血清孕酮、beta-HCG及CA125 水平在宫外孕诊断中的临床应用

目的：探讨血清孕酮、人绒毛膜促性腺激素（HCG）及癌抗原125（CA125）水平在宫外孕诊断中的临床应用价值。方法：选择 我院妇产科收治的61 例宫外孕患者作为观察组,同期选择正常早孕孕妇35例作为对照组,检测并对比两组血清孕酮、beta-HCG 48 h 内增长率及CA125 水平,研究三项指标分别检测和联合检测对宫外孕诊断的特异性、敏感性。结果：观察组血清孕酮、beta-HCG 48 h增长率及CA125 检测水平均显著低于对照组,比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;单独应用时CA125 对于宫外孕具有较高的 特异性,而茁-HCG 48 h 内增长率具有较高的敏感性,三项指标联合检测特异性及敏感性均显著优于单一指标,比较差异具有统 计学意义（P<0.05）。结论：血清孕酮、beta-HCG及CA125 指标水平的分别检测或联合检测,对宫外孕的诊断均有一定的临床价值, 而三项指标的联合检测显著优于单一指标。     

Urinary steroid evaluations to monitor ovarian function in exotic ungulates: X. Pregnancy diagnosis in Perissodactyla

Enzymeimmunoassays (EIAs) for estrone conjugates (EC), pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PDG), and C-19 and C-21 progesterone metabolites (C-19/C-21) were used to analyze urine samples from four nondomestic equid species, four tapir species, and two rhinoceros species in an attempt to identify if these assays could be used for diagnosing and monitoring pregnancy. The same urine samples were also analyzed for the presence of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) activity, using a field dipstick test and a radioimmunoassay (RIA). The EC EIA was validated for three equid species and the Malayan tapir. Neither the PDG nor the C-19/C-21 EIAs were validated in any species evaluated. In equid species, the EC EIA demonstrated a specificity (the percentage of nonpregnant samples identified correctly) of 100% and a sensitivity (the percentage of pregnant samples identified correctly) of ≥ 88%. With the exception of the Grevy's zebra, the C-19/C-21 EIA showed a similar accuracy in identifying pregnant and nonpregnant equids. The PDG EIA was not sufficiently accurate to merit its use in equids or tapirs for pregnancy diagnosis. From the data collected, it appears analysis of a single urine by both the EC EIA and the C-19/C-21 EIA would be the best method of pregnancy detection during the last 2 trimesters of gestation, in equid species. In tapirs, the C-19/C-21 EIA was slightly more accurate for pregnancy diagnosis than the EC EIA. The C-19/C-21 EIA had a specificity of 93%, but a sensitivity of only 73% in tapir species. None of the EIAs evaluated demonstrated a sufficient specificity or sensitivity to be useful, as presently performed, for pregnancy diagnosis from a single sample in the black rhinoceros. The eCG dipstick used in this study did not prove a sufficiently reliable test for routine pregnancy in nondomestic equids. The eCG RIA results in the Przewalski's horses and the Hartman's mountain zebra were positive early in gestation, and indicate that gonadotropin analysis may be useful for pregnancy detection in these species. Only very low amounts of eCG activity was measured by the eCG RIA in the tapir and rhinoceros urine samples. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Early pregnancy diagnosis in sheep by progesterone and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein tests

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of the progesterone (P4) and pregnancy associated glycoprotein (PAG) tests for determination of early pregnancy in sheep. Estrus was synchronized in 182 Awassi x Merino ewes and blood samples were collected at Days 0 (day of the insemination), 18, 22, 29, 36, and 50 after artificial insemination (AI). Plasma P4 concentrations at Days 0 and 18 were determined by double antibody radioimmunoassay, while PAG concentrations at Days 22, 29, 36 and 50 were determined by a heterologous, double-antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) using the bovine PAG 67 kDa subunit as tracer and standard and rabbit antiserum raised against a mixture of caprine 55 and 59 kDa PAG subunits as the first antibody. The discriminatory value for diagnosis of pregnancy by the P4 and the PAG-RIA tests was > or = 1 ng/ml. Based on lambing data, the accuracy for diagnosing pregnant (sensitivity) and non-pregnant ewes (specificity) and predictivity of both tests were calculated. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for P4 and PAG tests were 100, 95.4, 81.6, and 100% at Day 18 (P4) and 93.5, 100, 100 and 98.7% at Day 22 (PAG), respectively. For diagnosis of non-pregnant ewes the PAG test had significantly higher specificity than the P4 test (P < 0.05). It is concluded that ovine pregnancy can be reliably diagnosed at Day 22 after AI by using a heterologous radioimmunoassay of PAG.     

Revision of the positive predictive value of IgM anti-Toxoplasma antibodies as an index of recent infection

The severity of congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection underlines the need for a precise diagnosis of acute infection during pregnancy. The search for specific IgM has been widely used for this purpose, but their possible early disappearance or persistence over time limits their meaning. In order to estimate the positive predictive value of anti-Toxoplasma IgM testing, we made an epidemiological analysis of the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM using ELISA in 4786 subjects attending the Hospital of Legnano in 2004-2005: 1360 seen for a clinical check-up and 3426 pregnant women for serological screening. In relation to IgG avidity, the positive predictive value of IgM was 45.98% (95% CI: 35.51-56.45) as a whole: this increased to 83.87% (95% CI: 70.92-96.82) in the patients with a highly positive test for IgM, but decreased to 9.52% (95% CI: 0.00-22.07) in pregnant women with a weakly positive test for IgM. Our results indicate that a highly positive IgM value in patients can be a good index of recent infection, but its poor predictive value in pregnant women underlines the need for additional tests with a follow-up if necessary.     

The use of real-time ultrasound rectally for early pregnancy diagnosis in sheep

Three groups of ewes (n=64) were tested for pregnancy using a real-time ultrasound system rectally, beginning at Day 25 after breeding. The ewes were examined while standing, using a 5 mH(3) transducer designed for equine rectal use. Each examination required less than one minute and produced no apparent distress. The results of the test compare favorably with other methods of early pregnancy detection with a predictive value of a positive test of 97%, a predictive value of a negative test of 80% and an accuracy of 91%.     

Detection of pregnancy in sheep by radioimmunoassay of sera for pregnancy-specific protein B

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for bovine pregnancy-specific protein B (bPSPB) has been shown to be a reliable test for pregnancy in cows. Pregnant ewes have a blood antigen that cross-reacts in this RIA. Two studies were conducted to determine the accuracy of detection of pregnancy in sheep using the bPSPB RIA. In Study 1, 33 ewe lambs were bred over a 70-d period in late fall. At 26, 56, and 83 d after the end of the breeding period, blood samples were collected for assay in the bPSPB RIA, and the Pregmatic 3 ultrasonic device was used to detect pregnancy. Pregmatic 3 detected pregnancy in 14, 27 and 28 ewes and nonpregnancy in 19, 6 and 3 ewes at Days 26, 56 and 83 past the breeding period, respectively. The bPSPB assay detected pregnancy in 32, 31 and 30 ewes and nonpregnancy in 1, 2 and 2 ewes at Days 26, 56 and 83 past breeding, respectively, Thirty ewes lambed and three did not. In Study 2, 180 multiparous ewes were bred over a 60-d period in summer. At 35 d after the end of the breeding period, blood samples were collected for assay in the RIA, and a real-time ultrasonic scan was done to detect pregnancy. Real-time ultrasonic testing detected pregnancy in 163 ewes and nonpregnancy in 17 ewes; whereas, the RIA detected pregnancy in 161 ewes and nonpregnancy in 19 ewes. One hundred fifty-nine ewes lambed and 21 did not. The bPSPB RIA detected pregnancy earlier and more accurately than the Pregmatic 3 ultrasonic device and was equally as accurate as the real-time scanning instrument. These studies demonstrate an accurate serological test for a pregnancy-specific antigen in sheep.     

Isolated symplasts and stromal syncytial buds of the normal human placenta at 6 to 14 weeks of pregnancy

Formation of isolated symplasts (IS) ("deported trophoblast", according to English nomenclature) and stromal syncytial buds (SSB) has been studied in 10 normal patients at pregnancy of 6-14 weeks by means of the indirect immunoperoxidase method. Monoclonal antibodies against beta-subunit of the human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG), serial paraffin slices, stained with hematoxylin-eosin, semithin slices, stained with toluidin blue-pyronine and scanning electron microscopy have been used. A great amount of syncytiotrophoblastic processes and IS, analogous by their structure to syncytiotrophoblast are revealed. Presence of beta-HCG in the syncytiotrophoblast and its absence in the cytotrophoblast are proved. Concentration of beta-HCG in the IS is higher than in the syncytiotrophoblast of the villi. Maximal concentration of beta-HCG in the SSB is described for the first time. The functional role of the IS and SSB is discussed in the system mother-placenta-fetus.     

Early pregnancy diagnosis in goats by determination of pregnancy-associated glycoprotein concentrations in plasma samples

Different RIA systems available for measuring the concentrations of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) in dairy goats were compared in order to evaluate their accuracy in early pregnancy diagnosis. Plasma concentrations of PAGs were determined by 3 heterologous RIA systems with a bovine PAG standard and tracer in combination with antisera anti-ovine PAG (RIA 1), anti-caprine PAG55 + 62 (RIA 2), anti-caprine PAG55 + 59 (RIA 3), and by 2 homologous RIA systems that employed caprine PAG55 + 62 and caprine PAG55 + 59 and their specific antisera (RIAs 4 and 5, respectively). In all of the RIAs, the mean concentrations of PAGs were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in pregnant than in nonpregnant goats from Day 21 onwards after breeding. On Day 21, the accuracy rates of early pregnancy diagnoses were 56% (RIA 1), 96% (RIA 2), 99% (RIA 3), 95% (RIA 4) and 90% (RIA 5), whereas on Day 28 these rates were > 99% for RIAs 2, 3, 4 and 5. The RIAs for PAGs depend on proteins from the placenta being present in maternal plasma and require only a single sample of blood, to distinguish pregnant goats from those that fail to return to estrus for other reasons. The homologous and semi-heterologous assays are highly accurate as early as Day 21 of pregnancy.     

Accuracy of pregnancy specific protein-B test for early pregnancy diagnosis in dairy cattle

The objective was to evaluate the accuracy of an ELISA for pregnancy specific protein B (PSP-B) for early pregnancy diagnosis in dairy cattle. Blood from lactating (>100 d postpartum) dairy cows (n = 738), was collected on Days 28, 30, and 35 (Day 0 = estrus), analyzed with an ELISA for PSP-B, and the cows designated as pregnant, probable, unlikely, or non-pregnant. Immediately after blood collection, transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) was done for pregnancy diagnosis, and the results used as a criterion standard test for comparison with PSP-B. At Day 28, 46.3% were diagnosed by TRUS as pregnant. The PSP-B sensitivity was 93.9% on Day 28 and similar on Days 30 and 35. The PSP-B specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were all >94% on Day 28 and similar on Days 30 and 35. However, the accuracy was significantly less compared to TRUS (P < 0.01). The percentage of all samples from cows that were probably pregnant or unlikely to be pregnant was 5.6%. At Days 28, 30, and 35, percentages of uncertain samples were 8.5, 4.8, and 3.3%, respectively (P < 0.01), and Kappa values were 0.92, 0.92, and 0.95. False negative and false positive results were attributed to low concentrations of PSP-B in pregnant animals and to persistence of pregnant concentrations of PSP-B in females with pregnancy loss, respectively. In conclusion, PSP-B ELISA was a sensitive, specific, and accurate test for pregnancy diagnosis (relative to TRUS) at Days 28, 30, and 35 after breeding.     

Abnormal relaxin secretion during pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes

To test the hypothesis that relaxin may play a role in the fetal abnormalities associated with pregnancy in type 1 diabetic women, we previously compared gestational relaxin concentrations in diabetic and clinically normal women using a porcine relaxin radioimmunoassay (RIA): Serum immunoactive relaxin was significantly (P < 0.001) elevated in the diabetic women. To confirm and extend this work in a larger group of subjects, we have now used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific for human H2 relaxin (the normal human gene product) to determine immunoactive serum relaxin concentrations in serial samples from 61 Type 1 diabetic and 21 normal pregnant women. Samples from 22 of the diabetic and nine of the normal women were also directly compared in the porcine relaxin RIA. ELISA-determined serum relaxin was higher (P < 0.001) at 24 and 36 weeks of pregnancy in type 1 diabetic women than in controls, confirming previous findings. However, the geometric mean increase in immunoactive relaxin concentration in identical samples from pregnant diabetic women over that of controls was significantly greater with the RIA than with the ELISA (271% vs 44%; P < 0.001). To investigate this discrepancy, the specificity and epitope selectivity of the RIA and the ELISA were compared using several synthetic polypeptides, including human relaxins H1 and H2, and relaxin and insulin derivatives. Both assays showed great specificity, but the porcine RIA selectively identified the epitopes of the receptor-binding domain of the relaxin B chain and cross-reacted strongly with H1 and H2 relaxins. In contrast, only the H2 peptide was detected by the ELISA antiserum. Therefore, the marked discrepancy between the RIA and the ELISA could be due to the presence in the diabetic samples of another relaxin-like molecule in addition to the normal H2 relaxin. The biological consequences of elevated serum relaxin in diabetic pregnancy remain to be elucidated.     

Evaluation of an on-farm blood progesterone test for predicting the day of parturition in cattle

An on-farm blood progesterone enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) was evaluated as a diagnostic test to predict the time of calving within a 24-hour period in near-term dairy cows. Blood samples were taken daily from 45 cows beginning 5 days prior to their expected due dates until calving, and plasma was stored at -20 degrees C until all cows had calved. The EIA test was performed on frozen-thawed plasma samples, and progesterone concentrations were determined to be low (positive test for calving within 24 hours) or high (negative test for calving within 24 hours). Sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of the EIA to accurately determine parturition within 24 hours were 86.7, 90.8 and 75.0%, respectively. The EIA correctly predicted the day of parturition in 168 of 187 (89.8%) plasma samples. Ten additional cows were similarly monitored except the EIA was performed on whole blood immediately after collection, and the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of the test were 80.0, 97.6 and 88.9%, respectively. The day of parturition was correctly predicted in 49 of 52 (94.2%) whole blood samples. More than 95% of the cows calved within 24 hours when their plasma progesterone reached < 1.3 ng/ml. When results of the EIA were compared with those of a radioimmunoassay (RIA), the EIA findings were used to correctly classify 190 of 232 (81.9%) plasma samples as having low (< 2.0 ng/ml) or high (>/= 2.0 ng/ml) concentrations of progesterone. The EIA test was found to be a quick, practical means of estimating progesterone concentrations in bovine plasma or whole blood and was a useful test for predicting the day of parturition in cows.     

Endocrine regulation of the onset of parturition in rats

The endocrine regulation of parturition exhibits several interspecies differences. Among the endocrine parameters considered to be the most important ones from the point of view of the regulation of parturition the concentration of oestrogens (oestradiol, oestriol and oestrone), progesterone, PGF2 alfa and its degradation product PGFM, was determined in both peripheral and uterine venous blood by RIA method in rats starting from the 15th day of pregnancy to the 3rd or 4th day following parturition. In the pregnant rat oestriol could only be detected on the day of parturition (21th day). Concentrations of oestriol and oestradiol were the highest on the day of parturition. An opposite tendency could be observed as far as progesterone concentration was concerned, i.e., the concentration decreased gradually from the 15th day of pregnancy onwards and the lowest value was reached on the day of parturition both in peripheral and uterine venous blood. PGF2 alfa and PGFM concentrations in the uterine vein increased gradually from the 15th day of pregnancy and the highest value could be detected peri partum. Our data, in accordance with those of others support the idea that the hormones investigated are involved in the process of parturition, i.e., characteristic changes of oestrogens, progesterone and prostaglandin levels ensue in the rat prior to parturition.     

Ultrasound diagnostic schema for the determination of increased risk for chromosomal fetal aneuploidies in the first half of pregnancy

The aim of the study was to develop an early ultrasound diagnostic schema for the determination of increased risk for fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. The study was conducted on a population of 1318 pregnant women divided into 2 groups: 1255 women with the normal course of pregnancy and 63 women with diagnosed fetal abnormalities. There were 34 cases of chromosomal abnormalities (trisomy 21, 18, 13; triploidy; unbalanced inversion 9; deletion 16) and 29 cases of structural malformations. The estimation of the range of normal values was performed for the nuchal translucency (NT) measurement between 11 and 13 weeks and the nasal bone length (NB) measurement between 12 and 20 week. The results obtained in the collective set of normal pregnancies constituted the basis for the calculation of the range of normal values. The measurements of NB and NT showed a linear value increase with the pregnancy course. The following test characteristics (correlation to CRL) were recorded: NB - sensitivity 60%, specificity 98%, positive predictive value (PPV+) 43%, negative predictive value (NPV-) 98.9%. For the assumption that the test outcome means the presence or absence of the nasal bone in the ultrasound scan the sensitivity was 40%, but specificity 100%; NT - sensitivity 63.6%, specificity 98.2%, PPV+ 38.9%, NPV - 98.2%; NT + NB - presents similar characteristic to the NB or NT alone - sensitivity 55.6%, specificity 98.6%, PPV+ 50%, NPV - 98.9%. The following test characteristics for chromosomal aberration markers (correlation to BPD) were observed: NB - sensitivity 68.4%, specificity 97.4%, PPV+ 56.5%, NPV - 98.4%; NT - sensitivity 73.9%, specificity 97.9%, PPV+ 54.8%, NPV- 99.2%; NT + NB - sensitivity 94.7%, specificity 98.9%, PPV+ 90%, NPV - 99.7%, respectively. The "genetic sonogram" protocol for the structural defect detection was analysed: sensitivity was 80%, specificity 100%, PPV+ 100%, NPV - 99.7%. It is concluded that the new biometric parameter--nasal bone length (NB) and the corrected one--nuchal translucency thickness (NT) are useful markers for fetal abnormalities, especially for chromosomal aberrations. High predictive values of the diagnostic schema for the detection of aneuploidies and structural defects indicate that its application in correlation with the biparietal diameter (BPD) is highly recommended. The proposed schema is an effective algorithm for prenatal diagnostics characterised by high prognostic values. The possible introduction of the schema could result in a decrease of the invasive procedure rates, which could minimise the rate of miscarriages as a complication of amniocenteses.     

Radioimmunological analysis in studying the persistence of the plague antigen in the body of rodents and ectoparasites in natural foci in Siberia

To study the persistence of Y. pestis capsular antigen, or fraction 1 (F1), in the body of less important plague carriers in the Mountain Altai and Transbaikal natural foci, as well as in experimentally infected ticks, the liquid-phase competitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used for the first time. In this study RIA showed, due to its sensitivity, doubtless advantages over traditional methods, such as the passive hemagglutination (PHA) test and the antibody neutralization (AN) test, and made it possible to detect F1 in picogram amounts. RIA revealed that F1 persisted in Siberian long-tailed gophers for up 14 months after the infection of the animals in diffusion chambers and for 7 months after their infection by subcutaneous injection. Experiments on Daurian pikas confirmed that, in comparison with the PHA and AN tests, RIA ensured fourfold effectiveness in the detection of antigen F1. The study of infected mites revealed that antigen F1 could be retained in them for more than a year and detected by RIA techniques in 10% of cases. The data obtained in this investigation indicate that the persistence of microorganisms should be studied mainly with the use of new-generation tests, and RIA, being one of the most sensitive techniques, deserves wide approval and introduction into the practical work of institutions intended for plague control.     

超声系统筛查在孕早期胎儿中枢神经系统先天畸形诊断的价值分析

目的:探讨超声系统筛查在孕早期胎儿中枢神经系统先天畸形诊断的价值分析。方法:选取2014年3月~2017年4月来我院超声科行孕早期胎儿颈部透明层(Nuchal translucency,NT)筛查的孕妇2084例,胎儿共2135例。采用超声测量胎儿头臀长(Croen rump length,CRL)和颈部透明层(Nuchal translucency,NT)值,通过头胸部正中矢状断面、侧脑室水平横断面、小脑及后颅窝池断面、脊柱长轴断面等4个超声影像标准断面对孕早期胎儿的中枢神经系统解剖结构进行系统检查,统计各组在上述4个超声标准断面的检查显示情况及NT值,同时分析NT值、标准断面显示率与孕龄的关系,统计分析孕早期应用超声影像标准断面检查对中枢神经系统畸形的检出率、诊断敏感度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值。结果:孕早期胎儿采用超声检查,结果显示头胸部正中矢状断面、侧脑室水平横断面、小脑及后颅窝池断面、脊柱长轴断面的超声影像学显示率分别为98.17%、99.44%、98.78%和98.97%,不同孕龄组间超声断面显示率差异对比,x~2检验值分别为0.25、1.65、0.62、0.13,差异无统计学意义(P0.05);孕早期超声诊断胎儿中枢神经系统畸形的敏感度为90.91%,特异度为100%,阳性预测值为100%,阴性预测值为99.48%;正常胎儿的NT值与其孕龄呈正相关(r=0.153)。结论:超声检查对孕早期胎儿中枢神经系统结构畸形的显示率较高,且不受胎儿孕龄影响。     

Serodiagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Antibodies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigenic glycolipids were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The 720 sera were collected from adult patients under investigation, suspected with extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The test performance was estimated according to definitive diagnosis in terms of specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. These parameters calculated on 142 sera from patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis and on 578 sera from patients with different nontuberculosis diseases were 92%, 81.6%, 70.9% and 95.1%, respectively. The specificity decreased to 85% when tuberculosis was associated with cancer or hepatic cirrhosis. In reactivated tuberculosis the sensitivity and the positive predictive value were 86.9% and 83.3%, respectively. Our results showed that ELISA was conclusive for patients with active tuberculosis, before the initiation of the treatment. The sensitivity decreased to 30% in inactive forms. It was demonstrated that ELISA was positive in cases with negative microscopy genitourinary tuberculosis. ELISA could be used as a supporting test in the laboratory diagnosis of active extrapulmonary tuberculosis in adults, disregarding the site involved.     

Urinary eCG patterns in the mare during pregnancy

Blood and urine samples collected from 12 mares at frequent intervals from 25 to 210 d of pregnancy were analyzed for equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). Blood and urine samples were collected daily through two consecutive ovulatory periods from five cyclic mares for comparative purposes. Separate radioimmunoassays (RIA) were developed to detect eCG in the urine and plasma. A simple and quick commercial dipstick enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA), developed for eCG in the blood, was also utilized in this study to detect eCG in the urine. In the 12 pregnant mares, eCG concentrations in both the plasma and urine as detected by RIA rose significantly on Day 40, peaked by Day 60 and slowly dropped to low levels by Day 200. The dipstick ELISA appeared more reliable for eCG in the plasma than in the urine of the five pregnant mares tested. However, on peak days (50 to 60), both the plasma and urine tested positive in all five mares. Similar eCG profiles were observed when urine samples from seven of the mares were assayed in the dipstick ELISA and RIA. The highest percentage of mares (86%) were positive for eCG by ELISA between Days 65 and 85. The highest concentration of eCG in the urine as detected by RIA was observed between Days 55 and 90. ECG-like immunoactivity was not detected by the ELISA in the urine of cyclic mares, but the RIA showed variable patterns with increases in immunoactivity that could not be correlated with physiological events. In summary, eCG in urine follows a similar profile as the eCG in plasma of mares during their first trimester of pregnancy.     

Diagnosis of pregnancy by radioimmunoassay of a pregnancy-specific protein in the plasma of dairy cows

The accuracy and efficiency of progesterone (P4) and bovine pregnancy-specific protein B (bPSPB) radioimmunoassays (RIA) in detecting pregnant and nonpregnant dairy cows were compared at different stages of pregnancy. The study included 145 French Friesian heifers and cows from a single herd. A total of 175 artificial insemination (A.I.) and blood sampling procedures were performed. Animals were bled 24 d post AI for P4 RIA. They were bled at 24, 26, 30 to 35, and 70 +/- 9 after AI for bPSPB RIA. Females were declared nonpregnant when plasma P4 concentrations were lower than 1.5 ng/ml. With the bPSPB RIA, cows were nonpregnant when at least one of the B Bo x 100 replicates was higher than 95% in the RIA. When compared with palpations per rectum at 70 d, the accuracy of positive diagnoses (no. positive and pregnant/no. positive diagnoses) by P4 RIA at Day 24 was 67.2% (82 122 ). The accuracy of negative diagnoses was 98% (52 53 ). Accuracy of positive diagnoses by bPSPB RIA increased with gestation age (P<0.05) from 86.2% (50 58 ) on Day 24 to 98.8% (83 84 ) at time of palpation per rectum. Accuracy of negative diagnoses increased (P< 0.001) from Day 24 (71.8%; 84 117 ) to Days 30 to 35 (100%, 83 83 ). Efficiency in detecting nonpregnant females was much higher (P < 0.001) with the bPSPB RIA on Days 30 to 35 (90.2%; 83 92 ) than with the P4 RIA on Day 24 (56.5%, 52 92 ). It is concluded that 30 days after AI, the bPSPB RIA is an efficient test both for pregnancy prediction and detection of nonpregnant dairy cows.     

The predictive value, sensitivity and specificity of palpation per rectum and transrectal ultrasonography for the determination of bovine luteal status

Luteal status (classifications 1 and 3 = high progesterone levels, 2 and 4 = low progesterone levels) was diagnosed in randomly cyclic Holstein cows, using palpation per rectum and B-mode transrectal ultrasonography, respectively. The results were compared in 2x2 contingency tables with radioimmunoassay (RIA) classifications. Cows with milk progesterone levels of 5.0 ng/ml or higher were classified high and cows with levels below 5.0 ng/ml of progesterone were low. The predictive value, sensitivity and specificity results were 1) 88.2, 68.2 and 88.9% for Classification 1; 69.6, 88.9 and 68.2 for Classification 2; 90.9, 83.3 and 87.5 for Classification 3; and 77.8, 87.5 and 83.3 for Classification 4. Within each test, the diagnosis of high progesterone status was more accurate than of low status. The types of errors are discussed. A correlation coefficient of 0.68 resulted between RIA progesterone concentration and ultrasonographic luteal diameter. Ultrasonography was a better diagnostic test than palpation per rectum.     

Assessment of luteal function with progesterone enzyme immunoassays in the horse mare

Progesterone (P(4)) concentrations in the horse mare have conventionally been measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). A commercial quantitative, competitive enzymelinked immunoassay (CELISA) has been recently introduced to the horse breeding industry along with a qualitative CELISA. The objectives of this study were to evaluate these two assays for their ability to detect transitional, cyclic, and pregnancy stages as well as early embryonic death in horse mares. The quantitative CELISA demonstrated a significant difference in P(4) levels during estrus and at Day 24 of pregnancy. There was a significant difference in P(4) concentrations in mares at ovulation and at Days 17 to 18 of pregnancy. However, there was no significant difference between pregnant and nonpregnant P(4) values from Day 1 until Day 16 of pregnancy. There was a significant difference in P(4) concentrations at ovulation and at the peak of the luteal phase in nonpregnant mares. There was also a significant difference between mares in the transitional period and Day 16 pregnant mares. The intraassay coefficient of variation was 3.1%, while the interassay coefficient of variation was 6.2%. The qualitative CELISA provided true positive diagnoses of 76.5% of the time, true negatives 67.3% of the time, false positives 4.1% of the time, and false negatives 3.1% of the time. The test sensitivity was 89.3% and its specificity was 95.7%. The CELISA provided 93% valid positive diagnoses of pregnancy on Day 21, 99% on Day 26, and 100% on Day 30. The use of either of these assay systems will provide a useful adjunct to any breeding program that utilizes one or more of the currently accepted diagnostic techniques, including teasing, palpation, and ultrasound. These assays introduce a new, inexpensive method of confirming the reproductive status in the mare.