مطالب

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 6 weeks of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stability (DNS) training on performance (lower limb strength, flexibility, fall risk) and quality of life in the elderly. Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. This research was performed on 30 elderly males, aged 60-70 years in Qom Province, Iran in 2021. The examined elderly were randomly divided into the experimental and control groups (n=15/group). Furthermore, the experimental group participated in three 45-minute weekly sessions of DNS training for 6 weeks. To collect the necessary information before and after applying the training protocol, tint tests, 30-second seat sitting test, sitting and delivery test, TUG test, and SF-36 questionnaire were used. The obtained data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Paired Samples t-test at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The ANCOVA results indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in motor function, fall risk, quality of life, lower limb strength, and flexibility (P<0.05). The collected mean scores outlined that the experimental group performed better than the control group. Conclusion: Due to the effectiveness of DNS training on physical function and the very high importance of the elderly lifestyle, it is recommended that the provided training protocol be used for prevention and rehabilitation, increase the level of physical fitness and quality of life as a low-cost treatment, among the elderly.

Turkey as one of the regional actors in the Middle East has taken the ‘Look East’ policy in its foreign policy since 2002, when the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has come to power. Although the relations between Turkey and Afghanistan have a historical background dating back to the Ottoman, but the geopolitical and geostrategic position of Afghanistan has doubled its significance for Turkish politicians during the NeoOttomanism, the situation which has emerged in Turkish politics, especially its cultural diplomacy over Afghanistan Since the rise to power of the AKP. So, in this article, the main question is, what are the objectives and tools of Turkish cultural diplomacy in Afghanistan during the AKP era? In response to this question, the main hypothesis is that Turkey's cultural diplomacy during the AKP era was based on the use of shared linguistic, ethnic and religious values to strengthen Turkey's soft power in Afghanistan as well as the hegemony of Turkey in the region.

The Middle East and the Persian Gulf have witnessed an escalation in conflict and instability over the past few years where tense relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia has had an undeniable effect in creating such a situation. From Iraq to Syria and from Lebanon to Yemen, the two countries have been competing with each other. Furthermore, Tehran-Riyadh disagreement over energy strategy and nuclear activities has been other source of tension and confrontation between the two countries. There is a concern among researchers that how this crisis can be managed. While some scholars see hegemony of a superpower like the United States or a regional power as the best solution to handle this challenge and the others believe that collective security system is the best option, the research aims to illustrate balancing is the most possible and realistic scenario in the Iran-Saudi Arabia rivalry for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, first we canvass these two regional powers rivalry in historical context and then offer practical implications and recommendations to change the status quo and reach to the more stable region. The research method would be descriptive-analytical and the data is provided from library and Internet sources.

Economic diplomacy, in terms of the importance of economic relations in foreign relations, is one of the important tools to advance the long-term goals of economic growth and development and even increase the security of countries.Recently, Afghanistan, India and Iran have reached an agreement called the Chabahar Agreement. Due to its location, this port has the appropriate geopolitical, geo-economic and geostrategic potentials in comparison with the ports of the countries in the region and has a very high security margin; in addition, the port at the intersection of the North-South and East-West corridors can serve as a gateway for transportation, in other words, a central trade link between Central Asia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Europe. In this research we want to answer this question: What impact can economic diplomacy have on post-Taliban developments in Afghanistan? And what is the position of Chabahar port in that country's economic diplomacy? The findings of this descriptive-analytical library research show that: Economic diplomacy in the post-Taliban era by adopting programs such as; attracting foreign investment and expandingrelations with the countries of the region and constructive interaction with them, has been able to have positive effects on development in Afghanistan; And the port of Chabahar, as a field for attracting foreign investment on the one hand and its role in xpanding Afghanistan's relations with countries in the region on the other, has found a special place in the country's foreign policy.