Northern Part Of Iran Research Articles

PHP25 Market Analysis of Antibiotics Consumption in Northern Part of Iran During 2001-2010

PHP25 Market Analysis of Antibiotics Consumption in Northern Part of Iran During 2001-2010

E-readiness of Rural ICT Offices for Rice e-marketing in Rasht Township, Iran

Applying Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in different economic sectors, especially the agricultural sector is increasing in developing countries. Rural ICT offices in Iran have an important role in decreasing the digital divide by representing internet, post and bank services; however they are not yet active in agricultural services. The present study seeks to survey the electronic readiness of 68 rural ICT offices in the rural area of Rasht in Guilan province, in the northern part of Iran. A five-point Likert type scale questionnaire was prepared, to survey socio-cultural, legal, connection and back-up services indices. Results indicated that intention to adopt, and legal aspects, required development, but the socio-cultural index had a better situation in comparison with others, and receptivity to agricultural electronic commerce (e-commerce) showed a high percentage among respondents. So this points to the necessity of creating an integrated website for rural offices to represent agricultural services. Also, the level of education and age of managers did not show any significant influence on receptivity to e-commerce, but internet skills and farmers visiting the offices have been important factors in receptivity to e-commerce.

Equitable Waste Load Allocation in Rivers Using Fuzzy Bi-matrix Games

This paper presents a new game theoretic methodology for equitable waste load allocation in rivers utilizing fuzzy bi-matrix games, Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms II (NSGA-II), cooperative game theory, Bayesian Networks (BNs) and Probabilistic Support Vector Machines (PSVMs). In this methodology, at first, a trade-off curve between objectives, which are average treatment level of dischargers and fuzzy risk of low water quality, is obtained using NSGA-II. Then, the best non-dominated solution is selected using a non-zero-sum bi-matrix game with fuzzy goals. In the next step, to have an equitable waste load allocation, some possible coalitions among dischargers are formed and treatment costs are reallocated to discharges and side payments are calculated. To develop probabilistic rules for real-time waste load allocation, the proposed model is applied considering several scenarios of pollution loads and the results are used for training and testing BNs and PSVMs. The applicability and efficiency of the methodology are examined in a real-world case study of the Zarjub River in the northern part of Iran. The results show that the average relative errors of the proposed rules in estimating the treatment levels of dischargers are less than 5 %.

Distribution of Metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) in Sediments of the Anzali Lagoon, North Iran

Concentrations of four metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) in the sediments of the Anzali Lagoon in the northern part of Iran were determined to evaluate the level of contamination and spatial distribution. The sediments were collected from 21 locations in the lagoon. At each lagoon site a core, 60 cm long, was taken. The ranges of the measured concentrations in the sediments are as follows: 17–140 mg kg−1 for Cu, 20–113 mg kg−1 for Zn, 1–37 mg kg−1 for Pb and 0.1–3.5 mg kg−1 for Cd in surficial (0-20 cm) and 16–87 mg kg−1 for Cu, 28.5–118 mg kg−1 for Zn, 3–20 mg kg−1 for Pb and 0.1–3.5 mg kg−1 for Cd in deep (40–60 cm) sediments. The results of the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) show that Cd causes moderate to heavy pollution in most of the study area. Environmental risk evaluation showed that the pollution in the Anzali Lagoon is moderate to considerable and the ranking of the contaminants followed the order: Cd > Cu > Pb > Zn. Some locations present severe pollution by metals depending on the sources, of which sewage outlets and phosphate fertilizers are the main sources of contaminants to the area.

Inversion of a Radiative Transfer Model for Estimation of Rice Canopy Chlorophyll Content Using a Lookup-Table Approach

Optical remote sensing provides information on important vegetation variables such as leaf area index (LAI), biomass, and chlorophyll content. In this study, rice crops, which are rarely studied, were selected because of their high economic importance and the role they play in food security in the study area. The aim was to obtain a reliable estimate of canopy chlorophyll content as an important indicator for the evaluation of the plant status. PROSAIL radiative transfer model and the multispectral image data of ALOS AVNIR-2 were used. A field campaign was carried out in July 2010 in the northern part of Iran, Amol. Sixty sample plots of 20 × 20 m-2 were randomly selected, and their chlorophyll content was measured using a SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter. The PROSAIL was inverted using a lookup-table (LUT) approach. The LUTs were generated in different sizes. The effect of the LUT size on the retrieval accuracy of the canopy's chlorophyll content was studied using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The outcome of the inversion was evaluated using the calculated R2 and RMSE values with the field measurements. The obtained results demonstrate the ability of PROSAIL to estimate rice plant chlorophyll content using ALOS AVNIR-2 multispectral data (R2= 0.65; RMSE = 0.45). The results also confirmed the usefulness of such an approach for crop monitoring and ecological applications.

Fluoride concentration in drinking water in Shahroud (Northern Iran) and determination of DMF index in 7 year old children

Received : August 2011, Accepted : December 2011 Background : Fluorine is an essential micronutrient for human health, serving to strengthen the apatite matrix of skeletal tissues and teeth. In regions where the fluoride (F�) concentration of water is naturally low (<0.5 mg/l), some communities have chosen to add this constituent to their drinking water to strengthen teeth and to minimize cavities. The aim of this study was to determine fluoride concentration in drinking water in shahroud city at the northern part of Iran as well as determination of DMF value in 7 year old children, for a duration of 6 years. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 138 students aged 7 were chosen randomly from Shahroud schools and were followed up for a duration of 6 years (2004-2009). They were examined by a dentist for determining the numbers of decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth. Also 120 samples were taken from drinking water in the city and Ion-selective method was used for measureing fluoride concentration. Determination of both DMF index and fluoride mean concentration was repeated for six years from 2004 to 2009. Results: Fluoride concentrations were between 0.45 to 0.75 mg/L and DMF index was between 3.18 to 3.81. There was a significant difference between both DMF index and fluoride mean concentrations in different years. Conclusions: DMF index obtained in our study was higher than the index reported for the whole country (1.2-2.6mg/L).

A fuzzy application on MICE hosting: An Iranian case study for locating suitable areas based on P.L Indexes

Article history: Received July 5, 2011 Received in Revised form October, 12, 2011 Accepted 18 December 2011 Available online 30 December 2011 Today, countries compete to gain political, economic, social and cultural advantages. In addition, cities are trying to demonstrate their predominance on local and regional levels and achieve development by using managerial science. Meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions tourism (MICE) hosting as a significant element of urban tourism is one of the effective methods to obtain urban development around the world. However, no specialized planning and independent investments in regard to these activities have been organized in Iran. Aiming to identify suitable areas in the northern part of Iran, the present research intends to recognize the necessary physical and location related (P.L) indexes to perform the specialized activities of MICE tourism in this region. So at first, indispensable indicators to accept special role of MICE tourism are identified and then using GIS and fuzzy method, adapted areas are assigned. The result map shows that a ribbon-like area near the Caspian Sea with two wide lands at central and western parts is a proper choice to host MICE activities in the region from the viewpoint of P.L indexes. © 2012 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adolescent brushing and its association with parents′ socio-economic status

Sir, Tooth brushing is an effective method of cleaning smooth surfaces of the teeth and disturbing plaque colonies where accessible.[1] Studies showed that children's oral health is associated with parents’ socio-economic status (SET).[2,3] Oral hygiene is considered one of the primary health care (PHC) components in Iran. In terms of the brushing practice and its importance in dental caries prevention, the current study was conducted to investigate brushing rate and its relation with parents’ EST among female high school students in Gorgan city, northern part of Iran, 2011. In a cross-sectional study, 300 eligible 11th-grade female students were selected through cluster sampling. We randomly selected 5 high schools and recruited all students in every high school. Data were collected through individual interviews using a valid and reliable questionnaire, which included family income, maternal education, father's education, mother's and father's occupation, weight, height, family size and the question toward brushing. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test in SPSS 18 software. Results of the study showed that 62% brushed on a regular basis, 27.7% brushed irregularly and 10.3% never brushed. The rate of brushing was influenced by income (χ2 = 21.37, P < 0.001), parents’ education (χ2 = 29.44, P < 0.001) and father's occupation (χ2 = 31.42, P < 0.001). Students who had a better economic status, having had higher-educated parents and employed fathers brushed significantly more than others. Students who had a low income, low-educated parents, and unemployed or collar workers as their fathers brushed significantly less than other students. A large percentage of students don’t regularly brush, which is consistent with other studies in this area.[4,5] Today's female students are tomorrow's mothers who have a great influence on their children's home care habits like brushing. Therefore, we recommended appropriate intervention especially educational intervention for increasing the rate of brushing among high school female students. In this regard, we should pay more attention to students whose fathers have poor economic status and are illiterate, less educated, unemployed and collar workers.

Assessment of direct seeded and transplanting methods of rice cultivars in the northern part of Iran

A split plot design experiment based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was conducted to compare differences between direct seeded rice and transplanting methods. Different cultivars were Hashemi, Ali Kazemi, Hassani, and Hybrid Spring 1 in the main plots, and cultivation methods were transplanting, direct seeded in wet lands distribution, as linear and hill in the sub-plots. According to analysis of variance, the effects of cultivars on all yield components (panicle/m2, seed/panicle, and 1000 grain weight), plant height, panicle length, and total tiller were significant, while the effect of cultivation method was significant on the rest of the traits except for grain weight. The largest and least number of seed/panicle was obtained under interaction effect of transplanting method of Hybrid Spring 1 and direct seeded method as distribution of Ali Kazemi, respectively. Plant height in hill method of Hybrid Spring 1 and transplanting method of Hashemi appeared to be the highest and lowest, respectively. The largest and least number of tillers and fertile tillers were obtained in direct seeded method of Hybrid Spring 1 and transplanting method of Hashemi, respectively. The yield across different varieties was not significant, while different cultivation methods were significant. The most and least yield was seen in transplanting and hill methods, respectively. Yield amount was significant between transplanting and linear methods, but because of 20 to 30% reduction in production cost due to the omission of seedling and transplanting operations, as well as reduction in the length of crop cultivation period in direct seeded method that caused conserved water and energy, a little reduction in direct seeded method will be compensating. Thus, direct seeded method as linear is introduced as an economical method for rice production in this area and Hybrid Spring 1 has the better compatibility to this method than other varieties. Key words: Oryza sativa L., wet land, labor saving, cost saving, water saving, time saving.

Effects of pure and mixed plantations of Populus deltoides with Alnus glotinosa on growth and soil properties: A case study of Foman Region, Iran

Plantation and application of fast-growing species, such as Populus deltoides increasingly, are common in the northern part of Iran. Concerns about decline in soil fertility and long-term productivity of fast-growing plantations have promoted interest in using nitrogen-fixing trees in mixed species plantations. P. deltoidesand Alnus glutinosa were planted in five proportions (100P, 70P:30A, 50P:50A, 30P:70A, 100A) in Foman, Iran. After 13 years, the effects of species interactions on tree growth and nutrient concentration in live and senescent leaves and soil properties were assessed. Diameter at breast height and total height of individualPopulus trees were positively affected by the presence of Alnus. Nitrogen concentrations in fully expanded and senescent leaves of Populus were higher in mixed plantations than monoculture plantations. The results of nutrition and nutrient return and growth indicated that mixed plantations of these two species were more productive and sustainable than their monoculture plantations. Within the framework of this experiment, it appeared that production was maximized when these two species were grown together in the relative proportions of 30% Populus and 70% Alnus. Key words: Mixed plantation, Alnus, Populus, growth, soil.

The Influence of Growing Region on Fatty Acids and Sterol Composition of Iranian Olive Oils by Unsupervised Clustering Methods

AbstractTwenty seven Iranian olive oil samples were collected from different provinces to evaluate fatty acids and sterol compositions. The samples were collected from different geographical locations that varied in altitude, temperature, humidity and rain fall. The sample collected from the northern part of Iran by the Caspian Sea had higher oleic acid [G2 sample (75.98%)] and lower linoleic acid [Go5 sample (6.5%)] and palmitic acid [G2 sample (10.78%)] concentrations than samples from the southern part of the country such as F1 whose contents of C16:0, C18:1 and C18:2 were 15.27, 62.73 and 16.09%, respectively, in the southern part, the climate is dry and the temperature variation is wider and the elevation is 1,488 m. The results indicated that oleic acid was the predominant fatty acid with 62.7% for F1 sample in the warmer climate at the south of Iran to 76.0% for G2 sample in the cooler climate in the north of Iran. According to the results, the highest content of β‐sitosterol was 87% related to samples G9 and Z3 from the north of Iran and the lowest content was 69.95% related to sample F1–24 from the south of Iran. Clustering techniques such as principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were carried out on olive composition data to show similarities and discrimination between samples as a function of the cultivation zone. The two methods applied clearly showed the effect of growing regions on the distribution of the olive oil samples in the high dimensional space created by fatty acid and sterol compositions.

COMPARISON BETWEEN CHARACTERISTICS OF GEOMORPHOCLIMATIC INSTANTANEOUS UNIT HYDROGRAPH BE PRODUCED BY GcIUH BASED CLARK MODEL AND CLARK IUH MODEL

A great number of developing countries do not have sufficient rainfall-rainoff data of watersheds. For designing a hydraullic structure, considering the basic characteristics of synthetic unit hydrograph is quite indispensable. The geomorphoclimatic approach considers the rainfall and the properties of the watershed. This method can provide a better representation of the runoff estimation. In this study, a geomorphoclimatic instantaneous unit hydrograph (GcIUH) model has been developed. It's derived from the parameters of the CLARK instantaneous unit hydrograph (IUH) which completes its shape. GcIUH based Clark model was applied from the Kasilian watershed in northern part of Iran, The Direct Surface Run Off (DSRO) hydrographs are estimated by the GcIUN based Clark model. Its DSRO hydrographs have been compared with the DSRO hydrographs computed by the Clark IUH model option of the HEC-HMS package. On the basis of quantitative evaluation of the model, it was found that the model is applicable for predicting storm surface runoff in the study area.

Using hydrologic and hydraulically derived geometric parameters of perennial rivers to determine minimum water requirements of ecological habitats (case study: Mazandaran Sea Basin-Iran)

This paper studies one of the most important problems of dry countries that are confronted with water deficit and the competition of rivals to allocate water. Some common methods have been investigated for computing the minimum water requirement to save a river's biological activity. After a discussion of the currently used method in Iran (the Tenant Method), the application of some other methods, which are known as Hydraulic and Hydrological Methods, is illustrated. The case study is a river in the northern part of Iran and this research addresses the critical situation of this river in near future regarding the planned anthropogenic alteration and its consequences. It has been shown that the application of environmental water allocation methods that have no background in a region could be misleading. The first proposed method is the Texas Method, in which flexibility in water allocation helps to develop an integrated river management paradigm in the study area. The second preferred method is a Hydraulic Method, by which the implementation of morphological parameters or flow geometrical properties could sustain physical habitat within an acceptable range in terms of depth, width, velocity, and bed shear stress. In the case study, the Maximum Curvature Method was superior to the Slope Method. The investigation revealed that using a widely recommended slope of 1 for the discharge-wetted perimeter function can lead to an overestimated and unacceptable discharge. The Tenant Method in respect to minimum environmental flow requirement yielded the weakest result, and it has been illustrated that its application might impose irrecoverable shock to the ecosystem. The Flow Duration Curve Method (the Q95 Method), in spite of its subjectivity, showed more compatibility with the river's condition in comparison with the Tenant Method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

COMPARISON BETWEEN CHARACTERISTICS OF GEOMORPHOCLIMATIC INSTANTANEOUS UNIT HYDROGRAPH BE PRODUCED BY GcIUH BASED CLARK MODEL AND CLARK IUH MODEL

A great number of developing countries do not have sufficient rainfall-rainoff data of watersheds. For designing a hydraullic structure, considering the basic characteristics of synthetic unit hydrograph is quite indispensable. The geomorphoclimatic approach considers the rainfall and the properties of the watershed. This method can provide a better representation of the runoff estimation. In this study, a geomorphoclimatic instantaneous unit hydrograph (GcIUH) model has been developed. It's derived from the parameters of the CLARK instantaneous unit hydrograph (IUH) which completes its shape. GcIUH based Clark model was applied from the Kasilian watershed in northern part of Iran, The Direct Surface Run Off (DSRO) hydrographs are estimated by the GcIUN based Clark model. Its DSRO hydrographs have been compared with the DSRO hydrographs computed by the Clark IUH model option of the HEC-HMS package. On the basis of quantitative evaluation of the model, it was found that the model is applicable for predicting storm surface runoff in the study area.

Effects of plant density and planting pattern on yield and yield components of Iranian ox-tongue (Echium amoenum Fisch and Mey) in North of Iran

In spite of existing a long history in medicinal plants consumption in Iran, but there has not taken any major step for identification, domestication and mass propagation of these plants. So this study has been accomplished for the purpose of determination the best planting pattern and plant density of the Iranian ox-tongue. A randomized complete block design was used to incorporate factorial combinations of two levels of planting pattern (square and rectangular) and four levels (2, 4, 6 and 8 shrub per m2) with three replications in agricultural year of 2009 to 2010 in Eshkevarat Region located in the northern part of Iran. The results showed that there was a significant difference between different treatments regarding the effect of plant density on dried flowers weight per shrub (p 0.05). Key word: Echium amoenum Fisch and Mey, medicinal plant, Iranian ox-tongue, plant density, planting pattern.

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Fires Detected by MODIS Data in Northern Iran From 2001 to 2008

Fire, a natural disaster, has significant effects on ecosystems and plays a major role in deforestation, and it is a major source of trace gases, aerosols and carbon fluxes. Remote sensing is a valuable data source to investigate different phases of fire management. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) has been designed to include specific characteristics for fire detection. It provides global coverage every 1 to 2 days. MODIS for forest fire monitoring has high detection accuracy, high radiometric resolution, moderate spatial resolution modes, and a high saturation level. Fires occur repeatedly in Iranian forests during the summer time. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports, 0.06% of Iran's forests burn every year. Fire season in the northern part of Iran is from May until the end of October. The results show that 86.21% of the fires detected by MODIS from 2001 to 2008 occurred in cropland, grass land and plain regions. Most of these fires occurred in the eastern regions of the Mazandaran Sea. A correlation of 0.76 exists between the fire frequency and the rainfall. Areas with precipitation lower than 1000 mm experienced 86.01% of the fires. Most of the fires occurred at elevations below 500 m from mean sea level (MSL). The fire frequency has a correlation of 0.58 with the average monthly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values. Temporal analysis from 2001 to 2008 shows that most of the fires occurred in June.

GIS-based multidate flood forecasting using hydraulic model

Flood plains and the area near to the rivers channels, because of their special circumstances such as fertility and water resources are appropriate situations for the social and agricultural activities, but due to morphological characteristics usually, these area are affected by different flood hazards. However, in these areas, determination of flood zone and its height and also detecting properties of floods in different return periods is most significant. So flood zonation is essential for a proper development and most important parameter for investigate of ecological and environmental consequence. Interaction between some river hydrologic models and geographical information systems (GIS) cause some gains and methods, which are reasonable to the planners. This study was carried out with the purpose of using hydraulic model of HEC-RAS with Arc View software to estimate the flood zone of 5 km distance on Neka River in Northern part of Iran, where during the last decade we had different flood events with a high magnitude damages. Topography maps at 1:1000 scale were used for the flood zonation for different periods of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 years. The results obtained attest to the fact that the combination of GIS and HEC-RAS model used in this study is useful and efficient in delineating the flood zonation. Finally the flood zone of 25 years is predicted to be more hazardous than the other periods for the selected areas. Key words: Neka River, flood zonation, HEC-RAS, geographical information systems.

Zwischen Europa, Turan und Orient: Raumkonzepte in der modernen aserbaidschanischen Geschichtsschreibung und Geschichtspolitik

Between Europe, Turan, and Orient. Spacial Concepts in Modern Azerbaijani Historiography and History Politics The Spatial Turn remains an important topic within the European and particularly German-speaking community of historians. These theoretical debates are not broadly used by historians in post-Soviet Azerbaijan. However, national historiography, which emerged at the turn of the 19th / 20th century, articulated its own special thought by creating the imagined spaces of Turan, Europe, and Orient. Azerbaijan itself was traditionally seen by the national historians as an area, where the Azerbaijani language and culture were widespread: e.g. the northern part of Iran was called “Southern Azerbaijan”. As result of their socialization, education and personal experience in Baku, some Azerbaijani historians depicted “Great Azerbaijan” within the Turkish-speaking historical area (concept of Turan). Other groups of historians and linguists involved in post-Soviet history-writing integrated Azerbaijani history into the history of the Middle East, emphasizing its close ties with the Muslim East (Sərq). Other groups of historians see Azerbaijan as a part of Eurasia by declaring the Caucasus an integral part of Europe, which also has strong bonds with Asia and Russia.

A feasibility study of mobile learning in rural areas: a case study in the northern part of Iran

The wireless technologies are more economical and user-friendly than desktop computers. Moreover, they play a crucial role to reduce digital gap in rural areas. This study employs two powerful and sophisticated statistical techniques to study the feasibility of a mobile training system in rural areas of Iran, namely (1) using the ordinal factor analysis, challenges of such training system categorised into five factors, such as human, telecommunication company, organisational, technical and security challenges and (2) the ordinal logistic regression indicated attitude towards m-learning and mobile skills of users as two effective variables on the readiness of the mobile training system.

Anatomical, physical, and mechanical properties of eldar pine (Pinus eldarica Medw.) grown in the Kelardasht region

The aim of this study was to determine some of the anatomical, physical, and mechanical properties of 35-year-old Pinus eldarica Medw. wood. For this purpose, 3 normal pine trees were randomly cut down from the Garagpas-Kelardasht site located in the northern part of Iran. Disks and logs of wood were cut at breast height. The testing samples were prepared along the radial axis from the pith to the bark to determine anatomical and physical properties such as annual ring width, tracheid length, oven-dry density, basic density, and volume shrinkage, and mature wood was used to measure mechanical strength characteristics such as static bending (MOE and MOR) and compression parallel to the grain. The results showed that the densities (oven-dry density and basic density) and volumetric shrinkage increased along the radial axis from the pith to the bark. With increasing cambial age, the values of length increased while the annual ring width decreased. The average density of the test sample (\rho_{12}) was 545 kg m^{-3}, the modulus of elasticity (MOE) was 7.21 GPa, the modulus of rupture (MOR) was 82.81 MPa, and the compression strength parallel to the grain was 52.18 MPa. The relationship between the wood density and strength properties was determined by regression analyses. It was found that there were strong relationships between density and MOR and compression strength parallel to the grain. However, the modulus of elasticity showed weak correlation with the wood density. The results of this research were compared with the other growing sites of pine trees in Iran. As a result of this comparison, it was observed that pine trees grown in Garagpas-Kelardasht and pine trees at other sites have different wood properties.