Interlaboratory study for the establishment of Brazilian Bothrops Reference Venom and Antivenom for potency evaluation of Bothrops antivenom.

A collaborative study was performed for the establishment of the 5th lot of Brazilian Bothrops Reference Venom and the 1st lot of Brazilian Bothrops Reference Antivenom. All Brazilian manufacturers of Antibothrops Immunoglobulins and the National Control Laboratory participated of the study. The declared potency of the 5th lot of the Bothrops Reference Venom is 40.

L929 cell response to root perforation repair cements: an in vitro cytotoxicity assay.

This study compared the cytotoxicity of an experimental epoxy-resin and calcium hydroxide-based cement (MBPc), gray mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) using the agar overlay method with neutral red dye. L929 cells were seeded into 6-well culture plates where 48-h set test materials were placed on the agar overlay, in triplicate. Teflon and natural rubber served as negative and positive controls.

Evaluation of respiratory model employing conventional NIH mice to access the immunity induced by cellular and acellular pertussis vaccines.

The increasing number of pertussis cases reported on the last twenty years and the existence of new acellular vaccines reinforce the need of research for experimental models to assure the quality of available pertussis vaccines. In this study, allotments of whole-cell and acellular pertussis vaccines were tested through the Intranasal Challenge Model (INM) using conventional NIH mice. The results have been compared to those achieved by the "Gold standard" Intracerebral Challenge Model (ICM).