Background: Due to low adherence to HPV vaccination programs, the European region struggles with vaccination rates lower than 30% among the targeted population. The present report investigated various socio-demographic and psychological factors influencing European parents’ hesitancy towards vaccinating their children. Methods: As of September 2023, four databases were searched. After applying inclusion criteria, all articles comparing psychological and socio-demographic factors in parents who vaccinate or do not vaccinate their children were included. Results: Twenty-five primary publications met the criteria, totaling 385,460 responders, of which 311,803 want to or have already vaccinated their child, and 73,555 do not wish to do so. Immigrant and employment status, religion, age of parents and the child’s gender seemed to influence their decision to vaccinate their child. Previous experience with vaccines, perceived safety and efficacy and the mother’s previous abnormal CCS results also impacted their decision. The caregivers’ education, gender, civil status, number of children, family history of neoplasia or mother’s CCS attendance did not influence their hesitancy to vaccine. Conclusion: Multiple demographic, social, economic and psychological barriers involved in the parents’ hesitancy to vaccinate their children against the HPV virus were highlighted. Specific at-risk categories that need to be targeted with information, education and vaccination campaigns were identified.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common liver malignancy and is among the top five most common cancers. Despite the progress of surgery and chemotherapy, the results are often disappointing, in part due to chemoresistance. This type of tumor has special characteristics that allow the improvement of diagnostic and treatment techniques used in clinical practice, by combining nanotechnology. This article presents a brief review of the literature focused on nano-conditioned diagnostic methods, targeted therapy, and therapeutic implications for the pathology of hepatocellular carcinoma. Within each subdomain, several modern technologies with significant impact were highlighted: serological, imaging, or histopathological diagnosis; intraoperative detection; carrier-type nano-conditioned therapy, thermal ablation, and gene therapy. The prospects offered by nanomedicine will strengthen the hope of more efficient diagnoses and therapies in the future.

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to healthcare workers, leading to significant psychological distress, altered health-related behaviors, and reliance on various coping mechanisms. Understanding these impacts is critical for developing targeted interventions to support healthcare professionals. This study aimed to evaluate the psychological stressors, emotional responses, changes in healthy behaviors, and coping mechanisms employed by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study further examined differences across demographic and professional groups and explored correlations between stressors, coping strategies, and emotional outcomes. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 338 healthcare workers, including physicians and nurses, in urban and rural healthcare settings during the pandemic. Data were collected using validated instruments to measure emotional responses (anxiety and anger), lifestyle behaviors (dietary habits, sleep patterns, physical activity, and smoking), and coping strategies. Statistical analyses included descriptive, inferential, and correlation techniques to assess relationships between variables. Results: Fear of infecting family members (M = 3.36, SD = 0.86) and concerns about inadequate protective equipment (M = 2.80, SD = 0.95) were the most significant stressors, strongly associated with heightened anxiety and anger. Changes in healthy behaviors were observed: 69.2% maintained a healthy meal schedule, 56.5% reported disrupted sleep patterns, and only 39.6% engaged in regular physical activity. Among smokers (27.5%), 31.1% increased smoking as a maladaptive coping strategy, while 21.1% reduced smoking. Nurses predominantly relied on emotion-focused strategies, such as religious coping and venting, whereas physicians favored problem-focused strategies like planning and active coping. Social support emerged as a protective factor, mitigating stress and facilitating adaptive coping. Conclusions: The study revealed significant psychological and behavioral impacts on healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key stressors included the fear of infecting family members, concerns about inadequate protective measures, and the prolonged uncertainty of the pandemic, which contributed to heightened levels of anxiety and anger. Changes in healthy behaviors, such as disrupted sleep patterns, decreased physical activity, and increased reliance on maladaptive coping mechanisms, further underscored the multifaceted challenges faced by healthcare professionals. Although the acute phase of the pandemic has passed, the long-term consequences on the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers remain critical concerns. Further research is essential to develop effective strategies for monitoring, preventing, and addressing psychological distress among healthcare professionals, ensuring their preparedness for future public health crises.

Aloe, the largest genus in the Asphodelaceae family, comprises 548 species, with A. vera, A. arborescens and A. ferox being among the most widely studied species. Aloe species originated in arid climates and cover various habitats, from sea level up to 2700 m, and from desert to closed-canopy forests. For human health, Aloe species are the richest natural sources. The biological activity of Aloe sp. constituents covers a wide spectrum. Most of the indications come from traditional, folkloric use and several have been verified by in vitro or in vivo studies. Emodin, the main phenolic component, has showed anti-neoplastic, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and toxicological potential for use in pharmacology. Polysaccharides, with acemannan being the most important, are present in high abundance in Aloe gels. Acemannan has been reported to have applications in oral, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, oncology, dentistry and wound healing. The effectiveness of Aloe sp. constituents on colon, liver, duodenum, skin, pancreas, intestine, lungs and kidneys cancers was highly studied with remarkable findings. Regarding the metabolic syndrome, Aloe sp. can be used as an antidiabetic and reduces cholesterol and total body fat. Constituents of Aloe sp. are nontoxic in experimental acute oral studies and are widely used in cosmetology and as bitter agents or consistence modifiers in food and beverages. Traditional Aloe remedies cover most human diseases; however, in order to gain legitimacy, the Aloe-derived drugs must have a well-established composition, with thoroughly investigated adverse effects and conventional drug interactions.

Colitis-associated colo-rectal cancer remains the leading cause of mortality in inflammatory bowel diseases, with inflammation remaining one of the bridging points between the two pathologies. The NLRP3 inflammasome complex plays an important role in innate immunity; however, its misregulation can be responsible for the apparition of various pathologies such as ulcerative colitis. Our review focuses on the potential pathways of upregulation or downregulation of the NLRP3 complex, in addition to evaluating its role in the current clinical setting. Eighteen studies highlighted the potential pathways of NLRP3 complex regulation as well as its role in the metastatic process in colo-rectal cancer, with promising results. Further research is, however, needed in order to validate the results in a clinical setting.

Mushrooms have long been recognized as a rich source of bioactive compounds, including phenolics, that possess important antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties, including activity against drug-resistant bacteria. This study evaluated total phenolic profile and content, total flavonoids content, the antioxidant activities, antimicrobial and antibacterial activities, of water extracts of edible mushrooms from Romanian deciduous forests, including Cantharellus cibarius, Russula virescens, Lactarius piperatus, and Boletus edulis. The extracts were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH radical-scavenging activity and ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Antimicrobial and antibacterial activities were tested using standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae following diffusion testing and time-killing assay, respectively. The HPLC-MS results indicated that major compounds in all the mushrooms belonged to the subclass of hydroxybenzoic acids. Trans-cinnamic acid and hydroxybenzoic acids, particularly gallic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and gentisic acid, were the predominant compounds detected in BEE and CCE. Their concentrations were measured as follows: 24 μg/mL, 63 μg/mL, 56 μg/mL, and 14 μg/mL, respectively, for BEE, and 26 μg/mL, 42 μg/mL, 7 μg/mL, and 5 μg/mL, respectively, for CCE. Among phenolic compounds, 2-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, p-anisaldehyde, and gentisic acid were positively correlated with both DPPH (45% and 21% inhibition rate for BEE and CCE, respectively) and ABTS (64 and 31% inhibition rate for BEE and CCE, respectively) antioxidant activities. The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides, extracted in different ratios in the water extract. All mushroom extracts showed a dose-dependent response with higher antimicrobial and antibacterial activities at the highest concentration (26.3 µg phenolics BEE, 12.7 µg pphenolics CCE, 28.3 µg phenolics LPE, and 14.5 µg phenolics RVE per well for antimicrobial activity and 175.2 µg phenolics/mL BEE, 84.4 µg phenolics/mL CCE, and 188.9 µg phenolics/mL LPE for antibacterial activity). These species demonstrate potential for the development of alternative antimicrobial formulations, particularly relevant in the context of antibiotic resistance.