BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) with genetic origin is common (1/2000 births). ARNSHL can be associated with mutations in gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2). To this end, this cohort investigation aimed to find the contribution of GJB2 gene mutations with the genotype-phenotype correlations in 45 ARNSHL cases in the Kurdish population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from a total of 45 ARNSHL families. The linkage analysis with 3 short tandem repeat markers linked to GJB2 was performed on 45 ARNSHL families. Only 9 of these families were linked to the DFNB1 locus. All the 45 families who took part were sequenced for confirmation linkage analysis (to perform a large project). RESULTS: A total of three different mutations were determined. Two of which [c.35delG and c.-23+1G>A (IVS1+1G>A)] were previously reported but (c.299-300delAT) mutation was novel in the Kurdish population. The homozygous pathogenic mutations of GJB2 gene was observed in nine out of the 45 families (20%), also heterozygous genotype (c.35delG/N)+(c.-23+1G>A/c.-23+1G>A) were observed in 4/45 families (8.8%). The degree of hearing loss (HL) in patients with other mutations was less severe than patients with c.35delG homozygous mutation (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that GJB2 mutations constitute 20% of the etiology of ARNSHL in Iran; moreover, the c.35delG mutation is the most common HL cause in the Kurdish population. Therefore, these mutations should be included in the molecular testing of HL in this population.
Cohort Studies ; Connexins ; DNA ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genotype ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing ; Humans ; Iran ; Microsatellite Repeats

Objective: The commitment of employees is affected by several factors, including factors related to the organizational climate. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between organizational commitment of nurses and the organizational climate in hospital settings. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 at two teaching hospitals in Yazd, Iran. A total of 90 nurses in these hospitals participated. We used stratified random sampling of the nursing population. The required data were gathered using two valid questionnaires: Allen and Meyer's organizational commitment standard questionnaire and Halpin and Croft's Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire. Data analysis was done through SPSS 20 statistical software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). We used descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient for the data analysis. Results: The findings indicated a positive and significant correlation between organizational commitment and organizational climate (r = 0.269, p = 0.01). There is also a significant positive relationship between avoidance of organizational climate and affective commitment (r = 0.208, p = 0.049) and between focus on production and normative and continuance commitment (r = 0.308, p = 0.003). Conclusion Improving the organizational climate could be a valuable strategy for improving organizational commitment.

Objectives: Hospitals as integrated parts of the wide-ranging health care systems have dominant focus on health care provision to meet, maintain and promote people's health needs of a community. This study aimed to assess the service quality of teaching hospitals of Yazd University of Medical Sciences using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Methods: A literature review and a qualitative method were used to obtain experts' viewpoints about the quality dimensions of hospital services to design a questionnaire. Then, using a self-made questionnaire, perceptions of 300 patients about the quality of delivered services were gathered. Finally, FAHP was applied to weigh each quality dimension and TOPSIS method to rank hospital wards. Results: Six dimensions including responsiveness, assurance, security, tangibles, health communication and Patient orientation were identified as affecting aspects of hospital services quality among which, security and tangibles got the highest and lowest importance respectively (0.25406, 0.06883). Findings also revealed that in hospital A, orthopedics and ophthalmology wards obtained the highest score in terms of quality while cardiology department got the lowest ranking (0.954, 0.323). In hospital B, the highest and the lowest ranking was belonged to cardiology and surgical wards (0.895, 0.00) while in hospital C, surgical units were rated higher than internal wards (0.959, 0.851). Conclusion Findings emphasized that the security dimension got the lowest ranking among SERVQUAL facets in studied hospitals. This requires hospital executives to pay special attention to the issue of patients’ security and plan effectively for its promotion.

Objectives: Organizational learning is defined as creating, absorbing, retaining, transferring, and application of knowledge within an organization. This article aims to examine the mediating role of organizational learning in the relationship of organizational intelligence and organizational agility. Methods: This analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015 at four teaching hospitals of Yazd city, Iran. A total of 370 administrative and medical staff contributed to the study. We used stratified-random method for sampling. Required data were gathered using three valid questionnaires including Alberkht (2003) organizational intelligence, Neefe (2001) organizational learning, and Sharifi and Zhang (1999) organizational agility questionnaires. Data analysis was done through R and SPSS 18 statistical software. Results: The results showed that organizational learning acts as a mediator in the relationship of organizational intelligence and organizational agility (path coefficient = 0.943). Also, organizational learning has a statistical relationship with organizational agility (path coefficient = 0.382). Conclusion Our findings suggest that the improvement of organizational learning abilities can affect an organization's agility which is crucial for its survival.