Journal of

Background and Aim: Human Giardisis infection is caused by the flagellate protozoa. Giardia lamblia, which lives in the small intestine, causing damage and may also cause gastrointestinal symptoms. This parasitic disease has a worldwide distribution and prevalence varies from 5% to 30%. The role of both humeral and cellular immune response in the host defense against parasites has proven. Since an immune response is directly affected by cytokine, study of cytokines changes in patients with giardiosis is of particular importance.

Materials and Methods: In this study the serum levels of IL-2 - 4 - 6 to 17 and 23 in patients and healthy subjects were measured and compared. Fasting blood samples were taken from the volunteers, ELISA was performed to measure cytokines.

Results: In this study, the amount of IL-2 and IL-6 in infected patients was significantly more than the controls, but IL-4 levels were significantly lower in infected individuals (P=0.0001). Also for the first time in people with giardiasis IL-17 and IL-23 was measured and there was a significant aifference in these cytokines between the infected patients healthy controls(respectively P=0.044 and P=0.03)

Conclusion: Host defense response against parasitic infections, is directly and affected by cytokines. Increased interleukin 2, 6, 17 and 23 in patients with Giardiosis was probably caused by immune response and local intestinal inflammation.

Background and Aim: Achievement-based evaluation is an important part of the educational planning process, in which learners are screened besides, it helps teachers in their self-evaluation. The purpose of present study is to survey the methods through which laboratory sciences students were evaluated by their professors at Tehran University of Medical Sciences(TUMS) in the academic year 2009-2010.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the population consisted of the faculty members who teach laboratory sciences courses. Data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed to describe all evaluation methods using tables and necessary distribution frequencies. Then, the results were compared with those of Medical Planning Council resolutions.

Results: The results show that mid-term exams were used for the evaluation of students in 35% of all theoretical and practical courses. Besides, of the evaluation methods used, multiple-choice questions occupied the first rank(70%) among the methods normally employed.

Conclusion: According to the results, routine evaluation of undergraduate students of laboratory sciences at the Paramedical Faculty of Tehran University of Medical sciences not only conformed to the ratifications of the Supreme Council of Medical Planning, but also was done more extensively and with a higher degree of consistency in the academic year 2009-2010.

Background and Aim: Medical Laboratory Sciences is one of the important fields in Medicine that is closely associated with other disciplines in this group. This study aims to evaluate laboratory sciences curriculum in Iran and several countries worldwide.

Materials and Methods: In this research, data collection is based on documents and curriculum goals of countries. The data collected was analyzed using qualitative methods.

Results: Comparative study of curriculum courses of bachelor of Laboratory Medical sciences was done and compared with the number of basic and specific units in Iran and other countries.

The curriculum in Iran with Turkey and Australia is remarkably consistent. Internship units in hospitals have lower returns in compared to other universities in the world.

Conclusion: Laboratory Science curriculum in Iran is matched with developing countries. However, more attention to training units and projects to improve the quality of teaching laboratory sciences could be more effective.