The effects of unilateral varicose ovarian vein on antioxidant capacity and oocyte quality in rat ovary

Several researchers have reported the relationship between infertility in male and varicocele for so many years but the implication of varicocele in female patients is remains elusive. Here, we aim to examine the effects of unilateral varicose ovarian vein on antioxidant capacity and oocyte quality of rat ovary after the experimental creation of varicocele in female rats. Materials and Methods: In this study, thirty adult female albino rats were divided into three equal groups: Group 1 as the control group has 10 rats, Group 2 as the sham group has 10 rats and they underwent a sham operation and finally Group 3 has the varicocele group has 10 rats. Antioxidant assays for superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase were performed using specific assay kits and gene expression for Bax, Bmp-15, Hsp-27 and Gdf-9 was done via real time PCR. Results: The adverse effects of the experimentally induced varicocele were reported and recorded on the left ovary compared to the right sided ovary (no varicocele induction) in the varicocele group. Real time PCR data shows that the expression of Gdf-9, Hsp-27 and Bmp-15 genes were all significantly reduced at p≤ 0.05. Conclusion: The results of this study show that reduced gene expression of Bmp-15, Gdf-9 and Hsp-27, increased gene expression of bax and an imbalance between pro-oxidant/ antioxidant ratio are few of the several mechanisms by which varicocele may lead to infertility in female

The effect of thinking distraction on anxiety of patients during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of thinking distraction on the anxiety severity in patients undergoing extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in the ESWL department of Ayatollah Kashani hospital in Shahrekord. Methods: This is a clinical trial study that was conducted in 2018 in 120 patients referred to Ayatollah Keshāni Hospital in Shahrekord for the purpose of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Patients were selected through convenience sampling and divided into experimental and control groups  in a quasi-random method. In addition to routine care, the test group received the natural sound of the event along with its beautiful scenery, and the control group received routine care only. The patientchr('39')s anxiety was measured based on the Spielberger questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software, descriptive statistics and t test. Results: Mean anxiety score changes in distraction receiver group, - 21/56± 98   and in the control group was -5/21± 8/12. There was a significant difference (p = 0.001) between the control group and group receiving the thinking distraction  . Conclusion: distraction method is effective in reducing anxiety in patients undergoing extracorporeal lithotripsy and can be used to manage pain in the future

Slot-Die Coated Copper Indium Disulfide as Hole-Transport Material for Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite photovoltaics have the potential to significantly lower the cost of producing solar energy. However, this depends on the ability of the perovskite thin film and other layers in the solar cell to be deposited using large-scale techniques such as slot-die coating without sacrificing efficiency. In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), Spiro-OMeTAD, a small molecule-based organic semiconductor, is commonly used as the benchmark hole transport material (HTL). Despite its effective performance, the multi-step synthesis of Spiro-OMeTAD is complex and expensive, making large-scale printing difficult. Copper indium disulfide (CIS) was chosen in this study as an alternative inorganic HTL for perovskite solar cells due to its ease of fabrication, cost-effectiveness, and improvements to the economic feasibility of cell production. In this study, all layers of perovskite solar cell were printed and compared to a spin-coating-based device. Various parameters affecting the layer quality and thickness were then analyzed, including substrate temperature, print head temperature, printing speed, meniscus height, shim thickness, and ink injection flow rate. The small print area achieved spin-coating quality, which bodes well for large-scale printing. The printed cell efficiencies were comparable to the reference cell, having a 9.9% and 11.36% efficiency, respectively