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Background and Objective: Aging reduces cardiac autonomic function parameters such as heart rate response to exercise and heart rate recovery after physical activity. This study aimed to determine the parasympathetic nerves reactivation after upper body exercise among young and middle-aged men.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study 24 active men based on their age were divided into two groups including 30-35 (young) and 55-60 years old men (middle-aged). Participants performed upper body exercise on a Monark arm ergometer. During the test, heart rate was recorded continuously by electrocardiogram. Also, participants' heart rate was recorded for 10 minutes after completion of the test. In order to measure the time domain parameters of heart rate variability (PNN50 and RMSSD), one-minute successive RR waves intervals collected in 5 minutes and 10 minutes after the completion of the test and then were transmitted to the heart rate variability software for analysis. Also, heart rate recovery was measured in one minute and two minutes after the test by the difference between the maximum heart rate during the test with heart rate in one and two minutes after the completion of the test.
Results: There was a significant difference between PNN50 in minutes 5 and 10 after the test in young men (P<0.05). Young men also had higher values of RMSSD in minutes 5 and 10 compared to middle-aged men. The heart rate recovery in the 2 minutes after test was significantly higher than 1 minute after test in both groups (P<0.05). Heart rate recovery was higher in young people than in middle-aged people at 5 and 10 minutes after high-intensity exercise due to faster withdrawal of sympathetic nerves.
Conclusion: Changes in the autonomic nervous system is dependent on the type, duration of activity, and the age of the participants.
 

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Background and Objective: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic hepatic diseases which may be associated with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to consider the effect of combined therapy with resveratrol supplementation and interval exercise training on heart cells apoptosis in rats with NAFLD using TUNEL assay.
Methods: This experimental study was done on 35 Wistar rats. Animals were randomly allocated into five groups including control (healthy) and four NAFLD groups, including patient, resveratrol, interval exercise, and resveratrol + interval exercise. A TUNEL assay kit was applied for the detection of apoptosis in heart tissue.
Results: The patient group had significantly higher percentage of heart apoptotic cells (24.38±0.69%) compared to the other groups (P<0.05), while the resveratrol + interval exercise (9.02±0.49%) and resveratrol (9.47±0.83%) groups showed significantly lower mean levels of heart apoptotic cells compared to the patient and interval exercise (P<0.05) groups. There was no significant difference in mean of apoptotic cells between resveratrol and resveratrol + interval exercise groups. The mean of apoptotic cells in interval exercise group was 11.39±0.28%.
Conclusion: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is considerably associated with heart cells apoptosis. Resveratrol supplementation especially combined with interval exercise significantly reduces apoptotic cells in heart tissue.

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Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic and global health threats. The gene needed for the development of the TBX20 gene is the fusion of the gene, and the defect in the sequence and expression of this gene also causes heart defects. Due to significant prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in human population, this study was done to evaluate the effect of TBX20-induced gestational diabetes mellitus in the heart of the mice embryo at 11.5 days.
Methods: This experimental study was done on induced diabetic C57BL/6 female mice. Gestational diabetes induced by interaperitoneal injection of sterptozotocin at GD1. On the day of pregnancy 11.5, embryonic heart samples from these mice were isolated. After extraction of RNA, cDNA synthesis of RNA was performed. The Real Time-PCR technique was used to determine the expression of TBX20 gene. Expression level   of TBX20 gene in experimental and control was calculated using the 2^–∆∆CT method.
Results: Expression of TBX20 gene in diabetic specimens was twice as high as the control samples, which was statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion: It seems, increasing TBX20 gene expression in embryonic heart tissue may be one of the complications of gestational diabetes mellitus and can lead to abnormalities in the heart embryo.

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Background and Objective: Congenital anomalies are one of the major causes of neonatal mortality. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect world wide, and recent studies about CHD have reported congenital heart disease approximately is about one percent of all live births. This study was done to determine the frequency of congenital heart disease using ecocardiography in patients with extra-cardiac anomalies in Gorgan peadiatric center in north of Iran.
Methods: In this descriptive study, 55 girls, 84 boys a total of 139 patients were in the age range of birth to 12 years of age whom have referred to Taleghani Teaching and Medical Center in Gorgan during 2012-17. 139 cases of congenital heart disorders with echocardiographic report sheet in their medical record were evaluated. Information of patients including age, sex, ethnicity, type of extra-cardiac, anomalies, cardiac anomalies (simple, complex and ductal anomalies), cardiac murmur status, and clinical symptoms were extracted from their medical records.
Results: From of total of echocardiography, 139 patients (88.5%) were affected by congenital heart disease. The anomalies were included of 88 cases (56.05%), 48 cases (31.21%), 2 cases (1.27%) simple, complex anomaly and ductal dependent anomaly respectively. The other disorders accompanied with congenital heart diseases were 17 cases (12.2%) with cleft palate, 4 cases (2.9%) with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 8 cases (5.8%) with closed anus, 52 cases (37.4%) with Down syndrome, 4 cases (2.9%) with Turner syndrome, 4 cases (2.9%) with ileum atresia, 11 cases (7.9%) with Esophageal atresia, 7 cases (5%) with Hirschsprung's disease, 6 cases (4.3%) with urogenital anomalies and 26 cases (18.7%) with other extra-cardiac abnormalities.
Conclusion: Down syndrome and cleft palate are among the highest prevalant anomalies with congenital heart diseases.

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Background and Objective: Bisphenol A (BPA) is the monometer of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. This study was done to evaluate the effect of aerobic exercises on oxidative stress indices in heart tissue of male Wistar rats after poisoning with Bisphenol A.
Methods: In this experimental study, 20 adult male Wistar rats were allocated into four groups including control, aerobic exercise, BPA and BPA + aerobic exercise. Animals in control and aerobic exercise groups were receieved olive oil and the BPA (100 μg/kg) intraperitoneally, respectively. Animals in BPA + aerobic training group were treated with BPA (100 μg/kg) intraperitoneally for 30 days. Exercise program consisted of 25-64 minutes of running with 57-75% oxygen consumption, 5 sessions per week for two months. Indicators of oxidative stress in heart tissue including Gpx, SOD, TAC, MDA, CAT and AOPP were evaluated.
Results: BPA intoxication induced a significant increase in the activity of SOD , GPX enzymes, AOPP and MDA levels and  reduction  in CAT enzyme activity and TAC level in compared to control group (P<0.05). While aerobic exercise could diminish the oxidative stress due to BPA intoxication. Aerobic exercise reduced the activity of the GPX, SOD and increased catalase activity in rats with BPA intoxication (P<0.05). Also, level of MDA and AOPP significantly reduced in in aerobic exercise group in comparison with with BPA intoxication (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Aerobic exercise activity has moderating effects on BPA intoxication in cardiac oxidative stress. Aerobic exercise can increase the amount of antioxidant enzymes that play an important role in modulating oxidative stress induced by BPA.

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Background and Objective: Having a proper diet is very important. Many risk factors are involved in the development of cardiovascular disease that by changing them, the incidence of this disease can be reduced. This study was performed to determine the relationship between nutritional knowledge and level of physical activity with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and some cardiovascular risk factors in militaries men.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 97 athletes and non-athletes militaries men. The standard Parmenter and Wardle Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire of 1999 and Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire were completed. Subjects' fitness scores and physical indicators were measured. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome, based on revised ATP ш and IDF was calculated.
Results: The mean nutritional knowledge of the subjects was moderate to low. There was a significant correlation between the nutritional knowledge, level of physical activity and fitness score and cardiovascular risk factors (P<0.05). Also there was a significant correlation between the nutritional knowledge, level of physical activity and fitness score with preventing metabolic syndrome (P<0.05).
Conclusion: With increasing nutritional knowledge, physical activity and fitness scores the risk of cardiovascular factors reduces and the possibility of metabolic syndrome prevention increase.
 

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Myocardial infarction is characterized by the interruption of blood supply to part of the myocardium, leading to tissue damage. Acute myocardial infarction rarely affects young adults. However, considering the possibility of its occurrence, particularly in the presence of risk factors such as obesity and smoking, can help provide appropriate and timely diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Herein, were present a case of acute myocardial infarction in a young adult male.
 

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Background and Objective: Considering the role of diet and the use of natural antioxidants in addition to exercise, the attention of researchers has been drawn to take further advantage of the effects of exercise to improve cellular metabolism. Despite the favorable role of exercise and antioxidants on heart health, the simultaneous effect of exercise and consumption of propolis (prepared by bees) is not yet known. This study aimed to investigate the effects of endurance training and propolis against oxidative and myocardial stress in diabetic ovariectomized rats.
Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 36 female Sprague Dawley rats aged 12-16 weeks and weighing 220-250 grams. Six rats were included in the healthy control group. Diabetes was induced in 30 overiectomized rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg). Then, the diabetic animals were divided into five groups of six including diabetic ovariectomized control, sham, propolis, endurance training, and endurance training + propolis. Rats in the training groups trained for eight weeks, five sessions per week, with 55-75% VO2 max. Moreover, propolis was administered 100 mg/kg/day by peritoneal injection. The level of Pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) and expression of HSP72 and NF-κB genes were measured.
Results: HSP72 expression was significantly higher in the propolis, endurance training, and endurance training + propolis groups. The levels of NF-kB and malonaldehyde were significantly decreased in the ovariectomized diabetic rats (P<0.05). Expression of HSP72 in the endurance training and endurance training + propolis groups were significantly higher than in the propolis group. Moreover, NF-kB in the endurance training and endurance training + propolis groups were significantly lower than in the propolis group (P<0.05). The value of PAB in the propolis and endurance training + propolis groups were significantly lower than in the ovariectomized diabetic rats (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Exercise and consumption of propolis seem to synergistically improve the protective HSP72 pathway and reduce oxidative stress in heart tissue following estrogen dysfunction and diabetes. However, the interaction of the two depends on endurance training.
 

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Background and Objective: With the increase in the spread of COVID-19, mental health consequences such as fear, anxiety, and depression have become prevalent. This study aimed to investigate the predictive role of fear of COVID-19 and quarantine fatigue on depression in congenital heart disease patients during the pandemic.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 105 patients with congenital heart disease (6 men and 99 women) who were referred to Shahid Rajaee Hospitals and Tehran Heart Center during 2021-22. Data were collected using a depression scale, a fear scale for COVID-19, and a quarantine fatigue questionnaire.
Results: The results showed that 28.6% of patients with congenital heart disease experienced mild depression, while 7.6% had severe depression. Quarantine fatigue was found to be mild in 43.8% of patients. Additionally, fear of COVID-19 (r=0.195, P=0.001) and quarantine fatigue (r=0.617, P=0.001) were significantly correlated with depression in congenital heart patients.
Conclusion: Fear of COVID-19 is related to depression caused by coronavirus and quarantine fatigue in patients with congenital heart disease.
 

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Background and Objective: In recent years, studies have been conducted to determine the prevalence rate of congenital abnormalities in different regions of Iran, most of which were conducted on live births. This study was conducted to determine fetal abnormalities in pregnancies leading to legal abortion in Golestan province.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 199 pregnant women with a gestational age of less than 20 weeks with abortion licenses from the Forensic Medicine Center of Golestan province over 9 months during 2018-19. Demographic characteristics, including parents’ age, ethnicity, and family relationship, and the type of fetal abnormalities were recorded.
Results: Given 29,460 births in Golestan province over a 9-month period, the prevalence of fetal abnormalities was determined to be 6.75 per thousand births. The incidence rates of fetal abnormalities were determined to be 6.78, 6.68, 7.69, and 5.65 per thousand births in native Fars (80 cases), Turkmen (65 cases), Sistani (34 cases), and other (20 cases) ethnic groups, respectively. Since the gender of 80 fetuses was unknown, the incidence rates of abnormality were determined to be 4.36 and 3.72 per thousand births in female (63 cases) and male (56 cases) fetuses, respectively. The most common fetal abnormalities included central nervous system (n=49, 24.62%), chromosomal abnormalities (n=47, 23.61%), and cardiovascular impairments (n=26, 13.06%). The incidence of fetal abnormalities was not found to have a statistically significant relationship with parents' age, ethnicity, and family relationship.
Conclusion: The most prevalent fetal abnormality was related to central nervous system disorders. The incidence of fetal abnormalities had no relationship with the parents’ age, ethnicity, and family relationship.