Thermal Place Preference for Mice and Rats

Name: Thermal Place Preference for Mice and Rats
Brand: Ugo Basile
SKU: 35350/35360

Product Code:35350/35360

Category: Pain and Inflammation

The Thermal Place Preference test can be considered an evolution of the Hot/Cold plate test and it allows monitoring of temperature preferences by measuring the time spent in two compartments set at two different temperatures.

This two temperature nociception test can be used in a mouse or rat and is composed of a standard hot/cold plate and of an hot plate, connected by a corridor. It is operator independent, which represents a big advantage over the hot/cold plate and also the endpoint to be measured is much more objective.

Moreover, it can be automated by using videotracking which scores the time, distance, etc, spent in each of the two compartments and corridor. Temperature range goes from -5° to 65° and animal holders of different heights are available.

Detailed description +-

Background

The hot/cold plate test has some limitations, like the experimenter bias, the lack of consensus around the pain threshold endpoints (first lick latency, frequency of lick, jumping, vocalization), which the Temperature Place Preference overcomes.
In addition to allowing the assessment of temperature preference behaviors, it also automatizes the scoring of the nociceptive behavior if video-tracking is used and makes the scoring more objective anyway, as no action by the operator is required. .

System components and main features

The Ugo Basile Thermal Place Preference includes:
- A Hot/Cold Plate system
- A corridor (choose version for rats or mice)
- A hot plate
- An electronic unit with touch screen to set all parameters and save data
- The Perspex animal restrainers
- USB port to save data and export them in CSV files
- A NEW keypad to score endpoints or any other stereotyped behavior (bluetooth optional)
- A temperature range from -5° to 65° C
- A room ambient temperature sensor
- A very silent operation, even when the peltier elements work at full speed to cool down the device quickly
- A NEW software on the touch screen with several new features, e.g. temperature in C° and °F, an online, an integrated help section, a stop or go option for the end of the ramp mode, a graph showing the plate temperature in real time and a new result screen which is clearer and more comprehensive
- The new software includes all the animal behaviors that can be scored with the 9 keys available
- A PC software to build custom temperature ramps and populate your animal vivarium
Additional features include:
- TTL input/outputs for start/stop and mode command
- USB port for PC connection
- COM port for maintenance purposes
- Ethernet port for support and maintenance (to be used at the factory only)
Optionally, a system with tripod, camera and video-tracking can be purchased to automatize the time spent in each plate, the distance travelled, the number of entries/exits, etc.

Features & Benefits +-

Features	Benefits
Standard Hot/Cold plate connected to a hot plate	Fixed, ramping and complex ramp temperature modes, for flexibility in performing many types of pain experiments from temperature preference to allodynia and hyperalgesia
Keypad and pedal for scoring pain animal responses and stereotyped behaviours and save the results in the electronic unit	Possibility to use and save the preset 9 keys or modify them (licking, scratching, jumping, grooming, vocalization, rearing, immobility, climbing, shivering, twitching
Broad ramp of temperatures (-5°-65°C)	Allows for any sort of thermal sensitivity experiment, including severe cold allodynia
Ambient temperature sensor is placed outside of the device	Accuracy is much higher
Silent mode of operation or the air dissipation system	Less disturbance to the animal
Control unit and USB key saving	No need to connect a PC
Automatic conversion of data into CSV files for the USB stick	Possibility to open files in Excel
PC software	Possibility to populate your vivarium of animals and to build complex temperature ramps
Optional complete video-tracking software with tripod and camera	Allows for extended and automated data parameters, video saving and no need for the experimenter to be present during the test and to run multiple animals at the same time (with multiple cameras)

Specifications +-

General
Commands	Hot/Cold Plate: 4”3 touch-screen (resistive), Hot Plate: Themoregulator panel
Read-out	On the touch-screen
Power Requirement	Universal input 85-264 VAC, 50-60Hz, 200W max.
Sound Level	Max 60 dB (A)
Operating Temperature	18° to 25°C
Operation
Temperature	Hot/Cold Plate: adjustable in the range -5.0 to 65.0°C, with 0.1°C increments Hot Plate: from room temperature to 65°C
Precision	+/- 0.1°C
Mode	Hot plate, cold plate, ramp (increasing or decreasing)
Counting Start	By START button or pedal switch
Counting Stop	By pedal switch
Latency Time Counter	Up to 999.9 seconds, in 0.1 steps
Data Acquisition	Via X-PAD software, provided
Data Portability	By USB flash drive, provided
TTL Output	For temperature and counter status
Physical
Total Weight	14Kg
Shipping Weight	20Kg approx.
Dimensions	50(w)x37(d)x47(h)cm – including restrainer
Packing Dimensions	68x34x28cm (two boxes)
Warranty
Warranty	35350 / 35360 are covered by a 12-month warranty + 12 after product registration
Ub-Care	Additional UB-Care can be added for other 12 or 24 months

Application +-

The thermal place preference test has been shown to differentiate behavioral responses to cold stimuli between sham and chronic constriction injury (CCI) rodents with multiple animals tested simultaneously. Also, the effect of antinociceptive drugs has been differentiated by this test in a high throughput manner in several models of neuropathic pain.

A typical application is during inflammatory pain, as well as in neuropathic pain and to test compounds with antinociceptive effects, for example after chronic constriction injury (CCI) or other methods.

In general, the Temperature Place Preference test has been designed and is used for all application that require to finely assess thermal sensitivity in rodents.
Typically, one plate is set at a fixed temperature 5°C or 50°C and the other at a temperature close to the ambient one, e.g., 25°C. Hyper- or hyposensitivity is assessed in this way to study pathophysiological aspects of animal pain models and for the pharmacological assessment of analgesic drugs.

The NEW model which incorporates now, at no extra cost, the keypad allows for scoring of several behaviors, which before was possible only by videotaping and reviewing the videos, while now it can all be done on-line, during the test.

Ordering informations +-

35350 Thermal Place Preference Test, for Mice and small Rats
35350	Thermal Place Preference Test, for Mice and small Rats, standard package, complete. The Package includes a complete Hot/Cold Plate, a complete Auxiliary Hot Plate, and a corridor/TPP tube set for Mice 35250-003
35300	Hot/Cold Plate Test, complete
35150-002	Auxiliary Hot Plate, complete
35250-003	Set of Special Tubes and Catwalk for Mouse, for Thermal Preference set-up 35250, opening 45x95(h)mm
35360 Thermal Place Preference Test, for Rats
35300	Hot/Cold Plate Test, complete
35150-002	Auxiliary Hot Plate, complete
35260-002	Set of Special Tubes and Catwalk for Rat, for Thermal Preference set-up 35260, opening 87x110(h)mm
Optional
60000-TN	Software ANYmaze for manual scoring
60000	ANYmaze videotracking system
47400-040	USB camera
E-AU 119	Table tripod for cameras