3,088 research outputs found
Infrared Thermography (IRT) in nude mice : an alternative method for body temperature measurement
No full textResearchers at Milan University and Mario Negri Institute in Italy have developed an alternative method for body temperature measurement, using infrared thermography (IRT) in nude mice. At the 2010 Scand FELASA meeting, Fornasier et Al., showed that baseline recordings (5 min) of Tmax (the time after administration of a drug where maximum plasma concentration is achieved) showed an acceptable variability within the same animal with a coefficient of variability (CV%) ranging between 0.8–1.21. Tmax (39.0°C) was always located in the intrascapular region, in the area of brown adipose deposits (IBAT) which is normally involved in thermogenesis in rodents.
In another trial2,3, researchers studied stress in C57BL/6j and BALB / c mice housed in different individually ventilated cages (IVCs). To ensure the highest state of welfare of laboratory animals, they evaluated the behavioural and physiological (surface temperature) response of mice maintained in two different IVCsystems characterised by different points of air injection (cover or animal level) to determine any possible difference in the anxiety levels of the animals.
64 C57Bl6/J and 64 BALB/c 6 weeks old SPF, female mice were used; the animals were maintained at 22± 2 °C and 55± 10% RH with food and water provided ad-libitum. The animals were housed four per cage in two different IVC cages with different air inlet solutions at cover (75 ACH) or animal (50 ACH) level and observed for seven weeks.
They found significant differences in anxiety-related behaviour between strain and housing systems. These results suggest that, in addition to influencing mouse choice4, different IVC housing systems can influence mouse behaviour, with mice of both strains, exhibiting more anxiety-related behaviour when housing in cage systems where the air entry is at “animal” level at 50 ACH.
The same Milan University team2 showed the use of IRT analysis in immunodeficient mice’s nest (Figures 1 and 2). Through the use of IRT, they evaluated the temperature of the nest during the cage change, showing a decrease of about 3°C, as shown in Figure 3. The thermographic technique ensured a strict SPF status and limited operator intervention and invasiveness, improving animal welfare.
CONCLUSION
InfraRed thermography is a non-invasive method to monitor the health status of laboratory animals. In the future, the thermographic technique could be optimised in order to detect temperature of the animals in the least invasive way possible. This technique has to be further investigated to determine the correlation between superficial (as measured by thermography) and internal body temperatures in different species and in different physiological conditions.
REFERENCES
Fornasier M., Redaelli V., Tarantino A., Luzi F., Verga M. “Infrared Thermography (IRT) in nude mice: alternative method for body temperature measurement. SCAND FELASA 2010, Helsinki, June 14-17 2010.
Freschi M. Thermographic analysis of immunodeficient mice’s nest. Degree Thesis Diss (2012). Medicine Veterinary Faculty. Università di Milano. Italy.
Burman O., Buccarello L., Redaelli V., Cervo L. The effect of two different Individually Ventilated Cages systems on anxiety-related behavior and welfare in two strains of laboratory mouse. 12nd FELASA SECAL Congress, Barcelona, 10-13 June 2013.
Baumans, V., Schlingmann, F., Vonck, M., Van Lith, H.A., 2002. Individually ventilated cages: Beneficial for mice and man? Contemporary Topics 41, 13–19
Technical Note: Year, season, and parity effect on weaning performance of the Carmagnola Grey Rabbit breed
No full textTo evaluate the main environmental factors in the productivity of Carmagnola Grey rabbits, an endangered breed indigenous to northern Italy, data collected over 8 years were analysed. Production data on the pure closed nucleus herd of the University of Turin were used. Effects of parity, season and age of weaning on the number of rabbits born alive and weaned, litter weight and individual average weight at weaning were studied. The following average performance rates over the 8 years period were determined: 8.1 live born and 7.2 weaned kits per litter and a litter weight at weaning of 7287 g or 1024 g individual weaning weight. Year and season both had a significant effect (P < 0.001) on all the traits studied as well as weaning age (P < 0.001).Lazzaroni, C.; Biagini, D.; Redaelli, V.; Luzi, F. (2012). Technical Note: Year, season, and parity effect on weaning performance of the Carmagnola Grey Rabbit breed. World Rabbit Science. 20(1):57-60. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2012.1031SWORD576020
To Feel, to Understand, to Act. Sustainability on Display
No full textThis essay describes the exhibition project Sostenibilart promoted by CYLAND MediaArtLab and the Centre for Studies in Russian Art (CSAR). Starting from an analysis of what is normally described with the term ‘sustainability’, we will examine how this concept is developed by the artists identified as ambassadors of sustainability. Their reflection on the theme is also expressed through the answers to three questions posed by the Author that allow a transversal reading of the project. The text will therefore consider the ideas that emerged in this interrelated exchange. Finally, we will consider participation in contemporary art to verify the significance of the contribution of the artists-ambassadors of sustainability to stimulate in the public a reflection – and eventually action – on the issues
Effect of handling in pre-weaning rabbits
No full text[EN] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of regular daily handling on weight gain and on the fear reaction towards a new environment and human beings in domestic kits (Tonic Immobility test: TI, Emergence test: ET). Two groups in the same environment and fed the same diet were analysed: handled group and control (17 litters, 9 kits/litter per group). No differences in weight gain were recorded. During ET at 33 days of age, handled kits took less time to enter the arena than control group kits. TI duration was shorter in handled kits, which required more inductions than the control group. It was found that minimal human contact imposed before nursing reduced the fear of humans in rabbit kits. Our handling method requires minimal contact and can be used to reduce fear and improve welfare in rabbits. Moreover, the short length of the handling procedure allows stockpersons to produce tamer rabbits, reducing stress levels.This research was funded by PRIN 2005 (MUR - Roma). We would like to thank the farm “Erminia Vezzoli” located in Covo (Bergamo, Italy).Zucca, D.; Redaelli, V.; Marelli, S.; Bonazza, V.; Heinzl, E.; Verga, M.; Luzi, F. (2012). Effect of handling in pre-weaning rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 20(2):97-101. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2012.1083SWORD9710120
My Boyfriend Came Back From The War: una narrazione visiva di Olia Lialina
No full textThe contribution proposes the analysis of Net Art’s world-famous masterpiece
of one of its founders: My Boyfriend Came Back from the War (1996) by Olia Lialina.
Combining black and white images and words, it evokes the encounter of two lovers who
have been separated so long by the war. With her work, Lialina shows us the potential for
interaction of the new screen – that of the computer. She experiments with a non-linear
narration, where users edit the story frames thanks to hypermedia platform, resulting in
a new relationship between author and public. Considering such operations, the paper
aims to highlight the work’s ludic connotation beside the impact of filmic narrative on
the web
Un mitico garage da salvare a Milano
No full textA Milano il Garage delle Nazioni è un fulgido esempio di architettura moderna. Oggi un progetto già approvato dalla Commissione per il Paesaggio ne consente la demolizione. Qui il parere (contrario) di due espert
UTILIZZO DELLA TECNICA TERMOGRAFICA COME SISTEMA NON INVASIVO PER LO STUDIO DEL BENESSERE E DELLO STATO SANITARIO NELLE SPECIE ANIMALI DI INTERESSE ZOOTECNICO E DA AFFEZIONE
No full textUsing infrared thermography as a innovative and non-invasive system for the study of well-being and health status in farm animals and pet. The particular interest existing about the development in livestock of a system for measuring temperatures at a distance, is witnessed by several articles in international journals, both on laboratory animals, both on rabbit, sheep and horses (Goodwin 1998 ). In fact stress could induce physiological and behavioral changes, as well as vascular changes in different parts of the body that are reflected in changes in body and skin temperatures. In previous studies, physiological reactions in response to acute stress stimuli were found on tail of rats and in ear of rabbit: there was a decrease in temperature at the level of the tail and paws; on the contrary, the temperature of the eye, head and back is increased.
The main problems in measurement of temperatures with current methods, are associated with the difficulty of recording the data without causing additional stress due to the handling of animals by man. The thermographic technique can remotely monitor the temperature distribution of a body and its variations, without interacting with it.
In fact, thermography is a telemetric technique, non-invasive, able to determine from a distance the temperature of any surface with high spatial resolution (1 cm to 7 meters) and high thermal sensitivity (0 , 08 ° C), taking advantage of that all objects emit infrared radiation in proportion to its temperature. At now thermography has been applied in the animal field just to assess stress response in some research on rabbits, it is currently used for diagnosis of inflammation in the limbs of horses and seems to be of fundamental importance for the early diagnosis of mastitis. The purpose of this thesis research was the development of a system to check temperature of pet and livestock at distance using the thermographic technique, in order to verify the possibility of obtaining an objective assessment of any conditions of stress and / or discomfort.
In the “Centro di Allevamento e Addestramento della Guardia di Finanza, temperatures of 20 dogs were taken at a distance, while behavioral tests were carried out by a team independent from the thermographic technician and according to their defined sequences. We obtained thermographic videos that, in addition to the behavior of the subjects, provides information on the variation in skin temperature during test, in the same dog, and between different subjects. The most suitable areas to detect the temperature changing were defined as the area around the eyes and the inner of ears. These videos are the beginning of the database for the canine species and represent the material of two theses currently in progress at the Department of Animal Sciences - Milan. The availability baseline data on various species is a key to refer to in order to successfully apply this non-invasive technique to assess animal’s well being.
No interaction is needed between the operator and thermographic animals, thus confirm the non-invasiveness of the developed system. For the analysis of thermal images obtained, it is still developing, in collaboration with the Physics Department of Milan, a software that can automatically extract the array of temperatures of interested areas identified.
Regarding the syndrome of poor performance in sport horses, 9 thermography videos were made during exercise on high-speed treadmill, which made possible to record the heating of the different muscle areas of the body and to verify the proper vascularization of tissue, in addition to identifying abnormal responses caused by diseases and stress. Such studies have been conducted at the Hospital for Large Animals of Lodi and allow to test and enhance the training of sport horses. As far as dairy cows, the thermographic technique is proved particularly useful in the early detection of podalic diseases, allowing early intervention and improving animal welfare; different experimental sessions were conducted at the farm Angelo Menozzi Landriano, in collaboration with DIPAV of University of Milan. Values of sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 63% were obtained using the clinical evaluation as a reference.
In collaboration with the Department of Agro-Food Protection and Enhancement of Bologna, 2 long transports of pigs were carried out in north-central Italy to determine whether thermography can be used in the assessment of environmental stress on pigs in the truck during transportations. Thermographic skin temperature measurements were performed for the first time during a transport by a camera placed inside the vehicle. The contemporary environmental conditions checking allowed the determination of a relationship between these two quantities in accordance with the present literature about.
About swine, some experimental tests were performed to evaluate the best conditions for breeding and reproduction in collaboration with the Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh. Studying on thermoregulation phenomena of nude mice, some experiments were carried out in collaboration with Siena Biotech. Thermography has allowed the identification of an "hot" area in the dorsal area of animals, which coincides with so called “brown fat tissue” and is involved for rodents in thermogenesis. The measurements taken at different days have proved consistent and repeatable, it was possible to define the thermal behavior of brown tissue even under conditions of hypothermia and hyperthermia. Finally, for a better and more automated analysis of thermal images obtained, it is still developing a software specifically for the treatment of the thermal images of moving subjects, in collaboration with Department of Physics - University of Milan
Popolazione e territorio. La transizione verso un nuovo sistema
No full textThe article deals with the transformations in Central Asia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, focusing on the ethnical and political problems amongst the different Central Asia newly independent republics and on their identity tensions
Dati regionali
No full textA series of country profiles with an analysis of the political, institutional, etnographical trends and concerns
Effect of environmental enrichment and group size on behaviour and live weight in growing rabbits
No full text[EN] The aim of this research was to study the effects of group size and environmental enrichment on behaviour and growth of 108 hybrid growing rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We compared the behaviour (time budget and reactions to specific behavioural tests: "tonic immobility" and "emergence test") and live weight of growing rabbits housed in cages with a different number of rabbits per cage (2, 3 and 4; same density:14 rabbits/m2). Half of the cages were enriched with a wooden stick (Robinia Pseudoacacia, length: 20 cm ¿ diameter: 6 cm, cylindrical) hanging from the ceiling of the cage. The stick and number of animals per cage had no effect on weight gain or on behavioural tests responses. Interaction with the stick was significantly higher at the beginning of the growing period. Principal component analysis performed on the data for the whole period showed significant differences according to the treatments: increasing the number of rabbits per cage and introducing a wooden stick seemed to affect locomotor activity frequency and social interactions. Rabbits housed 3 and 4 per cage showed less lying behaviour and higher locomotor activity and sitting. The larger functional space allowance enabled rabbits to perform more natural behaviours compared to smaller cages (2 rabbits/cage). Environmental enrichment seems to be related to higher allogrooming behaviour frequency, which could indicate a social behaviour related to pheromonal olfactory stimulation and mutual recognition.Zucca, D.; Marelli, S.; Redaelli, V.; Heinzl, E.; Cardile, H.; Ricci, C.; Verga, M.... (2012). Effect of environmental enrichment and group size on behaviour and live weight in growing rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 20(2):89-95. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2012.1082SWORD899520
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