Strategic Alignment ITIL Perspective

The literature suggests that organizations cannot be competitive if their business and information technology strategies are not aligned. Yet achieving strategic alignment continues to be a major concern for business executives. A number of alignment models have been offered in the literature, primary among them the Strategic Alignment model (SAM) and IT Governance (via ITIL). As there is no published research that attempts to present how effective ITIL V3 is to align business and IT in strategic level, this paper reports on determining aligning roles of ITIL by applying it to the SAM framework. In this regard, the ITIL Strategic Alignment model is proposed to describe ITIL V3 approach of strategic aligning business and IT. The primary aims of this paper are to demonstrate that ITIL has conceptual and practical competencies to strategic alignment of business and IT. It is described that ITIL uses IT as a mean to meet business strategies and goals, support business maturity and recognize new initiatives for the business

Improving ITIL Strategic Alignment Approach Using COBIT Framework

IT Governance provides a business focus to enable alignment between business and IT objectives at high level COBIT framework and focused on IT operational levels, ITIL standard. COBIT and ITIL are not mutually exclusive and can be combined to provide a powerful IT governance, control and best-practice framework in IT service management. So ITIL business-IT strategic alignment perspective could be improved using COBIT framework. Focusing on COBIT processes which support (primarily and secondarily) strategic alignment, in this paper, first, we map COBIT 4.1 to ITIL v3 to identify how ITIL cover COBIT control objectives. Furthermore, based on control objectives which are not completely addressed by ITIL processes, the opportunities to improvement in ITIL strategic alignment activities, functionalities, and relationships are identified. Consequently, appropriate and adequate practices to improve strategic alignment approach of ITIL v3 are proposed

Gene Diversity of Trichomonas vaginalis Isolates

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is protozoan parasite responsible for trichomoniasis and is more common in high-risk behavior group such as prostitute individuals. Interest in trichomoni­asis is due to increase one's susceptibility to viruses such as herpes, human papillomavirus and HIV. The aim of this study was to find genotypic differences between the isolates.Methods: Forty isolates from prisoners' women in Tehran province were used in this study. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to determine genetic differ­ences among isolates and was correlated with patient's records. By each primer the banding pat­tern size of each isolates was scored (bp), genetic differences were studied, and the genealogical tree was constructed by using NTSYS software program and UPGMA method.Results: The least number of bands were seen by using primer OPD8 and the most by using OPD3. Results showed no significant difference in isolates from different geographical areas in Iran. By using primer OPD1 specific amplified fragment with length 1300 base pair were found in only 8 isolates. All these isolates were belonged to addicted women; however, six belonged to asymptomatic patients and two to symptomatic ones.Conclusion: There was not much genetic diversity in T vaginalis isolates from three different geo­graphical areas

study of the future of using blockchain technology to facilitate information management in the organization

Complex interactions between industry actors require an intelligent platform in order to efficiently and accurately organize information. Blockchain technology has the potential to bring about fundamental changes in organizations. The issue that this research intends to address is how to use Blockchain technology to facilitate the complexity of interaction coordination in the Social Security Organization in line with the information validation process?The logical essence of this research is the actor-network theory and the practical strategy of the research is futures research. The required data were collected and analyzed based on grounded theory (GT). Objective sampling was employed to select 36 experts as the sample and until theoretical saturation, continued. Then, the scenario-building process continued until reaching the ideal scenario based on the global business network matrix method.After extracting all types of organization scenarios (after implementing Blockchain technology) by scriptwriting, in the ideal scenario this fact was determined that the organization can implement this technology in relation to other parts related to the services of the organization in best ways and use its benefits.with the help of network activists and acceptable Blockchain establishment, all organizations which have the communal approaches can reach the necessary information to facilitate their work approaches in minimum time and maximum fastness. Information circulation in this network would be very manageable and would practically remove many cumbersome routines.

A Categorization Scheme for Semantic Web Search Engines

Semantic web search engines are evolving and many prototype systems and some implementation have been developed. However, there are some different views on what a semantic search engine should do. In this paper, a categorization scheme for semantic web search engines are introduced and elaborated. For each category, its components are described according to a proposed general architecture and various approaches employed in these components are discussed. We also propose some factors to evaluate systems in each category

Rehabilitation in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Look at Current Occupational Therapy Services in Iran

Background and Objectives:  The progressive prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the high cost of its treatment suggest that health services should be purposefully provided to people with this disorder. Occupational therapists play a key role in the rehabilitation of autism. This study sought to monitor occupational therapy services provided to individuals with autism. Materials and Methods: A survey about occupational therapy services for people with autism spectrum disorder was distributed to therapists. They completed a researcher-made questionnaire asking them about working conditions, knowledge sources, assessments, and interventions that have been used in autism. 225 questionnaires were distributed among occupational therapists who had the inclusion criteria. Results: The number of the full-filled questionnaires was 124. The therapists worked more individual therapy (95%) than group sessions (23%). Household economic problems were reported as the most common cause of occupational therapy discontinuation. They focused more on sensory approaches and cognitive models. The education level of the therapist was significantly correlated with autism-specific experience (r=0.376, P=0.00). Of the respondents, 50.8% reported their competency to treat autism as higher than average. Perceived competency was significantly correlated with providing consultation by the therapists (r=0.256, P=0.004). Conclusion: Occupational therapists apply sensory and cognitive approaches in autism. Therapists should try to resolve the problems that exist for group therapy sessions. The use of sensory-based therapies and their impact on the participation in everyday life is controversial. Finding a solution to compensate for the high cost of occupational therapy for autism can make people more likely to receive occupational therapy services

Solving the 0/1 Knapsack Problem by a Biomolecular DNA Computer

Solving some mathematical problems such as NP-complete problems by conventional silicon-based computers is problematic and takes so long time. DNA computing is an alternative method of computing which uses DNA molecules for computing purposes. DNA computers have massive degrees of parallel processing capability. The massive parallel processing characteristic of DNA computers is of particular interest in solving NP-complete and hard combinatorial problems. NP-complete problems such as knapsack problem and other hard combinatorial problems can be easily solved by DNA computers in a very short period of time comparing to conventional silicon-based computers. Sticker-based DNA computing is one of the methods of DNA computing. In this paper, the sticker based DNA computing was used for solving the 0/1 knapsack problem. At first, a biomolecular solution space was constructed by using appropriate DNA memory complexes. Then, by the application of a sticker-based parallel algorithm using biological operations, knapsack problem was resolved in polynomial time

An Analysis of Discrepancies between Forward and Reverse ABO Blood Grouping

ABSTRACT Analysis of discrepancies between forward and reverse ABO grouping and determining the etiology and root causes of discrepancies and resolving it for accurate and reliable ABO grouping. From June 2012 to February 2014, one hundred cases of discrepancy between forward and reverse methods were evaluated to determine the etiology and main cause of discrepancies. Eighty two (82) of the cases of discrepancy were due to age related weak or missing antibody, which had very low levels of antibody production or cannot produce the ABO antibodies. Sixteen (16) of the cases of discrepancies were due to Rouleaux formation and Cold agglutinins. Two cases of discrepancies were A 2 individuals which had Anti-A 1 in their serum. Accurate and reliable ABO grouping is the most important test in blood banking and transfusion medicine. For this reason, any discrepancy between forward and reverse methods should be resolved before transfusion of blood components

Effect of Vitamin K and Alendronate Combination Treatment on Bone Mineral Density of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Patients: A Pilot Study

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a common problem in postmenopausal women. Numerous studies investigated the effects of vitamin K on bone health, which yielded conflicting results. In this study, we aimed to compare the effect of vitamin K and alendronate combination with alendronate alone on Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Materials and Methods: This study was performed in Imam Reza Hospital of Mashhad, Iran, during 14 months (January 1, 2014-February 29, 2015). Our patients (n=28) were randomly divided into two groups of receiving calcium, vitamin D, and alendronate (n=13) and receiving the same combination + vitamin K1 supplement (10 mg daily) (n=15). BMD was measured pre- and post-intervention by the same bone scanner. Results: The baseline characteristics of the two groups did not differ significantly. The mean variation in femoral neck BMD of the alendronate and alendronate + vitamin K groups were -4.20±11.91% and 0.39±11.80%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of mean change in femoral neck BMD (P=0.32). The mean variations in lumbar spine BMD of the alendronate and alendronate + vitamin K groups were 0.71±0.06% and 0.76±0.11%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of mean change in lumbar spine BMD (P=0.24). Conclusion: It was found that combined treatment with vitamin K and alendronate was not more effective than alendronate alone in increasing BMD of postmenopausal osteoporosis patients