Abstract

      Background and Objective: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a recently proposed exercise protocol, which is time-effective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of HIIT for 8 weeks on the lipid profile, C-reactive protein (CRP), fasting blood sugar (FBS) and anthropometric parameters of young women who do not exercise.

     Methods: In this study, 20 young physically inactive women performed HIIT workouts for 8 weeks and 3 sessions per week. The training protocol consisted of 10-times treadmill running for 15 seconds at maximum effort and then 30 seconds of resting. Blood samples were taken while fasting, a day before and after the training and then the considered parameters were measured. Wilcoxon test was used to compare the obtained data.

      Results: HIIT significantly reduced FBS, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein /cholesterol ratio and CRP while increasing the HDL levels. There was a significant difference in the weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, abdominal circumference and chest circumference of the subjects before and after the training (p <0.05).

      Conclusion: HIIT can improve lipid, inflammatory and anthropometric parameters, thus it can be considered as a suitable alternative to time-consuming exercises, especially for physically inactive women who like to spend less time to achieve optimal physical wellness and body fitness.

      

ABSTRACT

        Background and Objective: Scientific evidence reveals that the density of skeletal muscle microcirculations decreases in the patients with chronic heart failure. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the impact of submaximal aerobic exercise training on restoration of fast/slow-twitch muscle fibers microcirculation in rats with myocardial infarction.

         Methods: In this experimental study, 30 male infarcted Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of sham (N=10), control (N=10) and exercise (N=10), four weeks after surgery (blockage of anterior descending artery). Daily aerobic exercise included running on a treadmill for 10 weeks (5 times a week) at a speed of 17 m/min within 10 to 50 minutes. The animals were anesthetized and then sacrificed with chloroform, 48 hours after the last training session. The microcirculation density of soleus (SOL) and gastrocnemius (Gw) muscles was evaluated by immunohistochemistry assay.

        Results: Capillary density and capillary to SOL muscle fiber ratio significantly increased in response to exercise training. However, capillary density, capillary to Gw muscle fiber ratio and Gw muscle arteriolar density of Wistar rats with chronic heart failure were not significantly affected by the exercise program. Moreover, arteriolar density of Gw muscle increased significantly after the exercise program.

        Conclusion: The ten-week aerobic exercise might non-uniformly improve the SOL and Gw muscles microcirculation in rats with chronic heart failure by increasing capillary density and capillary to fiber ratio in the SOL muscle and increasing the arteriolar density of the Gw muscle.

        Keywords: Heart Failure, Angiogenesis, Exercise.

ABSTRACT

       Background and Objective: Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective anticancer drug. It has been shown that  a short-term exercise performed prior to DOX-treatment has no effect on cardiotoxicity in young rats. In the present study, old and young rats were evaluated to determine the protective effects of pre-treatment with short-term exercise on DOX-induced oxidative damage in cardiac tissue.

        Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups of young and old, and later divided into three sub-groups of young+DOX, young+training+DOX, young+training+salin, old+DOX, old+training+DOX and old+training+salin. The training protocol included treadmill running for 25-39 min/day at 15-17 m/min, 5 days/week for three weeks. All treatments were carried out 24h after the last exercise bout. The rats were sacrificed 48h

 after DOX administration.

        Results: Although DOX injection significantly affected the cardiac tissue of old rats compared to young rats, pretreatment with endurance training in DOX-treated rats caused an increase in Heat shock protein (3.02% vs. 23.36) and superoxide dismutase (30.12% vs. 31.12), and a decrease in malondialdehyde (10.92% vs. 19.60) in both old and young rats.

         Conclusion: Although DOX-induced production of free radicals and cardiotoxicity in aged rats is more than that in young rats,  the short-term aerobic exercise reduced the damaging effects of free radicals in the old rats more than in young ones. The concentration of antioxidant enzymes also increases with exercise in the old rats compared to young rats.

          Keywords: Cardiotoxicity, Doxorubicin, Oxidative Stress, Aerobic Exercise.

ABSTRACT

          Background and Objective: The present study aims at investigating the possible effect of 8-week aerobic exercise on undercarboxylated osteocalcin and beta cell function in postmenopausal women.

         Methods: The study included 20 postmenopausal women with mean weight, height and body mass index of 78.94 ± 5.72 kg, age 48.69 ± 3.21 years, 160.37 ± 4.12 cm and 30.72 ± 2.37 kg/m2. The participants were randomly selected and divided into experimental and control groups. Blood samples were taken 48 hours before the experiment and after eight weeks of exercise. Aerobic exercise was performed for eight weeks, three sessions per week with intensity of 65-70% of heart rate. Data analysis for intragroup and intergroup differences was done using paired and independent t-test, respectively. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.            

         Results: The level of undercarboxylated osteocalcin in the experimental group decreased significantly compared to control group (P<0.049). The level of beta cell function index in the experimental group increased significantly after the 8-week exercise program compared to  control group (P<0.014).

         Conclusion: Exercise increases the level of undercarboxylated osteocalcin in postmenopausal women that has important consequences, especially for those at risk of developing diabetes.

            Keywords: Exercise, Osteocalcin, Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated, Postmenopause.

ABSTRACT
        Background and Objectives: The unfavorable lipid profile in obese individuals is associated with high incidence of various diseases including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, etc. Dieting for weight loss and physical activity are among the most important factors affecting the serum lipid profile. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of diet with and without physical activity on body mass index and serum lipid profile of obese women.
      Methods: This clinical trial was performed in 2011 on 39 obese women referred to a weight loss and nutrition counseling center. Subjects were randomly divided into an active group (diet and exercise) and inactive group (diet without exercise). Blood sampling was done before the intervention and two months after the intervention. Data was analyzed using SPSS-16 and t-test.
       Results: Mean level of triglyceride reduced significantly in both groups. Mean level of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein decreased significantly only in the active group. The Mean level of high-density lipoprotein in the two groups had no significant difference.
Conclusion: The results indicate that dieting for weight loss along with short-term physical activity improves serum levels of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, but does not affect serum HDL level.
        Keywords: Diet, Exercise, Triglyceride, Cholesterol, LDL, HDL.

ABSTRACT
        Background and Objectives: Previous studies have shown that morphine dependence leads to myocardial dysfunction. In addition, apelin plays a protective role in cardiac function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of morphine dependence and three models of exercise training on serum apelin level of dependent and healthy rats.
       Methods: Ten healthy and 40 morphine-dependent rats were used in this study. The morphine-dependent rats were divided into four equal groups of control addicts, endurance training, strength training and concurrent training. The training exercises were carried out for eight weeks, five days a week. Serum apelin level was measured by ELISA, 72 hours after the last training session.
        Results: Statistical analysis demonstrated that apelin level increased significantly in morphine-dependent rats compared to healthy controls. On the other hand, endurance and concurrent training significantly increased serum apelin level in morphine-dependent rats compared to control addicts, but strength training had not effect on serum apelin level in morphine-dependent rats.
         Conclusion: Endurance and concurrent training may have cardioprotective effects on morphine-dependent rats by increasing serum apelin levels. Therefore, such training activities could be recommended to morphine-dependent patients to prevent cardiac disorders.
          Keywords: Apelin, Morphine, Exercise.

ABSTRACT
         Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate effects of eight weeks of aquatic exercise and resistance training on plasma neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) levels and NT-4 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of women with multiple sclerosis (MS).
         Methods: Thirty women with MS were randomly assigned to a resistance-training group, an aquatic exercise group and a control group. After separating plasma and PBMCs from blood samples, level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression was measured after eight weeks of exercise via ELISA and Real-time PCR, respectively.
        Results: The level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression increased significantly following eight weeks of aquatic training and resistance training. 
        Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, both resistance training and aquatic exercise can increase the level of plasma NT-4 and NT-4 expression in female MS patients. It can be concluded that such trainings could have protective and positive effects on the nervous system of MS patients.
        Keywords: Exercise, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurotrophic Factors, Women.

ABSTRACT
         Background and Objectives: We studied effects of eight weeks of resistance training and IGF-1 injection on serum level of IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio in Wistar rats.
          Methods: We randomly divided 28 male Wistar rats into four groups of saline-injected control (C), resistance training+saline injection (RS), resistance training+IGF-1 injection (RI) and IGF-1 injection (II). Resistance training protocol consisted of climbing a ladder (three days/week with 5 reps/3 sets) while carrying a weight suspended from the tail for eight weeks. IGF-1 and saline (1.5 µg/kg/day) were injected before and after exercise sessions. Serum IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio and morphology of colorectal tissue were evaluated.
          Results: Serum IGF-1 level and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio decreased in the RS group compared to the other groups (P< 0.05). Rats in the RS group had higher IGFBP-3 level than those in the II and RI groups (P< 0.05). IGF-1 injection had no effect on morphology of colorectal tissue.
          Conclusion: The resistance training reduces IGF-1 and increases IGFBP-3 levels, which might represent a link between resistance training and lower risk of colorectal cancer.
         Keywords: Exercise, Colorectal Neoplasms, Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1, Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3.

ABSTRACT
          Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12 weeks of intense endurance training and bee pollen consumption on ABCA1 gene expression in small intestine, liver and gastrocnemius muscle tissues of male rats.
           Methods: In this study, 24 male Wistar rats (aged 6-8 weeks and weighing 90-110 g) were randomly divided into four groups of saline-control (n=6), saline-training (n=6), bee pollen-control (n=6) and bee pollen-training (n=6). The training groups exercised on a treadmill for 12 weeks (30 m/min, 90 min/day, five days/week). The bee pollen groups were given bee pollen orally (500 mg/Kg) for 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA at significance level of 0.05.
          Results: ABCA1 gene expression was highest in the liver, gastrocnemius muscle and small intestine, respectively. The findings also revealed that the intense endurance training caused a non-significant increase in ABCA1 gene expression in the small intestine and liver. However, the training caused a non-significant decrease in ABCA1 gene expression in the gastrocnemius muscle. In addition, consumption of bee pollen significantly increased ABCA1 gene expression in the small intestine and gastrocnemius muscle of male rats. However, the effect of bee pollen on the gene’s expression in the liver was not statistically significant.
           Conclusion: Based on our findings, it can be concluded that consumption of bee pollen has more beneficial effects on the ABCA1 gene expression and reverse cholesterol transport compared with the intense endurance training.
           Keywords: ABCA1 protein, Pollen, exercise.

Background and objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of aerobic exercise on serum iron, serum ferritin, platelet count, mean platelet volume, and some immunity indices in non-athlete females.

• In this study, 30 non-athlete females aged 30-45 years were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group was subjected to perform aerobic exercise at 60-70% of maximal heart rate for eight weeks, three sessions per week and one hour per session. Blood parameters were measured before the exercise program and after the completion of program by taking 2 ml blood samples from the venous vein of the participants in the sitting position. Finally, t-test was used to compare the pre-test and post-test means of each group and independent t-test was used to compare the two groups at significance of 0.05.
• : After eight weeks of aerobic exercise, there was a significant increase in mean platelet volume and a significant decrease in serum iron and ferritin levels in the experimental group (P <0.05). There was a slight decrease in the number of platelets, white blood cells, granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes (P<0.05).

            Conclusion: We recommend physical education instructors, athletes and non-athletes to consider iron supplementation during aerobic exercise, and modify appropriate training intensity based on the fitness and age of trainees to prevent risk of anemia.
            KEYWORDS: Aerobic exercise, platelet, iron, ferritin, white blood cell.

ABSTRACT

        Background and Objectives: Sirtuin (SIRT), Fibroblast Growth Factor₂₁ (FGF₂₁) and Fetuin A are proteins that cause a wide range of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). On the other hand, regular physical activity is known to play a key role in prevention and management of T2DM. Thus, this study investigated the effect of vigorous aerobic exercise on serum levels of metabolic parameters including SIRT₁, FGF₂₁ and Fetuin A in women with T2DM.

          Methods: The study was performed on 28 randomly selected women with T2DM who were divided into an exercise group and a control group. The training intervention consisted eight weeks of vigorous aerobic exercise (three times a week at 70-80% of maximum heart rate). The serum levels of SIRT₁, FGF₂₁ and Fetuin A were evaluated before the first session and 48 hours after the last session. Paired sample t-test and independent t-test were used to analyze within and between group differences, respectively. All statistical analyses were performed in SPSS (version 19) at significance of 0.05.
          Results: The eight-week aerobic training caused a significant reduction in body weight, body mass index, insulin resistance, low-density lipoprotein, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides and Fetuin A of women with T2DM. In addition, it caused a significant increase in SIRT1 and FGF₂₁ levels. There was no significant difference in the level of high-density lipoprotein and cholesterol between the two groups.
          Conclusion: As a non-pharmacological therapy, regular aerobic exercise might improve the metabolic parameters, SIRT1, FGF21, and Fetuin A in women with T2DM.
          Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, SIRT₁, FGF₂₁, Fetuin A, Exercise.

ABSTRACT
          Background and objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of six months of aerobic exercise on lipid profile, inflammatory markers, and risk factors of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged obese women.
          Methods: Fifteen obese woman (age range: 35 to 45 years) with BMI of ≥30 Kg/m² were enrolled via purposeful and convenience sampling. The participants were randomly divided into training (n=10) and control (n=5) groups.  Blood samples (7 ml) were taken from all participants before the first training session and after the last training session. The women performed 60 minutes of aerobic exercise at 55-65% of heart rate reserve, three sessions a week, for six months. Data was analyzed using independent and paired t-tests and Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests at significance of 0.05.
          Results: After the six-month aerobic exercise, C-reactive protein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein/total cholesterol decreased significantly. The exercise intervention also caused a significant increase in the concentrations of high-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A.
          Conclusion: Aerobic exercise can reduce the level of inflammatory markers associated with risk of cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis.
          Keywords: Lipid profile, Inflammatory markers, Obese women, Apolipoprotein, Aerobic exercise.

ABSTRACT
          Background and Objectives: Oxidative stress is a common mediator in pathogenicity of established cardiovascular risk factors. The purpose of this study was to determine effects of selected aerobic training on some oxidative stress indicators in sedentary elderly women.
          Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 21 participants (age range: 60-70 years) were selected by convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to an exercise group (n=11) and a control group (n=10). Aerobic exercise was performed at 50-70% of heart rate reserve for 45-60 minutes per session, three sessions a week, for eight weeks. Blood samples were taken at baseline and 24 hours after the last training session. Within-group and between-group differences were assessed using paired sample t-test and independent t-test, respectively. Statistical significance level was set at 0.05.
          Results: Weight, body mass index and body fat percentage decreased significantly after the exercise intervention (P<0.05). We also noted a significant reduction in endothelin-1 levels in both groups (P<0.05). Nitric oxide increased significantly after the eight-week exercise training (P<0.05). Moreover, serum 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels decreased significantly in the exercise group (P<0.05). No significant change was observed in malondialdehyde and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels in both groups. The result also showed a significant difference in subjects’ weight and in nitric oxide and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels between the two groups (P<0.05).
          Conclusion: It seems that regular aerobic exercise at moderate intensity can improve antioxidative capacity and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in elderly women.
          Keywords: Endothelin-1, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, Exercise, Elderly.

ABSTRACT
           Background and Objectives: Inactivity, obesity and hormone disorders can lead to various diseases in obese and non-athletic individuals. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of six months of aerobic exercise on serum levels of insulin, growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth hormone 1 (IGF-1) in sedentary obese women.
           Methods: In  this quasi-experimental  study, 15  inactive,  obese  (body mass index >30) women aged 37-47 years were selected from employees of the Ferdowsi University in Mashhad (Iran), via purposive and available sampling. The participants were randomly divided into an experimental group (n=10) and a control (n=5) group. The experimental group performed 60 minutes of aerobic exercise at 55-65% of heart rate reserve, three sessions a week, for six months. Serum GH, IGF-1 and insulin levels were measured in both groups before the first training session and after the last training session. The Shapiro–Wilk test and the Levene's test were used to assess normal distribution of data and homogeneity of variance, respectively. Independent and dependent t-tests were used to compare between-group and within-group differences at significance of 0.05. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software (version 18).
           Results: Serum concentrations of IGF-1 and insulin reduced significantly following the six-month aerobic exercise program. In addition, the exercise training caused an insignificant increase in GH levels.
           Conclusion: Our proposed aerobic exercise protocol significantly reduces IGF-1 level, which is closely related to the incidence of atherosclerosis, breast cancer, and colon cancer. The significant decline in insulin secretion following the six-month aerobic exercise program may provide more amounts of nutrients for muscle glucose metabolism.
           Keywords: Growth hormone, Insulin, Insulin-like growth factor 1, Exercise.

ABSTRACT
          Background and objectives: Visfatin is a newly characterized adipokine, which is highly expressed in visceral adipose tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of aerobic exercise training on visfatin, homocystein, C-reactive protein and lipid profile in sedentary men.
          Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 27 sedentary men were selected by convenience sampling method. The subjects were divided into a control group (n=13) and an aerobic training group (n=14). The subjects in the experimental group performed 60 minutes of aerobic exercise at 75-85% of maximum heart rate, three sessions per week for eight weeks. Data were analyzed in SPSS 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) using paired and independent sample t-test for comparison of means within and between groups, respectively. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
          Results: The eight-week aerobic exercise training significantly reduced body weight (P=0.02), body mass index (P=0.01) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P=0.03) levels. It also caused a significant increase in the high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (P=0.00) and a significant decrease in visfatin levels (P=0.005). Serum homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels decreased by the end of the training program, but these changes were not statistically significant (P>0.05).
          Conclusion: The eight-week aerobic exercise program could effectively improve lipid profile and visfatin levels. Therefore, this type of exercise could be recommended for prevention of cardiovascular disease and improvement of its risk factors.
          Keywords: Aerobic, C-reactive protein, Exercise, Homocysteine.

ABSTRACT
            Background and objectives: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term acquired disability. It is of great importance to seek ways for improving motor, sensory, and cognitive function after stroke and brain injury. In this regard, therapeutic exercise is the most commonly used method of rehabilitation that can significantly reduce the severity of functional damage. The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of eight weeks of forced treadmill training on cognitive and motor functions in ischemic rats.
            Methods: Fourteen adult male Wistar rats were divided into an exercise group and a control group (no exercise). Occlusion of both common carotid arteries was made to induce cerebral ischemia. Twenty-four hours after the induction of ischemia, the subjects in the exercise group were subjected to treadmill running, five days a week for eight weeks. The skilled ladder rung walking task was used to evaluate motor function before and after the stroke.
            Results: The number of errors was decreasing in both groups, but significant differences were observed in the motor function between the two groups in the third, fifth, and eighth week.
            Conclusion: Our results suggest that post-ischemic exercise might modulate ischemia-induced hippocampal injury and ameliorate the subsequent memory and motor impairment.
            Keywords:  Stroke, Cerebral Ischemia, Exercise, Treadmill training, sensorimotor.

ABSTRACT
             Background and Objectives: Cardiac rehabilitation improves functional capacity of post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate effects of eight weeks of cardiac rehabilitation on serum levels of sirutin1 (SIRT1) and functional capacity of post-CABG patients.
             Methods: Forty-five non-active men (mean age: 47.4 ± 3.3 years, duration of disease: 150 ± 69.12 months) were randomly divided into three equal groups: aerobic exercise, combined (resistance and aerobic) exercise and control. The subjects performed trainings at 60-75% of maximum heart rate, three sessions a week for eight weeks. Blood samples were collected 24 hours before the first exercise session and 48 hours after the last exercise session. Data were analyzed with SPSS 16.0 using one-way ANOVA and the Tukey post hoc test. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
             Results: Aerobic and combined exercise increased serum SIRT1 levels and functional capacity. There was no significant decrease in body mass index (P=0.06). The SIRT1 level did not differ significantly between the two exercise groups after the intervention (P=0.91). There were significant difference between the study groups in terms of the travelled distance (P<0.034).
             Conclusion: Both combined and aerobic exercise can increase serum levels of SIRT1, reduce body mass index and improve functional capacity in CABG patients.
             Keywords: Resistance training, exercise, SIRT1.

ABSTRACT
              Background and Objectives: Coronary heart disease has a direct correlation with plasma levels of Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and an inverse relationship with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level. This study aimed at comparing effect of eight weeks of aerobic training with and without green coffee supplementation on serum ApoB level and atherogenic indices of overweight men.
              Methods: Thirty overweight men were randomly divided into two groups: training + green coffee supplementation (T+G; n=15) and training + placebo (T+P; n=15). Participants in both groups performed aerobic training, three sessions per week for eight weeks. Initial exercise intensity was set at 50% of maximum heart rate but gradually increased to 75% of maximum heart rate in the last two weeks. In a single-blind design, the subjects in the T+G group received a 400 mg capsule of green coffee bean extract one hour before each exercise session. The T+P group received placebo at the same time. Paired sample t-test and independent t-test were used to compare intra-group and inter-group variations, respectively. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (version 22) at significance level of 0.05.
              Results: ApoB, LDL/HDL and total cholesterol/HDL decreased significantly in both groups. However, the changes were more notable in the T+G group compared to the T+P group.
              Conclusion: The eight-week training program along with green coffee supplementation has positive effects on serum ApoB and atherogenic indices of overweight, inactive men. Therefore, it can be suggested as a non-pharmacological method of preventing cardiovascular disease.
              Keywords: Aerobic exercise, green coffee, Overweight, Apolipoprotein b.