The standard procedure for definitive detection of BoNT-producing Clostridia is a culture method combined with neurotoxin detection using a standard mouse bioassay (MBA). The mouse bioassay is highly sensitive and specific, but it is expensive and time-consuming, and there are ethical concerns due to use of laboratory animals. Cell-based assays provide an alternative to the MBA in screening for...

Research was conducted to determine levels of Cry1Ac in transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) cotton leaves from four different commonly used bioassays. Significant differences in the amount of Cry1Ac were found among the different bioassay types. For bioassay arenas that prevented desiccation of leaf material, Cry1Ac levels remained stable for 10 d after tissue was excised from the p...

A modified assimilable organic carbon (AOC) bioassay is proposed. We evaluated all aspects of the AOC bioassay technique, including inoculum, incubation water, bioassay vessel, and enumeration technique. Other concerns included eliminating the need to prepare organic carbon-free glassware and minimizing the risks of bacterial and organic carbon contamination. Borosilicate vials (40 ml) with Tef...

Nine refinery streams were tested in both chronic and initiation/promotion (I/P) skin bioassays. In the chronic bioassay, groups of 50 C3H/HeJ mice received twice weekly applications of 50 microl of test article for at least 2 years. In the initiation phase of the I/P bioassay, groups of CD-1 mice received an initiating dose of 50 microl of test article for 5 consecutive days, followed by promo...

A modified version of a simplified in vivo test was applied to assess the susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine among semi-immune febrile children in Kouroussa, Guinea. In 27% of cases, a partial response (RI/RII) to chloroquine was observed; the remainder showed a good response (S/RI). This test is both practical and useful to assess the efficacy of chloroquine at the intermed...