This study aimed to investigate the topography surface and ability of this scaffold in combination with the mesenchymal and fibroblast cells. In this regard, several different ratios of hydroxyapatite / ostrich eggshell scaffold were created to determine the surface properties and responsiveness to the cells with different types of hydroxyapatite/ostrich eggshell (OsE/HA) combinations (ratios 0-1, 1-2, 1-1, 2-1, 1-0). Natural biomaterials including ostrich eggshells which contain the minerals such as calcium carbonate, play a major role in the fabrication of hard tissue scaffolds. Surface characterization was investigated using SEM and recognizing the scaffold properties by XRD, FTIR. Finally, direct contact (toxicity) test with fibroblast-like cells (L929) was performed to study the cytotoxicity response. After the scaffold toxicity test, the material was ready for in vitro acceptance test, which mesenchymal stem cells isolated from the adipose tissue of New Zealand white rabbit (RADMSCs) which kept with this bioscaffold. This study's results showed that this scaffold has the best biocompatibility and the highest surface lacuna for cell adsorption and attachment with hydroxyapatite / ostrich eggshell. Bioscaffold OsE/HA with the ratio of 1-2 has the best cell attachment among other groups. Natural biomaterials with synthetic materials can promote the bone tissue engineering in many ways.

Background and Objectives: Radial keratotomy is one of the current techniques in correction of myopia which has high prevalence in general population. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in pattern and profile of corneal topography before, one week and third months after surgery. Secondary aims of this study were to record the subjective complaints and their correlation with topographic changes after surgery. Materials and Methods: In a clinical trial, comparison of corneal topography before and after RK was done in 50 eyes of 26 patients from 19/3/1997 to 20/9/2001. In all patients, routine eye examinations were performed before surgery along with determination of pattern and profile of corneal topographies (asphericity coefficient). Surgery were done under topical anesthesia with 0.2 mm diamond knife. Incision technique was as the American method with present standard nomograms. Corneal topography in first week and third months after surgery was done with special attention to central optical zone (COZ) pattern, presence of multifocality and asphericity coefficient. Patient’s complaints also were recorded.Results: The mean age of patients was 29 (18-60) years. 74% out of patients were male and 26% female. The mean duration of follow up was 10.5 months. The most common patterns of topography before surgery were asymmetric bow-tie (44%), symmetric bow-tie (40%), and spheric (8%). Corneal profile was prolate in 92% and spheric in 8% of cases. No case of oblate profile was found before surgery. Prevalent corneal patterns after surgery were regular polygonal (circular or elliptic) in 50% , Band like in 22%, and split in 28% of cases. Corneal multifocality was found in 38% of cases after surgery. Corneal profile was oblate in 94% and prolate in 6% of cases.Conclusion: Radial keratotomy induces various changes in corneal pattern and profile after surgery. Increased corneal asphericity and switching from prolate to oblate profile were noted. Multifocality in central flat zone can increase uncorrected visual acuity without considerable optical complications. Split pattern of central optic zone can cause diurnal fluctuation of vision.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common and asymptomatic disease which is characterized by rapid loss of hair in an area. Etiology of the disease is not fully understood. Several studies declare relationship between AA and celiac disease. This study aimed at evaluating the frequency distribution of celiac autoantibodies in patients with AA comparing to the control group.Methods: This study is a case-control study. 35 subjects entered in each group. Anti-tissue-trans-glutaminase IgA (Anti-tTg IgA) were tested in all subjects. And the result was reported as positive/negative. Finally the frequency distribution of these autoantibodies were compared between two groups.Findings: There was no significant difference between two groups based on gender and sex (P=0.151) and (P=0.621) respectively, via chi-square test analysis. Anti-tTg IgA was positive in one person (2.8%) In the case group. No one was positive in the control group, and therefor there is no significant difference between two groups (P=0.314) based on chi-square test. In the case group the most common form of AA was patchy, and the most common nail involvement was Pitting. 17.1% of patients had positive family history of AA.Conclusion: The study shows the frequency distribution of one of the celiac autoantibodies in patients with alopecia areata is not higher than normal population of the community of Isfahan. Therefore screening other autoantibodies such as Anti-Gliadin IgA and Anti-Gliadin IgG in these patients are recommended.

Purpose: To evaluate quantitative topographic parameters of the cornea and to define topographic cone patterns and pachymetry in a series of keratoconus patients.Methods: We prospectively evaluated topographic findings of 130 eyes of 73 patients using Orbscan corneal topography system. The location, anterior and posterior surface elevation, curvature, amount of astigmatism and pachymetry were analyzed with special reference to the central point of corneal, the apex and the thinnest point.Results: The mean age of patients was 27/31 years ± 9.30 (SD). Fifty seven patients (67.6%) had bilaterial and sixteen (12.3%) had unilateral keratoconus.Most cones (64.6%) were located in the inferior temporal quadrant. 32.3% of cones were restricted to the central cornea and 4 were above horizontal meridian. Maximum apex elevation was 68.9D. The mean elevation of the apex was (0.195±0.055) mm. The mean distance between the apex and central point was (0.697±327) mm.The mean thickest of thinnest point of cornea was 398pm (range 143-551pm).Conclusion: Orbscan can provide accurate and subtle information about the shape and thickness of keratoconus which can help for early diagnosis of this disease.Orbscan topography system may be helpful in identifying patients who are potentially at risk for developing ectasia after lasik.

Background and Aim: Contamination of soft denture lining materials and tissue conditioners with microorganisms is a common clinical problem. The aim of the study was to detennine the effect of adding eucalyptus (E) oil to viscogel tissue conditioneragainst bacterial and fungal growth on it.Materials & Methods: In this experimental study MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) of E. oil against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus areus was determined, then experimental specimen disks (diameter, 15mm, thickness: 2mm) with the amount of IMIC, 2MIC and without E. oil were fabricated under aseptic conditions. The samples were divided to II groups; each group contained 5 samples. One group was considered as control. The samples immersed into 1 ml of saline. After 24 hours 1ml of bacterial or fungal suspension with BHI broth medium was added. The growth of microorganisms was investigated after another 24 hours. This test was done for the samples at the concentration of 2 MIC of E. oil. The data were analyzed with Fisher's exact test.Results: The samples which were mixed with 1 MIC of E. oil showed antimicrobial effect in comparison with the controls (P= 0.024) after 72 hours. Samples of 2 MIC didn't show a significant inhibitory effect against S. areus (P=0.08) after 24 and 48 hours, but this effect was significant against C. albicans after 24h (P=0.024) and 48h in comparison with control samples (P=0.004).Conclusion: Addition of Eucaliptus oil significantly reduced the growth of microorganisms. The study showed that Eucaliptus oil leached out of tissue conditioner in 72 hours which is too short for clinical usage.

Purpose: To compare the visual outcome between wavefront-optimized (WFO) and topography-guided customized ablation (T-CAT) for compound myopic astigmatism.Methods: This double blind, prospective clinical trial study comprised 40 eyes (21 patients) with compound myopic astigmatism. Myopia was considered between 1 to 8 diopters and astigmatism was considered between 1 to 3 diopters. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: 1) the wavefront optimized group and 2) the topography-guided group. All surgeries were done with Allegretto WaveLight® EX500laser eximer. Visual acuity, refractive error, corneal aberrations, ocular high order aberrations and corneal asphericity were measured before and 6 months after surgery. The results were compared between the two groups.Results: Six months after surgery, the best corrected visual acuity was similar in two groups. Mean spherical equivalent refraction was -4.33 ± 1.7D and -4.13 ± 1.61 D (P=0.528) to -0.06 ± 0.14 D and -0.04 ± 0.09D (P=0.586) in wavefront optimized and topography-guided groups after surgery. Less stromal tissue was ablated in the topography-guided group than in the wavefront optimized group (P=0.969). There was no significant difference between the 3rd and 4th grade corneal aberrations between the two groups before and after the surgery (P>0.05). Corneal spherical aberration was increased in both groups. This increase was higher in the WFO group (P=0.798). Higher order aberrations increased from 0.35 ± 0.14 m and 0.35 ± 0.11 m (P=0.496) to 0.52 ± 0.15m and 0.49 ± 0.16 m (P=0.786) in the WFO and T-CAT groups, respectively. Corneal asphericity increased in group two, which was higher in the WFO group (P=0.679).Conclusion: The results of topography-guided and wavefront optimized treatments with Allegretto eximer laser were similar in the correction of compound myopic astigmatism, but TCAT induced fewer HOAs.

Introduction: Topography is an important and effective property affecting the soil quality. Some researchers demonstrated that degree and aspect of land slope may influence the particle size distribution and gravel. Slope degree affects the surface and subsurface run-off, drainage, soil temperature, stability of soil aggregates and soil erosion. This research was carried out to determine the spatial variation of soil properties in different slope degrees of northern and southern slopes in Khorasan Razavei province, Iran.Material and Methods: This study was performed in Sanganeh research station (longitude 60o 15ʹ60ʺ and latitude 36o 41ʹ 36ʺ), of north-eastern, Khorasan Razavi province of Iran. In order to study the effects of topography on some soil physical and chemical properties, a topo-sequence with the same slope length, parent materials and cover crops was selected.30 soil samples (0-30 cm depth) were collected from different slopes of less than 5, 5-15, 15-30, 30-50 and more than 50 percent of both southern and northern aspects. In this study, the soil particle size distribution (texture) was measured by hydrometer method, organic carbon and calcium carbonate were determined by wet oxidation and titration with HCl 6 M, respectively and soil structural stability index, aggregates mean weight diameter and particles fractal dimension were calculated by related equations. Finally, the studied soil properties of 5 slopes (less than 5, 5-15, 15-30, 30-50, and more than 50%) and 2 aspects (north and south) with 3 replicates were compared by nested experimental design and Tuky test in JMP statistical software.Results and Discussion: The maximum and minimum clay contents as well as fractal dimension and organic carbon contents were found in less than 5% and more than 50% of south slopes, respectively. Clay content and fractal dimension in north aspect were also significantly (P<0.001) more than south one. In reverse, the sand content in south aspect was significantly (P<0.05) more than north one. There was no significant difference between silt content in north and south aspects, but the silt content was maximum value in toe slope, which reflects the transportation of silt due to soil erosion from steeper parts of slope to toe slope. The differences of calcium carbonate and organic matter contents in different slope degrees were significant (P<0.05). The minimum and maximum calcium carbonate contents were noted in less than 5% and more than 50% of south slopes, respectively and the average of calcium carbonate in south aspect was significantly (P<0.001) more than the north one, while the organic carbon contents in north aspect was significantly (P<0.001) more than the south one. In both southern and northern slopes, the OC as a result of high radiation and less soil moisture content and then poor crop cover has been decreased by increasing the slope degree. The highest and least values of MWD in studied area were found in less than 5% and 30-50% degree of south slope, respectively and the average of MWD in north aspect was significantly (P<0.01) more than south slope, too. The value of structural stability index in north aspect also was more than the south one and it was decreased by increasing the slope degree.Conclusion: The results showed that, in spite of the same soil texture class in different slope degrees of both north and south aspects, particle size distribution in different parts of slope was varied. By decreasing the degree of slope, the fractal dimension of solid particles increased and vice versa. It seems that the fractal dimension of solid particles and structural stability index of soil can be replaced by soil texture and MWD, respectively, because they can represent the best and explicit description of particle size distribution and the effect of soil forming process in sloped regions, and soil structure.