DFNB40, a recessive form of sensorineural hearing loss, maps to chromosome 22q11.21-12.1

We report on a novel localization for a recessive form of deafness (DFNB), by linkage analysis in an Iranian consanguineous family. Affected individuals suffer from prelingual profound sensorineural hearing loss. Genome-wide analysis led to the characterization of a new locus, DFNB40, which maps to an approximately 9 Mb interval between markers D22S427 and D22S1144 at chromosome 22q11.21-12.1. Maximum lod score of 3.09 was obtained with D22S1174. Since the Bronx waltzer (bv) mouse mutant, characterized by waltzing behavior, deafness, and degeneration of cochlear inner hair cells, has been mapped to the syntenic region on murine chromosome 5, we suggest that DFNB40 and bv may result from orthologous gene defects.     

Additive effects of flavour-caffeine and flavour-flavour pairings on liking for the smell and flavour of a novel drink

Previous research has established that caffeine consumption can reinforce changes in liking for caffeine-paired flavours, while pairing a novel flavour with a liked or dislike taste can also result in enduring changes in liking for the flavour. The present study examined how these two forms of flavour-learning interact. 72 habitual caffeine consumers who liked sweet tastes rated the odour and flavour of a novel tea drink before and after four training sessions where the flavour was paired with either 100 mg caffeine or placebo in one of three flavour contexts: added sweetness (aspartame), bitterness (quinine) or control. The liking for both the odour and flavour of the tea increased after pairing with caffeine regardless of flavour context, while pairing with bitterness reduced flavour liking regardless of the presence of caffeine. Pairing with quinine increased the rated bitterness of the tea odour, and reduced the rated sweetness of the tea flavour, post-training, independent of effects of caffeine. These data suggest that flavour-caffeine and flavour-flavour associations have additive effects on drink liking, while confirming that flavour-flavour associations can alter the immediate sensory experience of a flavour alone.     

Iranian migrants' discourses of health and the implications for using standardized health measures with minority groups

This paper explores the concept of health implied in the SF-36 within a group of Iranians in Australia. Qualitative data were collected from a sample of 21 people—10 females and 11 males. For the first time, the NUD*IST program was used to organize and manage the data in Persian (also known as Farsi), the language spoken by Iranians. Health was defined in terms of holistic, spiritual, social, physical/emotional aspects, and absence-of-disorder dimensions. Among these, physical, absence of disorder, holistic, and spiritual aspects of health were mentioned more frequently than other themes. The findings of the study raise concerns about the extent to which the SF-36 captures the diversity of the concept of health as expressed by the sample of Iranian migrants.     

Changes in gram negative microorganisms’ resistance pattern during 4?years period in a referral teaching hospital; a surveillance study

Background and purpose

Surveillance studies evaluating antimicrobial susceptibilities are of great value in preventing the spread of resistant pathogens by elucidating the trend of resistance in commonly used antibiotics and as a consequence providing information for prescribing the most appropriate agent. This study is a longitudinal antimicrobial resistance surveillance study designed to evaluate the trend in antimicrobial resistance to gram negative microorganisms from 2007 to 2010.

Method

During a four-year period (2007–2010) isolates derived from all patients admitted to infectious diseases ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital, the major referral center for infectious disease in Iran with the highest admission rates, were evaluated. Based on disk diffusion method and zone of inhibition size, the microorganism was regarded as to be sensitive, resistant or has intermediate susceptibility to the antimicrobial agents.

Results

The widest spread Gram-negative microorganism in all of isolates taken together in our study was E.coli (30%) followed by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in 28.6% and Enterobacter spp. in 11.9%, respectively. The susceptibility to amikacin, imipenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, and nitrofurantoin was equal or above 50% for all microorganisms over four years. However, the susceptibility to ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, cefotaxim, and ceftriaxone was less than 50% in derived isolates during the study period.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the finding of the present study revealed that resistance rate to common antimicrobial agents in Iran is growing and isolates were susceptible mostly to broad-spectrum antibiotics including imipenem and piperacillin/tazobactam.     

Subphrenic abscess and recurring focal lesions due to tuberculosis in a patient with IgA deficiency

Subdiaphragmatic abscess has not yet been reported as a manifestation of tuberculosis. We report an IgA deficient patient with recurrent episodes of unusual extrapulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis including subdiaphragmatic abscesses and metacarpophalangeal osteomyelitis that was improved each time with antituberculosis drugs. There was not any resistance to the drugs used against mycobacterium despite repeated courses of antituberculosis regimens. In such recurrent cases, one should rule out any immunodeficiency states.