Attitudes of women and pharmacists on the opportunity to obtain a progestogen-only pill over the counter - Italian outcomes.

Purpose: Scrutinizing, among potential providers and users, the perceived claim and interest for over the counter (OTC) accessibility of a progestogen-only pill (POP).

Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive study based on an online survey of 1000 women and 100 pharmacists in Italy, part of a larger sample including Germany and Spain.

Results: Hormonal contraceptive methods are used by 35%; 5% of women reported currently not using contraception, 40% using a barrier method, and 20% a method considered less effective than male condoms (including 16% withdrawal and 4% natural methods and fertility/contraceptive applications).

The views of women and pharmacists on the desirability of a progestogen-only pill over the counter. Results of a survey in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Purpose: To explore the perceived need and enthusiasm for over the counter (OTC) progestogen-only pills (POP).

Materials And Methods: A web-based survey of 1000 sexually active women (16-45) and 100 pharmacists in Germany, Italy and Spain.

Results: Despite not wanting to conceive, 5-6% of women in each country were not using contraception and 8-20% were using methods less effective than condoms.

Circulating autoreactive proteinase 3+ B cells and tolerance checkpoints in ANCA-associated vasculitis.

BACKGROUNDLittle is known about the autoreactive B cells in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated (ANCA-associated) vasculitis (AAV). We aimed to investigate tolerance checkpoints of circulating antigen-specific proteinase 3-reactive (PR3+) B cells.METHODSMulticolor flow cytometry in combination with bioinformatics and functional in vitro studies were performed on baseline samples of PBMCs from 154 well-characterized participants of the RAVE trial (NCT00104299) with severely active PR3-AAV and myeloperoxidase-AAV (MPO-AAV) and 27 healthy controls (HCs).

Posterior reconstruction during robotic-assisted radical cystectomy with intracorporeal orthotopic ileal neobladder: description and outcomes of a simple step.

A posterior reconstruction (PR) might improve the fluidity and delicacy of the maneuvers related to the neovesico-urethral anastomosis during robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). Our objective is to describe in detail the surgical steps of PR and to assess its feasibility and functional outcomes. The data regarding patients undergoing a totally intracorporeal RARC with neobladder and PR for high-grade and/or muscle-invasive urothelial cancer of the bladder at Karolinska University Hospital between October 2015 and November 2016 by a single surgeon (PW) were reviewed.

Acute Cystitis Symptom Score (ACSS): Clinical Validation of the Italian Version.

Acute Cystitis Symptom Score (ACSS) is an 18-item self-reporting questionnaire for clinical diagnosis and follow-up of acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC) in women. The ACSS, originally developed in Uzbek and Russian languages, is now available in several languages. The purpose of the study was to validate the ACSS questionnaire in the Italian language.

Changing attitudes towards abortion in Europe.

Objective: To understand how personal and social attitudes are changing regarding more available safe abortion in Europe.

Results: Abortion has been commonly practiced for a long time throughout most of the world, either in legal or illegal conditions, but it is a subject that arouses passion and controversy, because abortion raises two important issues, namely sex and life, sometimes mixed with religion and ethics. Over the past few years, we have observed changes in laws, and personal and professional attitudes towards abortion.

Rectal carcinoma: preoperative staging and detection of postoperative local recurrence with transrectal and transvaginal ultrasound.

Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) was performed preoperatively in 35 patients with rectal carcinoma and the results were compared to histologic findings. In the same group, postoperative studies were performed in 22 patients; in women, transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) was added to the transrectal study. According to Duke's classification modified by Astler-Coller, in relation to the "T" parameter, TRUS correctly staged 33 of 35 neoplasms (accuracy, 94.

[Sclerotherapy of varicocele. Efficacy of radiological, clinical and seminal treatment].

Between december 1983 and april 1989, percutaneous retrograde sclerotherapy of varicocele was successfully performed on 364 patients. A 5% solution of sodium morrhuate and benzylic alcohol (Varicocid) was administered through a coaxial balloon catheter inserted into the spermatic vein. 10 of the patients had relapses after surgery.