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Background: Job satisfaction is viewed as all inclinations or positive feelings that individuals have towards their jobs. Medical universities are in need of motivated professors, as one important paradigm of education, to instruct students of medicine and to improve health and medicine in the society. Noticing the importance of job satisfaction among faculty members in promotion of university aims and enhancement of productivity, this study was conducted to evaluate job satisfaction among faculty members of Arak University of Medical Sciences (AUMS) in 2010. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, observational one and the study population consisted of all faculty members at AUMS. Sampling was performed by census and data were collected through demography questionnaire including sex, age, scientific stage, educational department, employment status, and job experience, and Herzberg job satisfaction questionnaire. Results: The mean (standard deviation) of job satisfaction in faculty members of AUMS was 60.72 (11.51) and the mean (standard deviation) of the surveyed stages were as follows: work nature (74.46(12.60)), supervision and relations (62.15(13.69)), job security (57.58 (15.72)), promotion opportunities (57.28(15.74)), physical conditions and work environment (55.84 (14.14)), and salary and benefits (55.56(16.87)) from the maximum 100 score. Conclusion: AUMS faculty members were satisfied with their jobs on the whole. The greatest job satisfaction was related to work nature and the least job satisfaction was with salaries and benefits. By increasing salaries and benefits and providing promotion opportunities, job satisfaction can be enhanced in this group.

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Background: To date, researchers have paid extensive attention to happiness and its relationship with a wide variety of personality, socio-demographic, and health-related factors. However, there is still little research on the issue of happiness. This study was done to investigate happiness and mental health and the relationship between them in the students studying at Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran, in 2010. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 315 students at Arak University of Medical Sciences who were randomly selected during 2010. The students' happiness was measured by Oxford questionnaire and their mental health was measured using GHQ28. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, Logistic regression, and Chi-square test using SPSS software. Results: The mean of happiness in the students was 40.72±14.14 with only 9.2% of them in the normal range of happiness. Their mental health score was 25.73±7.47 with 32.1% of them within the normal range. Pearson correlation coefficient showed a statistically significant relationship between happiness score and mental health score (r=-0.14, p=0.012). Conclusion: Happiness and mental health status in the students at Arak University of Medical Sciences necessitate the need for more serious attention to this issue in educational planning.

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Background: Gastric ulcer treatment with chemical drugs is associated with a multitude of side effect. One of the most important groups of probiotics is lactic acid bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the healing effects of Lactobacillus pentosus on gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 45 male Wistar rats were divided into experimental, control 1, and control 2 groups. After one day of fasting, the rats were operated and gastric ulcer was induced by acetic acid. One day after surgery, the groups were treated with the 1010 cfu/day bacteria, dissolved in one ml of milk sterilizer, 1 ml of milk sterilizer, and 1 ml of normal saline, respectively, via gavage. On days 1, 4, 7, 10, and 14 after the induction of gastric ulcer, the animals were killed and the wound size (mm2) and the effect of the bacteria on the healing of wounds were measured for each rat.

Results: The treatment with Lactobacillus pentosus strains significantly decreased wound size in the experimental group compared with control groups. Significant increases in the number of neutrophils, macrophages, fibroblasts, significant decreases in the number of neutrophils, macrophages, and increased numbers of fibroblasts were observed in the experimental group compared to the control groups. Also, significant reductions in the number of neutrophils, macrophages, and fibroblasts were seen in the experimental group compared with the other two groups.

Conclusion: Lactobacillus pentosus has healing effects on gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid.