Effect of saffron on semen parameters of infertile men

We conducted this study to determine the effects of saffron [Crocus sativus] on the results of semen analysis in men with idiopathic infertility. In this clinical trial, 52 nonsmoker infertile men whose problem could not be solved surgically were enrolled. They were treated by saffron for 3 months. Saffron, 50 mg, was solved in drinking milk and administered 3 times a week during the study course. Semen analysis was done before and after the treatment and the results were compared. The mean percentage of sperm with normal morphology was 26.50 +/- 6.44% before the treatment which increased to 33.90 +/- 10.45%, thereafter [P < .001]. The mean percentage of sperm with Class A motility was 5.32 +/- 4.57% before and 11.77 +/- 6.07% after the treatment [P < .001]. Class B and C motilities were initially 10.09 +/- 4.20% and 19.79 +/- 9.11% which increased to 17.92 +/- 6.50% [P < .001] and 25.35 +/- 10.22% [P < .001], respectively. No significant increase was detected in sperm count; the mean sperm count was 43.45 +/- 31.29 x 10[6]/mL at baseline and 44.92 +/- 28.36x 10[6]/mL after the treatment period [P = .30]. Saffron, as an antioxidant, is positively effective on sperm morphology and motility in infertile men, while it does not increase sperm count. We believe further studies on larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the potential role and mechanism of action of saffron and its ingredient in the treatment of male infertility

Effects of d-amphetamine and haloperidol on modulation of the human acoustic startle response

This study aimed to examine the effects of haloperidol and amphetamine on human startle response modulated by emotionally-toned film clips. Sixty participants, in two groups [one receiving haloperidol and the other receiving amphetamine] were tested using electromyography [EMG] to measure eye-blink muscle [orbicular oculi] while different emotions were induced by six 2-minute film clips. An, affective rating shows the negative and positive effects of the two drugs on emotional reactivity, neither amphetamine nor haloperidol had any impact on the modulation of the startle response. The methodological and theoretical aspects of the study and findings will be discussed

[Reliability of the Persian translation of the composite international diagnostic interview [CIDI] for diagnosing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder]

This study aimed to assess the reliability of the Persian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview [CIDI] for a lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder according to DSM-IV and lCD-10. This project was conducted at three stages of translation of the instrument, reliability assessment and validation, and feasibility and diagnostic reliability assessments for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia using a test-retest methodology. Trained interviewers administered the instrument twice [at 3-7 days' interval] to 100 clients at four university centers [complete CIDI on 65 persons and psychosis/mania module on 35 persons]. Test-retest reliability of CIDI for bipolar disorder was moderate in DSM-IV diagnostic system and poor in ICD-10. Test-retest reliability of CIDI for schizophrenia was poor in both diagnostic systems. The results showed that the diagnostic reliability was good only for bipolar disorder in DSM-IV, otherwise it was not acceptable. However, since the samples were selected from the clinical population, the results cannot be generalized to the normal population. According to the results, adaptation of the key questions to the Persian culture must be considered

[Reliability and feasibility of the Persian version of the structured diagnostic interview for DSM-IV [SCID]]

In this study the Structured Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders [SCIDI] was translated into Persian using a cross-cultural methodology, and its reliability and feasibility was tested in a multi-center study. The study had two phases: a] translation of the instrument and assessing the cross-cultural equivalence, including forward and backward translation, and face validity of the translated version in regard with cross-cultural characteristics; b] reliability and feasibility assessment of the Persian translation on an Iranian clinical population. This is part of a larger study on validation of the SCID on 299 subjects admitted to outpatient and inpatient services of thee psychiatric centers [Roozbeh Hospital, Imam Hossein Hospital and Iran Hospital] in Tehran, Iran. For test-retest reliability assessment, two SCID interviews [3 to 7 days apart] were administered to 104 subjects and the level of diagnostic agreement was assessd. Feasibility for interviewees [n=299] and interviewers was tested by questionnaires considering the length of interview, its being boring/tiring, comprehensibility and acceptance of the questions, and difficulty of administration. Diagnostic agreement of SCID test and retest were fair to good for most diagnostic categories [kappas over 0.6]. Overall weighted kappa equaled 0.52 for current diagnoses and 0.55 for lifetime diagnoses. Most interviewees and interviewers reported the administration of the Persian SCID as feasible. Acceptable reliability of diagnoses made by the Persian translation of SCID, and its feasibility suggest it as a useful diagnostic instrument in clinical, research, and educational settings

[Relations of metaphors and depressed mood]

This cross-sectional analytical research studied the relationship between depressed mood and the content of metaphors. Subjects consisted of 30 depressed patients and 30 normal volunteers. The depressed group were selected by a psychologist or psychiatrist, using a clinical interview based on DSM-IV and Beck's score [>15], and the normal group were also selected using a clinical interview and Beck's score [<15]. Both groups were asked to do incomplete sentences test and metaphors inventory, and the relationship between mood and metaphors contents was worked out. The results showed that there was a negative correlation between mood and metaphors contents; the more depressed was an individual, the more negative was the content of metaphors. This study is in line with the theories and research on the congruency of mood and memory retrieval