Fear of death and the pandemic

Introduction: Looking at the vast majority of mental disorders in the last year, we noticed that most of them were closely related to this feeling of fear but also to the restrictive measures that appeared with the pandemic. Exposure for a period of more than a year to this mental stress has led to the appearance of a large number of psychiatric patients, especially those who have undergone SARSCoV- 2 infection or who have had close people infected, some of whom have even died. Objective(s): In this paper I will highlight the post traumatic consequences in patients who have gone through the disease. Method(s): To complete this work I used medical articles, studies, and specialized information on the subject. Result(s): Patients who have gone through the disease developed sleeping problems, phobias, various anxiety and delusional disorders. Conclusion(s): These conditions create the need for a multidisciplinary approach among this particular category of patients.

Personal believes - Barriers to vaccination against Covid-19

Introduction: The ongoing global pandemic of Covid-19 had a huge pressure to accelerate the development process of Covid-19 vaccine. This acceleration of the vaccine appearance raised many concerns regarding the effectiveness and the adequate safety of the vaccine among general population. Objective(s): The aim of the study is to determine the reasons behind vaccine refusal among general population. Method(s): Online questionnaire with the subjects' agreement;The study included 61 participants aged between 18 and 40 years old. The study was effectuated in October 2021. Result(s): Most of the participants (n=60, 98.36%) declared that they knew some persons who have refused the Covid-19 vaccine. Moreover, a number of 29 participants (48.33%) declared that vaccine refusal among the people who refused the vaccine was due to personal believes. Conclusion(s): The success of the vaccination programs mainly depends on the proportion of the population that receive the vaccine. It is crucial to implement new strategies to increase the acceptability of Covid-19 vaccine.

Vaccine hesitancy among hospital workers

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy is a serious issue and it affects the scientific achievements of health. This phenomenon has begun to be studied more often in health care workers, to find its determining factors. Objective(s): The aim was to determine the percentage of hospital workers who got vaccinated against the infection with SARS-CoV-2. Method(s): Beginning with October 2021, we conducted an online questionnaire in which 57 hospital workers participated. Preliminary results allowed us to assess the rate of vaccine hesitancy among this group. Result(s): Out of the 57 hospital workers, the majority were vaccinated (n=45, 78.94%) in comparison to less than a quarter (n=12, 21.05%) that refused vaccination. The group of hospital workers included mostly nurses ( n=21, 36.84%). Also, 12 psychologists (21.05%), 11 doctors (19.29%), and 10 students (17.54%) were included. Among the cases that did not accept getting vaccinated against COVID-19, the highest percentage was occupied by nurses (n=9, 15.78%). Moreover, there were only one doctor and one psychologist who did not get vaccinated. Conclusion(s): In the current pandemic times, the hesitancy and refusal of vaccination prove to be very challenging. It is important to explore their reasons and to promote health education programs.

The consequences of the pandemic among patients with psychiatric history

Introduction Throughout this period we were confronted with news and information about the Corona virus and its consequences. Which led to the development of a huge sense of fear among people. Although fear has helped to maintain restrictions, it has also had a significant impact on mental health, especially among patients with a psychiatric history. Objectives In this paper I will highlight the consequences of the nocebo effect of the pandemic among people with a psychiatric history. Methods To complete this work I used medical articles, studies, and specialized information on the subject. Results The pandemic’s restrictions have made it difficult for psychiatric patients to be compliant treatment by avoiding regular psychiatric exams.Isolation and fear of infection has led to new decompensations in existing psychiatric pathologies. Conclusions The exacerbations of psychiatric pathology increased both in number and in their intensity, ultimately determined by the increase in the number of hospitalizations in psychiatric emergencies. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Healthcare Professional's Perceptions of E-Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 has a significant impact on lives worldwide. Owing to the adverse effect of this pandemic, there has been a major shift from in-person learning activities to virtual learning. Different methods of virtual learning or e-learning, such as online classes and webinars, have emerged rapidly. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify the perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online survey was conducted using Microsoft Forms sent via a text link to mobile phones and emails to healthcare professionals. The questionnaire had multiple-choice questions and five-point scaling to determine perceptions about virtual learning. Data in the form of responses were collected, analyzed, and summarized as mean ± standard deviation and percentage. Results: Responses were received from a total of 410 participants, out of which 240 (58.54%) were females, and 170 (41.46%) were males. Among all participants, 294 (71.71%) were doctors. A vast majority of participants (90%) attended online webinar/e-conferences since the pandemic. The mobile phone was the most commonly used device for e-learning. More than half of the participants opined that in-person meetings are more effective than virtual meetings. In terms of medical learning, 40.48% of participants believed that virtual conferences are more convenient compared to conventional in-person attendance. According to 42.2% of participants, lack of personal interaction in virtual meetings affected their ability to acquire knowledge and experience. Conclusion: Our survey demonstrated the acceptance of virtual learning by healthcare professionals as a new learning method. The majority of participants seem willing to adapt to this new medium. © 2022 Hamad et al.

GRP78 targeting: Hitting two birds with a stone.

BACKGROUND: Glucose regulating protein 78 (GRP78) is one member of the Heat Shock Protein family of chaperone proteins (HSPA5) found in eukaryotes. It acts as the master of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) process in the lumen of the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER). SCOPE: Under the stress of unfolded proteins, GRP78 binds to the unfolded proteins to prevent misfolding, while under the load of the unfolded protein, it drives the cell to autophagy or apoptosis. Several attempts reported the overexpression of GRP78 on the cell membrane of cancer cells and cells infected with viruses or fungi. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: Cell-surface GRP78 is used as a cancer cell target in previous studies. Additionally, GRP78 is used as a drug target to stop the progression of cancer cells by different compounds, including peptides, antibodies, and some natural compounds. Additionally, it can be used as a protein target to reduce the infectivity of different viruses, including the pandemic SARS-CoV-2. Besides, GRP78 targeting is used in diagnosis and imaging modalities using radionuclides. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: This review summarizes the various attempts that used GRP78 both in therapy (fighting cancer, viral and fungal infections) and diagnosis (imaging).