Juvenile study design

Regulatory institutions are becoming increasingly concerned with the specific effects of drugs and toxicants on children. Recent policies have encouraged drug manufacturers to carry out studies in juvenile animals, as they might shed light on children's response to certain compounds. Seely reviews considerations that toxicologists and pathologists should take into account when designing juvenile studies. See page 206

Improving pinworm detection

To determine the prevalence of pinworm infestation and the relative efficacy of various detection methods, Effler et al. surveyed 28 research institutions. In their own laboratory, the group compared several common detection methods by testing mice and rats that were known to be infested with Syphacia sp. The authors present their findings and discuss recommendations for optimizing the efficacy of pinworm detection. See page 210

Rodent welfare revisited

Reed and colleagues present a summary of the 2006 meeting of the RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group, which focused on the well-being of rodents in research. Speakers discussed preliminary findings of ongoing studies and reviewed regulatory updates. Topics included rodent housing and husbandry, refinement of asthma research methods, carbon dioxide euthanasia and laboratory resource sharing. See page 216

Fire safety with anesthetics

Klein describes an incident at his facility, in which a small fire started during a routine surgical procedure that used inhalational isoflurane anesthesia. Investigators traced the cause of the flame to the oxygen-enriched atmosphere that was streaming from the anesthetic equipment, enabling otherwise nonflammable materials to catch fire when brought near an ignition source. The author presents safety recommendations for using anesthesia vaporizers. See page 223