Effect of a Course of Aerobic Exercise and Consumption of Vitamin D Supplementation on Respiratory Indicators in Patients with Asthma

Background and Objectives: Despite the use of exercise therapy in patients with respiratory disease such as asthma, some researchers have emphasized on taking supplementation as a therapeutic approach. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of a course of aerobic exercise and consumption of vitamin D supplementation (1000 IU) on respiratory indicators of patients with asthma.Methods: This study was designed as a quasi-experimental investigation on a total of 32 female asthmatic patients with a mean age of 20-30 years. Subjects were classified into four eight-person groups: 1- (AT+S) group which had both aerobic training and supplementation consumption; 2- Aerobic training (AT) group that only participated in exercise training; 3- Group (S) that only consumed vitamin D supplementation; 4- Control (C) Group that had neither aerobic training nor supplementation consumption. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test. Significant difference considered as p<0.05. Results: In this study, there was a significant difference in post test (p<0.001) between groups in case of maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) and maximum expiratory flow at 75% vital capacity (FEF75%) and Maximum expiratory flow between 25% to 75% vital capacity (FEF25%-75%). These indices increased in group AT and AT+S, whereas, they showed decrease in group S and C.Conclusion: Our results indicated that aerobic exercise together with consumption of vitamin D supplementation for 8 weeks could improve the pulmonary function and level of aerobic performance of asthmatic patients and could be considered as a part of pulmonary rehabilitation programs for asthmatic patients

Effect of oral iron supplementation and endurance training on cytochrome C oxidase activity in rat soleus muscle

Cytochrome c oxidase, a copper and iron - containing enzyme in mitochondrial respiratory chain, plays an important role in oxidative phosphorylation. Its function as complex IV of respiratory chain is to receive an electron from each of four cytochrome c molecules, and transfer them to one oxygen molecule, converting molecular oxygen to two molecules of water. In present study, activity of cytochrome c oxidase as a key enzyme in cell respiration was measured in soleus muscle of four groups of rats. The first group was considered as control group and received no treatment. The second group received oral iron 4 mg/kg daily. The third group subjected to endurance treadmill exercise and the fourth group subjected to endurance treadmill exercise and received oral iron 4 mg/kg daily iron. The results showed that iron in combination with exercise significantly increased cytochrome c oxidase activity of soleus muscles as compared to third group

High intensity interval training improves diabetic cardiomyopathy via miR-1 dependent suppression of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in diabetic rats

Purpose: Diabetes and its complications such as diabetic cardiomyopathy still account for significant morbidity and mortality. High-quality evidence was shown the importance of exercise in controlling diabetes complications, but the molecular mechanism on diabetic cardiomyopathy is not yet fully understood. This study aimed to compare and investigate the effect of high intensity interval training (HIIT) and continuous endurance training (CET) on the signaling pathway of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Methods: Hence, 21 Wistar rats with an average weight of 260 ± 10 g, after induction of diabetes (STZ 50 mg/kg BW) were randomly divided into three groups (control, CET and HIIT; n = 7). Training programs were conducted 5 days a week for 5 weeks. CET program was defined as running at 60 vVO2max for 30 min in each session and the HIIT program was defined as running at 85�90 vVO2max for 3 min followed by 1 min recovery (30�35 vVO2max), that was repeated four times in each session. The cardiac performance was analyzed via determination of end systolic and diastolic dimensions and the ejection fraction by echocardiography. To elucidate the responsible molecular mechanism of miR-1, IGF-1 and IGF-1R mRNA and apoptosis marker protein expression were investigated. Results: Both training programs specifically HIIT, significantly reduced the blood glucose, enhanced heart performance, reduced miR-1 expression, induced IGF-1 and IGF-1R expression and reduced apoptotic protein expression. Conclusion: We showed that HIIT is more effective than CET for reduction of diabetic cardiomyopathy as a complication of diabetes in animal models through suppressing miR-1 and its downstream apoptosis pathway. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

High-intensity interval training increase GATA4, CITED4 and c-Kit and decreases C/EBPβ in rats after myocardial infarction

Aim: Myocardial infarction (MI), an important cause of morbidity and mortality, can be followed by left ventricular dysfunction and cardiomyocyte loss. Cardiac repair mechanisms may subsequently improve left ventricular function. Exercise training has been suggested to have cardioprotective effects against MI damage, but detailed knowledge is lacking on the effects of different types and intensities of exercise training on molecular targets of cardiomyocyte regeneration. Main methods: MI was induced in male Wistar rats by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. After MI induction, the rats were randomly assigned to one of five groups: sham operated, and experimental MI followed by no exercise, or low, moderate or high intensity exercise Cardiac function and infarct size were assessed by echocardiography and Evans blue/TTC staining, respectively. The expression of mRNA markers and proteins associated with myocardial regeneration was measured with RT-PCR and western blotting. Key findings: Exercise training at different intensities improved cardiac function and levels of stem cell and cardiomyocyte markers, and reduced infarct size. mRNA levels of GATA4, Nkx2.5 and c-Kit and protein expression of Nkx2.5 and c-Kit were significantly increased in all MI-exercise groups. The high-intensity exercise group had greater increases than the low and moderate intensity exercise groups. In the high-intensity exercise group, Sca-1 and CITED4 increased more than in the low-intensity exercise group. C/EBPβ mRNA and protein levels decreased after exercise training, with greater reductions in the high-intensity exercise group than the low- or moderate-intensity groups. Significance: The findings suggest that by targeting cardiogenesis, high-intensity training can exert cardioprotective effects against cardiac dysfunction in an experimental model of MI. © 2019 Elsevier Inc

Response-oriented measuring inequalities in Tehran: Second round of Urban health equity assessment and response tool (Urban HEART-2), concepts and framework

Background: Current evidence consistently confirm inequalities in health status among socioeconomic groups, gender, ethnicity, geographical area and other social determinants of health (SDH), which adversely influence health of the population. SDH refer to a wide range of factors not limited to social component, but also involve economic, cultural, educational, political or environmental problems. Measuring inequalities, improving daily living conditions, and tackling inequitable distribution of resources are highly recommended by international SDH commissioners in recent years to 'close the gaps within a generation'. To measure inequalities in socio-economic determinants and core health indicators in Tehran, the second round of Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART-2) was conducted in November 2011, within the main framework of WHO Centre for Health Development (Kobe Centre). Method: For 'assessment' part of the project, 65 indicators in six policy domains namely 'physical and infrastructure', 'human and social', 'economic', 'governance', 'health and nutrition', and also 'cultural' domain were targeted either through a population based survey or using routine system. Survey was conducted in a multistage random sampling, disaggregated to 22 districts and 368 neighborhoods of Tehran, where data of almost 35000 households (118000 individuals) were collected. For 'response' part of the project, widespread community based development (CBD) projects were organized in all 368 neighborhoods, which are being undertaken throughout 2013. Conclusion: Following the first round of Urban HEART project in 2008, the second round was conducted to track changes over time, to institutionalize inequality assessment within the local government, to build up community participation in 'assessment' and 'response' parts of the project, and to implement appropriate and evidence-based actions to reduce health inequalities within all neighborhoods of Tehran