Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Volume:31 Issue: 5, Sep-Oct 2024

Considering the high amount of water in watermelon, this study aimed to investigate the effect of watermelon juice compared to carbohydrate drinks and water on rehydration and anaerobic performance.

In this quasi-experimental study, twelve active adolescents experienced weight loss of about 2% in three separate sessions, one week apart, by running a treadmill exercise program including two sets of 30-minute aerobic activity separated by a 10-minute rest. Then, they consumed one of the three drinks of water, carbohydrate drink, or watermelon juice at 125% of their weight loss. Two hours after each session, they performed a 300-yard shuttle run test. Urine specific gravity (USG) and participants’ weight were measured three times: before and after the dehydration protocol and before the anaerobic performance.

Data analysis showed no significant difference in USG (P=0.41) and the 300-yard shuttle run test (P=0.87) after consuming the three drinks. There was a significant difference (P=0.001) in weight gain after consuming the three drinks, with greater mean weight gain for watermelon juice and carbohydrate drinks compared to water.

The results indicated the same effect in carbohydrate drinks and watermelon juice on weight return, rehydration, and subsequent anaerobic performance. However, because watermelon juice contains vitamins and minerals compared with carbohydrate drinks, it is suggested that athletes use this drink.

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is an uncommon condition with an estimated annual occurrence of five cases per million individuals. This research aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with CVT and their correlation with optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings.
The study involved 30 patients diagnosed with CVT confirmed through neuroimaging, alongside a control group of 30 healthy individuals. The patients underwent OCT assessments following their diagnosis. Healthy participants, randomly selected from hospital staff without any known health issues, were examined by an ophthalmologist. Those with normal eye examinations proceeded to OCT, where their macular thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) were measured.
The majority of participants in the CVT group were female (80%), with a mean age of 34.98±3.78 years. Headaches were reported as the most prevalent symptom (66.7%). All patients in the CVT group were pregnant, contrasting with none in the control group, indicating a significant association with CVT (P=0.03). Notably, the inferior temporal layer thickness was greater in the CVT group compared to controls (P=0.04). Additionally, patients exhibiting papilledema had a thicker superior temporal layer than those without papilledema (P=0.02). Women in the postpartum period showed an 18.61-fold increase in the likelihood of developing CVT (P=0.03).
Findings from this study indicate that while macular thickness tends to decrease in CVT patients, various layers of the RNFL show increased thickness. The clinical implications of these observations remain unclear.

T Liver oxidative metabolism disorder is dependent on several factors that lead to liver diseases like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Our hypothesis was that the combination of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and L-carnitine affects the expression of citrate synthase (CS), PGC-1α, and monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) in the liver of male Wistar rats. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=8): control, L-carnitine (200 mg/kg/d, four weeks, IP), HIIT, and HIIT+L-carnitine (200 mg/kg/d, four weeks, IP). HIIT training was performed for four weeks (five days a week); then, the animals were anesthetized, and their liver tissues were extracted for real-time PCR to measure MCT1, PGC-1α, and CS. SPSS 22 software was used to analyze the data obtained in different groups, with P<0.05 considered statistically significant. MCT1 expression significantly increased in the HIIT and HIIT+L-carnitine groups compared to the control group (P<0.001). PGC- 1α expression significantly increased in the HIIT+L-carnitine group compared to the control and L-carnitine groups (P<0.001). Also, PGC- 1α expression significantly increased in the HIIT group compared to the control group (P<0.001). Furthermore, CS expression significantly increased in all groups compared to the control group (P<0.001). HIIT exercise combined with L-carnitine supplementation increases the expression of MCT1, PGC-1α, and CS in the liver. Therefore, it seems that performing HIIT exercises and taking L-carnitine supplements can prevent the consequences of fat accumulation in the liver.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and spread rapidly around the world. Effective indicators to evaluate the severity and clinical progress of the disease need to be further investigated so that they can be used to reduce mortality. We sought to analyze the laboratory findings of some cases of coronavirus pneumonia in Iran.
This was a retrospective study of patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 at Sina Hospital, affiliated with Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, between March 20, 2020, and June 21, 2021.
The mean age of the 1400 patients was 57.2±16.18 years, of which 64.2% (896 patients) were over 50, 52.6% were men, and 85.95% were in the critical group. A total of 508 patients (78.0%) had hypoalbuminemia. Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels increased in 16.2% and 12.5% of patients, respectively. Regarding liver enzymes, 27.7% of patients had an increase in the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzyme, and 46.3% also showed an increase in the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzyme.
A decrease in serum albumin, increased liver enzymes, and changes in kidney function tests were observed in patients with coronavirus. Moreover, it was found that these changes were associated with inflammatory markers. Screening and daily monitoring of patients lead to early identification of risk factors in patients.

Clinicians use several lubricants to reduce composite sticking to instruments and facilitate composite modeling. This study evaluated the effect of instrument lubricants on the color stability of a resin composite after one month of water storage. 60 disc-shaped specimens (2×10 mm) of Tetric N-Ceram composite were prepared using four lubricants, isopropyl alcohol 70%, Adper single bond adhesive (SB), margin bond (MB) and composite wetting resin (CW) (12 samples for each group). No lubricant was used in the control group. Color measurement was done twice, 24 hours after sample preparation and after one month of water storage. Color differences were calculated, and the data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc tests. The use of single bond as instrument lubricant caused the most color change (ΔE=4.26), and the control group (no lubricant) showed the least color change (ΔE=1.77). Using composite wetting resin as an instrument lubricant resulted in lower color changes than other instrument lubricants (P<0.05).  Composite Wetting Resin used as instrument lubricant had better color stability than other lubricants. Bonding agents are not recommended for composite restorations as instrument lubricants due to the higher risk of affecting color stability. Clinicians should be aware that using instrument lubricants might influence the color properties of dental composites.

Dexamethasone is the most widely used corticosteroid for treating COVID-19 pulmonary complications. The effects of dexamethasone on serum inflammatory factors, including C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and cortisol, were evaluated in COVID-19 pneumonia patients with pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in this study. A total of 36 COVID-19 patients with pneumonia who had pre-existing COPD and were critically ill and 56 COVID-19- positive patients without pre-existing COPD were selected. A daily dose of 6–8 mg dexamethasone was administered during the hospitalization period. Some inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-6) and the serum levels of cortisol, LDH, and CRP were measured on admission and one week after hospitalization. TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations were significantly reduced and IL-10 significantly increased in all COVID-19 pneumonia patients with or without pre-existing COPD as a result of a daily dose of dexamethasone. Also, a significant reduction in cortisol, CRP, and LDH was observed following dexamethasone administration in all COVID-19 pneumonia patients, with or without preexisting COPD, with no correlation with gender, cigarette or waterpipe smoking, or opium abuse. Our results showed a significant increase in TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, cortisol, LDH, and CRP and a significant reduction in IL-10 in all critically ill COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Dexamethasone administration significantly reduced cortisol and proinflammatory cytokines and also LDH and CRP as the markers of COVID-19 severity.

Hypertension is an important cause of cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of demographic, biochemical, and lifestyle variables on hypertension in the last five years in Kerman, Iran. About 2055 adults were randomly selected through single-stage cluster sampling. Demographic characteristics, biochemical variables, tobacco use, opium use, mood, and physical activity were examined. The effect of the studied variables on hypertension was also measured. COPY methods were used to estimate relative risk (RR) and create confidence intervals. All statistical analysis were done in R 4.4.1. Based on the results obtained using the multivariable COPY method for hypertension, the effects of age, education, physical activity, diabetes, obesity, smoking, anxiety, and depression were significant. It was also found that people with a family history of hypertension and a history of diabetes, obesity, and smoking are at higher risk for hypertension. The present study showed that the results of this study can be effective in designing and implementing intervention programs for the control and prevention of hypertension in this area.

As pregnancy progresses, insulin sensitivity (SI) might slowly decrease to 50% of the average value, which could result in gestational diabetes. As weight gain is associated with reduced SI and vice versa, we evaluated the possible correlation between nutritional status and SI, especially in early pregnancy.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 138 healthy primiparous women between 6 and 10 weeks of gestation. By using a researcher-made questionnaire, the characteristics of the participants were gathered. A digital scale was used to measure participants’ weights. Nutrient intake was estimated based on the 72-hour dietary recall by Nutritionist 4 software. We used the pregnancy physical activity scale to estimate physical activity. In addition, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and insulin values were included in the relevant formula to calculate the quantitative index of SI.

After adjusting for significant maternal characteristics, the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) in the first trimester was correlated with participants’ weight and household income. Furthermore, the QUICKI index had a significant inverse relationship with saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) intake while total fat intake was positively correlated. Also, consuming vitamin C, glucose, fructose, sugar, and carbohydrates increased the QUICKI index, while vitamin E intake decreased it.

The results showed that weight management may prevent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during the first trimester. Moreover, the significant correlation between the above-mentioned nutrients and household income with the QUICKI index can be further examined in future studies.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Several pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed for this disorder, but no effective treatment exists for all patients, making it a problematic chronic disease. The present article aims to review the perspective of Persian medicine (PM) scholars, including opinions on patients’ predisposing factors and lifestyle, on this disorder and compare it with recent findings.

In this review, we searched the leading Persian medical books from the 10th to the 18th century AD regarding the pathophysiology and predisposing factors and the six essential health principles of the diseases with the most congruity with IBS. Moreover, we searched the Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed databases for recent evidence on each item.

According to PM, this syndrome is a heterogeneous disorder resulting from various dystemperaments of the GI tract. Dystemperaments are due to accumulated waste material or excess humors in body organs or exposure to unsuitable weather or diet. Diet, mental status, exercise, body excretions, sleep, and weather are the six essential principles for maintaining health, and imbalance in any of them can cause many diseases, including IBS. Several of these lifestyle recommendations regarding the six essential principles of health are supported by recent research.

PM strategies for preserving and restoring health through lifestyle modification in IBS patients may provide researchers with new viewpoints for exploration.