The present study aimed to provide clinical data regarding co-morbidity of psychiatric disorders in individuals diagnosed with Asperger's disorder (AD). This study included 37 individuals (32 male, five female, mean age: 10.9+/-4.5 years) diagnosed with AD. Psychiatric comorbidity was assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children - Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS - PL). Ninety-four percent of participants had at least one additional psychiatric disorder. The most common were anxiety disorders (54%), disruptive behavioural disorders (48%), and mood disorders (37%). The results of this study highlight the need for detailed assessment of additional psychiatric disorders in this population.

The results of this study indicated that this specific commercial product seemed to be effective in increasing stool frequency and improving consistency in this sample of males with functional constipation. However, further studies with longer follow ups, and including females and elderly patients are required to confirm the efficacy of this product for treatment of functional constipation.

The present study aimed to provide clinical data regarding co-morbidity of psychiatric disorders in individuals diagnosed with Asperger's disorder (AD). This study included 37 individuals (32 male, five female, mean age: 10.9+/-4.5 years) diagnosed with AD. Psychiatric comorbidity was assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children - Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS - PL). Ninety-four percent of participants had at least one additional psychiatric disorder. The most common were anxiety disorders (54%), disruptive behavioural disorders (48%), and mood disorders (37%). The results of this study highlight the need for detailed assessment of additional psychiatric disorders in this population.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the specificity, sensitivity, cost, and turn-around time of three methods of gene polymorphism analysis and to study the relationship between IL28B rs12979860 and SVR rate to pegIFN-α/RVB therapy among patients with chronic hepatitis C.MethodsA total of 100 samples from chronic hepatitis C patients were analyzed in parallel using the three methods: direct sequencing, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR.ResultsThe different profiles for IL28B rs12979860 alleles (CC, CT, and TT) obtained with PCR-RFLP, ARMS-PCR, and direct sequencing were consistent among the three methods. Prevalence of rs12979860 genotypes CC, CT and TT in HCV genotype 1a was 10(19.6%), 35(68.6%), and six (11.8%), respectively, and in HCV genotype 31, it was 13(26.5%), 31(63.3%), and five (10.2%), respectively. No significant difference was seen between rs12979860 genotype and HCV genotype (p = 0.710).ConclusionScreening by ARMS – PCR SNOP detection represents the most efficient and reliable method to determine HCV polymorphisms in routine clinical practice.

No abstract

Background:Voriconazole Resistance (VRC-R) in Aspergillus flavus isolates impacts the management of aspergillosis, since azoles are the first choice for prophylaxis and therapy. However, to the best of our knowledge, the mechanisms underlying voriconazole resistance are poorly understood.Objectives:The present study was designed to evaluate mRNA expression levels of cyp51A and mdr1 genes in voriconazole resistant A. flavus by a Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) technique.Materials and Methods:Five A. flavus isolates with resistance to VRC were examined by a RT-PCR approach.Results:Four out of five isolates revealed cyp51A and mdr1 mRNA overexpression. Interestingly, the isolate, which was negative for cyp51A and mdr1 mRNA expression showed a high voriconazole Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Furthermore, a computational-based analysis predicted that voriconazole resistance could be mediated through cooperation with a network protein interaction.Conclusions:Our experimental and in silico findings may provide new insight in the complex molecular pathways of drug resistance and also could assist design an efficient therapeutic strategy for aspergillosis treatment.

Background: With regard to the increasing number of antifungal-resistant dermatophytes, the requirement for precise identification of causative agents of infections and antifungal susceptibility test is vital. Antifungal susceptibility testing of dermatophytes plays a pivotal role in managing dermatophytosis. The current study aimed at determining antifungal susceptibility profile of 161 important dermatophyte species isolated from Iranian patients. Methods: The current descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted on 508 clinically suspected samples of dermatophytosis collected and identified by conventional methods. All dermatophyte isolates were identified using polymerase chain reactionrestriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The susceptibility of dermatophyte strains to two routine antidermatophyte agents (terbinafine and griseofulvin) was evaluated using micro-dilution method according to CLSI (the clinical and laboratory standards institute) M38-A2 guidelines. Trichophyton rubrum PTCC 5143 and Candida krusei ATCC 6258 were used as quality controls. Results: Among 161 dermatophyte isolates, T. interdigitale was reported as the most frequent species isolated from patients using PCR-RFLP and Microsporum ferruginum was the least isolated species. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of griseofulvin and terbinafine were ranged 0.0312-8 and 0.008-4 µg/mL, respectively. The most susceptible and resistant species to griseofulvin were T. interdigitale (MIC = 0.0312 µg/mL) and T. interdigitale/T. rubrum (MIC = 8 µg/mL), respectively. The results indicated that T. verrucosum (MIC = 0.008 µg/mL) was the most susceptible species to terbinafine, whereas T. interdigitale and T. rubrum were the most resistant species to it (MIC = 4 µg/mL). Conclusions: The obtained results assist clinicians to monitor the trend and be able to choose effective medications to treat patients with dermatophytosis, especially in countries such as Iran, where dermatophytosis is still a public health problem.

Background:Rapid and accurate identification and evaluation of antifungal susceptibility pattern of Candida isolates are crucial to determine suitable antifungal drugs for the treatment of patients with vulvovaginitis candidiasis.Materials and Methods:Vaginal samples were collected from 150 women with suspicious vaginal candidiasis, and then cultured on Sabouraoud's Dextrose Agar with chloramphenicol to isolate Candida species. After identification of Candida isolates using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique, antifungal susceptibility testing of four azolic antifungal drugs was carried out using broth microdilution method according to the CLSI M27-A3.Results:Candida species were isolated from eighty suspected patients (61.79%). The most common pathogen was Candida albicans (63.75%). Resistance to fluconazole and ketoconazole was observed in 27.5% and 23.75% of Candida isolates, respectively, and only 2% of Candida isolates were resistant to miconazole. Interestingly, resistance to fluconazole in C. albicans was more than other Candida species.Conclusion:The results indicated that therapy should be selected according to the antifungal susceptibility tests for the prevention of treatment failure and miconazole therapy can be considered as the best therapeutic choice in the management of vulvovaginitis.