Animal Behavior Analysis Solutions

Integrating LABORAS and TELEMETRY: 1 + 1 = 3!

Simultaneous BEHAVIOR and PHYSIOLOGY measurements
Requests from the field prompted Metris to start developing an integration package for simultaneous measurement and processing of
behavioral (LABORAS) and physiological (DSI Telemetry system) data. The simultaneous data acquisition greatly enhances the
efficiency, throughput and quality of animal experiments. It reduces the number of experiments, it saves animals, time and money, and
makes efficient use of equipment as compared to individual experiments. It eliminates external variation and thereby enhances the
power of experiments. It helps to establish causal relationships in datasets by direct time-matched coupling of several parameters from
different biological systems- in one single animal. This leads to a better interpretation of biological processes than with the separate
data.

Integration of LABORAS and the DSI

Telemetry System
Telemetry measurements
With a telemetry system the experimenter can
measure physiological data from conscious, freely
moving laboratory animals. Animals receive an
implantable transmitter by a surgical procedure. The
transmitters monitor e.g. blood pressure,
temperature, heart rate, ECG and transmit the
digitized data via radio frequency signals
to a nearby receiver. This data is collected
using the Dataquest A.R.T. software
package (Data Sciences International,
DSI, US).

LABORAS measurements
LABORAS (Metris b.v., The Netherlands) is a validated, automatic system measuring the behavior and position track of freely moving
rats and mice. Animals are placed in a macrolon cage on the triangular sensor platform (see photo). The sensor platform records the
movements of the animal and transmits these via an electronics unit to a PC. Using pattern recognition techniques the onset and offset
of behaviors can be distinguished. The behaviors that are detected by LABORAS include locomotion, immobility, grooming, eating,
drinking, rearing, climbing and a number of special behaviors. At the same time the XY-position is recorded and a number of derived
parameters such as distance moved, speed (max., average) and position distribution.

How to combine LABORAS and TELEMETRY in the lab

As can be seen in the photo above the DSI telemetry receiver unit is placed under the LABORAS sensor platform. This does not obscure
telemetry transmission. The animal with an implanted transmitter can easily be put into the cage of the LABORAS system. The two
systems measure their data separately but on the same computer. The synchronized telemetry data is imported into the LABORAS
software for further data processing and simple statistics. This means no
hardware changes (users with existing systems must be able to combine About Metris
systems), no interference between systems and software of both Metris is a solution provider for automated animal behavior
systems runs on one PC at the same time. analysis. We offer both off the shelf and tailor made solutions for
non-invasive measurement of animal behavior. All solutions
provided contribute to a further Refinement, Reduction and
Ordering Information Replacement of animals in your research. Metris actively works
More information can be obtained from Metris BV or one of our qualified together with trend setting research institutes and companies and
distributors. Read more about how Metris can assist you with the has several strategic alliances with other market leaders in the field
automation of your animal research on www.metris.nl of animal behavior research.

Metris also offers:

“Integrating LABORAS and TELEMETRY is useful in the animal
welfare research, behavioral research, phenotyping transgenic
mice, neuroscience and in general almost all fields of research
with laboratory animals”
Quote by Dr. Klaas Kramer Dept. Animal Welfare, Free University
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
LABORAS: the fully automatic system for continuous behavior
recognition and tracking of small rodents.
SLEEPSIGN (exclusively sold in Europe): the software package
that automatically identifies several sleep stages based on EEG
and EMG signals.
SONOTRACK: the full spectrum ultrasound recording and analysis
system.

Metris BV
Saturnusstraat 12 - 2132 HB Hoofddorp - The Netherlands - Tel +31(0)23 5542250 - Fax +31(0)23 5571069 - www.metris.nl - info@metris.nl
 Animal Behavior Analysis Solutions

Integrating LABORAS and TELEMETRY: 1 + 1 = 3!

Advantages of integrating LABORAS and TELEMETRY
For management: For researchers:
þ Increase in efficiency of research þ Better understanding of biological processes
- Increase the information from a single experiment - Establishing causal relationships
- Reduce the number of separate experiments þ New insights in area of phenotyping transgenic animals
- Reduce number of animals - Measuring more independent parameters
- Increase overall research capacity - Measuring various biological systems simultaneously
þ Efficient use of equipment þ Increase quality of data by simultanious testing
- Replaces several dedicated systems - Direct matching of behavior and physiology
- Flexibel update and extension options - Eliminating environmental variation
- Software of both systems run on same PC
- No changes to existing systems
þ Next step towards integration with more systems

Experiment on integration of LABORAS and TELEMETRY by Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Extract of experiment and preliminary results from the poster of University of Utrecht, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, titled
“Simultaneous collection of behavioral and physiological data in mice: integration of LABORAS with Dataquest A.R.T. Telemetry” by
René Sommer, Margot K. Meijer, Klaas Kramer, Ronald Bulthuis, Frauke Ohl and Vera Baumans (Dept. of Animals, Science and
Society, Division Laboratory Animal Science, Utrecht University, The Netherlands).

Researchers have performed a pilot experiment to test the integration of LABORAS and the DSI Telemetry system. For this purpose,
four female C57BL/6JIco mice,
implanted with DSI telemetry transmitters
D S I T e m p e ra tu r e (º C )

No effect on body temperature was found after acoustic (TA10ETA-F20) in the abdominal cavity,
40 stimulation.
39
Body Temperature were placed on the integrated system for
DSI
38 five days in a conventional animal room
37
36
with a 12/12h day/night cycle (lights on at
35 07:00h). 60 hours after the onset of data
Activity: Stimulation temporarily reduced immobility (light blue) /
35
acquisition an acoustic stimulus (alarm 70
Activity DSI
increased activity (yellow, dark blue) in C57BL/6 mice, indicating a tone of mobile telephone) was given to
Immobility LABORAS
flight reaction in response to the unknown tone.
L A B O R A S D u r a t io n ( s )

30 see, whether the stimulus response

Locomotion LABORAS 60
D S I A c t iv it y ( c p m )

25
would be detected by both systems. 50
Parameters: LABORAS measured
20 locomotion, immobility, climbing, 40

15
grooming, drinking and eating. 30
Dataquest A.R.T. provided data on heart
10 rate, body temperature and activity. 20

5 10
Preliminary conclusions
0 0 The first results indicate a reliable
750
Arousal: The short-term elevation of heart rate and grooming simultaneous collection of data on the
45
Heart Rate DSI behaviour indicates a stimulus-induced increase in arousal.
Grooming LABORAS
40
same time scale. After the acoustic
Climbing LABORAS
700 stimulus is given, a clear response in the
L A B O R A S D u ra tio n (s )

35
behavioral and physiological parameters
D S I H e a rt ra te (b p m )

650 30 is shown. Effects on body temperature

25 were not found but might be more subtle.
600
20
The combination of behavioral
(LABORAS) and physiological
550 15
(Dataquest) parameters seem to provide
500
10 reliable results.
5

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four mice starting 10 minutes before the

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Time
onset of the acoustic stimulus until 30
Acoustic
stimulus
minutes afterwards.

Metris BV
Saturnusstraat 12 - 2132 HB Hoofddorp - The Netherlands - Tel +31(0)23 5542250 - Fax +31(0)23 5571069 - www.metris.nl - info@metris.nl