DESIGNING A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE MODEL WITH TECHNOLOGY ORIENTED APPROACH USING FAHP TECHNIQUE: A CASE STUDY IN COIL INDUSTRY

One of the distinctive attributes of today’s successful companies is having at least one competitive advantage in one known area. Technological competency is an important advantage which helps improve the firm’s competitiveness. In fact, suitable use of new technologies can dramatically influence the innovation speed, decrease the time of product development cycle and also increase the rate of new product introduction. Firm-specific technological competencies help explain why a firm is different, how it changes over time, and whether it is capable of remaining competitive. In this study, technological competency factors (technology management, process technology, product technology) are prioritized according to the competitive advantage levels(customer satisfaction, brand reputation, new product introduction, market share) and competitive priorities (cost, price, quality, flexibility, time) using fuzzy Analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) with the aim of maximizing the nonfinancial performance at coil manufacture industry. The results indicate that within Iran coil industry, process technology is of greater importance than technology management and product technology

Planning of Sustainable Development Based on Civil Rights in Torkaman Port

Undoubtedly, discussion about stability and sustainable development is meaningless without paying attention to cities and urbanization. Cities are considered as major factors of creating instability in the world. Therefore, according to inherent complexity of cities and various dimensions of their effectiveness, recognition of major and key factors for the sake of achieving to stability of cities seems necessary. The purpose of research is to acquire relatively exact description of condition of urban sustainable development from citizens’ rights point of view. This research is practical from the viewpoint of purpose and descriptive-measurable from the viewpoint of type, which has been done by scope method. Statistical society is all citizens of Torkaman city (48736) that used urban spaces which are effective on stability and instability of city. Sample volume is 381 individuals according to Cochran formula that are selected and studied accidentally. Findings of research show that civil rights identifiers with effectiveness of 0.62 and political identifiers with effectiveness of 0.18 had the most and the least effect on sustainable development of Torkaman port city

Planning of Sustainable Development Based on Civil Rights in Torkaman Port

Undoubtedly, discussion about stability and sustainable development is meaningless without paying attention to cities and urbanization. Cities are considered as major factors of creating instability in the world. Therefore, according to inherent complexity of cities and various dimensions of their effectiveness, recognition of major and key factors for the sake of achieving to stability of cities seems necessary. The purpose of research is to acquire relatively exact description of condition of urban sustainable development from citizens’ rights point of view. This research is practical from the viewpoint of purpose and descriptive-measurable from the viewpoint of type, which has been done by scope method. Statistical society is all citizens of Torkaman city (48736) that used urban spaces which are effective on stability and instability of city. Sample volume is 381 individuals according to Cochran formula that are selected and studied accidentally. Findings of research show that civil rights identifiers with effectiveness of 0.62 and political identifiers with effectiveness of 0.18 had the most and the least effect on sustainable development of Torkaman port city

A cost-utility analysis of different antiviral medicine regimens in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection

Background: Despite the introduction of new drug regimens with high effectiveness for the hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, especially in HCV genotype 1, no cost-effectiveness study on the selection of the superior drug strategy in Iran has been conducted yet. Objectives: This study is aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the three drug regimens of pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PR), sofosbuvir (SOF) + PR and ledipasvir and sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) in patients with HCV genotype 1 in Iran in the year 2014. Methods: A Markov micro-simulation model was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the three drug strategies for a cohort of 10000 patients. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were extracted from published studies. Cost data was estimated through the review of medical records and obtaining experts opinion. Results: The results showed that the SOF + PR drug compared with PR had a lower cost and was more effective, but compared with the LDV/SOF, in spite of its lower cost, it was less efficient. The QALY values obtained for PR, SOF + PR and LDV/SOF, respectively, were 10.98, 12.08 and 12.28 and their costs were $41,741,$ 7,676 and $46,993. Moreover, the results obtained from acceptability curves showed that SOF + PR were the most cost-effective treatment for thresholds below$ 45,270 PPP. Conclusions: The use of SOF + PR regimen or LDV/SOF can significantly reduce the incidence of complications associated with the disease. For example, short and long-term outcomes are better than the current drug regimens for HCV genotype 1 patients in all stages of the disease

Patterns of physical activity and dietary habit in relation to weight status in adolescent girls

Healthy eating and physical activity habits formed during childhood can persist into adulthood and prevent or delay premature onset of a number of chronic diseases. The aim of this study was patterns of physical activity and dietary habit in relation to weight status in adolescent girls. In a cross sectional study, using two stage cluster sampling 256 adolescent girls were randomly selected from 8 Semnan secondary schools. Weigh and height were measured and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. In adolescents, anthropometric indices were defined based on the CDC 2000 cut-off points for age and gender-specific BMI. Data of energy and nutrient intake was collected with the 24-hour dietary recall and food record questionnaires. The food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate daily food consumption. Physical activity was determined using Baecke questionnaire. Data analyzed indicated that daily fat intake (p=0.003, r=+0.18), energy percent of fat (p=0.04, r=+0.01) and fast food frequency (p=0.026, r=+0.139) had significant relationship with BMI percentile. There was a significant relationship between snack frequency and weight status in high school adolescent girls (p=0.023). Data analyzed indicated that physical activity had significant relationship with weight status in adolescent girls (p= 0.0001). The findings suggest that make physical activity enjoyable and improvement food habit among adolescent girls are necessary to induct

The scientific-intellectual aims of Akhavan-Al-Safa (Brethren of Purity)

Aims and objectives are the pivotal tenets of any educational system and without them the educational methods and principles would not get anywhere. The purpose of the current study is the investigation and determination of the scientific and intellectuals aims of Akhavan-Al-Safa. The research method used in this paper is descriptive and analytical. To find an answer to this aim, the relevant papers, treatise, and books were studied. The results show that they considered for themselves an educational duty and a role much like that of the prophets; they had set their intellectual and scientific aims within the center of their activities for removing the superstitions and ambiguities from the religion and for correcting the community. Aims such as the finding and reviving of the talents, seeking knowledge, eclecticism and best selection, enlightenment and awareness and also free-thinking have been but some of the mediating aims of the afore-mentioned area in achieving the ultimate end and integrity. One of the practical outcomes left behind by them can be seen within the 51 papers covering all the knowledge of the time. Their comprehensiveness has been influenced by their intellectual origins and sources in the areas of theology and philosophy and the scientific and cultural conditions of that era. Keywords: Akhavan-Al-Safa, scientific objectives, intellectual objective

Nutritional status and dietary intake among adolescent girls

Nutritional status during adolescence plays an important role in human lifecycle. The aim of this study was Nutritional status and dietary intake among adolescent girls. In a cross sectional study, using two stage cluster sampling 256 adolescent girls were randomly selected from 8 Semnan secondary schools. Weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. In adolescents, anthropometric indices were defined based on the CDC 2000 cut-off points for age and gender-specific BMI. Data of energy and nutrient intake was collected with the 24-hour dietary recall and food record questionnaires. The results showed that the prevalence of underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese was 5.7%, 77.7%, 11.7%, and 4.7% in Semnan adolescent girls, respectively.  In comparison with DRI recommended values, the intake of energy and some micronutrients such as vitamin B12, folate, calcium, zinc, and fiber was insufficient among adolescent girls in Semnan. Malnutrition (underweight and overweight) is higher than the expected rate. Findings of our study showed that micronutrients deficiency among adolescent girls is a major problem among adolescent girls in Semnan and prevention measures are necessary to induct

A cost utility and cost effectiveness analysis of different oral antiviral medications in patients with HBeAg-Negative chronic hepatitis B in Iran: an economic microsimulation decision model

Background: Although hepatitis B infection is the major cause of chronic liver disease in Iran, no studies have employed economic evaluations of the medications used to treat Iranian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Therefore, the cost-effectiveness of the different treatment options for this disease in Iran is unknown. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the cost utility and cost-effectiveness of medication strategies tailored to local conditions in patients with HB e antigen (HBeAg)-negative CHB infection in Iran. Methods: An economic evaluation of the cost utility of the following five oral medication strategies was conducted: adefovir (ADV), lamivudine (LAM), ADV + LAM, entecavir (ETV), and tenofovir (TDF). A Markov microsimulation model was used to estimate the clinical and economic outcomes over the course of the patient’s lifetime and based on a societal perspective. Medical and nonmedical direct costs and indirect costs were included in the study and life-years gained (LYG) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) were determined as measures of effectiveness. The results are presented in terms of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per QALY or LYG. The model consisted of nine stages of the disease. The transition probabilities for the movement between the different stages were based on clinical evidence and international expert opinion. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) was used to measure the effects of uncertainty in the model parameters. Results: The results revealed that the TDF treatment strategy was more effective and less costly than the other options. In addition, TDF had the highest QALY and LYG in the HBeAg-negative CHB patients, with 13.58 and 21.26 (discounted) in all comparisons. The PSA proved the robustness of the model results. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed that TDF was the most cost-effective treatment in 59% - 78% of the simulations of HBeAg-negative patients, with WTP thresholds less than $14010 (maximum WTP per QALY). Conclusions: The use of TDF in patients with HBeAg-negative CHB seemed to be a highly cost-effective strategy. Compared with the other available medication options, TDF was the most cost-saving strategy. Thus, TDF may be the best option as a first-line medication. Patients can also be switched from other medications to TDF