Khorasan Razavi Province Research Articles

Providing a model for evaluating and selecting suppliers of three-phase self-sustaining cables using the interactive approach of analytical hierarchical process and goal programming

Limited resources in the current competitive world have motivated the companies to use from technological tools in order to increase their productivity and efficiency. In this context, identification and selection of suppliers of raw materials and consumer and capital goods in production processes and services are a long step in achieving the goal of survival and excellence. On the other hand, organizations regard as a network of different companies in the supply chain that work together in order to create more added value for the final customer or consumer. Increasing added value by enhancing quality and reduces costs. Suppliers dramatically affect corporate performance in terms of price, quality, technology, and delivery. Therefore, in this study, practical criteria for the selection of suppliers in an Electricity Distribution Company are prioritized using an Analytical Hierarchical Process. An integration of the Analytical Hierarchy Process and Goal Programming use to goal restrictions in allocating an optimal order quantity to each supplier. In following, an integration of AHP and GP use in the case study to supply 500,000 m low-voltage three-phase self-sustaining cable (3 *50 + 25 + 25) to allocate an optimal order quantity to each supplier. The results indicated that a better solution could achieve using an interactive model. Overall, this study provided an appropriate model for using limited financial resources to provide better services to achieve a strategic and comparative advantage. Research results are also applicable in the following areas: 1. Provide appropriate solutions to increase the company's profitability by reducing supply costs. 2. Planning for investment and exploitation in the company's marketing department and supply of consumer goods. 3. Identify barriers in purchasing consumer goods and equipment and their impact on the proper marketing of the company. 4. Application of research in the supply of consumer goods in the electricity distribution company of Khorasan Razavi province and other large service and production companies and future researchers whose information is not accurate and whose criteria are diverse and vague.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12597-021-00570-0.

An empirical test of techniques of neutralization regarding polluting behaviors in rural Iran

Environmental pollution is regarded as a major environmental crime in most countries; Iran is no exception. This study examines water and soil polluting behavior among villagers in Jimabad, Mashhad County—a rural area in the Razavi Khorasan province in the northeastern region of Iran. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from a random sample of 315 respondents in the population of the villagers of Jimabad. This article reports on the levels of water and soil polluting behavior among the respondents and the results are discussed in terms of techniques of neutralization, religiosity and cultural context.

Clinical characteristics of 200 COVID-19 patients in Mashhad, Iran, February and March 2020.

ABSTRACTIntroduction:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pulmonary involvement which was reported for the first time in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, China. The aim of the study was to describe the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics of 204 definitive laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran.Patients and Methods:This study was performed on 204 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients. A set of laboratory tests combined with various patient information and results from lung high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were gathered in a checklist and analyzed to give us a better view of patients who are hospitalized due to the complications caused by this disease.Results:The average age of our patients was 58.83 ± 15.93 years. There were 122 (59.8%) male and 82 (40.2%) female patients, and almost all of our patients had at least one underlying disease. Nine (4.4%) of our patients reported having gone for a trip to COVID-19-epidemic areas in the last 2 weeks. The most common signs shared among all our patients were cough, fever, and decreased O2 saturation; the average respiratory rate was 25.50 ± 6.74/min, average axillary body temperature was 37.69°C ± 0.69°C, and average O2 saturation was 88.34% ± 7.34%.Conclusion:Based on our results, the most common signs of this disease are fever, cough, and shortness of breath, similar to seasonal influenza. Our data on disease severity showed that 33 (16.2%) patients had moderate disease, 139 (68.1%) had severe disease, and 28 (13.7%) were critical; 22 (10.8%) of our hospitalized patients died due to the complications of this disease.

Spatial‐Temporal Analysis of Crash Severity: Multisource Data Fusion Approach

High severity crashes are one of the negative consequences of suburban transportation for a range of factors. Fatalities, injuries, and medical costs, as well as road and car damage and mental side effects, are more important consequences of severe crashes. The goal of this research is to figure out what factors contribute to different crash severity levels, in order to reduce the likelihood of such crashes. This study is unique in that it tries to investigate the capabilities of various discrete choice methods in order to explore which one performs best given the current database and research restrictions. Furthermore, the data fusion approach allows this study to take advantage of a wide range of characteristics that influence crash severity. To achieve this objective, the current study used several types of discrete choice models, such as ordered logit (OL), multinominal logit (MNL), and mixed logit (ML) models, to examine the factors influencing the severity of crashes in the suburban highway area. The data are related to crashes and traffic counters in Khorasan Razavi province in the northeast of Iran. Spatial‐temporal analysis of crash data with a data fusion approach has been conducted to prepare a multisource data set with a wide spectrum of independent variables to acquire reliable results using logit models. Independent descriptive variables include geometric design, time‐related, weather and environmental conditions, land use, traffic attributes, vehicle characteristics, and driver characteristics. ML provided the best fit with the available data set when compared to other discrete choice techniques. In addition, in all three logit models, coefficients of geometric design, vehicle characteristics, driver characteristics, land use, and weather and environmental conditions are significant, demonstrating the significance of using multisource data in defining factors impacting crash severity.

Educational challenges of family caregivers of vegetative state patients for home care preparedness: A qualitative content analysis.

Patients with a vegetative state (VS) are completely dependent on caregivers in all physical aspects of their lives. Caring for such patients comes with a great deal of difficulty for family caregivers. As a result, family caregivers must be fully trained and prepared for this role. The present qualitative study was conducted to investigate the educational challenges faced by family caregivers of VS patients for home care preparedness. The present qualitative study was conducted through the conventional content analysis method from August 2020 to September 2021 in two provinces of Iran (Sistan and Baluchestan Province; and Razavi Khorasan Province). Fourteen family caregivers of patients in a VS were included in the study. Semi-structured and in-depth interviews were employed to collect data. The Graneheim and Lundman method was utilized to conduct the data analysis using MAXQDA2020 software. Data collection continued until data saturation and the identification of main categories. As indicated by the data analysis, three categories of "unmet educational needs," "confused caregiver," and "searching for practical knowledge" which included 19 sub-categories described the experiences of family caregivers of patients in a VS concerning challenges they went through in preparation for patient care at home. Participants' experiences revealed that despite the inadequacy of educations provided by health-care providers on knowledge and skills required by family caregivers, they were committed to caring for the patient and trying to acquire the required knowledge. Results indicated that inadequate education and the lack of family caregivers' contribution to caring for the patient in the VS during their stay in the hospital impedes their acquisition of adequate knowledge and skill to care for patients at home. Therefore, healthcare system policymakers should be planning to eliminate the educational barriers faced by family caregivers and expand the educational activities of hospitals' homecare centers to provide educational support of family caregivers after the patient's discharge.

Temporal trends and prediction of bovine tuberculosis: a time series analysis in the North-East of Iran.

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a disease with high economic relevance. This study aimed to determine a fast alert surveillance system for bTB before the outbreak in the epidemic region of Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted using the Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model for monthly bTB detections (reactors). These reactor cases result from the positive Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) test on cattle farms for the period between April 2007 and March 2019 in Razavi Khorasan province. Autocorrelation functions (ACF) and partial autocorrelation functions (PACF) plots were used to determine model parameters. The Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) were employed to select the best-fitted model. The root mean square error (RMSE) was applied for the evaluation of the models. Then, the best-fitted model was hired to predict the cases for 12 oncoming months. The data were analysed by STATA (ver. 14) software with a significant level at P≤0.05. ARIMA (3, 0, 3) 12 was introduced as a recommended fitted model according to white noise residual test (Q=22.87 and P=0.98), lower AIC (541.85), and more precise model RMSE (1.50). However, the forecast values were more than the observed values. The application and interpretation of ARIMA models are straightforward, and may be used as immediate tools for monitoring systems. However, we proposed an Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average with Exogenous Input (ARIMAX) model with some measurable exotic factors such as economic fluctuations, climate changes, and pulmonary tuberculosis to introduce a more precise and accurate model for the fast alert surveillance system.

Assessment of the weather research and forecasting model in simulation of rainfall for Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran

Assessment of the weather research and forecasting model in simulation of rainfall for Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran

Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy on Cognitive Flexibility, Suicidal Ideation, Depression, and Hopelessness in Conscripts

Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on cognitive flexibility, suicidal ideation, depression, and hopelessness in conscripts. Methods: In this clinical trial with a pretest/posttest design using a control group, 60 conscripts were selected through a convenience sampling method from among those referred to military counseling centers in Khorasan Razavi Province of Iran in 2019, and were randomly assigned into intervention (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group received ACT group therapy at eight weekly 90-min sessions, while the control group received no treatment. In the pretest and posttest phases, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Beck Hopelessness Scale were completed by both groups. Data analysis was performed using the independent ‎‎t-test and analysis of covariance. Results: ACT significantly led to increased cognitive flexibility and its components (P=0.001) and reduced suicidal thoughts (P=0.001), depression (P=0.001) and hopelessness (P=0.002). Conclusion: ACT group therapy can reduce depression, suicidal ideation and hopelessness in conscripts by increasing their cognitive flexibility.

High prevalence of clonally related multiple resistant Salmonella Infantis carrying class 1 integrons in broiler farms.

The poultry industry in Iran is the main supplier of protein in the food chain. In the present study, we showed the importance of the possible dissemination of clonally related multiple drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella Infantis in broiler farms in Iran. In total, 156 fecal samples belonging to 23 poultry farms in Razavi Khorasan province, northeast of Iran, were examined for the presence of Salmonella serovars. Molecular serotypes and serogroups, class 1 and 2 integron types, colistin resistance genes ( mcr1 and mcr2) and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were determined on the recovered Salmonella isolates. Based on PCR analysis, 30 recovered Salmonella isolates were identified asS. Infantis (23 isolates; 76.6%),S. Enteritidis (six isolates; 20%), and one isolate (3.3%) was not serotyped by the applied method. Class 1 integrons were detected in 22 isolates (95.6%) and class 2 integrons were not detected in any of the isolates. Although colistin resistance was prevalent in disc diffusion test, mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes were not detected. All class 1 integrons carried the cassette aadA1 gene. All Salmonella isolates were resistant to colistin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and MDR patterns were observed in most (96.6%) isolates. This study revealed a high prevalence rate of S. Infantis and the presence of class 1 integrons in broiler farms. The presence of the same integron cassettes in the sequenced isolates suggests that strains are clonally related. Stringent monitoring programs are required to prevent the spreading of MDR Salmonella serovars into food chain via poultry products.

Yield and qualitative and biochemical characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) cultivated in different soil, water, and climate conditions

Saffron is highly valued for its unique aroma, taste, color, and medicinal properties. Iran is one of the most important saffron-producing countries. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of climatic and environmental characteristics of six sites (Shirvan, Faruj, Zavareh, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Ghayen, and Birjand) on the yield and qualitative, and biochemical characteristics of saffron. The studied sites were considered as treatments. The obtained data were analyzed based on a nested design, where the village within the site was considered an experimental error, and the farm within the village within each site was considered a sampling error. The Torbat-e Heydarieh treatment with altitudes of ~1323.3 m produced the maximum saffron flower yield (0.83 g m2), stigma yield (0.098 g m2), safranal content (15.8%), picrocrocin content (30.6%), and crocins content (69.3%). Evidently that the low maximum summer temperature in the area is one of the reasons for its superiority. The correlation analysis between traits shows that the maximum summer temperature had a significant negative correlation with saffron flower yield, stigma yield, and picrocrocin and crocin content. Results showed the highest total flavonoid and phenol content and DPPH activity related to Shirvan and Faruj. Although the results showed that selenium could increase the quantitative and qualitative yield of saffron, this requires further studies to confirm it. Based on the findings, it is concluded that I) qualitative and quantitative characteristics of saffron are strongly controlled by the environmental and climatic conditions and II) Razavi Khorasan province had a significant advantage in terms of flower and stigma yield and safranal, picrocrocin and crocin content of saffron and North Khorasan province in terms of biochemical characteristics.

Effects of Crop Residues and Tillage Operations on Soil Quality Indices

Tillage and plant residues influence soil attributes and, consequently, soil quality. Therefore, suitable management and maintaining the stability of soil structure is important. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of tillage systems on soil quality during a 4-year crop rotation (wheat, canola, wheat and tomato) at the Agricultural Research Center of Khorasan Razavi province (Iran) from 2011 to 2015. The study was conducted as a randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement with 3 replications. For this purpose, conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT) and no-tillage (NT) systems together with three rates of plant residues (0, 1,500, and 3,000 kg ha-1) were applied annually after harvesting. Soil quality was determined by using the integrated quality index (IQI) and Nemoro quality index (NQI) based on total data set (TDS) and minimum data set (MDS). In total, 23 physical, chemical, and biological soil characteristics were considered as TDS and 7 out of these were selected as MDS for use in the principal component analysis (PCA). Soil quality in different tillage treatments was determined and the most appropriate indices and effective characteristics for soil quality assessment were selected. Correlation coefficients between IQITDS and IQIMDS (r = 0.69) and between NQITDS and NQIMDS (r = 0.76) showed that NQI was a better indicator for assessing soil quality. The NQITDS provided a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of soil quality. However, using MDS reduced the cost and time with proper precision. Soil quality in MT and NT treatments was more desirable than the CT system, and the addition of plant residues improved the soil quality. According to the results of NQITDS, IQITDS, and IQIMDS, soil quality in the NT system with 3,000 kg ha-1 of plant residues and the MT system with 1,500 and 3,000 kg ha-1 of plant residues were more favorable than other soil tillage treatments. Soil characteristics that decreased soil quality in the conventional tillage were soil structure, macro and micronutrients, while in conservation tillage it was micronutrients, especially Zn.

Years of life lost (YLL) associated with COVID-19 deaths in Khorasan-RAZAVI province, Iran.

BackgroundThe number of deaths among people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) does not show the true impact of the disease on communities. Therefore, this study aimed to calculate years of life lost (YLL) due to premature death in patients with COVID-19.MethodsWe performed a descriptive cross-sectional study based on data from one of the largest provinces of Iran, in the period 13 February 2020 to 17 May 2021. We used WHO proposed guidelines for the calculation of the burden of diseases to calculate the YLL among patients with COVID-19, taking into consideration gender in different age groups.ResultsFindings showed that 13 628 deaths were due to COVID-19 with associated 249 309 YLL. The study reported higher mortality among men (1222 cases) in the age group over 85 years than in women (840) of the same age group. The minimum number of YLL for men was 1749 in the 5–9 years age group and that for women was 1551 years in the 14–10 years age group.ConclusionThe high number of deaths due to COVID-19 has led to high YLL due to premature death. The provision of adequate health care and appropriate policies will bring about a decrease in YLL due to COVID-19.

The pattern of internal and external political behavior of government sector managers with a political intelligence approach (case study: municipalities of Khorasan Razavi province)

Background and purpose: In municipalities, due to the large scale and volume of human resources, which are the most skilled and specialized forces. Managers need to use all kinds of strategies and political skills to maximize the use of these resources to improve the organization's performance, which is considered its main capital. Therefore, this research aims to present the model of intra-organizational and extra-organizational political behaviors of public sector managers with the approach of political intelligence in the municipalities of Razavi Khorasan province. Methodology: The current research is a developmental-applied, hybrid, and mixed exploratory research, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. In the qualitative part, the statistical population includes all professors of the management group and senior managers of the municipalities of Razavi Khorasan province in 2017. Twenty qualified people were included in the statistical population framework of the qualitative section, and finally, the information of 17 people was analyzed. In the quantitative part, the statistical population includes all the senior managers of the municipalities of Razavi Khorasan Province, and according to the statistics and information received from the municipalities of Razavi Khorasan Province, in 2016, 366 managers were working in 73 cities of Razavi Khorasan Province. They were. According to Cochran's formula, the required sample size is approximately equal to 191 municipal managers of Razavi Khorasan province. In the qualitative part, the dimensions and components of intra-organizational and extra-organizational political behaviors and political intelligence were determined by reviewing and reviewing second-hand sources (articles and books). In the qualitative part, we examined the research questions. The data were analyzed by structural equations and with the help of AMOS software. Results: According to the results of the research, the dimensions of intra-organizational and extra-organizational political behaviors and political intelligence were investigated, and the components were identified, and finally, the results showed that political intelligence has an effect of 0.84 on the political behavior of managers. In this way, by improving the political intelligence of managers, it is possible to predict their political behavior to the extent of 0.84. Conclusion: In order to improve the ambiguous attitude of the managers of Khorasan Razavi province, it is suggested that the managers clarify the employment conditions for newcomers and that contracts are concluded transparently.

Social, economic and environmental vulnerability: The case of wheat farmers in Northeast Iran

This research used a qualitative and quantitative approach to classify factors influencing wheat farmers' social, economic, and environmental vulnerability in Khorasan Razavi province, Iran, from the perspective of elite wheat farmers and agricultural specialists, and then to establish some recommendations based on the results. To achieve the study objectives, in the qualitative part, in-depth interviews were held with 20 agricultural specialists in the field of wheat cultivation, and 9 elite wheat farmers were selected using a purposive sampling method. Using stratified random sampling, 391 wheat farmers participated in the quantitative part. From the agricultural specialists' viewpoint, the prime factor affecting vulnerability was the social factor “farm management”. The second factor was the environmental vulnerability factor “Sunn pest and heat”, and the final factor was the economic vulnerability factor “the costs of fertilizer, equipment, and machines and their maintenance”. In contrast, from the viewpoint of elite wheat farmers, the dominant factor affecting vulnerability was the economic factor “the costs of equipment, fertilizer, and machines and their maintenance”. Regarding social vulnerability, “Governmental support” was stressed and the most important environmental vulnerability factor was “Sunn pest and cold”. The results of confirmatory factor analysis were more in line with the views of agricultural specialists. According to the results, it is suggested that the agricultural extension system provides timely training to farmers in order to properly manage farms in times of crisis. The government should also compensate part of the costs of social and economic damage to farmers by providing free or low-interest loans.

A new oribatid mite of the genus Pilogalumna Grandjean (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) from northeastern Iran, with updated identification key to known species of the genus

A new species of oribatid mite of the family Galumnidae is described and illustrated based on adult specimens from soil in Mashhad county, Razavi Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran. Pilogalumna khorasanica sp. nov. is characterised by rounded rostrum; very long interlamellar setae; long, nearly setiform, finely bilaterally barbed bothridial setae; medially interrupted dorsosejugal furrow; elongated porose areas A2, very long and narrow, ribbon shaped A3 and large body size. The new species is most similar morphologically to Pilogalumna crassiclava longiareata (Pérez-Íñigo, 1976), however, differs from it in morphology of bothridial setae and structure of notogastral porose areas, by the presence of longer interlamellar setae and larger body size. An updated identification key to known species of Pilogalumna is presented.

Social Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran: A cross-sectional study among the general population of Razavi Khorasan province, Iran

Background: The potential impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on social mental health has become a great concern and the current situation can cause different mental disorders. According to the importance of mental health, we performed this study to evaluate the mental health status of the general population of Iran in Razavi Khorasan province. Methods: The online survey was conducted and made available for the general population of Razavi Khorasan through the snowball sampling technique within a week. the demographic information, contact history with COVID-19, and physical symptoms history of COVID-19 were collected by the survey. To maintain the population's mental health status, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were used. Filling the online survey by a maximum of two members of a family was considered to reduce the risk of bias. Results: Finally, 461 responders from Razavi Khorasan province were included in this study. In total, 41.8% of responders investigated the depression symptoms, 32.1% were in anxiety mood and 34.5% had stress symptoms. The ratio of men to women was approximately 1:2. Most responders were in the of 30-40 years and the most frequent marital status was being single. Families with 3-5 members were organized the 81.5% of responders. Near one-third of the studied population was in bachelor as educational status. Conclusion: According to our study paying attention to the general population’s mental health status is important during the COVID-19 pandemic and conducting protocols to prevent or reduce the risk of mental disorders that can be caused by the current situation.

GIS-based Landslide Susceptibility Zoning Using Multi-Criteria Decision-making Method: A Case Study in Binalood Mountains, Iran

INTRODUCTION: Landslides are one of the recurrent natural problems that are widespread throughout the world, especially in mountainous areas, and cause a significant injury to and loss of human life and damage to properties and infrastructures. This study aimed to assess landslide susceptibility using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in Binalood Mountains, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. METHODS: Since the Binalood Mountains range has a high potential for landslides occurrence, the present study went through to map landslide susceptibility. To accomplish this, the AHP method was used, and then, receiver operating characteristic/area under the curves (AUCs) were prepared to evaluate the performance of the susceptibility map. Multiple data, such as lithology, distance to faults, land use, distance to roads, altitude, slope, aspect, stream power index, topographic wetness index, rainfall, distance from rivers, slope length index, and topographic location index, were considered for delineating the landslide susceptibility maps. These thematic layers were assigned suitable weights on the Saaty's scale according to their relative importance in landslide occurrence in the study area. The assigned weights of the thematic layers and their features were subsequently normalized using the AHP technique. Finally, all thematic layers were integrated by a weighted linear combination method in a geographic information system tool to generate landslide susceptibility maps. FINDINGS: The landslide susceptibility maps are split into five classes, namely very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The results showed that the geological factor was the most important factor affecting the occurrence of landslides in the study area. Generally, 47.8% of the total area was considered high and very high-risk areas. The prediction accuracy of this map showed the values of AUC equal to 81.7% that showed the AHP model had very good accuracy. CONCLUSION: Overall, AHP is acceptable for landslide susceptibility mapping in the study area. A landslide susceptibility map is a useful tool to help with land management in landslide-prone areas. The results revealed that the predicted susceptibility levels were found to be in good agreement with the past landslide occurrences. Possibly, this map can be used by the concerned authorities in disaster management planning to prepare rescue routes, service centers, and shelters

Evaluating economic and ecological management to determine the economic size of pastoral units for different climatic zones in the northeast of Iran

Stocking rate and rangeland area are key variables to provide the livelihood of herders in different climatic zones. To evaluate the economic and ecological management of pastoral units, this study aims to determine the optimal economic size of pastoral units for livestock grazing use considering the ecological capacity of semi-arid rangelands in different climatic scenarios. Therefore, 12 pastoral units (an area of 47,355 ha) were selected in two climatic zones (summer and winter rangelands) in the Kalat region of Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. By measuring forage production, carrying capacity was calculated. Based on the results, the costs of traditional livestock management in winter rangelands are higher than those of summer rangelands. Moreover, the current size of the assigned rangeland, especially the summer rangeland, is lower than that of the economic justification. The results emphasize that rangeland-based livestock husbandry cannot create a good livelihood for herders in the region, and it is necessary to pay special attention to other services and aspects, despite the existing ecological and socio-economic complexities. In this regard, providing multi-purpose rangeland use and useable technologies to better manage these areas is necessary to increase per capita household income and reduce the stocking rate in the region's rangelands. Ultimately, both increasing the level of available rangelands and reducing costs by applying new technology are required, as is the economic consideration of pastoral units by using rangelands for multiple purposes.

The effect of topography on the distribution of rodent nests in the enclose and non-enclosed of pistachio forest of Khajeh Kalat in northeast of Iran

The order Rodentia is the largest among other groups of mammals in terms of the number of species and number of individuals and is widely seen in different types of habitats. Various factors affect the spatial distribution of these animals. In this study, according to the same conditions in the two areas in terms of topography, soil, and the vegetation type, the distribution of rodent nests in the enclosed and non-enclosed regions of woody pasture in the pistachio forest pasture of Khajeh Kalat in Khorasan Razavi province of Iran has been studied. For this purpose, sample plots with the variable region that had at least 15 trees were used. Inside of each sample plot and under the crown of any tree, rodent nests were identified and counted. Finally, the data obtained from the total sample plots have been analyzed. The results showed that the number of rodent nests in the two regions was significantly at 99% confidence level related to each other, as well as in elevation, slope and aspect was significantly at 99% confidence. Rodent nest distribution is also related to the soil characteristics of the region, and rodents prefer deeper, more fertile soils with a lighter texture and better drainage so that they can dig in easily and rain does not flood their nests. Slope also has an effective role in runoff, infiltration, flood intensity, erodibility, and sedimentation which are not ineffective in rodent release. The north and south aspect are more suitable for rodents due to their moisture and shading and better soil for nesting, and therefore the number of nests in the north and south aspects is higher than in another aspect. Of course, other factors also affect rodent distribution, including ecological relationships, environmental variables between species, and animals.

Challenges for food security and safety: a qualitative study in an agriculture supply chain company in Iran

BackgroundFood supply chain companies are major link for safe food production and distribution. Food safety ensures reduced food losses and, therefore, contributes to food security. Although there have been extensive studies on the food industry with different perspectives, no study has so far been conducted on the challenges in terms of the food security. The present study is a qualitative one conducted in 2019 in one of the largest agricultural production chain companies in Khorasan Razavi province, Iran.ResultsThe research method was based on the conventional content analysis. Triangulation method was used for the data collection being a combination of the participant observations, focus group discussions (17 managers) and semi-structured interviews with the president of the company. Participants believed that their company plays an important role and has a prestigious position in the food security of Iran. However, the main challenges of the company are regulatory system, food safety risks, market unpredictability, traditional management and sanctions.ConclusionsThe company is highly resilient to all these challenges; however, the traditional management is still a serious disadvantage. This leads to the managers’ burnout along with the company survival problem, removing unfair sanctions and protecting agricultural development in developing countries is a necessity. In general, paying attention to the modern organizational management of these companies and their survival is an essential policy. For this reason, it is suggested that trust must be established between policymakers and companies on one hand and relationship between the academia and such companies to promote the organizational management on the other hand.