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At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

[The use of a test model in a stepped form (test steps) for the clarification of different problem situations in X-ray diagnosis. 2. The use of test steps for testing the POLAROID-TPX immediate X-ray picture system].

The stepwedge, described in part 1 and in other publications, was used for the examination of the POLAROID-Instant Radiographic System. The result showed, that this system is a quite acceptable method for the practitioner. POLAROID-radiographs, in comparison with the classic radiographs, show equal contrast and detail-visibility, but demand a higher radiation dose.

Animals↗

Confidence intervals for test scores and significance tests for test score differences: a comparison of methods.

Two methods of setting confidence intervals for test scores and testing the significance of test score differences are compared with respect to their simplicity and the similarity of their results. The conventional method, which is based on obtained scores, is unquestionably simpler than the technically correct method, which is based on estimated true scores, but the two methods may give rather different results, depending on the reliability coefficient(s) of the test(s), the distance of the score(s) from the mean, and the confidence or significance level. The standardization data for the WISC-R are used to illustrate the effects of those factors.

Child↗

Mutagenicity tests of diflubenzuron in the micronucleus test in mice, the L5178Y mouse lymphoma forward mutation assay, and the Ames Salmonella reverse mutation test.

Diflubenzuron, one of a new class of pesticides believed to act via inhibition of chitin synthesis in the developing insect cuticle, was tested for possible mutagenic activity using the micronucleus test in mice, the L5178Y mouse lymphoma forward mutation test at the thymidine kinase locus, and the Ames Salmonella/microsome reverse mutation test. No mutagenic effect was found.

Animals↗

The clomiphene citrate challenge test versus the exogenous follicle-stimulating hormone ovarian reserve test as a single test for identification of low responders and hyperresponders to in vitro fertilization.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to compare the exogenous FSH ovarian reserve test (EFORT) versus the clomiphene citrate challenge test (CCCT), basal FSH, and basal inhibin B, with respect to their ability to predict poor and/or hyperresponders in an IVF population. DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Fertility center of a university hospital. PATIENT(S): One hundred ten patients undergoing their first IVF cycle, randomized into two groups. INTERVENTION(S): Fifty-six patients underwent a CCCT, and 54 patients underwent an EFORT. In all patients, the test was followed by an IVF treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Ovarian response, expressed by the total number of retrieved oocytes. RESULT(S): Univariate logistic regression showed that the best predictor for poor response is the CCCT (area under receiver operator characteristic curve [ROC-AUC] = 0.87), with maximal accuracy of 0.89. Multiple logistic regression analysis did not produce a better model in terms of improving the prediction of poor response. For hyper response, univariate logistic regression showed that the best predictor is the inhibin B increment in the EFORT (ROC-AUC = 0.92) but with a low maximal accuracy of 0.78. Again, multiple logistic regression analysis did not produce a better model in terms of predicting hyper response. CONCLUSION(S): Our study, the first which compares the CCCT with the EFORT for the prediction of poor and hyperresponders, shows that the CCCT is superior for identification of low responders. The EFORT (inhibin B increment) is superior for prediction of hyper response at the cost of a high rate of false positives. Neither of the two tests seems adequate to act alone for identification of both poor and hyperresponders.

Clomiphene↗

The graded anxiety test: a novel test of murine unconditioned anxiety based on the principles of the elevated plus-maze and light-dark test.

Standard tests of murine unconditioned anxiety such as the elevated plus-maze and light-dark test are based on a dichotomy of avoidance behaviour (walled vs. open arms and dark vs. light compartments). We combined the principles of both tests by modifying the elevated plus-maze as follows: one walled arm was made transparent and had a white floor (WTW), whereas the other walled arm was opaque-gray having a black floor (WOB). Furthermore, one open arm had a white floor (OW), while the other had a black one (OB). These modifications allow the distinction between more than two sub-compartments that elicit different degrees of avoidance behaviour, thus having a higher discriminative potency. Additionally, the paradigm was thought to permit the within-task detection of pharmacological side effects on the perception of the anxiogenic stimuli provided. The degree of avoidance of the sub-compartments exhibited by saline-treated mice for the distal parts of the four arms was distributed as follows: WOB<WTW=OB<OW. This pattern demonstrates that the sub-compartments elicited at least three differed degrees of fear in control mice, and that these were able to discriminate between bright/dark compartments WOB vs. WTW and OB vs. OW. Diazepam given at 1, 2, and 3 mg/kg doses increased the number of entries into the distal part of the most aversive open white arm and increased the total time spent on the undivided open white arm. Both the 2 and 3 mg/kg dose increased motor activity and impaired bright/dark discrimination for the open but not for the walled arms. Thus, the graded anxiety test might be useful to screen for substances that retain the normal perception of anxiogenic stimuli, but prevent the transact of fear into undue panic reactions.

Animals↗

Improved method for serological testing in celiac disease--IgA anti-endomysium antibody test: a comparison between monkey oesophagus and human umbilical cord as substrate in indirect immunofluorescence test.

The IgA anti-endomysium antibody (IgA-EmA) test has been studied using the indirect immunofluorescence (IF) method with human umbilical cord (HUC) as substrate; 247 sera from patients investigated for celiac disease were tested. The results were in accordance with those obtained using monkey oesophagus (MOE) as substrate. IgA-EmA testing using HUC is shown to have similar reproducibility, sensitivity and specificity as MOE. By avoiding both fixation in chloroform and the blocking step, the processing time for this improved method is decreased by almost 1 h, and the results are stable for reading by fluorescence microscopy for at least 24 h. The indirect IF method using HUC as substrate is easy, reliable and inexpensive. We conclude that the IgA-EmA test using HUC as a substrate can be routinely used for celiac disease screening and follow up.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Further evaluation of the Biken test (modified Elek test) for detection of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli producing heat-labile enterotoxin and application of the test to sampling of heat-stable enterotoxin.

A total of 2,229 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from subjects with traveller's diarrhea were tested for heat-labile enterotoxin production by the Biken test (Honda et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 13:1--5, 1981). Results of the Biken test showed a 99.0% coincidence with those obtained by Chinese hamster ovary cell assay. The use of antiserum against E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin gave sharper and clearer results than did the use of antiserum against cholera enterotoxin. Samples for heat-stable enterotoxin assay were obtained from the agar plates used for the Biken test, and the heat-stable enterotoxin activities of these samples were compared with those of samples obtained from standard liquid cultures. Results for samples of 2,229 strains from the Biken agar plates and from liquid cultures were almost identical.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Comparison of the low dose short synacthen test (1 microg), the conventional dose short synacthen test (250 microg), and the insulin tolerance test for assessment of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with pituitary disease.

There is still uncertainty about what is the most appropriate test for assessment of the integrity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Many advocate the insulin tolerance test (ITT), but this is unpleasant and resource intensive, and may occasionally give misleading results. The conventional [250 microg tetracosactrin, ACTH-(1-24)] short synacthen test (SST) has been used as a simple alternative to the ITT, but it has produced some falsely reassuring results with potentially serious consequences. A low dose [1 microg tetracosactrin, ACTH-(1-24)] short synacthen test (LDSST) has recently been advocated as a more reliable and safer alternative to ITT. Some studies, however, have failed to demonstrate any difference between SST and LDSST. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of LDSST compared to SST and ITT in patients with pituitary disease. We studied 64 patients with suspected or proven pituitary disease. All patients underwent SST and LDSST. Forty-two patients underwent ITT. There was a high correlation between the ITT and LDSST peak cortisol responses (r = 0.89; P < 0.0001), the ITT and SST 30 min cortisol levels (r = 0.83; P < 0.0001), and the LDSST peak cortisol response and the SST 30 min cortisol level (r = 0.85; P < 0.0001). In the LDSST, all but six patients achieved maximal cortisol response by 30 min. A plasma cortisol cut-off of 600 nmol/L is more helpful than 500 nmol/L for clinical decision-making using either the SST 30 min cortisol level or the LDSST peak cortisol response. The sensitivity of the LDSST was 100% (cortisol response of >600 nmol/L indicates intact HPA axis), with no falsely reassuring results. SST (pass cortisol level, >600 nmol/L) was less sensitive than LDSST, it produced 2 of 64 (3%) falsely reassuring results. Even the ITT (pass cortisol level, >500 nmol/L) failed to identify one patient with clinically evident cortisol deficiency. The results of this study indicate that both SST and LDSST, at a cortisol cut-off of 600 nmol/L, are safe for the purpose of clinical decision-making with regard to steroid replacement therapy in patients with pituitary disease. As the LDSST produced no falsely reassuring decisions, we suggest that this could replace the SST and ITT for initial evaluation of the HPA axis in patients with pituitary disease. We suggest administering 1 microg tetracosactrin, i.v., with sampling at 0, 20, and 30 min.

Adult↗

Ecological validity of neuropsychological tests: focus on the California Verbal Learning Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

To date, few studies have assessed the ecological validity of current measures of memory and executive functioning, particularly the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). A battery of tests, including the CVLT and the WCST, was administered to 28 severely head-injured adults who were 1 year or more postinjury. Hierarchical linear regression was performed to assess the relationship between these cognitive tests and work functioning while statistically controlling for physical disability, emotional distress, and memory compensation strategies utilized by the participants. Results suggest that the CVLT was best at predicting performance on the job; however, the CVLT and the WCST were about equally predictive of the type of position held by a participant. Hence, this study demonstrates the ecological validity of measures of memory and executive functioning for predicting work-related skills.

Journal Article↗

[The complementation test with feedback. Preliminary assessment of the test and comparison with a test using a continuous infusion rate].

The complementation test with feedback is described as a method for the assessment of disturbances of volume-pressure compensation. The method is characterized by changing infusion rate and the value of this rate depends on the value of cerebrospinal fluid pressure rise in the test. The infusion is stopped when the relative pressure rise reaches 10 mm Hg. Computer-assisted control of infusion and pressure measurement makes possible achieving of greater accuracy of determination of parameters. The test with feedback was compared with the test with stable infusion rate with regard to the indices characterizing the invasiveness of the method. A statistically significant reduction of this invasiveness was noted.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure↗

Test performance comparison of inform HPV and hybrid capture 2 high-risk HPV DNA tests using the SurePath liquid-based Pap test as the collection method.

No US Food and Drug Administration-approved method is available to test for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in the SurePath liquid-based Papanicolaou (Pap) test (TriPath Care Technologies, Burlington, NC). We compared the performance characteristics of Inform HPV (Ventana Medical Systems, Tucson, AZ) and Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2; Digene, Gaithersburg, MD) using SurePath for collection. The study included samples from 102 women, aged 18 to 60 years, who underwent a SurePath Pap test immediately before colposcopy and cervical biopsy. Each SurePath specimen was processed additionally for Inform HPV and HC2. Performance characteristics were determined by using the cervical biopsy as the "gold standard." The SurePath, Inform HPV, and HC2 correctly identified high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) in 15 (94%) of 16, 6 (38%) of 16, and 14 (93%) of 15 cases, respectively. When only SurePath samples with a diagnosis of atypical glandular and/or squamous cells were examined, Inform HPV and HC2 correctly identified HSIL in 19 (43%) of 44 and 45 (100%) of 45 cases, respectively. When SurePath is used for collection, Inform HPV lacks sufficient sensitivity to detect HSIL reliably.

Adolescent↗

[Study on antimutagenic effect of lanthanum carbonate in CA test, UDS test and MN test].

Antimutagenic effect of Lanthanum carbonate [La2 (CO3)3] has been evaluated by means of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) test, chromosomal aberration (CA) test in vitro human embryofibroblast (HEF) and micronucleus (MN) test in mouse bonemarrow polychromatic erythrocyte (PCE) induced by four different mutagens, i.e., short wave ultraviolet (UV), hydrochloric acid nitrogen mustard (NH2HCl), arsenic sodium oxide (NaAsO2) and cyclophosphamide (CP). The results of this study indicated that the antimutagenic effect of La2(CO3)3 was obvious in multiple antimutagenic systems in which mutation was induced by UV, NH2HCl and CP, but the effect of La2(CO3)3 on the decrease of CA frequencies induced by NaAsO2 had no statistical significance.

Animals↗

[Intelligence testing in early old age. The correlation between the multiple-choice vocabulary test (MCVT-B) and the progressive matrices test (PMT) in a patient cohort in early old age].

Taking a random sample of 147 patients a substantial correlation of 0.54 between the "Mehrfachwahl-Wortschatz-Test (MWT-B)" by Lehrl and the "Progressiver Matrizen-Test" by Raven could be found. The MWT-B did not show significant differences between the age groups of 34-44 years, 45-54 years and 55-64 years. In the PMT differences between the age groups only showed up when the raw-scores were converted to IQ-scores (reffering to the corresponding age groups). Using the raw-scores no significant differences could be determined. Investigating an average IQ of 109 in the PMT, we found an average IQ of 97 in the MWT-B for the same patients. A main reason for the superelevated IQ-scores in PMT seems to be the reference to different age groups. A new standardization of the test should be undertaken.

Adult↗