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Author |
Touma, C.; Palme, R.; Sachser, N. |
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Title |
Analyzing corticosterone metabolites in fecal samples of mice: a noninvasive technique to monitor stress hormones |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Hormones and Behavior |
Abbreviated Journal |
Horm Behav |
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Volume |
45 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
10-22 |
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Keywords |
Adrenal Cortex/drug effects; Adrenal Cortex Function Tests; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/pharmacology; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Circadian Rhythm; Corticosterone/*analysis/metabolism; Dexamethasone/pharmacology; Feces/*chemistry; Female; Immunoenzyme Techniques/*methods; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Animal; Reproducibility of Results; Stress, Psychological/*metabolism |
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Abstract  |
In small animals like mice, the monitoring of endocrine functions over time is constrained seriously by the adverse effects of blood sampling. Therefore, noninvasive techniques to monitor, for example, stress hormones in these animals are highly demanded in laboratory as well as in field research. The aim of our study was to evaluate the biological relevance of a recently developed technique to monitor stress hormone metabolites in fecal samples of laboratory mice. In total, six experiments were performed using six male and six female mice each. Two adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge tests, two dexamethasone (Dex) suppression tests and two control experiments [investigating effects of the injection procedure itself and the diurnal variation (DV) of glucocorticoids (GCs), respectively] were conducted. The experiments clearly demonstrated that pharmacological stimulation and suppression of adrenocortical activity was reflected accurately by means of corticosterone metabolite (CM) measurements in the feces of males and females. Furthermore, the technique proved sensitive enough to detect dosage-dependent effects of the ACTH/Dex treatment and facilitated to reveal profound effects of the injection procedure itself. Even the naturally occurring DV of GCs could be monitored reliably. Thus, our results confirm that measurement of fecal CM with the recently established 5alpha-pregnane-3beta,11beta,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay is a very powerful tool to monitor adrenocortical activity in laboratory mice. Since mice represent the vast majority of all rodents used for research worldwide and the number of transgenic and knockout mice utilized as animal models is still increasing, this noninvasive technique can open new perspectives in biomedical and behavioral science. |
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Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster, D-48149 Muenster, Germany. touma@uni-muenster.de |
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0018-506X |
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PMID:14733887 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4084 |
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Author |
Natalini, C.C.; Robinson, E.P. |
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Title |
Effects of epidural opioid analgesics on heart rate, arterial blood pressure, respiratory rate, body temperature, and behavior in horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2003 |
Publication |
Veterinary Therapeutics : Research in Applied Veterinary Medicine |
Abbreviated Journal |
Vet Ther |
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Volume |
4 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
364-375 |
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Keywords |
3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer/administration & dosage/pharmacology; Alfentanil/administration & dosage/pharmacology; Analgesics, Opioid/administration & dosage/*pharmacology; Anesthesia, Epidural/*veterinary; Animals; Behavior, Animal/drug effects; Blood Pressure/drug effects; Body Temperature/drug effects; Butorphanol/administration & dosage/pharmacology; Cross-Over Studies; Female; Heart Rate/drug effects; Horses/*physiology; Injections, Epidural/veterinary; Male; Morphine/administration & dosage/pharmacology; Respiration/drug effects; Tramadol/administration & dosage/pharmacology |
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Abstract |
Heart rate, arterial blood pressures, respiratory rate, body temperature, and central nervous system excitement were compared before and after epidural administration of morphine (0.1 mg/kg), butorphanol (0.08 mg/kg), alfentanil (0.02 mg/kg), tramadol (1.0 mg/kg), the k-opioid agonist U50488H (0.08 mg/kg), or sterile water using an incomplete Latin square crossover design in five conscious adult horses. Treatments were administered into the first intercoccygeal epidural space. Significant (P <.05) reductions in respiratory rate were detected after epidural administration of morphine, alfentanil, U50488H, and sterile water. Additionally, significant (P <.05) head ptosis was observed within the first hour after administration of morphine, U50488H, and tramadol, but neither of these changes appeared to be of clinical significance. No treatment-related changes in motor activity or behavior were observed. |
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Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA |
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1528-3593 |
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Notes |
PMID:15136978 |
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Call Number |
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Serial |
1902 |
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Author |
Lyda, R.O.; Hall, J.R.; Kirkpatrick, J.F. |
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Title |
A comparison of Freund's Complete and Freund's Modified Adjuvants used with a contraceptive vaccine in wild horses (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Zoo Wildl Med |
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Volume |
36 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
610-616 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Antibody Formation; Contraception, Immunologic/*veterinary; Estrus/drug effects; Female; Freund's Adjuvant/administration & dosage/adverse effects/*immunology; Horses/immunology/*physiology; *Vaccines, Contraceptive; Zona Pellucida/*immunology |
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Abstract |
Fifteen captive wild mares (Equus caballus) were treated with porcine zona pellucida contraceptive vaccine and either Freund's Complete Adjuvant (n = 7) or Freund's Modified Adjuvant (n = 8). All mares received a booster inoculation of porcine zona pellucida plus Freund's Incomplete Adjuvant a month later. Anti-porcine zona pellucida antibodies were measured over 10 mo following the initial inoculation. There were no significant differences in antibody titers at any point during the 10 mo, and seven of the eight mares in the Freund's Modified Adjuvant group were above the 60% level at the end of the study, which is considered to be the contraceptive threshold for horses. There were no significant differences in titers between pregnant and nonpregnant horses, nor was there a significant correlation between age and titers. One local injection site reaction occurred after booster treatment with Freund's Incomplete Adjuvant, and 11 healthy foals were born during the course of the study. These data suggest that Freund's Modified Adjuvant is an acceptable substitute for Freund's Complete Adjuvant in certain free-ranging and captive wildlife species. |
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Science and Conservation Center, 2100 South Shiloh Road, Billings, Montana 59106, USA |
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1042-7260 |
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Notes |
PMID:17312717 |
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no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
139 |
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Author |
Hodgson, D.; Howe, S.; Jeffcott, L.; Reid, S.; Mellor, D.; Higgins, A. |
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Title |
Effect of prolonged use of altrenogest on behaviour in mares |
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Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997) |
Abbreviated Journal |
Vet J |
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Volume |
169 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
113-115 |
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Keywords |
Administration, Oral; Anabolic Agents/adverse effects/*pharmacology; Animals; Behavior, Animal/*drug effects; Body Constitution/drug effects; Body Weight/drug effects; *Doping in Sports; Female; Horses/*physiology; Social Behavior; Social Dominance; Time Factors; Trenbolone/adverse effects/*analogs & derivatives/*pharmacology |
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Abstract |
Erratum in:
Vet J. 2005 May;169(3):321.
Corrected and republished in:
Vet J. 2005 May;169(3):322-5.
Oral administration of altrenogest for oestrus suppression in competition horses is believed to be widespread in some equestrian disciplines, and can be administered continuously for several months during a competition season. To examine whether altrenogest has any anabolic or other potential performance enhancing properties that may give a horse an unfair advantage, we examined the effect of oral altrenogest (0.044 mg/kg), given daily for a period of eight weeks, on social hierarchy, activity budget, body-mass and body condition score of 12 sedentary mares. We concluded that prolonged oral administration of altrenogest at recommended dose rates to sedentary mares resulted in no effect on dominance hierarchies, body mass or condition score. |
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Address |
Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Private Mailbag 4, Narellan Delivery Centre, Narellan, NSW 2567, Australia. davidh@camden.usyd.edu.au |
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ISSN |
1090-0233 |
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Notes |
PMID:15683772 |
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no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
671 |
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Author |
Grubb, T.L.; Foreman, J.H.; Benson, G.J.; Thurmon, J.C.; Tranquilli, W.J.; Constable, P.D.; Olson, W.O.; Davis, L.E. |
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Title |
Hemodynamic effects of calcium gluconate administered to conscious horses |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
1996 |
Publication |
Journal of veterinary internal medicine / American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Vet Intern Med |
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Volume |
10 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
401-404 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Blood Pressure/drug effects/physiology; Calcium/blood; Calcium Gluconate/administration & dosage/*pharmacology; Cardiac Output/drug effects/physiology; Consciousness/*physiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Heart Rate/drug effects/physiology; Hemodynamic Processes/*drug effects/physiology; Horses/blood/*physiology; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Myocardial Contraction/drug effects/physiology; Respiration/drug effects/physiology; Stroke Volume/drug effects/physiology; Time Factors |
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Abstract |
Calcium gluconate was administered to conscious horses at 3 different rates (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/kg/min for 15 minutes each). Serum calcium concentrations and parameters of cardiovascular function were evaluated. All 3 calcium administration rates caused marked increases in both ionized and total calcium concentrations, cardiac index, stroke index, and cardiac contractility (dP/dtmax). Mean arterial pressure and right atrial pressure were unchanged; heart rate decreased markedly during calcium administration. Ionized calcium concentration remained between 54% and 57% of total calcium concentration throughout the study. We conclude that calcium gluconate can safely be administered to conscious horses at 0.1 to 0.4 mg/kg/min and that administration will result in improved cardiac function. |
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Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA |
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English |
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ISSN |
0891-6640 |
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Notes |
PMID:8947873 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
97 |
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Author |
Nicol, C.J.; Adachi, M.; Akiyama, T.E.; Gonzalez, F.J. |
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Title |
PPARgamma in endothelial cells influences high fat diet-induced hypertension |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2005 |
Publication |
American journal of hypertension : journal of the American Society of Hypertension |
Abbreviated Journal |
Am J Hypertens |
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Volume |
18 |
Issue |
4 Pt 1 |
Pages |
549-556 |
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Keywords |
Administration, Oral; Animals; Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology; Blood Pressure/drug effects; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/physiopathology; Dietary Fats/*administration & dosage/pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endothelial Cells/*metabolism; Female; Heart Rate/drug effects; Hypertension/*etiology; Ligands; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; PPAR gamma/*metabolism; Sodium Chloride/administration & dosage/pharmacology; Thiazolidinediones/pharmacology |
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Abstract |
BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) ligands improve human hypertension. However, the mechanism and site of this effect remains unknown, confounded by PPARgamma expression in many cell types, including endothelial cells (ECs). METHODS: To evaluate the vascular role of PPARgamma we used a conditional null mouse model. Specific disruption of PPARgamma in ECs was created by crossing Tie2-Cre+ transgenic (T2T+) and PPARgamma-floxed (fl/fl) mice to generate PPARgamma (fl/fl)T2T+ (PPARgamma E-null) mice. Conscious 8- to 12-week-old congenic PPARgamma (fl/fl)Cre- (wild type) and PPARgamma E-null mice were examined for changes in systolic blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), untreated, after 2 months of salt-loading (drinking water), and after treatment for 3 months with high fat (HF) diet alone or supplemented during the last 2 weeks with rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg/d). RESULTS: Untreated PPARgamma E-nulls were phenotypically indistinguishable from wild-type littermates. However, compared to similarly treated wild types, HF-treated PPARgamma E-nulls had significantly elevated systolic BP not seen after normal diet or salt-loading. Despite sex-dependent baseline differences, salt-loaded and HF-treated PPARgamma E-nulls of either sex had significantly elevated HR versus wild types. Interestingly, rosiglitazone improved serum insulin levels, but not HF diet-induced hypertension, in PPARgamma E-null mice. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PPARgamma in ECs not only is an important regulator of hypertension and HR under stressed conditions mimicking those arising in type 2 diabetics, but also mediates the antihypertensive effects of rosiglitazone. These data add evidence supporting a beneficial role for PPARgamma-specific ligands in the treatment of hypertension, and suggest therapeutic strategies targeting ECs may prove useful. |
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Laboratory of Metabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA |
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English |
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ISSN |
0895-7061 |
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Notes |
PMID:15831367 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
69 |
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Author |
Trim, C.M.; Moore, J.N.; Clark, E.S. |
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Title |
Renal effects of dopamine infusion in conscious horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
1989 |
Publication |
Equine veterinary journal. Supplement |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J Suppl |
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Volume |
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Issue |
7 |
Pages |
124-128 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Blood Pressure/drug effects/physiology; Consciousness/*physiology; Creatinine/blood; Dopamine/administration & dosage/*pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Heart Rate/drug effects/physiology; Horses/*physiology; Infusions, Intravenous/veterinary; Kidney/blood supply/*drug effects/physiology; Osmolar Concentration; Potassium/blood; Random Allocation; Regional Blood Flow/drug effects/physiology; Renal Artery/drug effects/physiology/ultrasonography; Sodium/blood; Time Factors; Ultrasonography/methods/veterinary; Urination/physiology |
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Abstract |
An ultrasonic flow probe was implanted around a branch of the left renal artery in five horses. The effects of dopamine were studied in the unsedated horses 10 days after surgery. Three experiments, separated by at least two days, were performed in random order on each horse. In two experiments, dopamine was infused intravenously for 60 mins at either 2.5 and 5.0 micrograms/kg bodyweight (bwt)/min. Saline was infused for 60 mins before and after each infusion, and for 180 mins in the third experiment as a control. Renal blood flow increased during administration of dopamine at both dose rates (P = 0.0001). Urine volume increased (P = 0.055), and osmolality decreased (P < 0.05), with infusion of dopamine at 5.0 micrograms/kg bwt/min. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were not significantly affected. Fractional excretions of sodium and potassium were not significantly changed with dopamine infusion. The higher dopamine dose rate was accompanied by dysrhythmias in some horses. |
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Address |
Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA |
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Notes |
PMID:9118094 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
99 |
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Author |
Matzke, S.M.; Oubre, J.L.; Caranto, G.R.; Gentry, M.K.; Galbicka, G. |
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Title |
Behavioral and immunological effects of exogenous butyrylcholinesterase in rhesus monkeys |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
1999 |
Publication |
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior |
Abbreviated Journal |
Pharmacol Biochem Behav |
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Volume |
62 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
523-530 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Antibody Formation/drug effects; Behavior, Animal/*drug effects; Butyrylcholinesterase/*immunology/pharmacokinetics/*pharmacology; Cognition/drug effects; Color Perception/drug effects; Conditioning, Operant/drug effects; Discrimination Learning/drug effects; Half-Life; Horses; Humans; Macaca mulatta; Male |
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Abstract |
Although conventional therapies prevent organophosphate (OP) lethality, laboratory animals exposed to such treatments typically display behavioral incapacitation. Pretreatment with purified exogenous human or equine serum butyrylcholinesterase (Eq-BuChE), conversely, has effectively prevented OP lethality in rats and rhesus monkeys, without producing the adverse side effects associated with conventional treatments. In monkeys, however, using a commercial preparation of Eq-BuChE has been reported to incapacitate responding. In the present study, repeated administration of commercially prepared Eq-BuChE had no systematic effect on behavior in rhesus monkeys as measured by a six-item serial probe recognition task, despite 7- to 18-fold increases in baseline BuChE levels in blood. Antibody production induced by the enzyme was slight after the first injection and more pronounced following the second injection. The lack of behavioral effects, the relatively long in vivo half-life, and the previously demonstrated efficacy of BuChE as a biological scavenger for highly toxic OPs make BuChE potentially more effective than current treatment regimens for OP toxicity. |
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Address |
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC 20307-5100, USA |
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English |
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ISSN |
0091-3057 |
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Notes |
PMID:10080246 |
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no |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4064 |
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Author |
Domjan, M. |
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Title |
Selective suppression of drinking during a limited period following aversive drug treatment in rats |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
1977 |
Publication |
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Animal Behavior Processes |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process |
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Volume |
3 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
66-76 |
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Keywords |
Animals; *Avoidance Learning; Awareness; Conditioning, Operant; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drinking Behavior/*drug effects; Lithium/*poisoning; Male; Osmolar Concentration; Rats; Saccharin/administration & dosage; *Taste; Time Factors |
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Abstract |
Administration of lithium chloride disrupted the intake of flavored solutions but not water in rats. This intake suppression was directly related to the amount of lithium administered (Experiment 1), occurred with both palatable and unpalatable novel saccharin solutions (Experiment 2), but was only observed if subjects were tested starting less than 75 min. after lithium treatment (Experiment 3). Twenty-five daily exposures to saccharin did not attenuate the effect (Experiment 4). However, in saccharin-reared and vinegar-reared rats, lithium did not disrupt consumption of the solutions these subjects had access to throughout life, even though suppressions of intake were observed when these subjects were tested with novel flavors (Experiment 5). The selective disruption of drinking is interpreted as a novelty-dependent sensitization reaction to the discomfort of aversive drug administration. |
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English |
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0097-7403 |
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Notes |
PMID:845544 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2788 |
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Author |
Mejdell, C.M.; Buvik, T.; Jørgensen, G.H.M.; Bøe, K.E. |
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Title |
Horses can learn to use symbols to communicate their preferences |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2016 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
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Volume |
184 |
Issue |
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Pages |
66-73 |
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Keywords |
Operant conditioning; Blanket; Rug; Thermoregulation; Cognition; Clicker training |
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Abstract This paper describes a method in which horses learn to communicate by touching different neutral visual symbols, in order to tell the handler whether they want to have a blanket on or not. Horses were trained for 10–15 min per day, following a training program comprising ten steps in a strategic order. Reward based operant conditioning was used to teach horses to approach and touch a board, and to understand the meaning of three different symbols. Heat and cold challenges were performed to help learning and to check level of understanding. At certain stages, a learning criterion of correct responses for 8–14 successive trials had to be achieved before proceeding. After introducing the free choice situation, on average at training day 11, the horse could choose between a “no change” symbol and the symbol for either “blanket on” or “blanket off” depending on whether the horse already wore a blanket or not. A cut off point for performance or non-performance was set to day 14, and 23/23 horses successfully learned the task within this limit. Horses of warm-blood type needed fewer training days to reach criterion than cold-bloods (P < 0.05). Horses were then tested under differing weather conditions. Results show that choices made, i.e. the symbol touched, was not random but dependent on weather. Horses chose to stay without a blanket in nice weather, and they chose to have a blanket on when the weather was wet, windy and cold (χ2 = 36.67, P < 0.005). This indicates that horses both had an understanding of the consequence of their choice on own thermal comfort, and that they successfully had learned to communicate their preference by using the symbols. The method represents a novel tool for studying preferences in horses. |
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0168-1591 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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6022 |
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