MINORITY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT RESEARCH APPRENTICE PROGRAM

土拨鼠(土拨鼠)，旱獭，容易感染 病毒性肝炎，因此特别适合于这方面的研究 疾病及其与疾病发展的明显关系 肝细胞癌。然而，土拨鼠在中国的有用性 生物医学研究受到以下困难的严重限制 饲养这些圈养的动物和有限的信息关于 这种高度季节性繁殖物种的生殖功能。 拟议的研究旨在制定程序，以 大量土拨鼠的常规生产 大量常规生产的实验室程序 实验室条件下的土拨鼠。这将是确定的 土拨鼠是自发排卵器还是由 使用每日测量的激素水平和序列 用于监测隔离和交配的雌性的腹腔镜检查。 将制定在休赛期间诱导生育的方案 这些治疗的季节和效果将进一步 在正常圈养条件下不能繁殖的动物身上进行测试 时间到了。使用视频监控和无线电遥测，行为 实验室中未受干扰的土拨鼠的相互作用， 在室内/室外狗舍和在半自然条件下 大型室外围栏将成为其特点。元素： 与成败相关或预测成败的行为交互作用 将对实验室条件下的繁殖进行定义。在……里面 总结一下，我们会把荷尔蒙的变化，生殖 行为和卵巢/睾丸功能的成败 受孕的人。这项研究的一个直接目标是增加 土拨鼠的自然受孕(和招募) 在实验室条件下，生产“淡季”垃圾 荷尔蒙诱导生育。这些项目的最终目标是 研究是允许在中国常规使用实验室饲养的土拨鼠 生物医学研究。

Woodchucks (ground hogs), Marmota monax, are susceptible to viral hepatitis and thus are uniquely suitable for study of this disease and its apparent relationship to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, usefulness of woodchucks in biomedical research is severely limited by the difficulty of breeding these animals in captivity and limited information about reproductive functions in this highly seasonal breeding species. The proposed studies are aimed at developing procedures for routine production of a large number of woodchucks under laboratory procedures for routine production of a large number of woodchucks under laboratory conditions. It will be determined whether woodchucks are spontaneous or induced ovulators by using daily measurements of hormone levels and serial laparoscopic examinations to monitor isolated and mated females. Protocols will be developed for induction of fertility during off season and effectiveness of these treatments will be further tested in animals that fail to breed in captivity at the normal time. Using video-monitoring and radio-telemetry, behavioral interactions of undisturbed woodchucks housed in the laboratory, in indoor/outdoor kennels and under semi-natural conditions in large outdoor enclosures will be characterized. Elements of behavioral interactions that relate to or predict success or failure of reproduction under laboratory conditions will be defined. In summary, we will correlate hormonal changes, reproductive behavior, and ovarian/testicular function with success or failure of conception. An immediate goal of the study is to increase natural conception (and recruitment) of woodchucks under laboratory conditions and to produce "off-season" litters by hormonal induction of fertility. The ultimate goal of these studies is to permit routine use of laboratory-bred woodchucks in biomedical research.