The impact of academic stress on the dietary behaviour of female undergraduates in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

There is a paucity of research into the effect of stress on the dietary behaviour of undergraduate students in non-western societies, particularly middle-eastern countries. This is in spite of the seeming importance of culture and ethnicity as potential moderating factors of the stress- diet relationship. Consequently, there is limited knowledge and understanding of the factors that influence the stress-diet relationship in these societies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of academic stress on the dietary behaviour of female undergraduate students in King Abdul-Aziz University in Saudi Arabia and how it is influenced by the lifestyle choices and coping strategies adopted by students. A longitudinal survey of a convenient sample of undergraduate students was carried out using several instruments. These included a self-completed questionnaire (to collect data on socio-demographics, lifestyle choices), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS14), Brief COPE instrument, and 24hour recall interviews. Data were collected when no examinations were scheduled (T1), and again during examinations (T2). The participants were drawn from the female undergraduate student population in six different faculties at the university with a median age of 21.6 years. 491 participants were recruited to the study (T1), of whom 322 completed the follow-up study (T2) during the examination period. The results showed that students reported significantly higher levels of stress during examinations (p<0.001) and that age and smoking were the two discriminating factors of students’ perception of stress. The analysis of food data revealed that there wasn’t a significant difference in the nutrient intake of students during (T1) and (T2). Nonetheless, results showed that during examinations the frequency of food intake was significantly lower (t(320) = 6.195; p=0.001), as with fast food intake (t(320) = -3.439; p=0.001). Whereas the intake of healthy food by students who reported significantly higher levels of stress decreased significantly. The study results also indicated that students reported significantly higher emotion focused coping scores (t (321) = 4.559; p <0.001) during examinations. The findings from this study corroborate existing evidence linking changes in eating behaviour with the increased use of emotional coping strategies. The research equally identified concerns about body image and weight gain as other possible moderators of changes in the frequency of food intake by students during examinations. The key indicators of these concerns include students stated desire to lose weight, actively taking actions to lose weight, skipping meals and self-reported ideal BMIs less than their current BMI. Future work would be usefully directed towards investigating further the paradox between observed increase in emotional coping and reduced frequency in food intake. The influence the food environment (both availability and cultural values) and its impact on dietary behaviour during high stress periods should be explored further

The impact of academic stress on the dietary behaviour of female undergraduates in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

There is a paucity of research into the effect of stress on the dietary behaviour of undergraduate students in non-western societies, particularly middle-eastern countries. This is in spite of the seeming importance of culture and ethnicity as potential moderating factors of the stress- diet relationship. Consequently, there is limited knowledge and understanding of the factors that influence the stress-diet relationship in these societies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of academic stress on the dietary behaviour of female undergraduate students in King Abdul-Aziz University in Saudi Arabia and how it is influenced by the lifestyle choices and coping strategies adopted by students. A longitudinal survey of a convenient sample of undergraduate students was carried out using several instruments. These included a self-completed questionnaire (to collect data on socio-demographics, lifestyle choices), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS14), Brief COPE instrument, and 24hour recall interviews. Data were collected when no examinations were scheduled (T1), and again during examinations (T2). The participants were drawn from the female undergraduate student population in six different faculties at the university with a median age of 21.6 years. 491 participants were recruited to the study (T1), of whom 322 completed the follow-up study (T2) during the examination period. The results showed that students reported significantly higher levels of stress during examinations (p<0.001) and that age and smoking were the two discriminating factors of students’ perception of stress. The analysis of food data revealed that there wasn’t a significant difference in the nutrient intake of students during (T1) and (T2). Nonetheless, results showed that during examinations the frequency of food intake was significantly lower (t(320) = 6.195; p=0.001), as with fast food intake (t(320) = -3.439; p=0.001). Whereas the intake of healthy food by students who reported significantly higher levels of stress decreased significantly. The study results also indicated that students reported significantly higher emotion focused coping scores (t (321) = 4.559; p <0.001) during examinations. The findings from this study corroborate existing evidence linking changes in eating behaviour with the increased use of emotional coping strategies. The research equally identified concerns about body image and weight gain as other possible moderators of changes in the frequency of food intake by students during examinations. The key indicators of these concerns include students stated desire to lose weight, actively taking actions to lose weight, skipping meals and self-reported ideal BMIs less than their current BMI. Future work would be usefully directed towards investigating further the paradox between observed increase in emotional coping and reduced frequency in food intake. The influence the food environment (both availability and cultural values) and its impact on dietary behaviour during high stress periods should be explored further

Sensory Motor Function Disturbances in Mice Prenatally Exposed to Low Dose of Ethanol: A Neurobehavioral Study in Postnatal and Adult Stages

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) refers to fetal exposure to alcohol during pregnancy through placental barrier transfer from maternal blood. The postnatal outcomes of PAE differ among exposed individuals and range from overt (serious) alcohol-related behavioral and neurophysiological impairments to covert (silenced) symptoms. The aims of the present investigation were to assess the postnatal neurobehavioral disturbances, particularly, motor coordination and sensory-motor function in mice with PAE. Female mice with positive vaginal plugs were divided into three groups: group 1: Et + Pyr: received two i.p injections of ethanol (1 g/kg) followed by pyrazole (100 mg/kg). Group 2: Pyr: received an i.p injection of pyrazole (100 mg/kg). Group 3: C: of saline controls received, in equal volume, saline solution (NaCl 0.9%). After birth, mice pups were weighed and subjected to behavioral tests for motor function screening using the motor ambulation test, cliff aversion, surface righting, and negative geotaxis, while at the adult stage, mice were subjected to the open field, rotarod, parallel bars, and static rods tests. Our data show an obvious decrement of body weight from the first post-natal day (P1) and continues over the adult stage. This was accompanied by an obvious impaired sensory-motor function which was maintained even at the adult stage with alteration of the locomotor and coordination abilities. The current data demonstrate the powerful neurotoxic effect of prenatal ethanol exposure on the sensory-motor and coordination functions, leading to suppose possible structural and/or functional neuronal disturbances, particularly the locomotor network

Natural Compounds of Lasia spinosa (L.) Stem Potentiate Antidiabetic Actions by Regulating Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Biochemical and Cellular Indexes

Natural biometabolites of plants have been reported to be useful in chronic diseases including diabetes and associated complications. This research is aimed to investigate how the biometabolites of Lasia spinosa methanol stem (MEXLS) extract ameliorative diabetes and diabetes-related complications. MEXLS was examined for in vitro antioxidant and in vivo antidiabetic effects in a streptozotocin-induced diabetes model, and its chemical profiling was done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The results were verified by histopathological examination and in silico ligand-receptor interaction of characterized natural biometabolites with antidiabetic receptor proteins AMPK (PDB ID: 4CFH); PPARγ (PDB ID: 3G9E); and mammalian α-amylase center (PDB ID: 1PPI). The MEXLS was found to show a remarkable α-amylase inhibition (47.45%), strong antioxidant action, and significant (p &lt; 0.05) decrease in blood glucose level, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), urea, uric acid, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), liver glycogen, creatinine kinase (CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and increase in serum insulin, glucose tolerance, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Rat’s pancreas and kidney tissues were found to be partially recovered in histopathological analyses. Methyl α-d-galactopyranoside displayed the highest binding affinity with AMPK (docking score, −5.764), PPARγ (docking score, −5.218), and 1PPI (docking score, −5.615) receptors. Data suggest that the MEXLS may be an exciting source to potentiate antidiabetic activities affirming a cell-line study

Correction: Rashid et al. Natural Compounds of Lasia spinosa (L.) Stem Potentiate Antidiabetic Actions by Regulating Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Biochemical and Cellular Indexes. Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15, 1466

In the published publication [...

Correction: Rashid et al. Natural Compounds of <i>Lasia spinosa</i> (L.) Stem Potentiate Antidiabetic Actions by Regulating Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Biochemical and Cellular Indexes. <i>Pharmaceuticals</i> 2022, <i>15</i>, 1466

In the published publication [...

Global Incidence and Risk Factors Associated With Postoperative Urinary Retention Following Elective Inguinal Hernia Repair

Importance Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a well-recognized complication of inguinal hernia repair (IHR). A variable incidence of POUR has previously been reported in this context, and contradictory evidence surrounds potential risk factors.Objective To ascertain the incidence of, explore risk factors for, and determine the health service outcomes of POUR following elective IHR.Design, Setting, and Participants The Retention of Urine After Inguinal Hernia Elective Repair (RETAINER I) study, an international, prospective cohort study, recruited participants between March 1 and October 31, 2021. This study was conducted across 209 centers in 32 countries in a consecutive sample of adult patients undergoing elective IHR.Exposure Open or minimally invasive IHR by any surgical technique, under local, neuraxial regional, or general anesthesia.Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the incidence of POUR following elective IHR. Secondary outcomes were perioperative risk factors, management, clinical consequences, and health service outcomes of POUR. A preoperative International Prostate Symptom Score was measured in male patients.Results In total, 4151 patients (3882 male and 269 female; median [IQR] age, 56 [43-68] years) were studied. Inguinal hernia repair was commenced via an open surgical approach in 82.2% of patients (n = 3414) and minimally invasive surgery in 17.8% (n = 737). The primary form of anesthesia was general in 40.9% of patients (n = 1696), neuraxial regional in 45.8% (n = 1902), and local in 10.7% (n = 446). Postoperative urinary retention occurred in 5.8% of male patients (n = 224), 2.97% of female patients (n = 8), and 9.5% (119 of 1252) of male patients aged 65 years or older. Risk factors for POUR after adjusted analyses included increasing age, anticholinergic medication, history of urinary retention, constipation, out-of-hours surgery, involvement of urinary bladder within the hernia, temporary intraoperative urethral catheterization, and increasing operative duration. Postoperative urinary retention was the primary reason for 27.8% of unplanned day-case surgery admissions (n = 74) and 51.8% of 30-day readmissions (n = 72).Conclusions The findings of this cohort study suggest that 1 in 17 male patients, 1 in 11 male patients aged 65 years or older, and 1 in 34 female patients may develop POUR following IHR. These findings could inform preoperative patient counseling. In addition, awareness of modifiable risk factors may help to identify patients at increased risk of POUR who may benefit from perioperative risk mitigation strategies