Search

Background and Objective: Demyelinating lesions, widespread tissue damage, and neuronal connectivity impairments in white matter are associated with reduced cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. These findings are particularly prominent in the corpus callosum of the brain. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine secreted by regulatory T cells (Tregs) with anti-inflammatory properties and can inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by macrophages and T cells. IL-6 is a multifunctional cytokine involved in the immune system of autoimmune diseases. The IL-6 gene consists of 5 exons, 4 introns, and a proximal promoter region located on the 7p21 chromosomal locus in humans. This study aimed to determine the effects of IL-10 (-1082/-819) and IL-6 (-174) gene polymorphisms on corpus callosum changes in women with MS. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 40 women with MS aged 20-40 years referring to Golestan and Kowsar Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) centers in Gorgan and 20 women without MS, autoimmune or inflammatory diseases over 40 years during 2015. Ten mL of blood was taken from the subjects for genotyping. Additionally, DNA extraction was performed using the phenol-chloroform method, and DNA genotyping was performed using the sequence specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) method. Brain MRI images of the subjects were employed to measure the corpus callosum and to investigate the relationship with the investigated polymorphisms. Results: After performing the tests and obtaining different IL-6, IL-10 (-819), and IL-10 (-1082) genotypes, no significant statistical correlation was observed between IL genotypes in the case and control groups. Additionally, no significant correlation was observed between the different IL-6, IL-10 (-819), and IL-10 (-1082) genotypes and changes in the size of different parts of the corpus callosum, including rostrum width, splenium width, body width, the ratio of body length to anteroposterior length, and the ratio of body length to maximum height between the case and control groups. Reductions in the variables of rostrum width, splenium width, body width, the ratio of body width to anteroposterior length, and the ratio of body width to maximum height were significant in both case and control groups (P

Background: Congenital malformations of the digestive system (CMDS) are one of the major causes of newborn mortality, particularly in developing countries. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence, pattern, gender distribution of CMDS as well as ethnicity status among newborns in Golestan Province, northern Iran. Methods: This descriptive and analytical study was conducted on 36,156 live births to identify all newborns with CMDS, born between March 2018 and March 2019 in Golestan Province, north of Iran. The type of CMDS according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), the gender and ethnicity status of the newborns were recorded. The prevalence rate was estimated and compared using the exact Poisson method and odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. Data were analyzed using STATA 14.0 software. Results: The prevalence rate of CMDS in newborns was 2.13 per 1000 live births. The risk of CMDS was significantly higher in males compared to females (OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.12-2.85). The most common anomaly was Ankyloglossia (19.28%). The prevalence rate of CMDS among native Fars, Turkmen and Sistani ethnic groups was 2.15 [95% CI: 1.50-2.99], 3.05 [95% CI: 2.06-4.35] and 1.48 [95% CI: 0.64-2.91] per 1000 live births, respectively. Conclusion: Due to the prevalence rate of CMDS and ethnic diversity in this region, effective prevention planning, early diagnosis and thorough screening are particularly important, especially in high-risk groups.

Background and Objective: In recent years, studies have been conducted to determine the prevalence rate of congenital abnormalities in different regions of Iran, most of which were conducted on live births. This study was conducted to determine fetal abnormalities in pregnancies leading to legal abortion in Golestan province. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 199 pregnant women with a gestational age of less than 20 weeks with abortion licenses from the Forensic Medicine Center of Golestan province over 9 months during 2018-19. Demographic characteristics, including parents’ age, ethnicity, and family relationship, and the type of fetal abnormalities were recorded. Results: Given 29,460 births in Golestan province over a 9-month period, the prevalence of fetal abnormalities was determined to be 6.75 per thousand births. The incidence rates of fetal abnormalities were determined to be 6.78, 6.68, 7.69, and 5.65 per thousand births in native Fars (80 cases), Turkmen (65 cases), Sistani (34 cases), and other (20 cases) ethnic groups, respectively. Since the gender of 80 fetuses was unknown, the incidence rates of abnormality were determined to be 4.36 and 3.72 per thousand births in female (63 cases) and male (56 cases) fetuses, respectively. The most common fetal abnormalities included central nervous system (n=49, 24.62%), chromosomal abnormalities (n=47, 23.61%), and cardiovascular impairments (n=26, 13.06%). The incidence of fetal abnormalities was not found to have a statistically significant relationship with parents' age, ethnicity, and family relationship. Conclusion: The most prevalent fetal abnormality was related to central nervous system disorders. The incidence of fetal abnormalities had no relationship with the parents’ age, ethnicity, and family relationship.

Objective(s): Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that affects the development of the central nervous system and plays an important role in learning and memory. Diabetes increases the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in cells and changes the expression of several genes, including SYP, BDNF, PAX7, and SYNCAM1, through the FOXO transcription factor. This study was done to assess the effect of diabetes on morphometric indexes of the cerebellar cortex and gene expression in mice.Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced in twelve adult, male C57BL mice using an injection of streptozotocin. After two months, the mice were dissected, and the cerebellum was stored for further analysis. For the morphometric analysis, tissue sections were stained with cresyl violet and examined with a light microscope. For gene expression analysis, the RNA was extracted, and cDNA was synthesized. The mRNA levels of SYP, BDNF, PAX7, and SYNCAM1 genes were measured by the real-time PCR method.Results: The thickness of the molecular layer and Purkinje layer, and the number of Purkinje and granular cells in the diabetic group were significantly reduced compared to controls P

Objective(s): Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy that causes central nervous system and olfactory dysfunction in the offspring. It has been demonstrated that dopamine modulates several aspects of olfactory information processing in vertebrates. Materials and Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of gestational diabetes on the expression of the Dopamine (DA) metabolism genes, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and dopa decarboxylase (DDC) in the olfactory bulb (OB) tissue of rats’ offspring. Female Wistar rats were divided into a control group which received citrate buffer and the diabetic group which received 45 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) on day 0 of gestation. Fasting blood glucose levels were measured before and 72 hr after injection. OB tissues of adult offspring were isolated, and TH-positive cells were counted by immunofluorescence staining. Also, TH and DDC expressions were analyzed by qRT- PCR and western blot.Results: The data showed that gestational diabetes could cause up-regulation of TH (P

Objective(s): Ecstasy is a popular recreational psychostimulant with side effects on the central nervous system. This study examined the corpus striatum tissue of adult rats that received ecstasy during the embryonic period for histological and molecular studies.Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into control and ecstasy groups. The ecstasy group was given MDMA 15 mg/kg intraperitoneally twice daily at 8-hour intervals on days 7–15 of gestation. At the age of 15 weeks, adult offspring of both groups were examined for learning and memory study by the Morris water maze test. Then, ventral striatum tissue was harvested for TUNEL assay, Nissl staining, and real-time PCR for the expression of the GFAP and CD11b. Results: Ecstasy up-regulated the GFAP and CD11b expression in the striatum of offspring (*P˂0.05). Furthermore, the Morris water maze test showed that exposure to ecstasy significantly impaired learning and spatial memory (*P˂0.05). TUNEL assay results did not show any significant change in the number of apoptotic cells in the striatum tissue of ecstasy offspring compared with controls, while Nissl staining showed a significant decrease in the number of neurons in the ecstasy group (*P˂0.05).Conclusion: Exposure to ecstasy during pregnancy causes long-lasting changes in brain regions underlying learning and memory, including the striatum, and impaired working memory in the offspring. In addition, these data provide the first evidence that exposure to ecstasy during the embryonic period causes a persistent change in the activity of microglial cells and the number of astrocyte cells in the striatum.

Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic and global health threats. The gene needed for the development of the TBX20 gene is the fusion of the gene, and the defect in the sequence and expression of this gene also causes heart defects. Due to significant prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in human population, this study was done to evaluate the effect of TBX20-induced gestational diabetes mellitus in the heart of the mice embryo at 11.5 days. Methods: This experimental study was done on induced diabetic C57BL/6 female mice. Gestational diabetes induced by interaperitoneal injection of sterptozotocin at GD1. On the day of pregnancy 11.5, embryonic heart samples from these mice were isolated. After extraction of RNA, cDNA synthesis of RNA was performed. The Real Time-PCR technique was used to determine the expression of TBX20 gene. Expression level of TBX20 gene in experimental and control was calculated using the 2–∆∆CT method. Results: Expression of TBX20 gene in diabetic specimens was twice as high as the control samples, which was statistically significant (P

Objective DNA methylation, a major epigenetic reprogramming mechanism, contributes to the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Based on genome-wide association studies, polymorphisms in CDKN2A/B are associated with T2DM. Our previous studies showed that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) causes apoptosis in β-cells, leading to a reduction in their number in pancreatic tissue of GDM-exposed adult rat offspring. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of intrauterine exposure to GDM on DNA methylation, mRNA transcription, as well as protein expression of these factors in the pancreatic islets of Wistar rat offspring. Our hypothesis was that the morphological changes seen in our previous study might have been caused by aberrant methylation and expression of CDKN2A/B. Materials And Methods In this experimental study, we delineated DNA methylation patterns, mRNA transcription and protein expression level of CDKN2A/B in the pancreatic islets of 15-week-old rat offspring of streptozotocin-induced GDM dams. We performed bisulfite sequencing to determine the DNA methylation patterns of CpGs in candidate promoter regions of CDKN2A/B. Furthermore, we compared the levels of mRNA transcripts as well as the cell cycle inhibitory proteins P15 and P16 in two groups by qPCR and western blotting, respectively. Results Our results demonstrated that hypomethylation of CpG sites in the vicinity of CDKN2A and CDKN2B genes is positively related to increased levels of CDKN2A/B mRNA and protein in islets of Langerhans in the GDM offspring. The average percentage of CDKN2A promoter methylation was significantly lower in GDM group compared to the controls (P

Background and Objective: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a metabolic disorder which is caused by insufficient secretion of insulin. GDM is a risk factor for embryo during pregnancy and it is possible leads to congenital heart defects (CHD). Some of these defects may be due to a change in the expression of some of the important structural genes in the heart. Desmocollin 2 and collagen structural genes have important role in the cell adhesion of the cardiomyocytes.This study was done to determine the effect of gestational diabetes on expersion of desmocollin 2 and col5a2 structural genes in C57BL mouse embryo heart. Methods: In this experimental study, 12 adult female and six adult male C57BL mice were used.After mating of the animals and observation of the vaginal plug, the female mice with vaginal plug were randomly divided into diabetic and control groups. At the first day of pregnancy, Induction of gestational diabetes mellitus in dams in the diabetic group was performed by the intraperitoneal (IP) injection of Streptozotocin with a dose of 150 mg / kg body weight per day in GD1. While in the control group, only citrate buffer was injected.Cesarean Surgery was done at E11.5 and embryo's heart was extracted from the body.Extraction of RNA, cDNA, and quantitative measurements of the amount of RNA were performed using Real -Time PCR. Results: Induction of gestational diabetes increased the expersion of desmocollin 2 and col5a2 structural genes in compared to controls, althought only the expersion of desmocollin 2 gene was significant (P

Context: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most common birth defects with a high rate of mortality. Several studies have shown the reduction of the rate of NTD due to preconceptional usage and flour fortification with folic acid. Objectives: The aim of this systematic literature review was to assess the appropriate information about the prevalence of Neural Tube Defects among the Iranian population, geographic areas of Iran. Data Sources: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and data banks in Iran, such as the scientific information database (SID), Magiran, and Barekat knowledge network system from January 1969 to February 2017. The following keywords were used to search all fields in the above databases (“Neural Tube Defects” OR “NTD” AND “Iran”). Study Selection: NTDs were classified as given by Moore to include anencephaly, spina bifida, encephalocele, iniencephaly, and craniorachischisis. Primary outcomes of interest for estimating the prevalences were the total number of births (including live and stillbirths if available separately) and the total number of NTD affected births (including live and stillbirths if available separately). Data Extraction: Data extracted from selected studies, included: first author, study design, city, sample size, duration of studies, and the prevalence of NTDs and subtypes of neural tube defects. Results: A total of 429 studies were initially identified in the databases. After excluding duplicate studies, 244 articles were retrieved and reviewed based on their titles and abstracts; 221 articles were excluded. Twenty-three articles were selected for a more detailed review. There were some publications of the same study, data were extracted from the most complete and up-to-date publication. Four articles were added by reference searching and one forthcoming article was added. Finally, 21 articles have been included in the study. Conclusions: The surveillance of NTD in Iran is currently limited due to the fact that provinces have established systems to report national and local NTD prevalence. However, when data are available, reported NTD prevalence, which varies by geographic region from 1.01 to 8.29 per 1000 live births, is in some areas of Iran.

Objective(s): Gestational diabetes increases the risk of congenital heart disease in the offspring, but the molecular mechanism underlying this process remains unclear. Therefore, the current study was conducted to assess the effects of induced gestational diabetes on expression of some involved genes in cardiac hypertrophy in the offspring of diabetic rats.Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced in 40 adult Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg/kg of streptozotocin. The day of appearance of the vaginal plug was assumed as day zero of gestation for inducing diabetes. After pregnancy, the offspring was maintained until they reach the age of 12 weeks. Then, their hearts were excised and were sectioned for molecular study. We analyzed the expression pattern of some hypertrophic genes by the quantitative real-time RT-PCR.Results: The mRNA expression levels of all studied genes including c-jun, c-fos, c-myc, alpha-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and β-MHC, which are important in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, were higher in the offspring of the diabetic group compared to controls. Significant differences were found for β-MHC and c-myc with PConclusion: Gestational diabetes upregulates expression of c-jun, c-fos c-myc, α-MHC, ANF and β-MHC genes that are involved in cardiac hypertrophy in the offspring of diabetic rats.

Background: Congenital limb defects (CLDs) are the leading cause of disability across the world.CLDsvary depending on the anatomical location, type, and cause of anomaly. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and patterns of CLDs in the North of Iran. Methods: This descriptive-analytical, hospital-based study was conducted in three hospitals in Gorgan, the capital of Golestan Province in the north of Iran. Samples included 32,895 newborns with CLDs, and stillborn neonates were excluded from the study. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using Chi-square at the significance level of ≤0.05. Results: Overall prevalence ofCLDs was three cases per 1,000 live births, and the rate was estimated at 3.17 and 2.82 cases per 1,000 live births in male and female infants, respectively. In addition, the prevalence of upper- and lower-limb anomalies was 1.03 and 1.91 cases per 1,000 live births, respectively. In terms ofethnicity, the prevalence of CLDs among the native Fars, Turkmen, and Sistani populations was 3.86, 2.02, and 3.85 cases per 1,000 live births, respectively. Clubfoot was the most common type of CLDs, and the most prevalent type of the associated malformationswas gastrointestinal anomalies. Conclusion: According to the results, the prevalence of CLDs in the north of Iran was similar to European countries (2.11-3.18 cases per 1,000 live births), while it was lower compared to the other regions in Iran (5.8 cases per 1,000 live births).

Objective(s): The link between a hyperglycemic intrauterine environment and the development of diabetes later in life has been observed in offspring exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon are still not clear. Reduced β-cells mass is a determinant in the development of diabetes (type 1 and type 2 diabetes). Some recent studies have provided evidence that the CDK4-pRB-E2F1 regulatory pathway is involved in β-cells proliferation. Therefore, we postulated that GDM exposure impacts the offspring’s β-cells by disruption in the CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway. Materials and Methods: Adult Wistar rats were randomly allocated in control and diabetic group. The experimental group received 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) on day zero of gestation. After delivery, diabetic offspring of GDM mothers and control dams at the age of 15 week were randomly scarified and pancreases were harvested. Langerhans islets of diabetic and control groups were digested by collagenase digestion technique. After RNA extraction, we investigated the expressions of the kir 6.2 and CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway genes by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: GDM reduced the expression of CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway genes in Langerhans islets cells of offspring. CDK4, pRB and E2F1 pathway genes were downregulated in diabetic islets by 51%, 35% and 84%, respectively. Also, the expression of Kir 6.2 was significantly decreased in diabetic islets by 88%. Conclusion: We suggest that the effect of gestational diabetes on offspring’s β-cells may be primarily caused by the suppression of CDK4-pRB-E2F1 pathway.

Objective(s): The Muller cell is the principal glial cell of the vertebrate retina. The expression of Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the Muller cells was used as a cellular marker for retinal damage. This study was done to evaluate the effect of gestational diabetes on retinal Muller cells in rat's offspring. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 12 Wistar rat dams were randomly allocated in control and diabetic groups. Gestational diabetes was induced by 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin at the first day of gestation, intraperitoneally. Dams in control group received an equivalent volume normal saline. Eye of six offspring of each group were removed at postnatal day 28 (P28). The histopathological changes in retina were examined through H&E staining and ultrastructure transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The expression of GFAP was examined using Immunohisto-chemical staining of GFAP in Muller cells. Photographs of retina were taken using Olympus BX51 microscope and a digital camera DP12 and EM LEO906; Zeiss, Germany. Results: In the control rat's offspring, GFAP expression was not significant in Muller cells. According to the optical microscope images, GFAP expression was observed in the processes of the Muller cell in the inner plexiform layer of retina in offspring of diabetic mothers. In TEM technique, nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic bodies were observed in Muller cell of diabetic offspring. Conclusion: This study showed that the uncontrolled gestational diabetes can increase GFAP expression in Muller cells and retinal thickness of retinal layer in rat offspring's, therefore uncontrolled gestational can damage the Muller cells.

Background: Congenital anomalies are important medical and public health conditions. The pattern and prevalence of birth defects may vary over time or with geographical location. We investigated the live birth prevalence and occurrence pattern of birth defects in Golestan Province, northern Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on 144920 live newborns in 13 hospitals in Golestan Province, northern Iran, from 21 Jan 2008 to 19 Mar 2013. The newborns were examined for the presence of birth defects and mothers were interviewed for variables such as maternal age and ethnicity. In addition, data for each newborn was filed in a questionnaire and the coding of birth defects was translated to the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision–clinical modification (ICD-10-CM). Results: Overall, 1690 infants were diagnosed as having birth defects among 144920 live newborns. The prevalence rate of birth defects was 11.66 per 1000 live births, the prevalence of birth defects per 1000 was11.62 in males and 11.42 in females. The prevalence of congenital anomalies among native Fars, Turkmen and Sistani were 13.03, 11.16 and 13.07, respectively, per 1000 live births. Anomalies of the cardiovascular system were the most common defects; the prevalence rate of cardiovascular system was 8.34 per 1000 live birth. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of birth defects in this area was lower than in the other regions in Iran (20.3 per 1000 live births) but higher than in some parts of Asia (7.33 per 1000 live births).

Background and Objective. Corpus callosum (CC), the main white matter cable which connects two hemispheres of brain, is important in special procedures such as stereotaxic surgeries vary in size, in different populations. Determination of possible size differences in ethnical groups has special values. Patients and Methods. The size of the CC on midsagittal view was determined in 76 normal male subjects using MRI of brain hemispheres in northern Iran. The size of rostrum, body, splenium, length, and height of CC was measured for each subject. The width of the body of the corpus callosum (B), the anterior to posterior length (L) and the maximum height (H) of the corpus callosum, and ratios B/L and B/H were also calculated. Results. The longitudinal dimensions of the CC were 70.21 mm and 74.05 mm in native Fars and Turkmens, respectively (P

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is associated with nervous system alterations in both human and animal models. This study was done to determine the effect of gestational diabetes on the Purkinje and granular cells in the cerebellum of rat offspring. Methods: 10 Wistar rats Dams were randomly allocated in control and diabetic group. The experimental group received 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin (STZ) at the first day of gestation and control groups received saline injection intraperitoneally (IP). Six male offsprings of gestational diabetic mothers and control dams, at the 21, 28 postnatal days were randomly scarified and coronal sections of cerebellum (6 micrometer) serially collected. The neurons were stained with cresyl violet. Results: The Purkinje cells density in the apex and depth of cerebellum in P21, in the experimental group was reduced 23% and 15% in comparison with the control group (P

Introduction: Brain weight and cranial capacity are important parameters in the study of racial/ ethnic differences. This study was done to determine the effect of ethnicity on the female’s brain weight in Northern Iran. Methods: Brain weight was estimated using linear (Lee–Pearson’s) formula in 410 normal 17–20 year old (207 native Fars and 203 Turkman) females in northern Iran. Dimensions of the head measured with spreading caliper and auricular head spanner. Results: The mean±SD of brain weight in native Fars and Turkmen females were 1258.33±130 and 1270.17±124 grams and 1215, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that Brain weight in Turkmen’s was higher than native Fars females.

Objective(s):This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of maternal morphine exposure during gestational and lactation period on pyramidal neurons of hippocampus in 18 and 32 day mice offspring. Materials and Methods: Thirty female mice were randomly allocated into cases and controls. In case group, animals received morphinesulfate 10 mg/kg.body weight intraperitoneally during 7 days before mating, gestational period (GD 0-21), 18 and 32 days after delivery in the experimental groups. The control animals received an equivalent volume of normal saline. Cerebrum of six offsprings in each group was removed and stained with cresyl violet and a monoclonal antibody NeuN for immunohistochemical detection of surviving pyramidal neurons. Quantitative computer-assisted morphometric study was done on hippocampus. Results: The number of pyramidal neurons in CA1, CA2 and CA3 in treated groups was significantly reduced in postnatal day 18 and 32 (P18, P32) compared to control groups (P

Objective: Cleft lip with or without cleft palate is the most common orofacial congenital anomaly among live births. This study was carried out to determine the incidence rate of oral clefting in Gorgan, North of Iran during 2004-2009.Methods: This descriptive hospital-based study was performed on 35,009 live newborns in Dezyani Hospital in Gorgan, Northern Iran during 2004-2009. All newborns were screened for oral clefts. Data including birth date, gender, type of oral clefts, parents' consanguinity, parental ethnicity and presence of other congenital anomalies were recorded for analysis.Result: The overall incidence rate of oral clefts during this 6-year period was 1.05 per 1000, or 1 per 946 live births. The incidence of cleft lip and isolated cleft palate was 0.08 and 0.37 per 1,000 live births, respectively. The ratio for different cleft types was 1:7:4 (CL: CLP: CP).The incidence of oral clefting was 1.2 per 1,000 male births and 0.86 per 1,000 female births (RR=1.40, 95%, CI: 0.73-2.71). According to parental ethnicity, the incidence of oral clefting was 0.7, 1.7 and 1.26 per 1,000 in Native Fars, Turkman and Sistani, respectively. The relative risk for oral clefting in Turkman to native Fars group was 2.56 (p

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that the cerebellum is a primary site of motor learning. The cerebellar cortex has a particular glial architecture with large astroglial cells. In addition, more recent works have revealed that astrocytes play a more active role in neuronal activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the number of astrocytes in the molecular layer of rat's cerebellum after spatial learning. 21 male albino wistar rats were used in this study. Reference and working memory methods of Morris Water Maze (MWM) were used. Following behavioral testing, animals were decapitated under diethyl ether anesthesia. Brains were removed and fixed for 2 weeks for histological assessment. Finally, 7 μm thick coronal slices were cut and stained with PTAH staining for showing the astrocytes. Results: Our results showed a significant difference in the number of astrocytes between the control, reference and working memory groups. On the other hand, the number of astrocytes in the working memory group was more than the other groups. There was no difference in density of astrocytes between the lateral and medial parts of the cerebellum in any group. It seems that the distribution of astrocytes in the lateral and medial parts of cerebellum is similar. Discussion: We concluded that spatial learning such as reference or working memory methods, can increase the number of astrocytes in the cerebellum and this increase is similar in the cerebellar cortex. Methods:

Introduction: A cleft lip with or without a cleft palate is one of the major congenital anomalies observed in newborns. This study explored the risk factors for oral clefts in Gorgan, Northern Iran. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based case-control study was performed in three hospitals in Gorgan, Northern Iran between April 2006 and December 2009. The case group contained 33 newborns with oral clefts and the control group contained 63 healthy newborns. Clinical and demographic factors, including date of birth, gender of the newborns, type of oral cleft, consanguinity of the parents, parental ethnicity, and the mother's parity, age, education and intake of folic acid were recorded for analysis. Results: A significant association was found between parity higher than 2 and the risk of an oral cleft (OR= 3.33, CI 95% [1.20, 9.19], P> 0.02). According to ethnicity, the odds ratio for oral clefts was 0.87 in Turkmens compared with Sistani people (CI 95% [0.25, 2.96]) and 1.11 in native Fars people compared with Sistani people (CI 95% [0.38, 3.20]). A lack of folic acid consumption was associated with an increased risk of oral clefts but this was not statistically significant (OR = 1.42, CI 95% [0.58, 3.49]). There were no significant associations between sex (OR boy/girl = 0.96, CI 95% [0.41, 2.23]), parent familial relations (OR = 1.07, CI 95% [0.43, 2.63]), mother's age and oral clefts. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that higher parity is significantly associated with an increased risk of an oral cleft, while Fars ethnicity and a low intake of folic acid increased the incidence of oral clefts but not significantly.

Objective: This study evaluated in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes in the germinal vesicle(GV) stage in stimulated intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.Materials and Methods: A total of 26 women, aged 18 -37 years, who were candidatesfor ICSI at the Fatemeh Zahra Infertility and Health Reproductive Research Center in 2007were recruited for this study. We used the standard long protocol for ovarian stimulation.Follicles >11 mm were punctured 36-38 hours after administration of 10000 IU humanchorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Immature oocytes were cultured for 24-30 hours. Oocytesthat liberated polar bodies were injected by sperm prepared within the previous day. IVMfertilized oocytes were cultured an additional 24-30 hours for cleavage. The rates of maturation,fertilization and cleavage in IVM oocytes were recorded and statistically comparedto in vivo matured sibling oocytes.Results: There were 279 collected oocytes (mean±SD: 10.73 ± 6.2), of which 4.08±2.79were subjected to IVM. An average of 2.73 ± 2.15 GV oocytes (70%) developed to metaphaseII (MII). Although the maturation rate significantly differed between the IVM and invivo MII sibling oocyte groups (p=0.027), the numbers of fertilized oocytes (p=0.795) andcleaved embryos (p=0.529) were not significantly high in the in vivo group. Transfer of IVMembryos occurred in only three cases with one pregnancy that resulted in the delivery ofa healthy baby.Conclusion: This study shows that culturing GV oocytes can produce acceptable numbersof four-cell embryos on the transfer day. The developmental competence of oocytesis not significantly different between early stage IVM and in vivo sibling embryos.

Introduction: A cleft lip with or without a cleft palate is one of the major congenital anomalies observed in newborns. This study explored the risk factors for oral clefts in Gorgan, Northern Iran. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based case-control study was performed in three hospitals in Gorgan, Northern Iran between April 2006 and December 2009. The case group contained 33 newborns with oral clefts and the control group contained 63 healthy newborns. Clinical and demographic factors, including date of birth, gender of the newborns, type of oral cleft, consanguinity of the parents, parental ethnicity, and the mother's parity, age, education and intake of folic acid were recorded for analysis. Results: A significant association was found between parity higher than 2 and the risk of an oral cleft (OR= 3.33, CI 95% [1.20, 9.19], P> 0.02). According to ethnicity, the odds ratio for oral clefts was 0.87 in Turkmens compared with Sistani people (CI 95% [0.25, 2.96]) and 1.11 in native Fars people compared with Sistani people (CI 95% [0.38, 3.20]). A lack of folic acid consumption was associated with an increased risk of oral clefts but this was not statistically significant (OR = 1.42, CI 95% [0.58, 3.49]). There were no significant associations between sex (OR boy/girl = 0.96, CI 95% [0.41, 2.23]), parent familial relations (OR = 1.07, CI 95% [0.43, 2.63]), mother's age and oral clefts. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that higher parity is significantly associated with an increased risk of an oral cleft, while Fars ethnicity and a low intake of folic acid increased the incidence of oral clefts but not significantly.

Background and Objective: Primary TORCH (Toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus) and Treponema palidum infections in the mothers can lead to severe fetal anomalies. This study was done to explore the prevalance of TORCH antibodies in newborns with congenital malformations and their mothers in Gorgan-Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was done on newborns with major congential malformations, during 20 months (2003-04) in Dezyani hospital- a referal gynecology center in Gorgan, in north of Iran. The blood sample of 64 newborns with congenital malformations and their mothers collected. Serologic testes were done on newborns and mothers' sera to determine IgM and IgG levels against rubella, toxoplasma gondeie, Cytomegalo virus, Herpes simplex type II with ELISA test. For Terponema palidum PRP test was used. Results: Four of 64 infants (6 %) had positive IgM antibody titers for Toxoplasma, Rubella, and Cytomegalovirus. Nine of mothers with affected newborns (14%) had positive IgM antibody titers for Toxoplasma, Rubella, and Cytomegalovirus. Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalance of TORCH antibodies are observed in 6% of birth defects, in this region.

Background: The deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin B12, and microelements during pregnancy may affect the health of newborns. Objectives: To assess the serum levels of folate, vitamin B12, iron, zinc and copper in healthy women of the childbearing ages in Gorgan, northern Iran. Methodology: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 women of childbearing ages in northern Iran during November 2007-March 2008. The serum levels of folate, vitamin B12, iron, copper and zinc were evaluated by laboratory tests. Results: Iron, copper , folate, vitamin B12 deficiencies and folate with vitamin B12 deficiency were detected in 13%, 32% , 13% , 32% and 11% women of the childbearing ages, respectively . According to the ethnicity, vitamin B12, folate and iron deficiencies in the Sistani group were observed in 38.3%, 12.9% and 12.9% of the women, respectively. In the native Fars group, the above mentioned deficiencies were found in 31.1%, 13.4% and 7.5% of the subjects. Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies were observed in the urban habitant in 32.7% and 11.5 % of the subjects as compared to those in the rural habitant (in 30.4% and 15.2%of the subjects respectively). The folate deficiencies in the under and above 18 years old subjects were 22.2% and 9.9%, respectively. Conclusions: This study showed that the deficiency of the micronutrients was considerable in women of the childbearing ages in Gorgan, northern Iran.

Objective(s)Carbamazepine (CBZ) is an antiepileptic drug that is used widely for the treatment of epileptic seizures. Neural tube defects (NTDs), growth retardation, and nail hypoplasia are the most common features of teratogenic effects of this drug. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of vitamin B6 on the developmental toxicity of CBZ on mice.Materials and MethodsSixty BALB/c pregnant mice were divided into four experimental and two control groups. Two experimental groups received daily intraperitoneal injection (IP) of 30 mg/kg (I) or 60 mg/kg (II) of CBZ on gestational days (GD) 6 to 15. Two other experimental groups received daily IP injection of 30 mg/kg (III) or 60 mg/kg (IV) of CBZ with 10 mg/kg/day vitamin B6 by gavage 10 days prior to gestation and on GD 6 to 15. Two control groups received normal saline or Tween 20. Dams underwent Cesarean section on GD 18 and embryos were harvested. External/macroscopic observation of fetuses was done by stereomicroscope and external examination for malformations was recorded. Data analyzed by ANOVA and X2 test using SPSS software.ResultsThe mean weight and crown-rump of the fetuses in both CBZ-treated experimental groups were significantly reduced compared with those of the control groups. Various malformations were detected such as brachygnathia, eye malformations, NTDs, vertebral deformity, brachydactyly and growth retardation. Vitamin B6 treatment significantly reduced various CBZ-induced malformations.ConclusionThis study showed that vitamin B6 has a preventive effect on the developmental toxicity of CBZ in mice that can be pursued further for clinical research.