Schizophrenia as autoimmune disease: Involvement of Anti-NCAM antibodies.

Understanding the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia has always been an unsolved puzzle for modern medicine. This seems to be due to both disease complexity and lack of sufficient knowledge regarding the biological and non-biological anomalies that exhibit schizophrenia subjects. However, dysregulated immunity is a commonly identified feature in affected individuals. Thus, recently, a hallmark study showed causality relationship between anti-NCAM antibodies and schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice. NCAM plays crucial role in neurodevelopment during early life and neuroplasticity against different stressors during adulthood, and its dysfunction in schizophrenia is increasingly proven. The present review provides the main evidence that support the contribution of autoimmunity and NCAM abnormalities in the development of schizophrenia. Furthermore, it introduces five hypotheses that may explain the mechanism by which anti-NCAM antibodies are produced in the context of schizophrenia: (i) molecular mimicry, (ii) gut dysbiosis, (iii) viral infection, (iv) exposure to environmental pollutants, (v) and NCAM production anomalies.

Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Engagement in Algeria: A Population-Based Study With Systematic Review of Studies From Arab Countries of the MENA Region.

Background: The Algerian COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which started at the end of January 2021, is marked by a slowly ascending curve despite the deployed resources. To tackle the issue, we assessed the levels and explored determinants of engagement toward the COVID-19 vaccine among the Algerian population. Methods: A nationwide, online-based cross-sectional study was conducted between March 27 and April 30, 2021. A two-stage stratified snowball sampling method was used to include an equivalent number of participants from the four cardinal regions of the country. A vaccine engagement scale was developed, defining vaccine engagement as a multidimensional parameter (5 items) that combined self-stated acceptance and willingness with perceived safety and efficacy of the vaccine. An Engagement score was calculated and the median was used to define engagement vs. non-engagement. Sociodemographic and clinical data, perceptions about COVID-19, and levels of adherence to preventive measures were analyzed as predictors for non-engagement. Results: We included 1,019 participants, 54% were female and 64% were aged 18-29 years. Overall, there were low rates of self-declared acceptance (26%) and willingness (21%) to take the vaccine, as well as low levels of agreement regarding vaccine safety (21%) and efficacy (30%). Thus, the vaccine engagement rate was estimated at 33.5%, and ranged between 29.6-38.5% depending on the region (p > 0.05). Non-engagement was independently associated with female gender (OR = 2.31, p < 0.001), low adherence level to preventive measures (OR = 6.93, p < 0.001), private-sector jobs (OR = 0.53, p = 0.038), perceived COVID-19 severity (OR = 0.66, p = 0.014), and fear from contracting the disease (OR = 0.56, p = 0.018). Concern about vaccine side effects (72.0%) and exigence for more efficacy and safety studies (48.3%) were the most commonly reported barrier and enabler for vaccine acceptance respectively; whereas beliefs in the conspiracy theory were reported by 23.4%. Conclusions: The very low rates of vaccine engagement among the Algerian population probably explain the slow ascension of the vaccination curve in the country. Vaccine awareness campaigns should be implemented to address the multiple misconceptions and enhance the levels of knowledge and perception both about the disease and the vaccine, by prioritizing target populations and engaging both healthcare workers and the general population.

Job satisfaction amongst surgical healthcare professionals during Hajj and Non-Hajj periods: An analytical multi-center cross-sectional study in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the job satisfaction of surgical healthcare professionals working during Hajj, and to determine the potential predictors of overall job satisfaction in Hajj and non-Hajj periods. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdullah Medical City, King Faisal Hospital and Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, from August 27 to September 5, 2018, which represented the period of 10 days following the Hajj season in that year. All surgeons who were employed during Hajj were interviewed regarding their job satisfaction in-Hajj versus non-Hajj periods using the Warr-Cook-Wall job satisfaction scale. A stepwise multiple linear regression was carried out to analyse predictors of overall job satisfaction in both Hajj and non Hajj periods separately. SPSS 16 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 146 participants, 28(19.18%) were consultants, 61(41.78%) specialists and 57(39.04%) were residents. Overall job satisfaction scores in Hajj period was 5.53 ±1.19 compared to 5.40±1.33 in non-Hajj period (p>0.05). During Hajj period, the participants were significantly more satisfied in terms of "amount of variety in work" (p<0.05), while they were significantly dissatisfied with regard to "physical work in g cond ition", "hours of work" an d "attention paid to suggestions" (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The variety of cases encountered by surgeons during Hajj contributed significantly to job satisfaction. However, lack of attention to physicians' suggestions, extended hours of work and physical working condition during Hajj were potential factors causing less Job satisfaction during Hajj duty.