Objective: Optimizing culture media for the incubation of immature oocytes is a vital strategy to increase the oocyte maturation rate during in vitro maturation (IVM) programs. This study evaluated the IVM and fertilization rates of human germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase I (MI) oocytes using two different maturation media (commercial and homemade) with or without growth differentiation factor 9-β (GDF9-β). supplementation. Methods: Immature oocytes from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were collected and assigned to one of two IVM culture media (commercial or homemade; cleavage-stage base). After maturation, MII oocytes were examined under an inverted microscope for the presence of the polar body, zona pellucida (ZP) birefringence, and meiotic spindle (MS) visualization after maturation in four conditions (commercial or homemade medium, with or without GDF9-β. ICSI was done for matured oocytes, and fertilization was confirmed by the visualization of two distinct pronuclei and two polar bodies. Results: No significant differences were found between the two culture media in terms of the time and rate of oocyte maturation or the rate of fertilization (p>0.05). Growth factor supplementation increased the 24-hour maturation rate for both GV and MI oocytes only in homemade medium. The maturation rate after 24 hours was higher for MI oocytes (p<0.05). Similar results were observed for MS visualization and ZP structure in both types of media (p>0.05). Conclusion Higher rates of oocyte maturation and fertilization were observed after application of homemade medium supplemented with GDF9-β. Therefore, this combination may be recommended as an alternative for clinical IVM programs.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of probiotics and zinc supplements on the mean duration and frequency of acute diarrhea in children aged 6 months to 2 years. METHODS: In this clinical trial of infants aged between 6 months and 2 years, eligible patients were divided into 3 groups: Zinc Receiving Group (ZRG), Probiotic Receiving Group (PRG), and a control group receiving supportive care alone. The frequency of diarrhea was evaluated in the test groups during the first 24 hours and 48–72 hours, along with the duration of hospitalization and diarrhea persistence for 3–7 days. RESULTS: Diarrhea persisted for until the third day of admission in 100% of the infants in PRG compared with only 76.1% in ZRG. The relative risk of diarrhea persistence in the PRG was 1.31 times more than in ZRG until the third day. Also, 80% of diarrhea cases in the PRG persisted until the fourth day of admission, compared with 47.8% in the ZRG group, and this value was significant. The relative incidence of diarrhea persistence in the PRG was 36.4 times greater than in the ZRG until the day 4. Also, the percentage of post-treatment complications was 35.5% in the PRG and 2.6% in the ZRG, which was significant. CONCLUSION: In our study, the effectiveness of zinc at a dose of 20 mg was higher than that of probiotics. The complications associated with zinc supplementation were lower than those of probiotics.
Child ; Diarrhea ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Pediatrics ; Probiotics ; Zinc