Antimicrobial agent in consumer products. Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent commonly added to soaps and other consumer products. TCS is so ubiquitous that it has frequently been detected in human body fluids. Researchers examined the long-term effect of exposure to TCS in an animal model. They randomly assigned three-week-old male mice to diets containing either 0.08% TCS or no TCS for eight months, before performing a number of histological and immunochemical analyses on the mice.
a) Identify the individuals, the factors, and the broad response variables in this study. What design was used?
b) Here is a quote from the published report: "Although animal studies require higher chemical concentrations than predicted for human exposure, this study demonstrates that TCS acts as a HCC tumor promoter and that the mechanism of TCS-induced mouse liver pathology may be relevant to humans." What lack of realism aspect of this study is discussed in this quote?
c) Identify one other way in which this study may not necessarily be "relevant to humans."