Methods: A total number of 4717 chronic HCV patients were enrolled in this study out of which 4250 were positive with the enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Out of this, HCV was detected in 3513 samples by qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR positive samples were divided into: HCV without diabetes (n = 3136) and HCV with diabetes (n = 377) groups; 130 patients with diabetes only (negative for HCV ELISA) were also included in the

study. Biochemical tests of all three groups were performed to determine liver, diabetic and lipid profiles.

Results: There was increased prevalence of HCV alone and HCV + diabetes patients in the 4(th) decade of life. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) titers were higher in HCV patients with diabetes than in HCV patients without diabetes (p <= 0.001). Fasting Selleck MAPK inhibitor blood glucose EGFR activity was greater in HCV patients with diabetes

than in diabetes only patients. Total cholesterol and triglyceride were moderately lower in non-diabetic HCV patients than in diabetes only patients (p <= 0.005). However, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in HCV patients with diabetes than in the other two groups (p <= 0.001).

Conclusion: There is positive correlation of HCV with diabetes in the population studied. This association is more pronounced (where there are elevated levels of triglyceride and fasting blood glucose) in HCV patients with diabetes than diabetes patients without HCV infection.”
“An eight-layer discontinuous sperm isolation medium (PureSperm JSH-23 research buy gradient) was evaluated

in separation of human spermatozoa according to sex chromosomes by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). This study was carried out on spare samples from normozoospermic and oligozoospermic patients referred to the Royan Institute for infertility treatment. Semen analysis was assessed according to World Health Organization criteria. X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa were Simultaneously identified in the neat semen (control) and sperm isolation medium fractions from the same samples using FISH and chromosome specific DNA probes. At least 1000 spermatozoa were scored for each sample. The proportions of X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa were determined by presence of red or green fluorescent signals. Before separation. there was no significant difference in the percentage of spermatozoa with the specific signals of X and Y chromosomes. After separation, in both normal and oligozoospermic patients, the percentage of X-bearing spermatozoa in the bottom layer slightly exceeded that in the top layer (P <= 0.001). In both the normal and oligozoospermic groups, the difference between the frequencies of Y-bearing spermatozoa in the top and bottom layers was significant (P <= 0.001). It seemed that eight-step discontinuous gradient was not a reliable method for the separation X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa for clinical purposes.