Histological observation combined with determination of the serum glucose level and histochemical detection of liver glycogen was undertaken to examine the acute toxicity of fusarenon-X (FX) in mice. Mice intraperitoneally injected with a sublethal dose of the toxin showed rapidly developed hypoglycemia followed by depletion of liver glycogen. Mitotic inhibition was observed in many visceral organs and most markedly in the intestinal crypt cells, where the mitotic figures completely disappeared prior to the increase in number of the degenerated and necrotic cells. No glycosuria was found. The disturbing effect of FX on the oral glucose tolerance test suggested the involvement of accelerated glycolysis and, more likely, of intestinal malabsorption.

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The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using different techniques has been applied to determine botulinum type B toxin. With the so-called“sandwich”technique, about 5, 000 mouse ip LD₅₀ of type B toxin can be detected. With the“double-sandwich”technique, about 400 mouse ip LD₅₀ of toxin is detected and different commercial antisera are useful. For accurate quantification of botulinum toxins in culture filtrates, addition of EDTA to samples seems to be necessary. Cross-reactivity of the assay depends on the specificity of the antisera against botulinum type B toxin used and is almost eliminated with antiserum prepared against the toxic component of type B toxin.

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Activities of common adjuvants were compared in mice, rabbits and monkeys with tetanus toxoid as an antigen. Aluminium gel showed consistently high adjuvanticity for antitoxin production in all animal species examined when administered subcutaneously. Water-in-oil in water (w/o/w) showed high activity comparable to that of aluminium in mice and rabbits but no activity in monkeys. Endotoxin was considerably effective in rabbits and monkeys but not so in mice. Production of both IgM and IgG antitoxin was promoted by the effective adjuvants in rabbits and monkeys. In mice, however, the effects of adjuvants on the production of IgM antitoxin was less significant and inconsistent. Contrary to the case of guinea pigs, tetanus antitoxin was produced in mice by ip injection to a level comparable to that induced by sc injection. The effects of adjuvants in mice administered by ip and sc injection were not significantly different from each other.

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Induction of petite (cytoplasmic-respiration-deficient, rho-, ρ-) mutations in yeast and deletion of mitochondrial drug-resistance genetic markers were compared after treatment with ethidium and the corresponding photoaffinity probe, ethidium azide.
Deletion of mitochondrial drug-resistance markers for chloramphenicol, erythromycin and oligomycin in these petite mutants was observed during prolonged treatment times with ethidium and with ethidium azide in the dark. A similar loss of drug-resistance markers was also observed in petites produced by photolytic treatment with the azide analogue, although the rate of loss appeared to be somewhat less. These results confirmed the usefulness of photoaffinity labeling with ethidium monoazide for studies of mitochondrial mutations.

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Sodium 2, 5-dichloro-4-bromophenol named B-2 was evaluated for application in the field as a molluscicide againstOncomelania nosophora. A dosage of 10 g/m² as 25% liquid form or 25 g/m²as 10% granular form of B-2 was suggested as a standard dose for the control ofO. nosophora. The residual concentration of B-2 in the soil after application was observed to decrease more rapidly than did that of NaPCP. The residual level of B-2 in the rice grains harvested from the paddy field in which the chemical was applied at most 4 times during the planting season did not exceed 0.03 ppm.

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For detection of ABO substances in the saliva of the cynomolgus monkey, the mixed cell agglutination reaction (MCAR) gave specific and clear results with a very small amount of saliva. Anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the sera of the same species showed the clearest hemagglutination by the saline agglutination method. The combined use of both methods was demonstrated to be easily and accurately applicable to the determination of human-type ABO blood groups of the cynomolgus monkey.

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