Hereditary hearing loss (HHL) is an extremely common disorder. About 70% of HHL is non-syndromic, with autosomal recessive forms accounting for approximately 85% of the genetic load. Although very heterogeneous, the most common cause of HHL in many different world populations is mutations of GJB2, a gene that encodes the gap junction protein connexin 26 (Cx26). This study investigates the contribution of GJB2 to the autosomal recessive non-syndromic deafness (ARNSD) load in the Iranian population. One hundred sixty eight persons from 83 families were studied. GJB2-related deafness was diagnosed in 9 families (4, 35delG homozygotes; 3, 35delG compound heterozygotes; 1, W24X homozygote; 1, non-35delG compound heterozygote). The carrier frequency of the 35delG allele in this population was approximately 1% (1/83). Because the relative frequency of Cx26 mutations is much less than in the other populations, it is possible that mutations in other genes play a major role in ARNSD in Iran.

In the present study, we report the initiation to the first drug in a representative sample of drug dependents in Iran. This is a cross-sectional study with a sample size of 7,743. The participants were characterized as drug dependents according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-Fourth Edition and were sampled from the medical centers, prisons, and streets of the capitals of 29 provinces in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mean age at first drug use in the sample was 21.1 (6.5), which differed for various first drugs of abuse. Opium was the first drug of use among 46.4% of the sample, and cannabis was the first drug only among 23.5%. The most frequent place of initiation was at a friend's house (n = 2,476, 33.2%). The same-gender friend out of school (the highest rate) was the most frequent person who suggested the first use. A total of 43.5% of the participants started drug use with friends and 18.8% at a friend's party. Policymakers may benefit from considering the information provided here in designing programs with the purpose of prevention.

Tonsillar Actinomycosis is a rare pathological condition in tonsillectomy specimens and its clinical importance is still controversial (1). Tonsillectomy is the most frequent surgery in children (2). The most common indications for tonsillectomy are recurrent tonsillitis and obstructive diseases such as sleep apnea, snoring, and mouth breathing (3). The histopathological examination of tonsillectomy specimens is done routinely to rule out occult malignancy or granulomatous disease (2-4). The prevalence of Actinomyces in tonsil specimens varies from 1.3-37% (5-7). Actinomyces are a genus of grampositive, pleomorphic, non-spore forming anaerobic, nonacid-fast branched filamentous bacteria (7). Six species of Actinomyces may cause disease in humans, but the most

Background: Otitis media is an important health care problem in school-age children. Moreover, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis, a major and common cause of otitis media, is increasing among children. Recurrent otitis media may occur without any noticeable symptoms and affect the auditory threshold (AT). Only a few decibles increase in hearing loss does not have the same effect on the hearing ability of individuals with different degrees of hearing loss. With this background in mind, in this study, we aimed to determine whether diagnosis and medical treatment of overlooked recurrent otitis media are associated with the educational achievement of students with sensorineural hearing impairment. Methods: The present study with a pretest-posttest design was conducted on 30 students (aged 12 -20 years) with bilateral sensorineural hearing impairment, AT above 30 dB HL in the better ear, and recurrent (2 episodes) middle ear infection over 9 months during 2012 -2014. The participants were examined regularly and received medical treatment when indicated. The mean scores of total average, Persian literature (eg, reading, writing, and spelling), and mathematics were measured to assess the subjects' educational achievement. Results: Based on the findings, the total average scores significantly changed from 16.2 to 17.2. Also, the students' Persian literature (from 16.8 to 18) and mathematics (from 13.8 to 16.7) scores were significantly improved. In addition, AT considerably decreased after