A Study of Iran’s Comparative Advantage in Saffron, the Red Gold

Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Determination of extended spectrum beta-lactamases, metallo-beta-lactamases and AmpC-beta-lactamases among carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from burn patients

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with burns. Method: A total of 214 nonduplicated burn wound isolates of P. aeruginosa were recovered from burn patients. Identification of carbapenem resistant isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was carried out using the phenotypic methods. The presence of genes encoding extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs) enzymes were determined by PCR. The genetic relationships between carbapenem resistant isolates were determined by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. Results: Of 214 investigated P. aeruginosa isolates, 100 (46.7) were carbapenem resistant. All carbapenem resistant P. aeruginosa were resistant to imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem, carbenicillin, aztreonam, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin but susceptible to polymyxin B. Among 100 carbapenem resistant P. aeruginosa isolates, 3, 65 and 52 were identified as ESBLs, carbapenemase and AmpC overproduction positive isolates respectively. The most prevalent ESBLs and MBLs genes included bla(OXA-10) (97), bla(TEM) (61), bla(VIM) (55), bla(PER) (13), bla(IMP) (3) and bla(AIM) (1). RAPD analysis yielded 13 distinct profiles among 92 isolates. A dominant RAPD type was designated as A that consisting of 80 isolates. Conclusion: This is the first report of Adelaide IMipenmase (AIM) MBLs producing P. aeruginosa from Iran and also of the high prevalence of AmpC overproduction isolates. According to the results of current study, P. aeruginosa isolates producing OXA-10, TEM, VIM, PER and IMP beta-lactamases are frequent and the population structures of these isolates are highly similar. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved

The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Persian Rugs: A Policy Analysis Matrix Approach

Persian rugs are woven in different parts of the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, the rugs woven in Eastern Azerbaijan, Esfahan, and Qum have a worldwide reputation. A poliy Analysis Matrix (PAM) is used to study the rug industry in these provinces. Our analysis is concentrated on the most-exported hand-woven rug-named 65-Radj Cheleh Abrishami Silk Flower-using 2006 data. The results indicate that the export competitive indexes for the three provinces are 0.81, 0.88, and 0.93, respectively. Based on these indices the 65-Radj Cheleh Abrishami Silk Flower rug can compete in the world markets. The comparative advantage indices for the three provinces are 0.83, 0.79 and 0.84, respectively. These numbers show that the provinces have a comparative advantage in the production of the rug in question

Distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups in patients with keratoconus: A case-control study

Association of keratoconus (KC) with genetic predisposition and environmental factors has been well documented. However, no single study has investigated the possible relationship between ABO and Rh blood groups and KC.Methods:A case-control study was designed in a university hospital enrolling 214 patients with KC in the case group and equal number of age- and sex-matched healthy subjects in the control group. Primary characteristics, ABO blood group, and Rh factors were compared between the two groups. Topographic findings of KC eyes and the severity of the diseases were investigated according to the distribution of the blood groups.Results:Blood group O and Rh+ phenotype were most frequent in both groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of ABO blood groups or Rh factors. Mean keratometery (K), central corneal thickness, thinnest corneal thickness, flat K, steep K, sphere and cylinder, spherical equivalent, and uncorrected visual acuity were all similar between ABO blood groups and Rh+ and Rh- groups. However, the best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) had the highest value in AB blood group (0.35±0.22 logMAR, P0.005). Moreover, the blood group AB revealed the highest frequency for grade 3 KC, followed by grades 1, 2, and 4 (P0.003).Conclusion:We observed no significant excess of any particular blood group among KC cases compared with healthy subjects. Except BCVA, none of the keratometric or topographic findings was significantly different between blood groups. © 2015 Contact Lens Association of Opthalmologists, Inc