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PubMed1980

Standards in behavioral teratology testing: test variability and sensitivity.

Regulatory guidelines have produced a need to develop behavioral screening techniques to accompany teratology and reproduction testing. In the repeated use of a provisional test battery, we have found that conclusions about the behavioral teratogenic potential of test compounds are most likely to be revealed using tests having intermediate levels of variability. The results obtained from examining animals exposed developmentally to brominated vegetable oil (BVO as 2.0, 1.0, 0.5, or 0.25 percent of the diet) and comparisons of the tests' coefficients of variation, offer an empirical example of this concept. Preweaning tests of locomotion and reflex development demonstrated numerous instances of developmental delay in the BVO-treated subjects, but postweaning tests revealed few abnormalities. Behavioral testing revealed functional deficits from BVO administration at doses lower than those which have adverse effects on reproduction. Examination of the tests' variability by using coefficients of variation as a comparative index, disclosed that the postweaning test variability was almost twice that of the preweaning tests. Thus, the lack of effects of BVO on most of the postweaning tests should not be conclusively interpreted as indicative of recovery of function, because this pattern is equally likely to have resulted from the lower sensitivity of these tests. An acceptable standard for future behavioral teratology screening requires a close examination of test variability, as it appears to be an important element in the sensitivity and, hence, the interpretation of such procedures.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Fetal acoustic stimulation testing. II. A randomized clinical comparison with the nonstress test.

Antepartum fetal heart rate testing, specifically the nonstress test, is of accepted value in the antenatal surveillance of high-risk pregnancies. Fetal rest-activity cycles coupled with arbitrary test intervals appear to lead to falsely nonreactive tests. Methods to alter fetal behavioral states have not been uniformly successful. A retrospective analysis of the adjunctive use of acoustic stimulation at our institution demonstrated a 50% reduction in the number of nonreactive tests. Consequently a prospective randomized clinical trial was undertaken to compare the standard nonstress test with the fetal acoustic stimulation test. Those patients randomized to the fetal acoustic stimulation test underwent transabdominal acoustic stimulation with a Model 5C electronic artificial larynx. The incidence of nonreactive tests was 14% in the control group and 9% in the study group (chi 2 = 11.09, p = 0.004). A significant reduction in testing time was also observed. The fetal acoustic stimulation test offers advantages over the traditional nonstress test by lowering the incidence of nonreactive tests and reducing testing time.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed1992

A controlled trial of self-nonstress test versus assisted nonstress test in the evaluation of fetal well-being.

OBJECTIVE: New portable devices have become available for home monitoring of fetal heart rates; these devices have the potential to immediately transmit these tracings to a medical facility. The null hypothesis of this study is the inability of mothers to perform their own nonstress tests (self-nonstress tests) and that such tests are not comparable to those performed by professional medical personnel (assisted nonstress tests). STUDY DESIGN: The feasibility of maternal self-testing was established in 50 high-risk patients followed by a controlled clinical trial conducted in 60 patients. The latter study represents the first controlled trial in which patients performed self-nonstress tests at their homes and transmitted the tracings via telecommunication to our perinatal unit. In all cases these patients came to our hospital within 60 minutes after the self-nonstress tests to have a perinatal nurse perform a second nonstress test. The pairs of self and assisted fetal heart rate tracings were independently reviewed by two investigators. RESULTS: The self and assisted tracing pairs were judged satisfactory for interpretation in 100% and 90%, respectively; self and assisted were interpreted by each examiner to be nonreactive in 20% and 14%, respectively. However, both examiners were unable to distinguish between tracings generated by assisted nonstress and self-nonstress tests. Furthermore, cost analysis revealed an estimated twofold savings with self-nonstress testing compared with the assisted nonstress test. CONCLUSION: Self-nonstress testing is a reliable and accurate method of antepartum fetal heart rate testing. This method of fetal assessment not only introduces a new approach to fetal surveillance with added convenience to patients, but may also significantly reduce medical cost without compromising the results of fetal testing.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗

PubMed2004

A new weight-bearing meniscal test and a comparison with McMurray's test and joint line tenderness.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe a new weight-bearing McMurray's test (Ege's test) and to compare its diagnostic value with McMurray's test and joint line tenderness (JLT). We also aimed to determine if associated lesions had any effect on the diagnostic values of the 3 tests. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective controlled trial, clinical study. METHODS: The study group consisted of 150 consecutive patients who had had symptoms related to intra-articular knee pathology, and arthroscopic diagnoses were used as the gold standard. RESULTS: There were a total of 211 diagnoses on arthroscopy. A meniscus tear was found in 127 of the 150 patients; 90 had medial, 28 had lateral, and 9 had tears of both menisci. There were no statistically significant differences between the 3 tests in detecting a meniscal tear ( P > .05). However, better accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity rates were obtained with Ege's test for medial meniscal lesions (71%, 67%, and 81%, respectively). JLT also gave superior accuracy rates (71%), but the specificity of Ege's test was apparently higher than JLT (81% v 44%). The highest positive predictive value was also obtained with Ege's test (86%), whereas a superior negative predictive value was obtained with JLT (67%) in medial meniscal tears. Lateral meniscal tears were diagnosed more accurately than medial meniscal tears, and Ege's test gave results superior to the others (84%, 64%, 90% for accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, respectively). Higher positive predictive values were obtained with McMurray's and Ege's tests than with JLT, but similar negative predictive values were achieved in all. A torn anterior cruciate ligament did not decrease the diagnostic values of the 3 tests, whereas the number of associated lesions in the knee negatively affected the diagnostic capabilities of the tests. CONCLUSIONS: Accuracies of traditional clinical meniscus tests may be improved by including Ege's test in the clinical examination. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, diagnostic.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Breast stimulation test and oxytocin challenge test in fetal surveillance: a prospective randomized study.

Fifty healthy gravidas with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies at a gestational age of 35 to 42 weeks were assigned at random for the performance of either a breast stimulation test or an oxytocin challenge test after a nonreactive nonstress test. A satisfactory contraction stress test was achieved in 21 of 25 women in the breast stimulation test group and in 24 of 25 women in the oxytocin challenge test group (nonsignificant difference). Significant differences were found in the cumulative rate of achieved contraction stress tests: in the breast stimulation test group 17 of 21 after 20 minutes and 21 of 21 at 50 minutes whereas in the oxytocin challenge test group only four of 24 at 20 minutes, eight of 24 at 50 minutes, and 21 of 24 at 150 minutes. The mean duration for the achievement of a contraction stress test was 20.9 +/- 11.5 minutes for the breast stimulation test group and 81.3 +/- 48.4 minutes in the oxytocin challenge test group. Uterine hyperstimulation occurred once in each group. No gravida went into labor within 24 hours. Breast stimulation test is a satisfactory alternative to the oxytocin challenge test, is less time-consuming, and is simpler to perform.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Predicting end-of-test semen quality in bulls prior to performance testing.

The first objective of this study was to determine if serum concentrations of specific hormones (testosterone, progesterone and androstenedione) in bulls at the start of performance testing could predict semen quality at the end-of-test when used in a multivariate model. The second objective was to evaluate other clinical measurements (breed, age, body weight, hip height and scrotal circumference) for predicting end-of-test semen quality. End-of-test semen quality was related to steroid concentrations and several pre-testing measurements, including age, body weight, hip height and scrotal circumference (SC). Combining the 3 steroid concentrations into a predictive test had a sensitivity of 0.6 and specificity of 0.5 at its most accurate point. The repeatability of the test result was extremely low (r(2) = 0.16; P < 0.05). In multivariate analyses, breed and start-of-test SC remained significant predictors of end-of-test semen quality (P < 0.05) while the other variables were nonsignificant (P > 0.1), suggesting that start-of-test SC was the most accurate predictor of end-of-test semen quality. Removing bulls at the start-of-test that had scrotal measurements of less than 20 cm, 24 cm, 28 cm or 32 cm resulted in sensitivities and specificities of 0.19, 0.94; 0.41, 0.81; 0.64, 0.56; and 0.94, 0.12, respectively. No cut-point had both adequate sensitivity and specificity. Because clinical tests were correlated, combining the tests to improve accuracy was not justified.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Trial-to-trial reproducibility and test-retest stability of two dynamic balance tests among male firefighters.

The aim of this study was to evaluate a dynamic stability test and a functional balance test for trial-to-trial reproducibility and stability over time. In the dynamic stability test a subject stood on the force platform and moved his center of pressure through the targets shown on a computer screen. Functional balance was measured by a test in which the subject had to walk as fast as possible across a wooden plank without falling off. Both tests are repeated six times in two testing periods with an interval of two months. The subjects were 29 male firefighters aged 33 - 56 years. According to intraclass correlation coefficients the functional balance test showed good to excellent (0.78 - 0.96) trial-to-trial reproducibility and stability over time, and the results of the dynamic stability test were moderate (0.16 - 0.81). Individual variation in the repeated tests was considerable. However, the limits of agreement in the functional balance test (+/- 2 - 3 s) and in the performance time of the dynamic stability test (+/- 4 - 5 s) would be reasonable for practical use. Furthermore, the test-retest stability improved when the reliability was estimated from the best of at least three repeated trials with the functional balance test and the best of at least five trials with the dynamic stability test.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Low values on 50 gram glucose challenge test or oral 100 gram glucose tolerance test are associated with good perinatal outcome.

We set out to reevaluate the hypothesis that high normal (negative) results of 50 g oral glucose challenge test or high normal glucose level on 100 g oral glucose tolerance test are associated with complications of pregnancy and delivery. This was a prospective study involving 735 nondiabetic women. The first group (n=352) was made up of pregnant women with normal 50 g oral glucose challenge test without previous history of diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes. The second group (n=383) was made up of pregnant women without previous history of diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes with an abnormal 50 g oral glucose challenge test and with normal 100 g oral glucose tolerance test and not more than one previous delivery. In nondiabetic women, we demonstrated a positive correlation between high normal 50 g glucose challenge test values and the incidence of preeclampsia, caesarean section rate, macrosomia, neonatal hyperlipidaemia and minor congenital abnormalities. We failed to confirm any relationship to any pregnancy complication in pregnant women with 2-hour glucose levels in the range 6.7-9.1 mmol/l on the 100 g oral glucose tolerance test. We have demonstrated a positive relationship between the incidence of premature rupture of membranes and 1-hour glucose level, caesarean section rate and maternal 1-hour glucose level or 1-hour glucose level minus fasting glucose level of 4.2 mmol/l, instrumental delivery rate and maternal 3-hour glucose level, incidence of neonatal macrosomia and 1-hour glucose level, and incidence of neonatal hyperlipidaemia and at least one high but normal glucose level on the 100 g oral glucose tolerance test. With regard to pregnancy and delivery complications there were no significant difference if the high normal value is on the 50 g glucose challenge test or on the 100 g oral glucose tolerance test. It is concluded that one high normal 100 g oral glucose tolerance test or high normal 50 g glucose challenge test are associated with adverse pregnancy and delivery outcome. Nondiabetic women with 50 g glucose challenge test value of 6.1 mmol/l and/or 100 g oral glucose tolerance test values of 5 mmol/l have a favourable pregnancy and delivery outcome.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Hemostasis and Thrombosis: Clinical Usefulness of Combined use of Platelet Aggregation Test and Anti PF4-H. Antibodies Elisa test for the Diagnosis of Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia.

Background. Heparin is the most commonly used drug in patients requiring therapeutic anticoagulation. But the use of heparin has serious side effects such as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). The diagnosis of HIT is often difficult. This study was designed to test the diagnosis value of 2 laboratory tests: the platelet aggregation test and the ELISA test (Enzym Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay). Methods and Results. In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of these 2 tests, we prospectively performed both tests in all patients referred to our laboratory with suspected type II HIT, and compared their results with clinical outcome. Plasmas from 60 patients suspected of HIT, were tested for heparin-dependent platelet-reactive antibodies with a platelet agregation test (PAT) and with an ELISA which detects anti heparin platelet factor 4 antibodies (Anti PF4-H Ab). Among the 60 explored patients, the clinical diagnosis of HIT was confirmed in 27 patients by clinical criteria. In 16 of these 27 patients, PAT and anti PF4-H. Ab were both positive, and in the 11 other patients, one of the 2 tests was negative. In 29 of the 33 patients with no clinical HIT, PAT and anti PF4-H. Ab were both negative, in the 4 remaining patients, one of the 2 tests was positive. Conclusion. For 75% of patients, biological results were concordant with the final clinical diagnosis. The combination of both tests is more reliable than the use of a single test; in the present series, all patients with positive results on both tests had clinically confirmed HIT, and all patients with negative results on both tests had not clinically confirmed HIT.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1995

Development of a new qualitative test for fit testing respirators.

A new qualitative fit test was developed using Bitrex (Macfarland Smith Limited) as the test agent. It was validated by running a series of paired qualitative and quantitative fit tests. Quantitative tests were conducted with a small corn oil aerosol, using a condensation nucleus counter as a detector. Qualitative fit tests were run with Bitrex and saccharin, following the established protocol for the saccharin fit test. Four models of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health--approved replaceable filter respirators were used in the study. All were half mask models equipped with high efficiency filters. In some cases, respirators expected to be the correct size for test subjects were tested. In other cases, respirators expected to be too small or too large for the subjects were tested. Test results were analyzed using fit test method validation criteria recommended in the American National Standards Institute draft standard on fit testing (ANSIZ88.10). The Bitrex and saccharin tests were found to have virtually identical performance. Both met proposed American National Standards Institute requirements for a valid qualitative fit test.

Female↗

PubMed2005

Effect of oestrous-cycle stage on the response of mares in a novel object test and isolation test.

In various species, sex, hormonal treatments and oestrous-cycle stage have been shown to affect the animal's response in behavioural tests. Few such studies have been performed in the horse. The main aim of the present study was to investigate whether oestrous-cycle stage affects mares' response to a novel object test and isolation test and, in part, to study whether mares, assumed to suffer from oestrous-related behavioural problems, respond differently in these tests when compared with controls. Twelve mares were tested twice, in oestrus and dioestrus, in a crossover design. Seven behavioural and two heart rate variables were measured for the novel object test and two heart rate variables for the isolation test. Oestrous-cycle stage and whether a mare was classified as a 'problem' mare did not affect the mare's response. However, test order, i.e. the cycle stage a mare was tested in first, affected its reaction. This effect could partly be explained by significant differences between test occasions 1 and 2 in three behavioural variables and one heart rate variable (p < 0.05) in the novel object test. The mares explored the novel object more and had a higher mean heart rate in the first test. Exploring the novel object more could largely be attributed to those mares tested in dioestrus first, perhaps indicating that the mares in oestrus were less receptive to the novel object. The reason for the differences between test occasions could be an effect of learning or habituation.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Psychological impact of human papillomavirus testing in women with borderline or mildly dyskaryotic cervical smear test results: cross sectional questionnaire study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the psychological impact on women of being tested for human papillomavirus (HPV) when smear test results are borderline or mildly dyskaryotic. DESIGN: Cross sectional questionnaire study. SETTING: Two centres participating in an English pilot study of HPV testing in women with borderline or mildly dyskaryotic smear test results. PARTICIPANTS: Women receiving borderline or mildly dyskaryotic smear test results tested for HPV and found to be HPV positive (n = 536) or HPV negative (n = 331); and women not tested for HPV with borderline or mildly dyskaryotic smear results (n = 143) or normal smear results (n = 366). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: State anxiety, distress, and concern about test result, assessed within four weeks of receipt of results. RESULTS: Women with borderline or mildly dyskaryotic smear results who were HPV positive were more anxious, distressed, and concerned than the other three groups. Three variables independently predicted anxiety in HPV positive women: younger age (beta = -0.11, P = 0.03), higher perceived risk of cervical cancer (beta = 0.17, P < 0.001), and reporting that they did not understand the meaning of test results (beta = 0.17, P = 0.001). Testing HPV negative was not reassuring: among women with abnormal smear test results, those who were HPV negative were no less anxious than those who were not tested for HPV. CONCLUSIONS: Informing women more effectively about the meaning of borderline or mildly dyskaryotic smear test results and HPV status, in particular about the absolute risks of cervical cancer and the prevalence of HPV infection, may avoid some anxiety for those who are HPV positive while achieving some reassurance for those who test HPV negative.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Clinical relevance of testing for antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) with a standard indirect immunofluorescence ANCA test in patients with upper or lower respiratory tract symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Reports from specialist nephrological centres have suggested that the antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA) test is highly specific and sensitive for patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. To determine the usefulness of the ANCA test in everyday respiratory practice the results of the test were audited in all patients in the south west of England with respiratory symptoms who underwent the test. METHODS: The results of all 335 patients who had presented with upper or lower respiratory tracts symptoms, or both, and were tested for ANCA by the indirect ANCA test in 1990, as recommended in the broadsheet of the British Association of Clinical Pathologists, were audited. Case notes and necropsy reports were available for review in 231 cases (69%), and in the remainder information was obtained by a standard questionnaire. RESULTS: There were 106 positive results, 45 (44%) from patients with Wegener's granulomatosis. The sensitivity and specificity of a positive ANCA test result in this study were 65% and 77% respectively. For a diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis the sensitivity and positive predictive accuracy of a positive cytoplasmic ANCA (c-ANCA) test were greater than of a positive perinuclear ANCA (p-ANCA) test. There were 61 positive tests in 266 patients who did not have Wegener's granulomatosis (23%); of these 27 were from patients with infection, 10 with fibrotic lung disease, nine with underlying connective tissue disease, seven with malignancy, and five following pulmonary emboli. Most of these positive ANCA results were p-ANCA (69%) rather than c-ANCA (31%). Serial ANCA requests were made in 15 cases of patients without Wegener's granulomatosis who had an initial positive ANCA test result. In all cases the ANCA tests subsequently became negative. CONCLUSIONS: In this study the sensitivity and specificity of a positive ANCA test result were less than that reported from specialised centres. However, the test was found to be useful in clinical practice, especially c-ANCA, in conjunction with clinical symptoms of respiratory pathology and evidence of renal disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

A scientific and animal welfare assessment of the OECD Health Effects Test Guidelines for the safety testing of chemicals under the European Union REACH system.

We have assessed each of the OECD Health Effects Test Guidelines (TGs) that were included in an annex to the Internet consultation issued by the European Commission relating to the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) legislation for the testing of new and existing chemical substances. Each guideline has been analysed with respect to its design and its scientific and animal welfare implications, the extent to which it makes use of modern techniques, and its suitability to be used in the REACH system for the testing of large numbers of chemicals. The scientific basis of the test and its justification are considered, as well as the numbers of animals required, and the potential adverse effects on them. The prospects and possibilities for applying the Three Rs (reduction, refinement and replacement) to each of the TGs are also discussed. We have proposed an overall testing strategy for how these TGs and other methods could best be deployed for chemicals testing, should it be necessary to fill data gaps. Certain TGs have been omitted from the strategy, when we have considered them to be unnecessary for chemicals testing. A series of recommendations has been made for improving the TGs with regard to both their scientific content and ways in which they could be better designed in relation to optimising the use of the animals concerned, and minimising adverse welfare consequences to them. Our investigations show that there is an urgent need to update the TGs to reflect modern techniques and methods, and to use current approaches for applying refinement strategies to improve the scientific and animal welfare aspects of the procedures used. Improvements can and should be made in all aspects of toxicity testing, from sample preparation, and animal housing, care and feeding, to dose formulation, test material administration, and the histopathological and clinical analysis of tissue samples. Opportunities for streamlining individual assays are very limited, but testing could be made more efficient by: a) only undertaking studies that provide relevant data; b) making greater use of screens and preliminary testing; c) applying some tests simultaneously to the same animals; d) using one sex; and e) eliminating redundant tests. In conclusion, it is clear that, as they stand, the OECD Health Effects TGs are unsuitable for use in the European Union REACH system, for which potentially very large numbers of laboratory animals will be needed for the testing of a very large number of chemicals.

Animal Welfare↗

PubMed2001

Hip abduction-adduction strength and one-leg hop tests: test-retest reliability and relationship to function in elite ice hockey players.

STUDY DESIGN: Single group, test-retest. OBJECTIVES: To determine: (1) hip abduction and adduction torques during concentric and eccentric muscle actions, (2) medial and lateral one-leg hop distances, (3) the test-retest reliability of these measurements, and (4) the relationship between isokinetic measures of hip muscle strength and hop distances in elite ice hockey players. BACKGROUND: The skating motion used in ice hockey requires strong contractions of the hip and knee musculature. However, baseline scores for hip strength and hop distances, their test-retest reliability, and measures of the extent to which these tests are related for this population are not available. METHODS AND MEASURES: The dominant leg of 27 men (mean age 20 +/- 3 yrs) was tested on 2 occasions. Hip abduction and adduction movements were completed at 60 degrees.s(-1) angular velocity, with the subject lying on the non-test side and the test leg moving vertically in the subject's coronal plane. One-leg hops requiring jumping from and landing on the same leg without losing balance were completed in the medial and lateral directions. RESULTS: Hip adduction torques were significantly greater than abduction torques during both concentric and eccentric muscle actions, while no significant difference was observed between medial and lateral hop distances. Although hop test scores produced excellent ICCs (> 0.75) when determined using scores on 1 occasion, torques needed to be averaged over 2 test occasions to reach this level. Correlations between the strength and hop tests ranged from slight to low (r = -0.26 to 0.27) and were characterized by wide 95% confidence intervals (-0.54 to 0.61). CONCLUSIONS: Isokinetic tests of hip abduction and adduction did not provide a strong indication of performance during sideways hop tests. Although isokinetic tests can provide a measure of muscular strength under specific test conditions, they should not be relied upon as a primary indicator of functional abilities or readiness to return to activity.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

24-hour home pad weighing test versus 1-hour ward test in the assessment of mild stress incontinence.

Twenty-three normal volunteers and 31 women admitted for stress or mixed incontinence underwent two 24-hour home pad weighing tests. In the patients the test result was compared with the result obtained with the 1-hour ward pad weighing test. Median pad weight gain was 4 g/24-h, with an upper 99% limit of 8 g/24 h in normal women. The median urine loss was 17 g/24-h in the patients. Eighteen (58%) patients were classified as incontinent according to the result of the 1-h ward test, versus 28 (90%) according to the result of the 24-h home test. There was no significant correlation between the result of the 1-h test and the 24-h test. In the patients, test-retest analysis showed a significant variation in the result of the 24-h test. It is concluded that the better of two 24-h home tests is more sensitive for confirmation incontinence than is one 1-h ward test. Consequently, the 24-h home test is of practical use as a screening test for incontinence. The reproducibility of the test, however, seems insufficiently satisfactory to allow of its use in comparative scientific studies.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Comparison of test interval and best prediction methods for estimation of lactation yield from monthly, a.m.-p.m., and trimonthly testing.

A method with best prediction properties that condenses information from all test days into measures of lactation yield and persistency has been proposed as a possible replacement for the test interval method and projection factors. The proposed method uses previously established correlations between individual test days and includes inversion of a matrix for each lactation. Milk weights that were representative of monthly, a.m.-p.m., and trimonthly test plans were examined to compare the accuracy of best prediction and test interval methods for estimating lactation yield. Individual milk weights or daily yields of 658 Canadian cows in 17 herds were selected to correspond to test intervals for 100,000 US cows. For a.m.-p.m. testing, the initial milk weight that was credited was selected randomly from the a.m. or p.m. milking and was alternated thereafter. Trimonthly credits were from one of the first three designated test day weights, selected randomly, and each third designated test weight thereafter. Correlations between 305-d actual lactation yield and lactation estimates by the test interval method were 0.97, 0.96, and 0.93 for monthly, a.m.-p.m., and trimonthly testing, respectively. Corresponding correlations for the best prediction method were 0.97, 0.97, and 0.93. Standard deviations of differences between estimated and 305-d actual yields for monthly, a.m.-p.m., and trimonthly testing were 373, 400, and 546 kg, respectively, for best prediction regressed on herd mean, which was a reduction in estimation error of 4, 6, and 10% over the test interval method. The advantage of best prediction was moderate if two milk weights were recorded monthly and was larger if testing was less frequent. Advantages also were found for fat and protein yields estimated by multitrait best prediction for records with reduced component sampling.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

[Comparison Of Agar-Gel Diffusion Tests, Counterimmunoelectrophoresis And Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay In The Sera Of Skin Test Positives For Paragonimiasis]

Agar-gel diffusion test (AGD), counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were examined with the sera of skin test positives for paragonimiasis. The crude antigen(Paragonimus whole worm extracts: protein concentration, 7.56mg/ml) and human sera were used in AGD and CIEP. And in ELISA test, diluted antigen with 1:40,000 of crude antigen and diluted sera with 1:100, 1:200 were used in the test. The positive identical ratio between AGD and CIEP reactions is 98 % and negative identical ratio is 100 %. One or three precipitin bands are observed in AGD. One to seven precipitin bands are also revealed in CIEP. Especially, deeply stained bands are observed in CIEP than those of AGD. The positive identical ratios between AGD and ELISA tests are 96 % in 1:100 diluted sera, and 94 % in 1:200 diluted sera. But the negative identical ratios between AGD and ELISA tests are 97 % and 99 % respectively in 1:100 and 1:200 diluted sera. The positive identical ratios between CIEP and ELISA tests are 98 % and 96 % respectively in 1:100 and 1:200 diluted sera, but also 97 % and 99 % in 1:100 and 1:200. Control sera, such as clonorchiasis, amoebiasis and toxoplasmosis, revealed all negatives with Paragonimus antigen in AGD, CIEP and ELISA tests. By above results, ELISA was most sensitive, next CIEP and AGD. But AGD test appears to be more useful when used to crude antigen without cross reaction with other parasitic infections. CIEP test is basically equal in terms of precipitin reaction, but CIEP is able to be detected more sensitively and rapidly though less simple in handiwork than AGD. Consequently, three methods for immunological tests of paragonimiasis have good correlations with one another. Also, each of these has both merits and demerits in immunological test for paragonimiasis. But the ELISA test was proved to be the most sensitive and convenient tool for mass screening test, especially in case of using purified antigen.

Journal Article↗