Evaluation of Three Automated Nontreponemal Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) Tests for the Laboratory Diagnosis of Syphilis.

Automated nontreponemal rapid plasma reagin (RPR) tests were recently introduced in the United States for syphilis testing and limited performance data are available. In collaboration with the Association of Public Health Laboratories, three public health laboratories (PHL) were chosen through a competitive selection process to evaluate the performance of three FDA-cleared automated RPR test systems: BioPlex 2200 Syphilis Total & RPR assay (Bio-Rad Laboratories), AIX 1000 (Gold Standard Diagnostics), and ASI Evolution (Arlington Scientific). Panels prepared at the CDC included: a qualitative panel comprised of 734 syphilis reactive/nonreactive sera; a quantitative panel of 50 syphilis reactive sera (RPR titer 1:64 to 1:1,024); and a reproducibility panel of 15 nonreactive and reactive sera (RPR titer 1:1 to 1:64). Panels were shipped frozen to the PHL and tested on the automated RPR systems following manufacturers' instructions. Prior test results were blinded to all laboratories. When compared to manual RPR (Arlington Scientific) performed at the CDC as a reference test, the qualitative panel results demonstrated an overall concordance of 95.9% for AIX 1000, 94.6% for ASI Evolution, and 92.6% for Bioplex RPR; quantitative panel showed within range titer of 2-fold for 94% of specimens for AIX 1000, 68% for ASI Evolution, and 64% for BioPlex RPR, and the reproducibility testing panel demonstrated point estimates ranging from 69 to 95%. Automated RPR instruments could reduce turnaround time and minimize interpretation errors. However, additional evaluations with more specimens could assist laboratories with implementing automated RPR tests and understanding their limitations.

Assumptions and beliefs, dieting, and predictors of eating disorder-related symptoms in young women and young men.

Differences between assumptions and beliefs related to eating disorders were investigated in young women and young men, with and without a history of dieting. The unique predictive power of these assumptions and beliefs was also assessed, compared to generic assumptions and beliefs. Both women and men with a history of dieting scored more highly than those who had never dieted on assumptions related to weight, shape, and eating, but did not differ from this group in negative self-beliefs. Assumptions and beliefs related to eating disorders, as well as female gender, but not body mass index (BMI), history of dieting, or generic assumptions and beliefs, predicted eating disorder-related symptoms. The findings add to knowledge about the relationship between assumptions and beliefs, gender, dieting, and eating disorder-related symptoms. They also support the usefulness of the Eating Disorder Belief Questionnaire (EDBQ), a new measure of eating disorder-specific assumptions and beliefs.