Sentinel mice from production facility and research facility (non- SPF) rooms represented in this study were negative for all agents tested except those noted in the individual animal info file.

Detailed health status reports for each animal room are on file. Contact us for specific reports or access this information through JAX®Mice Quality Control Programs.

Shipment dates: Five batches of mice were tested. The batches contained 188, 170, 137, 187, and 92 mice. In addition, due to supply problems the following mice were shipped and tested in separate batches: 2 F SPRET/EiJ, 2 M JF1/Ms, 2 F JF1/Ms, and all 20 M and F MSM/Ms. The shipping dates range from 16-Oct-2001 to 17-Sep-2002; exact ship date of each mouse is provided in the individual animal info file.

Shipment age: Most mice were shipped at 8 weeks of age with tests starting 6-10 days later. However, a few mice were slightly younger or older (range 46-82 days when tests began). The age of each mouse at the start of testing is available in the submitted data set.

Environment before shipping

Feed: Most strains maintained on a 6% fat diet (Purina 5K52) except the following strains maintained on a 4% fat diet (Purina 5K54): CAST/EiJ, CZECHII/EiJ, JF1/Ms, MOLF/EiJ, MSM/Ms, PERA/EiJ, PWK/PhJ, SPRET/EiJ.

Water: Adjusted with hydrochloric acid to pH 2.8-3.1 and supplemented with menadione sodium bisulfite (final concentration 0.4 milligram/milliliter) to compensate for potential decrease in vitamin K activity upon autoclaving; water supplied in pinhole type bottles (Thoren Caging Systems, Inc. Hazelton, PA).

Housing: Thoren cages; Thoren Maxi Miser #3 cages used for some strains as part of a PIV (pressurized individually ventilated) system.

Bedding: Steam autoclaved white pine shavings.

Photoperiod: 14 hours light (generally 0430 h) 10 hours dark.

Temperature: 18 - 24 °C

Relative humidity: ~50%.

Duration: 6 - 10 days in SPF vivarium where tests were conducted (at Monell).

Feed: Pelleted AIN-76A diet, provided by Dyets Inc, Bethlehem, PA. (catalog number 100000).

Water: Deionized water, provided by centralized (building-wide) ion resin system.

Housing: Individually housed in 26.5 x 17 cm x 12 cm plastic tub cages with stainless steel grid tops (Lab products, Inc, no. 10025). See www.monell.org/MMTPP for additional information and pictures.

Bedding: Aspen Chips, provided by North Penn Feeds.

Photoperiod: 12 hours on (0900 h) 12 hours off.

Temperature: 23 +/- 2 °C

Relative humidity: Approximately 35% but not monitored.

Health status report: The following mice were either dead on arrival or died shortly thereafter: 1 M C58/J, 1 M CZECHII/EiJ, 1 F CZECHII/EiJ, 1 M BUB/BnJ. Other mice appeared healthy during acclimation period. Sentinel mice from the same vivarium that the test mice were housed were negative for all viruses monitored by a Mouse Assessment Plus test from Charles River Professional Services (included SEND, PVM, MHV, TMEV, REO, MPUL, MPV, EDIM, LCMV, MAV, ECTRO, K, POLY, MYLV, MCMV, HTN, ECUN, and CARB).

Dates of testing: Behavioral testing and blood analysis began 25-Oct-2001 and ended 7-Nov-2002. Densitometry measurements began on 28-Aug-2003 and ended 24-Dec-2003.

Environment: same as acclimation period.

Health status report: All mice appeared healthy during testing period except for 1 M SWR/J mouse that became massively polydipsic; data were omitted from the data set. 1 F CAST/EiJ and 1 F CZECHII/EiJ escaped from their cages during testing, so these data sets are incomplete. The SEA/GnJ females developed skeletal problems (curved spines and poor joint mobility) along with mild to moderate dehydration after behavioral testing.