Reproductive traits of big-eared climbing rats

Itzá-Ortiz and colleagues analyzed the breeding characteristics of a colony of Ototylomys phyllotis (big-eared climbing rat) from Campeche, México, that was bred in captivity for 6 y. The big-eared climbing rat is a reservoir of Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana, a causal agent of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) on the Yucatán Peninsula. The authors had established this colony to facilitate studies analyzing the effectiveness of O. phyllotis as an experimental model for L. (L.) mexicana. The housing and husbandry of the colony, the procedures used for mating the animals and the behavior of the animals during mating are described. The authors also assess the suitability of this animal as an experimental model of LCL.

See page 246

A piglet neonatal intensive care unit

Many aspects of the anatomy, physiology and metabolism of the piglet are similar to those of the human neonate, making it an important animal model in biomedical research. Lennon et al. describe a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for piglets. They note that this unit allows researchers to model neonatal care in the NICU and can be used for a range of research studies. The authors hope that this NICU model can serve as a template for other investigators who would like to design their own piglet NICUs.

See page 253