Evaluating performance of companies by new management tools

In this article, we want to design a model for evaluating the performance of companies in the stock market by using TOPSIS and sensitivity analysis. We use financial ratios as criteria in TOPSIS algorithm. In this methodology, first we try to rank companies and then use sensitivity analysis for determining positive and negative points of the company and suggest improving performance of the company

Evaluating performance of companies by new management tools

In this article, we want to design a model for evaluating the performance of companies in the stock market by using TOPSIS and sensitivity analysis. We use financial ratios as criteria in TOPSIS algorithm. In this methodology, first we try to rank companies and then use sensitivity analysis for determining positive and negative points of the company and suggest improving performance of the company

Evaluating performance of companies by new management tools

In this article, we want to design a model for evaluating the performance of companies in the stock market by using TOPSIS and sensitivity analysis. We use financial ratios as criteria in TOPSIS algorithm. In this methodology, first we try to rank companies and then use sensitivity analysis for determining positive and negative points of the company and suggest improving performance of the company

Trichoderma strains- Silybum marianum hairy root cultures interactions

Background and objectives: Silymarin is a unique flavonoid complex with documented hepatoprotective properties. Silybum  marianum hairy root culture as a source for producing silymarin has been an important strategy for study the cell signaling pathway. In the present investigation Trichoderma strains- Silybum marianum hairy root cultures interactions have been studied. Methods: The effects of two Trichoderma Strains (KHB and G46-7) (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/ 50 mL culture) in 6 different exposure times (0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h) have been investigated on flavonolignans production. The flavonolignans were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography method. Cell signaling pathway was evaluated by determination of H2O2 content, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activities. Results:The elicitation effects of two Trichoderma Strains (KHB and G46-7) were examined on flavonolignans accumulation and the activation of cell defense system in S. marianum hairy root cultures. The results indicated that the highest silymarin accumulation (0.45 and 0.33 mg/g DW) was obtained in media elicited with 0.5 mg/50 mL cultures of T. harzianum Strains (KHB and G46-3, respectively) after 120 h. Feeding time experiments indicated that a significant higher content of silymarin production was achieved after 120 and 72 h in media treated with 0.5 mg/50 mL cultures of KHB and G46-3, respectively. Our results showed that S. marianum treated by KHB strain, increased taxifolin, silychristin, isosilybin and silydianin productions significantly. The H2O2 content in the control hairy root cultures remained lower than the treated cultures. There was significant enhancement in both peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activities in treated hairy roots reaching a peak after 72 h. Conclusion: These findings suggested that some Trichoderma strains are positive elicitors for promoting silymarin accumulation in S. marianum hairy root cultures. The results also suggested the presence of H2O2 and oxidative burst induced by T. harzianum as a signaling pathway

Chitosan (middle-viscous) as an effective elicitor for silymarin production in Silybum marianum hairy root cultures

Elicitation with middle-viscous chitosan (30 mg/50 mL) significantly stimulated silymarin synthesis in Silybum marianum hairy root cultures. The root cultures established by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes AR15834 showed a potential for production of silymarin. Elicitation with medium molecular weight of chitosan (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 mg/50 mL) was used in order to improve silymarin production. Total silymarin increased about 5.26-fold after 96 h of treatment with 30 mg/50 mL chitosan. Dry weight of the hairy roots reached the highest point (0.530 and 0.535 g) after 96 h in presence of 20 and 30 mg/50 mL chitosan, respectively. Five different flavonolignans were isolated; taxifolin, silychristin, silydianin, silybin and isosilybin) 0.133, 0.200, 0.120, 0.041 and 0.056 mg/g dry weight, respectively). 30 days old hairy roots were treated by 30 mg/50 mL chitosan in different times (12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h). The amount of silymarin accumulation significantly increased (0.705 mg/gDW) in hairy roots after 96 h treatment. These observations suggested that the medium molecular weight of chitosan could be elicited by S. marianum hairy root cultures that lead to the higher production of silymarin. These results correlated with the culture time, and the biosynthesis which reached to a maximum of 0.705 mg/gDW by 96 h after culture. (2.9-fold higher than the control)

Doxycycline plus levamisole: Combination treatment for severe nodulocystic acne

Background: Levamisole is an agent without much potential use alone, but through immunomodulation, may synergistically improve the efficacy of other drugs like doxycycline in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of levamisole in addition to doxycycline in the treatment of patients suffering from severe nodulocystic acne. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in the dermatology clinic of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital in Tehran, Iran in 2006. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 study groups. The case group was administered oral levamisole 2.5 mg/kg/wk (up to 150 mg/wk) plus doxycycline 100 mg daily and the control group was given 100 mg of oral doxycycline daily and a placebo. Patients were evaluated at baseline, and at 2-month, 4-month, and 6-month checkpoints. Results: The responses to treatment were significantly higher in the case group according to the reduction in total lesions count, acne severity index; and papule/pustule and nodule/cyst count at the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th visits. Conclusion: Results indicated that adding oral levamisole to doxycycline is an effective treatment for severe nonresponsiveness to conventional treatments of acne vulgaris. In the patient group, levamisole was well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile. At the time of publication, this study is the first clinical trial that suggests levamisole as an effective new treatment for severe acne vulgaris. © 2008-Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. All Rights Reserved