Antibacterial Effect of The Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Four Iranian Medicinal Plants on Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumanii

Acquiring infectious diseases due to resistant infectious agents leads to serious problems such as taking higher doses of antibiotics, additional treatments, lengthened hospital stay, and imposing additional costs. The aim of the current study is to study antibacterial effects of the hydroalcoholic extracts of four Iranian medicinal plants, occurring in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari, on Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumanii. In this experimental study, the hydroalcoholic extracts of the plants were prepared by maceration. To investigate the antibacterial effects, microdilution and determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were used. DMSO and distilled water were used as solvent. The MIC and MBC of Dianthus orientalis, Ziziphora clinopodioides, Euphorbia sp., and Acanthophyllum glandulosum Bunge ex Boiss. for S. aureus were derived 4, 0.5, 2, and 2 mg/ml and 16, 8, 8, and 16 mg/ml, respectively. Also the MIC and MBC of plants for A. baumanii were derived 4, 1, 0.5, and 2 mg/ml and 16, 8, 8, and 32 mg/ml, respectively. The greatest antibacterial effect was displayed by Z. clinopodioides on S. aureus. The greatest bactericidal effect on A. baumanii was exerted by the recently identified species, Euphorbia sp. These plants can serve as suitable choices to produce antibiotics to fight treatment-resistant bacteria

The Soul According to Rāmānuja

Rāmānuja was the founder of Visistādvaita Vedānta School, which is one of the three main schools of Vedānta. According to Rāmānuja, the soul (cit), Brahman, and matter (acit) constitute the three principal ontological realities. Rāmānuja provides some proofs for the existence of the soul, which are mostly based on self-consciousness. The relationship of the soul with the matter, on one hand, and with that of Brahman, on the other, is similar to that between the body and the soul. Therefore, He is the Soul of souls. Using this idea, Rāmānuja explains God’s action, which is the basis of the concept of God’s grace and favor within the man. The main traits of the soul according to Rāmānuja are eternity, knowledge, bliss, incomprehensibility, individuation, the distinction from Brahman and other souls, simplicity, and free-will. In its pure state, the soul has these attributes in an unadulterated manner. However, they get contaminated by ignorance and its negative consequences. The emancipation of the soul from samsara depends on the self-recognition and its differentiation from acit or matter

On the End of the Mystical Journey: Ibn Arabi and Adi Śankara

This paper will compare two of the most prominent mystics of Islam and Hinduism on what may be called the “end of the mystical journey,” or mokśa in Hindu spirituality and fanā in Islamic mysticism. The interpretations of these two mystics are naturally developed according to their own epistemological and ontological bases. Thus, referring to their most significant principles of thought, the author has tried to examine three aspects of those concepts, i.e., the nature of mokśa and fanā, how these states can be attained, and whether or not religious obligations still need to be practiced after they have been attained. Having compared and summed up mokśa and fanā within the above contexts, the author has shown some striking similarities and considerable differences between them, both in their principles and in the three above aspects relating to their nature, attainment and obligations

The Effect of Membership in Agricultural Production Cooperatives on Efficiency of Pistachio Producers in Sirjan Emphasizing the Role of Social Capital

In this research, the efficiency status of a sample of pistachio producers in Sirjan Township, which was selected using Cochran formula and divided into two groups based on membership in agricultural production cooperatives, was studied. Data were collected by questionnaires in 2014 and 2014. In this study, the role of social capital as a software operating factor affecting production along with other production factors has been emphasized. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts and reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha. The total technical efficiency of inputs and the water sub-vector efficiency were calculated using data envelopment analysis method in two groups of farmers, including social capital and without it.The results showed that technical efficiency in cooperatives farmers was 83 and in non-member Farmer's group 74% including social capital. Also, the water sub-vector efficiency among cooperatives farmers was 58 and in the non-member farmer group was 48% including social capital.Also, the effect of different dimensions of social capital and membership in cooperatives was investigated on the technical efficiency of inputs in the form of Tobit's model.According to the results, membership in cooperatives due to the greater association of farmers with each other and the strengthening of trust and participation among farmers and, as a result, the strengthening of different dimensions of social capital, would increase the productivity and efficiency of farmers

Formulation, Design, and Optimization of Taste Masked Effervescent Tablet Containing Methocarbamol: Effervescent Tablet Containing Methocarbamol

Methocarbamol is a skeletal muscle relaxant drug. In this study, we investigated the potential of developing methocarbamol effervescent tablets to facilitate drug administration. Effervescent tablets containing 1000 mg methocarbamol were prepared using the direct compression method. The effect of various formulations parameters such as citric acid, sodium bi-carbonate, PEG 6000, and PVP k30 on different physicochemical properties of tablets was evaluated at two levels. Different formulations with various amounts of mentioned excipients and the constant amount of methocarbamol, sucralose, mannitol, and different flavoring agents were prepared, and their properties included hardness, friability, pH effervescent time, CO2 content, and taste were studied. The optimized formulation was B8, which contained 400 mg of citric acid, 525 mg of sodium bicarbonate, 226.5 mg of PVP k30, 113.2 mg of PEG 6000, 100 mg of mannitol, and 30 mg of sucralose. This formulation had an effervescent time of 112.67± 2.05 seconds, hardness of 71.10± 2.51 N, and pH of 6.01±0.02. Statistical analysis by Design-Expert software showed that the hardness of tablets is mainly affected by the amount of PEG 6000. Volunteers reported that sour cherry had the most pleasant taste to them. In conclusion, current effervescent tablets are shown to be suitable vehicles for methocarbamol with potential for use in patients with swallowing problems and will enhance patient compliance

A survey on technical efficiency, marketing and market structure of saffron crop, Iran

The current study attempted to determine technical efficiency as well as study the marketing and market structure of Saffarn crop in Iran. To access the research goals 140 farms, 25 retailers and 14 wholesalers randomly selected. The necessary data collected through interview and filling questionarie. Apart from this, some agricultural Expert from selected cities of Razavi province have been chosen to interview. To determine the market time-series data for the period of 1995-12 was used. To determine technical efficiency DEA method, to calculate marketing margins Digbi method and to find market structure concentration ratio and Herfindal index were used. The results indicated that, the average technical efficiency was 63.49 and minimum and maximum technical efficiency respectively 19.04 and 100, retailer margin mean of Saffron was more than wholesale margin mean and average marketing cost coefficient of Saffron was about 14.78. It means that, marketing factors share in final price is 14.78. Address to the results the Saffaran’s market structure is oligopoly

A Study on the Relationship between Quality of Work Life and Job Enrichment among Electricity Operators

Introduction and Purpose: Job enrichment is one of the modes of improving the employees’ quality of work life, that if properly done, the employees will enjoy high quality of work life. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between quality of work life and job enrichment among electricity operators in Markazi Province in 2015.Methods: This study is cross-sectional and practical. The population under investigation corresponds to a group of 80 electric power transmission operators in Markazi Province, who were selected through stratified random sampling from a set of positions available in three areas of the province. For the purpose of measuring the employees’ quality of working life and job enrichment, Van Laar and Hackman and Oldham questionnaires were used, respectively. Data analysis was performed by using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test, using SPSS 22. Results: The results of the study demonstrated that electricity operators enjoyed average job enrichment with the mean score of 54.3% and also average quality of working life with the mean score of 54.48%. Moreover, this study revealed a direct and significant correlation between the job enrichment and quality of working life.Conclusion: Due to the low level of job enrichment and quality of work life among the operators, the current study highlighted the role of management in implementing effective interventions to improve these two mediums

Analysis of the Structure and Savings of the Potato Production Scale Using the Translog Cost Function (Ardabil County)

The present study aimed at investigating the production costs and economic benefits of the potato production in Ardabil country, Iran. To do so, 183 potato producers were randomly selected and were asked to present their ideas concerning the production costs and benefits through a questionnaire and an interview. A field study was also taken into consideration to enrich the data. The collected data were analyzed through measures of Chi-square, Wald test, and Translog cost function. The results revealed that the cost function structure was non-hemotetic with respect to the Chi-square statistics (36.8) and results of the constant non-returns and non-homogeneous Wald test to the scale’s F- statistics (17.04) were non-cobb Douglas. Allen cross replacement relationship was positive for the dichotomies such as workforce and machinery, machine and seed, workforce and seed, workforce and water, and finally seed and water. However, it was negative for machinery and land inputs, machinery and water, land and machinery, land and labor force, land and seeds, and land and water. The calculated cost elasticity was -1.5044 which indicated a decrease in the average costs for an output increase as the production cost was found in the downstream part of the cost curve. The economies of scale of 2.504 indicated a 2.5 percent increase in the yield for one-percent increase in the cost

Investigating the Role of Agricultural Cooperatives in Reducing Production Costs (A Case Study of Potato Cultivators in Ardabil Township)

This research was carried out with the aim of investigating the role of agricultural cooperatives in reducing production costs during Tillage, planting, harvesting and transportation of potatoes in Ardabil.The statistical population of the study consisted of farmers of cooperative and non-cooperative members of potato work in Ardabil city which were selected by random sampling method, 183 farmers. The required information was collected through a survey and completed questionnaires. The results showed that there was a significant difference in total of production costs between cooperatives members and non-members, so that members of the production cooperative was observed at the planting stage, which the cooperatives farmers spent 24% more than non-members. The sum of production costs in the tillage and harvesting stages was not significant. However, members of cooperatives at these stages were 3% and 2% respectively more than non-member farmers. Transportation costs were statistically significant between the two groups of farmers, so that cooperatives' farmers paid less than 22%. The Trans log cost function estimation showed that members of the production cooperatives had more costs than non-member farmers and the hypothesis of homothetic structure of potato production is unacceptable among farmers. By increasing the production level, more use made of seed input and labor, and less use of land and machinery was achieved per hectare. It is suggested that cooperatives participate in a broad and parallel way with the needs of farmers in all stages of production and marketing, and develop and expand their functional fields

Weak Separability Testing and Estimation of Selected Food Commodities Demand System in Urban Households of Iran (Case of Citrus Fruits, Cucurbits and Vegetables)

The separability of consumer desires is a necessary condition for multi-stage budgeting and collectivization is consistent of commodity where costs are allocated between edible groups using price indices and intergroup allocations are made independent of other groups. In empirical studies of demand, the concept of separation is used to correctly estimate demand function and limit the number of parameters. For this purpose, data related to price index and cost of selected commodities (citrus fruits, cucurbits, and vegetables) derived from the Central Bank over 2016 in urban households of Iran were used. The results of the separability tests support the hypothesis that consumers first allocate their income to selected commodities in three groups (citrus fruits, cucurbits, and vegetables) and then approves the income allocation action between the types of its subgroups that are grouped. Also, the results of the system estimation showed that all groups had a negative intrinsic price elasticity. In the meantime, the price elasticity of the groups of citrus fruits (orange, tangerines, and lemon), cucurbits fruits (potato, tomato, and onion) and vegetables (the leafy ones) are equal to -0.83, -0.48 and -0.91, respectively. Given the income elasticity calculated for the three commodity groups, the second commodity group (potato, tomato, and onion) is more essential than the other commodity groups, which should be considered in government policies as to agricultural production and pricing