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  Background & Objectives: Cryptosporidium is a coccidian protozoan parasite. This organism is one of the main causes of severe, long-time and life-threatening diarrhea in immunocompromised persons. It is also among the most prevalent diarrheal agents in children. Cryptosporidial epidemics occur after consumption of water which is contaminated by oosit species of cryptosporidium. Water is usually contaminated by animal feces or by drainage of waste water into drinking water resources.

  Methods: In this study, from ten regions 200 water samples were collected, filtered by 1.2 micron papers and then positive samples were identified in terms of cryptosporidium using PCR method. Finally the related species were detected by RFLP method.

  Results: Nested-PCR showed 8 samples were positive for cryptosporidium that according to RFLP of PCR products 5 samples belonged to cryptosporidium andersony, 2 samples belonged to cryptosporidium parvum bovine genotype and 1 sample belonged to cryptosporidium pig genotype.

  Conclusion: Since Cryptoridium andersony and cryptosporidium parvum bovine genotype are the common species in animals and cryptospovidium swiss is seen in wild animals (pigs and boars), it so we conclude that animal reservoirs have the main role in the contamination of related water resources in this region.

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  Background & Objectives: Arsenic is the third element of 5^th Group of the periodic table and it is the twentieth rarest element in the earth's crust. This material has application in agriculture, livestock, medicine, electronics and metallurgy. It enters the environment from natural phenomena and human activities, causing pollution in it. Arsenic is a substance that is poisonous, cumulative, and an inhibitor of SH group enzymes. Several studies have identified significant correlation between high levels of Arsenic in drinking water and cancer in liver, nasal cavity, lungs, skin, bladder and kidney in men and women, and prostate in men. The present study was aimed to determin the impact of parameters affecting reverse osmosis membrane performance in Arsenic removal from drinking water.

  Methods: In this research, Arsenic removal was surveyed and tested through reverse osmosis membrane with spiral-wound module (model: 2521 TE, made in CSM Co. Korea). The used solution was prepared synthetically in the laboratory using sodium arsenate, and system performance was investigated under the influence of parameters such as arsenic concentration, pressure, pH and temperature of the input solution. In each case, the flux rate passing through the membrane and transverse velocity was measured. For each mode, after 30 minutes, desired samples were picked up, and then were tested with silver diethyldithiocarbamate method (Test No. 3500-As B, standard method).

  Results: The results of experiments and measurements showed that the parameters of concentration, pH, temperature and pressure in input solution are effective in reverse osmosis membrane performance (model TE 2521), and the increase or decrease in each parameter leads to changes in the system’s efficiency and performance. The optimal conditions and performance of membrane under the influence of these parameters were defined as follows: pressure 190-210 psi, concentration 0.2-0.5 mg/L, temperature 25-30 ⁰C, and pH = 6-8. Arsenic removal efficiency at the optimum system performance was determined at about 99-95 percent.

  Conclusion: According to the results and the high efficiency and acceptable performance, this approach is effective and can be applied as a method for Arsenic removal in areas with contaminated water.

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 Background & Objectives: Effects of new educational programs on health and physical fitness promotion is an important issue which needs regular evaluations. Physical fitness has many advantages such as cardio-respiratory health promotion, prevention of some diseases and improvement of quality of life. On the other hand, it has been shown that there is significant relationship between waterpipe smoking and cancer, cardiovascular as well as pulmonary diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between addiction to waterpipe smoking and cardio-respiratory fitness and body composition of physical education students in Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Branch.

 Methods: One hundred and eighty-one physical education students participated in this study. All subjects were selected by cluster sampling method. Cardio-Respiratory fitness (using Cooper test), Body Mass Index (BMI), Fat percent (using 2-point Lohman equation), addiction to waterpipe smoking, smoke exposure and awareness of waterpipe effects on athletic performance (using questionnaire) were evaluated.

 Results: The body composition of the most students was not suitable (50.3% extra fat), but the cardio-respiratory fitness of male students was better than that of female students.

 Furthermore, In spite of decrease in waterpipe smoking in comparison to last year (13.3% versus 35.6%), many non-smoking students are exposed to waterpipe smoke (21.0%) and some of them (48.1%) had little information about the harmful effects of waterpipe smoking on athletic performance.

 Conclusion: According to results of this study improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness and body composition of physical education students and enhancement of their information about side-effects of waterpipe smoking should be emphasized

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  Background & objectives: Nitrate is one of the major contaminants in food and water. Excess intake of this substance can increase the risk of stomach cancer and also cause other health problems. The objectives of this study were estimation of dietary nitrate consumption in the Varzaghan with high and Parsabad with low stomach cancer incidence in country, and also the comparison dietary nitrate consumption with World Health Organization standards.

  Methods: In this comparative study performed during autumn and spring of 2011 about 216 food samples (including all food groups) and drinking water collected and their nitrate concentration was determined by colorimetric method. Then daily dietary consumption of nitrate calculated based on daily diet of each person (according to national study on food consumption pattern in Iran) and nitrate concentration in each group of food and drinking water.

  Results: Daily consumption of nitrate in Varzaghan and Parsabad was 8.53 ± 0.35 and 8.17 ± 0.54 mg per kg of body weight (of adults), respectively, which is much greater than the amount recommended by FAO/WHO (0-3.7 mg per kg of body weight). Significant difference was not observed in the dietary consumption of nitrate in two cities at studied period (P> 0.05).

  Conclusion: Despite of no significant difference in dietary consumption of nitrate in two cities, the daily consumption of nitrate in both of studied cities was significantly greater than the recommended level. Therefore monitoring sources of contamination and reduction of environmental pollution for decreasing food nitrate concentration are recommended.

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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: Flat foot is one of the most common physical and motor disorders among students. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three comprehensive corrective exercise protocols on the correction of flexible flat foot in boy students with overweight.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, which was performed as a pre-test, post-test with a control group, a total of 80 overweight students with flexible flat foot were selected purposefully and divided into four equal groups (n=20) randomly; (Theraband exercise, NASM, water resistance training and a control group). The experimental groups performed correction exercises for 8 weeks, 3 sessions with 45 minutes per week. Variables were measured at the baseline and after 8 weeks of correctional program. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance by SPSS 24 software at the significance level of p<0.05.
Results: The results of the study showed that the three protocols; Theraband exercise, NASM and water resistance training had a significant effect on the improvement of flexible flat feet in overweight male students with coefficients of 0.23, 0.32 and 0.15, respectively (p≤0.05). Furthermore, it was observed a significant difference between of these three corrective protocols on flexible flat foot.
Conclusion: These findings indicated that the three correction exercises have a significant effect on the improvement of flexible flat feet. Therefore, it is recommended trainers of rehabilitation centers and corrective movements use these training methods.
 

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Background & Objectives: Cold Plasma is an emerging non-thermal, chemical-free, environmentally friendly disinfection technology. Plasma-activated water has received considerable attention from researchers in recent years. Despite extensive studies on the antibacterial effects of plasma-activated water, its anti-eukaryotic effects have not been identified. In humans, Acanthamoeba causes granulomatous encephalitis, skin ulcers, and Acanthamoeba keratitis. Considering the health importance of Acanthamoeba, this study investigated the anti-amoeba  effect of plasma-activated water on trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba castellanii.
Methods: In this study, plasma-activated water prepared by the cold atmospheric plasma method.Physicochemical properties of produced water were evaluated by measuring pH, hydrogen peroxide, nitrite, and nitrate. To assess the effect of plasma-activated water on A. castellanii, trophozoites and cysts were exposed to plasma-activated water for 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours. Three replicates were examined each time. At the mentioned times, cell viability was calculated by trypan-blue staining and counting on a hemocytometer, and the results were statistically analyzed.
Results: Based on the physicochemical results, the mean pH of plasma-activated water in this study was about 3.4, and the amount of hydrogen peroxide, nitrate, and nitrite were 102, 737, and 36.94 μM, respectively. The present study showed that plasma-activated water killed A. castellanii trophozoites after three hours of exposure and A. castellanii cysts after four hours of exposure. On the other hand, some trophozoites gradually became cysts after exposure to plasma-activated water. These cysts became more resistant to plasma-activated water and inactivated after five hours of exposure.
Conclusion: In this study, for the first time, the effect of plasma-activated water on A. castellanii was investigated. The results of the present study showed that plasma-activated water is able to inactivate A. castellanii trophozoites and cysts. Therefore, plasma-activated water can be used to disinfect and inactivate A. castellanii.