Aims. In the present study, the antinocieceptive activity of saffron (Crocus sativus) water-extract in female N-MARI mice (20-25 g) investigated.Materials & Methods. Formalin TEST applied for pain assesment. 30 minutes before 2% formalin solution (2 ml) injection in posterior plantar angle, the drugs administered to the animals. Then the animals evaluated for pain assesment for 60 min in a 5 min interwalls manner.Results. Morphine (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) administeration induced antinocieception in both acute and chronic phases of formalin TEST in a dose-dependent manner. Extract (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg) also induced analgesia in chronic but not acute phase of formalin TEST. Naloxone (4 mg/kg) administration had no effect on the antinocieceptive activity of the extract. Dextromethorphane (20 mg/kg), on the other hand, enhances the extract action in acute phase as well as chronic phase. In addition, L-NAME (10 mg/kg) administration potentiates the extract effect. Co-administration of ineffective dose of indomethacine (2.5 mg/kg) with the extract (2.5 mg/kg) had no influence on the extract antinocieception effect. Conclusion. Water extract of C. sativus exerts its effect on the chronic phase of formalin TEST, possiblly via inhibition of NMDA glutamatergic as well as nitric oxide syste.

Producion of efficient antimicrobial drugs against to common human pathogens is one of the most important challenges in the field of medical microbiology. Continuous screening of clinical isolates and survey of antimicrobial resistance pattern is critical.Today, disk diffusion and dilution methods are known as the common antimicrobial susceptibility TESTing methods. Disk diffusion method does not render dependable results in determination of antimicrobial susceptibility pattern because this method is semi quantitative. MIC determination by microdilution and macrodilution techniques and recent method “E-TEST”, have given interpretable results to researchers. Microdilution and macrodilution methods are also time consuming, expensive and error- prone methods. Whereas E-TEST method is one of the means by which we will be able to determine susceptibility pattern of known species in low cost and short time. In this survey, constructing and printing of E-TEST, coating of antibiotic on O.H.P film and quality control of constructed E-TESTs were performed according to M7 A7 CLSI Standard. In this study quality of required materials for E-TEST Production were suitable. Evaluation of constructed strips was performed using standard strain of staphylococcus aureus and reproducibly of results was appreciated.

Contact dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease due to contact with different substances and caused by two mechanisms: allergy and irritation. Contact dermatitis is a common skin disease and the most common occupational dermatosis. Differentiating between allergic and irritant contact dermatitis is essential in the identification of etiologic factor(s) and hence, its control and prognosis. This differentiation can be done only by patch TEST. Unfortunately, this simple, safe and useful TEST is always neglected. We review the basics of patch TEST, the method of performance, reading and interpretation of its results, possible side effects and results of studies done with patch TEST in different countries.

The present study investigated varieties of C-TEST as measures of General Language proficiency (GLP). C-TEST was first introduced into language TESTing as a modification of close procedure. The original C-TEST was developed by mutilating the second half of every other word, beginning from word two ID sentence two of [l passage. Through various studies, C-TEST proved an integrative and a highly reliable and valid measure of (GLP. The present study was also aimed at further confirming those findings by investigating not only the original C-TEST but other varietis of C-TEST. To this end ten C-TEST versions were developed, by applying different deletion techniques and deletion rates, and were administered among nearly 500 senior EFL students, in the way that each form was given to almost 50 subjects. All the subjects had already taken a TOEFL. and a close TEST prior to the administration of the C-TESTs. The results of data analyses showed that C:-TEST may measure different things one of which might be general language proficiency and as such, not all varieties of C-TEST measure this construct to the same extent.

Fungal and microbial contamination of Artemia cyst is possibly one of the important reasons for decreasing cyst hatching percentage and therefore one of the main problems in cyst processing and culture of Artemia. In this research in order to control of microbial contamination of Artemia cyst, FORMALINE (80ppm, 800ppm), Crystal violet (3ppm, 30ppm), Green Malachite (5ppm, 50ppm) and Sodium hypochlorite (400ppm) were used as disinfectant agents during hatching of cysts. The control group was received 35ppt water. The result obtained at the end of hatching (24 hours, 48 hours late), indicated that FORMALINE 80ppm was the best agent in controling microbial contamination of cyst and significantly increased hatching percentage of Artemia urmiana cyst.

Background: Streptococcal pharyngitis is the most common type of acute bacterial pharyngitis that may have different complications if remained untreated. On the other hand, antibiotics may impose side effects if prescribed for healthy subjects, thus, the appropriate diagnosis of affected individuals is of utmost importance. Previous studies have indicated the accuracy of Rapid TEST for streptococcal pharyngitis, so the present study was conducted to determine the accuracy of Rapid TEST among a group of Iranians.Materials and methods: For this clinical trail, 320 consecutive cases of sore throat were enrolled. Rapid TEST was performed for all cases; however, culture was our gold standard for diagnosis. Finally, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated.Results: The study population included 150 males and 170 females with the mean age of 21 ± 7 years. The positive and negative predictive values of Rapid TEST were 66% and 98.5%, respectively.Conclusion: With respect to the known complications of acute pharyngitis, we strongly recommend Rapis TEST for all patients with sore throat.