Social Worldviews and Personal Beliefs as Risk Factors for Radicalization: A Comparison Between Muslims and non-Muslims Living in Poland

This paper contributes to the understanding of the radicalization process. Muslim and non-Muslim residents of Poland were compared on their pro-terrorist attitudes toward sacrifice and non-sacrifice terrorism. We observed that acceptance of sacrifice terrorism and non-sacrifice terrorism are distinct but overlapping attitudes. These attitudes are explained by a separate configuration of social worldviews and personal beliefs. We found acceptance of non-sacrifice terrorism to be predicted by individual belief in a hostile world and the perception of low social support, whereas acceptance of sacrifice terrorism is determined by religious fundamentalism and authoritarianism. The separate beliefs underlying these two forms of pro-terrorist attitudes may indicate their different psychological functions. Acceptance of sacrifice terrorism serves as a defense of religion and culture, whereas acceptance of non-sacrifice terrorism serves to release personal frustration. This distinction may be used in terrorism prevention programs and/or de-radicalization programs. We also found that the risk of radicalization increases with the socio-cultural isolation of Muslims, decreases with age, and is particularly high for males

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis mimicking lung cancer in a non-asthmatic female patient: a case report

Alergiczna aspergiloza oskrzelowo-płucna (ABPA) jest chorobą płuc, o zmiennym obrazie radiologicznym, wywołaną reakcją nadwrażliwości na antygeny grzybów z rodzaju Aspergillus, najczęściej Aspergillus fumigatus. Alergiczna aspergiloza oskrzelowo- płucna najczęściej występuje u chorych na astmę steroidozależną (1–2% chorych) lub mukowiscydozę (5–15% chorych). Bardzo rzadko chorobę rozpoznaje się u osób bez astmy oskrzelowej. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono przypadek ABPA u 45-letniej chorej, diagnozowanej wstępnie z powodu podejrzenia raka płuca lewego z poszerzeniem wnęki, u której nigdy nie rozpoznawano astmy oskrzelowej. Po wykonaniu badań rozpoznano ABPA i wdrożono leczenie z poprawą kliniczną, radiologiczną i obniżeniem stężenia immunoglobulin E (IgE). Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2011; 80, 1: 77–81Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a lung disease caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to antigens of the Aspergillus species (most frequently Aspergillus fumigatus), with a variable radiographic appearance. ABPA most commonly affects patients with steroid-dependent asthma (1–2%) and patients with cystic fibrosis (5–15%). ABPA is very rarely diagnosed in non-asthmatics. We report a case of ABPA in a 45-year-old female initially evaluated for suspected cancer of the left lung with hilar lymphadenopathy, who had never been diagnosed with asthma. After the diagnostic investigation was complete, the diagnosis of ABPA was established and appropriate treatment was instituted leading to clinical, radiological, and serological improvement (IgE decrease)

Organising pneumonia and lung cancer - case report and review of the literature

Organizujące się zapalenie płuc jest chorobą wynikającą z reakcji płuc na szereg czynników uszkadzających, zarówno pochodzenia egzo-, jak i endogennego. Notowane są również przypadki o nieustalonej etiologii. Ogniska organizującego się zapalenia płuc mogą stosunkowo często towarzyszyć naciekom nowotworowym w płucach, w tym szczególnie rakowi płuca. Organizujące się zapalenie płuc u chorych na raka płuca może być indukowane również przez chemio- lub radioterapię. Autorzy pracy przedstawiają przypadek 65-letniego chorego przyjętego do Kliniki z powodu gorączki, suchego kaszlu, duszności wysiłkowej i stwierdzanych w obrazie radiologicznym klatki piersiowej zacienień w dolnym polu płuca prawego. W badaniu tomokomputerowym uwidoczniono naciek zapalny z powietrznym bronchogramem łączący się z wnęką. Bronchoskopowo stwierdzono obturację oskrzela segmentu 9. płuca prawego przez kalafiorowaty guz. W wycinkach stwierdzono utkanie raka płaskonabłonkowego płuca. Z wydzieliny oskrzelowej nie wyhodowano flory patogennej, nie wykryto również w surowicy przeciwciał w kierunku patogenów atypowych (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chalamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila). Chorego leczono operacyjnie, dokonując resekcji płata dolnego płuca prawego. W badaniu histologicznym specimenu pooperacyjnego wykryto w oskrzelu niewielkie ognisko nowotworu płuca oraz rozległe nacieki organizującego się zapalenia płuc. W opinii autorów pracy leczenie operacyjne było wystarczające zarówno w stosunku do raka płuca, jak i indukowanego nowotworem organizującego się zapalenia płuc. W 6 miesięcy po zabiegu stan chorego był bardzo dobry i nie stwierdzono wznowy opisywanych procesów chorobowych. Reasumując, autorzy przedstawiają przypadek chorego na raka płaskonabłonkowego płuca (T1N0M0) z towarzyszącym rozległym naciekiem organizującego się zapalenia płuc.Organising pneumonia (OP) is a distinct clinicopathological entity resulting from pulmonary reaction to noxious environmental or endogenous factors, but also idiopathic cases have been noted. Frequently, small foci of OP accompany lung cancer infiltrations. Also OP is sometimes a reaction to radio- or chemotherapy, but it is rarely a predominant lesion in the course of lung cancer. We present the case of 65-year-old patient who presented with fever, dry cough, exertional dyspnoea and pneumonic consolidation in the right lower lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed squamous carcinoma obstructing the right lower bronchi. He was surgically treated, and the right lower lobe was resected. Pathological examination of a specimen revealed only small infiltration of carcinoma cells in the wall of the bronchi and large confluent areas of organising pneumonia. Surgery was a sufficient treatment for both diseases. Six months later he was in good condition without any pulmonary infiltrations. To sum up, a case of endobronchial squamous cell carcinoma in stage T1N0M0 with predominant clinical and radiological signs of OP is presented

The 3020insC Allele of NOD2 Predisposes to Cancers of Multiple Organs

The NOD2 gene has been associated with susceptibility to Crohn's disease and individuals with Crohn's disease are at increased risk for cancer at a number of organ sites. We studied the association between the 3020insC allele of the NOD2 gene and cancer among 2604 cancer patients and 1910 controls from Poland. Patients were diagnosed with one of twelve types of cancer in the Szczecin region between 1994 and 2004. Significant associations were found for colon cancer (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.6), for lung cancer (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.1 to 2.5) and for ovarian cancer (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.3). In addition, a significant association was found for early-onset laryngeal cancer (OR = 2.9; 95% CI 1.4 to 6.2) and for breast cancer in the presence of DCIS (OR = 2.1 95% CI = 1.2 to 3.6). The NOD2 3020insC allele is relatively common (in Poland 7.3% of individuals) and may be responsible for an important fraction of cancer cases. We estimate that the lifetime cancer risk among carriers of this allele is 30% higher than that of individuals with two wild-type alleles

Role of germline aberrations affecting CTNNA1, MAP3K6 and MYD88 in gastric cancer susceptibility

Background: In approximately 10% of all gastric cancer (GC) cases, a heritable cause is suspected. A subset of these cases have a causative germline CDH1 mutation; however, in most cases the cause remains unknown. Our objective was to assess to what extent these remaining cases may be explained by germline mutations in the novel candidate GC predisposing genes CTNNA1, MAP3K6 or MYD88. Methods: We sequenced a large cohort of unexplained young and/or familial patients with GC (n=286) without a CDH1germline mutation for germline variants affecting CTNNA1, MAP3K6 and MYD88 using a targeted next-generation sequencing approach based on single-molecule molecular inversion probes. Results: Predicted deleterious germline variants were not encountered in MYD88, but recurrently observed in CTNNA1 (n=2) and MAP3K6 (n=3) in our cohort of patients with GC. In contrast to deleterious variants in CTNNA1, deleterious variants in MAP3K6 also occur frequently in the general population. Conclusions: Based on our results MAP3K6 should no longer be considered a GC predisposition gene, whereas deleterious CTNNA1 variants are confirmed as an infrequent cause of GC susceptibility. Biallelic MYD88 germline mutations are at most a very rare cause of GC susceptibility as no additional cases were identified

Recurrent candidiasis and early-onset gastric cancer in a patient with a genetically defined partial MYD88 defect

Gastric cancer is caused by both genetic and environmental factors. A woman who suffered from recurrent candidiasis throughout her life developed diffuse-type gastric cancer at the age of 23 years. Using whole-exome sequencing we identified a germline homozygous missense variant in MYD88. Immunological assays on peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed an impaired immune response upon stimulation with Candida albicans, characterized by a defective production of the cytokine interleukin-17. Our data suggest that a genetic defect in MYD88 results in an impaired immune response and may increase gastric cancer risk

Unraveling genetic predisposition to familial or early onset gastric cancer using germline whole-exome sequencing

Recognition of individuals with a genetic predisposition to gastric cancer (GC) enables preventive measures. However, the underlying cause of genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer remains largely unexplained. We performed germline whole-exome sequencing on leukocyte DNA of 54 patients from 53 families with genetically unexplained diffuse-type and intestinal-type GC to identify novel GC-predisposing candidate genes. As young age at diagnosis and familial clustering are hallmarks of genetic tumor susceptibility, we selected patients that were diagnosed below the age of 35, patients from families with two cases of GC at or below age 60 and patients from families with three GC cases at or below age 70. All included individuals were tested negative for germline CDH1 mutations before or during the study. Variants that were possibly deleterious according to in silico predictions were filtered using several independent approaches that were based on gene function and gene mutation burden in controls. Despite a rigorous search, no obvious candidate GC predisposition genes were identified. This negative result stresses the importance of future research studies in large, homogeneous cohorts