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Background: Smoking has a negative effect on fertility and sperm quality. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of smoking on sperm quality and the related parameters such as sperm concentration, morphology and motility. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 infertile men with at least one year history of idiopathic infertility, who admitted to the Avicenna Infertility Center, Tehran, Iran. A complete history including smoking habits and other diseases was obtained and semen analysis was performed for all participants. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16 and t test and Mann-whitney tests with a significance level of α= 0.05. Results: Comparison of sperm parameters in the two groups of smoker and nonsmoker subjects showed that active smoking (p=0.04) and cigarette consumption even in small amounts (p=0.03) decreased sperm concentration, However, no significant correlation was detected between smoking status and morphology or motility of sperms. Conclusion: This study failed to find a significant correlation between sperm analysis and smoking status except for sperm concentration, which was significantly decreased in the active smokers ,even in those consuming small amounts of tobacco. This finding propounds that tobacco consumption may negatively affect fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nowadays, HIV is mostly spreading in Asian countries. One of the important routes for HIV transmission in these countries is the, vertical route which infects 35% to 45% of newborns. Mother's education, drug prophylaxis and Cesarean section, accompanied by banning breastfeeding will decrease this rate to 2%. Therefore, mothers' knowledge about Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) has a great role in HIV/AIDS prevention. This study was designed to evaluate knowledge of pregnant women about HIV, its vertical transmission and prevention in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1577 pregnant women aged 15 - 46 years who were attending prenatal care clinics in Tehran, Iran. The research material was a questionnaire which was completed daily by trained midwives. The data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA, independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation and linear regression with a significance level of p = 0.05. Results: About 16.5% of the participants had good knowledge about HIV/AIDS and 54.1% about its transmission routes but awareness about its prevention was only 5.7%. Fifty-seven percent of the participant had not been tested for HIV earlier and 20.2% were not willing to undergo such tests. About 86.2% of the participants had no idea about the availability of drug prophylaxis in Iran for PMTCT. i, Conclusion: The fact that 28.2% of the participants were not willing to undergo HIV testing reflects negative attitude about HIV infection. Although the overall awareness ir about the infection and its transmission was good but knowledge about its prevention especially by PMTCT and its availability in Iran was low. Educational programs through mass media or prenatal care programs by focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention maybe useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Infertility is an important social concern. Environmental factors such as smoking and tobacco consumption can affect sperm and follicular function and infertility. Smoke cessation reduces its complications and makes infertility treatment more effective which motivates and encourages infertile smokers to consider quitting. The aim of current study was to assess brief smoking cessation counseling efficacy in infertile couples referring to Avicenna center. Materials and Methods: This is a Descriptive cross-sectional study. Smokers referred to Avicenna infertility clinic with complain of primary infertility during 2008-2009 were studied. Data were collected through questionnaire. Patients received tobacco cessation brief advice and educational material package of ill effects of tobacco consumption on general health and infertility. Success in quitting was assessed 6 months after the first visit. Results: Seventy cases were studied with mean age of 36.45±6.3 which 68(%97.1) were male. The mean of smoke consumption duration was 17.78±7.49 and the mean duration of infertility was 5.56±4.0 year. Forty one individuals (59.4%) had mild nicotine dependence. Mean knowledge level about tobacco harms was 0.57±0.79 (from total of 4 points) and attitude mean was 18.50±2.95 (from total of 24 points). Estimating quit success rates, 41 individuals (63%) quitted but it was unrelated to cessation factors. Conclusion: It seems that according to high motivation of this group, smoke cessation brief advice and increasing knowledge through educational package is effective. It is recommended that smoke cessation brief advice and knowledge increment to be added to infertility treatment program [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: High prevalence of tobacco consumption in childbearing ages is an important topic of consideration as its ill effects have influences on fertility. Worldwide studies have shown that general knowledge on fertility issues is low. Aim of the current study was to assess tobacco harm knowledge and attitude in infertile couples referring to the Avicenna center. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. All Avicenna fertility clinics' new patients with infertility complain between November of 2007 and February 2008 was included. Information was collected trough standard knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Results: Among 684 individuals (342 couples), the mean score of knowledge and attitude was 0.49±0.79 (from a total of 4), 19.1±2.70 (from a total of 24). The mean knowledge score among women and men was 0.44±0.73, 0.54±0.84, respectively. The mean of attitude score in women and men was 19.35±2.55, 18.85±2.82, respectively. Significant correlation between age, gender, education and tobacco experience with knowledge was not found. Yet, attitude was significantly more appropriate in women, the educated and inexperienced tobacco usage (P=0.001, P=0.001, P=0.03, respectively). Conclusion:In the population studied, attitude was appropriate but level of knowledge was low and this suggests more steps should be taken to improve the knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Synthetic fluorescent dyes that are conjugated to antibodies are useful tools to probe molecules. Based on dye chemical structures, their photobleaching and photostability indices are quite diverse. It is generally believed that among different fluorescent dyes, Alexa Fluor family has greater photostability than traditional dyes like fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and Cy5. Alexa Fluor 568 is a member of Alexa Fluor family presumed to have superior photostability and photobleahing profiles than FITC. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we conjugated Alexa Fluor 568 and FITC dyes to a mouse anti-human nestin monoclonal antibody (ANM) to acquire their photobleaching profiles and photostability indices. Then, the fluorophore/antibody ratios were calculated using a spectrophotometer. The photobleaching profiles and photostability indices of conjugated antibodies were subsequently studied by immunocytochemistry (ICC). Samples were continuously illuminated and digital images acquired under a fluorescent microscope. Data were processed by ImageJ software. Results: Alexa Fluor 568 has a brighter fluorescence and higher photostability than FITC. Conclusion: Alexa Fluor 568 is a capable dye to use in photostaining techniques and it has a longer photostability when compared to FITC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have employed a peptide-based antibody generation protocol for producing antibody against human nestin. Using a 12-mer synthetic peptide from repetitive region of human nestin protein devoid of any N- or O-glycosylation sequences, we generated a mouse monoclonal antibody capable of recognizing human, mouse, bovine, and rat nestin. A wide variety of nestin proteins ranging from 140-250 kDa was detected by this antibody. This antibody is highly specific and functional in applications such as ELISA, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, and Western blot assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Comparing Anxiety, Depression and Sexual Life Satisfaction in Two Groups of Fertile and Infertile Women in Tehran," by Leila Faal Kalkhoran and colleagues is presented.