Neonatal mortality risk factors in Maraveh Tapeh County in Golestan province, north of Iran (2011-13)

Background and Objective: Neonatal mortality rate is one of the most important health criteria, worldwide. Understanding the major neonatal mortality causes will help to plan for better pregnancy, prenatal and neonatal care systems. This study was conducted to determine the neonatal mortality risk factors in Maraveh Tapeh County in Golestan province, north of Iran

Methods: In this case-control study, according to either death or live in 28th day after birth, 52 neonates were considered as case group and 201 neonates were considered as control group. Data collection questionnair were adjusted and completed for each neonate

Results: Neonatal mortality rate was 11.76, 13.36 and 6.46 per 1000 live birth in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. Five main causes of death were prematurity, events, birth defect, respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis, respectively. There was a significant relation between death and prematurity, birth weight and gender [P<0.05]. There was relationship between birth weight and neonatal mortality [OddsRatio=29.6]

Conclusion: Prematurity and low birth weight were the most important causes of neonatal mortality in Maraveh Tapeh county in Golestan province, north of Iran

[ Effect of Di-[2-Ethylhexyl] Phthalate [DEHP] on Mouse Daily Sperm Production and Epididymal Sperm Parameters]

The purpose of tins study is to evaluate the effect of Di-[2-ethylhexyl] phthalate [DEHP] ontesticular spermatid number per gram testis [TSN]. daily sperm production [DSP], count, motility, viability morphology, and chromatine quality of epididymal sperm. The protocol for DEHP administration was [hat adult male NMRI mice [the age group or 4 weeks] received 2g DEHP/100ul corn oil/kg, and vehicle group received l00uI corn oil/kg by gavage for 14 days. The control group did not receive DEHP. All the salliples were assessed according to World Health Organization [WHO] criteria. Sperm morphology was assessed using papanicula staining Sperm chromatine quality was assessed using aniline-blue staning Results: Administration of DEHP induced significantly reduction of TSN, DSP and epididymal sperm count [p < 0.05]. The percentage of motility, viability, normal morphology, and chromosomal quality were significantly low in comparison with control group [p < 0.05]. These results demonstrated that DEHP administration has toxic effects on TSN, DEP. Epididymal sperm parameter and finally on male reproductive system

[In vitro cell cycle synchronization of sheep granulosa cells]

To investigate the effect of different methods of synchronization on sheep granulosa cell cycle. Granulosa cells were aspirated from ovarian follicles and plated in a DMEM medium containing 15% FBS. Upon 70-80% confluency, the medium of the primary-cultured as well as the passaged-5 cells were replaced with the medium containing either 0.5% FBS for 24, 48 and 72 h or 0.5 mg mimosine for 24 h. In the last group the cells were cultured in a base medium for further 4 days. In the present investigation, for each culture system, the cells were examined in terms of their cell cycle stage using flow cytometry. Moreover, the cultures were investigated with respect to their apoptotic as well as the proliferating cell contents by using Brdu labeling and TUNEL staining. At primary as well as passaged-5 cultures subjected to serum starvation for 24 h, the frequency of GO/G1, proliferating as well as apoptotic cells were similar to those of control group. At culture with 48 and 72h serum starvation, the percentage of G0/G1 cells tended to increase significantly to 83% and 85% at primary culture and 89% and 90% at passage-5 culture respectively. Moreover, treating the cultures with mimosine caused the G0/G1 cell to increase. The percentages of apoptotic cells in cultures with either serum starvation [for 24 and 48 h] or with mimosine did not increase compared to those of control cultures. According to our results, 72 h after serum starvation, frequency of the apoptotic cells appeared to increase significantly

[Effect of vitrification and slow freezing on development of bovine cumulus oocytes complex]

Cryo-preservation is a suitable method for preservation and protection of genome, cells and embryo, especially in cases of endangered species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect two cryopreservation techniques on survival, maturation, fertilization and development of bovine cumulus oocyte complex [BCOC]. After aspiration of BCOC, they were cryo-preserved using slow freezing or vitrification. For slow freezing 1.5 M DMSO + 0.1M sucrose was used, while for vitrification 40% Ethelyenglycol + 18% V/W Ficol + 3 M sucrose + 105mg/ml BSA was used. After thaw percentage survival of BCOC were assessed using trypan blue vital staining, while percentage cleavage and development to 8-cell were taken as an index for BCOC maturation, fertilization rate and embryo development, respectively. The results showed no difference between the survival rate of BCOC in slow freezing [79%] and vitrification method [74.4]. However, the percentage of 2 and 8-cell embryos were significantly higher in the vitrification group as compared to slow freezing group. Although there is no difference between the survival rates of BCOC between the two procedures, however the maturation and development of BCOC is greater in the vitrification method, suggesting that this method preferred for cryo-preservation of BCOC

[Effect of direct current pulsation on maturation of mouse oocyte and development of fetus]

Introduction: In this study the immature mouse oocytes [Germinal Vesicles: GV], which were arrested in metaphase [MI], were activated with DC pulses and the effect of DC pulse frequency on immature oocyte activation and their subsequent in vitro development were studied

Material and Methods: Immature oocytes successfully passed the meiosis processes. That is, germinal vesicle stage of oocytes changed to germinal vesicle breakdown [GVB] and finally the first polar body extruded and reached metaphse II, [MII] and formation of 2-cell, 4-cell, 8-cell embryos. Immature Oocytes were separated from NMARY mice [4-6 week old] ovary in different phases. They were placed in M2 medium droplet and then activated with DC pluse [50V, 30micros]

Results: Immature oocytes [GV] began meiosis resumption and GVs changed to GVB and extruded first polarbody and some of them reached metaphase II. After 24 hours evaluation by inverted microscope was performed. Ovulated oocytes were inseminated with the capacitded epididymal sperm of the same strain of mice. One to four pulses with a duration of 30micros induced more oocyte activation [67% to 89%], maturation [68 to 77%] and embryo formation [44% to 84%]. Embryo formation increased significantly with more than two DC pulses [55-88%] compared with a frequency of less than two [51%] groups

Conclusion: This study revealed that electroactivation is helpful for in-vitro maturation, fertilization, embryo formation and development in female infertility, especially in those with irrgular secretion of follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormone [FSH, LH]