Background and Aim: The scorpion stinging is one of the most important health problems in the world and poisoning by scorpion’s poison is considered a matter of some medical urgency. Therefore, it is necessary to become acquainted with the ecology and biology of scorpion’s species in any area. Few studies have been carried out regarding the scorpion’s biology; and laboratory studies are not comparable with the natural condition of this arthropod. The purpose of the present study is to determine the scorpions’ biology and ecology in GONABAD city in order to present some preventive health and medical strategies against scorpion stinging. Material and Methods: This study is a kind of descriptive and applied one which was conducted based on random cluster sampling method in GONABAD, Iran. In so doing, 218 scorpions caught from April to August (2008) were grouped based on the hunting area and then transferred to the laboratory in separate bottles containing alcohol 70%. And finally, they were identified using the identification guide for Iranian scorpions.Results: In general, 218 scorpion samples were caught from different zoogeographical areas in GONABAD. They were three species of Odontobuthus dorie, Androctonus crassicaud, Mesobothus eupeus from Buthidae family. The greatest number of the collected scorpions was from the desert areas with clay and sand and they belonged to Odontobuthus dorie (61%); and the fewest number belonged to Androctonus crassicauda (10%). However, the most abundant scorpions in both urban and rural areas belonged to Mesobothus eupeus (29%) and they had their most period of activity in June. Conclusion: Considering the different species of the hunted scorpions, it is necessary not only to inform the public but also to educate them on how to take preventive actions against scorpion stinging.

Background: Most of the dietary habits are formed during childhood and pursuing a correct and balanced dietary pattern is one of the most important factors in preventing degenerative diseases in adulthood.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 375 boy and girl students, ranging from grade one to grade five of primary school, participated through the stratified random sampling. The dietary information was collected through filling out Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ). Finally, the data were analyzed by using SPSS-16 software.Results: 88.3 percent of the children ate breakfast. The obtained dietary pattern indicated that consumption of food groups, including proteins, milk and dairy, fruit, and vegetables was lower than the recommended allowances.Conclusion: Considering the achieved dietary consumption pattern, compiled and extensive training programs should be designed to promote the knowledge level, insight and behaviors of parents and trainers.

With the onset of pregnancy, the pregnant woman undergoes many physical and mental changes which in turn cause changes in her health behavior and lifestyle. The lifestyle has long-lasting effects on the mother and infant's health during pregnancy. The descriptive and cross-sectional study aimed at studying the pregnant women's lifestyle. The participants were 115 pregnant women who were randomly selected based on stratified random sampling method from health service centers in GONABAD, Iran. The data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and a self-report questionnaire of pregnancy lifestyle. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS software version 16 at p<0.05 level of significance. The pregnant women's age average was 20±0.27 and their gestation age average was 23±0.6 weeks. 83.5% of them were housekeeper, 41.7% of them had a schooling of high school diploma, and 54.8% of them were primipara. The results obtained from different aspects of the lifestyle questionnaire during pregnancy showed that the participants' means were as follows: in food habits (7.93%±0.14), in smoking (13.46±0.13), in health and physical activities (3.67±0.11), in stress control (6.71±0.17), and in safety (11.38±0.11). The results indicated that the most desirable component of lifestyle was related to lack of drug and cigarette consumption. On the other hand, the most undesirable component was related to stress control. Regarding the findings of this research, it seems warranted to provide adequate education and information for the personnel especially in using techniques against stress and self-control in health areas and practicing physical activities properly and regularly.

This research is a descriptive survey, done to certify the prevalence of hypertension in GONABAD city in 1375. The research sample, 1259 persons over 18 years old, in two different times with the intervals of two weeks for every persons of the right hand in sitting position, their hypertension was measured and written down. The research results show that 263 out of 1259 samples had hypertension. Then its prevalence in GONABAD city is %20.88. The results show also that from 751 male samples, 170 or %22.63 had hypertension and from 508 of females 93 persons or %18.30 had hypertension. From hypertension severity point of view %22.81 had systolic hypertension, %25.09 had diastolic hypertension over normal, %37.26 had slight, % 11.40 averages and %3.47 had severe hypertension. %67 of them was not informed of their hypertension and %10.26 were using anti- hypertension medicines, while hypertension of %93 Persons were not Controlled.

Background and Aim: Infertility is a significant cause of anxiety among couples at the beginning of their life. This problem is not only a disappointing agent but also a destroying one that is effective on male or female personality evolution and their identification. This is to study the prevalence of women infertility, both primary and secondary in rural and urban areas of GONABAD and some demographic factors in a given population of women.Materials and Methods: An interview-questionnaire was used in this cross- sectional study in 2006. Our samples were 380 married women in age (15-49) who lived in GONABAD city. Method of women selection was in two stages, at first stage stratified sampling and at the second stage systematic method was used. The analysis of data was performed by SPSS. (p£0.05)Results: Among the 380 women contacted, (88.1%) reported no difficulties in having children. The prevalence of infertility was 11.9%. 6.5% women had primary infertility and 5.4% had secondary infertility. The prevalence of infertility in GONABAD city was 12.8% and in rural area it was 11.4%. There was not a significant difference between demographic data of women and period of menstruation.Conclusion: The prevalence of infertility in GONABAD city was 11.9% which is different with other studies, so it is necessary to survey in the case of etiology and other infertility factors.

Edwards syndrome or trisomy 18 is one of the rare types of chromosomal abnormalities. Since this syndrome is easily diagnosed during pregnancy and cases of legal abortion is considered Therefore, early diagnosis is important during pregnancy. this article is a report of a case of this syndrome in a female neonate born in GONABAD. Due to her multiple congenital abnormalities including: overlapping fingers, rocker bottom feet, low set ears, recurrent apnea, sever intrauterine growth restriction, prominent occiput, cardiac murmur and microcephaly, we suspected to this syndrome in Echocardiography was reported ventricular septal defect, patent dactus arteriosus, whole cardiac chambers dilatation and aortic arch anomally And after application of karyotype this syndrome confirmed.

This research was done to survey the dermatophytosis prevalence in GONABAD primary schools in relation with demographic features and health behaviors in the year 1378 in a descriptive - analytical method.Cluster sampling was used and schools were selected in a simple and randomly method.Results: In this Survey all infected ones on hairs of their heads and all other parts of the body as: trunk, feet, hands, face, groin and nails were not infected, then according to the prevalence of tinea capitis infection on the students head of girls and boys in GONABAD primary schools in year 1378 was equall to 3/4% that 27/6% of the infected ones stand for urban schools and 72/4% for rural schools and this infection prevalence was sequence 1/9% and 5% for urban and rural schools.79/3% of the boys and 20/7% of the girls were infected.The results also showed a meaningful relationship between tinea capitis infection and using common tools like: comb, towel, bed, hat and scarf, infection and the family size, and living area but it didn't show a meaningful relationship between a bath at home and bathing times with infection to the disease.Conclusion: In general the results shows that there is a meaningful relation between infection to . tinea capitis with lifestyle, health habits, demographic characteristics, direct contact of children together at home and school.Boys are three times more suceptible to Tinea capitis than girls, it's couse may is in more likely of injury in their head skin in playing and less attention of them for obeying of health principles in compare with girls. The existence of suceptible condition for infection in rural areas in compare to urban areas can be a vision for prevalence of tinea capitis in the students of rural areas. Then paying attention to health - education and school health, finding the infected people and curing them in rural schools of this city seems necessary.

Background and Aim: Saffron flower picking due to its position on the ground not only causes awkward body postures such as bending, kneeling and crawling but also is a routine job full of physical stress which inevitably leads to muscular and skeletal deformities in farmers’ body. We decided to do posture assessment in these persons while working to determine the posture hazard level and later recommend suitable correcting actions regarding MSDs control and prevention. Materials and Methods: 150 saffron pickers were selected for this descriptive and analytic study in farms in GONABAD. Sampling method was quotal and nonprobable. The instruments were a digital camera and a REBA posture assessment chart. We took photographs of all parts of body that were marked in REBA chart of all saffron pickers. Then, we coded all of the parts of body (trunk, neck, arm, forearm, foot, and wrist) based on their positions and according to REBA method. Later, REBA scores (A, B and Ground scores) were calculated from A, B, and C tables. Afterwards, these calculated data were analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The results showed that A score were 6 in 9.3% of the cases, 7 in 50%, 8 in 38% and 9 in 2.7%. B score were 2 in 0.7%, 3 in 2%, 4 in 10%, 5 in 50.7%, 6 in 26%, 7 in 8.7% and 8 in 2%. Grand score were 8 in 0.7%, 9 in 3.3%, 10 in 11.3%, 11 in 49.3% and 12 in 35.3%. Conclusion: According to the findings, Grand score is over 11 in 84.6% of the cases whose hazard levels were very high and their scale is 4 for the purpose of correcting action priority. This means that it is necessary to take immediate action for the proper posture. Also, MSDs risks were very high. Grand score is 8-10 in 49.3% of the cases. This indicates that their hazard levels were high and it is necessary to take immediate action. If the person sits on an object while working, this action can decrease the angles of trunk (it is between 20-30 degrees), knee (it is more than 60 degrees) and neck (it is more than 20 degrees) until Grand score and risk level decreases. Moreover, it is necessary to teach appropriate body postures to the farmers. Consequently, these actions can prevent the MSDs risk.

Background and Aim: Aflatoxin are toxic mold metabolites produced by toxogenic strains Aspergillus species They have an important role in the occurrence of a number of human disease such as liver cancer, chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis The aim of this study was to determine the quality of aflatoxin M1 in pasteurized Milk samples.Materials and Methods: In this cross-section study 90 samples of pasteurized Milk (45 samples in autumn and winter and 45 ones in spring and summer) were randomly selected from dairy plants and test for Aflatoxin M1 contamination by Eliza method.Results: 34 samples (75, 55%) out of 45 obtained in autumn and winter and 18 samples (40%) of 45 obtained in spring and summer were higher than the maximum tolerance limit (50 ng/L) accepted by some European countries. Statistical evaluation showed that mean contamination level of AFMI in autumn and winter samples were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of spring and summer.Conclusion: A high percentage of samples were not in accordance with the current standards regarding the hygienic quality. AFMI is resistance to the temperature used during the pasteurization procedure.There is no official standard level for AFM1 in Milk and Milk products in Iran and it is necessary to keep away the food stuffs from fungul contamination.

Bread, as a main food of most people around the world, provides major part of energy, protein, and essential vitamins. So, health and quality of consumable bread would be very important. The aim of this study was to assess quality of taftoon bread which was produced in taftoon bakeries in GONABAD, Iran. We applied a cross-sectional descriptive study on 140 taftoon breads which were selected by two-stage cluster sampling and assessed their bacterial and fungal contaminations, value of PH, and percentage of salt. The data were gathered using a checklist and were analyzed. Our findings showed no bacterial contamination in the sample, while there was 9.3% fungal contamination in the baked breads which was the standard range. Mean (standard deviation) of PH and percentage of salt was 5.92 (0.214) and 1.30 (0.547), respectively. The value of PH in 77.1 % of the breads was into standard interval and percentage of salt in only 7.1% of the breads was more than standard measure. According to our results, 28.6% of the taftoon breads in GONABAD bakeries were unqualified. Our results indicated current situation in production of taftoon bread in GONABAD and would be used by inspectors who supervised the bakeries.