Pars Journal of Medical Sciences
Year:2016 | Volume:14 | Issue:2|Papers Count:10

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of aerobic training on Agouti-related peptide, appetite hormones and insulin resistance in overweight sedentary women.Materials and Methods: Thirty overweight female students (25³BMI£30) were selected and randomly divided into training and control groups. Before the start of exercise period, and 48 h after their last exercise session, subjects completed the food frequency questionnaire. Then after blood sampling, their anthropometric characteristics were measured. The training group participated in 8 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic training while the control group continued their normal daily activities.Results: Agouti-related protein significantly increased in the exercise group (p<0.05). Significant changes were also observed between the two groups (p<0.05); however, changes in leptin, insulin and insulin resistance were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Training significantly reduces energy intake and fat intake (p<0.05) and carbohydrate intake (p<0.05). The changes between the two groups showed no significant difference (P>0.05).Conclusion: Although 8 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic training led to a decrease in calorie, fat and carbohydrate intake, these changes were not significantly different from the control group. Agoutirelated protein changes may affect factors other than appetite. It appears that nutritional education or program can lead to more effective results if combined with exercise program.

Introduction: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a type of peptide hormone released into blood in response to atrial distension. ANP has beneficial effects on decreasing hypertension and physical activity may change its secretion. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of one-session anaerobic exercise on serum ANP in healthy athlete and non-athlete men.Materials and Methods: Fifteen healthy athlete men and fifteen healthy non-athlete men were selected by convenience sampling. Both groups performed RAST anaerobic test; they ran 35-meter sprints with maximum speed and rested for ten seconds between each sprint. Blood samples were taken from the subjects ten minutes before and immediately after the exercise to measure serum ANP. The data were analyzed by independent ttest, dependent t-test, the analysis of covariance in SPSS-16 and the significance level was considered P£ 0.05.Results: The results showed that one-session anaerobic exercise caused a significant increase in serum ANP in both groups, but the increase was significantly higher in the athlete group than the non-athlete group. The baseline values of serum ANP were also significantly higher in the athlete group than in the nonathlete group.Conclusion: According to the results, it appears that one-session anaerobic exercise can increase serum ANP in healthy athlete and non-athlete men.

Introduction: Pulmonary functioning has a close and significant relationship with general health and mortality rate. Given the few studies conducted in Iran on the pulmonary functioning of semi-endurance Iranian female athletes, this study aimed to investigate the effects of physical activity on pulmonary function of professional semi-endurance female runners.Materials and methods: This semi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design recruited 15 semi-endurance female runners and 15 non-athletes who were selected randomly and matched each other. Pulmonary volumes were measured before, right after, and 10 minutes after Couper’s test. Half an hour later, a sputum sample was taken to examine inflammatory leukocytes. Repeated measures test was used to analyze the volumes and independent t test was used to analyze inflammatory cells. Significance level was set as p£0.05.Results: Intragroup FVC level was found significant (p<0.003), (p<0.000), but changes were not significant between groups. Furthermore, the intragroup and intergroup differences were not significant for FEV1 and peak expiratory flow rate. The frequency of exercise-induced bronchospasm was 6.66% in the athletes and 13.33 % in non-athletes based on the 15% and more decrease in FEV1. No significant difference was found in the number of inflammatory leukocytes before and after the exercise in both groups.Conclusion: Mean FEV1/FVC ratio was higher than the favorable amount (over 70%) in both groups, which indicates relatively good respiratory functioning in mid-endurance female athletes, and the low rate of exercise-induced bronchospasm in them.

Introduction: Sedentary lifestyle is one of the factors that increase obesity. Zumba exercise has a positive effect on body composition and rate of calorie burn and also improve people's cardiovascular endurance. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 8-week selected Zumba fitness trainings on the body composition of overweight women.Materials and methods: Twenty-nine volunteer women participating in Zumba fitness exercises at Artay Club (branch 2), were selected as the statistical sample and divided into two groups: experimental group (16 participants) and control group (13 participants). The experimental group practiced Zumba for three one-hour sessions a week for eight weeks while the control group only did their daily activities. The participants’ body composition was initially measured at the beginning of the study, and once at the end of the eighth week by means of the body composition evaluator. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, independent and dependent t- tests were used for statistical analysis of data (a=0.05).Results: The results showed that the 8-week Zumba fitness training had a significant effect on decreasing women’s body fat percentage (p=0.001); body mass index (p=0.001); fat mass (p=0.001); and waist-tohip ratio (p=0.004). However, it had no significant effect on protein mass in overweight women (p=0.92).Conclusion: Based on the findings, eight weeks of Zumba exercise can improve body composition in overweight women.

Introduction: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) resulting from repetitive sprains can influence the performance in volleyball players. So, conservative strategies are important to manage such conditions. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of strengthening/proprioceptive exercises (SPE) and Kinesiotaping ® (KT) on volleyball players with CAI.Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight volleyball players (Mean±SD, Age: 23.0±2.7 years; Playing years: 5.6±2.2 years) were divided into three groups including SPE (N=13), KT (N=13), and control (N=12). The Thera-Band was used for strengthening exercises and proprioceptive exercises were followed in closed kinetic chain exercises for 8 weeks. The KT method was administrated for peroneus muscles and also tibiofibular ligament. The participants were evaluated by Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, Single-leg Hopping test, and Heel raise test at baseline and after completing the interventions.Results: Both the SPE and KT can significantly increase foot and ankle ability and improve performance in volleyball players with CAI (P<0.001). However, a combination method of treatment is more effective compared to using exercise therapy alone.Conclusion: A combination method involving the SPE and KT can be beneficial to improve the ability and performance and achieving favorable results in volleyball players with CAI.

Introduction: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an important cause of nosocomial infections. The bacteria is a no nfermentative gram-negative bacilli. S. maltophilia is a newly emerging pathogen of growing significance that has been more frequently isolated in nosocomial specimens, hospital waters and disinfection solutions. S. maltophilia is inherently resistant to many antimicrobial drugs that cause a significant challenge in treatment of infections. Most strains of this bacteria are resistant to many antibiotics, including: carbapenems, macrolides, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides.Materials & Methods: In this study, 170 samples from medical equipment and 250 clinical specimens were collected randomly from patients who were referred to hospitals in Jahrom city. Samples were transported to the laboratory in sterile containers. Then were cultured on phenotypic differential medium. After isolation of the bacteria, Gram staining was performed to detect gram-negative bacilli. After the identification of gram-negative bacilli, biochemical and differential tests were performed to identify the genus and species of S. maltophilia. Molecular diagnostic tests (PCR) was performed for confirmation of bacteria.Results: Of the 250 clinical specimen, 14 samples (5.6%) and of the 170 samples collected from medical equipment, only 1 sample (0.6%) were positive. Positive samples were studied in terms of sensitivity to several antibiotics. Antibiotics were included: Ticarcillin (71.4%), Ceftazidime (64.3%), Levofloxacin (78.57%), Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (7.14%), Chloramphenicol (28.57%), Aztreonam (64.3%), Imipenem (71.4%).Conclusion: According to prevalence, high levels of antibiotic resistance and increase of multiple drug resistance (MDR) in stenotrophomonas maltophilia, identification and determination of antibiotic resistance is essential and recommended for treatment of opportunistic infection caused by this bacteria. It also recommended that further studies be conducted periodically in hospital on colonization of this bacteria for prevention and control.

Introduction: Today, hyperlipidemia, followed by atherosclerosis, leads to cardiovascular diseases and even death in most countries. Antioxidants can reduce blood cholesterol and risks of cardiovascular diseases. Given that Origanum vulgar is full of antioxidants, we aimed to study the effects of Origanum vulgare extract (OVE) on serum lipid profile and weight.Methods and Materials: In this study, 28 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=7). The control group received distilled water, three experimental groups received the hydroalcoholic OVE at different doses of 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. Pretreatment with OVE was performed for 30 days orally through gavage.Two hours after the last gavage, the rats were weighed, then blood samples were collected to measure serum levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA in SPSS.Results: The results of the current study showed that OVE reduced the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein and increased the level of high density lipoprotein in the three groups receiving OVE (50, 75 and 100 mg/kg) compared to the control group. OVE did not cause changes in rats’ weight.Conclusion: It appears that OVE can exert a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases by reducing the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and increasing high density lipoprotein.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer after lung cancer in women. Given that herbal preparations have long been used to treat cancer, this study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effect of hydroalcholic extract of Kelussia odaratissma Mozaff and Thymus daenesis Celak on MCF-7 cancer cell line.Materials and methods: MCF-7 cancer cells and normal fibroblasts were cultured in DMEM medium containing Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) and antibiotic. The cells were exposed to different doses of hydroalcholic extract of Kelussia odaratissma Mozaff and Thymus daenesis Celak (0.156, 0.312, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5 mg/ml) and were incubated for 24, 48 and 72 hours. After the incubation period, modified colorimetric MTT method was used to determine the cellular toxicity of the extract.Results: The results of the MTT test showed that hydroalcholic extract of Kelussia odaratissma Mozaff and Thymus daenesis Celak had dose-dependent and time-dependent anti-cancer effect on MCF-7 cancer cells. The highest percentage of cell death was observed with the highest concentration of the extract and after 72 h of incubation (p<0.05). The extract did not show significant cytotoxicity on normal fibroblasts.Conclusion: Hydroalcholic extract of Kelussia odaratissma Mozaff and Thymus daenesis Celak has cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 cancer cells; however, this extract does not have any cytotoxic effects on normal fibroblasts. It appears that this extract can be used for cancer treatment with further research.