ABSTRACT
We describe distribution-free statistical methodology for assessing the equivalence of paired growth curves. This procedure may be used with incomplete observations, and in situations where parametric models for growth are inappropriate. We present data from an experiment investigating an immunotherapy regimen in a murine tumour system and which we have analysed with this technique.
Subject(s)
Immunotherapy , Neoplasms, Experimental/therapy , Statistics as Topic , Animals , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Models, BiologicalABSTRACT
Using monospecific sheep antisera, the mean plasma immunoglobulin concentrations in 82 Ayrshire milking cows were found, by the single radial diffusion method, to be: IgG2 10-91 plus or minus 4-30, IgG1 9-76 plus or minus 2-59 and IgM 2-71 plus or minus 1-22 mg/ml (plus or minus SD). IgA levels in the same group of 82 cows were determined by a simple, sensitive coated tube radioimmunoassay and had a mean value of 0-32 plus or minus 0-16 mg/ml. The frequency distributions of IgG1, IgM and IgA were approximately log normal, whereas that of IgG2 was bimodal with two populations with means of approximately 7 and 14 mg/ml. An 18-fold difference was found between high and low IgG2 levels whereas only three- to four-fold differences were recorded for IgG1 levels in the same population. Eight-fold differences were found for IgM and IgA levels. The effect of age (2-9 years) on sampling could be disregarded for IgG1, IgG, IgM and IgA levels, but cows above 6 years of age had significantly higher IgG2 levels.
