Zataria multiflora Boiss and Carvacrol Affect β2-Adrenoceptors of Guinea Pig Trachea

The stimulatory effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss (Labiatae) and carvacrol on β-adrenoceptors was examined on guinea pig trachea. The effects of three concentrations of aqueous-ethanolic extract, carvacrol, and propranolol (β-receptor antagonist) on β-adrenoceptors were tested in nonincubated (group 1, n = 8) and incubated tracheal chains with 1 μM chlorpheniramine (histamine H1 receptor antagonist) (group 2, n = 5). Isoprenaline (β-receptor agonist) curves obtained in the presence of all concentrations of the extract and carvacrol showed leftward shifts compared with that of saline in both groups. In both groups, the EC50 (the effective concentration of isoprenaline, causing 50% of maximum response) obtained in the presence of all concentrations of the extract and carvacrol was significantly lower compared to that of saline (P < .01 to P < .001). All values of (CR-1: (EC50 in the presence of active substances/EC50 obtained in the presence of saline)-1) obtained in the presence of concentrations of the extract and carvacrol in both groups were negative and significantly different from that of propranolol (P < .001 for all cases). The results indicated a stimulatory effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss extract on β2-adrenoceptors which is perhaps due to its constituent, carvacrol

Enterprise Social Network Applications: Enhancing and Driving Innovation Culture and Productivity Through Digital Technologies

Enterprise Social Network (ESN) applications offer new opportunities for organizations to mobilize employees, promoting innovation beyond traditional R&D functions. Despite the popularity and success of these applications, current research has yet to fully explore the potential of ESN applications as both drivers of productive innovation and innovation culture, specifically. This paper proposes a theoretical framework that explains the role of ESN applications in facilitating organizational-wide ideation, collaboration, and socialization, thereby promoting innovation culture and innovation productivity. This study reveals that the dimensions of innovation culture, namely knowledge sharing, transparency, and risk tolerance, mediate the effects of ESN applications on the measures of firm innovation productivity— product/service innovation, process innovation, and social innovation. The findings presented here have implications for theory and practice, namely concerning building an organizational culture that promotes open innovative behavior using social technologies

Enterprise Social Networks and Innovation Productivity: The Role of Innovation Culture

Enterprise Social Network (ESN) applications offer new opportunities for organizations to innovate. This paper proposes a new theoretical framework that explains how ESN applications facilitate ideation, socialization, and collaboration which in turn fosters the innovation culture of knowledge sharing, transparency, and risk tolerance. This study suggests that organizations maintaining this innovative culture will be able to find higher success in driving product, process, and social innovation, especially when management support is present. A key proposition is how dimensions of innovation culture, namely knowledge sharing, transparency, and risk tolerance mediate the effects of ESN applications on measures of firm performance namely product or service, process, and social innovation. The findings have implications for theory and practice, especially concerning building an organizational culture using social technologies such as ESN that foster innovative behavior

The Relationship between Knowledge Management and Competitive Advantage: A Case Study in Small and Medium-Sized Companies in the Packaging Industry of Khorasan Razavi

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between knowledge management and competitive advantage in small and medium enterprises in packaging industry of Khorasan Razavi. The 4-component model of knowledge management, knowledge acquisition, knowledge conversion, knowledge application support is made. The three components of the productdifferentiation and competitive advantage, cost leadership and focus on the market are made. The population consists of all managers, whether higher, middle and small and medium-sized companies operating in the packaging industryof Khorasan Razavi that their number was 330 and by the limited sampling of 74 Cochran sampling random was selected. The questionnaire was distributed among them. Inthis study, two questionnaires were used to collect data. According to this hypothesis, the present research is experimental. To analyze the data in the study, both descriptiveand inferential statistical methods were used. In cross-sectional analysis, thecentral tendency tables and indices such as mean and standard deviation iscalculated. In inferential statistics, to evaluate hypotheses, Pearsoncorrelation test was used for normality distribution. The results indicatedthat all components of knowledge management played a significant role

The effect of alpha linolenic acid on tracheal responsiveness, lung inflammation and immune markers in sensitized rats

Objective(s): The effects of alpha linolenic acid (ALA) on tracheal responsiveness (TR), total protein (TP), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin 4 (IL-4), interferon gamma (INF-γ) level and INF-γ/IL4 ratio in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of sensitized rats were examined.Materials and Methods: TR to methacholine and ovalbumin (OA), BALF levels of TP, PLA2 and IgE as well as IL-4, INF-γ and INF-γ/IL4 ratio were measured in control group (non-sensitized, group C), sensitized rats to OA (group S), S groups treated with two concentrations of ALA and dexamethasone group. Results: TR to methacholine and OA, BALF levels of TP, PLA2, IgE and IL-4 were significantly increased but BALF level of INF-γ and INF-γ/IL4 ratio decreased in group S compared to group C (PConclusion: Results showed an immune modulatory effect of the ALA that increased INF-γ, INF-γ/IL4 ratio (as an index of Th1/Th2) and decreased IL-4 in sensitized rats. ALA also showed preventive effect on inflammatory markers and tracheal responsiveness in sensitized animals comparable to the effect of dexamethasone

Possible Mechanism(s) of the Relaxant Effects of Achillea wilhelmsii on Guinea-Pig Tracheal Chains

Abstract Achillea wilhelmsii have been used in folk remedies. The relaxant effects of the extract of A. wilhelmsii on tracheal chains of guinea pigs were examined. The relaxant effects of four cumulative concentrations of the extract, theophylline and saline were examined by their relaxant effects on precontracted tracheal chains of guinea pig by KCl (group 1), 10 µM methacholine (group 2), incubated tissues by atropine, propranolol and chlorpheniramine and contracted by KCl (group 3) and incubated tissues by propranolol and chlorpheniramine and contracted by methacholine (group 4). In group 1 and 2, all concentrations of theophylline and three higher concentrations (4, 6 and 8 mg/mL) of the extract showed significant relaxant effects compared to that of saline. In groups 3 and 4 experiments also all concentrations of the extract showed significant relaxant effects compared to that of saline. The relaxant effect of three higher concentrations (4, 6 and 8 mg/mL) of the extract in group 1 were significantly greater than those of group 2 and in group 3 were significantly lower than those of group 1. There were significant positive correlations between the relaxant effects and concentrations for theophylline in groups 1 and 2 and the extract in all four groups of experiments. These results showed a potent relaxant effect for the extract from A. wilhelmsii on tracheal chains of guinea pigs. A muscarinc receptor blockade was also suggested for the extract

The antibacterial effects of the hydroalcoholic extracts of aloe vera and glycyrrhiza glabra against cariogenic bacteria invitro

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Medical treatment of tooth decay is associated with the possibility of allergic reactions and increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the phenolic compounds and antimicrobial effects of the hydroalcoholic extracts of Aloe vera and Glycyrrhiza glabra against four cariogenic bacteria in vitro. METHODS: In this empirical study, hydroalcoholic extracts of Aloe vera and Glycyrrhiza glabra were obtained using the percolation method. Then preparing standard strains of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguinis, Actinomyces viscosus. Antibacterial activity of extracts were determined by micro broth dilution method. Concentration of phenolic compounds, flavonols and flavonoid were determined using the optical density (OD) method. FINDINGS: In this study, total phenolic content and concentrations of flavonols and flavonoids were 3, 37 and 10 mg/g in the Aloe vera extract, respectively, while they were 36, 78 and 14 mg/g, respectively in the extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra. Regarding the frequency of cariogenic bacteria, MIC and MBC of the Glycyrrhiza glabra extract for Streptococcus mutans were 0.5 and 1 mg/ml, respectively, while they were 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml for Streptococcus salivarius, 0.125 and 0.5 mg/ml for Streptococcus sanguinis, and 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml for Actinomyces viscosus, respectively. Moreover, MIC and MBC of the Aloe vera extract were 4 and 16 mg/ml for Streptococcus mutans, 0.5 and 2 mg/ml for Streptococcus salivarius, 1 and 4 mg/ml for Streptococcus sanguinis, and 1 and 2 mg/ml for Actinomyces viscosus, respectively. MIC and MBC of Aloe Vera extract (4 and 16 mg/ml) was significantly higher than the Glycyrrhiza glabra extract (0.5 and 1 mg / ml) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, the hydroalcoholic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra exerted greater antibacterial effects against the studied bacteria compared to the Aloe vera extract due to the higher concentration of phenolic compounds. In addition, Streptococcus mutans showed higher resistance against the herbal extracts compared to the other bacteria. © 2016, Babol University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Modulation of lung inflammation and immune markers in asthmatic rats treated by Portulaca oleracea

Objective: Previous studies indicated anti-inflammatory effects for Portulaca oleracea in various inflammatory disorders. In this study, the effects of P. oleracea on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) levels of total protein (TP), Phospholipase A2(PLA2) and IgE in sensitized rats were examined. Materials and Methods: Male rats were randomly divided into six groups namely, control (group C), sensitized rats (group S), sensitized animal treated with three concentrations of the extract of P. oleracea and dexamethasone (n = 8 for each group). The levels of TP, PLA2 and IgE in BALF were measured. Results:The levels of TP, PLA2and IgE were significantly increased in the BALF of group S compared to group C (pand IgE compared to group S (pand IgE (p Conclusion: The results indicated anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of P. oleracea in sensitized rats (as an animal model of asthma) which was equal or more marked than dexamethasone at studied concentrations