Psychological and Sociocultural Adaptation: Acculturation,Depressive Symptoms,and Life Satisfaction Among Older Iranian Immigrants in Canada

Informed by Ward’s (1996) theory of psychological and sociocultural adaptation, this study identified links between acculturation and the mental health of older Iranian immigrants living in Canada (N = 103). According to Ward and colleagues, both psychological and sociocultural adaptation change at different rates and extend into later life. For this study, participants 50+ years of age and born in Iran completed questionnaires measuring life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, acculturation, and demographic and sociocultural variables (e.g., pre- and post-immigration occupational status). We collected study data anonymously in Persian to obtain responses from long-term residents of Canada as well as more recent immigrants who may not read or write English. We examined both life satisfaction and (the absence of) depressive symptoms as distinct forms of psychological adaptation; these emerged as independent predictors of acculturation. Contrary to theory, acculturation appears to predict life satisfaction, not vice versa; moreover, there seems to be no direct link between depressive symptoms and acculturation. Our findings suggest that integration within Canadian society is associated with higher life satisfaction. In contrast, sociocultural factors are indirectly associated with life satisfaction (except age) and acculturation (except ethnic diversity of social interactions). Involuntary migrants reported higher levels of depression, whereas loss of occupational status is associated with reduced life satisfaction. Implications for future research and health policy are discussed.     

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase genetic variation in North African populations: a comparison with African and European data

Background: Genetic variation in glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) is crucial in drug metabolism and risk of some diseases.

Aim: To examine genetic variation in UGT in North African populations.

Subjects and methods: Allele frequencies of SNPs UGT1A4^24Thr, UGT1A4^48Val, UGT2B15^85Tyr, UGT2B15^523Thr and UGT2B17 CNV deletion from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were compared to European and Sub-Saharan populations.

Results: North Africans are the group with the highest genetic heterogeneity given by internal differences in the occurrence of UGT2B17 deletion, UGT1A4^48Val and UGT1A4 haplotypes. UGT2B15 SNPs differentiate Sub-Saharans from the rest of the populations.

Conclusion: North African populations show a high frequency of carriers of UGT2B15^523Thr, a variant linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer. High Atlas Moroccans and Algerians show low frequency of UGT2B17^del, a variant associated with high concentrations of testosterone and oestradiol.     

Central auditory processing and word discrimination in patients with multiple sclerosis

Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with normal pure tone threshold suffer from difficulties in their hearing especially speech perception in background noise, which is possibly because of incompetence of central auditory processing in this group. Three audiologic tests including gap in noise test (GIN), duration pattern sequence test (DPST) and word discrimination score (WDS) were used for comparing a number of aspects of central auditory processing between patients with MS and normal subjects. Approximate threshold and percent of correct answers in GIN test, percent of correct answers in DPST test and monosyllabic discrimination in WDS test were obtained through cross-sectional non-invasive study conducted on 26 subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who had mean age of 28.9 (SD 4.1) years, and 26 18–40-year-old ones with normal hearing and mean age of 27.7 (SD 5.2). Results of this study demonstrate increased approximate threshold and reduction of percent of correct answers obtained from GIN test in patients with multiple sclerosis (Pv = 0.0001). Furthermore in patients with MS, the average of correct answers in DPST was lower than normal subjects and finally performance of MS subjects in WDS test in quiet environment was correlated with GIN threshold (r = ?/624, Pr = /003). Results of the present study showed that patients with MS had defect in aspects of central auditory processing consisting of temporal resolution, auditory pattern and the memory for auditory task and difficulty in discrimination of speech in noisy environment that are related to the involvement of central nervous system.     

Hepatotoxic effects caused by simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene in New Zealand white rabbits: a biochemical and histopathological study

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate hepatotoxicity effects of noise and toluene, and in particular, to study hepatotoxicity effects of simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene by histopathological and biochemical experiments. To experiment hepatotoxicity effects of noise and toluene, 100 dB white noise and 1000 ppm toluene vapors were generated during two consecutive weeks in healthy male New Zealand White rabbits. Non-simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene increased liver enzymes and the serum levels of superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and total antioxidant capacity, and also decreased serum level of glutathione peroxidase. Alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase levels increased by simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene. Furthermore, catalase and alkaline phosphatase level decreased by simultaneous exposure to noise and toluene. The hematoxylin and eosin stain (H&E) experiments indicated significant swelling, lipidosis, eosinophilic cytoplasm, pyknosis, karyorrhexis, and disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane in the liver tissue due to exposure to noise, toluene and simultaneous exposure to them.