completion (or manual
termination with the stop button) all results will be
saved to a Microsoft® Excel file type. An
on-screen help button provides useful information on
the various options when operated.
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