فردین عمیدی

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common reproductive disease, which has a high prevalence in women of reproductive age. Quercetin is a natural compound of flavonoids that can intervene in the pathological process of PCOS. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of quercetin in PCOS patients on egg maturation in IVF patients. Also, the effect of reducing vitamin D in this process was investigated. The patients in this study were divided into two groups: the first group was the control group used only placebo without any information and the second group was the experimental group that used quercetin. Each of them received one oral capsule (medicine or placebo) daily for about forty days from the beginning of a cycle before the ovulation stimulation cycle until the day of ovulation. At the end, the level of egg maturation and embryo quality and serum level of LH, FSH and AMH were investigated. Vitamin D serum level was also analyzed. The results showed that there is a significant difference in egg grade and embryo quality in both control and drug groups. There was no significant difference in the level of LH, FSH and AMH between the control and drug groups. Also, in the group that took quercetin, embryo quality and egg maturation have a direct relationship with vitamin D levels.

Quercetin plays an important role in egg maturation and embryo quality, which is directly related to the serum level of vitamin D in PCOS patients who underwent IVF treatment.

The process of implantation, a critical phenomenon in early development of embryo, is result of regulated reciprocal interaction between receptive endometrium and competent embryo. This dialogue is mediated by cell surface molecules, components of extracellular matrix and both embryo and endometrium secreted substances such as cytokines, growth factors, hormones and extracellular vesicles. Intensive recent studies introduce secreted microRNAs (miRNAs) as novel mediators in intercellular communication. MiRNAs are endogenous small single-stranded non-coding RNAs which involved in regulating post-transcriptionally target genes and influencing various intracellular processes. These molecules can be secreted and delivered into recipient cells where they affect host cellular events through target gene suppressing. Inthis regard, we reviewed the role of miRNAs in trophoblast cell differentiation, blastocyst secreted miRNAs in interaction with endometrium and regulation of implantation. In infertility treatment through assisted reproductive techniques, clinician needs to non-invasive strategies for exploring the criteria to select the best in vitro-produced embryo for transfer into uterine and achieving pregnancy. Here, we also reviewed potential role of miRNAs as biomarkers for selecting of competent embryos to transfer into uterine during infertility treatment such as in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

This article describes the steps of creating an active learning space based on John Kotter's Leadership Change Model and evaluating the consequences of creating this learning space in the Faculty of Medicine of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

This action research study was conducted from 2017 to 2019 after obtaining permission from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The leadership of this change was guided by the John Kotter model and the evaluation of the consequences of creating the active learning space using a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire in collaboration with 265 basic science students through available sampling and 33 faculty members who had class in the Active learning space.

The change leadership process was successful and resulted in the creating the active physical space. Based on the findings of this study, 129 students (48.76%) agreed and strongly agreed that learning in this area had a greater impact on deepening their learning. The results showed that 30 (90.91%) of faculty members believed that they spend more time in creating collaboration and teamwork activities.

It seems that changing physical space has facilitated group discussion and interaction. In this study, we describe the leadership experience of this change and evaluate the opinions of students and faculty about active teaching in the classroom. The application of this study is for managers and leaders in education in medical universities seeking to change curricula, as attention to physical change alongside curricula is generally neglected. Keywords: Active Learning, Student-centered, Physical Space, Change Leadership, John Kotter Model

Vitamin D has multifaceted function in human reproductive physiology. It has been revealed that vitamin D is involved in spermatogenesis, and semen quality can be linked to vitamin D status in men.

Evaluating the correlation of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) levels in serum with basic and advanced semen parameters and essential determinants of spermatozoa function.

Participants were categorized, based on semen parameters, into normozoospermic (NS) and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) men. Serum level of 25-OHD was measured. Apoptotic status of spermatozoa, mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species content of semen were assessed.

Difference of 25-OHD concentration in serum of NS men versus OAT ones did not meet significance threshold. DNA fragmentation, reactive oxygen species content of semen and mitochondrial membrane potential state revealed significant difference between NS and OAT subjects. There were no significant differences in basic and functional semen parameters when men were stratified based on serum 25-OHD level. Taking both 25-OHD and semen categories (NS and OAT) into consideration did not indicate any significant difference in studied parameters. Total motility of spermatozoa was positively correlated with serum concentration of 25-OHD in all studied subjects. In addition, normal morphology of spermatozoa in NS men revealed a positive and significant correlation with levels of 25-OHD in serum.

Vitamin D may affect motility and morphology of spermatozoa. Lower content of serum vitamin D may affect fertility of men and should be considered in examination of men with abnormal spermogram.  

Teratoasthenozoospermia (TA) is a severe form of male infertility with no clear etiology.

To compare the level of intracellular anion superoxide (O2–), heat shock protein A2 (HSPA2) and protamine deficiencies in ejaculated spermatozoa between teratoasthenozoospermic and normozoospermic men.

In this case- control study, semen samples of 20 infertile men, with TA (with normal morphology lower than 4%_ and total motility lower than 40% ) as the case group and 20 normozoospermic fertile men as the control group were evaluated for intracellular O2 – and HSPA2 by flow cytometry and protamine deficiency by Chromomycin A3 (CMA3) test.

The rate of CMA3 spermatozoa in the case group was higher than controls (p=0.001). The percentages of HSPA2 spermatozoa in the cases were significantly lower than controls (p=0.001). Also, intracellular O2 – levels in the case group were significantly higher than controls (p=0.001) and had positive correlations with sperm apoptosis (r=0.79, p=0.01) and CMA3 positive sperm (r=0.76, p=0.01), but negative correlations with normal morphology (r=-0.81, p=0.01) and motility (r=-0.81, p=0.01). There was no significant correlation between intracellular O2 – and HSPA2 in the case group (r=0.041, p=0.79).

We suggest that the increase in intracellular O2 –, decrease in spermatozoa HSPA2, and high percentages of spermatozoa with immature chromatin might be considered as etiologies of infertility in TA patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two vitrification protocols on mouse metaphase stage II (MII) oocytes and evaluate their effects on the expression of heat shock protein A1A (HSP A1A) and MnSOD genes.

Groups of approximately 15 oocytes without cumulus complexes were collected and vitrified with 10% (v/v) ethylene glycol (EG) + 10% (v/v) dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) + 0.5M sucrose in group A (VSI) and 14.5% (v/v) EG + 14.5% PROH + 0.5M sucrose in group B (VSII), respectively. Thawing after vitrification was performd by placing the oocytes into 1M sucrose for 1 minute and two diluted solutions, each for 3 minutes. After thawing, the oocytes were fertilized and cultured in vitro to develop into the pronuclear stage. The survival rate of vitrified-warmed oocytes and rate of fertilization were evaluated. In addition, gene expressions (HSP A1A, MnSOD and β actin) of vitrified-warmed oocytes were also examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Survival rates of each group were separately compared to the control. The result showed significant differences between each experimental group compared to the control (p≤ 0.001). The survival rate of oocytes after warming was higher in VSI (91.2% ± 1.7) compared to VSII (89.2% ± 1.5) but there were no significant differences between the two groups. The rate of fertilization was significantly (p≤0.05) reduced in vitrified-warmed (VSI: 39% ± 5.8; VSII: 34% ± 5.7) oocytes compared to the control (88.36% ± 2.3). The expression of MnSOD increased in the vitrified-warmed oocytes when compared to control oocytes. We also detected HSP A1A only in the control and VSI group.

Vitrification of oocytes by cryotop resulted in high survival rate; low developmental competence and fertilization rate of vitrified-warmed oocytes which may be a result of changing expression of important genes after thawing.