The increase in antibiotic resistance has resulted in decreasing number active antimicrobial agents available to treat infections by multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of the extracts of Glaucium elegans and Saffron (Crocus sativus) onios plant species against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis, Bacillus anthracis and Proteus by disc diffusion method. The methanol extract of G. elegans was found to have a significant antibacterial efficiency (p≤0.05) as compared to the methanol extract of onios plant. These finding pinpoint the efficiency of these extracts to inhibit microbial growth. The bactericidal activity described here represents an added safety value for G. elegans possesses the significant antibacterial activity. Article Info

Ketosis is a production disease that is common in heavily producing cows in the post-calving period. Various studies have shown that subclinical ketosis is common in high-producing cows, 2-7 weeks postpartum (1). Clinical and subclinical ketosis is one of the major causes of loss to the dairy farmers and the main economic loss is due to the loss of production while the disease is present and failure to return to full production after recovery. In addition, subclinical ketosis increases the risk of delayed estrus, cystic ovarian disease, mastitis and increased intercalving interval. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of subclinical ketosis and its relation to postparturient diseases (mastitis, metritis and retained placenta), age, and milk yield. Milk samples (n = 511) from 511 dairy Iranian Holstein cows in 12 Torbat-Heydarieh (Khorasan province) dairy herds were studied from March 1998 to May 1999. Cows were sampled randomly in 2 to 10 weeks after parturition. Milk samples were stored in centrifuged tube and immediately examined by Rothera test. Chi-square test was used for statistical evaluation at the level of P<0.05. Results indicated that the cumulative frequency of subclinical ketosis was 38%. No significant relation was observed between metritis, retained placenta, milk yield and subclinical ketosis, but a significant relation between animal age, number of parturition, mastitis and subclinical ketosis was noticed (This result is in accordance with Dohoo et al, 1984). Some investigators explained that post parturient cows have higher susceptibility to local and systemic infectious diseases (1), that may be due to impairment of the respiratory burst of neutrophils which occurs with elevated levels of betahydroxy butyric acid (BHBA). Authors suggest that subclinical ketosis could susceptible cows to infectious diseases (mastitis) and vice versa. Although, we believe that the higher milk yield cows have higher susceptibility to subclinical ketosis, but this study could not confirm this fact.

Background: As a cheap and affordable tool, smartphones technology has provided an opportunity for effective treatment of addiction and relapse prevention. Objectives: This study aimed to design and evaluate a mobile application for relapse prevention to methamphetamine use disorder. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in two stages in 2018. Initially, the features of Marlatt's cognitive-behavioral model were studied. The conceptual model of the application was then developed according to identifying the users' needs and features of the Marlatt's model and based on object-oriented analysis. The coding was performed using Java Script, CSS, and HTML. After developing the application and its installation in an addiction recovery center, the application was quantitatively evaluated with the participation of five experts in psychology and addiction studies and five patients. Results: The main requirements of the software were identified in the form of a daily plan for recovery (learning and training materials, relaxation), motivation (motivational messages and encouragement for continuous use of the software), and evaluation of the recovery process. The results of the evaluation showed that 89% of the participants were satisfied with the software usability. Conclusions: The prevention of relapse to substance use disorders, such as methamphetamine, requires motivation and education. Design and deployment of mobile-based application could be a cost-effective approach for recovery of a variety of addictive behaviors and the follow up of recovery.