Background & Objective: Tuberculosis is a diseases which is severely threatening the individuals health and is spreading quickly. Moreover, the appearance of new strains resistant to drugs has complicated the issue. Since there is no information available regarding the present drug-resistance situation of patients suffering from tuberculosis in Mashhad, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of this resistance in this city.

 Methods: To determine prevalence of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in Mashhad, drug sensitivity of 75 M. tuberculosis strains isolated from patients with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis from 20 Feb. 2002 to 20 Aug. 2002 was studied using the indirect proportion method. Every strain was tested against Rifampicin (RMP), Isoniazid (INH), Ethambutol (ETM), and Streptomycin (STM). Medical records of the patients were reviewed. Patients with no or less than 1 month treatment were defined as new cases and those previously treated for more than 1 month were defined as previously treated cases.

 Results: Of 75 isolates, 70(93.33%) were from new and 5(6.66%) from previously treated cases. 68 patients (90.66%) were suffering from pulmonary and 7(9.33%) from extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Of 75 isolates, 23(36%) were resistant to at least one anti-tuberculosis drug. The highest rate of resistance was observed to streptomycin. Three of the 75 strains (4%) were resistant to all four drugs. 1.43% and 40% of strains isolated from newly and previously treated patients respectively were multidrug resistant.

 Conclusions: In this study new cases with MDR-TB were less prevalent compared to other studies. Most drug resistance and MDR-TB were associated with previous treatment. Continual evaluation of drug resistance following DOTS implementation seems to be necessary.

 Background and Objectives: Food insecurity and hunger not only affect physical health, but also have social and psychological consequences. Therefore, monitoring food security and fighting against food insecurity and hunger is necessary in a society. This study was carried out to investigate the determinants of food insecurity in northwest of Tabriz (Asadabadi region).

 Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 300 subjects in 2004-2005. The prevalence of food insecurity was assessed using a short questionnaire. Information regarding the socio-economic and cultural status of the subjects was collected through a questionnaire. In order to assess the status of food security on the basis of income, occupation, education level and family size, distribution of secure and insecure groups was individually determined, and then Chi-Square test was used to test the significance of the relationship between these groups. Nutritional status was assessed using food frequency questionnaire. Food groups that had significant correlation with income (relationship between groups and subgroups of foods with income was determined using Pearson correlation coefficient) were selected as a criterion for comparing secure and insecure groups. Mean frequency of criteria foods consumption in two groups was compared using independent-sample t-test.

 Results: The prevalence of food insecurity was 36.3%. Food insecurity increased with family size and declined with income, education and job status of the head of the family (p<0.01). The results of food frequency showed that the mean frequency of bread and potato consumption in food insecure group was meaning fully higher compared to food secure group. Mean frequency consumption of rice, vegetable, fruit, red meat and dairy products in food insecure group was significantly lower compared to food secure group (p<0.001).

 Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed the impact of socio-economic and cultural status of the families on food security. It also indicated that nutritional problems are prevalent in society. Therefore, it is necessary to give practical solutions to fight against food insecurity as a major problem in society.

  Background & Objectives: Salmonella is amongst the most important food-borne pathogens and s .typhimurium is the most common species causing food infection. L. casei, B. bifidum and B. angulatum are among probiotics with siginificant benefical effects in consumers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction of the mentioned probiotics with s .typhimurium in vitro and growth in synthetic peptone water medium to evaluate the provisional effects of probiotic consumption in prevention and treatment of s .typhimurium food infection in humans.

  Methods: In order to activate the lyophilized bacteria, they were inoculated in erlene meyer containing peptone water and incubated at 37 ^°C for 24 hours. The activated probiotics and s .typhimurium were then incubated separately and together in peptone water medium for 24 hours at 37 ^° c. Then, the number of their probiotic bacteria and S.typhimurium were counted in MRS and BGA media using surface plate method. This procedure was repeated 10 times for each experiment and a mean number of s .typhimurium in each ml of erlene meyer containing s .typhimurium alone and with probiotics and also the mean number of probiotic bacteria in each ml of erlene meyer containing probiotic alone and with salmonella were compared using independent t-test.

  Results: Co-cultural growth of L.casei and B.angulatum significantly inhibits s .typhimurium growth (P<0.05) but the inhibitory effect of B.bifidum was not meaningful and the co-culture of S.typhimurium had no meaningful effect on the growth of the above bacteria.

  Conclusions: Consumption of products containing L.casei and B.angulatum could have benefical effects in prevention and treatment of S.typhimurium infection although more in vivo researches should be carried out in this regard.

 Background & Objectives: Goiter prevalence in school age children is an indicator of the severity of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD_S) in the society and a goiter prevalence ≥5 % in school age children indicates a public health problem. In area of mild to moderate IDD_S, measurement of thyroid volume by ultrasonography through observation is preferrable to population for grading goiter. Considering the importace of this issue, because of being mountainous and lack of this method's application for determining the incidence of goiter this study was desinged.

 Methods: In this descriptive – analytical study, thyroid volumes of 230 boys between 12 to 15 years old were measured by portable ultrasonograph in Tabriz. Also urinary iodine concentrations were determined by method A (Sandell-kolthoff reaction).

 Results: Mean of subjects’ thyroid volume was 8.12 ±2.21 ml and with latest references of Iran and WHO/NHD, goiter prevalence was taken based age 51.7 % and based surface body 81.1 %. Urinary iodine median of tested samples was 15.2µg/dl and iodine deficiency prevalence was 29.1 % . There was no significant correlation between urinary iodine and thyroid volume.

 Conclusion: Large thyroid volume of middle school boys in Tabriz is probably due to iodine intake deficiency in the first years of their life. Also, the role of goitrogenic factors and effect of climate condition on thyroid volume and goiter prevalence of middle school boys in Tabriz shouldn't be ignored. Further studies are recommended for determination of a local reference for thyroid volume Also it is necessary to be sure from consumption of iodine salt and its standardization.

  Background & Objective: Hyperlipidemia is one of the main causes of cardiovascular diseases which have a high mortality throughout the world. Consumption of products containing specific strains of microbes as probiotics, produces positive effects in the host by balancing the flora of the digestive system. L.casei is a probiotic and the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of consumption of milk containing L.casei on serum lipid profile of rats fed high lipid diet.

  Methods : This was an experimental study in which 30 male albino wistar rats with a body weight of 200 ± 15 gr were randomly allocated to two groups of treatment and control each containing 15 rats and adapted to a high lipid diet (11.47%) and water containing milk (25%). Rats in both groups received high lipid diet and water containing 25% milk for 48 days with the difference that rats in the treatment group received water containing L.casei considering that water consumption is created throughout the experiment, the amount of L.casei added to milk was calculated to each rat consumed 10⁹ CFU bacteria per day.

  Results : Independent t-test revealed that at a level of α= 0/05 mean levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C of rats in the treatment group was significantly lower than that of control group (p<0/05), but the mean levels of triglyceride, HDL-C and VLDL-C was not significant. Also increase in body weight was significantly higher in the treatment group compared to the control group (p<0/01).

  Conclusion : Long term daily consumption of milk containing L.casei improve serum lipid profile by lowering total cholesterol level and also increase the rate of body growth.

  Background & Objectives: Regarding to high incidence of dysmenorrhea and influence on daily activities and fewer side effects of herbal medicines than chemical drugs, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of mefenamic acid and matricaria chamomilla (MC) on primary dysmenorrhea.

  Methods: This triple-blind randomized clinical trial study was done on 90 female students residents in dormitories of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in 2012. The subjects were categorized into two groups randomly. Mefenamic acid capsules (250 mg, every 8 hours) were given to the first group from 48 hours before menstruation until 24 hours after it. The second group received MC capsules made in Barij Essence Factory of Kashan (250 mg, every 8 hours). Severity of dysmenorrhea was measured by McGill ruler. Finally, the data were analyzed by SPSS. The chi-squire, fisher and paired t-test were used. The p-value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant difference.

  Results: The result of this study indicated that both chamomilla and mefenamic acid can reduce the severity of pain and hemorrhage (p<0.05) but there was no significant difference between two groups (p>0.05).

  Conclusion: This study showed that matricaria chamomilla is effective in decreasing the severity of primary dysmenorrhea and reducing hemorrhage as well as mefenamic acid.