Changes in urine autofluorescence in ovarian cancer patients.

Ovarian cancer is the type of cancer with the highest mortality rate among gynaecologic malignancies. Due to lack of screening tools, this disease is mainly diagnosed at a progressed stage, when it is too late to adequate therapy. Despite many attempts, enough sensitive and specific biomarker was not still uncovered. Fluorescence spectroscopy has proven to be a useful diagnostic tool with high efficiency. Fluorescence detection has three major advantages over other light-based investigation methods: high sensitivity, high speed, and reliability. Biological materials consist of a number of intrinsic fluorescent compounds -autofluorophores, which are associated with cardinal metabolic pathways. It is well known, that cancerous tissue metabolism is altered compared to healthy one, what influence also intrinsic fluorophores composition of bodily fluids. Urine is one of the biological fluids that could be obtained most easily and displays a blue - green fluorescence that can change in case of pathological process. Analysis of urine autofluorescence is non invasive and simple technique. Using fluorescent spectroscopy, ovarian cancer patients and healthy control group were discerned with high significance, so we predict that fluorescence analysis of urine could be a potential means of ovarian cancer screening.

Detection of virulence factors in alpha-haemolytic Escherichia coli strains isolated from various clinical materials.

In total, 201 alpha-haemolytic Escherichia coli isolates from various clinical materials (urine samples and vaginal and rectal swabs) were examined by PCR for the presence of genes for the virulence factors alpha-haemolysin (hly), cytotoxic necrotising factor type 1 (cnf1), P-fimbriae (pap), S/F1C-fimbriae (sfa/foc), aerobactin (aer) and afimbrial adhesin (afaI). Among vaginal isolates, 96% were positive for cnf1, compared with 80% of urine strains (p 0.02) and 63% of rectal strains (p 0.0001). Similarly, sfa/foc-specific DNA sequences were found in 97% of vaginal isolates compared with 75% of rectal strains (p 0.004). The afa1 and aer genes were associated more with rectal alpha-haemolytic E. coli strains than with extra-intestinal isolates. The results suggested that CNF1 and/or S/F1C-fimbriae contribute to colonisation and persistence of alpha-haemolytic E. coli strains in the vaginal environment.

[Pulsatility index and resistance index in the aortic bifurcation area of growth retarded fetuses]. / Pulzatility index a rezistencia index v oblasti bifurcatio aortae u plodov s detekovanou retardáciou rastu.

UNLABELLED: To specify diagnostic importance of fetoplacental flow parameters PI, RI during pregnancy complicated by ultrasonografically detected intrauterine growth retardation-IUGR. SETTING: Dpt. of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Safarik's University and University Hospital L. Pasteur, Kosice, Slovak Republic, Obst/Gynae Dpt., Victoria Hospital, Mahé, Seychelles Republic, Indian Ocean. SUBJECT AND METHOD: The autors measured fetal circulation on the level of descending aortal bifurcation. The results were compared in the Group-A of 112 pregnancies complicated by mild, moderate and several praeeclampsia, eclampsia with detected IUGR, and comparative Group-B of 106 pregnancies. INTERVENTION: The ACUSONIC 8, ALOKA 680 SSD using transabdominal 3.5 MHz probe with color doppler facility. The parameters were measured in weekly intervals according the clinical protocol for management of high risk pregnancies. SUBJECTS: There was opened a prospective comparative study of 112 risk pregnancies (Group-A) and a comparative Group-B of 106 pregnancies with normal growth of fetuses. Group-A was devided according classification of praeeclampsia to Subgroup-A1, mild praeeclampsia, Subgroup-A2, moderate praeeclampsia, Subgroup-A3, severe praeclampsia and Subgroup-A4, eclampsia. Parameters of vascular resistance in descending aorta were calculated from 28th week of gestation to termination of pregnancy and compared average values in corresponding stage in the Group-A and the comparative Group-B. Number of IUGR fetuses or restricted with the growth were calculated in Subgroups-A. RESULTS: Descending aorta presents significantly higher average values of PI, RI during pregnancy from 28th week of gestation in Group-A. There is no evidence of diastolic decrease after 34th week of gestation in Group-A. In Group-A 52.6% fetuses were ultrasonograficaly IUGR detected or restricted. In Subgroup-A1 of mild praeeclampsia were 20.5% of the IUGR fetuses. Subgroup-A2 of moderate praeeclampsia showed 51.3% and Subgroup-A3 severe praeeclampsia 87.8% of the IUGR fetuses of restricted. Three cases of eclampsia were restricted for growth. MAIN OUTCOME: Functional assessment of the descending aorta flow is the most reliable method for differentiation of praeclamptic and eclamptic pregnancies with suspected fetal starvation and intrauterine growth retardation.