Background & Objective: Poster is a non-projector, visual, graphic and printed medium that is applied in various cases specially in health education. On the other hand, one of the health education experts task is evaluation of educational methods and media. Since few studies were performed on effectiveness of posters on knowledge of people, this study was designed to determine the percentage of people who looked at the posters in health centers and also to determine the level of knowledge attained from these posters located in different places of health centers.

 Methods: This was a semi-experimental study. The population was people who referred to Shahid Gannadi health center. Samples were selected by simple random method. The data were collected by a questionnaire. The posters were fixed in three places during three different stages and the collected data were analyzed.

 Results: The findings showed that from among these subjects, 18.8% in the first stage, 20.8% in the second stage and 61.2% in third stage observed the fixed posters. The probability of the poster to be seen near the doorway and examination room was equal (Odds Ratio=0.9) whereas the probability of the same posters to be seen in waiting hall was 7 times as much as the previously mentioned locations. The ANOVA indicated no significant difference between demographic variables (age, sex, marital status, ets) of study subjects and their knowledge scores.

 Conclusions: The study showed that People paid very little attention to fixed poster. Therefore, regarding the role of posters in increasing the knowledge level, several strategies should be employed to make people pay more attention to these posters. Following the accepted standards in preparation and fixation of posters and preparation of three dimensional boards for the posters in health care centers are suggested.

 Background & Objectives: Authorities and scholars believe that determining cigarette smoking status of individuals and groups and finding reasons of smoking plays an important role in manipulating and facing with this dirty habit. The present study is an attempt to determine the rate of prevalence and the causes inducing smoking among students of Ardabil university of medical sciences.

 Methods:�This survey was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Of 1300 medical sciences students, 1106 ones volunteered to participate in this study. The data were collected using a questionnaire and were analyzed in SPSS.

 Results: 154 students (13.9%) had experienced cigarette smoking previously and 82 students (7.2%) were already a smoker. Intimacy with smokers, self-gratification and acquiring enjoyment, educational failures, vague future career and smoking for entertainment were the most important factors inducing smoking.

 Conclusion: Cigarette smoking prevalence rate in this study was relatively low in comparison with similar studies. However, regarding the critical social status of these students, some serious measures should be taken to inform them about the dangers of smoking and at the some time some facilities should be provided for students, which can be of great help in this regard.

  Background & Objectives: With respect to the importance of diabetes mellitus prevalence and contradictory role of treatment with metformin on vitamin B12 and folic acid serum levels and this study was done in order to determine of Vitamin B12 and folic acid serum level in patients with diabetes mellitus under treatment with metformin. This research was performed in diabetes center of Kashan in 2004.

  Methods: Information about research method, target and conclusions were given to patients. Those who were under treatment with anti acids, and chemotherapy drugs and also those who were alcoholic and had gastrointestinal diseases and hepatic diseases were excluded among all samples of this research, then patients were divided in to 2 groups: The first group were under treatment with metformin, second group were with other drugs for diabetes treatment. All of people were under treatment for at least 6 months folic acid, vitamin B12 serum level of them were checked after 14 hours fasting and the findings were studied with SPSS software and X2 tests, T test fisher exact test.

  Results: there were 145 (84.31%) female and 27 male (15.69%) between 172 patients. Average age of patients was 52.1±12.7 years. Duration of disease was 5.42±9.1 and average Body Mass Index was 27.7±4.7 kg/m2. Folic acid average was 9.2±5.1 (ng/dl) in patients who consumed metformin and was 8.7±4.6 (ng/dl) in patients without consuming of metformin that did not show significant difference (p=0.557). B12 vitamin average was 5.43±342.54 (pg/dl) in patients under treatment with metformin and was 516±32.16 (pg/dl) in patients without consuming metformin in statistical findings between these 2 groups was not significant. (p=0.639). Significant correlation was observed between age of patients whom were studied and serum folic acid level of them. (p=0.07), But did not show significant correlation between age with serum B12 level (p=0.095). There was no significant correlation between age, length of disease, body mass index and level of B12 and folic acid.

  Conclusion: Correlation between reduction serum level of B12 and folic acid with consuming of metformin was not found. Difference between results of this study with other studies is likely because of more use of routine vitamin supplement that is consumed by patients without physician’s recommending, genetic differences or drugs composition.

  Background & objectives: Wound infection is a predominant cause of death in burned patients who are clearly at increased risk of nosocomial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common cause of burn infections and is difficult to treat because of having high level of resistance to antibiotics. The aim of this study was to perform isolation, identification and determination of antibiotics resistance pattern of P. aeruginosa strains isolated from wounds of hospitalized burn patient.

  Methods: Biochemical and molecular tests were used for identification of the P. aeruginosa and antibacterial susceptibility test was performed using disk diffusion (Kirby- Bauer) methods. Then, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was performed for four representatives of different groups of antibiotics.

  Results: Among 94 evaluated strains of P. aeruginosa, 83 isolates (88.3%) were multi drugs resistant. Based on Kirby-Bauer method, the most resistance was seen to cefepime (89.5 %) and among the antibiotics studied to determine the MIC, the most resistance was observed to ciprofloxacin (89 %).

Conclusion: These results indicate high range of resistance to different antibiotics among strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from burn wounds of patients. So, the fast and accurate measurement and evaluation of antibiotic resistance for appropriate antibiotic therapy of burned patients is imperative.

Background & objectives: Enterococci are among the normal microbial flora in human and animals digestive tract. The nosocomial pathogenicity of enterococci has emerged in recent years and has caused great concern due to developing resistance to many antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to investigate and identify the prevalence of VRE (vancomycin resistant enterococcus) within Enterococci isolates obtained from different parts of the hospital.

Methods: Putative Enterococci (n=120) were isolated on Membrane Filter Enterococcus Selective Agar Medium and supplemented with 2, 4 and 8 µgr/ml vancomycin in medical samples. A total isolates passed the standard biochemistry tests for the genus and species as well as their specific primers. The antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the disc diffusion method for 8 antibiotics. Microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC) of vancomycin was also done using Agar-dilution assay by CLSI recommendations.

Results: Results showed that 38 and 84 of the isolates were E. faecium and E.faecalis, respectively. According to antimicrobial susceptibility tests 45, 88, 103, 42, 83, 73, 54 and 95 of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, penicillin, ampicillin and erythromycin, respectively. MIC test on 70% of the isolates was>256 µgr/ml.

Conclusion: Despite the fact that the prevalence of VRE strains belongs to two species, E. faecium had high resistance to a broad range of antibiotics. The results of this study indicate the important role of medical samples as reservoirs of resistance elements. Early detection of VRE with their virulence trait will help in preventing the spread of vancomycin resistant enterococcus species and urgent infection control is required in hospital setting