Symptoms of natural menopause among Iranian women living in Tehran, Iran

Menopause is a step of a woman's life when hormonal changes cause menstruation to stop permanently. Menopausal symptoms can affect women's health and differ between different races and societies. The aim of this study was to survey the symptoms associated with menopause among Iranian women living in Tehran, Iran. In this cross sectional study which has been done between 2004 and 2005, women aged equal or more than 35 years old living in districts of Tehran were selected by multistage randomized cluster sampling. For each woman a questionnaire was completed. The data gained from each questionnaire was analyzed by using SPSS version 13. At time of study, 2462 women were naturally menopause. The mean age of natural menopause onset was 47.71 [SE=0.11] years. In 52.9% of cases, the onset of menopause was sudden. The symptoms associated with menopause were night sweats [61.2%], joint and muscle pain [59.9%], hot flashes [53.1%], fatigue [45.6%], decreased libido [33.9%], insomnia [33.7%], weight gain [30.1%], forgetfulness [24.9%] and urinary symptoms [17.4%]. This study showed that night sweats, joint and muscle pain and hot flashes are the most common symptoms associated with menopause

[ rate of pediculosis capitis in students participating in summer camps in different provinces of Iran]

To determine the rate of Pediculosis Capitis among Iranian students participating in bonyad-e-mostazafan summer camps. This is a cross-sectional study of Perdiculosis Capitis rate among 13206 students from different provinces of Iran in 1384 [2005]. The students were examined immediately after arrival the camps. Examination was then carried out by general practitionnaires through direct observation of the hair. The hair and scalp were examined for Pediculosis Capitis by hand separation of the hair every 1-2 cm. the presence of either live or head eggs, or nits, was considered infestation with Pediculosis Capitis. The data analysis was done by SPSS soft ware and chi square. The total number of children from 21 provinces of Iran was 13, 206. Of all these subjects, 758 [5.7%] were infested by Pediculosis Capitis. 3 [0.1%] of the infested cases were boys and 755 [9.9%] were girls. The results showed a significant sex difference in infested cases [P = 0/000]. The most prevalence was seen in Sistan and Baluchestan [11.1%]. Hormozgan [10.6%]. and Ardebil [7.1%]. Also according the results, the education level of the mother, was found to be associated with the rate of infestation [P = 0.039]. Father education level had no meaningful association. Pediculosis Capitis infestation is a disease of adolescence with a higher prevalence in girls. This skin parasite has a wide distribution all over the country and a significant association with sex and maternal education

arrangement of microtubules in embryos derived from mice young, old and reconstructed oocytes

To study the structure and distribution of microtubules in embryos derived from young, old and reconstructed oocytes. Embryos obtained from old [50 embryos], young [50 embryos] and reconstructed oocytes [10 embryos] were studied by immunocytochemistry. The microtubule structures of the embryos were studied by using fluroscent microscopy with FITC-PI filter and polyclonal antibody against alfa tubulin. The spindle structure of MII young oocyte and the obtained embryos were normal with the suitable condensation. There was no contact between chromosome and spindle in old Oocytes as well as the obtained embryos, in addition, the spindle was extended in old group. In reconstructed embryos, thin and scattered filaments were observed. This study reveals that the arrangement of microtubules in reconstructed embryos was caused by repeating of injection and oocyte manipulation. Also, interactions between karyoblast, cytoplasm and microtubuls may not be suitable. This may be caused by low fertilization in these oocytes

Comparison of embryo development between intracytoplasmic and piezo-assisted sperm injection after treating mouse sperms by Ca[2+] ionophore

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] and Piezo-assisted sperm injection after pretreatment with calcium ionophore [CaI] on the mouse embryo development. In this study, the conventional ICSI and Piezo-ICSI procedures were used. The efficacy of the methods was examined after mouse matured oocytes were fertilized with or without CaItreated sperms. Piezo-ICSI demonstrated significantly more favorable results, with a fertilization rate of 64% [conventional ICSI: 42%, P<0.001] and a cleavage rate of 73% [conventional ICSI: 58%, P<0.05]. When the Piezo-ICSI procedure was performed with CaI-pretreated sperms, the cleavage rate significantly increased [92% vs. 73%, P<0.05]. However, the fertilization rate did not change significantly [64% vs. 56%]. The Piezo-ICSI accompanies with CaI-treated sperms is more efficient than the conventional ICSI method for fertilizing and thus obtaining more mouse embryos

Expression of endoderm and hepatic specific genes after in vitro differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem cells [hESC], which are derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocysts, have been considered to be pluripotent cells. In this study we examine the differentiating potential of hESC into hepatocytes by characterization of the expression of endoderm and liver-specific genes. hESC were cultivated in suspension to form aggregates, the embryoid bodies. They were allowed to outgrowth on the plated culture with the stepwise addition of growth factors such as acidic fibroblast growth factor [aFGF], hepatocyte growth factor and oncostatin M into the culture medium. The expressions of endodermal and liver specific genes such as hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 beta, alpha-fetoprotein [AFP], albumin [ALB], cytokeratin 8 [CK-8], CK-18, transthyretin, glucose 6-phosphatase and tyrosine aminotransferase were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]. The expressions of ALB and CK-18 in the cytoplasm were analyzed by Immunohistochemistry. The immunoblotting and chemiluminescence of the conditioned media indicated the secretion of ALB and AFP. RT-PCR analysis revealed that hepatic gene expression related to early and late-stage liver development were enhanced through in vitro differentiation of hESC. Our results showed the expression of endoderm and hepatic specific genes after in vitro differentiation of hESC into hepatocyte-like cells through addition of various growth factors in three dimensional culture systems [collagen type I]. hESC could be a new potential source of hepatocyte for transplantation in patients with liver failure