Developing a model for innovation assessment in Iranian steel industry

Nowadays, technology is recognized as an ability of new behavior, product and strategy for individual and companies in the economic cycle. Meanwhile, the role of innovation in creating new technology is headed. Scientific and industrial communities have come to the conclusion that organizations can achieve a competitive advantage while focus on innovation. Innovation capabilities as a scientific term is expressed in recent years, that is infrastructure for capability which includes a set of related capabilities that applying new products and their valued.Evaluating innovation capabilities can be helpful in investment and resource allocation.Assessment of innovation capabilities can provides analysis of the situation and potential of firm, and then compare it with the state of competitors, it can help them to take a strategic decisions. In other words, without the benefit of a level of innovation capabilities, innovation is not possible (product/ service or process innovation). In this study we try to assessing the innovation capability of Steel Company, we investigate innovation capability in various aspects and finally determine the extent of the gap in each dimension

Developing a model for innovation assessment in Iranian steel industry

Nowadays, technology is recognized as an ability of new behavior, product and strategy for individual and companies in the economic cycle. Meanwhile, the role of innovation in creating new technology is headed. Scientific and industrial communities have come to the conclusion that organizations can achieve a competitive advantage while focus on innovation. Innovation capabilities as a scientific term is expressed in recent years, that is infrastructure for capability which includes a set of related capabilities that applying new products and their valued.Evaluating innovation capabilities can be helpful in investment and resource allocation.Assessment of innovation capabilities can provides analysis of the situation and potential of firm, and then compare it with the state of competitors, it can help them to take a strategic decisions. In other words, without the benefit of a level of innovation capabilities, innovation is not possible (product/ service or process innovation). In this study we try to assessing the innovation capability of Steel Company, we investigate innovation capability in various aspects and finally determine the extent of the gap in each dimension

Studying the Barriers of Women’s Progress in the Organization & Its Impact on Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction: A Case Study at Tehran Tax Organization

Research shows that only 14% of women holding managerial posts in Iran. This rate is very low when compared with other countries. In connection with this problem, this paper aims to study the obstacles in women's progress in the organization and its impact on organizational commitment and job satisfaction of Members of Tehran Tax Organization Staff. For this purpose a comparative method correlation type has been applied. The number of the population sampled based on randomized method is equal to 120 personnel of the said organization. The questionnaire which was used for the purpose of this research is made up of two parts. The first part includes demographic questions and the second part relates to the questionnaires for job satisfaction (α=0.76.8), organizational commitment (α=0.87) and restrictions on the women's progress at the organization (α=0.8492). For the purpose of the qualitative analysis of the general data from the first part of the questionnaire a descriptive statistical method was used and In order to determine the significant relationship between the general questions of the questionnaire and the assumptions of the research the T- Test and Variance Analysis were employed. The findings of this research show that the highest correlation coefficient has related to the relationship between the managers' negative attitude and female gender and the lowest rate was for the relationship between the managers' negative attitude and women's technical skills and abilities. Besides, the results of the correlation coefficient show that the most important factor hindering the women's job promotion are the cultural, socio-cultural and social factors affecting the managers' views and attitude

Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease in Elder People Using Gait Analysis and Kinect Camera

Introduction: Gait analysis using modern technology for detection of Alzheimer's disease has found special attention by researchers over the last decade. In this study, skeletal data recorded with a Kinect camera, were used to analyze gait for the purpose of detecting Alzheimer's disease in elders. Method: In this applied-developmental experimental study, using a Kinect camera, data were collected for 12 elderly women with Alzheimer's disease and 12 healthy elderly women walking in an oval path. After extracting various features of gait, descriptive analysis was performed to compare the features between the healthy and patient groups. Then, a support vector machine classifier was designed to detect elderly people with Alzheimer's disease. Results: The comparison of extracted features from skeletal data of gait using Kinect camera in this study indicate that the results are matched with previous findings from systems based on other types of sensors. The accuracy, sensitivity, precision and specificity of system designed in the present study for classifying elders with Alzheimer's disease and healthy elders were 91.25%, 93.4484%, 90.5945% and 93.581% respectively. Conclusion: In addition to descriptive analysis of gait, by using machine learning methods such as support vector machine classifier, elderly people with Alzheimer's disease can be detected based on features extracted from skeletal data of Elderly people

Effects silymarin and rosuvastatin on amyloid-carriers level in dyslipidemic Alzheimer’s patients: A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial

Purpose: The production/excretion rate of Amyloid-β (Aβ) is the basis of the plaque burden in alzheimer's disease (AD), which depends on both central and peripheral clearance. In this study, the effect of silymarin and rosuvastatin on serum markers and clinical outcomes in dyslipidemic AD patients was investigated. Methods: Participants (n=36) were randomized to silymarin (140 mg), placebo, and rosuvastatin 10 mg orally three times a day for 6 months. Serum collection and clinical outcome tests were performed at baseline and after completion of treatment. Lipid profile markers, oxidative stress markers, Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 ratio, and Soluble Low-density lipoprotein receptor-Related Protein-1 (sLRP1)/Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (sRAGE) ratio were measured. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in Δ-high density lipoprotein (ΔHDL) between silymarin and placebo (P<0.000) and also between rosuvastatin and placebo (p=0.044). The level of Δ-triglycerides (ΔTG) in the silymarin group has a significant decrease compared to both the placebo and the rosuvastatin group (p<0.000 and p=0.036, respectively). The Δ-superoxide dismutase (ΔSOD) level in the silymarin group compared to placebo and rosuvastatin had a significant increase (p<0.000 and p=0.008, respectively). The ΔAβ1–42/Aβ1–40 in the silymarin group compared to both the placebo and rosuvastatin groups had a significant increase (p<0.05). There was an inverse relationship between ΔTG and ΔAβ1–42/Aβ1–40 (p=-0.493 and p=0.004). ΔAβ1–42/Aβ1–40 has a direct statistical relationship with ΔSOD marker (p=0.388 and p=0.031). Also, there was a direct correlation between the level of ΔAβ1–42/Aβ1–40 and ΔsLRP1/sRAGE (p=0.491 and p=0.005). Conclusion: Our study showed the relationship between plasma lipids, especially ΔTG and ΔHDL, with ΔAβ1–42/Aβ1–40 in dyslipidemic AD patients, and modulation of these lipid factors can be used to monitor the response to treatments

Adult-onset epilepsy and history of childhood febrile seizures: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Children with febrile seizures (FS) are at higher risk of developing epilepsy. There is robust literature on epilepsy with onset in childhood following FS but very little on the same issue in adults. AIMS: We intended to assess the association between adult-onset epilepsy and history of childhood FS. SETTINGS: The neurology clinic of a university hospital. DESIGN: A retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 101 consecutive adults (>14 years old) who were referred to our hospital with adult-onset seizures were reviewed and the patients and their families were interviewed to assess the medical history. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Chi-square test and Mantel-Haenszel method. RESULTS: Of the 101 patients, 9 were excluded for reasons of bacterial meningitis, recent head trauma, brain tumor, tricyclic antidepressants' overdose and missing reliable data of the childhood FS event. Thirty-one (33.7%) of the remaining 92 patients had history of FS in the childhood (71% men). Localization-related epilepsies were significantly associated with history of FS [Odds ratio: 3.29; (95% CI, 1.30-8.06)] ( c2= 5.49, df = 1, P=0.012) when compared to other epilepsies and epilepsy syndromes. An initial unprovoked simple partial seizure was also significantly associated with a positive history of FS [Odds ratio: 8.05; (95% CI 2.88-22.45)] ( c2= 15.86, df = 1, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Localization-related epilepsies and partial seizures seem to be associated with a history of FS in childhood. This warrants more investigation to understand the mechanism as well as a possible pathology common in both localization-related epilepsies and FS in the affected probands

Interaural Difference Values of Vestibular Evoked Myogenic

Migraine is a neurologic disease, which often is associated with a unilateral headache. Vestibular abnormalities are common in migraine. Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) assess otolith function in particular functional integrity of the saccule and the inferior vestibular nerve. We used VEMP to evaluate if the migraine headache can affect VEMP asymmetry parameters. A total of 25 patients with migraine (22 females and 3 males) who were diagnosed according to the criteria of IHS-1988 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Control group consisted of 26 healthy participants (18 female and 8 male), without neurotological symptoms and history of migraine. The short tone burst (95 dB nHL, 500 Hz) was presented to ears. VEMP was recorded with surface electromyography over the contracted ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. Although current results showed that the amplitude ratio is greater in migraine patients than normal group, there was no statistical difference between two groups in mean asymmetry parameters of VEMP. Asymmetry measurements in vestibular evoked myogenic potentials probably are not indicators of unilateral deficient in saccular pathways of migraine patients

Effect of Prophylactic Drugs on Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential in Migraine Patients

Background and Aim: In many migraine patients prophylactic drugs are effective in reducing attacks and symptoms such as vestibular complaints. Therefore, related neural pathways are probably alsoaffected. This study aimed to compare vestibular evoked myogenic potential in migraine patients under treatment with prophylactic drugs and those without any treatment.Methods: Subjects included 46 patients with migraine. They were evaluated in two groups; those under treatment with prophylactic drugs (21 subjects) and those without treatment (25 subjects). Theage range of patients was 20-60 years. The vestibular evoked myogenic potential were recorded with 500 Hz tone bursts at 95 dB nHL.Results: Mean of amplitude ratio (p=0.02), and interpeak latency values in the right ear (p=0.03) and left ear (p=0.001) were higher in patients with prophylactic therapy than the group without therapy;this difference was statistically significant. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of mean of latency of p13 and n23 peaks, and absolute amplitude (p>0.05).Conclusion: Prophylactic drugs probably improve mean of main response parameters of vestibular evoked myogenic potential in migraine patients with prophylactic therapy