The Anti-Terorism Discourse and the Emergence of

This paper argues that there is a strong conceptual connection between the international crises such as what happened in September 11, 2001 in the United States and the process of identity construction not only in the Western countries` foreign policy in general and the U.S. foreign policy in particular but also in the emergence and expansion of the the terrorist groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Ourmain question is how the anti-terorism discourse emerged after the 9/11 facilitated the emergence and expansion of ISIS? Our main hypotheis is that the anti-terorism discourse created an image of Muslims as terrorists which in turn led to the radicalization of Muslims and identification of themselves as anti-systemic forces. This new identity was created as a result of the overarching anti-terorist discourse after 2001. To answer our question, we survey the Foreign Policy Magazine from 2001 to 2004 and through content analysis of articles and interviews published in this period, try to demonstrate how the anti-terorism discourse led to Muslims identifying themselves as forces against the international system dominated by the Western countries

The Relationship between Project Governance and Information Technology Governance and its Impact on Project Performance

In today's business, projects are considered as an important part of business operations. Thus, the success of projects has a direct impact on the success of the firm. Researchers and practitioners have been attempting to improve project performance by suggesting and implementing several project management methods and methodologies. The present research is written to answer the question of how to improve Project performance through the consideration of information technology governance and project governance. The research was conducted using a descriptive-survey research method with a sample of 183 employees of Mellat Bank, using a questionnaire, and using structural equation modeling method, using Smart PLS and SPSS software for analyzing data. The research results indicate that both information technology governance and project governance have a positive impact on project performance. These findings provide evidence for project management professionals that information technology governance and project governance are part of an operational strategy to facilitate project success. This research also highlights the importance of strategic alignment between governance and project governance in enhancing project performance

Risk Assessment for Water Supply Systems in Iran During Crises Using the RAMCAP Method

Heavy damages might be inflicted upon national infrastructure due to a variety of disasters caused by natural events or human activities. One example of such vital infrastructure at risk is the water supply system. At the time of crises, the water supply system is expected to continue supplying water to citizens, or the crisis will be augmented. This warrants the potential threats and their effects on the system to be identified and evaluated in an attempt to determine the vulnerable systems and sites toward proper solutions. In this study, the assets and the associated threats of the water supply are identified followed by a vulnerability analysis. The RAMCAP method is then employed to determine values for the risks associated with each of the assets including dams, water storage systems, pumping stations, treatment plants, water wells, and building units. Methods are proposed to reduce these risks before a crisis occurs. In addition, basic threats due to air-missile and Cyber attacks are also considered

Knowledge, Attitude and Research Ability of General Physicians and Dentists Graduated from Hamadan University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: General physicians (GPs) and dentists have to acquire reasonable research capability during academic education in Iran. For this purpose, various educational programs such as: statistics and research methodology course, Health System Research (HSR) workshop and research thesis have been planned in their curriculum. The purpose of this study was to determine knowledge, attitude and research ability of general practitioners and dentists graduated from Hamadan University of Medical Science (HUMS). Methods: In a descriptive study 60 general physicians and dentists who had been graduated in the previous 2 years, were selected randomly and asked to design a research proposal. They were also asked to complete a valid and reliable questionnaire containing 22 questions regarding their knowledge and attitude. The data was analyzed by SPSS software using frequency, mean, standard deviation, frequency and t-test. Results: The mean and standard deviation for knowledge and attitude were 12.5±2.72 (out of 22), and 55.25±6.49 (out of 80), respectively. The mean and standard deviation of research capability was 15±7.27 (out of 34). In total, 27.5% of GPs and dentists had low knowledge, while, only 3% had negative attitude towards research. There was no significant relationship between HSR workshop participation and research capability. Conclusion: The majority of medical doctors and dentists graduated from Hamadan University of Medical Sciences had low but acceptable knowledge about research methodology. More than 50% of them had low research capability, but more than 95% had a positive attitude towards research. In total their research capability was far from optimal situation

The Iranian blood pressure measurement campaign, 2019: study protocol and preliminary results

Purpose Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for premature mortality and morbidity in Iran. The objective of the Iranian blood pressure (BP) measurement campaign was to identify individuals with raised blood pressure and providing appropriate care and increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension. Methods The campaign was conducted in two phases. The first (communication) phase started on May 17th (International Hypertension Day). The second phase started on June 8th, 2019, and lasted up to July 7th during which, blood pressures were measured. The target population was Iranians aged >= 30 years. Participants voluntarily referred to health houses in rural and health posts and comprehensive health centers in urban areas in the setting of the Primary Health Care network. Additionally, over 13,700 temporary stations were set up in highly visited places in urban areas. Volunteer healthcare staff interviewed the participants, measured their BP, and provided them with lifestyle advice and knowledge of the risks and consequences of high blood pressure. They referred participants to physicians in case their BP was high. Participants immediately received a text message containing the relevant advice based on their measured BP and their past history. Results Blood pressure was measured for a total of 26,678,394 participants in the campaign. A total of 13,722,148 participants (51.4%) were female. The mean age was 46 +/- 14.1 years. Among total participants, 15,012,693 adults (56.3%) with no past history of hypertension had normal BP, 7,959,288 participants had BP in the prehypertension range (29.8%), and finally, 3,706,413 participants (13.9%) had either past medical history of hypertension, used medications, or had high BP measured in the campaign. Conclusion The campaign was feasible with the objective to increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension in Iran