ABSTRACT
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone [GnRH] has neuromodulatory roles in central and peripheral nervous systems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of GnRH analog [buserelin] on peripheral nerve regeneration. Forty adult male rats were divided into buserelin-treated, normal saline, sham surgery, and castrated + buserelin groups. The left sciatic nerve was crushed by a fine forceps and all animals were evaluated by sciatic functional index [SFI], electrophysiology, histology and immunohistochemistry testing. On post operation days 21 and 28, the difference between buserelin and normal saline groups was statistically significant [P<0.05], but no significant difference was found between the buserelin and castrated + buserelin groups[P>0.05]. At the 28th day after operation, the diameters [microm] of the regenerated myelinated fibers of the buserelin group were significantly greater than those of the normal saline group [P<0.05]. Although nerve conduction velocity [NCV] of the buserelin group was faster than the normal saline group, the difference was not statistically significant. The present study suggests that buserelin treatment might accelerate peripheral nerve regeneration
ABSTRACT
Fasting which is a fairly long period of hungry [about 15 hours], causes metabolic changes in human. The meal program is changed during the fasting, so the level of hormonal secretion and electrolytes will be alterd. These changes could possibly affect the gender of newborns that were born from fasting mothers. In this cross-sectional study, the questionair were filled in by mothers who delivered their babies from July 27[th] to September 11th 2004 in Hamadan Fatamieh Hospital. The pregnancy of these mothers were concurrent with the last Ramadhan month. The sex of neonates delivered by 196 mothers who were fasted for at least ten days and their follicular phase of Last Menstrual Period [LMP] corresponded with last Ramadhan month was compared with 175 mothers who did not fast as control group. The data analysed by X[2] test and p<0.05 considered as a significant difference. The results showed that the sex ratio in the newborns of fasted mothers with the mean age of 5.06 years was in favor of boys [156 cases, 78.6%], which was +/- 23.27 significantly [p<0.0001] more than the control group with the mean age of [23.57 +/- 4.93 years] [80 cases 45.7%]. Fasting in the follicular phase of LMP, could possibly change the sex ratio of newborns in favor of boys. Further investigations in different geographical places focussing on race and diet especially during the Ramadhan month are warranted