PURPOSE: Objective of this research is to find out weaknesses of undergraduate programs in terms of personnel and financial, organizational management and facilities in view of faculty and library staff, and determining factors that may facilitate program quality-improvement. METHODS: This is a descriptive analytical survey research and from purpose aspect is an application evaluation study that undergraduate groups of selected faculties (Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, Allied Medical Sciences and Rehabilitation) at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) have been surveyed using context input process product model in 2014. Statistical population were consist of three subgroups including department head (n=10), faculty members (n=61), and library staff (n=10) with total population of 81 people. Data collected through three researcher-made questionnaires which were based on Likert scale. The data were then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Results showed desirable and relatively desirable situation for factors in context, input, process, and product fields except for factors of administration and financial; and research and educational spaces and equipment which were in undesirable situation. CONCLUSION: Based on results, researcher highlighted weaknesses in the undergraduate programs of TUMS in terms of research and educational spaces and facilities, educational curriculum, administration and financial; and recommended some steps in terms of financial, organizational management and communication with graduates in order to improve the quality of this system.
Curriculum ; Head ; Midwifery ; Nursing ; Self-Evaluation Programs ; Teaching

OBJECTIVES: The genus Shigella comprises the most infectious and diarrheagenic bacteria causing severe diseases, mostly in children under five years of age. This study aimed to detect nine virulence genes (ipaBCD, VirA, sen, set1A, set1B, ial, ipaH, stx, and sat) in Shigella species (spp.) using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR) and to determine the relation of Shigella spp. from pediatric diarrheal samples with hospitalization and bloody diarrhea in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: Shigella spp. were isolated and identified using standard microbiological and serological methods. The virulence genes were detected using MPCR. RESULTS: Seventy-five Shigella spp. (40 S. sonnei, 33 S. flexneri, 1 S. dysenteriae, and 1 S. boydii) were isolated in this study. The prevalence of ial, sen, sat, set1A, and set1B was 74.7%, 45.4%, 28%, 24%, and 24%, respectively. All S. flexneri isolates, while no S. sonnei, S. dysenteriae, or S. boydii isolates, contained sat, set1A, and set1B. All isolates were positive for ipaH, ipaBCD, and virA, while one (1.4%) of the isolates contained stx. The highest prevalence of virulence determinants was found in S. flexneri serotype IIa. Nineteen (57.6%) of 33 S. flexneri isolates were positive for ipaBCD, ipaH, virA, ial, and sat. The sen determinants were found to be statistically significantly associated with hospitalization and bloody diarrhea (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study revealed a high prevalence of enterotoxin genes in S. flexneri, especially in serotype 2a, and has presented relations between a few clinical features of shigellosis and numerous virulence determinants of clinical isolates of Shigella spp.
Bacteria ; Child ; Diarrhea ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; Enterotoxins ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Iran* ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pediatrics ; Prevalence ; Serogroup ; Shigella* ; Virulence

To investigate Phlebotomus (P.) sergenti Parrot, 1917 (Diptera: Psychodidae) salivary gland antigens and their immune response in human. Methods: Human volunteers were exposed to sand flies' bites in the laboratory, and following each exposure the size of induration was recorded. The mean protein concentration of salivary gland lysate and specific anti-P. sergenti saliva IgG was measured. Sand fly salivary proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and their immunoreactivity was examined by Western blotting assays. Results: Individuals exposed to P. sergenti salivary gland lysate for 8 months showed both antibody and delayed type hypersensitivity responses, although exposure for one month did not provoke any immune responses. The trend of antibody fluctuated during the exposure time and dropped by the end of antigen loading. The mean protein content was (0.36?0.08) ug in each pair salivary glands. Salivary gland lysate showed 11 to 12 major protein bands and 3 to 6 of them were immunoreactive. Conclusions: Our study showed that the salivary gland components of P. sergenti provoked both cellular and humoral immune responses in human. Furthermore, there are some immunogenic proteins in P. sergenti saliva which could be subjected for further investigation as vector-based vaccine candidate/s against anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis.