Internal Medicine Today
Volume:27 Issue: 2, 2021

A high-fat diet, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle are the major causes of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). This study aimed to explore the effect of interval training and the consumption of fenugreek seed extract on FGF-21 and VEGF gene expression among patients with CAD.
Methods & Materials: The present quasi-experimental study was conducted on a sample of 32 male patients with CAD, aged between 55 and 65 years. They were randomly divided into four groups: control, training only, fenugreek only, and training + fenugreek. The training program consisted of eight weeks of interval running, three sessions per week with an intensity of 55% and 65% of heart rate reserve, with a gradually increasing intensity. Subjects consumed 10 mg/kg of fenugreek extract daily. Real-time PCR was used to measure the expression of FGF-21 and VEGF genes.

 The results showed that the mean expression ratios of FGF-21 in training only, fenugreek only, and training + fenugreek groups were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.0001). The fenugreek + training group had a greater significant increase (P<0.0001) more than the training + fenugreek group. Moreover, the mean Coefficient of Variation (CV) of VEGF gene expression was significantly increased more than that in the training group (P<0.0001), fenugreek group (P=0.0004), and the training + fenugreek group (P<0.0001), compared to the control group. The fenugreek + training group had a greater and more significant increase than the training only (P=0.0181) and the fenugreek only groups (P<0.0495).

 The results showed that a combination of interval training and consumption of fenugreek seed extract increased the CV of FGF-21 and VEGF gene expression and thus, have beneficial effects on the angiogenesis pathway in patients with CADs.

 The emergence of COVID-19 disease has created significant stress and anxiety for health care workers. This study aimed to investigate the stressors and coping strategies in the staff of Allameh Bohlool Hospital in Gonabad City, Iran, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease.
Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study was performed on 252 employees of Allameh Bohlool Hospital in Gonabad from March 2020 to April 2020. Study tools included a brief form of coping styles (Brief-COPE) and a researcher-made questionnaire of stressors due to the emergence of COVID-19 among health care workers. The obtained data were analyzed using linear regression and ordinal regression models at the significance level of 0.05.

 About 74.2%, 69.4%, 52.7%, 52.7%, and 99.2% of the hospital staff had moderate to high stress in the domains of internal, family-social, workplace-related, infection control, and government measures, respectively. The degree of using adaptive and maladaptive coping styles used by staff were 52.0% and 23.8% at the moderate to the high level, respectively. Maladaptive coping styles had a positive and significant relationship with stress intensity so that for each unit increase in maladaptive coping score, the odds of experiencing higher levels of stress increased 1.24 to 1.45 times (P<0.001). Also, the odds of experiencing higher levels of stress in those who had sports activities was 24% to 76% lower (P=0.003).

 The findings of the present study indicated a high level of stress among hospital staff. Also, the use of maladaptive coping styles and sports activities had a significant positive and negative relationship with stress intensity, respectively. Therefore, designing effective interventions focusing on reducing maladaptive coping patterns among hospital staff and encouraging people to engage in sports activities can help manage stress as much as possible due to the outbreak of COVID-19 disease.

 Structural postural changes due to aging are common among the elderly due to decreased muscle mass and tissue. We evaluated the effect of 10 weeks of core muscle training on serum levels of follistatin, myostatin, and pain in older women with low back pain.
Methods & Materials: A total of 18 older women with low back pain (aged 60 to 70 y) were randomly assigned into two groups: experimental (n=9) and control (n=9). The training program of core muscles included 55 to 60 min sessions, 3 times per week for 10 weeks. Before and after the training, serum follistatin and myostatin, along with pain intensity and lumbar function, were evaluated. The obtained data were analyzed by paired sample t test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to compare intragroup and intergroup differences, respectively.

 Core muscle training led to a significant reduction in the relative pain scale (P=0.001). Follistatin (P=0.001) and myostatin (P=0.001) levels increased and decreased significantly at the end of the training period, respectively. Lumbar function improved in the training group. Changes in means of between groups in relative pain scale, follistatin, myostatin, and lumbar function have a significant difference (P<0.05).

 Core muscle training was associated with a decline in myostatin level, increase in follistatin level, and improving lumbar function. In summary, core muscle training may decrease muscle atrophy related to age.

 Heavy exercise can damage the immune system by oxidative stress. The role of herbal supplements during and after strenuous exercise is unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peels and a period of high-intensity interval training on the C-reactive protein and antioxidant enzyme activity in rats.

This research was an experimental study. The statistical population was rats, of which 36 Wistar rats were randomly selected and were divided into 4 groups (control, hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peels, high-intensity interval training, and hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peels + high-intensity interval training). After 8 weeks of interval training and supplementation, blood samples were taken from the rats. Then, the C-reactive protein and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes of superoxide dismutase and catalase were assessed by 1-way analysis of variance. 

 The results showed that in the group of hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peels + high-intensity interval training, the superoxide dismutase (P=0.000) and catalase (P=0.003) significantly increased, and the C-reactive protein (P=0.002) decreased. Tukey’s test confirmed the significance of these changes in the hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peels+high-intensity interval training compared to the control group.

 The combination of high-intensity interval training and hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peels could strengthen the immune system, potentially enhances athletic performance, and accelerates recovery after exercises. The hydroethanolic extract of pomegranate peels and high-interval training synergistically boost the immune system and increase physical endurance.

 Diabetes mortality undergoes a growing trend worldwide that results in reducing life expectancy in society. Diabetes has been a significant health challenge in recent decades and imposed a lot of economic burden on the community. The present study aimed to evaluate the trend of diabetes mortality in Iran over five years.

The mortality data published by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education has been used in this analytical cross-sectional study. The number and rate of diabetic cases are specified based on age, gender, location, and the death process from 2006 to 2010.

 About 54.9% and 45.1% of the deaths occurred in women and men, respectively, with a male to female ratio of 0.82. The highest death rate was observed in individuals aged above 70 and 50-69 years with an average age of 68.1 years. A higher mortality rate was observed in the cities than in the countryside, and 40% of deaths occurred due to non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes mellitus.

 Diabetes mortality has increased from 2006 to 2010. Higher deaths were observed in women and cities. Considering the increasing population of older adults in Iran, diabetes prevention and control interventions can be carried out through screening, planning, and education.

 Sodium nitrite is a food preservative that can endanger human health. This study aimed to investigate the perinatal and neonatal effects of sodium nitrite on the functional and tissue structure of rats’ offspring kidneys.

In this experimental study, 56 female rats were divided into seven groups (n=8): control, perinatal and neonatal control groups, experimental groups 1 and 2 perinatal and neonatal (under oral treatment of doses of 90 and 180 mg/kg sodium nitrite during pregnancy and lactation). At the end of infancy, 8 offspring of rats were randomly selected from each group. After blood sampling, creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels were measured, and by extracting their kidneys, histopathological evaluation was performed.

 Perinatal and neonatal administration of 90 and 180 mg/kg sodium nitrite impaired renal tissue structure and significantly increased serum levels of creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels (P<0.001) in rats’ offspring compared to those in the control groups.

 Sodium nitrite consumption during pregnancy and lactation increases the serum levels of urea, uric acid, and creatinine by changing the tissue structure of the offspring kidneys.

 Detraining may affect cardiovascular adaptations. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a detraining period followed by resistance training on immunohistochemical expression of ATP-sensitive potassium channels and mitochondrial biogenesis of heart tissue in male rats.

The present study was experimental. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (control, control-detraining, resistance training, and resistance-detraining training). The control group was sacrificed at the beginning of the study, and the control-detraining group did not exercise for 11 weeks. The resistance training group performed eight weeks of training. The resistance-detraining group did not train for three weeks after training. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s post hoc test were used for statistical analysis.

 The expression of KIR6.2, SUR2a, PGC1α, and TFAM in the heart tissue of the control-detraining group was significantly lower than those in the resistance training group (P=0.001). Also, they were significantly higher in the resistance training group compared to those in the resistance-detraining group (P=0.001). PGC1α expression in the resistance-detraining group was higher than in the control-detraining group (P=0.001).

 Resistance training increases PGC1α and TFAM in the heart tissue of rats by increasing the expression of KIR6.2 and SUR2a. But lack of exercise reduces the expression of potassium channels and factors that increase mitochondrial biogenesis.

 Patients with high blood pressure usually experience high levels of stress that affect their emotion regulation and self-care behaviors. The current study aimed to examine the cognitive-minded group therapy on perceived stress, emotional, cognitive regulation, and self-care behaviors in patients with hypertension. 

The study has a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, follow-up, and a control group. The study population was all people with hypertension referred to medical centers in Kish Island, Iran, in 2010 (March to June). The research sample consisted of 32 qualified candidates who were selected using the purposive sampling method. Then they were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Perceived stress, emotional and cognitive regulation, and self-care questionnaires of patients with hypertension were used to collect information in the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. The experimental group underwent mindfulness-based group therapy, but the control group did not receive any intervention. The obtained data were analyzed with repeated measures analysis of variance in SPSS v. 22. The significance level of the tests was considered 0.05.

 The results showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the mean scores of positive stress (P=0.001), negative stress (P=0.001), positive emotion (P=0.001), negative emotion (P=0.001), medication regimen (P=0.003), diet (P=0.011), and disease management (P=0.026) in the post-test and follow-up. But there was no significant difference between the mean scores of food labels (P=0.195).

 The effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy on reducing stress and negative emotion and improving self-care of patients with hypertension suggests that in addition to the physical components of chronic diseases, the psychological components of patients be considered to prevent recurrence diseases and increase adherence to treatment in them.

Cronobacter sakazakii (CS) is a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family. It is a genomically heterogeneous, motile, Gram-negative bacillus. It is also an emergent foodborne pathogen associated with the ingestion of infant formula milk that can cause neonatal sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and meningitis. This review is focused on the newest information about the bacterial characteristics of C. sakazakii and human infections causing by this pathogenic bacterium.

Methods & Materials: 

We searched medical databases such as ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and other websites.

Cronobacter sakazakii acts as a microbiological hazard in the infant food chain, with historic high mortality in neonates. The International Commission for Microbiological Specifications for Foods has categorized C. sakazakii as a severe hazard bacterium for some individuals, with long duration, substantial chronic sequelae, or life-threatening complications. Although the incidence of C. sakazakii infection is low, the prognosis of the disease is poor, and infection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Powdered Infant Formula (PIF) milk products contaminated with C. sakazakii have been epidemiologically linked to several clinical cases. Premature infants, low-birth-weight ones, and patients hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) are more at infection risk than older infants.

We recommend focusing on simple preventative strategies such as the promotion of breast milk feeding, the inclusion of warnings on the powder infant formula packages that may be contaminated with C. sakazakii, and abstinence from the practice of re-warming of reconstituted formula. Reconstituted dairy products should be avoided in adult immunosuppressed populations. Appropriate barrier precautions should be observed in NICU and intensive care unit settings, where the spread of infection may be more prevalent.