Quantitative evaluation of human sperm viability using MTT assay: A laboratory study

Background: 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay which evaluates cellular mitochondrial activity is widely used for the assessment of cell proliferation and viability. Objective: This study was performed to assess human sperm viability using MTT assay. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, human-ejaculated semen samples (n = 56 from different donors) were used. The sperm viability was determined using quantitative MTT assay and the sperm motility was assessed according to World Health Organization guidelines. Sperm viability and the correlation between sperm viability and motility were analyzed. Results: Data revealed a marked positive correlation between MTT reduction rate and the percentage of viable spermatozoa. The Pearson’s correlation coefficients also showed a significant correlation between sperm viability and motility. Conclusion: MTT assay which is based on mitochondrial functionality is a reliable method for evaluating human sperm viability and could be used as a diagnostic test for predicting sperm fertilization ability in clinical settings. Key words: Human sperm, Viability, MTT assay

Epidemiology of oral and pharyngeal cancers: A retrospective study in Kermanshah, Iran

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and relative frequency of oral and pharyngeal cancers in Kermanshah, Iran, from March 1993 until March 2006. METHODS: The data used in this epidemiologic study were extracted directly from pathology records registered in 12 (all) public and private pathology centers of Kermanshah province during the 13-year study period. The medical data of 13,323 cases of cancer were studied. RESULTS: During the 13-year period of this study, 350 new malignant cases occurred in the oral cavity and pharynx. 247 (70%) were men and 103 (30%) were women. The mean age for oral and pharyngeal cancers was 57 [standard deviation (SD) = 17.09] with male to female ratio 2.39:1. The most common oral and pharyngeal cancers were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with 283 patients. 211 (74.6%) of the patients were men and 72 (25.4%) of them were women; the mean age of SCC was 60 (SD = 16) with male to female ratio 2.93:1. The two most common sites of involvement were lips [166 (47.5%)] and tongue [25 (7.14%)]. The overall incidence rate of oral and pharyngeal cancers was 1.47 per 100000 populations. CONCLUSION: In summary, the incidence risk of oral and pharyngeal cancers in people living in Kermanshah province is similar to the most other provinces of Iran. However, this study showed that the rank of oral and pharyngeal cancers among males (9th most common cancer) is low when compared to other regions of Iran and other countries such as India, Australia, and France. KEYWORDS: Epidemiology; Oral Cancer; Pharyngeal Cancer; Ira

Oxford-MEST classification in IgA nephropathy patients: A report from Iran.

BACKGROUND There is a limited knowledge about the morphological features of IgA nephropathy (IgAN)in the middle east region. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate the spectrum of histopathological findings in IgAN patients at our laboratory. PATIENTS AND METHODS At this work, an observational study reported which was conducted on IgAN patients using the Oxford-MEST classification system. RESULTS In this survey, of 102 patients 71.6 % were male. The mean age of the patients was 37.7 ± 13.6 years. Morphologic variables of MEST classification was as follows; M1: 90.2 %, E: 32 %, S: 67 % also,T in grads I and II were in 30% and 19% respectively, while 51% were in grade zero. A significant difference was observed in segmental glomerulosclerosis (P=0.003) and interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy frequency distribution (P= 0.045), between males and females . Furthermore, it was found that mesangial hypercellularity was more prevalent in yonger patients. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between serum creatinine and crescents (P<0.001). There was also significant correlation of serum creatinine with segmental glomerulosclerosis (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Higher prevalence of segmental glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis/ tubular atrophy, as the two of, four variables of Oxford-MEST classification of IgAN in male patients further attests that male gender is a risk factor in this disease.In this study the significant correlation between serum creatinine and crescent was in an agreement with previous studies and suggests for the probable accomodation of extracapillary proliferation as a new variable in MEST system