JOURNAL OF ISFAHAN MEDICAL SCHOOL (I.U.M.S)
Year:2011 | Volume:29 | Issue:151|Papers Count:7

Background: Given the positive effects of exercise on the central nervous system, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of treadmill running on learning and memory in rats with induced Alzheimer’s disease and intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (STZ).Methods: Studied rats were divided in 4 groups: the sham-rest, the sham-exercise, the alzheimer-rest and the alzheimer-exercise. To produce rat Alzheimer’s model, STZ was infused in lateral ventricles of the brain. The exercise program was treadmill running with 20 m/min velocity and 0o inclination for 50 min/day, for 4 weeks. For evaluation of learning and memory in rats, passive avoidance learning test was used.Findings: Totally 37 rats in 4 groups were examined. The latency time for the first entrance to dark chamber one day and one week after shock was significantly shorter in Alzheimer–rest group comparing to Alzheimer–exercise and sham–rest groups.Conclusion: These results suggest that exercise probably is effective in prevention and alleviation of cognitive disorders in Alzheimer’s disease.

Background: The aim of present research is to compare the effects of exercise therapy and physiotherapy that are two common treatments for pain and disability in patients with chronic low back pain.Methods: In this research 30 patients with chronic low back pain (history of low back pain for at least 3 months) were selected. Patients allocated in two treatment groups: exercise therapy (n=17) and physiotherapy (n=13). Disability was evaluated using oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire (ODQ) and pain intensity was evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS).Two groups underwent treatment for 6 weeks. Post-test was performed at the end of treatment period. Following collection of primary information and determination of different variable, covariance test with the variety factor (pre-test) in the level ofα<0.05 was used to analyze the data.Findings: Research findings did not show statistical significant difference in pain (P>0.05) but the difference in functional disability between two groups was significant (P<0.03).Conclusion: Our results indicate that exercise therapy is better than physiotherapy for disability improvement in patients with low back pain. Finally, this study recommends that exercise therapy can be an effective modality to management patients with chronic low back pain.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Vitamin D deficiency, are too common disorders in the world. Various investigations argues the association between two diseases, however, findings are contradictory and controversial. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of complementary vitamin D supplementation on improvement of various glycemic parameters in T2DM.Methods: In a double blind randomized clinical trial, 60 persons of T2DM patients were selected and divided into 2 groups with 30 patients. Group 1 were treated with oral Vitamin D (50, 000 unit /week for 12 week), and group 2 were treated with placebo drug.Findings: The age of studied population were between 34 to 76 years and the mean age was 55 ± 10.7 years. Age, sex, BMI and serum levels of HbA1c and 25 (OH) vitamin D were not significantly different between two groups before the study. After 12 weeks treatment intervention, no significant difference was found in serum HbA1c and lipids between two groups.Conclusion: In this study weekly vitamin D supplementation for 12 weeks had not significant decremental effect on HbA1c and lipid profiles, however, further studies needs to evaluate clinical usefulness of our findings.

Background: Neurologic and adaptive capacity scoring (NACS) is considered as a screening test for recognizing the central nervous system depression due to the effects of medications in neonates. This test is able to show the neurologic and behavioral changes even in the presence of normal apgar score.The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the NACS with maternal, fetal and anesthetic factors.Methods: This descriptive analytical cross sectional study was performed on 100 cesarean born neonates.Data were collected simply and by filling the questionnaire. NACS score≤ 34 supposed as abnormal and score≥ 35 supposed as normal.Findings: NACS mean Score in 3 different times (15 min, 2 hours and 24 hours after birth) was more than 35. The correlation between anesthetic method and the used drugs with NACS was significant.There were also a significant relation between NACS and studied fetal factors (gestational age, apgar score in 1.5 minutes, sex) and also some maternal factors (gravity, maternal heart disease, twin or multifetal pregnancies).Conclusion: The normal NACS in 3 different times (15 min, 2 hours and 24 hours after birth) showed a good maternal, fetal and anesthetic conditions in Shahid Beheshti hospital, Isfahan. Spinal anesthesia with lidocaine is recommended for caesarean section instead of general anesthesia for having a better NACS.

Background: Inflammation has a specific role in the pathology of several diseases. Recently the effects of soy and soy components such as isoflavones have been reported on the inflammatory markers.In this review we aimed to describe the existing evidence on the effect of soybeans and soy components on inflammatory indices.Methods: We searched Scirus and PubMed databases with keywords “soy”, “inflammatory factors”, “oxidative Stress”, “soy isoflavones”, “inflammatory cytokines”. Totally, 30 studies were extracted.Animal, human and in vitro studies with case-control and clinical trial designs related to soy or soy components and inflammatory markers were included in this review.Findings: Laboratory data have been shown that soy isoflavones have anti inflammatory effects significantly.Most animal studies suggest that soy components can reduce inflammatory levels. However, in human studies soy consumption had inconsistent effects on inflammatory factors.Conclusion: Moderate consumption of soy might decrease serum inflammatory markers levels. Meta analysis is needed for further evaluation in this regard.