Fungal Bezoars Mimicking an Enterovesica Fistula: A Unique Case Report.

Fungal colonization or infection of the urinary tract system is relatively common in patients with diabetes or a compromised immune system. However, fungal intravesical bezoars are extremely rare. We present a unique case with multiple, gas-holding fungals bezoars and emphysematous cystitis caused by

Down's syndrome screening: population statistic dependency of screening performance.

Background: The choice of parameter sets used to calculate Down's syndrome risks is important. This study details analysis of samples from affected and unaffected pregnancies and evaluates whether published population data is optimal. Screening efficiency realized with measurement procedure-specific population parameters is compared with selected population sets available in the literature.

Evaluation of Down's syndrome screening population data sets by simulation: analyser-specific parameters may be superior to meta-analysis-derived parameters.

Objective: Choice of parameter sets used to calculate Down's syndrome risks is complicated. Published population statistics were compared with assay-specific parameters to optimise screening efficiency.

Design: Weight-corrected Gaussian population statistics for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and unconjugated oestriol (uE(3)), expressed as log(10) multiples of median (MoM) were established for a Belgian cohort of 748 unaffected pregnancies.

Medians for second-trimester maternal serum markers: geographical differences and variation caused by median multiples-of-median equations.

Objectives: To establish gestational age-specific mid-trimester normal medians for the prenatal serum markers alpha fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and unconjugated oestriol (uE3) for a Belgian population by using the Beckman Coulter Access chemiluminiscent immunoassays; to compare these data with data obtained from other geographical regions; to propose regression coefficients for regressed medians and analyse variation induced by different regression equations; to evaluate the effect of formulas used for gestation correction on estimating risk in Down's syndrome.

Design: Data derived from 862 fresh serum samples from women being screened for Down's syndrome pregnancy, composed of selected pregnancies deemed to be normal, were examined in a retrospective study. Regressed medians were calculated by using a first-degree logarithmic-linear fit of the raw data.

Weight correction of MoM values: which method?

Background: Adjusting maternal serum markers for maternal weight is considered to be a standard practice when screening for pregnancies associated with Down's syndrome. The choice of model for taking maternal weight into account is, however, rarely explicitly evaluated.

Method: The relationship between the maternal serum markers alphafetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and unconjugated oestriol (uE3), determined with the Beckman Coulter access reagents and maternal weight was investigated in a cohort of 752 Belgian women being screened for pregnancy associated with Down's syndrome.