Modified natural cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer in patients with repeated implantation failure: an observational study

Background: Natural endometrium in Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer [FET] may have some benefits upon implantation in patients with Repeated Implantation Failure [RIF]. It might be due to possible differences between natural and stimulated endometrial growth factors and cytokins secretions

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the pregnancy rate of FET on modified natural cycle versus hormone replacement therapy [HRT] cycle endometrium in patients with RIF

Materials and Methods: In this observational study the pregnancy rate of patients with RIF undergoing day 3 FET in natural cycle endometrium [group 1, n=56], were compared with another group of patients with RIF in whom frozen-thawed day 3 embryos were transferred on HRT cycle [group 2, n=52]

Results: The pregnancy rate in group 1 was 41.07%, compared with the pregnancy rate of group 2; 36.5% [p=0.63]. The abortion rate was not significantly different among the groups

Conclusion: It can be concluded that FET in a modified natural cycle is comparable with HRT cycle in patients with RIF

prevalence of obesity and its related risk factor in the north of Iran in 2006

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the obesity and the related risk factors in the north of Iran. This was a population-based cross-sectional study that enrolled 2495 interviewers recorded the data using a multidimensional questionnaire including anthropometric indexes. Body mass index equal to or greater than 25 was considered as overweight and that of 30 and 40 as obese and pathologic obese respectively. SPSS 16.0 software was used for statistical data analysis. Mean age of the subjects was 39.2[95% CI: 38.6, 39.8] yr. Mean body mass index was 25.3 [95%CI: 25.0, 25.6] kg/m[2] for men and 27.5 [95% CI: 27.2, 27.9] kg/m[2] for women. The prevalence rates of overweight, obesity and pathologic obesity were 29.9% [745/2495], 22.5% [561/2495] and 1.8% [44/2495] respectively. The prevalence of obesity was higher in urban residents than rural ones, 27.3% versus 18.9% respectively [P<0.001]. The prevalence rates of obesity and pathologic obesity were much higher in women than men were, 30.3% versus 15.4% and 3.0% versus 0.6% respectively [P=0.001]. The odds ratio estimate was 1.68 [95% CI: 1.40, 2.02] for urban area compared to rural area; 2.60 [95% CI: 2.14, 3.15] for females compared to males; 5.95 [95% CI: 1.44, 2.84] for age group of 55-65 years compared to age group of 15-24 years; 1.76 [95% CI: 1.17, 2.64] for illiterate people compared to those who had academic education; 1.98 [95% CI: 1.13, 2.49] for poor people compared to people with high economic level. The prevalence of obesity and overweight is very high in the north of Iran, hence is a signal of serious health problem, and should be the focus of special attention

Interleukin-17A and interleukin-17F mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis [MS] is a CD4[+] T cell-mediated autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system [CNS]. It was previously believed that Th1 cells were pathogenic T cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis [EAE]. However, the functional role of Th1 cells in EAE has been reconsidered upon the discovery of IL-17-producing T cells which are consider as dominant effectors for inducing autoimmune tissue inflammation. The objective of this study was to assess the role of IL-17A and IL-17F in MS pathogenesis. We evaluated mRNA expression of IL-17A and IL-17F in thirty-five Iranian patients with relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS] and twenty-five healthy controls by Quantitative Real Time PCR. The results of this study showed a twenty-fold increase in the expression of IL-17A mRNA in MS patients compared to the control group [p < 0.0001]. IL-17F mRNA expression in MS patients was thirty three-times greater than control group [p = 0.0008]. IL-17A mRNA expression in periphery was positively correlated with expression of IL-17F transcripts in MS patients and controls [p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively]. These results indicate the critical role of Th17- mediated cytokines in development of MS which classically has been considered as a Th1-mediated disorder. The results of this study showed, for the first time, the importance of IL-17F in MS immunopathogenesis

[ effect of reference memory on the number of astrocytes in different subfield of rat's hippocampus]

In addition to pyramidal neurons and interneurons, the hippocampus contains Astrocytes that play important roles in regulating ion flux currents, energy production, neurotransmitter release and memory. Learning needs some instrument for information storage and information maintenances mechanisms resemble to memory. The aim of this study was determination of spatial memory effect on the number of astrocytes in rat's hippocampus. In this experimental study, with usage of Morris Water Maze and Reference memory technique, we used 10 male albino wistar rats. 5 rats were in control group and 5 rats in Reference memory group. After histological preparation, the slides were stained with PTAH staining for showing the Astrocytes. The findings of this study showed significant difference in astrocytes number in CA1, CA2 and CA3 area of hippocampus between control and reference memory group. The mean and SD of astrocytes in CA1, CA2 and CA3 of reference memory group were 118.57 +/- 25.29, 58.91 +/- 23.59 and 116.6 +/- 31.14, that they are more than control group with 49 +/- 17.29 in CA1, 48.8 +/- 25.21 in CA2 and 41.95 +/- 11.22 in CA3. We concluded that the number of astrocytes increased due to spatial learning [e.g. reference memory method]

[ effect of spatial learning on the number of astrocytes in the rat's dentate gyrus]

Dentate gyrus is a part of hippocampal formation that plays an important role in memory and learning. Astrocytes are one of the important glial cells in nervous tissue that play a more active role in neuronal activity, including regulating ion flux currents, energy production, neurotransmitter release, and synaptogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial memory effect on the number of astrocytes in Rat's dentate gyrus. This experimental study, was done on 18 male Wistar Rats with using Morris water maze and Reference and Working memory methods. After spatial learning the Rat's brains was carried out and histological preparation was carried out, the slices were with PTAH method. The data analyzed, using T-test and One-way ANOVA. The results showed significant difference in astrocytes number in dentate gyrus area between Reference memory [300.57 +/- 5.98] and control [73.73 +/- 22.61] groups [P<0.05]. The difference between working memory [375.77 +/- 4.11] and control groups was significant. Comparing two groups there was a significant difference of number of astrocytes cell between the working memory and Reference memory group [P<0.05]. This study showed that spatial learning such as Reference memory and Working memory increase the number of astrocytes in dentate gyrus and this increase can be due to duration of learning

[Short-term survival rates of upper gastrointestinal cancers in rural areas of Golestan province, Iran]

Esophageal and gastric cancers are among the most common and fatal cancers. These are diagnosed at the latest phase and the prognosis is too poor. Due to the importance and high incidence rate of the upper gastrointestinal cancers in Golestan province, this study was conducted to explore the overall survival rate of these patients in rural area of this region. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a total of 121 pathologically confirmed esophageal or gastric cancers, with rural place of residence, were retrieved from the cancer registry at the health department in Gorgan. After conducting interview with patients or their relatives, analysis of their sociodemographic and clinicopathologic features was performed. The median survival rate was compared regarding age groups and gender using Kaplan-Meier statistical test. Male to female ratio in esophageal and gastric group were 1.2 to 1 and 3.8 to 1, respectively. Short-term survival rates were 54.76% and 26.2% for esophageal cancer and 66.6% and 37.5% for gastric cancer. Collected information regarding patients' sociodemographic and clinicophathologic factors did not have significant association with patients' survival in both esophageal and gastric cancers. The mean survival rate in patient with gastric and esophageal cancers according to age and gender was not significant. This study showed that the overall short-term survival rates for upper gastrointestinal cancers are very low in Golestan province. Therefore the need for intervention the need and allocating more diagnosis and therapeutic resources for upper gastrointestinal cancers are required