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Abstract Background Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 is known as a favorable aim in vast range of cancers, particularly in bladder cancer treatment. Pharmacophore and QSAR modeling approaches are broadly utilized for developing novel compounds for the determination of inhibitory activity versus the biological target. In this study, these methods employed to identify FGFR3 potential inhibitors. Methods To find the potential compounds for bladder cancer targeting, ZINC and NCI databases were screened. Pharmacophore and QSAR modeling of FGFR3 inhibitors were utilized for dataset screening. Then, with regard to several factors such as Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET) properties and Lipinski’s Rule of Five, the recognized compounds were filtered. In further step, utilizing the flexible docking technique, the obtained compounds interactions with FGFR3 were analyzed. Results The best five compounds, namely ZINC09045651, ZINC08433190, ZINC00702764, ZINC00710252 and ZINC00668789 were selected for Molecular Dynamics (MD) studies. Off-targeting of screened compounds was also investigated through CDD search and molecular docking. MD outcomes confirmed docking investigations and revealed that five selected compounds could make steady interactions with the FGFR3 and might have effective inhibitory potencies on FGFR3. Conclusion These compounds can be considered as candidates for bladder cancer therapy with improved therapeutic properties and less adverse effects.

After parturition, inflammation of the reproductive tract in cows is common because of bacterial contamination of the uterine lumen. To investigate the beneficial effects of dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) supplementation on health status mediated by change in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes expression, endometrial samples were collected from Holstein cows with similar parturition date and reproductive records. From day 21 before calving to day 42 after calving, cows were fed isonitrogenous, isocaloric, and isolipidic diets that differed only in the source of fats. Cows were fed diets supplemented with palm oil as control group (saturated FA; n= 8), and CLA for the treatments, and the rate of each fat in any diet was 75 g d-1. CLA-supplemented diet was provided with a mixture of trans-10, cis-12 CLA and cis-9, trans-11 CLA isomer. Rumen protected CLA provided 10 g d-1 each of trans-10, cis-12 CLA and cis-9, trans-11 CLA isomers. Uterine endometrial biopsies were collected at days 21 and 42 after calving and were prepared to determine pro-inflammatory [including Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNFα), InterLeukins (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8) and InterFeron-gamma (IFN-γ)] and antiinflammatory [interleukin 10 (IL-10)] cytokine genes expression. Results showed that dietary CLA supplementation decreased the expression of IL-1 and IL-8 at days 21 (respectively, 1.8 and 3.9 fold) and 42 (respectively, 4 and 104 fold) postpartum and increased expression of IL-10 at days 21 and 42 (respectively, 9.7 and 2.5 fold). The TNFα expression significantly decreased in day 21 in CLA groups compared with palm (2.5 fold). There was no difference between groups for IL-6 expression. IFN-γ expression decreased in day 21 (3.0 fold) and, conversely, increased in day 42 (2.5 fold) in CLA group compared to palm. Our results showed that, during transition period, dietary supplementation with CLA reduced inflammatory processes via inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines and stimulating anti-inflammatory cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, writing assessment research has been concentrating on alternative methods with a social-oriented view of assessment, including dynamic assessment (DA). Given the lack of research juxtaposing the interventionist and interactionist DA frameworks in the area of narrative writing, this study sought to compare the effectiveness of Brown’s graduated prompts model vs. Poehner’s model in the development of one-paragraph narrative essays in terms of grammatical accuracy. The study followed a quasi-experimental design, with 15 Iranian EFL learners selected via convenient sampling from among the female students of a language institute in Tehran. The participants were then randomly divided into three groups: Interventionist group, in which mediation was based on Brown’s model in the sandwich format; interactionist group, where mediation was done using Poehner’s model in the cake format; and non-dynamic assessment (NDA) control group with no mediation involved. The research consisted of three pilot sessions and eleven sessions as the main phase. To analyze the data, both descriptive and non-parametric inferential statistics were run. The results conceded the superiority of both DA approaches to NDA, whereas no significant difference was observed between the two DA groups in their general performance on narrative tasks. However, the analysis of the number and types of required mediational moves over the DA sessions indicated the superiority of the interactionist model to interventionist framework in the development of grammatical accuracy in narrative paragraphs. The study offers some theoretical and pedagogical repercussions for educators, curriculum designers, and L2 teachers.

Background: Living in marginalized areas with challenging socio-economic contexts can make teenagers vulnerable. This study aimed to investigate high-risk behaviors and their determinants amongst teenage students living in marginalized areas of Southwest Iran.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with mixed-method desgin, in which 421 students completed a questionnaire in September 2018, and seven focused group discussions were conducted from October 2018 to January 2019 in a marginalized district of Shiraz, Southwest of Iran. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data, and multiple logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using STATA14 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA) software, and qualitative data analysis was done using comparative content analysis. The risk behaviors examined in this study were tobacco, alcohol, sexual relations, and substance use.Results: In total, 34.7% of the participants were engaged in at least one of the high-risk behaviors. Based on multiple logistic regression analysis, parents’ marital status (ORDivorced&Dead/Living together=3.50, P=0.016), fathers’job (ORUnemployment/Employment=6.61, P=0.004), family history for addiction (ORYes/No=2.62, P=0.001), and friendship with the opposite sex (ORYes/No=2.56, P

Objective: Vaginal atrophy, vulvovaginal dystrophy, and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), common conditions in women, have detrimental effects on quality of life. Current treatments require ongoing use and are associated with risks, complications, and incomplete resolution of symptoms. The aim of this observational case series was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue injections for the treatment of vaginal atrophy, vulvovaginal dystrophy, and SUI in women. Methods: Ten women affected by vaginal atrophy, vulvovaginal dystrophy, and/or SUI were injected into their affected areas with harvested and processed autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue. Symptoms, diagnoses, previous treatments, and gynaecological surgeries were considered. Outcomes were measured using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire (VSQ), and the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) health survey. Information gained from discussion and clinical examination at consultations was also used to measure outcomes. Results: No adverse events or complications were reported during the intraoperative, recovery, postoperative, or follow-up periods. No signs of infection, pain, dysuria, skin irregularities, skin discolouration, discharge, or worsening of symptoms were reported. All 10 women reported an improvement of symptoms within 6–16 months of the planned follow-up period. Conclusions: Autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue injections appeared to be safe and feasible and may have a positive role in the treatment of the physical signs and symptoms of vaginal atrophy, vulvovaginal dystrophy, and SUI.

Abstract Background and objectives NF-kB, SIRT1 and systemic inflammation factors including hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α accelerate atherosclerosis pathogenesis. Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of daily supplementation of three-gram cinnamon on plasma levels of NF-kB, SIRT, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α among type 2 diabetes patients. Subjects and methods A randomized, double blind, and controlled clinical trial was performed with 44 adult patients who were 25 to 70 years old with type 2 diabetes, randomized to two intervention (n = 22) and control (n = 22) groups differing by daily three grams cinnamon supplementation and placebo for 8 weeks, respectively. The plasma levels of NF-kB, SIRT, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA assay at the beginning and end of the study. Results After 8-week intervention, 39 subjects (n = 20 in the cinnamon and n = 19 in the placebo groups) ended up the trial. It was not observed significant difference in levels of hs-CRP (P = 0.29), TNF-α (P = 0.27), IL-6 (P = 0.52), and Sirtuin-1 (P = 0.51) in between group comparison. While, the result showed significant difference in levels of NF-kB (P = 0.02) between groups. As well as, in among group comparison, there was not observed significant differences except in hs-CRP (P = 0.008) in placebo group. Conclusions This study elucidated that cinnamon supplementation has no beneficial effects in reduction of NF-kB, SIRT1, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α levels in type 2 diabetes patients which have a considerable role in development of atherogenesis.

Abstract Background Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection has become a global concern. Determining the factors leading to death among HIV patients helps controlling Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. Up to now, little is known about mortality and its determinants among people living with HIV in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including Iran. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors of AIDS-Related Mortality (ARM) and Non-AIDS-Related Mortality (NARM) among people with HIV in Iran. Methods This 20-year retrospective study was conducted on 1160 people with HIV whose data were collected from 1997 to 2017. The association of the study outcomes (ARM and NARM) with various study variables, including demographic status at the time of diagnosis and clinical indexes during the follow-up were examined to define the predictors of mortality among the patients. Regarding, Cox proportional hazard and competing risk models were fitted and Adjusted Hazard Ratios (AHR), Sub-distribution Hazard Ratio (SHR) and the 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were reported. Results during the follow-up period, 391 individuals (33.7%) died with 86,375 person-years of follow-up. Of the total deaths, 251 (64.2%) and 140 (35.8%) were ARM and NARM, respectively. Rates of the mortality caused by AIDS and non-AIDS were 3.2 and 4.5 per 1000 person-months, respectively. Responding to combined Antiretroviral Treatment (cART) 6 months after initiation, receiving Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis, and higher CD4 count at diagnosis, reduced the hazard of ARM and NARM. However, older age, late HIV diagnosis, and last HIV clinical stages increased the hazard of AIDS related to mortality. Additionally, male gender, older age, incarceration history, and last HIV clinical stages increased the non-AIDS mortality. Conclusions Mortality caused by AIDS and non-AIDS remains high among people with HIV in Iran, particularly among males and those with late diagnosis. It seems that applying effective strategies to identify infected individuals at earlier stage of the infection, and targeting individuals with higher risk of mortality can decrease the mortality rate among HIV infected people.

Background: Considering that herbal medicines are commonly used for treatment or management of type 2 diabetes, the aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of patients with diabetes regarding herbal products. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 421 patients with diabetes who referred to the Iran Diabetes Association in Tehran, Iran in 2014. The KAP of participants on herbal products were determined by a pre-designed questionnaire containing close ended questions. Results: The participnats' age Mean ± SD was 38.0 ± 20.6 years. Of 421 participants, 163 used some type of herbal products during the past year for controlling diabetes. Of these patients, 40 to 60% did not have knowledge about the possibility and desirability of using herbs along with or instead of the anti-diabetic chemical drugs. However, 71% of patients believed that they could not use herbal products without physician's prescription. Participants had a negative attitude towards using herbal products instead of conventional drugs, especially without the physician's prescription (40–60% of patients). Among users of herbal products, 53.0% believed that these products caused no side effects. One-third of patients used herbal products at least once a month for controlling or treating their disease. Most participnats (64.4%) informed their physiciens about consumingherbal drugs and 15.8% had self-prescribed use of these herbal products. Conclusion: Our findings indicated that nearly a third of patients with diabetes used herbal remedies and most of them considered these products safe. However, more than half of the patients informed their physician about using herbal medicines.

The increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus is the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advances in drug management of diabetes, adverse effects of drugs have made scientists look towards hypoglycemic agents of plant origin. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum sp) has been suggested to help patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This is a review article in which the articles published in Persian and English by means of keywords such as Cinnamon and Medicinal Plants in data bases like SID, PubMed, and Science Direct were searched. Some randomized controlled trials that evaluate the effects of cinnamon on diabetes show conflicting results. The present review summarizes the last known abilities of cinnamon in improving complications of diabetes and constructs the theoretical mechanism by which cinnamon could tackle diabetes.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic metabolic disorders. Nowadays there is an uprising trend toward new approaches in type 2 diabetes management. In this study the effect of Ginger supplementation on blood pressure in type 2 diabetic patients was examined. Methods: 81 patients with type 2 diabetes who were referred to Yazd Diabetes Research Center participated in this randomized clinical trial. Patients were randomly divided into two groups; Placebo (PG) and ginger supplemented (GG) groups. GG were supplemented with 3 ginger capsules (1 g ginger powder in each capsule) and PG received placebo. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), Pulse pressure (PP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured before the intervention, 2nd week, 4th week, 6th week, and at the end of the study (8th week). Results: The SBP, DBP, PP and MAP were decreased significantly in the GG (P = 0.001) group at the end of week 8 and significantly decreased at the end of the study compared to the beginning of the study. No significant changes were observed in the PG. However, its mean was statistically different between two groups at the end of intervention. Conclusion: This study indicated that daily consumption of 3 g of ginger powder in capsules for 8 weeks by patients with type 2 diabetes decreases SBP, DBP, PP and MAP.

Background/objective: There are conflicting results regarding the effects of exercise on immune function of HIV positive patients. Exercise can also be beneficial to psychological functioning of the patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a 12-week aerobic and resistance exercise training program on mental health and CD4 counts among female HIV+ patients. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted between September and December 2013. Forty participants (women age range 20–40) were carefully selected from 240 HIV-positive women referred to Voluntary Counseling and Treatment Center (VCT) and randomly assigned to either exercise (80 min of aerobic and strength training while receiving the VCT's routine services) group (n = 20) or control (received the VCT's routine services only) group (n = 20). To assess their mental health status, all participants completed GHQ28 questionnaire. Blood samples were collected to measure CD4 and T-cell counts at baseline and at the end of the 12-week intervention. Results: From a sample of 40 women with HIV infection, the data of 30 participants [experimental group (14) and control group (16)] were analyzed (participation rate 75%). The results indicated that after the intervention program, a significant difference in CD4 cell counts was found between the two groups (P = 0.01). With regard to mental health, after performing intervention, significant improvement in all subscales including anxiety disorder, social function, depression and mental health's total score was observed in the exercise compared to the control groups (P

Background and Aim: Due to the unprecedented growth of health management information, it is necessary to train human forces working in hospitals. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the relationship between in-service training of staff in Aboozar hospital on the one hand and organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) on the other. Materials and Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional (descriptive-analytic) study on the statistical population of Aboozar hospital in Ahvaz in 2015. One hundred hospital employees were selected. The data collection instruments included a researcher-made questionnaire for the evaluation of in-service training, Smith and Organ’s OCB questionnaire, Fishman and Common’s questionnaire of job satisfaction, and Balfour and Wechsler’s organizational commitment questionnaire. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics as well as ANOVA. Results: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between in-service training of employees and job satisfaction (r=0.53, P

Background: Preliminary clinical trials showed that ginger improved lipid profile in type 2 diabetes patients (T2D). This trial was carried out to determine the effect of ginger on blood lipid and lipoproteins in T2D. Methods: this is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on 88 T2D conducted in. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of ginger (GG) and placebo (PG), the GG consumed daily 3 one-gram capsules containing ginger powder whereas the other group received capsules of the same color and number as GG but containing cellulose microcrystalline, both after taking meals and for eight weeks. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-c, LDL-c, Apo B100 and Apo A1 were measured at the baseline and the end of trial. Results: Out of 88 patients who participated in the trial, 81 of them accomplished it. No significant changes were observed in mean of TC, TG, HDL-c, and Apo B100 within and between the groups. Serum LDL-c and LDL-c/HDL-c ratio were decreased significantly in the GG (P = 0.03, P = 0.028) at the end of trail but they were not significantly different between the two groups. Serum Apo A1 was increased significantly in the GG (P < 0.05) and PG (P < 0.05) at the end of trial but it was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: This study indicated that daily consumption of 3 g of ginger powder in capsules for 8 weeks by T2D leads to lowering of LDL-c, LDL-c/HDL-c ratio, and Apo A1. Therefore, consumption of this supplementation is appropriate for this patients

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of spironolactone on chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Methods: In this prospective interventional case series, patients with chronic cSc were treated with spironolactone (25 mg daily) for at least 6 weeks. If the subretinal fluid (SRF) had not completely resolved by this time, treatment was continued, and the dosage was increased to 25 mg twice daily. Primary outcome measure was the change in maximum SRF height at the final follow-up visit, as detected by optical coherence tomography. Secondary outcome measures were changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT). Results: Sixteen eyes of 14 patients with chronic cSc were enrolled. Mean follow-up time was 6.4 ± 4.3 months. Baseline BcVA was 0.54 ± 0.44 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (log MAR), which improved to 0.42 ± 0.43 log MAR at the final visit (P = 0.04). Mean cMT decreased from 282.69 ± 103.23 μm at baseline to 236.75 ± 90.10 μm at final visit (P = 0.11), and the mean of maximum SRF height decreased from 155.63 ± 95.27 μm at baseline to 77.19 ± 95.68 μm at the final visit (P = 0.04). SRF resolved completely in seven eyes (43.75%). Conclusion: In eyes with persistent SRF due to CSC, spironolactone therapy was associated with a statistically significant decrease in maximum SRF height, as well as an improvement in BCVA.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Ramadan fasting on the level of sex hormones in girls between 9-13 years before age at menarche.This study was conducted on a sample of 58 subjects (age range: 9-13 years), who were divided intotwo groups of fasting (N=31) and non-fasting (N=27). The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone and estradiol were measured in all the subjectsbefore and after Ramadan. Measurements were carried out three days before the start of Ramadan,and one day afterwards.In this study, FSH levels significantly increased in the non-fasting group (P=0.01), and the level ofDehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) had a significant decrease during the time of study in bothgroups (P=0.001, P=0.006). In addition, serum levels of LH significantly increased in the non-fastinggroup after Ramadan (P=0.006), and estradiol significantly increased in both groups (P=0.008,P=0.004).Given the similar changes in the levels of DHEA, progesterone and estradiol in both study groups, itcould be concluded that fasting has no effects on these parameters, and the changes in LH and FSHlevels could be due to other contributing factors.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections are major causes of morbidity among incarcerated women. However, little is known about the prevalence of these infections among female prisoners in Iran. Objectives: This cross-sectional study, assessed the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among a group of women imprisoned in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz, Iran. Patients and Methods: Over a 6-month period, we screened 129 female inmates in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz, Iran for sexually transmitted infections by appropriate clinical and routine laboratory assessments. Infected inmates were treated and followed up free of charge by the prison medical staff. Results: All inmates had evidence of at least one sexually transmitted infection. Chlamydial infection was the most common infection, which detected in 44 (34%) inmates, followed by candidiasis in 34 (26%), trichomoniasis in 26 (20%), syphilis in 8 (6%), and finally gonorrhea in 6 (4.5%) inmates. The least common infection was HIV infection, which was present in only 1 out of 129 subjects. In addition, 1 out of 58 (1.72%) serologically examined prisoners had hepatitis B, and 4 cases from 58 (7%) had evidence of hepatitis C, one of them was a drug addict and the other 3 had histories of past tattooing. Conclusions: Because of high rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in incarcerated women, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive screening program, treatment, follow-up, and partner notification in order to reduce the frequency of STIs in this high-risk, vulnerable group of females.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Considering the factors ineffective teaching can lead to improve the quality of education and teaching-learning process and can motivate the students to learn. This study was designed to identify the characteristics of effective teaching from the perspective of medical and paramedical students of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. METHODS:This study is comparative - descriptive. The participants included 75 medical students and 75 premedical students of the university that were selected by simple random selection. Data collection tool was a questionnaire which its reliability and validity had been confirmed in previous studies. Data were analyzed with software of SPSS 16 by using statistical tests (Chi-square test). FINDINGS:The results of this study showed that the priorities of effective teaching from the students' viewpoint were respectively: research in knowledge (54%), teaching approach (47%), ability to communicate (34%) and personal characteristics (28%). There was a significant association between academic average, age and the perspective of medical students about the characteristics of effective teaching (P= 0.025), but there was no significant association between the gender of students and their opinions about teaching index. CONCLUSION: According to the opinions of students it is recommended that in the area of teachers evaluation not only research in knowledge but also, other areas like teaching approach, ability to communication and personal characteristics should be considered, so the ultimate goal -quality improvement of education- can be facilitated.

Purpose: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) refers to a cluster of signs and symptoms that stems from compression of the median nerve traveling through carpal tunnel. Surgery is a definite treatment for CTS; however, many conservative therapies have been proposed. The present study set out to assess the effect of vitamin B6 in patients with CTS. Methods: Forty patients (67 hands) with mild-moderate CTS were initially selected and randomly assigned into two groups as follows: 1) Case group with 20 subjects (32 affected hands) receiving vitamin B6 (120 mg/day for 3 months) and splinting. 2) Control group with 19 subjects (35 affected hands) only received splinting. One subject from the control group dispensed with continuing participation in the research. Daily symptoms and electrodiagnostic (NCV-EMG) results were assessed at baseline and after 3 months. Results: Nocturnal awakening frequency due to pain, daily pain, daily pain frequency, daily pain persistence, hand numbness, hand weakness, hand tingling, severity of nocturnal numbness and tingling, nocturnal awakening frequency owing to hand numbness and tingling, and clumsiness in handling objects improved significantly in the vitamin B6-treated patients; even so, only problem with opening a jam bottle and handling phone significantly reduced in the control group. The median nerve sensory latency mean decreased following the treatment; and the median nerve sensory amplitude mean and sensory conduction velocity mean increased. Conclusion: The present study suggests that vitamin B6 treatment improves clinical symptoms and sensory electrodiagnostic results in CTS patients, and thus is recommended for CTS treatment.

Sustainable production and the increasing number of embryonated hatching eggs are critical aspects of the poultry production industry. The present paper aims to appraise the effectiveness of royal jelly (RJ) on the semen characteristics of Native Mazandaran roosters in both liquid and frozen storage conditions. Semen collected from 10 sexually mature roosters and following dilution was supplemented with RJ at 0.0 (control), 5 (RJ5), 10 (RJ10), 20 (RJ20) and 40 (RJ 40) mg/ml. After cooling and freezing-thawing, the percentage of forward progressive motility, viability, abnormality, hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) and the mRNA abundance of antioxidant enzymes of spermatozoa were measured. Our results revealed that the addition of 5 mg/ml RJ to the semen extender significantly increased (p < .05) the percentages of forward progressive motility, viability and HOST during liquid and frozen storage. The abnormality of spermatozoa in the RJ5 group was significantly lower compared to the other groups. During liquid storage, a significant decrease in forward progressive motility was found after 48 hr in comparison with 24 hr at 4°C. High levels of RJ (from 10 to 40 mg/ml) were severely decreased the characteristics of rooster spermatozoa in comparison with RJ5 and the control group. The inclusion of RJ at 5 mg/ml to the semen extender enhanced the mRNA transcript of antioxidant enzymes of spermatozoa during liquid preservation. The mRNA abundance of antioxidant enzymes did not influence by cryostorage. Overall, these data suggest that supplementation of RJ at 5 mg/ml to the extender improved semen characteristics and redox status of rooster spermatozoa., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentrations of royal jelly (RJ) on in vitro maturation (IVM), fertilization, cleavage, blastocyst rates, glutathione (GSH) content in ovine oocyte, mRNA abundance of antioxidant enzymes in both oocyte and cumulus, and glucose metabolism-related genes in cumulus cells. In vitro maturation of oocyte was performed in the presence of control (RJ 0 ), 2.5 (RJ 2.5 ), 5 (RJ 5 ), and 10 (RJ 10 ) mg/mL of RJ. Nuclear status, intracellular GSH content in oocytes, and mRNA abundance of selected genes were evaluated following 24 hours of IVM. Following the IVM, fertilization and embryo culture were carried out in all the groups and embryonic development was examined. The addition of 10-mg/mL RJ to maturation media not only yielded a higher number of oocytes at MII stage but also showed an increased level of intracellular GSH content than did RJ 2.5 and control groups. Fertilization, cleavage, and blastocyst rate were higher in the RJ 10 treatment group in comparison to the control one. In cumulus cells, the expression of PFKM, PFKL, and G6PDH were increased following the addition of RJ to the maturation media. Supplementation of 10-mg/mL RJ to IVM medium increased the GPx mRNA abundance in both oocyte and cumulus cells and SOD expression in the cumulus cells. The CAT mRNA abundance was not influenced by the addition of RJ to the maturation media in either oocyte or cumulus cells. It seems that the improvement of oocyte maturation and its subsequent development in RJ 10 group may be associated with amelioration of redox status in the oocytes and activation of glucose metabolic pathways in their surrounding cumulus cells., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The role played by adrenergic system in water intake, especially food intake, has long been known in mammals. In avian species, there have been many experiments exploring the effects of the adrenergic system in different sites in the central nervous system in meat- and egg-type poultry. This study was designed to examine the possible effects of intralateral hypothalamic area (ILHy) microinjections of a beta-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, and a beta-adrenoceptor blocker, propranolol, on food and water intake in 3-h food-deprived and 3-h water-deprived broiler cockerels. Our findings suggest that the beta-adrenergic system directly affects food especially water intake in broilers. Although isoproterenol significantly (P < or = 0.05) decreased food intake for the first 15 min, it reduced food intake during the experiment. Isoproterenol reduced water intake significantly (P < or = 0.05), which was abolished by pretreatment with propranolol. It is proposed that beta-adrenoceptors in LHy play a direct and indirect role in the regulation of food especially water intake in broiler cockerels.

Background and Goals: This study is designed to survey gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with vaginal metastases (GTN + VM) manifestations, prognosis and chemotherapy response in order to consider appropriate chemotherapy regimen for these patients. There have been just a few studies about treatment of GTN + VM., Materials and Methods: Patients with Stage III GTN with or without vaginal metastases who had referred to Vali-e-Asr Hospital during 1996-2006 have been selected to take part in this study and the size of metastases was measured. Then response and resistance to single and combination chemotherapy regimens have been compared in these two groups. The data were processed using SPSS system (release 10). Statistical analysis was done with Chi(2) to determine factors associated with complete clinical response. The level of significance was assigned at P< .05., Results: Forty-eight patients with stage III (with pulmonary metastases) GTN patients have been selected, 13 with vaginal metastases and 35 without vaginal metastases. Incidence of vaginal metastases in stage III was 26%. Metastases were mainly in distal part of vagina and suburethra. Chief complaint was severe hemorrhage in 25% of patients and was controlled by vaginal packing with just one exception. Group of vaginal metastases showed 66.6% resistance to first-line chemotherapy, compared to 28.6% in patients with no vaginal metastases (P-value=0.010). Median of chemotherapy courses in low-risk vaginal metastatic patients was 5 (mean=5.2), compared to three courses in the group without vaginal metastases. Resistance to single chemotherapy was significantly higher in GTN + VM versus GTN without VM patients and resistance was higher especially in patients with metastases with more than 3 cm (in diameter)., Conclusions: Vaginal metastasis with more than 3 cm in diameter is an important prognostic factor in GTN patients. There have higher risks for severe hemorrhage and resistance to single agent chemotherapy, so in these patients combination chemotherapy, with no regard to staging and scoring, would be a better choice.