Viral topic about the COVID-19 vaccination: the attitudes towards it and the relationship with the well-being and religiosity in a group of Polish students

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic currently remains the most significant stressor affecting the global population. Researchers continually report widespread mistrust and negative attitudes towards vaccination, but only a little focus on its association with the emotional well-being.

Objectives

We aimed to investigate the attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19, as well as its relationship with well-being and religiosity after one year of the pandemic duration amongst Polish students.

Methods

We conducted an anonymous online cross-sectional survey between 12th April – 1st June 2021 amongst Polish students (n=1202). To evaluate emotional distress, we used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), for measuring spirituality/religiosity we used The Duke University Religion Index.

Results

The highest rate of vaccinated individuals was noted in a group of medical students (69.9%), the lowest - among responders studying science (1.9%). Students who wanted to be vaccinated had higher levels of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms compared to those who were already vaccinated (p=0.04); they also had higher depressive symptoms than unvaccinated and unwilling participants (p=0.028). Students who didn’t want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 showed the highest religiosity compared to those who would like to be vaccinated (p<0.001) or were vaccinated (p=0.003). There was a negative correlation between the level of religiosity and severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms (p=0.002).

Conclusions

1. The attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19 depended on the fields of study. 2. Religiousness has been linked with the attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination as well as level of depression and anxiety amongst Polish students.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Autism spectrum disorder: Trace elements imbalances and the pathogenesis and severity of autistic symptoms

The identification of biomarkers as diagnostic tools and predictors of response to treatment of neurological developmental disorders (NDD) such as schizophrenia (SZ), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), still remains an important challenge for clinical medicine. Metallomic profiles of ASD patients cover, besides essential elements such as cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, selenium, also toxic metals burden of: aluminum, arsenic, mercury, lead, beryllium, nickel, cadmium. Performed studies indicate that children with ASD present a reduced ability of eliminating toxic metals, which leads to these metals' accumulation and aggravation of autistic symptoms. Extensive metallomic studies allow a better understanding of the importance of trace elements as environmental factors in the pathogenesis of ASD. Even though a mineral imbalance is a fact in ASD, we are still expecting relevant tests and the elaboration of reference levels of trace elements as potential biomarkers useful in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of ASD.

Inhibition or Reversal of the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Gastric Cancer: Pharmacological Approaches

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) constitutes one of the hallmarks of carcinogenesis consisting in the re-differentiation of the epithelial cells into mesenchymal ones changing the cellular phenotype into a malignant one. EMT has been shown to play a role in the malignant transformation and while occurring in the tumor microenvironment, it significantly affects the aggressiveness of gastric cancer, among others. Importantly, after EMT occurs, gastric cancer patients are more susceptible to the induction of resistance to various therapeutic agents, worsening the clinical outcome of patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to search for the newest pharmacological agents targeting EMT to prevent further progression of gastric carcinogenesis and potential metastases. Therapies targeted at EMT might be combined with other currently available treatment modalities, which seems to be an effective strategy to treat gastric cancer patients. In this review, we have summarized recent advances in gastric cancer treatment in terms of targeting EMT specifically, such as the administration of polyphenols, resveratrol, tangeretin, luteolin, genistein, proton pump inhibitors, terpenes, other plant extracts, or inorganic compounds.

Beyond the Mind-Serum Trace Element Levels in Schizophrenic Patients: A Systematic Review

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Immunological Aspects of the Tumor Microenvironment and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Gastric Carcinogenesis

Infection with Helicobacter pylori, a Gram-negative, microaerophilic pathogen often results in gastric cancer in a subset of affected individuals. This explains why H. pylori is the only bacterium classified as a class I carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Several studies have pinpointed mechanisms by which H. pylori alters signaling pathways in the host cell to cause diseases. In this article, the authors have reviewed 234 studies conducted over a span of 18 years (2002-2020). The studies investigated the various mechanisms associated with gastric cancer induction. For the past 1.5 years, researchers have discovered new mechanisms contributing to gastric cancer linked to H. pylori etiology. Alongside alteration of the host signaling pathways using oncogenic CagA pathways, H. pylori induce DNA damage in the host and alter the methylation of DNA as a means of perturbing downstream signaling. Also, with H. pylori, several pathways in the host cell are activated, resulting in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), together with the induction of cell proliferation and survival. Studies have shown that H. pylori enhances gastric carcinogenesis via a multifactorial approach. What is intriguing is that most of the targeted mechanisms and pathways appear common with various forms of cancer.

Alterations in the Nervous System and Gut Microbiota after β-Hemolytic Streptococcus Group A Infection-Characteristics and Diagnostic Criteria of PANDAS Recognition

The objective of this paper is to review and summarize conclusions from the available literature regarding Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). The authors have independently reviewed articles from 1977 onwards, primarily focusing on the etiopathology, symptoms, differentiation between similar psychiatric conditions, immunological reactions, alterations in the nervous system and gut microbiota, genetics, and the available treatment for PANDAS. Recent research indicates that PANDAS patients show noticeable alterations within the structures of the central nervous system, including caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, and striatum, as well as bilateral and lentiform nuclei. Likewise, the presence of autoantibodies that interact with basal ganglia was observed in PANDAS patients. Several studies also suggest a relationship between the presence of obsessive-compulsive disorders like PANDAS and alterations to the gut microbiota. Further, genetic predispositions-including variations in the MBL gene and TNF-α-seem to be relevant regarding PANDAS syndrome. Even though the literature is still scarce, the authors have attempted to provide a thorough insight into the PANDAS syndrome, bearing in mind the diagnostic difficulties of this condition.

Characterization of lamprin, an unusual matrix protein from lamprey cartilage. Implications for evolution, structure, and assembly of elastin and other fibrillar proteins

Lamprin, an insoluble non-collagen, non-elastin protein, is the major connective tissue component of the fibrillar extracellular matrix of lamprey annular cartilage. Here we demonstrate that the soluble monomer of lamprin is a family of highly hydrophobic, self-aggregating proteins with molecular masses of 12 and 10 kDa. Two mRNAs for soluble lamprin were identified (0.9 and 2 kilobases), differing principally in the length of their 3'-untranslated tails. Variants of soluble lamprin appear to arise both as the products of multiple genes and by alternate splicing. Although not generally homologous to any other protein, soluble lamprins contain a tandemly repeated peptide sequence (GGLGY) which is present in both silkmoth chorion proteins and spider dragline silk. Strong homologies to this repeat sequence are also present in several mammalian and avian elastins. Monoclonal antibodies to VGVAPG, a repeated sequence in human elastin, also cross-react with lamprin. We suggest that these proteins share a structural motif which promotes self-aggregation and fibril formation in proteins through interdigitation of hydrophobic side chains in beta-sheet/beta-turn structures, a motif that has been preserved in recognizable form over several hundred million years of evolution.

Blood plasma and milk prolactin, and effects of sampling technique on composition of milk from suckled ewes

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