The Laboratory Small Ruminant details basic information and common procedures for individuals performing research with small ruminants.

Details include duties of animal facility management, animal husbandry, regulatory compliance, and technical procedures.

Researchers, investigators, lab technicians and animal caretakers alike will benefit from this resource.

Features

The Laboratory Small Ruminant details basic information and common procedures for individuals performing research with small ruminants. Details include duties of animal husbandry, regulatory compliance, and technical procedures. It is designed to assist in the humane care and use of small ruminants in the laboratory and to provide immediate information for investigators, technicians, and animal caretakers. It includes references to alternative procedures and methods and offers possible sources and suppliers of animals, feed, sanitation supplies, cages, and research and veterinary supplies. Researchers, investigators, lab technicians and animal caretakers will need this resource.

As a practical reference guide for designing and performing experiments, this book focuses on the five most common classes of contrast agents for MRI namely gadolinium complexes, chemical exchange saturation transfer agents, iron oxide nanoparticles, manganese complexes and fluorine contrast agents. It describes how to characterize and evaluate them and for each class, a description of the theory behind their mechanisms is discussed briefly to orient the new reader. Detailed subchapters discuss the different physical chemistry methods used to characterize them in terms of their efficacy, safety and in vivo behavior. Important consideration is also given to the different physical properties that affect the performance of the contrast agents. The editors and contributors are at the forefront of research in the field of MRI contrast agents and this unique, cutting edge book is a timely addition to the literature in this area.