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).

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.