Annals of Military and Health Sciences Research
Year:2021 | Volume:19 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of six-week continuous training (CT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols on brain superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities and their associations with short-, mid-, and long-term memory in albino Wistar rats. Methods: In this study, 18 male albino Wistar rats (5 months old) were randomly assigned to three equal (n = 6) groups of sedentary control (SC), CT, and HIIT. Both CT and HIIT regimens were performed for 6 consecutive days per week for 6 weeks. Results: Both HIIT and CT regimens increased short-, mid-, and long-term memory, and the alterations were greater following HIIT than CT. In addition, both HIIT and CT regimens signifi cantly increased SOD activity, with a higher elevation following HIIT than CT. Moreover, brain SOD activity positively correlated with short-, mid-, and long-term memory. However, neither CT nor HIIT had a signifi cant eff ect on brain GPX and CAT activities. Conclusions: The HIIT regimen is highly potential, as opposed to the CT regimen, to improve memory function through a greater increase in the SOD activity of the brain.

Background: Different parts of the skeletal system have been studied in different studies to determine gender. The pelvis is one of the most important skeletal components for the determination of gender and identification of humans. Objectives: The current study aimed to determine gender using the ischiopubic index and upper pelvic index in the adult population of Iran. Methods: In this study, 140 individuals (70 male and 70 female subjects) referring to Athari Imaging Center in Tehran, Iran, for various medical reasons entered the study by giving written and oral consent using the convenience sampling method. Measurements were performed on digital anteroposterior pelvic radiographs (with standard conditions and radiographic stencil distance from the light source as 100 cm). The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22). Results: The mean ischemic index of the whole population was 108. 88  13. 75. The diff erence in the ischiopubic index between male and female subjects was signifi cant (P < 0. 05). The mean upper pelvic index of the whole study population was 81. 70  10. 09; however, the diff erence in the upper pelvic index between the two groups of male and female subjects was not signifi cant (P < 0. 05). Conclusions: The pelvic ischemic index in Iranian women is higher than that reported for men. If the ischiopubic index is higher than 103, with 93% sensitivity and 73% specifi city, it would be female. According to the study of graphs, if there is a special identity for diagnosis, there will be the possibility to match the graph before the death of the individual with the graph taken from skeletal remains.

Background: Exercise training and crocin, as a herbal antioxidant, help improve metabolism and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) involve in the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway and diabetes control. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the eff ects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and low intensity continued training (LICT) in combination with crocin consumption on AMPK and NRF1 gene expression in the muscle tissue of diabetic rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult rats were divided into eight groups (n = 7), including diabetic (crocin utilization, HIIT, LICT, HIIT with crocin, LICT with crocin, control, sham groups) and healthy control group. The HIIT and LICT groups performed fi ve sessions of training per week for eight weeks, and the crocin consumption groups received 25 mg/kg of crocin daily for eight weeks. Moreover, AMPK and NRF1 genes expression levels were evaluated in diff erent groups using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: According to our results, while induction of diabetes signifi cantly decreased the levels of NRF1 and AMPK gene expression (P  0. 05), training and crocin consumption signifi cantly increased the levels of AMPK and NRF1 gene expression (P  0. 05). Conclusions: It appears that crocin consumption along with HIIT improves diabetes symptoms through AMPK and NRF1 mechanism in diabetic rats.

Background: Good vision is an important factor for most night-shift personnel, and the effects of sleep deprivation on visual function must be studied. Up to our knowledge, no study has evaluated the eff ect of nigh working on choroidal indices. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of sleep deprivation on choroidal thickness. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 night-shift healthcare workers of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) army medical core. Baseline choroidal thickness was measured for all participants using optical coherence tomography (OCT), and at the same time (10 AM to 2 PM) a day following the night shift, participants underwent a second measurement of choroidal thickness. The awake time before the second measurement was recorded. Results: The mean age  standard deviation of the participants was 42. 55  5. 52 that 52% were female. A statistically signifi cant increase in choroidal thickness was recorded following night-shift (P = 0. 001). Choroidal thickness following night-shift signifi cantly correlated with age (r =-0. 614; p = 0. 001), awake time (r = 0. 417; P = 0. 003) and with baseline thickness of choroid (r = 0. 830; P = 0. 001). Conclusions: It seems that sleep deprivation may increase choroidal thickness, and the awake time may a predictor of choroidal thickness change after the night shift.

Using DNA to generate genetic profi les of individuals is an effi cient and accurate technique. Achieving the right and net amount of DNA is one of the challenges in this area. Due to tissues destruction after death, it is usually very diffi cult to achieve proper DNA. So, the use of hard tissues such as bones and teeth as important resources can help in these cases. Accordingly, the use of ion chelating buff ers is one of the most important parts of preparing these tissues to extract DNA. In this study, a buff er containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) buff er (0. 5 mM) and distilled water was used as a control. Diff erent temperatures were also examined. The average concentration of DNA extracted from the sample into ternary sort at a temperature of 55° C, 37° C, 22° C, and 4° C was equal to 19. 68 ng/ L, 12. 23 ng/ L, 17. 19 ng/ L, and 15. 06 ng/ L, respectively. For evaluation, sterile distilled water was used instead of buff er, which was equal to 7. 9 ng/ L at 55° C. Based on the results of this study, the buff er containing EDTA was found to be suitable for releasing genomic resources from bones and teeth.

Background: The long-term outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), accompanied by high mortality rates, hysteria, and economic pressures, has profound, irreversible psychological eff ects worldwide. Objectives: This study compared mental health and post-traumatic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak in the peak period of the pandemic in fi ve regions of Iran. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was carried out at the peak of the pandemic using free Google Forms software. A snowball sampling method focused on the general public in the north east-west, central part, and south east-west of Iran was utilized from March 24 to 29th of 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were applied as data collection tools. Results: The current study included 749 respondents from all provinces in Iran. Most of the participants were from the southeast and the central part of Iran and stayed at home for about 20 to 24 hours during COVID-19 outbreak. The results of MANOVA indicated that there were no signifi cant diff erences between the means of mental disorders and the impacts of COVID-19 outbreak in these fi ve regions (F = 1. 188, Wilks’ Lambda = 0. 97, P  0. 05). Nevertheless, one-sample test showed that the IES-R mean score was above the cut-off point, indicating the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in all regions of Iran (t = 8. 025, P  0. 05, 95% CI: 3. 22 to 5. 31). Conclusions: As a result of this study that shows the presence of PTSD symptoms in all regions, mental health care is a necessity and should be provided to the general public so that psychologists and mental health teams have to provide psychological services in-person or online method.

Background: Epidemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and quarantine implementation have had various eff ects on the psychological aspects of society. One of the psychological eff ects of COVID-19 is the fear of getting the disease. Objectives: The present study aimed to predict health anxiety based on spiritual well-being and cognitive emotion regulation strategies during COVID-19 in Iranian individuals. Methods: The present descriptive-correlational study was conducted on the statistical population of all 19-to-79-year-old individuals participating in the study online. A total of 545 subjects were selected by the convenience sampling method. These participants completed short-form health anxiety questionnaires, spiritual well-being scales, and short-form emotion regulation strategies online. The data were analyzed by the Pearson correlation coeffi cient and stepwise regression analysis using SPSS software (version 23). Results: The results showed that health anxiety had a signifi cant negative relationship with spiritual well-being (r =-0. 339**) and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (r =-0. 308**). Furthermore, health anxiety had a signifi cant positive relationship with maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (r = 0. 390**). Overall, the aforementioned three variables explained 26. 1% of changes in health anxiety. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed the impacts of spiritual well-being and cognitive emotion regulation strategies on health anxiety. Therefore, it is recommended that training based on spiritual teachings and emotion regulation strategies reduces health anxiety during the outbreak of COVID-19.

Introduction: Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a sensation caused by missing an organ in the body, which can be due to amputation. The prevalence of PLP due to amputation is about 82% for upper limbs and 54% for lower limbs. Case Presentation: This research describes the case of a 71-year-old female patient who developed PLP after having three middle fi ngers on her left hand amputated due to dipping in a meat grinder. She underwent bioresonance therapy for PLP treatment for 19 months and achieved positive results. Conclusions: Regarding the role of PLP in the patients undergoing amputation, bioresonance therapy might be benefi cial in managing this condition.