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by Parichehr Maleki, Ali Dinari, Babak Jahangiri, Jamshid Raheb
Efficient gene therapy relies on an efficient gene delivery system. Viral gene delivery approaches excel in transferring and expressing external genes; however, their immunogenicity and difficulty in large-scale production limit their clinical applications. In contrast, nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems have gained increasing attention due to less immunogenicity and more convenience for large-scale production. Nevertheless, their poor transfection efficiency compared to viral systems remains a significant obstacle. In the present study, we investigated the transfection efficiency of our PEI-coated graphene oxides in HEK293T, Calu-3, Calu-6 cell lines, and primary human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC). The high surface ratio and good biocompatibility of graphene oxide make it an appealing tool for gene delivery systems. However, the low dispersity of graphene oxide in aqueous environments is the first barrier that needs to be conquered. For this, we enhanced the dispersity and stability of graphene oxide in water by sonicating it for at least 5 hours at a pH of 7. Then, graphene oxide was conjugated with branched PEI (25 kDa) to have a positive charge, enabling it to condense nucleic acids with a naturally negative potential. The physio-chemical characteristics of our synthesized nano-carriers (GO-PEI) were determined by DLS, FT-IR, and AFM. The utilized plasmid in polyplexes contained a GFP gene, allowing us to verify transfection efficiency through fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. While GO-PEI carriers were highly efficient in transfecting HEK293T cells, the transfection efficiency in MSCs and Calu-3 cells was notably low. We suppose that the main reason for the low transfection efficiency of GO-PEI in these cells is due to its higher toxicity. Despite this, considering the various advantages of graphene oxide in drug delivery as well as its optical and electrical applications in biomedicine, we propose to functionalize graphene oxide with more biocompatible materials to enhance its potential as a successful gene carrier in these cell types.by Masoumeh Sayahi, Maryam Nikbina, Azam Jahangirimehr, Barat Barati
Background and objectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic impacted every single aspect of life. In addition to being a public health emergency, the COVID-19 outbreak impacted the mental health of individuals, especially pregnant women. This study aimed to examine the mental health status of pregnant women and also the effect of sociodemographic factors on their mental health status during COVID-19 in healthcare centers of Iran.
MethodsThis cross-sectional, analytical-descriptive study was conducted among pregnant women referring to healthcare centers in Shoushtar, Iran, in 2021. Multistage cluster sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected using the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the association between quantitative variables. A generalized linear model (GLM) was applied to estimate the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable (mental health).
ResultsA total of 197 participants with a mean ± SD age of 27.85 ± 6.37 years took part in this study. The total mean score of mental health was estimated at 17.47±8.20. The highest mean ± SD score was, respectively, related to social dysfunction (6.63 ± 2.86), anxiety and insomnia (5.28 ± 3.53), and somatic symptoms (4.17 ± 3.27). Mental health disorder was significantly correlated with participants’ age (R = .223, P = .00), number of pregnancy (gravida) (R = .272, P = .00), number of births (para) (R = 0.272, P = .00), and number of abortions (R = .172, P = .015). About 80% of pregnant women did not reveal impaired mental health conditions or psychological distress, while 19.3% showed scores that indicate probable mental health conditions.
ConclusionSocial dysfunction was the most common mental health problem among pregnant women. It is necessary to pay more attention to the mental health status of pregnant women during a pandemic. Interventions such as practical strategies to promote social support and improve pregnant women’s mental health during pregnancy are highly important.
Current formulations of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) to treat severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children focus on nutrient density and quantity. Less attention is given to foods targeting gut microbiota metabolism and mucosal barrier functions. Heat-stabilised rice bran contains essential nutrients, prebiotics, vitamins and unique phytochemicals that have demonstrated favourable bioactivity to modulate gut microbiota composition and mucosal immunity. This study seeks to examine the impact of RUTF with rice bran on the microbiota during SAM treatment, recovery and post-treatment growth outcomes in Jember, Indonesia. Findings are expected to provide insights into rice bran as a novel food ingredient to improve SAM treatment outcomes.
A total of 200 children aged 6–59 months with uncomplicated SAM (weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ)
The findings of this trial will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals and will be presented at relevant conferences. Ethics approval obtained from the Medical and Health Research Ethical Committee at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Madain Yogyakarta Ref. No.: KE/FK/0546/EC/2022 and KE/FK/0703/EC/2023 and from Colorado State University IRB#1823, OHRP FWA00000647.
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