Leptin is secreted mainly by fat, which is involved in energy metabolism and reproduction. Leptin and its receptor (Ob-R) have been detected in human spermatozoa and testis, thus it can be concluded leptin involves in male physiology. The goal of this study was determination of the presence of leptin receptor mRNA in the ram testis, epididymis and spermatozoa by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Ejaculated spermatozoa from ten fertile Taleshi ram were collected by means of an artificial vagina. Testes, placental cotyledons and adrenal glands were obtained from abattoir. Placental cotyledons and adrenal glands were used as the positive control. Epididymal spermatozoa recovery was performed from epididymis. To purify spermatozoa, motile sperm were isolated by the swim-up procedure. Total RNA was isolated from epididymal spermatozoa, ejaculated spermatozoa, adrenal gland and placental cotyledon and then they were purified. The mRNA for the long form (Ob-Rb) and the short form (Ob-Ra) of leptin receptor was detected in testis. RT-PCR analysis of total RNA from epididymal spermatozoa and ejaculated spermatozoa revealed the presence of leptin mRNA in these cells. The mRNA for Ob-Rb was observed in epididymis and epididymal spermatozoa, but the Ob-Ra mRNA was absent. The presence of Ob-Ra mRNA was found in ejaculated spermatozoa, whereas Ob-Rb mRNA did not exist. It can be concluded that the mRNA for leptin receptor is present in ram GONADS and spermatozoa.

Sexual cells in male fishes are microscopic and smaller than eggs in females. Due to the late maturation age in sturgeons, the biopsy of GONADS and histological studies are one of the most important and reliable ways to detect and separate males and females from each other at early ages. The aim of the present study was to determine and divide the sexes in farmed Acipenser persicus reared under artificial conditions. In order to detect and determine sexual maturation stages, GONADS of 81 farmed A. persicus were sampled by biopsy. Samples were fixed and studied by light microscope. Results showed that males and females were 30 (37%) and 51 (63%) individuals, respectively. The determination of sexual maturation stages in A. persicus showed that 16% were at stage I, 23.5% at stage I-II, 59.3% at stage II and 1.2% at stage III. The number of females was higher than that of males, but sexually mature females were at lower maturation stages than males in the same age and rearing conditions.

Among more than 600 fish species in Persian Gulf, Soles are considered as one of the most economically important species. These fish is different from other fishes in morphological, functional and structural organs and like many other flatfish are less well known. The present study was designed to investigate the histological structure of GONADS of Sole (Euryglossa orientalis) in two breeding and rest seasons.40 Sole fish were collected from Zangi estuary (located in Mussa creek in the north of Persian Gulf) in early July and early October (non- breeding and breeding seasons) 2013. After biometry, gonadal tissues were dissected and weighed to determine Gonadosomatic Index (GSI). Then fixed in Bouin's solution. Histological specimens were transported to the histological laboratory. Tissue sections were prepared according to conventional methods include dehydration, clearing and paraffin. And then were cut down to 5 micron sections and stained. These tissue sections were studied by light microscopy. The result showed that different stages of germ cells in both male and female GONADS. Although in breeding season mature cells were noticed, GSI index of testis and ovary in Sole showed significant difference between the two seasons.

Introduction: This study was performed to investigate the effect of cholestasis on memory and the role of sex difference in this effect. Methods: This experimental study performed at Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, male rats were divided into 4 groups of 8 (sham and 3 cholestatic groups) to investigate the effect of cholestasis (7, 14 and 21 days) on lateral memory. To evaluate the effect of sex difference on the memory of cholestatic mice, rats were divided into 6 groups of 8 (male and female sham, male and female gonadectomy, male and female cholestatic-gonadectomy). In the gonadectomy groups, the testicles and ovaries were surgically removed, in the cholestatic groups, the bile duct was closed, and in the sham groups, only surgical stress was received. A shuttle box was used to evaluate the passive avoidance memory. Data were evaluated by PRISM software and ANOVA test. Results: In the study of memory in male cholestatic groups during days 7, 14 and 21, after cholestasis, the mean latency of dark room entry in all three groups were significantly reduced (P <0. 05) compared to the sham group. Also, in the male gonadectomy group, the mean delay time in entering the dark room compared to the sham group showed a significant decrease (P < 0. 05). In male and female cholestatic-gonadectomy groups, this time was significantly reduced compared to male and female sham groups as well as male and female clastatic (P < 0. 05, P < 0. 001). Conclusions: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that due to the sex difference in the effect of cholestasis on memory and learning, sex hormones may have some protective effect on memory impairment due to cholestasis.

Background: The use and effectiveness of traditional lead gonad shields in pediatric pelvic radiography has been challenged by several literatures over the past two decades. The aim of this study was to develop a new radioprotective gonad shields to be use in pediatric pelvic radiography. Materials and Methods: The commercially available 0. 06 mm lead equivalent bismuth garment has cropped squarely and used as ovarian shield to cover the entire region of pelvis. In order to prevent deterioration of image quality due to beam hardening artifacts, a 1-cm foam as spacer was located between the shield and patients pelvis. Moreover, we added a lead piece at the cranial position of the bismuth garment to absorb the scatter radiations to the radiosensitive organs. In girls, 49 radiographs with shield and 46 radiographs without shield was taken. The radiation dose was measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). Image quality assessments were performed using the European guidelines. For boys, the lead testicular shields was developed using 2 cm bismuth garment, added to the sides. The prevalence and efficacy of testicular shields was assessed in clinical practice from February 2016 to June 2016. Results: Without increasing the dose to the breast, thyroid and the lens of the eyes, the use of bismuth shield has reduced the entrance skin dose (ESD) of the pelvis and radiation dose to the ovaries by 62. 2% and 61. 7%, respectively (P<0. 001). Image quality remained diagnostically acceptable in all shielded and non-shielded images, without non-diagnostic or poor quality image. In boy patients, the prevalence of shielding in lead and developed testicular shields were obtained 63. 25% and 19. 74%, respectively; the accuracy positioning of the shield 90% and 34%, as well as. Conclusion: The ovarian shield designed in this study has significantly reduced the radiation dose to the ovaries without adversely affecting diagnostically image quality. The testicular shield has improved the accuracy positioning of the shield. These developed shields have potential to be use in clinical practice.

Background: The present data show a global increase in the rate of cardiovascular disease. Cardiac CT angiography has developed as a fast and non-invasive cardiac imaging modality following the introduction of multi-slice computed tomogaraphy.Objectives: The aim of this study was to measure the radiation dose to the thyroid and pelvis regions in patients undergoing cardiac CT angiography using the Care Dose 4D method of 64-slice scanner.Patients and Methods: Eighty-one patients (41 males and 40 females) who were diagnosed with suspected coronary artery disease and were referred to Golestan Hospital, Imaging Department were recruited. Inclusion criteria were based on the protocol of multi-slice CT coronary angiography. The radiation dose to the thyroid and pelvis regions was measured using thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs).Results: The mean radiation dose to the thyroid in male and female subjects was 0.32 mSv and 0.41 mSv, respectively (P=0.032) (total mean, 0.36 mSv). The mean radiation dose to the pelvis in male and female subjects was 81 mSv and 112 mSv, respectively (P=0.026) (total mean, 96.5 mSv), Conclusions: The total mean radiation dose to the thyroid and GONADS was 0.36 mSv, and 96.5 mSv, respectively for the subjects. These values were high for one organ in a single study. Gender can affect the radiation dose to the thyroid and GONADS. This can be attributed to the anatomical characteristic differences of the male and female subjects.

Introduction: Considerable attention is focused on the effects of the electromagnetic field (EMF) due to its wide-ranging use in everyday life. Appliances and various equipments are sources of electromagnetic fields with a wide-range of technical characteristics. In this study we investigated the effect of EMF (50 Hz, 0.5 mT) on fertility and mouse GONADS in preimplantation. Materials and Methods: Eighty female mice were divided in to 2 groups; the control group was not exposed to EMF, while the case group was exposed to 4 hours per day, to 50 Hz & 0.5 mT EMF 6 days a week, for 2 weeks. On the 8th day of exposure, female mice in both groups were superovoulated and mated overnight. Next morning females with a vaginal plug were identified as pregnant mice; at the time of implantation, the pregnant mice were sacrificed and blastocysts were subsequently obtained from these mice by flushing the uterus horns. The samples of ovaries in all groups were taken and were processed for light microscopic studies, and the data was compared using t-test (SPSS, considering, and P<0.05), significant. Results: The mean number of pregnant mice decreased in the EMF group (50%) as compared to the control group (67.5%), difference not significant. The mean number of fetuses per pregnancy was 9±4.8 in the control group and 5.5±5.7 in the experimental group, with significant decrease between the means of the 2 groups (P<0.03). The analysis of the size of monolayer primary follicle in the EMF exposed groups did not show significant decrease compared to the control group (12.33±1.53, 12.17±1.79 and P>0.810). Although the total number of follicles, number of monolayer primary follicles and corpus luteum, increased in comparison to control group following there was no significant differences between them. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the EMF, following short periods of exposure, has negative effects on female mice fertility, whereas histological studies showed no changes in ovaries.