Yazd City In Iran Research Articles

Construction management using ranking effective factors on the construction cost overrun via fuzzy DANP and delphi technique

The primary objective of this paper is to examine the impact of several effective factors on the construction cost overrun projects which are experienced explicitly by developing countries. In this regard, a hierarchical analysis technique is employed for conducting descriptive and survey research to comprehensively evaluate the effective factors of the construction cost overrun in Yazd city in Iran. The statistical population consists of 150 members from the managers, officials, and contractors involved professionally in construction projects. The results show that the managerial factors have the highest score amongst the investigated effective criteria and the administrative factors and environmental factors come respectively at the second and third priority. Since management is the key element in construction projects, the cost overrun can be reduced by establishing new managerial approaches and redirecting the managerial criteria to a higher performance level.

Impact of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Ultra-Rapid Opioid Detoxification Outcome.

The persistence of post-detoxification problems in drug addiction is one of the disadvantages of the ultra-rapid opioid detoxification (UROD) method. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been introduced in experimental addiction treatment for some years. Results of pilot studies suggest that it might be a promising method for addiction treatment. This study explores the adjunctive application of tDCS during treating opiate addiction with the UROD approach. This double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial was carried out on patients with substance abuse admitted to the Bahman Clinic of Yazd City in Iran (from March to September 2014). Forty participants were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups. Two sessions of tDCS (real or sham) over dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC) were applied, accompanied by UROD. Withdrawal symptoms and craving were assessed by the drug desire questionnaire and objective opiate withdrawal scale before UROD and for the 24-hour interval after. Transcranial direct current stimulation optimized the opiate addiction treatment through craving and withdrawal syndrome alleviation. The study results indicate that prefrontal tDCS may promote the efficacy of the UROD method in opioid addiction.

Using cluster analysis and genetic algorithm for multi-objective optimisation of hybrid electricity supply systems: the case of a photovoltaic/wind/ battery grid-connected system in Yazd, Iran

ABSTRACT In this research, a grid-connected hybrid renewable electricity system was studied with the aim of providing the required electricity to the buildings of Yazd city in Iran. All possible structures of the proposed system were simulated using the genetic algorithm and TRNSYS software. Then the final stable population was categorised into three clusters using the statistical quartiles. Based on the results, only about 1% of all investigated structures were optimum considering energy cost and CO2 emission. Investigating the best-identified structures showed that it could decrease the CO2 emission by about 92% and energy cost by about 35% compared to the case where only the grid electricity was used. Moreover, wind energy had the highest priority, and using batteries was not an appropriate solution for the study area. The results showed that identifying an optimum cluster can be used efficiently instead of as a unique solution for the studied system. Highlights Hybrid electricity supply system. Combination of Cluster Analysis and Genetic algorithm for multi-objective optimisation. Simulating the control strategies for energy systems.

A new application of multi-criteria decision making in identifying critical dust sources and comparing three common receptor-based models

Dust storms are a common phenomenon in arid and semi-arid regions in West Asia, which has led to high levels of PM10 in local and remote area. The Yazd city in Iran with a high PM10 level located downstream of dust sources in the Middle East and Central Asia. In this study, based on meteorological and PM10 monitoring data, backward trajectory modeling of air parcels related to dust events at Yazd station was performed using the HYSPLIT model in 2012–2019. The trajectory cluster analysis was used to identify the main dust transport pathways and wind systems. Three methods of Cross-referencing Backward Trajectory (CBT), Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) and Concentration Weighted Trajectory (CWT) were used to identify the most critical dust sources. Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods were also used to integrate the results. Nine dust sources affecting central Iran were determined, and six criteria from different aspects were considered. To prioritize the dust sources affecting central Iran from four new MCDM methods, including WASPAS, EDAS, ARAS and TOPSIS were used. The results showed that the Levar wind system (51%), the Shamal wind system (32%) and the Prefrontal wind system (18%) were the most important wind systems to cause dust events in central Iran. The MCDM approach to identify dust sources also showed that Dasht-e-Kavir in central Iran was the most critical dust source. The results also showed that in hot seasons (spring and summer), local and Central Asia dust sources and cold seasons (autumn and winter), Middle East dust sources have the greatest impact on dust events in central Iran. Also, a comparison of common receptor-based methods for identifying dust sources showed that CBT, CWT and PSCF were the most appropriate methods for identifying dust sources, respectively.

A Novel Policy to Optimize Energy Consumption for Dairy Product Warehouses: A Case Study

Worldwide energy supply is mostly reliant on fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide emissions have caused many negative environmental issues like climate change, air pollution, and energy security. An important alternative to this hazard is substituting the fossil fuel-based carbon energy sources with renewable energy sources. Passive strategies, which are devised to provide thermal comfort in buildings are examples of how to use renewable energies. For this study, a dairy product warehouse in the city of Yazd in Iran was thoroughly investigated. The main goal of this study is to introduce different scenarios, then identifying them based upon optimization of energy consumption. Another main purpose of the present study is to maximize the use of passive energy to meet the cooling needs of a dairy products warehouse in the studied area. Underground temperature is lower than the surface in summer, also it is higher in winter. Therefore, this property of soil is investigated by using nine different scenarios at different heights for constructing underground warehouse for storing dairy products. Clearly, different renewable tools like wind turbine, wind catcher, solar chiller, and different roof designs by Savanah grass, roof pond are also investigated. At first, the cooling load of the warehouse is calculated separately for each season. Then, according to the energy load values obtained, the nominated scenarios are investigated. The results of the comparisons show that the construction of a warehouse at a depth of 3 m from the ground with a green roof covered with Savannah grass helps achieve the best degree of reduction in the cooling power.

A Model Identifying Factors Affecting the Sustainable Use of Solar Dryers: A Case Study

Solar energy has been used to preserve agricultural products which require drying through a consistent application of relatively low heat. In the present study, the feasibility of implementation the solar dryer system in the city of Yazd in Iran is evaluated by examining the effective factors. By identifying factors which may somehow affect the design, construction and operation of solar drying systems, a questionnaire was prepared and distributed. Among the results of the analysis, six main factors were identified: “performance,” “geographical location,” “infrastructures,” “interactions,” “financial support” and “social, cultural and political issues.” According to the results obtained from factor analysis and with Structural Equations Modelling (SEM) method, a model was introduced. Subsequently, the final model was developed with the use of path analysis method and with AMOS. Based on the final model, the three factors of infrastructures (with the coefficient of 0.44), interactions and cultural, social and political issues (both with the coefficient of 0.12) directly affect the possibility of implementing the solar dryer in Yazd. According to the proposed model, it was concluded that authorities should mainly focus their attentions on finance, science, economy and infrastructures to develop and promote use of solar drying systems.

Dietary habits and the 10-year risk of overweight and obesity in urban adult population: A cohort study predicated on Yazd Healthy Heart Project

Background and objectiveOverweight and obesity are thought to be associated with increased risk of chronic disease in the Middle East. The present study aimed to determine the association between dietary habits and the incidence of overweight and obesity in urban adult population in the central part of Iran after a 10-year follow-up. MethodsThis cohort study was initiated with 2000 participation aged 20–74 years from Yazd city in Iran based on Yazd Healthy Heart Project (YHHP). The participants without overweight and obesity at the baseline of the study were followed up to 10 years. Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, behavioral and metabolic risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and dietary habits were assessed at baseline and phase II. ResultsAfter a 10-year follow up, 516 non-overweight and 1068 non-obese participants were included for the final analysis. Once adjustments were made for all potential confounders including age, sex, smoking, economic status, physical activity and education, it was identified that lack of weight control increased the risk of obesity (hazard ratio; 95% CI) in total population (1.9; 1.06, 3.4), as well as the risk of overweight (2.39; 1.07, 5.27) and obesity (2.65; 1.13, 6.25) in men. Moreover, consumption of mayonnaise increased the 10-year risk of overweight in women (6.09; 1.2, 30.99). ConclusionsAs revealed by the present study, unhealthy dietary habits can increase the incidence of overweight and obesity in central part of Iran. Therefore, changing the lifestyle appears to be urgent in reducing the risk of overweight and obesity.

Design and evaluation of a solar-based trigeneration system for a nearly zero energy greenhouse in arid region

Greenhouses driven by renewable sources such as solar energy can be a reliable alternative to the traditional farming approaches, especially for geographically restricted locations. In light of such requirement, a solar-based greenhouse using a high efficient combined cooling, heating and power system is dynamically simulated for the Yazd city in Iran to cultivate lettuce and tomato, using Engineering Equation Solver and TRNSYS packages. In order to compute fuel saving and water saving values and their cost, the results are compared extensively with those of the reference system (a conventional or basic system). That is, for the cooling mode, a pad-fan system is defined as a reference system, while a gas heater is defined as a reference system for the heating mode. Thermodynamic and economic analysis of the devised set-up is presented. The results of simulation indicated that the annual electricity generated by turbine for tomato and lettuce can be calculated 21,392.33 kWh and 30,903.33 kWh, respectively, using R134a as working fluid. In comparison with the reference system, the annual fuel and water saved by the present set-up are obtained 1841.29 m3 and 266.5 m3 (for lettuce) and 10,675.04 m3 and 141.01 m3 (for tomato), respectively. In terms of cost evaluation, it is found that the payback time (PBT) for lettuce and tomato scenarios is calculated 12 and 15 years, respectively. Considering the first year of operation of the system, the annual net profit of the designed system when lettuce and tomato were cultivated are attained 3745.51 $ and 1651.48 $, respectively. Furthermore, in cold seasons, the heating load required for lettuce is appreciably lower than that for tomato. By contrast, in hot seasons, the cooling load required for lettuce is appreciably higher than that for tomato.

Solar fuel production by developing an integrated biodiesel production process and solar thermal energy system

To diminish the consumption of fossil fuels and their subsequent pollutions, biodiesel plays an important role in the transportation section. Biodiesel production processes can be coupled with renewable energy sources to achieve higher energy efficiency and higher renewability. Also, employing a sub-system to produce power simultaneously increases the process performance as well. In the present study, a new integrated cogeneration process for the production of biodiesel and power using solar energy is proposed and analyzed. Methanol, fresh oil, and sodium hydroxide, at 25 °C and 100 kPa, enter into the biodiesel production unit as feed. Yazd city in Iran, located between 31.88 N and 54.28 E, is considered as base region for simulating the parabolic trough solar collector. To design a cogeneration plant, the organic Rankine cycle is combined with the solar system to supply the required process power. The proposed system produces 991.42 kg/h of biodiesel with a yield of 94.42% and 1718 kW net power simultaneously. The total energy efficiency is 60.83%, showing the capability of the proposed process for biodiesel and power cogeneration from renewability and environmental perspective. Also, the exergy analysis applied to evaluate the proposed plant’s thermodynamic performance. The total exergy efficiency of the system is 74.38% when the highest exergy destruction rate takes place inside the parabolic trough solar collectors.

Effect of Traditional Persian Materials and Parametric Design on the Thermal Performance of a Generic Building in Mediterranean Climate

Concerns related to buildings’ green-house emissions in recent years lead to the increase of architectural adaptation to local environment. While passive conditioning strategies emphasising natural ventilation are common alternatives to achieve indoor comfort in hot and humid climate, they are not widely used in temperate climates. In this context, this paper presents a computer simulation study carried out through Archsim plug-in of Grasshoper/Rhinoceros. The object of study consists of a single family housing unit (flat) with an area of 31.25 m2 and a height of 2.80 m, with one user, under naturally ventilated conditions. As a reference case, the model used the climate of the city of Yazd in Iran and the simulations assessed parameters such as window-to-floor area ratios of 10% and 20%, as well as the thermal transmittance of exterior walls, considering an envelope with insulation materials, as a common European configuration, and an envelope with Persian materials, such as adobe. Two different Mediterranean climates, Palermo and Valencia, were investigated and the influence of these parameters at the building thermal performance was evaluated using cooling and heating degree-hours indicator, using as thermal comfort limits the Operative Temperature criteria established by ISO 7730. Using Persian materials at the model envelope increased its thermal inertia, thus reducing the temperature variation in the internal environment and improving its interior comfort, especially during the warmest seasons.

Comparison of anthropometric indices (body mass index, waist circumference, waist to hip ratio and waist to height ratio) in predicting risk of type II diabetes in the population of Yazd, Iran

Background and objectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the best anthropometric index and calculate the cut-off point for each anthropometric index in predicting the risk of type II diabetes in the population of Yazd city in Iran. Materials and methodsThe present analytical cross-sectional study was performed using the data from Yazd Health Study (YaHS) with a sample size of 9293. All required data including anthropometric indices BMI, WC, WHR, and WHtR were extracted from the YAHS questionnaire. The ROC curve was employed to compare the predictive power of each anthropometric index in the risk of developing the type II diabetes. ResultsWHtR in both genders had better predictive power for the risk of type II diabetes (AUC = 0.692 for males and AUC = 0.708 for females), and BMI showed a weaker predictive power (AUC = 0.603 for males and AUC = 0.632 for females), WC and WHR also revealed similar predictive power in the risk of type II diabetes. The cut-off point of BMI for predicting the risk of diabetes was almost identical in both genders (26.2 in males and 25.9 in females), the cut-off point of WC (91 cm), and WHtR (0.56) in males was lower than in the females (96 cm for WC and 0.605 for WHtR). The cut-off point of WHR in males (0.939) was higher than in females (0.892). ConclusionThe WHtR showed the best predictor of diabetes risk compared to other indices, and the BMI was the weakest predictor of the risk for diabetes.

MATCHING OF URBAN PATHWAYS IN A MULTI-SCALE DATABASE USING FUZZY REASONING

One of the main steps of acquiring and handling data in a multi-scale database is generation of automatic links between corresponding objects in different scales, which is provided by matching them in the datasets. The basic concept of this process is to detect and measure the spatial similarity between various objects, which differ from one application to another, largely depends on the intrinsic properties of the input data. In fact, spatial similarity index, which is a function of other criteria such as geometric, topological, and semantic ones, is to some extent uncertain. Therefore, the present study aims to provide a matching algorithm based on fuzzy reasoning, while considering human spatial cognition. The proposed algorithm runs on two road datasets of Yazd city in Iran, which are in the scales of 1:5000 and 1:25000. The evaluation results show that matching rate and correctness of the algorithm is 92.7% and 88%, respectively, which validates the appropriate function of the proposed algorithm in matching.

Identifying the Influential Factors on Social Impact Assessment of Reconstruction Projects in Historic Site - A Case Study on Jameh Mosque Street, Yazd, Iran

Social impact assessment (SIA) is a process that provides a framework for gathering and analyzing information to determine intended and unintended social consequences of changes and developmental interventions on human environment. This assessment that emphasize on social and cultural issues, is more important in historic site that have more tangible social role than the new parts of the city and these areas should preserved by planning and subsequent evaluations due to their cultural heritage value. The aim of this paper that evaluated social impacts of reconstruction project of Jameh Mosque Street of Yazd city in Iran when it came into operation, is identify specific indicators for SIA in historic site through the use of general indicators and matching SIA process to the historical and cultural context of the heritage site. In order to achieve this goal, the research is based on SIA approach also descriptive and inferential statistics and focus group methodology were used to analyze the environment data. Hypotheses and measuring variables tested by analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and qualitative analysis with domain matrix. Accordingly, the estimation and selection of the effects of the project and its prioritization are based on some factors such as the importance and degree of feasibility that have different result in heritage site than the new urban areas. Finally, an operational framework and some strategic suggestions were made to improving the general process of SIA to use in heritage site and maximizing the efficiency of similar projects in every historic areas which leads to the consent of stakeholders.

Wind energy and natural ventilation potential of a wind catcher in Yazd – Iran (a long-term measurement)

ABSTRACTWhen designing energy efficient buildings it is useful to study existing climate—responsive building typologies. The wind towers or wind-catchers of Yazd city in Iran are typical examples of such a typology. Although many previous studies have investigated the performance of various types of wind catcher systems, studies based on a long-term real-life measurement can be rarely found. In this study a long-term whole year monitoring campaign on an existing full scale four sided wind catcher in Yazd was carried out in 2014–2015. Three prevailing wind directions were identified and the measured on-site wind speeds were used to estimate the wind induced natural ventilation potential of the tower. A shaft/tower airflow performance index was developed. The monitoring results were compared to the ASHRAE Standard 62:2001 ventilation rate requirement. Results show that the total ventilation rate of the wind tower surpasses the ASHRAE Standard requirements. Furthermore it shows that the shafts are exposed to the prevailing wind directions perform better. For more effective natural ventilation a wind tower with adaptable openings/shafts are proposed.

Serum Magnesium Status in Patients Subjects with Depression in the City of Yazd in Iran 2013-2014.

Depression is the most common mental disorder and involves many factors. The regulatory effects of magnesium on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) channels make it a factor in the treatment of depression. The present study investigated the level of serum magnesium in subjects diagnosed with depression in the city of Yazd in Iran. This cross-sectional study was done from January 2013 to January 2014 on 650 patients with depression who agreed to participate in this study. Diagnosis was made using the Beck Depression Inventory test (BDI-II); those scoring higher than 11 were sent to the medical school laboratory for further testing of serum magnesium levels. The mean age of the patients was 34.16 ± 9.12years. Of the 650 subjects, 195 were male (30%) and 455 were female (70%). The total mean serum magnesium was 2.1 ± 0.26mg/dl. The prevalence of hypomagnesemia 13.7%, hypermagnesemia 8.3%, and sub-optimal magnesium levels was 26.5%. Sub-optimal prevalence in women (28.1%) was higher than in men (26.2%). A significant relationship was observed between depression and serum magnesium level (p = 0.02). The results indicated that the prevalence of hypomagnesemia in subjects diagnosed with depression is high compared to non-depressed individuals. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between hypomagnesemia and intensity of depression that suggests a role for this element in the pathogenesis of the disorder. The high sub-optimal prevalence among women indicates that increased attention should be paid to this group.

Construction and Validation the Lifestyle Questionnaire Related to Cancer.

Background:Healthy lifestyle is a significant factor in cancer etiologic and prevention of cancer. There are instruments to measure a healthy life style, but the lifestyle questionnaires only examine one or a few more aspects of lifestyle.Objectives:The purpose of this study was to construct a comprehensive instrument to examine all aspects of lifestyle related to cancer.Materials and Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study that was conducted in Yazd city in Iran. A questionnaire was designed to assess and measure various aspects of lifestyle related to cancer using similar studies. Researchers used the Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest method to determine the reliability. Also, construct validity was determined using the factor analysis method in SPSS 16 software.Results:Face validity was examined using a panel of experts. Cronbach’s alpha for the whole scale was appropriate (α = 0.87). Also, Cronbach’s alpha for all dimensions of questionnaire was acceptable (perfect score). Test-retest method was used to determine the reliability. The results indicated that ICC was in the range of 0.84 to 0.94. Based on the obtained results of factor analysis method, 8 dimensions of the questionnaire were extracted (physical health, physical activity and exercise, mental health, drug and alcohol avoidance, balanced consumption of food, environmental pollutants and harmful substances, weight control and nutrition, and reproductive health).Conclusions:This study showed that the present questionnaire can be used as a valid and reliable tool for collecting data about the lifestyle of people related to cancer.

Economic evaluation for cooling and ventilation of medicine storage warehouses utilizing wind catchers

Renewable energy consumption has become a dominant issue in many countries because of environmental crisis, pollution, climate change and increased costs of non-renewable sources like fossil fuels. Because of global warming and energy prices designers are refocusing on the low carbon credentials of new equivalents. In this context, the main target of the proposed study is to present a new innovative method of cooling the non-refrigerator medicine storage warehouses in order to minimize energy costs and environmental hazards for the city of Yazd in Iran. For this purpose, warehouses with absorption chillers, underground warehouses, and underground warehouses including wind catchers have been analyzed. Then, the equivalent uniform annual cost (EUAC) method was applied for evaluating the costs of the three alternative systems. The results of this study show that the use of wind catcher is far more economical than the absorption chiller cooling system. Moreover, it is concluded that the construction of an underground warehouse with a wind catcher is the most economical option for the storage of medicines than the other warehouses in this case study.

Quantifying the Differences in Geometry and Size Distributions of Buildings Within Cities

There have been many studies on the spatial configuration of cities, but few attempts to quantify the difference in building patterns between the old and new parts of cities. This may be partly attributable to lack of suitable study methods. This paper presents a new application of statistical methods for quantifying the geometric difference between different parts of a city using, as a case study, the old (historical) and new parts of the city of Yazd in Iran. We measured 341 edge lengths of 4 bazaars, 302 edge lengths of 5 mosques and tombs, and 239 edge lengths of 3 schools. We also measured 6,804 edge lengths and the areas of 1,243 well-preserved courtyard houses in the old part and 4,948 edge lengths and the areas of 1,237 houses in the new part of the city. In the old part, all edge-length and house-area frequency distributions, to a first approximation, follow power laws, indicating that there are many small and very few large buildings. By contrast, in the new part the edge-length and house-area frequency distributions follow bimodal (two-peak) distributions. The calculated entropies (measures of dispersion) of the house edge lengths and areas in the old part are much higher than of those in the new part and provide a clear, quantitative measure of the geometric differences between the built-up structures of old and the new parts of the cities. The power-law distributions in the old part indicate a gradual and continuous variation in sizes of edge lengths and house areas, whereas the bimodal distributions in the new part indicate abrupt (discontinuous) changes in the edge lengths and house areas. The entropy results imply that the size distributions of houses in the old part are more dispersed than those in the new part, indicating more interconnected structures in the old part of the city. The results also demonstrate quantitatively that there is a lack of coherence between the structures of old and new parts of city.

GENDER BARRIERS TO HEALTH PROMOTION IN MIDDLE-AGED IRANIAN WOMEN

This study explores the perceived socio-cultural factors that might be barriers to health-promoting behaviour in middle-aged women in the city of Yazd in Iran. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the barriers to a healthy lifestyle in middle-aged women. Interviews with women aged 40-60 were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using content analysis. The interviews focused on socio-cultural factors and five main themes emerged: (a) giving higher priority to non-health-related needs; (b) the dominance of the husband's will in the family; (c) preference of children's needs to own needs; (d) having to fulfil multiple responsibilities; and (e) low access to community resources for health promotion. The multiple responsibilities of family and work, patriarchal societal attitudes and lack of exercise facilities are barriers to health in middle-aged Iranian women.

The Effect of Metacognitive Strategy Training on Social Skills and Problem - Solving Performance

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of Metacognitive strategy training on Problemsolving Performance and social skills in high school girls. Material and methods: The population of this experimental study consisted of all high school girls in Yazd city in Iran. Sample size in this study, 80 subjects was selected from the population (random clustering). Subjects completed the Wales’ Metacognition Questionnaire, The Teenage Inventory of Social Skills and Problem- solving Inventory and then randomly. Then were divided two groups of 40. Six sessions (1.5 hour per week) curriculumbased on Metacognitive strategies and problem-solving methods and various types of social skills was performed on the experimental group. One week after last session, the same Questionnaires were taken from both groups. Data analyzed with covariance. Results: In the post-test stage, the average scores of the positive style scale of Problem-solving in the experimental group was estimated 21.7, but in the control group 17.32. The average scores of the negative style scale of Problem-solving in experimental group was estimated 16.47, but in the control group 21.77. Conclusion: The results indicated that students in the Metacognitive treatment group significantly improved in both social skills and problem-solving performance.