Symptom severity is associated with leftward lateralization upon contextual modulation of visual vertical in patients with schizophrenia

BackgroundContextual processing dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) is not uniform and task-dependent. In SCZ, studies on the rod and frame test (RFT), which evaluates contextual modulation of verticality perception, are sparse. A main study that utilized a two-alternative forced choice design for judging rod verticality reported equivalent strength of RFT contextual modulation in healthy controls and SCZ. The current study aims to uncover any potential differences in contextual modulation between controls and SCZ with an adjustment method on a computerized RFT.Materials and methodsA total of 17 healthy controls and 15 SCZ aligned an oriented rod to their perceived vertical with a computer mouse under four randomized frame presentations: absent frame, non-tilted (Frame0°), or tilted by 18 degrees leftward (Frame–18°) or rightward (Frame+18°). Rod deviation error was assigned a negative or positive value when aligned leftward or rightward, respectively, of 0°. Signed and absolute errors, the rod and frame effect (RFE), and intra-individual variability (inconsistency) were used for analysis.ResultsThere was no group difference in rod alignment errors or derived measures, except that SCZ displayed greater inconsistency in rod alignment, compared to controls. The negative symptom scale (PANSS-N) scores correlated positively with the variability measure and with unsigned Frame–18° error.ConclusionsOnly the variability measure was sensitive enough to distinguish between controls and SCZ. SCZ with more severe negative symptoms had larger variability in rod alignment, probably reflecting a state of indifference. The larger deviation errors only with a leftward tilted frame, as PANSS-N scores increased, may indicate a lateralized attentional abnormality that is correlated with severity of symptoms in SCZ

GENES CONFERRING ANTIMICROBIAL-RESISTANCE AMONG KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE IN THE ARABIAN GULF COUNTRIES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Objective: The objective of the study was to look on the prevalence of six AMR genes (CTX-M, TEM, SHV, NDM-1, OXA-48, and VIM genes) in the province of the Arabian Gulf. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published studies from the Arabian Gulf countries and analyzed the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes pattern present in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Methods: The present study used the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology as a guideline for reporting findings. An electronic search was conducted in online databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science from January 2014 to June 2020 following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Articles published were included in the study resistance pattern among 2036 isolates were analyzed. These isolates conferred the AMR genes including OXA-48 (n=500), CTX-M (n= 1796), SHV (n=1637), TEM (n=1492), NDM-1 (n=500), and VIM (n=302). Results: Of 160 initially searched studies, 28 entries met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to meta-analysis. Critical appraisal of studies or quality assessment revealed a mean quality score was 4.2, with an SD of 1.6. The analysis revealed predominant AMR genes wereOXA-48 followed by CTX-M, SHV, TEM, NDM-1, and VIM in the Arabian Gulf region. Conclusion: The Arabian Gulf countries share a high prevalence of OXA-48, CTX-M followed by SHV, TEM, NDM-1, and VIM genes. Antimicrobial-resistant in K. pneumoniae is a threat to public health and this needs strong surveillance to curb this threat

Increased Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Associated with Schizophrenia: Results of a Case–Control Study from Bahrain

Background: Several studies have indicated that chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with the development of schizophrenia. Given the role of diet in modulating inflammatory markers, excessive caloric intake and increased consumption of pro-inflammatory components such as calorie-dense, nutrient-sparse foods may contribute toward increased rates of schizophrenia. This study aimed to examine the association between dietary inflammation, as measured by the dietary inflammatory index (DII®), and schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 120 cases attending the out-patient department in the Psychiatric Hospital/Bahrain were recruited, along with 120 healthy controls matched on age and sex. The energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) was computed based on dietary intake assessed using a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for potential confounders including age, sex, body mass index, education, employment, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease with E-DII expressed both as a continuous variable and categorized as quartiles. Results: The mean E-DII score for the entire sample was 1.79 ± 1.52, indicating a generally pro-inflammatory diet. The cases with schizophrenia appeared to have a higher E-DII score compared to controls: 1.99 ± 1.39 vs. 1.60 ± 1.38, respectively (p = 0.009). For every one unit increase in the E-DII score, the odds of having schizophrenia increased by 62% (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.17–2.26). Similarly, increased risk was observed when the E-DII was used as quartiles, with participants in most pro-inflammatory quartile 4 being nearly 6 times more likely to be schizophrenic than participants in the most anti-inflammatory group quartile 1 (OR 5.96; 1.74–20.38; p-trend = 0.01). Conclusions: The data suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet, as indicated by increasing E-DII score, is associated with schizophrenia. This is the first study to examine the association between the DII and schizophrenia in a Middle Eastern population. Although these results are consistent with findings from research conducted in depression, additional studies are required before generalizing the findings to other populations

Appraisal survey of the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Jordanian society toward diet and nutrition during COVID-19 era

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior (KAB) of the Jordanian society toward nutrition and diet during the COVID-19 era. Design and methods: This study is an observational, cross-sectional study using a structured, validated, reproducible, self-administered online Arabic questionnaire. KAB of the study participants was assessed via a web-based, structured, validated, reproducible Arabic questionnaire. The tool for the assessment of the KAB was composed of 33-closed-ended multi-answer questions. Results: A total of 672 people were surveyed, 70.2% were between 18 and 34, and 69.5% were females. Participants have paid little attention to the healthfulness of their diet in the last year. The majority of participant’s attitudes towards using different approaches to manage weight in the next year were: eating smaller portions for weight management, tracking to maximize the amount of time of physical activity, and substituting lower-calorie foods for full-calorie alternatives. Only tenth of participants utilize the time to perform physical activity. The majority made changes to their diet and exercise, and strictly follow commitment in connection with planning for the following year. Conclusions: Educators, legislative, food manufacturers, household heads, and policymakers are called upon to improve Jordanians’ KAB on nutrition and diet. Furthermore, Jordanian nutrition and diet behavior can be invested to improve the dietary interventions designed by nutrition and dietetics professionals

Planetary sleep medicine: Studying sleep at the individual, population, and planetary level

Circadian rhythms are a series of endogenous autonomous oscillators that are generated by the molecular circadian clock which coordinates and synchronizes internal time with the external environment in a 24-h daily cycle (that can also be shorter or longer than 24 h). Besides daily rhythms, there exist as well other biological rhythms that have different time scales, including seasonal and annual rhythms. Circadian and other biological rhythms deeply permeate human life, at any level, spanning from the molecular, subcellular, cellular, tissue, and organismal level to environmental exposures, and behavioral lifestyles. Humans are immersed in what has been called the “circadian landscape,“ with circadian rhythms being highly pervasive and ubiquitous, and affecting every ecosystem on the planet, from plants to insects, fishes, birds, mammals, and other animals. Anthropogenic behaviors have been producing a cascading and compounding series of effects, including detrimental impacts on human health. However, the effects of climate change on sleep have been relatively overlooked. In the present narrative review paper, we wanted to offer a way to re-read/re-think sleep medicine from a planetary health perspective. Climate change, through a complex series of either direct or indirect mechanisms, including (i) pollution- and poor air quality-induced oxygen saturation variability/hypoxia, (ii) changes in light conditions and increases in the nighttime, (iii) fluctuating temperatures, warmer values, and heat due to extreme weather, and (iv) psychological distress imposed by disasters (like floods, wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, and infectious outbreaks by emerging and reemerging pathogens) may contribute to inducing mismatches between internal time and external environment, and disrupting sleep, causing poor sleep quantity and quality and sleep disorders, such as insomnia, and sleep-related breathing issues, among others. Climate change will generate relevant costs and impact more vulnerable populations in underserved areas, thus widening already existing global geographic, age-, sex-, and gender-related inequalities

Increased Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Associated with Schizophrenia: Results of a Case-Control Study from Bahrain

Background: Several studies have indicated that chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with the development of schizophrenia. Given the role of diet in modulating inflammatory markers, excessive caloric intake and increased consumption of pro-inflammatory components such as calorie-dense, nutrient-sparse foods may contribute toward increased rates of schizophrenia. This study aimed to examine the association between dietary inflammation, as measured by the dietary inflammatory index (DII (R)), and schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 120 cases attending the out-patient department in the Psychiatric Hospital/Bahrain were recruited, along with 120 healthy controls matched on age and sex. The energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) was computed based on dietary intake assessed using a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for potential confounders including age, sex, body mass index, education, employment, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease with E-DII expressed both as a continuous variable and categorized as quartiles. Results: The mean E-DII score for the entire sample was 1.79 +/- 1.52, indicating a generally pro-inflammatory diet. The cases with schizophrenia appeared to have a higher E-DII score compared to controls: 1.99 +/- 1.39 vs. 1.60 +/- 1.38, respectively (p = 0.009). For every one unit increase in the E-DII score, the odds of having schizophrenia increased by 62% (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.17-2.26). Similarly, increased risk was observed when the E-DII was used as quartiles, with participants in most pro-inflammatory quartile 4 being nearly 6 times more likely to be schizophrenic than participants in the most anti-inflammatory group quartile 1 (OR 5.96; 1.74-20.38; p-trend = 0.01). Conclusions: The data suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet, as indicated by increasing E-DII score, is associated with schizophrenia. This is the first study to examine the association between the DII and schizophrenia in a Middle Eastern population. Although these results are consistent with findings from research conducted in depression, additional studies are required before generalizing the findings to other populations

Religious fasting and its impacts on individual, public, and planetary health: Fasting as a “religious health asset” for a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable society

Religious fasting is practiced by people of all faiths, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, as well as Hinduism, Judaism, and Taoism. Individual/clinical, public, global, and planetary health has traditionally been studied as separate entities. Nevertheless, religious fasting, in conjunction with other religious health assets, can provide several opportunities, ranging from the individual to the population, environmental, and planetary levels, by facilitating and supporting societal transformations and changes, such as the adoption of healthier, more equitable, and sustainable lifestyles, therein preserving the Earth's systems and addressing major interconnected, cascading, and compound challenges. In this review, we will summarize the most recent evidence on the effects of religious fasting, particularly Orthodox and Ramadan Islamic fasting, on human and public health. Further, we will explore the potential effects of religious fasting on tackling current environmental issues, with a special focus on nutrition/food restriction and planetary health. Finally, specific recommendations, particularly around dietary intake during the fasting rituals, will be provided to ensure a sustainable healthy planet

Cross-cultural comparison of mental illness stigma and help-seeking attitudes: a multinational population-based study from 16 Arab countries and 10,036 individuals

BackgroundThere is evidence that culture deeply affects beliefs about mental illnesses\u27 causes, treatment, and help-seeking. We aimed to explore and compare knowledge, attitudes toward mental illness and help-seeking, causal attributions, and help-seeking recommendations for mental illnesses across various Arab countries and investigate factors related to attitudes toward help-seeking.MethodsWe carried out a multinational cross-sectional study using online self-administered surveys in the Arabic language from June to November 2021 across 16 Arab countries among participants from the general public.ResultsMore than one in four individuals exhibited stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness (26.5%), had poor knowledge (31.7%), and hold negative attitudes toward help-seeking (28.0%). ANOVA tests revealed a significant difference between countries regarding attitudes (F = 194.8, p \u3c .001), knowledge (F = 88.7, p \u3c .001), and help-seeking attitudes (F = 32.4, p \u3c .001). Three multivariate regression analysis models were performed for overall sample, as well as Palestinian and Sudanese samples that displayed the lowest and highest ATSPPH-SF scores, respectively. In the overall sample, being female, older, having higher knowledge and more positive attitudes toward mental illness, and endorsing biomedical and psychosocial causations were associated with more favorable help-seeking attitudes; whereas having a family psychiatric history and endorsing religious/supernatural causations were associated with more negative help-seeking attitudes. The same results have been found in the Palestinian sample, while only stigma dimensions helped predict help-seeking attitudes in Sudanese participants.ConclusionInterventions aiming at improving help-seeking attitudes and behaviors and promoting early access to care need to be culturally tailored, and congruent with public beliefs about mental illnesses and their causations