Introduction: Sleep disorders have a significant negative impact on mental and physical health, especially among the elderly. Various factors can affect the sleep quality of elderly people. The aim of this research to investigate the effect of urban and rural environments on the sleep quality of elderly people with emphasis on physical activity. Method: Four hundred and thirty-nine elderly people (226 city residents and 213 village residents) in urban and rural areas of Bushehr (Southern Iran), volunteered to participate in the present study. Information was collected via the General information questionnaire and Petersburg Sleep Questionnaire. Result: The results showed that active elderly women (p < 0.001), and total active elderly (male + female) (p < 0.001) living in urban areas compared to inactive elderly and also in rural areas active elderly women (p < 0.001), active elderly men (p < 0.001) and total active elderly (male + female) (p < 0.001) had better overall sleep quality in compared to inactive elderly. Also, elderly men (p < 0.001) and the total elderly (male + female) (p < 0.001) living in urban areas had better sleep quality than the elderly in rural areas. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the way of life (being active) as well as the living environment can affect the sleep quality of elderly people, so that active elderly people and also elderly people living in urban environments had better sleep quality.

Betatrophin known as pancreatic β-cell proliferation marker is secreted as a result of the muscle irisin's expression induced by exercise. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of endurance training on serum levels of irisin and betatrophin in diabetic rats. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of (1) healthy control group (H-CG), (2) diabetic control group (D-CG), and diabetic group submitted to endurance training (D-ETG). The D-ETG performed endurance exercise (4 week/5 days) on the rodent treadmill. For data analysis we used one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test and Pearson correlation coefficient. Irisin (p = .04) and betatrophin (p = .005) levels were significantly decreased in the D-CG. Endurance exercise only increased serum levels of irisin significantly (p = .03). There was a significant correlation was shown between serum betatrophin and beta-cell function (p = .03). It appears that a specific exercise training can increase irisin hormone, with possible impact on betatrophin expression in diabetic individuals.

Background/Objectives: Physical activity and sports participation are widely recognized as effective strategies for enhancing quality of life (QoL) in individuals with disabilities. This study aimed to examine the relationship between QoL and athletic performance among male and female athletes with physical disabilities who participate in individual sports. Methods: This descriptive–correlational study involved 338 Iranian athletes with physical disabilities competing at various levels of competition. QoL was measured using the SF-36 questionnaire, and sports performance was assessed based on official competition records. Data were analyzed using SPSS v21, applying descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations. Results: Both male and female athletes reported high levels of overall QoL. No statistically significant differences were found between genders in terms of physical health, psychological well-being, or total QoL scores (p > 0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant correlations between QoL and sports performance at the provincial, national, or international levels (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings indicate that athletes with physical disabilities report relatively high levels of QoL, irrespective of their competitive achievements or medal standings. Although no statistically significant correlations were observed, participation in individual sports may be linked to better physical functioning and psychological resilience. These associations should be interpreted with caution and do not imply causality. Nonetheless, encouraging such participation could be beneficial in supporting various dimensions of health and promoting social inclusion among individuals with disabilities.

In recent years, the rising prevalence of metabolic disorders and liver dysfunction due to sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition has become a growing health concern. This study investigates the effects of small sided football (SSF) and date seed powder (DSP) supplementation on liver enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and the ALT/AST ratio in inactive college subjects. Fifteen inactive male dormitory residents aged 21.53 ± 1.88 years (height: 174.46 ± 4.88 cm, weight: 67.67 ± 11.05 kg), who exclusively consumed university cafeteria meals, participated in two football matches. Between these matches, they consumed 0.25 g/kg of body weight of DSP thrice weekly for four weeks. Blood samples and anthropometric indices were collected before and after each game. The results indicated that SSF alone led to a reduction in ALT, ALP, and the ALT/AST ratio, while increasing AST levels (p > 0.05). Furthermore, it was observed that supplementation with DSP resulted in an increase in ALT, AST (p = 0.019), and ALP, along with a decrease in the ALT/AST ratio. Additionally, the findings revealed that SSF following one month of DSP supplementation led to an increase in ALT, AST (p = 0.002), and ALP (p = 0.035), while decreasing the ALT/AST ratio. Four weeks of supplementation with DSP and SSF can improve liver enzyme levels, such as ALT, AST, and ALP, which indicate physiological adaptation to exercise and the potential impact of supplements on liver metabolism.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between sleep quality and sports performance of individuals with physical impairments in individual sports.Methods: Three hundred and thirty-eight athletes (age: 36.43 ± 10.81 yrs.; 145 women and 193 men) participated in the study. Volunteers completed a five-part questionnaire on sleep quality. Based on the information available in the Provincial boards and the Veterans and Disabled Federation, the positions obtained by each athlete were considered as a criterion measure of sports performance.Results: Result showed that in women the positions obtained at the Provincial, National and International level was significantly higher compared with male athletes (p < 0.05). There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and athletic performance of women, men and total (both men and women) athletes in individual sports at the Provincial level (women: r = 0.070, p = 0.409; men: r = -0.844, p = 0.242 and men and women: r = -0.029, p = 0.600); National level (women: r = 0.093, p = 0.271; men: r = 0.020, p = 0.785, men and women: r = 0.039, p = 0.474) and International level (women: r = 0.024, p = 0.781; men: r = 0.094, p = 0.191, men and women: r -0.078, p = 0.151).Conclusion: There was no significant difference in sleep quality between male and female athletes with physical impairments. No significant relationship was observed between athletic performance and sleep quality between the two groups. In future research, field studies can be used to evaluate this relationship.