Estimation of Conformation Score in Relation to Body Measurements Using 3D Scanner in Swamp Buffaloes

The objective of this study was to develop the appropriate equations to estimate the conformation score both in male and female swamp buffaloes using body part measurements from 3D scanner. The buffaloes' conformation was evaluated using 3D scanning technique in 72 males and 78 females at Surin, Uthaithanee, Bangkok, Nakornpanom and Sakaew provinces of Thailand. Height (A), heart girth (B), shoulder width (C), iliac width (D), ischial tuberosity width (E), the length between shoulder and ileal wing (F, G), the length between ileal wing to ischial tuberosity (H, I), the length between shoulder to ischial tuberosity (J1, J2), tail length (K), knee circumference (L), the width measuring between the tip (M), the middle (N) and the base of horns (O), the horn length (P) and the length measured from the base to the tip of the horn on the same site (Q) were measured. The results found that A B, D, E, FG, J1J2, L and P were significantly higher along with age in both males and females. The scores obtained currently between academics and the philosophers were closely correlated in every categories in both male and females buffaloes over four and three years of age, respectively, except for the reproductive organ in females. The coefficient of determination (R2) for score prediction in male buffaloes under 4 years old was highest when body length and knee circumference were included in the equation: Score = [(0.568 J1J2) + (1.584 L) - 77.89] (R2 = 0.57, n = 19). The prime factor affecting score in male over 4 years of age was heart girth (R2 = 0.70). However, R2 was rise up to 0.85 when girdle width was included into the equation: Score = [(0.485 B) + (1.892 D) - 156.54] (n = 53). In females under 3 years old, the R2 were low in all type of equation (one traits to four traits equation; 0.25-0.42, n = 21). However, in females over 3 years of age the R2 is high (0.66) when girdle width was included in the equation : Score = [2.655 D - 91.52] (n = 57). Therefore, different traits should be used to evaluate the conformation in immature and mature males and females

Estimation of body weight and body surface area in swamp buffaloes using visual image analysis

The three dimensional computerized visual image analysis was performed to evaluate the body weight (BW) and body surface area (BSA) in swamp buffaloes. Nineteen swamp buffaloes were measured the conformation by linear measurement compared to 3D body scanner at different points : body height (A), heart girth (B), shoulder width (C), iliac width (D), ischial tuberosity width (E), the length between shoulder and ileal wing (F, G), the length between ileal wing to ischial tuberosity (H, I) and the length between shoulder to ischial tuberosity (J1, J2).  The significant correlation was found between these two methods.  The 3D body scanner was then performed in 28 males and 39 females for BW and 68 males and 74 non-pregnant and 31 pregnant females for BSA estimation. The appropriate models to estimate BW in buffaloes were BW = - 1174.07 + 4.31 (B) + 7.75 (FG) (R2 = 0.76, P<0.001), BW (male) = -1265.99 + 4.94(B) + 14.41(D)  (R2 = 0.81; P<0.001) and BW (female) = -563.66 + 7.94 (C ) + 14.77 (E)  (R2 = 0.86; P<0.001).  For BSA, the appropriate equations were BSA = -4.31 + 0.034(A) + 0.036(J1J2) (R2 = 0.82, P<0.001), BSA (male) = -4.01 + 0.032(A) + 0.037(J1J2) (R2 = 0.816, P<0.001) and BSA (female) = -3.50 + 0.013(A) + 0.012(B) + 0.040(E) + 0.015(J1J2) (R2 = 0.916, P<0.001). In conclusion, the 3D body scanner can be used to estimate BW and BSA in buffaloes with different models among males and females

One-year experience of nucleic acid technology testing for human immunodeficiency virus Type 1, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus in Thai blood donations

Wstęp: Krew pobrana w 2007 roku w Narodowym Centrum Krwi Tajlandzkiego Stowarzyszenia Czerwonego Krzyża została zbadana metodami biologii molekularnej (NAT) za pomocą systemów: TIGRIS/Procleix Ultrio firmy Chiron oraz cobas s 201/cobas TaqScreen MPX firmy Roche. Materiał i metody: Oceny czułości, specyficzności oraz dokładności systemów dokonano przez zbadanie 486 676 seronegatywnych próbek krwi. W każdym dniu pobierania krwi próbki były dzielone na dwie części. Próbki oznaczone numerami nieparzystymi były badane pojedynczo (TIGRIS), podczas gdy próbki oznaczone parzystymi numerami badano w pulach 6 na aparacie cobas s 201. W celu potwierdzenia wyników reaktywnych badano w duplikacie próbki pobrane z pojemnika z osoczem i w ten sposób oceniano specyficzność testu. Reaktywne próbki były testowane na alternatywnym systemie NAT, a następnie badaniom poddano kolejne próbki pobrane od tych dawców. Wyniki: Czułość analityczna obu systemów osiągnęła 95-procentowy limit wykrywania, zgodnie z informacją załączoną przez producenta. Nie zaobserwowano krzyżowej kontaminacji w żadnym z testowanych systemów. Specyficzność wyniosła odpowiednio 99,93% dla testu Procleix Ultrio i 99,90% dla testu cobas TaqScreen. W wyniku zastosowania technik NAT, ludzki wirus niedoboru odporności typu 1 (HIV-1) został wykryty statystycznie u 1 na 97 000 przebadanych dawców, wirus zapalenia wątroby typu C - u 1 na 490 000 przebadanych dawców, a wirus zapalenia wątroby typu B (HBV) - u 1 na 2800 przebadanych dawców krwi. Zidentyfikowano również kilku utajonych nosicieli HBV, z których większość została wykryta za pomocą obu testów. Przypadki okienka serologicznego dla HIV-1 i HCV zostały wykryte przez oba testy. Wnioski: Wyniki przeprowadzonych badań wykazały, że obydwa systemy i testy nadają się do prowadzenia rutynowych badań NAT przez Narodowe Centrum Krwi Tajlandzkiego Stowarzyszenia Czerwonego Krzyża, chociaż test Procleix Ultrio okazał się mniej czuły w przypadku wykrywania HBV, w porównaniu z testem TaqScreen.Background: Blood donations collected at the National Blood Center, the Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, in 2007 were tested by nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) using the Chiron TIGRIS/Procleix Ultrio test and the Roche cobas s 201/cobas TaqScreen multiplex test. Material and methods: The sensitivity, specificity, and robustness were determined by testing 486 676 seronegative blood donations. Samples from each day of collection were divided into two sets; the odd-numbered samples were tested individually on the TIGRIS and the evennumbered samples were tested in pools of 6 on the cobas s 201. The status of reactive samples was confirmed by duplicate testing of samples from the plasma bag to calculate the test specificity. Reactive samples were tested on the alternate system and followed up. Results: The analytical sensitivity of both systems met the 95% limits of detection claimed by the respective package inserts. No cross contamination was seen with either system. Test specificity was 99.93 and 99.90% for the Procleix Ultrio and cobas TaqScreen tests, respectively. The NAT yield rates for human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 (HIV-1), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) were 1:97 000, 1:490 000, and 1:2800, respectively. Several occult HBV donors, the majority of whom were detected by both tests, were also identified. The HIV-1 and HCV window cases were detected with both tests. Conclusion: The performances of the systems and tests indicated that both were acceptable for routine NAT by the National Blood Center, the Thai Red Cross Society. However, the Procleix Ultrio test appeared to be less sensitive than the cobas TaqScreen test for HBV

Occult hepatitis B virus infection in Thai blood donors

Wstęp: Narodowe Centrum Krwi Tajlandzkiego Stowarzyszenia Czerwonego Krzyża przeprowadziło badania oceniające przydatność dwóch komercyjnych testów (TIGRIS/PROCLEIX Ultrio firmy Chiron oraz Cobas s 201/Cobas TaqScreen MPX firmy Roche) do badań przesiewowych na obecność ludzkiego wirusa niedoboru odporności typu 1, wirusa zapalenia wątroby typu C i wirusa zapalenia wątroby typu B u krwiodawców w Tajlandii. W wyniku tego badania zidentyfikowano 175 dawców reaktywnych w badaniach NAT bez antygenu HBs. Status zakażenia HBV potwierdzono w badaniach kolejnych próbek pochodzących od tych dawców (follow-up studies). Materiał i metody: Pierwsze próbki, w których wykryto DNA HBV (index samples) badano na obecność markerów serologicznych HBV i oznaczano w nich poziom wiremii. Kolejne próbki pobierane przez okres do 13 miesięcy od tych dawców badano obydwoma testami NAT, jak również na obecność wszystkich serologicznych markerów HBV. Wyniki: W kolejnych badaniach uczestniczyło 72 dawców (41%) spośród 175 dawców DNA HBV-dodatnich. U większości z nich stwierdzono ukryte zakażenie HBV (66,7%), u 26,4% stwierdzono wczesną ostrą fazę zakażenia HBV, z czego 20,8% znajdowało się w okienku serologicznym. U 3 dawców z przeciwciałami anty-HBs (4,2%) stwierdzono reaktywację zakażenia HBV lub wystąpienie kolejnego zakażenia przełamującego obecne przeciwciało (breakthrough infection). Wniosek: U większości dawców, których w badaniach rutynowych zidentyfikowano jako HBsAg ujemnych/NAT-dodatnich, stwierdzono ukryte zakażenie HBV, co stanowi wystarczające uzasadnienie dla wprowadzenia badań NAT w celu kwalifikacji krwiodawców w Tajlandii. J. Transf. Med. 2011; 3: 143–154Background: An evaluation by the National Blood Center, the Thai Red Cross Society, of two commercial multiplex nucleic acid tests (NATs; the Chiron PROCLEIX ULTRIO test and the Roche Cobas TaqScreen MPX test) for screening Thai blood donors for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 identified 175 HBV NAT–reactive/hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative donors. The classification of the HBV infection of these donors was confirmed by follow-up testing. Study design and methods: Index samples were tested for HBV serologic markers and HBV viral loads were determined. Donors were followed for up to 13 months and samples were tested with both NAT assays and for all HBV serological markers. Results: Of 175 HBV NAT-yield donors, 72 (41%) were followed. Based on the follow-up results, the majority of donors who were followed had an occult HBV infection (66.7%), followed by donors with a primary, acute infection (26.4%). The majority of donors in this latter group (20.8%) were in the window period. Three donors (4.2%), who were anti-HBs positive, had a reinfection or breakthrough infection. Conclusion: The majority of donors detected during routine screening, who were HBsAg negative and NAT reactive, had an occult HBV infection, thus validating the decision to introduce NAT for blood donations in Thailand. J. Transf. Med. 2011; 3: 143–15