Computer Data Acquisition Systems for a Research-Based Comparative Physiology Laboratory

该项目正在建立一个以研究为基础的比较生理学项目，重点是环境和代谢生理学。这个项目的目标是保持一个动手活动物的方法来研究生理学，同时向学生介绍研究质量的设备和技术。新购置的设备正在改善受影响课程的技术范围，使学生能够在中级比较生理学课程中进行原创或半原创的定向研究项目。新设备包括一个计算机化的小动物生理数据采集系统，用于长时间监测新陈代谢、温度和其他标准生物信号;一个临床生物化学分析仪，用于测量几种血液/血淋巴代谢物;以及一个冰点渗透压计，用于确定累积的血液/血淋巴防冻剂的产量。 该专业的学生正在研究动物的行为和生理温度调节，以应对环境和内部因素，如驯化光周期和温度以及内源性或外源性发热诱导热原;动物对寒冷的生理反应，即，防冻剂、冷冻保护剂和冰核剂的生产;以及动物对各种因素如活动、温度、饮食、激素、昼夜节律和适应条件的反应的代谢率。许多学生继续进行高级生理学研究课程，他们在自己设计的原始研究问题上成对工作。这些项目通常会导致学生在地方或国家会议上的演讲，并形成提交给期刊的手稿的组成部分。最后，学生可以选择继续学习作为一个独立的项目或荣誉论文。

This project is establishing a research-based comparative physiology program with a focus on environmental and metabolic physiology. The goal of this project is to maintain a hands-on live-animal approach to studying physiology while introducing students to research-quality equipment and techniques. Newly purchased equipment is improving the technological scope of the affected courses and allowing students to conduct original or semioriginal directed research projects in an intermediate-level comparative physiology course. The new equipment includes a computerized, small-animal physiological data acquisition system that monitors metabolism, temperature, and other standard biosignals for extended periods of time; a clinical biochemistry analyzer which measures several blood/hemolymph metabolites; and a freezing point osmometer to determine accumulated blood/hemolymph antifreeze production. Students in this program are studying behavioral and physiological thermoregulation in animals in response to environmental and internal factors such as acclimation photoperiod and temperature and endogenous or exogenous fever-inducing pyrogens; physiological responses of animals to cold, i.e., production of antifreezes, cryoprotectants, and ice-nucleators; and metabolic rates of animals in response to a wide variety of factors such as activity, temperature, diet, hormones, circadian rhythms, and acclimatization conditions. Many of the students are continuing with the advanced-level Research in Physiology course in which they work in pairs on original research questions of their own design. These projects typically result in student presentations at local or national meetings, and they form components of a manuscript to be submitted to a refereed journal. Finally, students may opt to continue a study as an independent project or honors thesis.