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Background & objectives: Over the last couple of decades, research has focused on attempting to understand the genetic influence on sports performance. Whole exome sequencing (WES) has great potential to explore all possible genetic variants associated with physical performance. However, this new technique has not been used in sports genetics research. Therefore the aim of this case study was to report new variants in genes involved in skeletal muscles strength (ACE, NOS3, IGF1R, IL-6) in an elite weightlifter using WES.
Methods: After obtaining a written testimony from a 32-year-old man, who is a member of the Iranian national weightlifting team, 5 cc of blood was taken and then DNA was extracted. DNA samples were analyzed using the whole exome sequencing method.
Results: Whole exome sequencing analysis revealed a missense variant (99454613G>A) in IGF1R, 22771156C>T polymorphism in IL-6, 150695726T>C and 150704250C>G polymorphisms in NOS3 and 61573761T>C and 61564052A>G in ACE genes.
Conclusion: Results of whole exome sequencing analysis revealed a missense variant and polymorphism in muscle strength and hypertrophy related genes in this elite weightlifter. However, other studies with larger sample sizes are needed to investigate the relationship between these variants and power athlete status. 

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Background & objectives: Minimizing muscle damage and inflammation can boost the immune system and improve sport performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of resistance training-cold water immersion and curcumin supplementation on muscle injury and inflammation following a session of acute strength activity in futsal players men.
Methods: twenty futsalist volunteered to participate in the study and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Blood sampling was performed after 12 hours of night fasting during four stages. After the first phase of blood sampling, both groups were performed one session of acute circular strength training, then, the second phase blood sampling was performed. 48 hours later, the experimental group performed 8 weeks of circular resistance training, three sessions per week as in the acute strength training and were immersed immediately after exercise, 20minutes at 5-10°C in cold water and used 150mg curcumin supplementation. forty eight hours after the last training session and last using curcumin, blood sampling was performed in both groups. Then, both experimental and control groups performed the second acute circular strength training and the fourth stage blood sampling was performed. The differences of variables at different time intervals were compared with 2×4 two-way ANOVA and differences between the two groups were investigated  with Independent-Samples T-Test at significance level of p<0.05.
Results: Creatine kinase and white blood cells significantly increased in both groups after the first acute strength activity (p=0.049). Performing 8 weeks of resistance training-cold water immersion and curcumin supplementation, significantly decreased creatine kinase and white blood cell counts (p=0.024). Also, 8 weeks of resistance training-cold water immersion and curcumin supplementation, significantly reduced creatine kinase and white blood cells following acute second strength activity (p=0.021).
Conclusion: Appears to, 8-week resistance training-cold water immersion and curcumin supplementation following a session of acute strength training reduce muscle injury and inflammation in futsal players  men.

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Background & objectives: The deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide in the brain is one of the most important features of Alzheimer's disease. In addition to memory loss, Aβ can lead to depression behavior. Alpha-pinene is a type of monoterpene that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. Here, by using an animal model for Alzheimer's disease, we investigated the effect of alpha-pinene on neuronal cell death in the hippocampus and depression induced by Aβ_1-42.
Methods: Male Wistar rats weighing 240-260 g were divided into four groups including control, alpha-pinene, Aβ, and Aβ-alpha-pinene. Rats were placed in stereotaxic surgery apparatus and Aβ_1-42 was injected into the hippocampus (4 µg per side) and alpha-pinene was treated intraperitoneally (50 mg/kg) for 14 consecutive days. At the end of the course, the level of depression was assessed using the forced swimming test. The animals' hippocampus was also examined microscopically after Nissl staining.
Results: Intra-hippocampal injection of Aβ_1-42 increased the total immobility time in the forced swimming test (p<0.01), decreased the number of pyramidal neurons in the CA1 area (p<0.001), and reduced the thickness of the neuronal layer in this region of ​​the hippocampus. Treatment with alpha-pinene largely prevented these changes.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that alpha-pinene decreased the beta-amyloid-induced depressive behavior in rats and inhibited the neuronal loss, suggesting that this neuroprotective compound may have a critical role in depression. Alpha-pinene is probably a suitable therapeutic strategy for repressing Aβ-induced neurodegeneration

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Background & objectives: Caffeine can affect many physiological functions of the body. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of aerobic function, blood pressure and some immune system factors of trained men to acute caffeine consumption in dehydrated condition and warm and humid environment.
Methods: Thirty male athletes with a mean age of 26.6±3.9 years in dehydrated conditions voluntarily participated in this study, which was performed in a double-blind manner. Subjects were divided into three groups: caffeine consumption group (n=10), placebo group (n=10) and control group (n=10). The Caffeine group consumed 6 mg/kg body weight of caffeine. Sixty minutes later, the subjects performed an increasingly exhausting exercise. Blood samples collecting and blood pressure measuring took place before, immediately after and 24 hours after exercise. Analysis of variance with repeated measures (group * time) and one-way analysis of variance were used for statistical calculations.
Results: The duration of the exhaustion test in the caffeine consumption group was significantly longer than the control (p≤0.01) and placebo (p≤0.05) groups. In the blood sampling immediately after exercise, the level of leukocytes, neutrophils and lymphocytes in the exercise groups were significantly higher than the control group (p≤0.001). Also, the caffeine group experienced a lower increase in leukocytes and neutrophils compared to the placebo group (p≤0.001). Blood pressure values ​​in the exercise groups were significantly higher than the control group (p≤0.001). Also, the caffeine group experienced a greater increase in systolic blood pressure at baseline and immediately after exercise compared to the placebo group (p≤0.001).
Conclusion: In general, exhausting exercise in a warm environment and dehydrated condition increases the number of immune system cells and blood pressure. In addition to improving aerobic function, caffeine seems to prevent further increases in the number of immune system cells, while increasing blood pressure in the normal range in warm and humid environment.

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Background & objectives: Insulin-like growth factor -1 (IGF-1) has a variety of roles, but the abundance of scientific evidence indicates that it is a metabolic biomarker associated with physical fitness and health. The present study investigates the effect of eight weeks of polarized exercise training on serum GH / IGF-1- indices in active young men.
Methods: In this double-blind experimental study, 20 young males were allocated randomly into polarized training group (N=10) and a control group (N=10). The polarized training group performed 80-70% of the main workout volume (30 minutes) with light to moderate with 50-60% reserve heart rate (RHR) intensity and the remaining 20-30% at 85-95% RHR intensity; in a way that they ran two periods consisting 3 repetitions of 15-30 seconds, with 30-60 seconds of active rest after each repetition and 3 minutes of active rest after each period. Blood samples were taken from all subjects in three stages, including: pre-test stages, 24 hours before the start of the post-test, and after 12 hours overnight fasting. Post-test samples were collected, one sample immediately after the first session and the another  48 hours after the end of the last exercise session.
Results: The results of the present study showed that bipolar training significantly increased growth hormone and free IGF-I levels after one training session, and after eight-week bipolar training program. However, total IGF-1 levels decreased significantly after one exercise session and after eight-week bipolar exercise program. Also, no significant change was observed in IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 levels after one training session and eight-week training program. Acid-labile subunit levels did not change significantly after one training session, but decreased significantly after eight weeks of bipolar training.
Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it seems that the use of bipolar exercises, training may be a good way to improve the hormonal function and assess the level of health and physical fitness of active young men.
 

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Background & objectives: The main motivator of hospitals is manpower. The expansion and complexity of educational medical centers and the appearance of new diseases such as Covid-19 have increased the need for effective management. During the Covid-19 crisis, in which hospitals are at the forefront, special measures should be taken for better management in critical situations. The current study has been conducted with the aim of identifying the main factors affecting management in crisis and its control.
Methods: The study method was the "Mix Method" performed in two stages. The first stage was exploratory; in this stage 19 university experts as a research sample were selected by simple random sampling. The second stage was a quantitative, confirmative, and survey study. 202 patients were selected randomly as a research sample from both educational-medical centers involved in Covid-19 of Ardabil city. Data were collected by using a questionnaire. Descriptive analysis of data was performed using SPSS software for heuristic factor analysis, and LISREL software was also used for confirmatory factor analysis and finding correlations between factors.
Results: In this study, 17 factors were identified and confirmed, affecting the crisis management in 5 dimensions, including; safety training, crisis control, trust in human resources, sense of vulnerability, the physical and mental health, transparency, justice, participation in decision-making, trust in the manager, honesty, the expectation of needs, efficiency, reward, elimination of stresses, fulfillment of manager's promises, controlling of crisis, inter-sectorial solidity. There was a significant correlation between factors with latent variables.
Conclusion: From the perspective of management, being prepared and training the committed forces are very important in controlling the crisis. Manpower plays the main role in the Covid-19 crisis and treating patients, so paying attention to them by considering the factors and dimensions of leadership, social, motivation, organization, and quickness has high importance.
 

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Background & objective: Diabetes causes chronic problems in the structure and function of tissues, such as apoptosis and fibrosis in addition to glycemic disorders. In this study the effect of 8 weeks of endurance and resistance training on various signaling pathways of apoptosis and tissue fibrosis of the heart of diabetic rats was investigated.
Methods: Thirty Wistar rats, approximately 8-10 weeks old, weight about 210-250 grams, received intraperitoneal injection of diabetic streptozotocin and were randomly divided into three groups: endurance training, resistance training and control group. The rats of the endurance training group were trained on the treadmill for 8 weeks, 5 days a week with intensity of vo2Max 60-80%. The resistance training group was trained on the ladder with a slope of 85 degrees and with a weight equals to 30-100% of their body weight. Forty eight hours after the last training session, blood samples were collected and ventricular tissues of mice were extracted. Glucose, insulin, serum insulin resistance index and Bcl-2, Bax, caspase 8 gene expression levels and Bax to Bcl-2 ratio were evaluated. Masson's trichrome and hematoxylin-eosin staining methods were used for histological examination of diabetic rat's heart structure to detect fibrosis.
Results: There was a significant decrease in Bax gene expression and the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2, and also  there was a significant increase in Bcl-2 and caspase 8 in the endurance and resistance training groups in comparison with the control group. The rate of cardiomyocyte fiber rupture in the endurance and resistance groups was less than the control group, and the presence of lymphocyte cells was observed in some fibers in the control group. (p≤0.05).
Conclusion: The results showed that high-intensity resistance training and moderate-intensity endurance training can prevent tissue fibrosis caused by collagen deposition in diabetes, and these two types of training can reduce the factors involved in apoptosis both in the internal and external pathways. On the other hand, this training intensity can be used as an effective non-pharmacological method to reduce the problems of apoptosis and fibrosis caused by diabetes in the heart tissue.
 

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Background & objectives: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is an important medical disorder and one of the most common heart diseases worldwide, which causes disability and economic burden. The medical and research community is increasingly interested in computer-aided coronary heart disease diagnosis through the use of machine learning methods. This study aimed to diagnose coronary heart disease using a discriminant analysis algorithm in active elderly men.
Methods: This analytical study was conducted on 351 patients of Ayatollah Kashani Hospital in Tehran. This work used discriminant analysis algorithm to diagnose coronary artery disease. Python software was used for data analysis.
Results: The results showed that by using 14 characteristics as risk factors related to the subjects' laboratory, personal and lifestyle information. The discriminant analysis algorithm could distinguish healthy and sick people with 94.4% accuracy and 88.9% precision.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that this system can probably be used as an effective and intelligent method along with other diagnostic methods by cardiologists to predict coronary artery disease. Also, new data mining methods can be effective in reducing invasive risks.
 

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Background & Objective: Hepatitis B virus [HBV] infection is one of the most important public health concerns. The present study was conducted to provide a descriptive analysis of detected HBV infection in Ardabil province.
Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal study, the hepatitis B surveillance database of Ardabil province was examined from 2014 to 2018. The frequency of hepatitis B virus infections was presented based on age, gender, marital status, place of residence, primary symptoms, and reporting sources. Also, the trend of changes in the number of detected cases over time was investigated using time series analysis.
Results: A total of 817 positive cases with a mean age of 43.1 years were reported. Most of them were male [n=503, 61.5]. The Frequency of identified positive cases decreased over time. Most of the infections were asymptomatic [87.5%]. Almost 90.0% of patients with HBV were married and the majority of the identified patients were resided in urban settings [n=598, 73.2%]. Most diagnostic tests were done voluntarily [n=219, 26.8%] or during prenatal care [n=109, 13.3%]. Most cases were identified and reported by the health network [n=292, 35.7%] and blood transfusion organization [n=190, 23.2%].
Conclusion: Decision-makers of the health sector of the province can use this information as a source for evidence-based decision-making in the effective management of the disease.

Corresponding Author:
Eslam moradi-Asl, Department of Public Health, School of Health, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
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