Feasibility and Satisfaction of Using NET VITALS Self-assessment Tool Among Patients With Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Objectives: There is a lack of effective patient education regarding diagnosis/treatment of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), possibly related to their rare incidence.

Methods: In this cross-sectional survey study, NET patients attending the 2019 Annual Los Angeles NET Education Conference were approached to complete NET VITALS, a self-assessment tool gauging patients' perception/awareness of their NET diagnosis/treatment, and a satisfaction survey. Feasibility of NET VITALS, patient satisfaction with NET VITALS, and patients' perception/awareness of their NET diagnosis/treatment were evaluated.

Preterm birth: incidence, risk factors and second trimester cervical length in a single center population. A two-year retrospective study.

Objective: To report the incidence and the major risk factors (RFs) associated with preterm birth (PTB), combining both maternal RFs and cervical length (CL), and to understand if cervical length measurement is really useful in all the patients.

Patients And Methods: The study population consisted of 2048 women admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Messina, over a 2-year period. Preterm cases represented approximately 8.

Is oral contraceptive-induced headache dependent on patent foramen ovale? Clinical dynamics, evidence-based hypothesis and possible patient-oriented management.

Secondary headache is one of the most common side effect during oral contraceptive (OC) treatment and it leads many patients to stop the therapy. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an interatrial communication that spontaneously closes at birth in about 75% of the population. However, in the rest of adults PFO maintains a direct communication between the right and left side of circulation.

Evaluation of Maternal-Fetal Outcomes After Emergency Vaginal Cerclage Performed With Shirodkar-McDonald Combined Modified Technique.

Background: Several techniques of emergency vaginal cerclage have been proposed in case of unexpected and abrupt cervical incompetence (CI), in order to prolong the pregnancy as much as possible and to reduce the adverse maternal-fetal outcomes. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency cervical cerclage, performed with the combined modified Shirodkar-McDonald technique.

Methods: We selected 12 cases of emergency vaginal cerclage, performed between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2013.

Enhancement of Pulmozyme activity in purulent sputum by combination with poly-aspartic acid or gelsolin.

Background: DNase (Pulmozyme) effectiveness in cystic fibrosis treatment is in some cases limited by its inability to access DNA trapped within bundles in highly viscous fluids that also contain actin. Dissociating DNA-containing bundles using actin depolymerizing agents and polyanions has potential to increase DNase efficacy.

Methods: Fluorescence measurements of YOYO-1 and a rheological creep-recovery test quantified DNA content and viscoelasticity in 150 sputum samples from adult CF patients and their susceptibility to fluidization by DNase1, alone and in combination with gelsolin and poly-aspartate (p-Asp).