Movement-response system for conducting tests on freely-moving animals
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing at least one biomedical test on a freely-moving animal, comprising:
- a container for housing the animal, the container comprising a bottom surface having a hole therethrough;
means for rotating the container, the rotating means operably connected to the container, the rotating means comprising a hole positioned such that when the container is placed on the rotating means, the hole of the rotating means aligns with the hole in the bottom surface of the containers;
means for sensing rotational movement of the animal, the sensing means includingfirst and second activatable limit detectors having a primary sensing axis, the first and second limit detectors positioned such that the primary sensing axes of the limit detectors are at a predetermined relative position with respect to each other, the first and second limit detectors logically connected to the rotating means to cause clockwise and counterclockwise movement, respectively, of the rotating means upon activation thereof, anda moveable triggering element having at least a portion thereof for activation and deactivation of the first and second limit detectors;
means for supporting the sensing means above the animal, the support means connected to the sensing means; and
means for tethering the animal to the sensing means, the tether means having first and second ends, the first end for connection to the animal, and the second end connected to the triggering element of the sensing means,such that rotational movement of the animal causes movement of the tether means which in turn causes movement of the triggering element of the sensing means, and upon activation of either the first or second limit detectors by the portion of the triggering element for activation of the first and second limit detectors results in counter-rotation of the container by the rotating means by activation of the respective limit detector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A movement-responsive system for conducting tests on freely-moving animals is disclosed. The invention includes a container for housing the animal, a mechanism for rotating the container in response to rotational movement of the animal, and one or more test leads connected to the animal for performance of biomedical tests such as infusion, in vivo ultrafiltration, laser-doppler monitoring of blood flow, electrical stimulation and in vivo microdialysis, and a method for automated micro sampling of body fluids in free-moving animals. Because the cage is rotated in response to the animal'"'"'s rotational movement, no swivel connectors are needed. A rotational sensor assembly is provided to detect rotational movement of the animal within the container. A vertical sensor assembly is mounted to the counterbalanced arm for monitoring vertical movements of the animal. The outputs of the sensor assemblies are routed to a computer or other device for monitoring and/or analyzing the activity of the animal. The container is configured to act as an operant chamber or a metabolic chamber by locating a hole in the bottom of the container and through the rotating mechanism. The invention also enables a new method for sampling body fluids of the animal without restricting the animal'"'"'s movements. The sampling method uses a syringe pump to result in high fidelity fluid control greatly increasing repeatability of experiments. Further, the method employs pinch valves to control fluid flow in conjunction with an anticoagulant coated tubing, thereby resulting in a blood sampling method that does not require the use of heparinized sterile saline solution as a wash fluid.
66 Citations
46 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing at least one biomedical test on a freely-moving animal, comprising:
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a container for housing the animal, the container comprising a bottom surface having a hole therethrough; means for rotating the container, the rotating means operably connected to the container, the rotating means comprising a hole positioned such that when the container is placed on the rotating means, the hole of the rotating means aligns with the hole in the bottom surface of the containers; means for sensing rotational movement of the animal, the sensing means including first and second activatable limit detectors having a primary sensing axis, the first and second limit detectors positioned such that the primary sensing axes of the limit detectors are at a predetermined relative position with respect to each other, the first and second limit detectors logically connected to the rotating means to cause clockwise and counterclockwise movement, respectively, of the rotating means upon activation thereof, and a moveable triggering element having at least a portion thereof for activation and deactivation of the first and second limit detectors; means for supporting the sensing means above the animal, the support means connected to the sensing means; and means for tethering the animal to the sensing means, the tether means having first and second ends, the first end for connection to the animal, and the second end connected to the triggering element of the sensing means, such that rotational movement of the animal causes movement of the tether means which in turn causes movement of the triggering element of the sensing means, and upon activation of either the first or second limit detectors by the portion of the triggering element for activation of the first and second limit detectors results in counter-rotation of the container by the rotating means by activation of the respective limit detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for performing at least one biomedical test on a freely-moving animal, comprising:
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a container for housing the animal; means for rotating the container, the rotating means operably connected to the container; means for sensing rotational movement of the animal, the sensing means including first and second activatable limit detectors having a primary sensing axis, the first and second limit detectors positioned such that the primary sensing axes of the limit detectors are at a predetermined relative position with respect to each other, the first and second limit detectors logically connected to the rotating means to cause clockwise and counterclockwise movement, respectively, of the rotating means upon activation thereof, and a moveable triggering element having at least a portion thereof for activation and deactivation of the first and second limit detectors; means for supporting the sensing means above the animal, the support means connected to the sensing means; means for tethering the animal to the sensing means, the tether means having first and second ends, the first end for connection to the animal, and the second end connected to the triggering element of the sensing means, such that rotational movement of the animal causes movement of the tether means which in turn causes movement of the triggering element of the sensing means, and upon activation of either the first or second limit detectors by the portion of the triggering element for activation of the first and second limit detectors results in counter-rotation of the container by the rotating means by activation of the respective limit detector; and means for supporting the animal above the bottom surface of the container. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for performing at least one biomedical test on a freely-moving animal, comprising:
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a container for housing the animal; means for rotating the container the rotating means operably connected to the container; means for sensing rotational movement of the animal, the sensing means including first and second activatable limit detectors having a primary sensing axis, the first and second limit detectors positioned such that the primary sensing axes of the limit detectors are at a predetermined relative position with respect to each other, the first and second limit detectors logically connected to the rotating means to cause clockwise and counterclockwise movement, respectively, of the rotating means upon activation thereof, and a moveable triggering element having at least a portion thereof for activation and deactivation of the first and second limit detectors; means for supporting the sensing means above the animal, the support means connected to the sensing means; means for tethering the animal to the sensing means, the tether means having first and second ends, the first end for connection to the animal, and the second end connected to the triggering element of the sensing means, such that rotational movement of the animal causes movement of the tether means which in turn causes movement of the triggering element of the sensing means, and upon activation of either the first or second limit detectors by the portion of the triggering element for activation of the first and second limit detectors results in counter-rotation of the container by the rotating means by activation of the respective limit detector; and vertical sensing means for sensing vertical movement of the animal, including an activating element which moves in response to vertical movement of the animal, and a vertical detecting element positioned for detection of movement of the activating element and providing an output therefrom such that vertical movement of the animal causes detection of the movement by the vertical detecting element and activation of the activating element. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for performing at least one biomedical test on a freely-moving animal, comprising:
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a container for housing the animal; means for rotating the container, the rotating means operably connected to the container; means for sensing rotational movement of the animal, the sensing means including first and second activatable limit detectors having a primary sensing axis, the first and second limit detectors positioned such that the primary sensing axes of the limit detectors are at a predetermined relative position with respect to each other, the first and second limit detectors logically connected to the rotating means to cause clockwise and counterclockwise movement, respectively, of the rotating means upon activation thereof, and a moveable triggering element having at least a portion thereof for activation and deactivation of the first and second limit detectors; means for supporting the sensing means above the animal, the support means connected to the sensing means; means for tethering the animal to the sensing means, the tether means having first and second ends, the first end for connection to the animal, and the second end connected to the triggering element of the sensing means, the tethering means comprising first means for conducting fluid, such that rotational movement of the animal causes movement of the tether means which in turn causes movement of the triggering element of the sensing means, and upon activation of either the first or second limit detectors by the portion of the triggering element for activation of the first and second limit detectors results in counter-rotation of the container by the rotating means by activation of the respective limit detector; and a test device external the container, the test device comprising; second means for conducting fluid including a first, a second and a third tube operatively connected to each other, the first tube operatively connected to the tethering means; means for receiving fluid operatively connected to the second tube; means for moving fluid operatively connected to the third tube; and a first and a second fluid control means, each of the first and second fluid control means having an open and a closed position, each of the first and second fluid control means operatively connected to the first, and second tube respectively such that when each of the first and second fluid control means is opened, fluid is free to flow through the respective tube, and when each of the first and second fluid control means is closed, fluid is prevented from flowing through the respective tube. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for performing at least one biomedical test on an animal, the apparatus comprising:
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means for conducting fluid including a first, a second and a third tube operatively connected to each other, the first tube operatively connected to the animal; means for receiving fluid operatively connected to the second tube; means for moving fluid operatively connected to the third tube; and a first and a second fluid control means, each of the first and second fluid control means having an open and a closed position, each of the first and second fluid control means operatively connected to the first, and second tube respectively such that when each of the first and second fluid control means is opened, fluid is free to flow through the respective tube, and when each of the first and second fluid control means is closed, fluid is prevented from flowing through the respective tube. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification