Provincial Cities Research Articles

Ecological vulnerability of China's Yellow River Basin: evaluation and socioeconomic driving factors.

The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is a typical ecologically fragile area in both the Chinese and global contexts. This paper built a sensitivity-resilience-pressure model to evaluate the ecological vulnerability (EV) of the YRB at the grid and prefecture-level regional scales; explored the spatiotemporal characteristics of EV; and scrutinized the impacts of socioeconomic driving factors on EV. The results showed that (1) at the grid and prefecture-level regional scales, EV decreased from the upper to lower reaches, and high vulnerability was observed in the provincial capital city. Mild and severe vulnerability constituted the main EV types in the YRB. (2) The EV index of the YRB decreased from 2.71 to 2.56 in the study period, indicating that the ecological environment improved in the YRB. The slightly and lightly vulnerable areas experienced shrinking-expansion changes, and the overall areas of these two EV types showed expanding trends, while the areal changes and overall trends of the moderately, severely, and extremely vulnerable areas were contrary to those of the slightly and lightly vulnerable areas. (3) The impacts of socioeconomic driving factors on EV dynamically strengthened with the improvement of the socioeconomic level. After considering the interactions of all socioeconomic factors, the explanatory power of the spatial differentiation of EV was enhanced, and the influence of these factors became more prominent.

Historical architectural and town-planning centers in the ethnic culture of Ukraine

The article considers the features of the location of small historical settlements - carriers of the architectural and urban culture in 12 ethnic regions of Ukraine. Among them: Bukovyna, Volyn, Halychyna, Donbas, Zakarpattia, Crimea, Podillia, Polissia, Naddnipryanshchyna, Sivershchyna, Slobozhanshchyna, Tavria. For the analysis, an original method was used to identify the areas of historical settlements and the formation of the corresponding 57 polygons. The areas that form the centers of regional culture are identified according to the principle of territorial proximity of settlements, taking into account the tracing of communication routes between them. Accordingly, the polygons are formed from small towns with historical monuments of architectural and town-planning art, which are connected to each other along the perimeter in the shortest possible way by regional and local roads. For example, on the territory of Bukovyna there are 10 villages, small towns, settlements, castles and monasteries, which form 2 polygons around Chernivtsi: the western (Kitsman, Vyzhnytsia, Storozhynets) and the eastern (Khotyn, Novoselytsia, Banchaky, Boyany, Molodiy). As a result, groups of small provincial cities and towns, towns and villages, temples and monasteries were formed with signs of a historical architectural environment. In each ethnic region, a different number of such groups have been formed, which form the corresponding number of polygons: Bukovyna – 2, Volhynia – 4, Galicia – 6, Donbas – 4, Transcarpathia – 2, Crimea – 3, Podillia – 5, Polissia – 8, Naddnipryanshchyna – 6, Severshchyna – 6, Slobozhanshchyna – 4, Tavria – 6. The identified groups of historical architectural and urban centers require further thorough study. The results of these studies can be used to develop a concept for the restoration and further sustainable development of the historical settlements of Ukraine.

Possible green-technology innovation motivated by China’s pilot carbon market: new evidence from city panel data

ABSTRACT Whether the carbon market can promote green technology innovation is a controversial topic because of an incomplete understanding of the mechanism and inconsistent datasets. This study first comprehensively explores the theoretical mechanism of the carbon market on green technology innovation from four aspects: the compensation effect, cost control motivation, crowding-out effect, and spillover effect. A sample of 209 cities in China is employed to empirically test the impact of China’s pilot carbon market on green technology innovation and its regional and industry heterogeneity using quasi-natural experiments. We found that China’s pilot carbon market has significantly promoted green technology innovation at the city level, especially in provincial capital cities, achieving a maximum effect two years after the shock. However, there is no significant spillover effect on the surrounding non-pilot cities, and Chongqing has realized the suppression of green technology innovation under the domination of the crowding-out effect. At the industry level, the pilot carbon market significantly promotes green technology innovation in the transportation, construction, chemical, and power industries but exhibits crowding-out effects in the steel industry. Finally, we propose policy implications for maintaining reasonable and stable carbon prices to stimulate compensation effects, scientifically determining the order of industry inclusion to avoid crowding-out effects, and accelerating inter-regional supply chains and technological cooperation to release spillover effects. Key policy insights: It is recommended to scientifically determine a reasonable carbon price range and introduce institutions, individuals, and other trading entities to improve the liquidity of the carbon market and the effectiveness of carbon prices. Considering the high cost triggered by the complex processes of the steel industry in developing countries, its inclusion may inhibit green technology innovation; thus, it is necessary to be cautious about including the steel industry in the carbon market. To build a carbon market in developing countries, the order of industry inclusion must be determined based on scientific calculations of the costs of green technology innovation in the industry. Avoid using self-declaration for carbon quota allocation and focus on improving national basic innovation capabilities to ensure the supply of green technology innovation.

A study on zoning based on convenience facility characteristics and analyses of the distribution of stay behavior in urban centers of provincial cities

A study on zoning based on convenience facility characteristics and analyses of the distribution of stay behavior in urban centers of provincial cities

Public willingness to pay for personal carbon trading of green travel: based on survey data from five capital cities in eastern China

Personal carbon trading is a form of pollution rights trading that is worth exploring as an innovative tool to cut back carbon emissions from travel. This paper proposes a policy scenario in which car users who exceed the average distance traveled quota are required to purchase travel credits from those who do not reach the quota and pay for them on a per hundred kilometer basis. Willingness to pay (WTP) for personal carbon trading is introduced to calculate the travel cost and its influencing factors are analyzed from the perspective of green travel. Using the double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method (DBDC), 2712 residents’ data from five provincial capital cities in eastern China is obtained. Based on this, this study first uses a binary logistic regression model to analyze the characteristics of people who are not willing to pay for green travel carbon trading, and then leverages an interval regression model to explore the willingness and intrinsic motivation of being willing to pay more or less for green travel. The results suggest that perceived usefulness is a key influencing factor of residents’ willingness to pay or pay more for green travel; Personal habits have a significant positive effect among those willing to pay; Subjective norms and moral norms can well account for the unwillingness to pay; Attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and environmental awareness fail to predict the willingness to pay among those who are unwilling to pay. In addition, WTP is also affected by demographic variables such as income and educational background. The empirical results as well indicate that the final average level of respondents’ WTP is 39.95 yuan per 100 km. The findings of this paper can provide a pricing basis while formulating personal travel carbon trading policies.

Socioeconomic Status and Students' Mental Health during the COVID-19 University Closure: Mediating Roles of Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy.

Despite the need for urgent actions in response to the exacerbated inequalities in mental health resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains a significant gap in research into the relationships and underlying mechanisms between socioeconomic status (SES) and various mental health outcomes among students during the COVID-19 university closure. With a sample of 839 students from a university in Lanzhou, the capital city of China's Gansu Province, which was closed during the 2022 autumn semester due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this study examined the relationships between SES and both the negative and positive mental health outcomes, with a particular inquiry into the mediating roles of perceived social support and self-efficacy. The results show that SES had significant and negative total associations with psychological distress (β = -0.119, p < 0.001) and loneliness (β = -0.132, p < 0.001), while having significant and positive total associations with life satisfaction (β = 0.90, p < 0.01) and affective well-being (β = 0.108, p < 0.01). Moreover, perceived social support and self-efficacy independently and sequentially mediated the associations between SES and various mental health outcomes. Research implications for the design and improvement of university measures to reduce the socioeconomic inequalities in students' mental health are also discussed.

Consumer Attitudes toward Community Elderly Services during Negative Population Growth and Sustainable Development

In 2022, it became apparent that China had officially become a nation witnessing negative population growth. Coinciding with the emergence of an aging society, the occurrence of population sustainable development has emerged as a crucial concern for society. In recent times, community-oriented elderly care has garnered prominence and materialized as a feasible pathway for confronting the matter of familial elderly care in a society with an aging populace. This study was conducted in three provincial capital cities in different regions of China. Based on the ABC theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, and with reference to the research of relevant scholars, the study investigated consumers’ attitudes towards community elderly care services from the perspectives of health care services, housekeeping services, entertainment, catering services, etc., and put forward research hypotheses. The questionnaire was dimensionally reduced using factor analysis, and the hypotheses were tested using regression analysis. The findings validate that the delivery of medical provisions, domestic aid, recreational and culinary facilities, camaraderie, and counseling visits, along with bespoke services, substantially enhance consumer receptivity towards community-oriented elderly care provisions. As a result, these conclusions assume the role of valuable points of reference for entities engaged in furnishing such services.

Sustainability of the local stakeholder network in semi-steppe rangelands in southern Iran

Sustainable land management (SLM) as a holistic method seeks to combine ecological values with socio-cultural and policy concepts, through which local populations play a significant role in achieving this management. Qasr Yaqoub village was selected for the present study, which is located in Safashahr city in Fars province, south of Iran. The common method of herding in Qasr Yaqoub village is participatory and in the form of assistance systems. Therefore, in order to have a comprehensive evaluation of the stability of the local stakeholder network in different dimensions of sustainability and social networks, two methods of indicators analysis including social network analysis (SNA) and sustainability barometer model (SBM) were used. The index values for trust and social cooperation ties among stakeholders in the local stakeholders' network in Qasr Yaqoub village, consisting of 42 individuals, were found to be 63.1% and 59.8%, respectively. These values indicate a stable density in the trust network and an average density in the cooperation network among stakeholders in the region. In addition, the social network index, which measures the extent of connections, is 1086 for trust and 1030 for social cooperation, both covering more than 50% of the expected ties. This signifies a significant level of interaction between stakeholders regarding relevant issues, facilitating the promotion of social cohesion in the study area. These findings highlight the positive dynamics within the stakeholder network, fostering trust, cooperation, and social cohesion in Qasr Yaqoub village. This study showed that the combination of network analysis and sustainability barometer model could be a useful tool in the sustainability analysis of local communities in rangeland ecosystems.

The individual and combined associations of health behaviours with health-related quality of life amongst junior high school students in China.

This study aimed to investigate the individual and joint associations of sedentary behaviour, physical activity (PA), sleep and breakfast eating on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) amongst Chinese junior high school students. Data were from 783 junior high school students who participated in a health behaviour and health survey in Jining city of Shandong province of China. HRQoL was measured by the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire, youth version (EQ-5D-Y). Multivariable logistic and linear regressions were applied to examine the associations between health behaviours and HRQoL. Multivariable regression analyses showed that using a computer ≥ 2 h a day (vs. < 2 h/day) is associated with increased likelihood of having health problems in the three EQ-D-Y dimensions, including walking, looking after self and doing usual activities. Lower PA is associated with more problems in feeling worried, sad or unhappy, and with a lower visual analogue scale (VAS) score. Students who had insufficient sleep time (e.g., <7 h/day), and skipped eating breakfast were more likely to experience lower HRQoL in the dimensions of having pain or discomfort, and feeling worried, sad or unhappy, and a lower VAS score than those students who had longer sleep time and no breakfast skipping. Students who reported having the combined ≥ 2 unhealthy behaviours relative to the peers with 0-1 unhealthy behaviours were more likely to have lower HRQoL. The findings in the present study underline the importance of promoting healthy behaviours in order to improve HRQoL amongst Chinese junior high school students.

Influential Effect and Mechanism of Digital Finance on Urban Land Use Efficiency in China

With the acceleration of urbanization, the carrying capacity of urban land resources is increasingly being challenged. Thus, urban land use efficiency (ULUE) has been a crucial issue in sustainable development, and digital finance (DF) has been thought to be an effective solution for solving this dilemma. Based on panel data from 283 cities in China spanning from 2011 to 2020, this study first utilized the super-efficiency SBM model to assess ULUE across China. Then, the panel Tobit model was employed to empirically examine the overall impact of DF on ULUE, while the intermediary effect model was utilized to analyze the indirect impact of DF on ULUE. Additionally, the threshold effect model was employed to investigate the non-linear characteristics of the impact of DF on ULUE. The findings indicate that: (1) DF can enhance ULUE, with the dimension of application depth of DF exerting the most significant impact, followed by the dimensions of coverage breadth and digitization degree of DF; (2) DF can boost ULUE by promoting industrial structure upgrading (ISU); (3) the promotional effect of DF on ULUE exhibits regional variations, with a stronger impact observed in the western region and provincial capital cities, but weaker effects noted in the eastern and central regions as well as non-provincial capital cities; (4) with the improvement of economic development and DF, the impact of DF on ULUE exhibits a slightly increasing nonlinear trend. The research findings presented in this paper offer valuable insights for enhancing ULUE in emerging economies.

Evaluation of Urban Logistics Competitiveness Based on Principal Component Analysis

The level of regional economic development is, to a certain extent, reflected by the logistics competitiveness of cities. This paper selects the logistics competitiveness of 21 cities in Sichuan Province, in order to assess the level of logistics competitiveness of cities in Sichuan Province, selects 21 provincial and municipal cities to get logistics indicators, using SPSS 23.0 software to get the evaluation results of the principal components of the analysis and sorting, and based on the results of the evaluation of the development of the corresponding recommendations. The results show that the evaluation results analyzed by the software are basically in line with the actual situation and can provide a reference basis for government departments to guide the development of cities.

Conceptual PlayWorld: creating motivating conditions for new kindergarten practices in China to support engineering education

ABSTRACT In recent times, engineering education has increasingly emerged as a valued kindergarten practice. Engineering teaching in play brings challenges for Chinese kindergarten teachers. An educational experiment (EE) was conducted to help Chinese kindergarten teachers face this challenge. Qualitative data including video data and interview transcripts were collected in a public kindergarten located in a Chinese provincial capital city. Participants included one focused teacher and 28 children aged four to five years. In the context of early childhood education, drawing upon a cultural-historical perspective, we study how engineering pedagogical practices changed under the conditions of an intervention, called an engineering Conceptual PlayWorld (CPW). The findings show a shift in the focused teacher’s subject positioning, and new practice contexts in which an engineering pedagogy emerged. We argue that a CPW created motivating conditions for Chinese kindergarten teachers to explore new engineering pedagogical practices, wherein they realised a new form of collective imaginary play and designed new engineering pedagogies for teaching young children.

Trade-offs under pressure? Development of urban green space under economic growth and governance

Urban green space (UGS) is susceptible to shocks from multiple sources, including the economy and governance. It is now a global policy challenge to ensure the sustainability and livability of cities. Nevertheless, available studies have reached contradictory conclusions regarding the economic impact on UGS. Using statistical data, empirical studies in the Chinese context failed to differentiate between built-up areas and municipalities and neglected data matching within the study area. To address these gaps, this study explored the relationship between the economy and UGS at various quantiles by constructing unconditional quantile regression (UQR) models using panel data from 283 Chinese cities (2001–2019). The relationship between economic growth and the total area of UGS in the municipal zone (ugs_area) and UGS coverage of built-up areas (ugs_rate) was generally positive and statistically significant, according to the analysis. Furthermore, the study observed heterogeneity in the relationship between the economy and ugs_area and ugs_rate across different quantiles, indicating a growing presence of UGS appearing in the periphery of built-up areas. Cities strived to increase ugs_area and ugs_rate to meet the National Garden City (NGC) standards. After NGC designation, ugs_area and ugs_rate decreased significantly. Moreover, the positive correlation coefficient between the economy and UGS in provincial capital cities was considerably greater than in non-provincial capital cities. This study contributes to UGS research by revealing the nonlinear impact of driving factors. In addition to distinguishing between UGS in municipal districts and those specifically in built-up areas, this study quantifies the impact of governance variables. The study provides a valuable resource for planning UGS in China and promoting harmonious integration of economic growth, governance, and UGS in rapidly developing cities.

The Exclusiveness of Smart Cities—Myth or Reality? Comparative Analysis of Selected Economic and Demographic Conditions of Polish Cities

The Smart City concept is perceived as a method of dynamic development of cities and an opportunity to improve the quality of life of the urban community. Nevertheless, it is not without its disadvantages, among which the possibility of exclusion (economic, social or digital) is most often mentioned. However, the literature on the subject lacks empirical research verifying this allegation. For this reason, the purpose of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis of economic and social conditions in 17 Polish cities, 3 of which are recognized as Smart Cities in international rankings. By analyzing the economic and demographic conditions in the long term, an attempt is made to answer the question of whether Smart Cities offer better living conditions, and if so, how big is the imbalance and the risk of excluding other cities? In the course of the research, the following are taken into account: tax revenue per capita, unemployment rate, population density and level, as well as the share of working and post-working age population. These parameters are analyzed using descriptive statistics and systematized using multi-criteria analysis. The collective comparison of all the surveyed provincial cities shows that the best economic and demographic conditions apply to cities recognized as smart. The average annual rate of changes in tax revenues in the surveyed cities ranges from 5% to almost 8% and is the highest in Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław. These cities are also characterized by the lowest unemployment rate, ranging from 3% to 4% (in other cities, from 4% to almost 7%). The mentioned cities and Gdańsk are the only ones with a positive rate of population change (from 0.62% to 1.08%). Other studied cities are systematically depopulating (annual rate of change from −0.37% to −7.09%). In Warsaw, Wrocław and Kraków, the share of the working-age population is also decreasing the slowest (the annual rate of change below −1.0%). The cities recognized as smart (Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław) are matched by Gdańsk and Poznań, which can be considered strong contenders for being smart. Unfortunately, the remaining cities are far from the leaders of the ranking, which may expose them to economic and social exclusion, all the more so that the parameters examined in them are characterized by negative tendencies. It can, therefore, be concluded that striving to be smart can be a cause of increasing the economic and demographic distance. Therefore, it may increase unbalance and generate exclusion in the analyzed areas.

The ambassador and the press: printed diplomatic letters and the entanglement of public and private news provision in the late seventeenth-century Dutch Republic

ABSTRACT In 1669, the regents of the States General, the federal assembly of the Dutch Republic, instructed their printer (Statendrukker) henceforth to print all documents that they required in at least five copies. Amongst resolutions, placards and ordinances, this included the regular despatches from the Republic’s diplomatic agents. This remarkable printed correspondence, which has never before been studied in depth, is the focus of our article. The practice of printing diplomatic despatches was unique to the Dutch Republic: by drawing attention to this neglected source, we shed light on the circulation of news amongst the political elite of the Dutch Republic, as well as broader diplomatic and news networks in Europe. By directly comparing the content of the news provided in the diplomatic despatches with that publicly available in the commercial newspapers of the Republic, we also challenge a dichotomy between public and private news provision and a perception of the regents as obsessed with secrecy. We suggest that the printed despatches were not valued by the States General because they contained exclusive information, but rather because they could be used to verify news already available to the regents through other sources, and to facilitate the circulation of information from the States General in The Hague to the provincial States and city councils. This article also presents evidence that the States General’s printed despatches occasionally circulated among foreign agents and officials.

Web accessibility in Spanish city councils: a challenge for the democratic inclusion and well-being of citizens

Public institutions find an open window and greater transparency towards citizens in the digital sphere. So much so that the websites of local corporations can be considered an instrument of democratic inclusion and overall well-being. However, web accessibility continues to be a pending issue in order to encourage any person, regardless of their physical, mental or age capabilities, to interact without any kind of barrier. This paper analyses the web accessibility of 18 provincial capital city councils in Spain, comparing two periods to detect compliance with the requirements of adaptation to citizenship by applying the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The results show that accessibility to the websites of local corporations is still an unresolved issue. The commitment to web accessibility is not related to the size of cities or their budgetary level. It is necessary to undertake the appropriate improvements if they want, in their commitment to all citizens, to not leave out two key groups: people with functional diversity and the elderly. The contribution of this work goes beyond the need to use a type of analysis model to evaluate the democratisation of websites as digital public services and, consequently, it raises a series of practical implications relevant to the political decision-making bodies of local councils.

Does water rights trading promote resources utilisation efficiency and green growth? Evidence from China's resources trading policy

Strengthening ecological protection and resources management is imminent under the international context of net water resources shortage and ensuring green growth agenda. In this regard, this study employs a difference in differences (DID) model to assess the impact of China's water rights trading policy (WRT) on resource use efficiency from 2009 to 2021 using 281 prefectural-level cities in China. The results suggest that the WRT significantly enhances regional water use efficiency and supports regional green growth. The policy effects of WRT are more evident in coastal areas, areas where water supply capacity is strong, areas where water resources endowment is high, and areas where cross-regional water rights trading policy is implemented. WRT improves resources use efficiency by promoting technological innovation and improving the quality of water sources. WRT can also enhance regional welfare, but it has been observed to reduce water use efficiency in provincial border cities. These results offer valuable suggestions for all stakeholders.

Recent Status of Procedures in a Single Nationwide Cosmetic Surgery Group.

Recently, cosmetic surgery demand has increased due to the spread of promotional social media in Japan. However, understanding the overall landscape remains difficult due to many clinics with varied procedure options. To understand the current trends and status of cosmetic surgery in Japan, we analyzed large-scale data from a group of clinics throughout the country. We analyzed data from 152,457 patients in our database. The periods from September 2018 to August 2021 and September 2021 to February 2023 were defined as the first and second periods, respectively, and the statuses of procedures were compared between the two. Eye procedures were the most common (23.6%), followed by face-lifts (19.5%) and dark circles under the eyes (10.4%). Between the first and second periods, the number of procedures in the second period (128,898 cases) was overwhelmingly higher than that in the first period (23,559 cases). Orbital fat removal for dark circles under the eyes significantly increased (OR 2.97, 95%CI 2.78-3.17); procedures in provincial cities significantly increased (Kinki/Chugoku/Shikoku: OR 2.21, 95%CI 2.08-2.36); and procedures for patients with occupations where appearance is considered important, such as nightlife businesses or being a celebrity, decreased (celebrity: OR 0.44, 95%CI 0.38-0.51, nightlife business: OR 0.58, 95%CI 0.53-0.62). In Japan, cosmetic surgery has become increasingly common in recent years, and the trend has been changing over time. In the future, it will be important to organize and enhance our large-scale database to disseminate more accurate and useful information.

Pengaruh Harga terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Ice Cream (Studi Kasus di Mixue Yogyakarta)

Mixue is a drink outlet from China, which serves a variety of drink menus and also ice cream. This drink has so many branches spread across every provincial city and has quite a few fans, so the company must be really careful in setting prices that suit people's pockets. The aim of this research is to find out how influential price is on the decision to purchase Mixue products. This research uses a quantitative research method where data is collected using a questionnaire distributed to 100 respondents who are consumers of ice cream mixue products. Data collection in this research was carried out by distributing questionnaires and then processing them using simple linear regression analysis, T test, and correlation coefficient test. Based on the research results, it shows that price influences the decision to purchase Ice Cream Mixue products. This can be seen from the significance value of 0.001 &lt; 0.05. Keywords: Price, Purchase Decision, Mixue products

A Case-Control Seroprevalence Survey of Toxoplasmosis in Hemodialysis Patients and Healthy Subjects in Kazeroon and Jahrom Districts in Fars Province, Southern Iran.

Opportunistic parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) are capable of causing neurological and ocular manifestations in patients undergoing hemodialysis. By designing a matched case-control study, we conducted a seromolecular survey of T. gondii in hemodialysis patients compared to a healthy group from Jahrom and Kazeroon cities in Fars Province, Iran. For this purpose, 75 hemodialysis patients from Kazeroon city, 75 hemodialysis patients from Jahrom city, and 75 healthy individuals were recruited for the study. The serum levels of specific immunoglobulins (IgG/IgM) in the case and control groups were evaluated using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Also, buffy coat samples were used to extract genomic DNA. Then, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was accomplished using the RE and GRA6 genes of T. gondii. A standard questionnaire containing demographic factors was administered. Although the seroprevalence of the anti-T. gondii IgG antibody in hemodialysis patients from Kazeroon (18.66% (14/75)) and Jahrom (25.33% (19/75)) was higher than that in the control group (13.33% (10/75)), no statistically significant difference was observed between the case and control groups (P value = 0.373 from Kazeroon and P value = 0.354 from Jahrom). Among the studied variables, only residence (urban) was significantly associated with the anti-T. gondii IgG antibody in the case group from Kazeroon. Also, no IgM antibody titers and DNA of T. gondii were detected in the case and control groups from both cities. Although high seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibody was seen in hemodialysis patients, further epidemiological studies with larger samples need to be done in Jahrom and Kazeroon cities and in other parts of Iran. It is also necessary for health officials to establish programs for the prevention and control of T. gondii infection in hemodialysis patients.