Background & Objectives: Spironolactone is a diuretic and antiandrogenic drug and is used in the treatment of hypertention 'secondary hyprealdosteronism congestive heart failure' cirrhosis of the liver, nephrotic syndrome 'androgenic alopecia' gynecomastia and hirsutism. In this research, the effects of spironolactone on the serum LH, FSH, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and changes in body weight and testicular tissue in adult male rats, were studied.

 Methods: For this purpose 190 10 g male wistar rats (n=40) were randomly divided into the following grups: control, sham operated (received water) and 25, 50, 100 mg/kg oral spironolactone treated groups. After 14 days body weight and testis weight under laboratory methods, were measured and blood samples were taken from heart and used for the measuring of LH/FSH/testosterone and dihydrotestosterone and then the rates' testes, in order to evaluate the histological changes, were removed and weighed and after obtaining tissue section and staining through HE, they were studied.

 Results: Serum LH level showed a significant increase and testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels showed asignigicant decrease in 100mg/kg spironolactone treated group ( p 0.05 ) and there was no significant difference among serum FSH level, body weight and testicular weight as compared to control group.

 Conclusion: It can be concluded that oral administration of spironolactone maximum dose for 14 days could increase serum LHlevel and decrease testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels.

  Background & Objectives: Arsenic is the third element of 5^th Group of the periodic table and it is the twentieth rarest element in the earth's crust. This material has application in agriculture, livestock, medicine, electronics and metallurgy. It enters the environment from natural phenomena and human activities, causing pollution in it. Arsenic is a substance that is poisonous, cumulative, and an inhibitor of SH group enzymes. Several studies have identified significant correlation between high levels of Arsenic in drinking water and cancer in liver, nasal cavity, lungs, skin, bladder and kidney in men and women, and prostate in men. The present study was aimed to determin the impact of parameters affecting reverse osmosis membrane performance in Arsenic removal from drinking water.

  Methods: In this research, Arsenic removal was surveyed and tested through reverse osmosis membrane with spiral-wound module (model: 2521 TE, made in CSM Co. Korea). The used solution was prepared synthetically in the laboratory using sodium arsenate, and system performance was investigated under the influence of parameters such as arsenic concentration, pressure, pH and temperature of the input solution. In each case, the flux rate passing through the membrane and transverse velocity was measured. For each mode, after 30 minutes, desired samples were picked up, and then were tested with silver diethyldithiocarbamate method (Test No. 3500-As B, standard method).

  Results: The results of experiments and measurements showed that the parameters of concentration, pH, temperature and pressure in input solution are effective in reverse osmosis membrane performance (model TE 2521), and the increase or decrease in each parameter leads to changes in the system’s efficiency and performance. The optimal conditions and performance of membrane under the influence of these parameters were defined as follows: pressure 190-210 psi, concentration 0.2-0.5 mg/L, temperature 25-30 ⁰C, and pH = 6-8. Arsenic removal efficiency at the optimum system performance was determined at about 99-95 percent.

  Conclusion: According to the results and the high efficiency and acceptable performance, this approach is effective and can be applied as a method for Arsenic removal in areas with contaminated water.

  Background & objectives: Hydaticosis is a zoonotic helminthic disease of human and other intermediated hosts in which larval stages of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosu transfect human. The liver and lung are the host tissues for the hydatid cyst . It is unknown which mechanisms are involved in infertility of the cyst and suppression of the fertile cyst. This study was aimed to evaluate the expression of the apoptosis inducing-ligands such as TRAIL and Fas-L in germinal layer of the cyst and human normal tissue surrounding the cyst that is one of the unknown host innate immunity mechanisms against the hydatid cyst.

  Methods: In this study, four isolated hydatid cysts were used which had been diagnosed in patients by radiography and parasitological examination in Mashhad Ghaem hospital. Furthermore, the germinal layer of the cyst and accompanied normal peripheral tissues were separated by scalpel in sterile conditions. After homogenization, expression of TRAIL and Fas-L genes were studied by semi-quantitive RT-PCR method.

  Results: The TRAIL and Fas-L showed significant higher level expression in germinal layer of infertile cyst than the fertile cyst and host normal tissues.

  Conclusion: The host tissue-induced apoptosis of germinal layer of the fertile cysts is probably one of the infertility mechanism in patients with hydaticosis

  Background & Objectives : Considering the widespread use of walnut in the cooking of foods and medical applications, the present study evaluate possible effects of alcoholic extract of Walnut on FSH, LH and testosterone concentration in adult male rats.

  Methods: In this experimental study 40 adult male Wistar rats weighing 250-300g were used and divided into five groups, eight rats per each group. Control group do not receive any treatment . Organic solvent was administered as placebo to sham group , three experimental group, that receive different doses of alcoholic extract of walnut , 10 - 20 and 50 (mg/ kg/Intraperitoneally) respectively, were fed daily and serum levels of FSH, LH and testosterone were measured. All data were analyzed by SPSS 16 and one way ANOVA test.
Results: In comparison with control group, only in group treated by 50 mg/kg of walnut extract, FSH and LH concentration increased significantly (P<0.05). Concentration of testosterone in experimental groups (20 mg/kg and 50mg/kg dose of extract) showed significant statistical difference compared with other groups (P<0.05) .

  Conclusion: According to results of this study, alcoholic extract of Walnut affect pituitary- testis axis and increase GnRH and LH secretion rate therefore enhance reproductive activity in male rats.