| MBL | Marine Biological Laboratory; menstrual blood loss; minimum bactericidal level |
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| NIBSC | National Institute for Biological Standards and Control |
| OBE | Office of Biological Education |
| QF | quality factor; query fever; quick freeze; relative biological effectiveness |
| RBD | recurrent brief depression; relative biological dose; right border of dullness |
| bentonite flocculation test | A flocculation test for rheumatoid arthritis in which sensitised bentonite particles are added to inactivated serum; the test is positive if half of the particles are clumped while the other half remain in suspension. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| benzidine test | A test for blood; the suspected fluid is treated with glacial acetic acid and ether, and the latter is then decanted and treated with hydrogen peroxide and a solution of benzidine in acetic acid; the presence of blood is indicated by a bluish colour turning to purple. Synonym: Adler's test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bernstein test | <investigation> A test used to diagnosis gastrooesophageal reflux disease. This test is performed in a doctor's office or lab and requires that the patient swallow 3 tiny tubes into the stomach. A mixture of hydrochloric acid (like stomach acid) and saline are alternatively injected into the tubes. The patient then reports any symptoms they may have. Some patients may vomit. (27 Sep 1997) |
| Berson test | A test of thyroid clearance of 131I from the plasma by the thyroid gland. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Betke-Kleihauer test | A slide test for the presence of foetal red blood cells among those of the mother; haemoglobins other than Hb F are eluted from the red blood cells on an air-dried blood film by a buffer of pH 3.3. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bettendorff's test | A test for arsenic; after mixing the suspected fluid with hydrochloric acid a solution of stannous chloride is added; when a piece of tin foil is then added, a brown precipitate forms. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bial's test | A test for pentoses with orcinol. Synonym: orcinol test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bile acid tolerance test | A sensitive test of hepatic dysfunction; following oral administration of labelled or unlabelled bile acid, the measured fractional disappearance rate or 10-minute retention is measured. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bile esculin test | A biochemical test used in characterizing group O streptococci, based on the ability of organisms to grow in a medium containing bile and to hydrolyze esculin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bile solubility test | A procedure that differentiates Streptococcus pneumoniae from other alpha-haemolytic streptococci by demonstrating its susceptibility to lysis in the presence of bile. (05 Mar 2000) |
| binaural alternate loudness balance test | A test for recruitment in one ear; the comparison of relative loudness of a series of intensities presented alternately to either ear. Synonym: BALB test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Binet test | A standardised test for the measurement of intelligence consisting of a series of questions, graded according to the intelligence of normal children at different ages, the answers to which indicate the mental age of the person tested; primarily used with children, but also contains norms for adults standardised against adult age levels rather than those of children, as formerly was the case. Synonym: Binet test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Binz' test | A qualitative test for the presence of quinine in the urine; a precipitate is formed on the addition of an aqueous solution of iodine and potassium iodide if quinine is present. (05 Mar 2000) |
| biuret test | A test for the determination of serum proteins, based on the reaction of an alkaline copper reagent with substances containing two or more peptide bonds to produce a violet-blue colour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| blind test | A method of testing in which an independent observer records the results of any test, drug, placebo, or procedure without knowing the identity of the samples or what result might be expected. (05 Mar 2000) |