Objective: Since pre-transfusion screening for Toxoplasma gondii is not performed on blood packs, thalassemia patients are susceptible to acquiring toxoplasmosis;thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the seropre...Objective: Since pre-transfusion screening for Toxoplasma gondii is not performed on blood packs, thalassemia patients are susceptible to acquiring toxoplasmosis;thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence status of T. gondii in individuals who suffer from thalassemia in comparison to healthy persons in the southwest of Iran. Methods: In this case-control study, 117 thalassemia patients and 205 healthy persons participated. All samples were tested for the presence of specific IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii using ELISA technique. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: Seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG was detected in 30.76% (36/117) of patients and 20% (41/205) of healthy individuals (P=0.04), also anti-T. gondii IgM in these groups was detected 1.70% (2/117) and 0.48% (1/205), respectively (P=0.3). In present study, nine related risk factors with toxoplasmosis were evaluated and data analysis showed that only contact with cat was significantly correlated with IgG seroprevalence (P=0.02). Conclusions: Current research suggests thalassemia patients are more prone than normal persons to acquiring T. gondii infection (P=0.04, OR:1.77). Due to limited studies in this high risk group, further studies are recommended.展开更多
Plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years but they are still finding new uses in modem times. For example, Elaeagnus angustifolia (EA) is a medicinal herb with antinociceptive, anti-inflammat...Plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years but they are still finding new uses in modem times. For example, Elaeagnus angustifolia (EA) is a medicinal herb with antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties and it is widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. EA extract was loaded onto poly(ε-caprolactone)- poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCLPEG-PCL/EA) nanofibers and their potential applications for bone tissue engineering were studied. The morphology and chemical properties of the fibers were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements and mechanical tests. All the samples had bead-free morphologies with average diameters ranging from 100 to 200 nm. The response of human cells to the PCL-PEGPCL/ EA nanofibers was evaluated using human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). The hDPSCs had better adhesion and proliferation capacity on the EA loaded nanofibers than on the pristine PCL-PEG?PCL nanofibers. An alizarin red S assay and the alkaline phosphatase activity confirmed that the nanofibrous scaffolds induced osteoblastic performance in the hDPSCs. The quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction results confirmed that the EA loaded nanofibrous scaffolds had significantly upregulated gene expression correlating to osteogenic differentiation. These results suggest that PCL-PEG-PCL/ EA nanofibers might have potential applications for bone tissue engineering.展开更多
文摘Objective: Since pre-transfusion screening for Toxoplasma gondii is not performed on blood packs, thalassemia patients are susceptible to acquiring toxoplasmosis;thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence status of T. gondii in individuals who suffer from thalassemia in comparison to healthy persons in the southwest of Iran. Methods: In this case-control study, 117 thalassemia patients and 205 healthy persons participated. All samples were tested for the presence of specific IgG and IgM antibodies against T. gondii using ELISA technique. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: Seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG was detected in 30.76% (36/117) of patients and 20% (41/205) of healthy individuals (P=0.04), also anti-T. gondii IgM in these groups was detected 1.70% (2/117) and 0.48% (1/205), respectively (P=0.3). In present study, nine related risk factors with toxoplasmosis were evaluated and data analysis showed that only contact with cat was significantly correlated with IgG seroprevalence (P=0.02). Conclusions: Current research suggests thalassemia patients are more prone than normal persons to acquiring T. gondii infection (P=0.04, OR:1.77). Due to limited studies in this high risk group, further studies are recommended.
文摘Plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years but they are still finding new uses in modem times. For example, Elaeagnus angustifolia (EA) is a medicinal herb with antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties and it is widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. EA extract was loaded onto poly(ε-caprolactone)- poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCLPEG-PCL/EA) nanofibers and their potential applications for bone tissue engineering were studied. The morphology and chemical properties of the fibers were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements and mechanical tests. All the samples had bead-free morphologies with average diameters ranging from 100 to 200 nm. The response of human cells to the PCL-PEGPCL/ EA nanofibers was evaluated using human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). The hDPSCs had better adhesion and proliferation capacity on the EA loaded nanofibers than on the pristine PCL-PEG?PCL nanofibers. An alizarin red S assay and the alkaline phosphatase activity confirmed that the nanofibrous scaffolds induced osteoblastic performance in the hDPSCs. The quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction results confirmed that the EA loaded nanofibrous scaffolds had significantly upregulated gene expression correlating to osteogenic differentiation. These results suggest that PCL-PEG-PCL/ EA nanofibers might have potential applications for bone tissue engineering.
