masoud maleki

Approximately half of all cases of infertility are caused by factors related to men, one of the most significant issues in human reproduction. The cause of male infertility is mainly unknown; however, it is demonstrated that genetic factors and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with male infertility. This study evaluated the association between follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene polymorphism (rs6165 C/T) and idiopathic asthenozoospermia (AZS) in Iranian Azeri men.

This study included 50 men with idiopathic sterility (case group) and 50 healthy men with normal fertility (control group) from East Azerbaijan, Iran. The genomic DNA was extracted, and the genotype was determined using Tetra-ARMS PCR. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 19.0.

The frequencies of CC, CT, and TT genotypes were 8%, 70%, and 22% in infertile patients, as compared with 2%, 92%, and 6% in healthy individuals. We found no significant difference between the case and control groups in terms of genotype and allele distribution.

Our analysis found no significant correlation between FSHR gene rs6165 polymorphism and idiopathic AZS in Iranian Azeri males. However, more comprehensive studies with greater sample sizes are required from various geographic regions, races, and ethnic groups.

Genetic predisposition plays a crucial role in the development of preeclampsia, with the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (FLT1) gene implicated in angiogenesis and endothelial dysfunction, both central to the disease's pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the rs722503 polymorphism of the FLT1 gene and susceptibility to preeclampsia in pregnant women in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran.

In this case-control study, 24 fetal cord blood samples from pregnant women, including 13 with preeclampsia and 11 healthy controls, were recruited from healthcare centers in East Azerbaijan Province. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples, and the rs722503 polymorphism in the FLT1 gene was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were then subjected to electrophoresis to observe the desired polymorphism. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the association between the rs722503 polymorphism and preeclampsia risk.

A significant association was found between the rs722503 polymorphism of the FLT1 gene and the risk of preeclampsia. Women with the TT genotype had a higher risk of developing preeclampsia compared to those with the CC genotype (P-value < 0.05). The frequency of the T allele was also significantly higher in the preeclampsia group compared to controls.

The rs722503 polymorphism of the FLT1 gene may be a genetic risk factor for preeclampsia in the population of East Azerbaijan Province. These findings could contribute to early identification of at-risk individuals and potential development of targeted therapeutic strategies.

Membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems are considered a suitable approach for this purpose. However, the main challenge of these systems is membrane fouling. This study investigated the filtration performance of a ceramic membrane in two operating modes: side-stream and submerged. The impact of physical and chemical cleaning on fouling removal and filtration performance was evaluated. The results showed that total fouling in submerged and side-stream MBRs reached 93.6% and 82.3%, respectively. Reversible fouling rates were 50.9% and 56.2%, and irreversible fouling rates were 42.7% and 26.3%, respectively. Additionally, the levels of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) formed on the membrane decreased from about 255 mg/gVSS to about 120 in the submerged MBR and 65 in the side-stream MBR. The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal efficiency was 88% for the side-stream MBR and 82% for the submerged MBR. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests identified the components and compounds present in the activated sludge. FTIR and EPS analyses indicated that acidic compounds such as humic acid, and amine and hydroxyl-containing compounds such as polysaccharides, halides, and alkyl halides were present on the membrane cake layer, causing pore blockage and cake formation.

Body hair removal plays an important role in beauty standards, particularly for women. Finding a method that is easy to use, cheap, and can be done without supervision can significantly affect long-term hair reduction and reduce the side effects of hair removal. The present study investigated the impact of a containing 20% broad bean (Vicia faba) extract cream on axillary hair removal. Twenty-five female volunteers were randomly divided into A (right axillary intervention - left axillary placebo) and B (right axillary placebo - left axillary intervention). Depending on the group, each person used a cream containing 20% broad bean extract )"The extract made from the seeds and pods of broad beans.") on one side and a placebo on the other twice a day for three months. Volunteers shaved their axillary hairs three days before each visit and took pictures of both sides on the day of the visit with a trichoscope (to check the diameter and thickness of the hairs). We found a decrease in thickness on the intervention group (the axilla where a cream containing broad bean extract was applied); however, this difference was not significant between the intervention side and the placebo. In terms of the number of hairs, the difference between the two groups was significant only in the second month despite the decrease on the intervention side. Evaluation based on the personal judgment of the volunteers showed that there was a substantial difference in terms of the number of hairs (p=0.012) and thinning of hair (p=0.02). Our findings showed that 20% broad bean extract cream could potentially reduce axillary hair growth.

The microfluidic device is highly optimized to remove oocytes from the cumulus-corona cell mass surrounding them. Additionally, it effectively captures and immobilizes the oocytes, aiding in assessing their quality and facilitating the injection of sperm into the oocyte. In this study, a novel microfluidic chip was designed and manufactured using conventional soft lithography methods.

This research proposes the utilization of a microfluidic chip as a substitute for the conventional manual procedures involved in oocyte denudation, trapping, and immobilization. The microfluidic chip was modeled and simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics® 5.2 software to optimize and enhance its design and performance. The microfluidic chip was fabricated using conventional injection molding techniques on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate by employing soft lithography methods.

A hydrostatic force was applied to guide the oocyte through predetermined pathways to eliminate the cumulus cells surrounding the oocyte. The oocyte was subsequently confined within the designated trap region by utilizing hydraulic resistance along the paths and immobilized by applying vacuum force.

The application of this chip necessitates a lower level of operator expertise compared to enzymatic and mechanical techniques. Moreover, it is feasible to continuously monitor the oocyte's state throughout the procedure. There is a reduced need for cultural media compared to more standard approaches.

One of the most prevalent malignancies to strike women, both in Iran and globally, is cervical cancer. Metastasis, which is a significant cause of mortality, is one of the most significant pathological processes of this cancer. Therefore, preventing the migration of cancer cells may be a useful therapeutic approach. The aim of this work was to investigate the impact of conditioned media and human Wharton's jelly stem cells (hWJSCs) on the migration and growth of the cervical cancer cell line Hela as well as the in vitro mRNA expression of genes involved in metastasis.

After primary culture, cellular extract and conditioned medium of hWJSCs were prepared. The viability of cervical cancer cells was investigated by MTT assay after treatment with cellular extract and conditioned medium of hWJSCs. Moreover, the anti-migratory effects of cellular extract and conditioned medium of hWJSCs on the cervical cancer cells were evaluated by wound‐healing migration assay. Finally, the mRNA expression of migration-related genes (E-cadherin and Vimentin) was detected by real-time PCR.

Our results indicated that the cellular extract and conditioned medium of hWJSCs (with 32% concentration) inhibited the proliferation of 100% and 20% of Hela cancer cells, respectively. In addition, the cellular extract and conditioned medium of hWJSCs significantly decreased morphological alteration and migration of the cancer cells. The cellular extract and conditioned medium of hWJSCs modified the expression of Vimentin and E-cadherin genes to inhibit the cancer cell migration (p<0.05). However, the cellular extract indicated significantly profound inhibitory effects on the cervical cancer cells compared to the conditioned medium.

Our study demonstrated that the cellular extract and conditioned medium of hWJSCs inhibit the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells through the modification of migration-related gene expression. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies are required for more accurate results.

This article is based on studying the effects of some potent candidate drugs for the treatment of female infertility. Statistically, it is one of the most important issues experienced by many female groups with the subdivision consisting of primary and secondary infertility. In this article first, genes of female infertility were taken from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and used to identify the protein-protein interaction network (PPI). Then, three protein modules from the PPI network that is under consideration, were recognized, and followed by drawing the mRNA-miRNA interaction sub-network for each protein module. According to this study, by considering the three main modules, ten miRNAs genes had the most important effect in female infertility, with the genes, MRPS22, BCLAF1, and LYAR having strong positive impact on female infertility. From this study, eventually a drug-gene interaction network for female infertility was obtained. Based on our findings, it is recommended that young couples, use low-risk therapies instead of the prescribed drugs. Finally, to make a scientific conclusion, further studies of the effects of these genes, miRNAs, and drugs in the infertility treatment is needed.

In this paper we investigate the effect of low power laser on spermatogenesis in testicular tissue of azoospermia mouse model in-vivo. In this experimental work, 112 adult male Syrian mice were randomly divided into three main groups: negative control group, positive (Azoospermia control) group, and experimental group, but to determine the best dose of laser radiation three experimental groups were tested. To create azoospermia control group, Busulfan was used at a dose of 30mg/kg, for 21 days by intraperitoneal injection. In the experimental groups after Busulfan treatment, they were applied by the low power diode laser (wavelength of 808nm) with three different energy densities of 2, 4, and 8 J/cm2. The employment of a laser with an energy density of 8 J/cm2 was shown to be beneficial in boosting germ cell and sperm production.

Melanoma is a kind of pigment cell cancer that affects the iris, ciliary body, or choroid of the eye (collectively referred to as the uvea). Tumors arise from pigment cells located inside the uvea that stain the eye. Metastasis of melanoma in the eye can damage a number of melanoma, such as the liver. Early diagnosis and treatment of melanoma can prevent possible problems, including decreased vision or complete loss of the eye. The most common manifestations of the disease are blurred vision, diplopia, photopsia and proptosis.

First, the accession number GSE22138 was used to access the Gene Expression Omnibus at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (GEO). Then, 2000 metastatic and non-metastatic melanoma genes were extracted from the NCBI database together with their P-value. Then, by constructing the PPI network, we established ten modules for the genes with the highest expression levels. The comptox database was used to identify possible Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) for 17 high-expression genes. Cytoscape software was used to visualize the EDC-Protein network for these genes. Finally, we analyzed GO (Gene-Ontology) and molecular pathways using the DAVID database.

In melanoma, 120 potential EDCs were identified to have regulatory effects on gene expression. We present oryzalin as a very effective EDC based on a comprehensive evaluation of various EDCs for metastatic Melanoma.

Oryzalin is the EDC with the highest degree in our network. However, these results need to be experimentally confirmed to suggest improved prevention.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in the male that affects the health, social and economic life of person. Different compounds such as Wharton jelly, have been used to treat prostate cancer. Wharton jelly is a tissue rich in cells with mesenchymal morphology. Wharton jelly compound inhibited the growth of various cancer cells, including ovarian, osteosarcoma, breast, and prostate cancers, and also reduced the expression of CXCR4 and VLA-4 genes involved in the metastasis process.

To do this research, Wharton jelly stem cells and DU145 cancer cell line were cultured. After cell culture, the effect of Wharton jelly on this cell line was evaluated by scratching and MTT assay. The expression of CXCR4 and VLA-4 genes was also evaluated by Real-time PCR.

The results of MTT and Scratching tests showed that Wharton jelly inhibited the growth of DU145 cancer cells and also decreased the expression level of CXCR4 and VLA-4 genes.

The results of this study showed that Wharton jelly can be considered as an effective compound for decreasing metastasis of prostate cancer.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a lesser-known eye disease in the world that gradually destroys a person’s vision by creating dark spots in the center of vision.

Samples of AMD-related genes were extracted from the NCBI, then the gene expression network (GCN) was extracted. In addition, pathway enrichment analysis was performed to investigate the role of co-expressed genes in AMD. Finally, the drug-gene interaction network was plotted.

The results of this work based on bioinformatics showed that many genes are involved in AMD disease, the most important of which are the genes of TYROBP, LILRB2, LCP2, PTPRC, CFH, SPARC, HTR5A. Overexpression of these genes can be considered as basic biomarkers for this disease, we separated some of which we had from the gene co-expression network and some from the results of genes ontology (genes that have a P value ≤ 0.05). The most important drugs were isolated from the drug-gene network based on degree, which included 5 drugs including ocriplasmin, collagenase clostridium histolyticum, topiramate, primidone, butalbital.

Among the genes we found, three genes of CFH, TYROBP, SPARC seem to be more important than the others. Among drugs, ocriplasmin, topiramate, primidone can play a more important role based on the degree in the drug-gene network, because all steps are performed with different bioinformatics methods, clinical trials must confirm or reject the results.

This paper investigates the effects of potential drugs on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with substantial alterations in retinoblastoma malignancy.

The GSE125903 dataset consisting of ten samples was used in this study (seven cancer patients and three control samples). The genes were ordered according to their adjusted p value, and 2000 top differential expressed genes with adj p values less than 0.01 were chosen as statistically significant. The STRING database version 11.0 was used to display the interaction among genes. The Cytoscape3.8.2 and the Clusterviz plugin software were used to construct the modules for the PPI network, and five clusters of genes were formed. The DGIdb v4.2.0 database was used to study drug-gene interactions and identify potentially beneficial medicines for retinoblastoma malignancy. The DAVID v.6.8 database was used to study gene ontology (GO) and important biological pathways.

CISPLATIN, TAMOXIFEN, and CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE are the medicines that have been shown to be successful in treating retinoblastoma in our study. Additionally, we conducted a research on three other drugs: GEMCITABINE, OLAPARIB, and MITOXANTRONE. Although it is used to treat other diseases, it seems to have no apparent effects on retinoblastoma cancer treatment.

CISPLATIN, a drug that causes apoptosis in tumors, has been proven to be the most effective therapy for retinoblastoma and should be included in treatment regimens for this illness. Of course, we obtained this information based on bioinformatics techniques, and more clinical trials are needed for more reliable results.

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a retinal-derived embryonic tumor. The illness severity at the time of presentation affects survival and preserves eyesight. The purpose of this research is to find Retinoblastoma causing genes and EDCs that control gene expression. To uncover genes linked to Retinoblastoma , We utilized the GEO database and a string database to rebuild the protein-protein interaction network. Then, using Cytoscape and the Clusterviz plugin, modules are explored. We utilize the Comptox database to find potential Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC) then we introduce high-degree EDCs in this network. These findings might aid researchers in better understanding melanoma.

To further understand retinoblastoma etiology and uncover possible Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals(EDCs), we looked at differential gene expression in retinoblastoma and normal samples. Then we choose differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with an adj P value of less than 0.01. The STRING database was used to create the protein-protein interaction network, which was then presented using the Cytoscape and the Clusterviz plugin was used to explore the modules. The genes in the modules were then investigated for GO and pathway enrichment. EDC-gene interactions for each module’s genes were gathered and reconstructed as a single EDC- gene network.Key words:Retinoblastoma, Protein Protein Interaction Network, systems biology, Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.

In Retinoblastoma, 347 putative EDCs were discovered to influence gene regulation. The EDC that affects five genes is ethanolamine. For the first time, these EDCs have been suggested as new possible compounds for preventing Retinoblastoma and should be investigated further in clinical trials.

Ethanolamine is a high degree EDC in our network. However, the findings should be experimentally validated to produce better prevention.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The prevalence of breast cancer in Western women is one in eight. Although the prevalence of breast cancer in Iran is lower than in Western countries (one in every 10-12 women), the incidence of breast cancer in it is 5-10 years earlier than in Western countries. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women after lung cancer. Therefore, finding new therapeutic methods could potentially help to reduce breast cancer mortality and increase the survival rate. Wharton jelly stem cells with mesenchymal morphology play an important role in inhibiting the progression of ovarian, osteosarcoma, and breast cancer by inducing apoptosis and reducing metastasis. Several environmental and genetic factors are involved in the occurrence of breast cancer. CXCR4 and VLA-4 genes are important genetic factors in breast cancer that play a role in cell survival, migration, proliferation, and metastasis of several types of cancer, especially breast cancer. Therefore, inhibition of these two genes by Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells could be a novel and effective therapeutic target in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Wharton jelly stem cells secretion on the expression of CXCR4 and VLA-4 genes in cancer cells.

These cells were exposed to Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells after culturing breast cancer cells. RNA was extracted from treated cells. The expression of CXCR4 and VLA-4 genes was evaluated by realtime PCR.

The results of the MTT and Scratching tests showed a significant difference compared to the control group. Also, the results of Real-time PCR showed a significant decrease in the expression of CXCR4 and VLA-4 genes compared to the control group.

The results of this study showed that different concentrations of Wharton Jelly Stem Cells reduce cancer cell growth and expression of CXCR4 and VLA-4 homing genes in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Therefore, Wharton Jelly Stem Cells can be considered as an effective treatment for breast cancer.

Striae is a common condition that is relatively difficult to treat. Recently, carboxytherapy was proposed as a treatment modality. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of carboxytherapy in patients with striae.
This was a pilot clinical study. Patients were treated with 10 sessions of carboxytherapy every week. The patients were photographed at the onset of the treatment course, before each treatment session, and three months after the last ones. Two dermatologists compared the images of each patient before and three months after treatment and evaluated the treatment response based on the following scores: I, no improvement (0%);II, poor (1% to 25%); III, fair (26% to 50%); IV, good (51% to 75%); and V, excellent improvement (76% to 100%). Furthermore, patients’ satisfaction with therapy outcome was recorded on a scale of 0 to 10.
15 patients were enrolled in this study; 2 (13.4%) were male and 13 (86.6%) were female. Three patients (20%) showed good response, one (6.7%) had a relatively good response, two showed (13.3%) poor response, and seven (46.6%) had no response to treatment. Analysis of the association of carboxytherapy outcomewith different patients’ characteristics showed no statistically significant correlation (P > 0.05).
Although carboxytherapy therapy did not result in a significant response in the majority of our patients, it is somehow capable of improving the striae in some patients. Further studies with bigger sample sizes may be required to ensure the efficacy of this modality in the treatment of striae.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells and are found in different tissues. These cells have capacity of self-renewal and differentiation into other lineages. Granulosa cells (GCs) are the multipotent stem cells. In the present research we evaluated the differentiation potential of GCs into keratinocytes.

GCs were cultured after enzymatic isolation from ovarian follicle. Then, keratinocyte inductive medium was added and expression of keratin10 and keratin14 were investigated with western blotting technique.

The results of the flow cytometric analysis of the isolated cells indicated the high expression of mesenchymal stem cell specific antigens (p < 0.05). Also, the results of the western blotting showed the expression of creatine 10 and creatine 14 proteins in all groups except for negative control (p< 0.05).

Human granulosa cells have a very high ability to differentiate into keratinocytic cells, and with further research, it is possible to provide a suitable substrate for the use of human granulosa cells to treat severe skin lesions.

 Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers of women in the world, which causes high mortality. The human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly stem cells (hWJSCs) can inhibit various cancer cells.

 This study aimed to investigate the effects of conditioned medium and cellular extract of human umbilical cord hWJSCs on cervical cancer cell line, Hela.

 After isolation and primary culture of hWJSCs, conditioned medium and cellular extracts of hWJSCs were prepared, and its anti-proliferative effects were evaluated on cervical cancer cells, Hela using micro-culture tetrazolium (MTT) assay. After total RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, expression of apoptosis-related BCL-2 and BAX genes were evaluated using real-time PCR.

 The results showed that conditioned medium (55% concentration in 72 hours) and cellular extraction (10% concentration in 24 hours) caused death of 50% cancer cells (IC50). The anti-cancer effects of conditioned medium and cellular extraction were concentration- and time-dependent. The conditioned medium and cellular extract of hWJSCs significantly down-regulated and up-regulated mRNA expression of apoptosis-related BCL-2 and BAX genes, respectively.

 Our study showed that conditioned medium and cellular extract of human umbilical cord hWJSCs inhibit viability and proliferation of cervical cancer cells. However, further studies on animal models are necessary for more accurate results.
 

Fenugreek is one of the important edible and medicinal vegetables that have a long history of cultivation and consumption. Characterize the extent of the genetic diversity among landraces will provide a good context for future breeding programs and genetic resource preservation. Genetic diversity and population structure of 88 individuals of eight landraces of Iranian fenugreek evaluated based on SRAP markers. Seventy-two bands generated from 6 primers in which 56 (80.11%) band were polymorph. Hamadan landrace showed the lowest values of percentage of polymorphic loci (67.86), Nei's gene diversity index (0.24), number of effective alleles (1.40) and Shannon’s Information index (0.36). Nei’s genetic distance matrix revealed the highest genetic distance between Hamadan and Yazd (0.203) and the highest genetic similarity between Mahallat and Varamin (0.036) landraces. The most gene flow was between Mahallat and Varamin landraces (Nm=8.36) and the least was between Shiraz and Hamadan landraces (Nm=0.66). An extent admixture of alleles between the Iranian fenugreek landraces was observed by the population structure. Mantel test indicated that the genetic differentiation and gene flow is not associated with geographic distance in Iranian fenugreek landraces. Our observations indicated SRAP is an efficient technique to reveal genetic diversity and population structure of Iranian fenugreek landrace.

 Intratympanic therapy, as a widely used treatment for inner ear diseases, is regarded as a therapeutic method in controlling the vertigo of the patients with Meniere’s disease. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of the Intratympanic dexamethasone-hyaluronic acid combination on patients suffering from Meniere’s disease.   This study was a clinical trial on patients with Meniere’s disease during 2016-2017. Patients received two Intratympanic injections of dexamethasone plus hyaluronic acid as a mixture within a month. Before and 2 weeks after the intervention, pure tone average (PTA) at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 KHz frequencies, speech discrimination score (SDS), dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) scores were evaluated for each patient. The obtained scores were statistically analyzed.   This study was conducted on a total number of 25 patients with Meniere's disease. The mean age of participants in this study was 44.71±4.92 years. Gender distribution among participants revealed that 36% of patients were male. The mean values of PTA, SDS, and THI were not significantly different before and after the intervention. However, the mean score of DHI decreased significantly after the intervention (P<0.001).   Intratympanic dexamethasone/hyaluronic acid had a positive effect on the vertigo of the investigated patients without any significant improvement in hearing impairment and tinnitus in the short term.

Infertility is defind as the inability to conceive after one year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse by a couple. Female infertility can have different causes that all factors can in somehow be influenced by genetic factors. Studies have shown that epigenetic changes play an important role in fetal development, oogenesis and spermatogenesis. During the growth of oocyte, follicular cells make a multilayer coating of granulosa cells. Granulosa cells are affected by gonadotropin hormones. The CYP11A1 gene is one of the genes involved in the production of steroid hormones in luteinized granulosa cells. The CYP11A1 enzyme in the progesterone prodaction path way leads to the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolon. Progesterone is an important steroid hormone that plays an important role in fertility and pregnancy. Histone modifications help to express the CYP11A1 gene. Trimethylation of Lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me3) works to active transcription in the CYP11A1 promoterIn the present study, the level of methylation H3K4me3 in regulation area of CYP11A1 gene in granulosa cells collected from the women with infertility problem and also from fertile women giving oocyte was investigated in Tabriz Jihad Daneshgahi infertilization center. To do this, the Chromatin Immunoprecipitation and then Real-Time PCR were used to investigate the level of methylation.According to the results of the present study, the level of methylation H3K4me3 in the regulating area of CYP11A1 gene in the given infertile people doesn’t show significant difference in comparision with control group and no significant relationship was observed between methylation of histone in CYP11A1 promoter and number of follicles and oocyte.It is suggested that epigenetic changes in regulating area of CYP11A1 gene are not involved in the number of follicle and oocytes.

Infertility is a disorder of the reproductive system, which often occurs after one year of regular unprotected intercourse with the aim of pregnancy. Several physical functions require the synthesis of steroid hormones, in which gonadal steroids (estrogen and progesterone) play a pivotal role in reproduction. Follicular growth and ovulation depend on the proliferation and differentiation of the granulosa and theca cells, which are possible in the steroid pathway after stimulation with the ovarian gonadotropins and cytokines. Steroidization is initiated with the transfer of cholesterol by the StAR protein to the mitochondrial membrane of the steroid cells, which is followed by a cascade of steroid hormones. Recent studies have highlighted the impact of epigenetic mechanisms on reproduction, emphasizing the importance of these changes in the early and secondary stages of gametogenesis. To determine the causes of infertility, it is essential to recognize the altered epigenetic modifications of the relevant gene and its mechanisms. In the present study, the H3K4me3 methylation level was evaluated in the StAR gene regulatory region in the granulosa cells collected from the fertile and infertile women referring to Tabriz Jihad Infertility Centerin Tabriz, Iran using ChIP-qPCR. According to the results, the H3K4me3 methylation level increased in the StAR gene regulatory region in the fertile women compared to the infertile women. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between the follicle and egg rates at the MII stage and the level of this methylation.

The main challenge for training in cosmetic dermatology is the difference in the attitudes of residency programs and residents about the necessity and amount of education during the residency period. A national online survey conducted between September 6th and November 21st, 2017. Residents, members of the Iranian Board of Dermatology, faculty members and program directors (PDs) were asked to participate in the survey.174 participants from 12 residency programs participated in this study and the response rate of residents, professors, and Dermatology Board Directory Members (Boardmans) and PDs was 89.8%, 61.7%, and 81.8%, respectively. Residents declared greater tendency towards practicing medical dermatology (mean score, 5.165±0.8335) over the five years after graduation than that of was perceived by professors (4.043±1.2988), and Boardmans and PDs (4.059±1.0290) (P˂0.001). The first residents’ priority was practicing in medical dermatology (5.165±0.8335) during 5-years after graduation. However, professors (5.261±0.8282) and Boardmans and PDs (5.176±0.7276) predicted residents' first priority would be practicing cosmetic dermatology (P˂0.001). Forty one (60.3%) of the professors, Boardmans, and PDs agreed or strongly agreed that residents’ desire to learn more about cosmetic procedures resulted in their decreased interest in learning medical procedures (P=0.18). Medical dermatology is still clearly the basis for training in residency programs,and even for residents who have a high tendency to practice cosmetic dermatology, there is a strong tendency to work in the field of medical dermatology as well.

Despite numerous studies aimed at finding a new treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), glucantime remains the first-line approach. Side effects, drug resistance, and high cost are the challenges of glucantime treatment. A simple treatment method with the fewest side effects, minimum cost, and maximum efficacy is ideal. In Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), dry CL lesions are categorized as rashes, and for treatment, corrosive and keratolytic agents should be used, including garlic. The current study was conducted to assess the effects of an ITM treatment on CL. Methods and Results: In this experimental study, 10 patients with 20 dry CL lesions received treatment based on ITM. For this purpose, some garlic poultices were used. The mean age of the patients was 36.2 years, and the average bout was nearly four months. Based on the findings, garlic poultices could treat all dry skin lesions completely during 14 days. Also, after 40, 70, 100, and 190 days of follow-up, 95% of cases were completely treated. On the 70-day follow-up, a nodule with negative direct smear and PCR results recurred in one patient. Overall, the applied treatment was cost-effective with no systemic side effects. Garlic poultices can be used as an alternative for glucantime. Topical use, shorter course of treatment, and lower number of applications, side effects, and treatment cost are the main advantages of this regimen. We suggest similar multi-centered clinical trials with a larger sample size to further evaluate this treatment regimen.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism in human pre-implantation embryos.
Fifty embryos after biopsy at cleavage stage (which were inappropriate for assisted reproductive techniques) were analyzed in order to study MTHFR C677T polymorphism and sex determination. After cell lysis, in the frst step, whole genome amplifcation (WGA) was performed by primer extension pre-amplifcation (PEP) PCR method. In the next step, fluorescence PCR with labeled primers was used to examine this polymorphism in the blastomeres. Finally, the Hinfl enzyme was employed to cut the fragments and the capillary electrophoresis was used to determine the size of PCR products.
only 37 blastomeres among 50 samples were successfully amplifed; 23 male and 14 female embryos were observed. The frequencies of CC, CT and TT genotypes in embryos were 67.56%, 24.32%, 8.10%, respectively. Additionally, the frequencies of 677C and 677T alleles were 80% and 20%, respectively.
In this study, the frequency of MTHFR c.677C˃T genotype was evaluated in human embryonic blastomeres before implantation. Therefore, this polymorphism may provide a new and valuable biomarker for evaluating the embryo usefulness and improving the In vitro fertilisation (IVF) process by choosing the best embryo. Our fndings revealed that the detection rate of C677T polymorphism was 74% in the samples.

Identification of informative markers associated with morphological traitscan be important in breeding programs specifically in selection of elite plants and constructing genetic maps. In this study, association analysis was used to detect informative markers. This technique is applied to study the relation between phonotypic and genetic diversity which allows subsequent constructing genetic maps. Stepwise regression analysis was used to determine the association between 15 morphological traits and 10 ISSR markers in 27 Iranian melon (Cucumis melo sp.) accessions. The 10 ISSR primers generated 88 polymorphic markers. The average number of ISSR markers generated was 17.2 per primer and the level of polymorphism was 51.2%. Polymorphism information content (PIC) was ranged from 0.15 for (AC)8G to 0.36 for (AG)8T and (CA)8A. Marker index was ranged from 0.54 (for (AC)8YG) to 6.67 (for (AG)8T). Minimum and maximum number of markers was found for placenta diameter (7 markers) and seed diameter (27 markers) respectively. Maximum total adjusted coefficient of determination (R2) (99.7 %) was estimated for 100-grain weight.Results indicated that the use of markers having high linkage with morphological traits can also be utilized to identify informative markers associated with these traits. This result showed that relation between primers and morphological traits is independence of marker index and polymorphism information content.