Journal of School of Public Health and

Background and Aim: Thalassemia is one of the most common worldwide single-gene diseases. On the molecular level, it is a heterogeneous disease. So far, beside large deletions, more than fifty point mutations have been identified for this disease around the world. Four to ten percent of Iranians are carriers of thalassemia-affected genes. In this study we determined the relationship between the value of MCV/MCH and the type and severity of mutations in alpha thalassemia carriers.

Methods and Materials: The major abnormality in alpha thalassemia carriers is decreased values of MCV and MCH. A total of 104 adult alpha thalassemia heterozygotes, 20-40 years old, including 33 persons from Khoozestan Province and 71 from Khorasan Province, were included in the study. Two hundred and eight chromosomes were isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes using standard procedures. DNA samples were amplified by Gap-PCR.

Results: Only one ° mutation (MED) was found in 2.9% of the population. The carriers of this mutation had virtually identical ranges of MCV and MCH. In contrast, + mutations were associated with significant differences in mean MCV and MCH values. The various mean MCV/MCH ratios of ° carriers were statistically significantly lower than those of + heterozygote. The results indicated that the degree of reduction in MCV and MCH is directly related to the severity of the mutations. Deviations, in cases, were associated with lower numbers of the carriers.

Conclusion: Only one ° mutation (MED) was found in 2.9% of the population. The carriers of this mutation had virtually identical ranges of MCV and MCH. In contrast, + mutations were associated with significant differences in mean MCV and MCH values. The various mean MCV/MCH ratios of ° carriers were statistically significantly lower than those of + heterozygote. The results indicated that the degree of reduction in MCV and MCH is directly related to the severity of the mutations. Deviations, in cases, were associated with lower numbers of the carriers.

  Background and Aim: Exposure to heavy metals always causes serious health problems in people working in the industry. Heavy metals may interfere with enzyme functioning or accumulate in specific body organs, leading to various health problems. Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal widely used in various industries and, therefore, workers in metal industries are at risk of exposure to it.

  Materials and Methods: A solid-phase sorbent was synthesized and factors influencing its sorption and elution steps were optimized (R>95%). The validated sorbent (chemically, physically and as regards reproducibility) was used to determine the cadmium content of the worker`s urines.

  Results: Optimized conditions for sorption and elution step were found to be as follows: pH= 7 sorption and elution time (both)= 5 min elution volume= 6 mL, and elution concentration= 2 mol L^-1. The great selectivity and the nano-particle size of the sorbent resulted in its highly precise performance (0.6ppb) and high validity and accuracy (CV<3%).

  Conclusion: Using the nano-magnetic sorbent technique and some such laboratory methods as flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, one can easily measure trace amounts of heavy metals in urine. This technique is relatively less expensive and rapid since, when using it, one can omit the filtration and centrifugation steps.