[Success rate in basic medical sciences national exam among graduates and students applying for transfer to Iran]

In recent years, many Iranians have made educational travel to countries to study in the field of medical sciences. Considering the different educational systems and lack of comprehensive exams in some countries, the present study was attempted. To determine the success rate in basic medical sciences national exam of graduates and students applying for transfer to Iran. In this descriptive study 2621 students from Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Romania, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Philippine, who participated in the medical basic sciences national exam during 1998 to 2008, were evaluated and the success rate calculated. The highest and lowest success rates for countries with more than 100 participants were 48.6% and 27.4% for Armenia and Romania, respectively. Regarding the countries with less than 100 participants, the highest and lowest success rates were 55.6% for Belarus and 8% for Kazakhstan. Based on the field of study, the lowest success rate was associated with pharmacy [15.8%] and the highest with dentistry [38.9%]. The success rates obtained for students from different countries evaluated were much lower than those for domestic students. The reason for this difference is likely due to inappropriate style of national exam with the training methods used for these students or the students' poor educational performance to successfully pass the national medical exam

[Association of cord blood resistin with leptin, insulin, growth indices and fat levels in neonates of Mousavi hospital of Zanjan in 2009]

Resistin is a novel adipokine which may play a role in insulin resistance. In this study we aimed to determine the cord blood resistin, leptin, insulin and maternal serum resistin levels during pregnancy; and to investigate correlation between these metabolic hormones; and also to evaluate their association with newborn growth indices. This study was conducted on 80 newborns and their mothers in Mousavi Hospital Zanjan, Iran in 2009. Newborn growth indices including birth weight, height, body mass index [BMI], Ponderal index, Homeostatic Model assessment [HOMA-IR] and their mothers. BMI were determined. Resistin, leptin and insulin levels were measured by ELISA. In this study, cord blood resistin levels were higher than serum resistin levels of pregnant mothers [10.77 +/- 1.53 vs. 7.91 +/- 5.71 ng/ml]. Moreover, serum resistin levels of mothers. did not exhibit any correlation with cord blood resistin, leptin and insulin levels, as well as neonatal anthropometric indices. Meanwhile, there was no significant correlation between cord resistin levels, insulin resistance, fat percentage and newborn growth factors. Cord resistin levels were positively correlated with cord blood leptin levels [r=0.222; p=0.048]. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between cord blood leptin and neonatal BMI [r=0.223; p=0.047], Ponderal index [r=0.212; p=0.058], HOMA-IR [r=0.426; p=0.052] and fat percentage [r=0.247; p=0.014]. On the basis of the findings, increased cord blood resistin levels may indirectly influence fetal growth through leptin or other cytokine levels. Though, further researches are needed to confirm this matter

Association of cord blood resistin with leptin, insulin, growth indices and fat levels in neonates of Mousavi hospital of Zanjan in 2009

Resistin is a novel adipokine which may play a role in insulin resistance. In this study we aimed to determine the cord blood resistin, leptin, insulin and maternal serum resistin levels during pregnancy; and to investigate correlation between these metabolic hormones; and also to evaluate their association with newborn growth indices. This study was conducted on 80 newborns and their mothers in Mousavi Hospital Zanjan, Iran in 2009. Newborn growth indices including birth weight, height, body mass index [BMI], Ponderal index, Homeostatic Model assessment [HOMA-IR] and their mothers' BMI were determined. Resistin, leptin and insulin levels were measured by ELISA. In this study, cord blood resistin levels were higher than serum resistin levels of pregnant mothers [10.77 +/- 1.53 vs. 7.91 +/- 5.71 ng/ml]. Moreover, serum resistin levels of mothers' did not exhibit any correlation with cord blood resistin, leptin and insulin levels, as well as neonatal anthropometric indices. Meanwhile, there was no significant correlation between cord resistin levels, insulin resistance, fat percentage and newborn growth factors. Cord resistin levels were positively correlated with cord blood leptin levels [r=0.222; p=0.048]. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between cord blood leptin and neonatal BMI [r=0.223; p=0.047], Ponderal index [r=0.212; p=0.058], HOMA-IR [r=0.426; p=0.052] and fat percentage [r=0.247; p=0.014]. On the basis of the findings, increased cord blood resistin levels may indirectly influence fetal growth through leptin or other cytokine levels. Though, further researches are needed to confirm this matter

Histomorphological evaluation of fresh ovarian tissue transplanted into back muscles of Balb/C mice

Today, different methods for maintaining reproductive capability in young women with cancer are being considered. One of the most prominent of these methods is ovarian tissue transplant. Despite the relative success of this method, the appropriate location and methods of transplantation is still a matter of discussion. The present study evaluated the histomorphology of fresh ovarian tissue transplantation by two methods, inter muscular and intra muscular, in Balb/C mice. The study was conducted at Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in 2009. Fresh ovarian tissues from 12-14 day old Balb/C mice were transplanted into back muscles of ovarectomized 6 week old Balb/C mice both intermuscularly and intramuscularly. All transplanted mice received intra-peritoneal injections of a unit of rFSH for 4 weeks, every other day. At the end of the tenth week, all transplant recipient mice were killed and the transplanted ovarian tissues were removed. All samples were assessed for the angiogenesis and viability of follicles. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, using independent t-test. In intermuscular transplanted group, the transplanted tissues were rejected in two cases. In the sections prepared from the other cases, in spite of the presence of some small necrotic areas, the majority of ovarian tissues had a healthy appearance within the primordial, primary, secondary and antral follicles. Apart from a significant reduction in the number of follicles and smaller size of follicles in the transplanted tissue in comparison with control group, no other major differences in morphology, histology, and the process of maturation of ovarian follicles were observed between the transplanted and control groups. Fresh ovarian tissue transplantation into muscles of the back area without basic vascular pedicle has new angiogenesis capabilities, appropriate survival and development of primordial follicles and significant natural growth of maturing follicles. Degeneration of transplanted tissue in the intra muscular area indicates that it is an inappropriate site for transplantation

[Predictive value of nucleated red blood cells count in cord blood of newborn]

The screening of infants who need to be admitted immediately following birth but without application of invasive procedures is of prime importance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of nucleated red blood cells [nRBCs] count of cord blood in predicting the need for admission to NICU or neonatal ward. This was a case-control study performed on 100 live, newly born full-term infants [70 healthy infants and 30 infants admitted to NICU or neonatal ward] at Vali-e-Asr Hospital of Zanjan [Iran] in 2005. Umbilical cord blood was collected at delivery time to measure the nRBCs count. Data were collected through questionnaires and further analyzed by SPSS using chi square and Mann-Whitney Tests. The mean nRBCs counts in admitted neonates [case group] and healthy infants [control group] failed to show a statistically significant difference however, by omitting the cases for whom negative nRBCs counts were reported, a significant difference between two groups was observed. The number of abnormal nRBCs, the mean number of abnormal nRBCs, and the number of absolute abnormal nRBCs [nRBCs>1000] in cord blood of the case group were significantly higher than those in control group. The sensitivity and specificity of nRBCs count were 33.3% and 100%, respectively. Although the nRBCs count alone could not be considered as an ideal screening tool for those group of neonates with clinical complications however, it seems that the nRBCs count could be a helpful diagnostic parameter in predicting a need for admission

[ evaluation of tubule formation in breast cancer using fraction of fileds showing tubular differentiation [FTD] method and compare it with conventional methods]

Histological grading is one of the most important prognostic factors in breast cancer. So far, there has not been any available method for quantitative estimation of tubular differentiation. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the experimental and conventional method and compare the reproducibility of it with the other quantitative and semi-quantitative methods using 200 morphometric microscopic magnifications. In this descriptive-analytical study which, conducted in 2006, a total of 38 histological samples of breast invasive ductal carcinoma were selected of 38 histological samples of breast invasive ductal carcinoma were selected and tubular differentiation was assessed by two pathologists using three methods. The first method [conventional], the rate of tubular differentiation [a portion of tumor with malignant tubules] to the total sample calculated and shown in percentage. The second one, was the fraction of fields showing tubular differentiation [FTD], and the third one was the subjective evaluation of each field and then considering the mean of all fields. Using Friedman test, the difference between the 3 methods was compared and Kappa test was used to compare the reproducibility of each method between the two observers. The results showed that using the second method, the scoring of the samples by the two observers was almost the same. It means that Kappa indices in the first, second, and third method was 0.4, 0.832, and 0.558, respectively [p<0.001]. Also, Friedman test showed that there was statistically significant difference between the findings of each of the observers in any of the 3 methods used [p<0.001]. Base on the results, FTD has higher reproducibility than that of other two methods. Thus, it can be used as a simple method in assessment of tubular differentiation