meysam irani

Consumption of pomegranate extract along with resistance training can improve the blood flow, resting metabolism and cause weight loss. However, their effect on body composition and weight control has not been studied. This study aims to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of resistance training combined with pomegranate extract supplementation on resting metabolic rate, hypertrophy and muscle strength of inactive male college students. 

In this quasi-experimental study, 42 inactive male college students voluntary participated after signing a written informed consent form. They were randomly divided into four groups: resistance training (n=11), resistance training + supplementation (n=11), supplementation (n=10), and control (n=10). The resistance training was performed for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week and included two movements for the upper body (barbell chest press and barbell shoulder press) and two movements for the lower body (leg extension and leg press with machine). The pomegranate extract was consumed at a dose of 100 mL 3 times a week (half an hour before training). Data analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance with least significant difference post hoc test and paired t-test considering a significance level of P≤0.05. 

The rate of muscle hypertrophy (hip circumference) increased significantly after intervention in two groups of resistance training and resistance training + supplementation, which was higher in the combined intervention group (P=0.001). The maximum strength in lower body muscles also increased significantly after intervention in these two groups (P=0.001). Body fat percentage decreased significantly in the resistance training + supplementation group (P=0.03). No significant change was observed in the resting metabolic rate of the study groups (P>0.05).

It seems that the combination of resistance training with pomegranate extract supplementation increases the muscle strength and hypertrophy in young men.

Stretching exercises, in static and dynamic states, are used at the beginning of any sport activity in schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the order of static and dynamic stretching on some physical fitness factors in children.
This study was semi-experimental with repeated measures design. 30 participants were selected from female students studying in the fourth grade of elementary school in Miyaneh city, Iran, with cluster sampling. Subjects performed 3 stretching protocols (without stretching, dynamic after static stretching, and static after dynamic stretching) and dependent variables including reaction time, agility, power, speed and flexibility were measured before and after these protocols. In static stretching, stretch was maintained for 15 sec and in dynamic stretching, 5 repetitions of stretch (each repetition 15 sec) in 3 sets, with 10-sec rests between them, were performed. ANOVA with repeated measures and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to compare the effects of the 3 stretching protocols on the dependent variables.
The mean and standard deviations of the subjects’ age in this study was 10.18±0.8 years. Both dynamic after static and static after dynamic stretching had significant effects on reaction time (p=0.001), and flexibility (p=0.008 and p=0.003 respectively), but they didn’t show any significant effect on agility, power and speed (p=1.000). Moreover, the order of stretches had no significant effect on measured factors (p>0.05).
Both stretching protocols improve reaction time and flexibility in children, but do not influence their agility, power and speed. Changing the order of performing of static and dynamic stretching does not make any change in the records of reaction time, agility, power, flexibility and speed.

The aim of present study was investigation of the effect of eight weeks power interval training with pomegranate extract consumption on body composition in inactive male students.

42 inactive boys were randomly divided into four groups including power interval training (n=11), power interval training with pomegranate extract consumption (n=11), pomegranate extract (n=10) and control (n=10). Power interval training program was performed for eight weeks, 3 sessions per week that each session included 2 movements for the upper body (halter chest press and halter wide grip upright row) and 2 movements for the lower body (back jump and Wingate) in 3 - 5 sets of 10 seconds. Subjects in power interval training + pomegranate extract group (30 min before exercise) and pomegranate extract group consumed 100 ml of pomegranate extract 3 times a week.

The results showed that resting metabolic rate increased significantly after 8 weeks in interval Power training + pomegranate extract (P=0.003), but this increment was not significant (P>0.05) in the Power interval training group. Relative maximum oxygen uptake increased significantly in the power interval training + pomegranate extract group (P=0.022), but no change was observed in the other groups. Also, the percentage of fat of the subjects decreased significantly after 8 weeks of power interval training + pomegranate extract (P=0.012).

According to the results of this study, it seems that combination of power interval training with pomegranate extract consumption induce an increase in resting metabolism rate and consequently improvement in body composition which can lead to weight loss.

The school of Realism has made heavy discussions among the critics, but it is accepted by almost all the sources that this school expresses the social and political realism without the exaggerated impressions. Moreover, the applied style of poets is what distinguishes each one from another and gives them a specific tone. Based on these two, we decided to study the styles of impression in the poems of Ahmed Matar who is considered to be one of the most prominent poets of the current era. Matar touches upon various political issues such as the weakness of the nation and their being oppressed. He highlights the injustice and crimes of the government. He also mentions the colonialism and the occupation of Palestine. The approach of this study is historical describing and critical analyzing to reach its results, including that Ahmed Matar has used several methods of prose to express the features of the political realism. He also uses riddles which are often used in popular literature; and descriptions that he sometimes uses reversely. Matar uses manipulation of letters, which is not common in poetry. And finally, using of symbols. For instance, he uses “cancerous tumor” as a symbol for Israel, in the body of the nation. So, Ahmed Matar could possibly be a voice for the fighting groups against the oppression and tyranny.

The aim of this study was investigation of the effect of exercise intensity on accuracy of arterial CO2 pressure estimation from end tidal CO2 pressure.

Ten subjects were selected as samples. At first, the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) of each subject was obtained by performing progressive exercise protocol. Then, each subject performed three protocols with intensities of 30%, 50% and 70% of his own VO2max and duration of each exercise was 12-minute. Blood samples were taken during the rest, exercise and recovery periods, and data on respiratory gases were collected.

Correlation coefficient between PaCO2 and PaCO2pre and P value in exercise with intensities of 30%, 50% and 70% of VO2max were r = 0.807, P=0.001; r=0.822, P= 0.001 and r = 0.552, P= 0.003 respectively. The percentage of estimation error was higher in the intensity of 70% of VO2max than intensities of 30% and 50% of VO2max.

Based on the findings of this study, it seems that the accuracy of prediction of arterial CO2 pressure from end tidal CO2 pressure is lower in high intensities exercise than low intensities exercise.