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Szymon Florek,1,* Magdalena Piegza,2,* Paweł Dębski,2,3,* Piotr Gorczyca,2,* Robert Pudlo1,* 1Department of Psychoprophylaxis, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; 2Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; 3Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Humanitas University in Sosnowiec, Sosnowiec, Poland*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Szymon Florek, Email szymon.florek@sum.edu.plPurpose: There are many reports in the literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, including the condition of women. Most of these studies refer to a single time point, while there is a lack of studies controlling for selected parameters during different periods of the pandemic. This work aimed to determine the role of ego-resiliency in women’s adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic.Patients and Methods: The survey was conducted in two stages - all via online forms. A total of 762 Polish women took part in the overall project. The scales used in the study were the Ego-resiliency scale (ER89-R12), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Scale (GAD-7), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 13.3.Results: Women participating in the second study had significantly lower scores on ego-resilience and its components compared to the first study. In the first research, ego-resiliency and optimal regulation were statistically significantly correlated with anxiety, alcohol consumption, generalised aggression, verbal aggression and hostility, while openness to life experiences was correlated with alcohol consumption and hostility. The second part of the project highlighted new significant correlations between ego-resiliency and optimal regulation and physical aggression and anger, but a non-significant correlation of these variables with alcohol consumption. The effect of openness to life experiences on alcohol consumption and anxiety, evident in the first study, was no longer present in the second part of the study.Conclusion: The lack of a significant effect of openness to life experience on alcohol consumption, lower ego-resiliency and optimal regulation scores are observed in the second part of the research, which might be an expression of adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ego-resiliency is a protective factor against aggression, while optimal regulation against anxiety among Polish women.Keywords: COVID-19, women, resiliency, adaptation, anxiety, aggression

The studies about the hydrodynamic behavior of high molar mass polyglycidol in water and dilute aqueous solution and its scaling exponents are reported. The scaling exponent is found to increase with increasing molar mass which confirm the elongated coil-formation in the high molar mass region.

Enzymatic preparation from culture of keratinolytic Bacillus cereus PCM 2849 was applied for hydrolysis of whole chicken feathers, after sulphitolytic pretreatment. This process was optimized using a three-factor Box-Behnken design, where the effect of substrate concentration, sulphite concentration during pretreatment and reaction temperature was evaluated on the release of amino acids. Obtained results revealed the highest impact of reaction temperature, followed by substrate content and sulphite during pretreatment. Optimal process conditions were established, i.e. temperature 44.4°C, feathers 4.7% and treatment with 25.3 mM sulphite. Amino acid composition of the obtained hydrolysate was analyzed. Glutamic acid (9.21 g·kg−1) and proline were dominant, however significant amount of branched-chain amino acids was also observed. The FTIR analysis of residual substrate revealed the cleavage of disulphide bonds in keratin through the presence of thioester residues. The absence of reduced cysteine residues was confirmed, along with minor changes in proportions of keratin substructures.

Schizophrenia is a mental illness characterized by disturbances in the perception of reality, thinking, emotions, and social functioning. This significantly impacts the quality of life of patients and leads to long-term disability. Despite advances in understanding its pathogenesis and treatment, schizophrenia remains a clinical challenge, especially due to the diversity of its symptoms and the complexity of its mechanisms. Schizophrenia is associated with abnormal functioning of the dopaminergic system, disturbances in glutamatergic neurotransmission, and oxidative stress in the brain. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in optimizing the treatment of mental disorders. The potential use of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, in the therapy of schizophrenia could bring substantial benefits to patients. Ascorbic acid exhibits antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, suggesting its potential efficacy in reducing brain oxidative stress and improving neurotransmission. Additionally, there have been reports of its positive effects on psychotic symptoms and its potential in reducing the side effects of antipsychotic drugs. In this review article, we present the current state of knowledge on the potential use of ascorbic acid in the treatment of schizophrenia as an adjunct to standard pharmacological therapy. We analyze existing clinical studies and the mechanisms of action of vitamin C, suggesting its promising role as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of schizophrenia. These insights, though not yet widely disseminated, may be significant for the further development of therapeutic strategies for this mental illness.

Background: Advancement in mental health care requires easily accessible, efficient diagnostic and treatment assessment tools. Viable biomarkers could enable objectification and automation of the diagnostic and treatment process, currently dependent on a psychiatric interview. Available wearable technology and computational methods make it possible to incorporate heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, into potential diagnostic and treatment assessment frameworks as a biomarker of disease severity in mental disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD)., Method: We used a commercially available electrocardiography (ECG) chest strap with a built-in accelerometer, i.e. Polar H10, to record R-R intervals and physical activity of 30 hospitalized schizophrenia or BD patients and 30 control participants through ca. 1.5-2 h time periods. We validated a novel approach to data acquisition based on a flexible, patient-friendly and cost-effective setting. We analyzed the relationship between HRV and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) test scores, as well as the HRV and mobility coefficient. We also proposed a method of rest period selection based on R-R intervals and mobility data. The source code for reproducing all experiments is available on GitHub, while the dataset is published on Zenodo., Results: Mean HRV values were lower in the patient compared to the control group and negatively correlated with the results of the PANSS general subcategory. For the control group, we also discovered the inversely proportional dependency between the mobility coefficient, based on accelerometer data, and HRV. This relationship was less pronounced for the treatment group., Conclusions: HRV value itself, as well as the relationship between HRV and mobility, may be promising biomarkers in disease diagnostics. These findings can be used to develop a flexible monitoring system for symptom severity assessment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Accusations of medical malpractice, increasingly common among healthcare professionals, are a massive source of stress which can lead to the development of medical malpractice stress syndrome (MMSS). The symptoms of this syndrome are often compared to those in post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), and the doctors are referred to as "second victims" of medical mistakes. The aim of the publication is to highlight MMSS, its symptoms, its similarity to PTSD, its consequences, and methods of prevention and management. In addition, attention was paid to the number of medical malpractice lawsuits among medical specialties mostly affected by this problem to illustrate the scale of the phenomenon. The publication is a narrative review. Medical databases (PubMed, ResearchGate, Biblioteka Nauki), termedia and Jurnals.viamedica service from the years 1988-2023 were reviewed. The MMSS manifests itself with symptoms such as anger, frustration, anxiety, guilt, sleeping disorders, loss of self-confidence, and depression. Later, somatic symptoms, such as cardiovascular, also appear. The MMSS may lead to unnecessary ordered examinations, delayed therapeutic processes, or premature retirement from the profession. Recently, patients have become more aware of their rights, resulting in an increase in malpractice lawsuits, particularly in specialties such as gynecology and obstetrics, neurosurgery, and radiology. Concerns about the legal consequences of medical errors may affect future specialization choices. Graduates tend to avoid specialties with a high risk of medical malpractice. Coping with MMSS requires social support and cooperation between doctors and lawyers or psychiatrists. Prevention of MMSS includes awareness of stress reactions and procedures decreasing the risk of committing medical malpractice. The prevalence of MMSS among physicians and the impact of the risk of medical malpractice lawsuits on the choice of medical specialty in Poland require further examinations. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2023;74(6):513-26., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess attitudes towards people with mental disorders., Methods: The survey was carried out in a group of 93 students of the fifth year of medical studies (medical faculty) including 59 women and 34 men, aged 24.34 ± 1.28 years., Results: In the conducted research, personal contact with a psychiatrist due to problems with their own mental health was declared by 23% of respondents. The choice of psychiatry as a field of specialization was declared by 19% of students. In the analysis of the questionnaire on beliefs, as many as 83% of respondents considered that mental illness is a cause for shame. Analyzing the attitude of the respondents to treatment, it was shown that as many as 80% of people believed that compulsory hospitalization is a right procedure. It should be emphasized that only 31% of the surveyed students believed that people with mental disorders should decide to have offspring, and 36% of people thought that mentally disturbed people would not be good as parents. As many as 30% of respondents believed that people with mental disorders more often commit crimes than healthy people, and 42% of students showed a lack of determination in this aspect., Conclusions: The results of the research suggest the necessity of expanding knowledge and shaping appropriate attitudes towards people with mental disorders among future doctors.

Background: There is scarcely any data in the available literature on the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC) and cognitive functioning, and no information on the relationship between SOC and cognitive parameters in patients with carotid atherosclerosis., Aim: The aim of this paper was to determine the relationship of SOC measured prior to carotid artery stenting (CAS) with neurocognitive functioning in patients with carotid atherosclerosis 12 months after CAS., Methods: A total of 35 patients with carotid atherosclerosis completed the SOC-29 Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-29) and completed a cognitive test battery twice, i.e., before (baseline-T1) and 12 months after stent implantation (follow-up-T2). Selected cognitive functions such as memory, attention, perception, visuospatial and executive functions and non-verbal fluency were assessed., Results: One year after the procedure, patients with a higher SOC and sense of manageability present better performance in visual memory. Higher SOC and sense of meaningfulness are positively related to the speed of understanding the changing rules of card sorting (WCST)., Conclusion: Higher overall SOC and a component of sense of meaningfulness and manageability may be related to better cognitive functioning 1 year after the procedure., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Piegza, Dębski, Bujak, Jaworska, Gorczyca, Pudlo, Żerdziński and Piegza.)

Introduction: Sleep disorders can develop as a result of exposure to stressors. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was an additional source of stress for paramedics, due to the fear of the unknown nature of the new pathogen. The main aim of this study was to identify factors influencing the development of sleep disorders among paramedics working during the COVID-19 pandemic., Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, anonymous, voluntary, online survey conducted on social networks among paramedics working during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland from 10/11/2020 to 14/01/2021. The survey included 387 participants, the majority of whom were men (72.35%). A proprietary questionnaire and standardized scales were used to identify risk factors: Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale., Results: Among all participants, there were 107 (27.65%) women and 280 (72.35%) men. Significantly higher scores of the analyzed scales were observed in the female gender. Based on the AIS scale, mild sleep disorders were found in 3.6% of women and 2.9% of men. Excessive sleepiness on the Epworth scale was assessed in more than 70% of women and 58.8% of men working in Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs)., Conclusions: The main factors influencing the development of sleep disorders were female gender, use of sleep aids and not having a life partner. In contrast, older age and longer job tenure, being married, and having good relationships with family members had a protective effect., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Termedia & Banach.)

The aim of the study was to compare the current knowledge on the relationship between the use of meditation techniques and the occurrence of psychosis with the experience of an Eastern meditation teacher, Osho Rajneesh. While searching the PubMed database using the keywords "meditation AND psychosis" 72 research articles were obtained, of which only 17 fully corresponded to the assumptions of the work. They included the case reports of the patients, as well as meta-analyses, and review articles related to both the positive and negative influence of meditation practices on mental health. Additionally, the information contained in 3 books was used. The etiology of meditation-induced psychotic episodes is not clear given the frequent presence of many coexisting factors including fasting, sleep deprivation, or a positive psychiatric history, as well as the limitation of the methodology. In the analyzed studies, only patients who did not meditate in clinical conditions were reported. The analysis of these cases indicates that the risk of a psychotic episode was associated with excessively long practice and lack of adequate supervision. The comparison of current scientific knowledge with the experience of the Eastern meditation teacher made it possible to draw attention to rarely described in literature risk factors of the development of psychosis, which include "specific traits" of the practitioner's attitude. One of its fundamental elements is an incorrect understanding of meditation as a task to perform, instead of an open, passive, and accepting attitude of observing the external and internal world.

Quercetin is the most abundant flavonoid in food products, including berries, apples, cauliflower, tea, cabbage, nuts, onions, red wine and fruit juices. It exhibits various biological activities and is used for medical applications, such as treating allergic, inflammatory and metabolic disorders, ophthalmic and cardiovascular diseases, and arthritis. However, its low water solubility may limit quercetin's therapeutic potential. One method of increasing the solubility of active compounds is their coupling to polar molecules, such as sugars. The attachment of a glucose unit impacts the stability and solubility of flavonoids and often determines their bioavailability and bioactivity. Entomopathogenic fungi are biocatalysts well known for their ability to attach glucose and its 4- O -methyl derivative to bioactive compounds, including flavonoids. We investigated the ability of cultures of entomopathogenic fungi belonging to Beauveria , Isaria , Metapochonia , Lecanicillium and Metarhizium genera to biotransform quercetin. Three major glycosylation products were detected: ( 1 ), 7- O -β-D-(4″- O -methylglucopyranosyl)-quercetin, ( 2 ) 3- O -β-D-(4″- O -methylglucopyranosyl)-quercetin and ( 3 ) 3- O -β-D-(glucopyranosyl)-quercetin. The results show evident variability of the biotransformation process, both between strains of the tested biocatalysts from different species and between strains of the same species. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the obtained compounds were predicted with the use of cheminformatics tools. The study showed that the obtained compounds may have applications as effective modulators of intestinal flora and may be stronger hepato-, cardio- and vasoprotectants and free radical scavengers than quercetin., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: There are many different articles about COVID-19 pandemic period and its influence on people and their behavior. Nevertheless, there is little research on the slightly later period of the pandemic, that is, the time when specific adaptation mechanisms in society should start to take place., Methods: Our research was conducted by means of an online survey. Four hundred and eighty five adults participated, including 349 (71.96%) women and 136 (28.04%) men. The Buss-Perry aggression scale, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 scale were used. The results were statistically processed using Statistica 13.3 software., Results: Within the study population, positive correlations were noted between anxiety and generalized aggression, anger, hostility, physical and psychological aggression. In the female group, anxiety correlates positively with generalized aggression, anger, hostility, verbal and physical aggression. Among male subjects, anxiety correlates positively with aggression, anger, and hostility. Alcohol consumption has a significant association with verbal aggression. Statistically, more women experience anxiety, more men have inflated scores on the AUDIT scale and on verbal and physical aggression. Younger people are more likely than older people to experience anxiety and have inflated scores on hostility. Those with secondary education scored significantly higher on the GAD-7 scale and the aggression scale (and all subscales except anger) compared to respondents with higher education., Discussion: As a result of adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety is no longer a factor in increased evels of alcohol consumption. The pandemic has not affected differences in alcohol consumption between men and women. The presence of a positive correlation between anxiety and aggression and the sociodemographic structure of those characterized by increased aggression are also unchanged. Anxiety directly influences aggressive behavior in a relatively strong way. Appropriate health-promoting measures should be implemented to protect the public from the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Florek, Piegza, Dębski, Gorczyca and Pudlo.)

Olfactory obsessions (OOs) are rarely described in the medical literature. The features of OOs appear consistent with characteristics of a typical obsession, but since they do not involve the realm of thought, it is questionable to term them obsessions per se. Olfactory Reference Syndrome (ORS) presents OOs inconsistently and is a distinctive diagnostic category related to OCD. Therefore, the primary objectives of our study were not only to assess the prevalence of OOs in OCD patients, but also to demonstrate their phenomenological consistency with other OCD symptoms. The study group consisted of 75 patients already diagnosed and treated for OCD. Hence, a comparison was made between OCD patients with and without OOs in terms of: symptom severity, level of insight and comorbidities. Olfactory obsessions (OOs) were found in 21.33% ( n = 16). OOs induced compulsive behavior in more than 93% of subjects. The presence of OOs did not significantly differentiate the studied groups in terms of OCD severity ( p = 0.876), level of insight ( p = 0.680), depression ( p = 0.746), mania ( p = 0.525) and OCDP traits ( p = 0.624). However, a comparison of the two groups showed that OOs patients presented higher levels of hostility ( p = 0.036), cognitive impulsivity ( p = 0.039), magic-type obsession (75% vs. 35.59%), and contamination obsession (87.50% vs. 67.80%). Conclusions: OOs frequently occur in the course of OCD, and their phenomenology is typical of this disorder. OOs are not a symptom of thought content disorders and are sensory in nature, which is not included in the definition of obsession. The presence of OOs in OCD provokes hostility and cognitive impulsivity. It can be assumed that the Olfactory Obsessions Questionnaire accurately identifies olfactory obsessions.

Sexuality is the one of the most important parts of human life. The aim of our study was to identify the factors influencing the onset and age of sexual initiation in students and drawing attention to the need to improve access to sexual education in Polish schools at a sufficiently high level. An original questionnaire with 31 questions was used for the study. Data were collected using the Google Forms tool. A total of 7528 students participated in the study and 5824 underwent sexual initiation. The mean age at sexual initiation was 18.1 years. Logistic regression analysis was performed to show factors influencing the onset of sexual activity, while linear regression analysis was used for factors influencing the age of sexual initiation. Religion, drug use, smoking, alcohol consumption, type of housing, and conversations with parents about contraception or sex affect the onset of sexual activity. The age of sexual initiation is affected by religion, the age of the first viewing of pornography, quality of life, the size of the city of residence, smoking and drug use.

No single effective therapy for alcohol abuse has been found, despite it being a serious sociological and economic problem for hundreds of years. It seems difficult to find a single drug as a panacea for the alcohol problem due to the complexity of the pathophysiology of alcohol dependence. The purpose of this narrative review is to review existing and potentially future pharmaceuticals for the treatment of alcohol dependence in the most affordable way possible. Psychotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for alcoholism, while few drugs approved by legislators are available in the augmentation of this treatment, such as acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone, approved by the FDA, and nalmefene by the EMA. There are recent reports in the literature on the possibility of using baclofen, topiramate, varenicline, and gabapentin in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Moreover, the results of recent clinical trials using psychoactive substances such as psilocybin and MDMA appear to be a breakthrough in the modern treatment of alcohol abuse. Despite this initial optimism, a lot of scientific effort is still needed before new pharmacological methods supporting the treatment of alcohol dependence syndrome will be widely available.

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a relatively recently described sexual disorder, characterized by symptoms of spontaneous genital arousal which persist in the absence of sexual desire and may affect women and men. Epidemiological studies conducted so far indicate that the prevalence of PGAD in the population may reach 1-4%. The etiology of PGAD remains unclear and complex, hypothesized causes include vascular, neurological, hormonal, psychological, pharmacologic, dietary, mechanical factors or a combination of these factors. Proposed methods of treatment include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, hypnotherapy, injection of botulinum toxin, pelvic floor physical therapy, application of anesthetizing agents, reduction of identifiable factors exacerbating the symptoms, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. There is no standardized treatment algorithm for PGAD due to lack of clinical trials (evidence-based medicine). The classification of PGAD is under discussion: it could be classified as a separate sexual disorder, a subtype of vulvodynia or a disorder with pathogenesis similar to overactive bladder (OAB) and restless legs syndrome (RLS). Due to specificity of symptoms, patients may feel shame and discomfort during the examination or even delay reporting symptoms to the specialist. Thus, it is crucial to spread knowledge about this disorder, which would allow doctors to diagnose and help PGAD patients sooner.

Objectives: An attempt to assess the impact of dual diagnosis - mental illness and addiction on the occurrence of sexual dysfunctions, and evaluation of problems with sexual functioning in men treated in a psychiatric ward., Methods: 140 psychiatrically hospitalized men (mean age 40.4 ± 12.7 years) with the diagnosis of schizophrenia, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, addiction and double diagnosis (schizophrenia and addiction) took part in the study. The Sexological Questionnaire, developed by Professor Andrzej Kokoszka, and the International Index of Erectile Function IIEF-5 were used in the study., Results: The occurrence of sexual dysfunctions in the study group was reported in 83.6% of patients. The most common was reduction in sexual needs (53.6%) and orgasm delay (40%). Depending on the research tool used, erectile dysfunction appeared in 38.6% of respondents (according to Kokoszka's Questionnaire) and 61.4% of patients (IIEF-5). Severe erectile dysfunction was more common in the group of patients without a partner (12.4% vs. 0; p = 0.000) compared to people in relationships and in the group with anxiety disorders (p = 0.028) compared to groups with other mental disorders. In the group of people with dual diagnosis (DD), sexual dysfunctions were observed more frequently in comparison to patients with schizophrenia (p = 0.034). Treatment lasting over 5 years was more often associated with sexual dysfunctions (p = 0.007). In the DD group, lack of orgasm and excessive sexual needs were more frequent in comparison to people with one diagnosis (p = 0.0145; p = 0.035)., Conclusions: Sexual dysfunctions are more common in patients with DD in comparison to patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Lack of a partner and the duration of psychiatric treatment over 5 years is associated with more frequent occurrence of sexual dysfunctions.

Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) is the intellectual and emotional wellbeing of an individual, which is determined by many factors. The most measurable are the sense of happiness, occupational satisfaction, quality of interpersonal relationships and sex life. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental disorder diagnosed by the presence of obsessions and compulsions that disrupt normal psychosocial functioning. Despite early onset, treatment is delayed (OCD-DTI) and unsatisfactory., Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to assess selected correlates of the sense of happiness among patients with OCD. The secondary objective is to compare the sense of happiness with healthy people., Methods: Seventyfive OCD patients and equal number of healthy subjects were compared using a Polish adaptation of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ-23)., Results: We found a significant negative correlation between sense of happiness and the severity of OCD ( r = -0.479), the number of obsessive-compulsive personality traits ( r = -0.323), the number of other comorbid mental disorders ( r = -0.272), the level of aggression ( r = -0.448), impulsivity ( r = -0.301), depressiveness ( r = -0.357), and the sexual dysfunctions ( r = -0.279). The latter were much more common in individuals with OCD compared to healthy subjects (66.67 vs. 12%). The level of loneliness was over two times higher in the study group compared to controls (27 vs. 12%). The mean delay in treatment onset was 13 years. Conclusions. Assessment of aspects of QoL should be an integral part of the diagnostic and therapeutic process in OCD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Żerdziński, Burdzik, Żmuda, Witkowska-Berek, Dȩbski, Flajszok-Macierzyńska, Piegza, John-Ziaja and Gorczyca.)

Objectives: MDMA is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Clinical studies are currently being conducted around the world on the use of this substance in the treatment of PTSD and alcoholism. However, little demographic information is available on users who use the substance for recreational purposes. The aim was to determine basic demographic and helath characteristics with validated tools., Methods: The authors prepared an original questionnaire on the demography of MDMA users and combined it with the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The survey was sent to Polish MDMA users via the Internet., Results: 304 responses were received from people over 18 years of age. MDMA is widespread among young adults, in many different places of residence and regardless of gender. The users take MDMA in both pill and crystal form and very rarely test drugs bought from a dealer. Most users feel that MDMA has had a good impact on their lives., Conclusions: MDMA is rarely used as the only psychoactive substance. MDMA users rate their health higher than people using other psychoactive substances.

Background: The sense of coherence is lower in patients with somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders., Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intensity of depression and anxiety symptoms and their relationship with the sense of coherence and to try to determine the relationship between the strength of sense of coherence and symptoms of depression and anxiety with the presence of symptoms of carotid atherosclerosis in a group of patients undergoing carotid artery stenting., Methods: 35 patients, including 13 with symptomatic atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries, completed self-report tests: Hospital Scale of Depression and Anxiety (HADS) and the SOC-29 Life Orientation Questionnaire (SOC-29), 22 of whom also rated their subjective feelings of anxiety and depression on a scale included in the author's questionnaire., Results: Both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients did not differ significantly in the severity of depression, but they differed in anxiety levels as assessed by the HADS scale. There were no differences in the overall strength of sense of coherence and its individual components. Nearly 12% of those undergoing carotid artery stenting have pronounced anxiety symptoms, and just over 14% have pronounced depression symptoms. A higher overall sense of coherence and its components are associated with lower severity of depression symptoms. Lower severity of anxiety correlates negatively with a higher sense of understanding, meaningfulness, and holistic Sense of Coherence (SOC). Manageability appeared higher in men., Conclusions: SOC is an important health-promoting factor that is preferably related to mental health parameters of patients with carotid atherosclerosis.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental health condition that begins after exposure to a traumatic event. Despite recommended various therapeutic approaches, including both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, treatment is not as effective as expected. Over recent years the pharmaceutical industry has not been able to offer a new approach, founded on multiple mechanisms of action. That is why a part of researchers focused on psychoactive substances synthesized years ago and then banned. These days MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD clinical trials are conducted, and due to previous results, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a breakthrough therapy designation. In this article, we present the mechanism of actions, the therapeutic rationale, applied psychotherapeutic methods, and potential dangers. If ongoing phase 3 studies are completed and clinical efficacy criteria are achieved, the FDA could approve the treatment as early as 2022.

Ego-resiliency is a set of traits that promotes positive adaptation to life's vicissitudes. High ego-resiliency helps in upholding one's personality system when facing adversity and in adjusting it to new environmental demands. Our study aimed at evaluating the connections between ego-resiliency, the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. A total of 604 Polish citizens aged 16 to 69 years participated in the online survey. Ego-resiliency was measured with the Ego Resiliency Scale (ER89-R12), anxiety and depression with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and life satisfaction with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Statistical analyses were performed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The results revealed correlations between the intensity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and the intensity of ego-resiliency. Individuals with a high level of ego-resiliency tended to experience a lower intensity of anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, individuals with a high level of ego-resiliency exhibited a higher level of life satisfaction. Our conclusions might assist in better understanding the close link between levels of ego-resiliency, the occurrence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, and satisfaction with life among Polish individuals experiencing crises.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe mental disorder that results in the frequent coexistence of other diseases, lowers patients' quality of life, and has a high annual cost of treatment. However, despite the variety of therapeutic approaches that exist, some patients still do not achieve the desired results. In addition, we may soon face an increase in the number of new PTSD cases because of the current global situation-both the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing armed conflicts. Hence, in recent years, many publications have sought a new, more personalized treatment approach. One such approach is the administration of intranasal oxytocin (INOXT), which, due to its pleiotropic effects, seems to be a promising therapeutic option. However, the current findings suggest that it might only be helpful for a limited, strictly selected group of patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of most of the world's population. The authors of this study decided to identify differences in the intensity of anxiety, aggression and alcohol consumption within the study population. The study was conducted via an Internet survey. It uses Polish adaptations of international scales to assess anxiety (GAD-7), aggression (Buss and Perry Aggression Scale) and alcohol consumption (AUDIT test). A total of 538 people were examined. The surveyed group of respondents does not reflect the structure of Polish society. The group of surveyed women scored higher than men in terms of anxiety, as well as anger and hostility. The examined men were characterized by higher results of alcohol consumption and physical aggression. People between 18 and 49 years of age consumed significantly more alcohol than people aged 50 and over. People aged 18-29 obtained statistically significantly higher scores in generalized aggression and hostility. The relationships between the studied parameters do not differ significantly from those presented in other studies. People under the age of 50 are the group most exposed to the harmful effects of alcohol. Women between the ages of 30 and 49 are most vulnerable to the negative mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need for further research studies in which the studied group will obtain a greater degree of compliance with the structure of Polish society.

The aim of the study was to describe the relationship between the tendency to believe in false information about the COVID-19 pandemic, tendency to believe in conspiracy theories and the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms among the surveyed Poles. The study was conducted via the Internet in a group of 700 people aged 24.8 ± 6.3 years (mean ± SD). 585 females and 110 males were involved. Scales such as Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale (GCBS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the original questionnaire COVID-19 Conspiratorial Beliefs Scale (COVID-19 CBS) designed to measure the tendency to believe in false information about COVID-19 pandemic were used. A positive correlation was observed between the tendency to believe in false information about the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID-19 CBS) and the tendency to believe in general conspiracy theories (GCBS) (r = 0.768; p < 0.001). Moreover, both COVID-19 CBS and GCBS positively correlated with the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms in the study group. For COVID-19 CBS, the correlation coefficients were 0.087 ( p < 0.021) and.108 ( p < 0.004) for depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively, while for GCBS the coefficients were 0.132 ( p < 0.001) and 0.147 ( p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that the increased tendency to believe in false beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with an increase in the severity of anxiety (b = 0.04; p = 0.021) and depression (b = 0.06; p < 0.001) symptoms. It can be hypothesized that the tendency to believe in false information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic is positively associated with the tendency to general belief in conspiracy theories. False beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic may, at least to some extent, influence the development of anxiety and depression symptoms., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Dȩbski, Boroń, Kapuśniak, Dȩbska-Janus, Piegza and Gorczyca.)

Background: The revascularization of carotid arteries minimizes the risk of future cerebral stroke and usually improves cognitive functions. The aim of this study was to assess changes in cognitive function and verify the hypothesis assuming an improvement of selected cognitive functions-psychomotor speed, visuospatial episodic memory, executive function and verbal fluency-in patients after carotid artery stenting during a 12-month follow-up., Methods: 47 persons subject to CAS, including 13 symptomatic persons, were examined before and 12 months after a procedure with a psychological test battery (digit symbol test-DS, Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test-ROCF, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-WCST, letter verbal fluency-LVF). Sociodemographic data and clinical parameters were acquired from an author questionnaire., Results: The one-year follow-up, after the performed CAS procedure, demonstrated a significant improvement of psychomotor speed, visuospatial episodic memory, and executive function. No changes in the area of verbal fluency or decline in any of cognitive functions under analysis were observed., Conclusions: Carotid artery stenting improves cognitive functioning, both in the area of basic and more complex cognitive functions in persons with carotid atherosclerosis.

Objectives: The aim of thestudy was to assess the relationship between symptoms of depression, the level of sense of coherence (SOC) and the quality of life in patients with allergic diseases., Material and Methods: The study involved 50 bronchial asthma patients, 72 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis, and 48 patients with atopic dermatitis. The control group consisted of 50 healthy volunteers. The mental status and quality of life were assessed by questionnaires: Short Form-36 Health Status Survey (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Sense of Coherence-29 (SOC-29)., Results: Mean depression severity values were higher in allergic rhinitis patients and atopic dermatitis patients than in the control group. Patients in the latter group also showed higher rates of depression than those with bronchial asthma. In all study groups, statistically significantly lower values of sense of coherence were demonstrated compared to healthy subjects. There were no differences in the values of sense of coherence, in comparisons between the study groups. In all patient groups, lower values in physical functioning (PCS) of the quality of life scale were observed compared to the control group. The severity of symptoms of depression in all groups showed negative correlations with quality of life parameters and a sense of coherence. In addition, the SOC value correlated negatively with the parameters of mental functioning (MCS) of the quality of life scale., Conclusions: (1) Patients with atopic dermatitis showed the greatest severity of depressive symptoms. (2) Patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis showed abetter quality of life than patients with chronic bronchial asthma and patients with atopic dermatitis. (3) Low level of sense of coherence in patients suffering from allergic diseases and the occurrence of symptoms of depression can worsen the quality of life.

Gender incongruence according to the ICD-11, compiled by the World Health Organization in 2019, is a sense of inconsistency between experienced and assigned gender that does not have to be associated with discomfort or suffering. However, the aspect of suffering is emphasized in the understanding of the diagnostic unit of gender dysphoria according to the DSM-5 of the American Psychiatric Association. People with gender incongruence are exposed to misunderstanding, persecution and stigmatization, often related to experienced minority stress. The aim of this study was to analyze the available literature in terms of the relationship between gender dysphoria and some mental disorders and minority stress, and to draw attention to the suffering of these people in the context of social confrontation with the phenomenon of gender transposition. The unfavorable image of a person with gender dysphoria created by some media, persecution and, as a result, bans on gender reassignment in some countries mean that a steady increase in mental disorders in these patients can be expected. The main psychiatric problems in people with gender dysphoria, accompanied by minority stress for most of their lives so far, concern the coexistence of depressive and anxiety disorders, self-destructive behaviors and the tendency to addiction. An important aspect of the functioning of people with gender dysphoria are also difficulties in taking up and maintaining employment, fear of losing income due to attempting to live in accordance with the perceived gender. The authors of the presented review wanted to emphasize the importance of minority stress in the lives of these people and the need for social education and a change in the approach to the concept of "employee," excluding the record gender from it, which - according to the authors - could help people with gender incompatibility in their working life by reducing minority stress. Med Pr. 2022;73(2):163-72., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Due to the continuous development of palliative care and methods of pain relief in the last moments of patients’ lives, we are faced with the question of how long we should take measures to delay inevitable death for, without providing prolonged therapy against the patient’s will. For terminally ill and people experiencing unimaginable suffering, euthanasia is considered as one of the possible options for a dignified farewell. The aim of the study was to determine the views on euthanasia in a group of students from Polish universities. Questionnaire responses were analyzed for 9686 students (79.9% of women and 20.1% of men) aged 18−35 years. Respondents were asked to complete their own questionnaire on demographic data and attitudes toward euthanasia in the case of severe terminal illness or paralysis preventing independent living. Euthanasia was significantly more acceptable among women (85% vs. 75%, p < 0.0001; 69% vs. 62%, p < 0.0001) and non-believers [98% vs. 97% (denominations other than Christian), 84% (other forms of Christianity), 69% (Roman Catholic); p < 0.0001] in every case considered. Religious affiliation was the factor that most influenced attitudes toward euthanasia. Among the other elements influencing attitudes toward euthanasia, residence and field of study were distinguished. Considering the large sample size and specific conclusions, the article should be an important argument in the discussion on euthanasia.

Introduction: The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused the outbreak of the pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO, World Health Organization) on 11 March 2020, has resulted in the introduction of many restrictions worldwide to contain the rapidly spreading pathogen. A particularly vulnerable professional group are paramedics working in Emergency Medical Teams., Aim: The main aim of this study was to investigate the influence of selected sociodemographic and clinical parameters on anxiety and depression symptoms in paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic., Materials and Methods: The study involved 387 paramedics working in Medical Rescue Teams in Poland. The majority of respondents were male (72.35%). In order to achieve the aim of the study, an online diagnostic survey was conducted using a questionnaire of the author's own design and standardized questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and General Anxiety Disorders (GAD-7)., Results: Significantly higher values were observed for all analysed scales in females compared to males. The main factors influencing the occurrence of anxiety and depression symptoms were gender, seniority at work, family relations, use of sleeping pills. Alcohol consumption increased in this professional group during the pandemic., Conclusions: Females and users of sleep medication who work in the emergency department during a pandemic are more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. A longer length of service and satisfying relationships with family are factors in reducing these symptoms. Paramedics who are in informal relationships and single manifest more emotional problems compared to those who are married. Increased alcohol consumption can be considered as a way of coping with stress. However, further studies in this professional group are needed to assess the further impact of the pandemic on psychiatric symptoms among emergency medical workers.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between selected parameters of the mental state and the quality of life of patients with diabetes., Methods: The study included 51 patients with type 1 diabetes and 52 patients with type 2 diabetes. The following scales were used in the study: quality of life SF-36, Acceptance of llness Scale (AIS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)., Results: Patients with type 2 diabetes achieved lower values than patients with type 1 diabetes only in the domain of physical functioning of the SF-36 scale (p = 0.001). Assessing the relationship between the studied parameters, it was shown that the duration of the disease was associated with a worse overall health rating (p = 0.036) among patients with type 1 diabetes. However, among patients with type 2 diabetes the duration of the disease correlated negatively with physical functioning (p = 0.002), physical functioning in social roles (p = 0.001) and physical pain (p = 0.047) as well as life satisfaction (p = 0.012) and positively with the results of glycated haemoglobin (p = 0.04). Among patients with type 1 diabetes, the level of depression negatively correlated with the level of acceptance of the disease (p = 0.0009) and life satisfaction (p = 0.006), while the level of anxiety only with the level of acceptance of the disease (p = 0.0004), and a greater severity of anxiety was associated with worse metabolic control (p = 0.02). In the group of patients with type 2 diabetes, the level of anxiety negatively correlated with the level of acceptance of the disease (p = 0.003)., Conclusions: Due to the numerous limitations of chronic disease, more attention should be paid to the quality of life and mental state of patients diagnosed with diabetes, and assessment of the above parameters should be included in the therapeutic process.

Worldwide, there are about 121 million unintended pregnancies per year. The aim of the study was to assess the attitudes in different groups of students from 40 Polish universities towards pregnancy termination. In total, 9686 university students (20.1% male and 79.9% female) took part in our research. Questions about attitudes towards abortion in all possible circumstances were involved in the survey, which also included a socio-demographic questionnaire. Overall, 94.5% of women and 90.7% of men consider that abortion should be legal in the situation of a threat to the mother's life, while only 52% of women and 38.7% of men accept it in the case of a hard financial situation for the mother. Most students stand for abortion in the situation of a threat to the mother's life, in the case of rape, or in the case of a mortal fetus defect. Less than half of the students interviewed consider that abortion should be legal in the case of a hard financial situation for the mother or on the mother's demand. People who declare a religious affiliation more often disagree with abortion, even in the hardest cases such as a danger to the mother's life or a mortal fetus defect. The factor that influences the strongest on attitudes towards abortion is being an active Roman Catholic. The majority of students have a pro-choice attitude in respect of pregnancy termination.

The mechanism of direct impact of Trichoderma fungi on other organisms is a multilayer process. The level of limiting the growth of other microorganisms is determined by the strain and often by the environment. Confirmation of the presence of extracellular biosurfactants in certain strains of Trichoderma considered as biocontrol agents was regarded as a crucial topic complementing the characterization of their interactive mechanisms. Selected strains of T. citrinoviride were cultured in media stimulating biosurfactant biosynthesis, optionally supplemented with lytic enzyme inducers. Results confirmed the anti-fungal properties of surface-active compounds in the tested culture fluids. Preparations that displayed high fungal growth inhibition presented marginal enzymatic activities of both chitinases and laminarinases, implying the inhibitory role of biosurfactants. Fractions from the foam of the culture fluid of the C1 strain, cultured on Saunders medium, and HL strain on MGP medium, without an additional carbon source, exhibited the most prominent ability to inhibit the growth of phytopathogens. Filamentous fungi capable of producing fungicidal compounds, including surfactants, may find applications in protecting the plants against agri-food pathogenic molds., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Piegza, Szura and Łaba.)