Investigating the depression, anxiety, and stress-related factors in near-miss mothers.

Background: Life-threatening complications during pregnancy and childbirth could have an impact on the physical and mental health of mothers. The present research aimed to investigate the factors related to depression, anxiety, and stress among mothers who have survived maternal near-miss situations.

Materials And Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical study, and the data have been collected cross-sectionally.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Ameliorates Impaired Steroidogenesis in Human Granulosa Cells Induced by Advanced Glycation End-Products.

Background: Ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) are essential for follicular development. Ovarian advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) accumulation is related to GCs dysfunction. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) illustrates therapeutic capabilities for infertility-related disorders.

Sperm Parameters and Chromatin Integrity in Men Suffering from Celiac Disease: Insights into Reproductive Health, Case-Control Study.

Objective: Celiac disease is a common chronic inflammatory condition of the small intestine caused by permanent intolerance to gluten/gliadin. It has been demonstrated that oxidative stress is one of the mechanisms that is involved in gliadin toxicity, and there is a correlation between oxidative damage with this disease. Similarly, increased oxidative stress was repeatedly reported in infertile men which led to low-quality of sperm function.

Sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and flow cytometry-assisted TUNEL assay provide a concordant assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation as a function of age in a large cohort of approximately 10,000 patients.

Background: Sperm DNA integrity is increasingly seen as a critical characteristic determining reproductive success, both in natural reproduction and in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Despite this awareness, sperm DNA and nuclear integrity tests are still not part of routine examinations for either infertile men or fertile men wishing to assess their reproductive capacity. This is not due to the unavailability of DNA and sperm nuclear integrity tests.

Integrative Bioinformatics Analysis of The Cell Division Cycle and Ribosomal Pathways in The Rat Varicocele: Implications for Drug Discovery.

Objective: Varicocele is a common cause of male infertility, affecting a substantial proportion of infertile men. Recent studies have employed transcriptomic analysis to identify candidate genes that may be implicated in the pathogenesis of this condition. Accordingly, this study sought to leverage rat gene expression profiling, along with protein-protein interaction networks, to identify key regulatory genes, related pathways, and potentially effective drugs for the treatment of varicocele.

Omega 6/Omega 3 Ratio Is High in Individuals with Increased Sperm DNA fragmentation.

An imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in sperm has been linked with lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in sperm, indicating a possible correlation to fertility potential. This cross-sectional study involved 56 infertile men (aged 25-45), and assessed the relationship between the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in sperm and seminal plasma with sperm DNA fragmentation. Individuals were categorized based on high or low levels of sperm DNA fragmentation according to two tests (TUNEL and SCSA assay less or greater than 10 and 30%, respectively), and their fatty acid composition, as well as sperm functional tests, were analyzed.

Metabolic Syndrome and Assisted Reproductive Techniques.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor affecting reproductive health and pregnant outcomes. So far, the effect of this syndrome on the success rate of assisted reproduction techniques (ART) has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and the success rate of ART in infertile women in Isfahan.

Enhancing the Accuracy of Measuring DEP Force Applied on Cells by Considering the Friction Effect.

The Dielectrophoresis (DEP) phenomenon has been widely used for cell separation in recent years. The experimental measurement of the DEP force is one of the concerns of scientists. This research presents a novel method for more accurately measuring the DEP force.

Assisted Oocyte Activation following Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection: A Sensible Option for Infertile Couples with Severe Teratozoospermia.

The intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has significantly improved male factor infertility treatment; however, complete fertilization failure still occurs in 1-5% of ICSI treatment cycles mainly due to oocyte activation failure. It is estimated that around 40-70% of oocyte activation failure is associated with sperm factors after ICSI. Assisted oocyte activation (AOA) as an effective approach to avoid total fertilization failure (TFF) has been proposed following ICSI.

The effect of alpha-lipoic acid on sperm functions in rodent models for male infertility: A systematic review.

In this systematic review, we assessed different studies to evaluate the protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), as a multifaceted antioxidant, on sperm functions in rodent models. Four databases were searched to find papers reporting the effect of ALA treatment on animal models of male infertility. Up to December 2022, 11,787 articles were identified to explain the ALA protective effects.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Supplementation for Male Partner of Couples with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Post hoc analysis in Clinical Trial.

Background: Increased sperm DNA damage is known as one of the causes of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) which can be due to increased levels of oxidative stress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on sperm parameters and sperm functions in couples with a history of RPL.

Materials And Methods: In this post hoc analysis in clinical trial study, a total of 37 couples with RPL (n=12 and n=25 for placebo and ALA groups, respectively) were considered.

L-Carnitine and Pentoxifylline Supplementation Improves Sperm Viability and Motility at Low Temperature.

Background: In infertility clinics, preserving high-quality spermatozoa for a long time is a necessity. Pentoxifylline (PT) and L-carnitine (LC) are effective in improving sperm motility as well as protecting the sperm membrane. The present study aimed to investigate the protective impacts of PT and LC on the quality of the normal sperm motility, protamine content, and viability on prolonged storage for 12 days at 4-6°C.

A reproductive health-care program for surrogate mothers: A mixed methods study.

Background: Surrogacy has become an alternative family formation option for women who are unable to carry a pregnancy. There is no comprehensive care program despite the different nature of this pregnancy. The present study aimed to develop a reproductive health-care program for surrogate mothers within the cultural and social context of Iran.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid Ameliorates Sperm DNA Damage and Chromatin Integrity in Men with High DNA Damage: A Triple Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: Evidence suggests the contributory role of oxidative stress (OS) to sperm DNA damage and eventually, male infertility. Antioxidant supplementation has exhibited favorable results regarding seminal OS, sperm DNA damage, and chromatin integrity. We aimed to evaluate the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on semen analysis, sperm DNA damage, chromatin integrity, and seminal/intracellular OS in infertile men with high sperm DNA damage.

The association between dietary fat and mineral intake with semen parameters: A cross-sectional study in infertile men.

Background: Infertility has been a significant problem for couples in recent decades, and the issue can often lie with the male rather than the female.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of fats and minerals intake on semen parameters in infertile men.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 260 infertile men referred to Isfahan Infertility Clinic, Isfahan, Iran in the summer of 2018.

Down-Regulated Expression of Cystathionine β-Synthase and Cystathionine γ-Lyase in Varicocele, and Infertile Men: A Case-Control Study.

Objective: Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) are two important enzymes involved in One-Carbon metabolism. These enzymes play important roles in modulating oxidative stress and inflammation in male factor infertility through participating in the synthesis of glutathione (GSH) antioxidants in the trans-sulfuration pathway. Besides, the direct release of hydrogen sulfide (HS) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

The NLRP3 inflammasome: molecular activation and regulation in spermatogenesis and male infertility; a systematic review.

Background: Infertility related to varicocele, infections, metabolic dysfunctions, oxidative stress and environmental toxicants is also associated with inflammatory processes that ultimately lead to the activation of the inflammasome pathway (IP). IP is classically activated by DAMPs, MAMPs or LAMPs, which stand for Damage-, Microbe- or Lifestyle-Associated Molecular Patterns, respectively. The most important player in IP activation is the NLRP3 (NOD[Nuclear oligomerization domain]-, LRR[Leucine rich repeat]- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) which functions as an intracellular sensor of D/M/L-AMPs resulting in activation of caspase-1, promotion of apoptosis, pyroptosis and generation of inflammatory cytokines.

MACS-DGC versus DGC Sperm Wash Procedure: Comparing Clinical Outcomes in Couples with Male Factor Infertility Undergoing ICSI: A Clinical Trial Study.

Background: : Implementation of sperm preparation techniques based on cellular and molecular characteristics can improve the clinical outcomes of couples with male factor infertility. These methods attempt to select better sperm compared to classical methods of preparation such as swim-up and density gradient centrifugation (DGC). In this view, the aim of this study was the comparison of clinical outcomes of magnetic-activated cell separation (MACS) followed by DGC or DGC alone in infertile men undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Increased de novo DNA Methylation Enzymes in Sperm of Individuals with Varicocele.

This article was published in Cell J (Yakhteh), Vol 23, No 4, 2021, on pages 389-396, corresponding author asked us to add another address (5. Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Unit, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar) to the fourth author's affiliation. The authors would like to apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Emotions towards potential genetic offspring among oocyte donors: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The presence of maternal emotions towards the offspring resulting from assisted reproductive techniques (ART) has been previously reported in oocyte donors. However, there is limited information about the presence of these emotions in oocyte donors during the ART process and before pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the emotions of oocyte donor women towards the potential genetic offspring and to compare them with women treated with ART by using own oocytes.

Reactive Oxygen Species and Their Consequences on the Structure and Function of Mammalian Spermatozoa.

Among the 200 or so cell types that comprise mammals, spermatozoa have an ambiguous relationship with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) inherent in the consumption of oxygen that supports aerobic metabolism. In this review, we shall see that spermatozoa need the action of ROS to reach their structural and functional maturity, but that due to intrinsic unique characteristics, they are, perhaps more than any other cell type, susceptible to oxidative damage. Recent studies have improved our knowledge of how oxidative damage affects sperm structures and functions.

The Effects of Serum and Follicular Fluid Vitamin D Levels on Assisted Reproductive Techniques: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Based on studies on animal models, vitamin D plays an essential role in reproduction by controlling Ca and Mg levels. Despite these findings, the effects of vitamin D deficiency and supplementation on the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) remain controversial. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between serum and follicular fluid 25-OH vitamin D levels on reproductive outcomes of infertile women.

Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic Disorders (PGT-M) in A Family with A Novel Mutation in Gene.

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a heterogeneous group of systemic disorders characterized by defects in glycosylation of lipids and proteins. One of the rare subtypes of CDG is CDG-Ij (MIM # 608093), which is caused by pathogenic mutations in , a gene encoding UDP-N-acetylglucosaminedolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase enzyme. This enzyme catalyzes the first step of oligosaccharide synthesis in glycoprotein biosynthesis pathway.