Depression is a psychiatric disorder that negatively affects how a person feels, thinks, and acts. Several studies have reported a positive association between vitamin D (VD) deficiency and depression. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effects of intraperitoneal injection of VD3, fluoxetine (antidepressant), and a combination of VD3 + fluoxetine on a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). A total of 40 male Wistar rats (224–296 g) were divided into five groups (n = 8 each) as follows: (1) the control group, (2) the CUMS group, (3) the CUMS group that received vitamin D (10 μg/kg), (4) the CUMS group that received fluoxetine (5 mg/kg), and (5) the CUMS group that received both vitamin D (10 μg/kg) and fluoxetine (5 mg/kg). The CUMS model was produced by exposing rats to frequent social and physical stressors for 21 days. In addition, blood samples were collected to determine corticosterone and serum VD levels. Also, behavioral tests were conducted, including the sucrose preference test (SPT), the forced swimming test (FST), the tail suspension test (TST), the open field test (OFT), and the elevated plus maze test (EPM). Our results show that VD3 had effects similar to fluoxetine on the depressive behavior of the rats when measured by three behavioral tests, namely SPT, FST, and OFT (p < 0.001). Additionally, VD3 had a protective effect against depression similar to that of fluoxetine. Corticosterone levels were lower in the CUMS group that received vitamin D and the CUMS group that received both vitamin D and fluoxetine than in the CUMS group (p < 0.000). In conclusion, VD3 has a protective effect against anxiety and depressive behaviors produced by CUMS in rats.

Malnutrition could profoundly affect older adults’ oral health and quality of life, whereas oral health might, in turn, impact dietary intake and nutritional status. The present study aimed to investigate the association between general and oral health and nutritional status among older adults attending nutrition clinics at two main medical centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A cross-section study was carried out among adult patients (≥60 years) who attended a geriatric clinic or nutrition clinic at King Khalid University Hospital or King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh. A validated clinician’s Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF), Oral Health Impact Profile-5 (OHIP-5), and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) were collected from each participant. A total of 261 participants with a mean age of 72.14 (±8.97) years were recruited. Diabetes (71%) and hypertension (80%) were present in the majority of patients. The overall MNA-SF score was (10 ± 3). Based on the categorization of the MNA-SF score, 65.9% were classified as malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Participants with OHIP-5 scores higher than the median (>5) were more likely to be malnourished than those with scores at or lower than 5 (p < 0). The adjusted odd ratio for the MNA-SF score categories indicated that for a one-unit increase in the total SF-36 score, the odds of the malnourished category are 0.94 times less than the risk of malnutrition and normal nutritional status, with OR 0.97 (95% CI 0.94–0.95). Malnutrition or being at risk of malnutrition is likely associated with poor general and oral health. Healthcare providers need to incorporate dietitians into care plans to promote the nutritional health of older adults.

For a long time, classical food preservation methods have been employed to control deterioration in fruits and vegetables. However, these methods exhibit several limitations and may not be entirely successful in managing food waste. Lately, nanotechnology has emerged as a novel approach to compensate for the disadvantages of currently used methods. Eventually, nanotechnology utilization is still in its infancy and requires rigorous evaluation. In this review, we aimed to explore the efficacy of nanotechnology in preserving fresh produce and highlight its potential applications. Apparently, various nanoparticles applied during pre or postharvest significantly extended the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Choosing the appropriate nanoparticles and mode of application might significantly impact their effectiveness. Yet, concerns regarding nanoparticles' safety and commercial availability could hinder their broad applications. In summary, nanoparticles alone or combined with classical methods hold promise in preserving fresh produce, but more efforts are required to advance their practical usage.

The use of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in clinical settings is common. However, the value of BIA-based parameters in diagnosing metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children is under-investigated. Herein, we aimed to study the usefulness of BIA-indices in the diagnoses of MetS in 6–10-year-old girls. Therefore, a diagnostic accuracy case-control study was conducted, which included 75 girls aged 10–16 years, divided into three age-matched groups (normal, None-MetS, and MetS). Anthropometric indices, BIA parameters (including fat-free mass (FFM), body fat percent (BFP), and total body water (TBW)), blood pressure (BP), and blood samples were collected. Our main findings show that for girls in None-MetS and MetS groups, the waist circumference (WC) correlated positively with waist-hip ratio and mid-arm circumference (r = 0.58, 0.47, respectively), but not with BFP based on skinfold thickness (SFT), or mid-arm muscle area. WC was positively correlated with FFM and TBW, while high-density lipoprotein was inversely correlated with FFM. However, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and BP showed no association with anthropometric measurements and BIA components. WC was the best indicator of MetS (AUC = 0.88, cut-off = 81.5 cm), followed by BMI (AUC = 0.84, cut-off = 26.9 kg/m²), while BFP based on SFT was the least sensitive (62.5%). In conclusion, apart from the FM index, anthropometric parameters such as WC are more valuable in diagnosing MetS in young adolescent girls.

Several studies have found a correlation between inflammatory markers and sarcopenia; however, limited research has been conducted on the Arabic population. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the value of inflammatory parameters in Saudi elderly women with sarcopenia. In this cross-sectional study, 76 elderly Saudi women (>65 years) were stratified according to the presence (n = 26) or absence (n = 50) of sarcopenia, using the operational definition of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS). Demographics and clinical data were collected. Muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance were assessed using bioelectrical impedance, hand grip and timed-up-and-go (TUG) tests, respectively. Inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed using commercially available assays. Muscle mass and strength indicators were lower in the sarcopenia group (p-value < 0.05). Moreover, interleukin 6 (IL-6) was positively correlated with TUG (r = 0.48, p-value < 0.05), while CRP showed an inverse correlation with the right leg muscle (R-Leg-M) and a positive correlation with triceps skinfold (TSF) (r = −0.41, r = 0.42, respectively, p-values < 0.05). Additionally, TSF and R-Leg-M were independent predictors of CRP variation (R² = 0.35; p < 0.01). Lastly, participants with a TNF-α > 71.2 were five times more likely to have sarcopenia [(OR = 5.85), 95% CI: 1.07–32.08; p = 0.04]. In conclusion, elevated levels of TNF-α are significantly associated with the risk of sarcopenia, while variations perceived in circulating CRP can be explained by changes in the muscle mass indices only among individuals with sarcopenia. The present findings, while promising, need further investigations on a larger scale to determine whether inflammatory markers hold any diagnostic value in assessing sarcopenia among elderly Arab women.

Compulsive exercise is a condition characterized by uncontrollable exercise behaviour that may lead to severe and harmful physical and psychological consequences. Indeed, compulsive exercise is among the early symptoms of eating disorders that may affect different age groups. Globally and among Arab countries, compulsive exercise is common, while the screening methods used to assess compulsive exercise are limited. Thus, the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) has emerged as a tool to assess cognitive, behavioural, and emotional factors related to compulsive exercise. The CET is a self-report, Likert-type scale comprising five distinct subscales. The increase in the CET scores is more likely associated with worsened pathology. Since the Arab countries lack such an assessment tool, we aimed to translate the CET into Arabic, validate the translated version, confirm the factor structures, and assess the internal consistency of the different subscales. Herein, we used the forward–backward translation method as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The overall validity index of the translated version showed a score higher than 0.78, while the scale-level content validity index based on the average calculating method (S-CVI/Ave) and the agreement method (S-CVI/UA) were 0.91 and 0.58, respectively. Moreover, we recruited 399 Arabs living in Saudi to measure the internal consistency, and the value of the substantive internal consistency with Cronbach’s α was 0.81. Subsequently, four of the Arabic-CET subscales had substantive internal consistency with Cronbach’s α values higher than or equal to 0.70. Furthermore, the exploratory factor analysis results supported the substantial use of the five-subscale model. Taken together, our study supports using the Arabic-CET version to measure exercise compulsiveness among Arabs.