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Effects of Cage Type and NASA Rodent Food Bar in Male Sprague-Dawley RatsEarly prototype caging for the rodent Advanced Animal Habitat (P-AAH) for the International Space Station (ISS) is currently being tested. In this five week study, effects of the wire-bottom P-AAH cages and specialized NASA rodent food bars (FB) were compared to standard vivarium cages (VIV) with corn-cob, litter-filled bottoms, and standard Purina rat chow (CH). Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four treatment groups (24 rats/treatment): Group 1) VIV+CH, Group 2) P-AAH+CH, Group 3) VIV+FB, and Group 4) P-AAH+FB. Each VIV and P-AAH cage housed three and six rats, respectively. After five weeks of treatment rats were weighed, euthanized, and blood samples were collected. Weights of liver (LIV), kidney (KID), brain (BRN), epididymal fat (EPI), and perirenal fat (PERI) were also measured. Statistical analysis to compare differences between groups was performed by standard analysis of variance procedures (ANOVA) with a significance level of pLO.05. Results indicated P-AAH housed rats had significantly lower body weights (BW), LIV weights, and LIV/BW than VIV housed rats. FB fed rats had significantly lower blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels and LIV/BW than CH fed rats. In addition, FB fed rats had significantly higher cholesterol (CHOL) levels, EPI/BW, PERI/BW, and total fat (EPI+PERI)/BW than CH fed rats. The P-AAH+FB group had significantly lower EPI, BRN, and total fat than VIV+FB rats. VIV+FB rats had significantly higher BRN, EPI, PERI, and total fat than VIV+CH rats. Triglycerides (TG), KID, KID/BW, and BRN/BW were not significantly different among treatment groups. These findings provide valuable information regarding cage design and food bar suitability for long-term use on the ISS.
Document ID
20010121537
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Other
Authors
Lau, Angela
(Lockheed Martin Corp. Moffett Field, CA United States)
Ramirez, J.
(Lockheed Martin Corp. Moffett Field, CA United States)
Pruitt, S.
(Lockheed Martin Corp. Moffett Field, CA United States)
Melson, E.
(Lockheed Martin Corp. Moffett Field, CA United States)
Zirkle-Yoshida, M.
(Foothill-De Anza Community Coll. Los Altos Hills, CA United States)
Girten, B.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Apseloff, G.
(Ohio State Univ. OH United States)
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2001
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS2-14263
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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