CD38: A NAADP degrading enzyme

AbstractThe role of the multifunctional enzyme CD38 in formation of the Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) was investigated. Gene silencing of CD38 did neither inhibit NAADP synthesis in intact Jurkat T cells nor in thymus or spleen obtained from CD38 knock out mice. In vitro, both NAADP formation by base-exchange and degradation to 2-phospho adenosine diphosphoribose were efficiently decreased. Thus in vivo CD38 appears to be a NAADP degrading rather than a NAADP forming enzyme, perhaps avoiding desensitizing NAADP levels in intact cells

Indirect contact predicts direct contact : longitudinal evidence and the mediating role of intergroup anxiety

While the effects of direct and indirect forms of contact on intergroup relations are well documented, little is known about their longitudinal co-development. Based on the social-psychological literature, we hypothesize that indirect contact predicts future direct contact by reducing intergroup anxiety. Across five longitudinal studies (Study 1: German adults, N = 560; Study 2: German, Dutch, and Swedish school students, N = 6,600; Study 3: Northern Irish children, N = 1,593; Study 4: Northern Irish adults, N = 404; Study 5: German adults, N = 735), we systematically examined this effect, and further tested the mediating role of intergroup anxiety in Studies 3 to 5. Cross-lagged models provided consistent evidence for the positive effect of indirect contact on future direct contact, while a reduction in intergroup anxiety mediates this effect in most models. Results highlight the importance of indirect contact, which has the potential to increase direct contact, and thus promote social cohesion in diverse contexts, over time.PostprintPeer reviewe

Association of the belief in conspiracy narratives with vaccination status and recommendation behaviours of German physicians

Vaccine hesitancy has been identified as one of the top ten threats to global health by the World Health Organization (WHO). The belief in conspiracy narratives is repeatedly discussed as a major driver of vaccine hesitancy among the general population. However, there is a lack of research investigating the role of the belief in conspiracy narratives in vaccination decisions and recommendation behaviours of physicians. This is particularly relevant as physicians are one of the major and trusted sources of information for patients’ vaccination decisions. This study therefore investigated the association between believing in COVID-19-related conspiracy narratives and physicians’ own COVID-19 vaccination status and their recommendation behavior for COVID-19 and other vaccines (e.g., HPV or flu). In a cross-sectional survey among German physicians (N = 602, April 2022) two conspiracy narratives were assessed, stating that the coronavirus is a hoax or that it is human-made. Additional control variables included trust in health institutions, the rejection of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the 5C psychological antecedents of vaccination (confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility) and demographic variables. Hierarchical regressions indicated that greater belief in the conspiracy narrative claiming that the coronavirus is a hoax was associated with lower COVID-19 vaccination uptake and fewer COVID-19 vaccination recommendations among physicians. The results for recommendation behavior remain robust even when controlling for other variables. Contrary to our assumption, believing that the coronavirus is human-made was not related to vaccination status nor vaccine recommendation behavior. In conclusion, believing in conspiracy narratives that question the existence and thus also the danger of the virus is an important independent predictor of vaccine hesitancy among physicians that should be addressed in future public health interventions

Indirect contact predicts direct contact:longitudinal evidence and the mediating role of intergroup anxiety

While the effects of direct and indirect forms of contact on intergroup relations are well documented, little is known about their longitudinal co-development. Based on the social-psychological literature, we hypothesize that indirect contact predicts future direct contact by reducing intergroup anxiety. Across five longitudinal studies (Study 1: German adults, N = 560; Study 2: German, Dutch, and Swedish school students, N = 6,600; Study 3: Northern Irish children, N = 1,593; Study 4: Northern Irish adults, N = 404; Study 5: German adults, N = 735), we systematically examined this effect, and further tested the mediating role of intergroup anxiety in Studies 3 to 5. Cross-lagged models provided consistent evidence for the positive effect of indirect contact on future direct contact, while a reduction in intergroup anxiety mediates this effect in most models. Results highlight the importance of indirect contact, which has the potential to increase direct contact, and thus promote social cohesion in diverse contexts, over time

Difficulties faced by physicians from four European countries in rebutting anti-vaccination arguments::A cross-sectional study

Introduction:Physicians play a critical role in encouraging their patients to get vaccinated, in part by responding to patients’ concerns about vaccines. It is therefore important to understand what difficulties physicians have in dealing with different concerns they may encounter. The aim of this article was to determine physicians’ perceptions of difficulties in rebutting different anti-vaccination arguments from patients using data collected as part of a cross-sectional, cross-national questionnaire on physicians’ vaccine attitudes and behaviours.Methods:Physicians in four European countries (Finland, Germany, France, and Portugal, total n = 2,718) rated 33 different arguments, chosen to represent 11 different psychological motivations underlying vaccine hesitancy, in terms of their perceptions of how difficult each argument would be to rebut.Results:Across all countries, physicians perceived arguments based on religious concerns and “reactance” (i.e., resistance to perceived curbs of freedom) to be the most difficult to rebut, whereas arguments based on patients’ distorted perception of the risks of disease and vaccines were perceived to be the easiest. There were also between-country differences in the level of perceived difficulty of argument rebuttal. Physicians’ perceived difficulty with rebutting arguments was significantly negatively correlated with their vaccine recommendation behaviours and their preparedness for vaccination discussions.Conclusions:Physicians may feel better equipped to counter arguments that can be rebutted with facts and evidence, but may struggle to respond when arguments are motivated by psychological dispositions or values