امیرحسین صفار کهنه قوچان

High-intensity functional training (HIFT) is an exercise modality that emphasizes functional, multi-joint movements that can be modified to any fitness level and elicit greater muscle recruitment than more traditional exercise. Therefore, this research aims to compare eight weeks of HIFT with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on some factors of physical fitness, time to exhaustion, and lactate levels in officer students. In this semi-experimental research, 30 officer students with an average age of 20.04 ± 0.84 were randomly divided into 15 HIIT and HIFT groups. All the tests were done before and after the implementation of exercise protocols. Both HIIT (running-based) and HIFT (bodyweight-based functional movements) protocols were performed for 8 weeks, 3 days per week, at the intensity of 85-90% of the maximum heart rate. Basic evaluations included body composition evaluation, fatigue test, muscle strength and power test, and Army physical fitness test. The findings of this research showed that HIFT and HIIT increased respectively aerobic fitness (15.69%, 9.61%), back and leg muscle strength (16.02%, 5.02%), vertical jump (25.31%, 5.14%), push-up (19.61%, 9.39%), sit up (18.24%, 9.83%), time to exhaustion (16.21%, 14.41%) and reduced body fat percentage (18.38%, 12.18%), and lactate levels (22.89%, 14.77%). Also, HIFT was more effective than HIIT in increasing aerobic fitness (P=0.0001), back and leg muscle strength (P=0.0001), leg muscle power (P=0.0001), abdominal and shoulder girdle muscle (P=0.0001) endurance, time to exhaustion (P=0.0001), and reducing body fat percentage (P=0.002). It seems that high-intensity training, especially HIFT can improve several factors of physical fitness at the same time, and it is more suitable for tactical athletes (soldiers, firefighters, etc.) who need high physical fitness to perform their duties.

Health-related physical fitness is one of the important issues in exercise physiology that is related to people's physical health and disease prevention. The purpose of this study was to developing and updating the physical fitness norm for women aged 18-60 years old of Tehran city. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 365 women aged 18-60 years old with a mean age of 33.04 ± 9.57 years, height 163.09 ± 6.05 cm, weight 67.17± 11.57 kg from different regions of Tehran were recruited by cluster and random sampling. In this study, body mass index (BMI), Waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage (caliper), cardio-respiratory fitness (Rockport 1mile walking/Running), Flexibility (sit & Reach), endurance of abdominal muscles (curl up), Endurance of shoulder girdle muscles (modified push up) and strength of hands (hand grip) measured in subjects. Descriptive statistics and computation of Z scores and point percentages were used to construction of norms. The findings of this study showed that the mean cardio respiratory fitness (38.46 ± 7.78 ml / kg.min-1), body fat percentage (38.85± 6.65), BMI (25.40± 4.20 kg/m2) Flexibility (31.50± 8.10 cm), Endurance of abdominal muscles (37.36 ± 14.74), WHR (0.84 ± 0.50), WC (78.65 ± 10.70cm) Endurance of shoulder girdle muscles (18.90 ± 11.94), strength of hand muscles (23.32 ± 4.88 kg).

Oxidative stress and the production of nitrogen (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the pathogenesis and the progression of MS. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise on disease severity, NRF2 protein levels, and xanthine oxidase in the spinal cord in the chronic period of the disease.Thirty female C57Bl6 mice (6-8 weeks) were divided into voluntary exercise, EAE, and healthy control. After induction of EAE by MOG35-55 and after the mice showed the clinical score of one for two consecutive days, they performed one hour of voluntary exercise, five days, for four weeks. 48 hours after the last training session, the rats were anesthetized with ketamine and xylazine, and the spinal cord tissue was removed. The location of NRF2 proteins in the gray and white matter of the spinal cord were investigated by immunohistochemistry, and xanthine oxidase was measured by xanthine oxidase kit according to the kit manufacturer's instructions by ELISA method.Voluntary exercise increased NRF2 protein levels in the white matter (P = 0.0001) and gray matter of the spinal cord (P = 0.0001) and decreased xanthine oxidase levels in the spinal cord (P = 0.001), and attenuated disease severity in the chronic period (P = 0.01).Voluntary exercise reduces oxidative stress and disease in the chronic period of the disease and is a good strategy for controlling and treating MS.

Changes in the morphology of dendrites and the function of nerve circuits in pain-sensing neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord ultimately lead to neuropathic pain. Increased expression of Rac1 is associated with increased size and density of dendritic spines and increased pain threshold in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to investigate the effect of four weeks of physical activity in an enriched environment on Rac1 and structural changes of WDR neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, and pain sensitivity in the chronic course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model used to study the immunopathogenesis of MS.

Thirty female C57BL6 mice were randomly divided into three groups. The first group was induced with MOG35-55 peptide (EAE group), the second group received a saline injection (healthy control group), and the third group, after induction with MOG35-55, was placed in the cage of the enriched environment (group living in enriched environment + EAE). On day 30 post-induction (chronic period of the disease), the formalin test assessed pain sensitivity. Then the mice were anesthetized with ketamine and xylazine, and the spinal cord tissue was removed. Rac1 protein levels were measured by immunohistochemistry. The length and density of dendritic spines were assessed using the Golgi-Cox staining.

Our findings showed that living in an enriched environment significantly reduced RAC1 levels, the length and density of dendritic spines of WDR neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, and pain sensitivity compared to the EAE group.

Changing the environment and lifestyle to a happy and enriched environment and active lifestyle could reduce pain sensitivity in MS by preventing structural changes in pain-sensing neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Understanding health-related fitness status, especially body composition and cardio-respiratory fitness indicators is an important factor in determining individual health. The purpose of this study was to developing and updating the physical fitness norm for men aged 18-60 years old of Tehran province. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 250 men aged 18-60 years old with a mean age of 31.28 ± 9.39 years, height 176.65 ± 6.64 cm, weight 83.00 ± 13.30 kg from different regions of Tehran were recruited by cluster and random sampling and divided into different age classes. In this study, body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage (caliper), cardio-respiratory fitness (Rockport 1mile walking/Running), Flexibility (sit & Reach), endurance of abdominal muscles (curl up), Endurance of shoulder girdle muscles (modified push up) and strength of hands (hand grip) measured in subjects. Descriptive statistics, z equation and percentage points were used to prepare the relevant norms. The findings of this study showed that the mean cardio respiratory fitness (45.78 ± 10.42 ml / kg.min-1), body fat percentage (27.45 ± 7.41), BMI (26.54 ± 3.63 kg) Flexibility (27.43 ± 10.49 cm), endurance of abdominal muscles (33.36 ± 11.62), WHR (0.86 ± 0.57), Endurance of shoulder girdle muscles (24.71 ± 15.15), strength of hand muscles (45.18 ± 7.79 kg). The results of this study can be used as a reference for health and clinical studies in different age groups.