A practical approach to assess the hazardous exposure potential of investigational drugs.

Purpose: A method to evaluate the hazardous exposure potential of investigational drugs was developed in order to comply with hazardous drug handling standards.

Summary: New nationwide standards require health-system pharmacies to recognize potential occupational risks and protect employees from any hazardous exposure. United States Pharmacopeia general chapter 800 (USP<800>) provides recommendations on handling precautions for commercial hazardous drugs.

Mutations in Caenorhabditis briggsae identify new genes important for limiting the response to EGF signaling during vulval development.

Studies of vulval development in the nematode C. elegans have identified many genes that are involved in cell division and differentiation processes. Some of these encode components of conserved signal transduction pathways mediated by EGF, Notch, and Wnt.