Fresh or frozen?

Though ovary cryopreservation can be a valuable means of preserving rare transgenic strains, some studies have indicated that recipients of frozen ovaries may not be as fertile as the recipients of fresh ovaries. Liu et al. examined fertility and reproductive characteristics in 4-week-old mice into which they transplanted fresh or cryopreserved ovaries from 10-d-old donor mice. In addition to using homologous wild-type donors and recipients, the researchers grafted ovaries from transgenic mice into mice from different transgenic and wild-type strains. This system enabled them to use PCR to determine whether offspring derived from a transplanted ovary or from the recipient's native tissue. See page 353

MS tracking

The disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS) may be linked to alterations in the autonomic nervous system, which regulates internal homeostasis. In a pilot study, Buenafe et al. implanted telemetric monitoring devices in mice that were later induced to have experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a disease used as a model for MS. The telemetric devices provided continuous information regarding the changes in heart rate and blood pressure that accompanied disease development. The authors present this monitoring method as a potentially useful system for studying the relationship between MS progression and autonomic function. See page 361

Airway management in pigs

Standard methods for porcine airway management are technically demanding. The laryngeal mask and the laryngeal tube are both considered to be effective and relatively simple techniques for airway management in humans. Birkholz et al. compared these two methods in German Landrace pigs. Four investigators attempted to establish an airway in anesthetized, artificially ventilated pigs using each device. Though certain complications occurred, all investigators were able to establish a secure airway and maintain oxygenation with the laryngeal tube, and all subjectively rated both devices as easy to use. This experiment suggests that the laryngeal tube, which has not yet been demonstrated in pigs, is a feasible technique for porcine airway management. See page 371