Introduction The changing outcomes for young cystic fibrosis (CF) patients means that reproductive health issues have become an integral part of CF management. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and experiences of reproductive and sexual health issues in women with CF and to investigate the knowledge and reproductive health attitudes of their parents. Main Outcome Measures Assessment of reproductive and sexual health knowledge in female CF patients and their parents. Methods A questionnaire study directed to 120 Polish women with CF aged 16 years and older and their parents. Results Sixty-four patients and their parents responded to the questionnaire. Sixty-eight percent of the patients started sexual intercourse at a mean age of 19.2 years. Eighty-four percent of all sexually active women reported that they did not use any form of contraception. Only 32.8% of women understood the problems connected with their own and male fertility in CF. Popular scientific publications and other CF patients were identified as the most important source of information. Only 23% of parents understood the problems connected with female fertility in CF; 44% of parents thought that man with CF had normal fertility. Seventy-five percent of the women and 40% of the parents felt that sexual health discussions should begin between age 12 and 14 years with a CF doctor and the mother. Conclusions Our study showed that significant knowledge gaps exist regarding fertility issues in both CF patients and CF parents. Women with CF have some general knowledge about sexual issues but insufficient knowledge to have a safe sexual life. The results helped us to develop the educational program for CF patients.

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Adhesion is critical for the maintenance of cellular structures as well as intercellular communication, and its dysfunction occurs prevalently during cancer progression. Recently, a growing number of studies indicated the ability of oxygen to regulate adhesion molecules expression, however, the influence of physiological hypoxia (physioxia) on cell adhesion remains elusive. Thus, here we aimed: (i) to develop an optical tweezers based assay to precisely evaluate single diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell adhesion to neighbor cells (mesenchymal stromal cells) and extracellular matrix (Matrigel) under normoxia and physioxia; and, (ii) to explore the role of integrins in adhesion of single lymphoma cell. We identified the pronouncedly reduced adhesive properties of lymphoma cell lines and primary lymphocytes B under physioxia to both stromal cells and Matrigel. Corresponding effects were shown in bulk adhesion assays. Then we emphasized that impaired β1, β2 integrins, and cadherin-2 expression, studied by confocal microscopy, account for reduction in lymphocyte adhesion in physioxia. Additionally, the blockade studies conducted with anti-integrin antibodies have revealed the critical role of integrins in lymphoma adhesion. To summarize, the presented approach allows for precise confirmation of the changes in single cell adhesion properties provoked by physiological hypoxia. Thus, our findings reveal an unprecedented role of using physiologically relevant oxygen conditioning and single cell adhesion approaches when investigating tumor adhesion in vitro.