Exploring Successful Small Urban Spaces’ Criteria with Emphasis on Cultural Context

In the crowded cities of the present age, public spaces can provide a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of the city that citizens can interact with by incorporating utility features and meeting human needs and Relax there. Small urban spaces are among the most important and effective urban spaces to achieve this goal. Because these spaces due to their small size and lower costs (compared to larger spaces) for construction can be created in large numbers and distributed throughout the city. In this way, citizens will be able to reach a public urban space on foot in a short time. If these spaces are well designed, they can encourage people to stay in and interact with each other. It is not difficult to identify and experience high-quality successful places, but identifying the reasons for their success is difficult and even more difficult, understanding if similar spaces in other places can be considered successful. This question is important because public space with deep social content is considered a cultural product. Public space is the product of the historical and socio-cultural forces of society. Therefore, one of the most important issues that should be considered in the study of public spaces and the reasons for their success is the cultural context. In Iranian cities that have been influenced by the values and principles of Islam, recognizing Islamic principles and their role in shaping public spaces can lead us to desirable results. The purpose of this article is to develop a conceptual model of successful small urban spaces with an emphasis on cultural issues, especially in Iranian-Islamic cities. In this regard, the effective criteria for the success of urban spaces in general and small urban spaces in particular in the two categories of Western countries and Iranian Islamic cities were examined and then, taking into account the criteria derived from cultural theorists, the conceptual model of research with 38 sub-criteria is provided

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) of Factors Limiting the Success of the Project of Water Pumping Station in Ghomsheh Faraman Village, Kermanshah County

Extended abstract IntroductionPopulation growth, drought, climate change, and mismanagement policies have strongly affected the existing water resources. One of the most effective ways to achieve the goals of agricultural water management is setting up and optimizing irrigation and drainage networks for agricultural water. Water experts consider construction and establishment of water pumping stations in rural areas as one of the important principles of optimal agricultural water management. However, despite the costs incurred, the evidence shows that most of these networks have faced many problems and beneficiaries’ participations in the maintenance of installations have been minimal. Moreover, in the design and implementation of these projects, social studies of the involved regions and the main stakeholders’ opinions about these projects seem to have been ignored. As a result, the efficiency and productivity of such stations, as well as investment in the development of water resources, have decreased. In this regard, several pumping stations have been built for developing gardens in Kermanshah Province, but almost all of them are inactive for reasons such as the lack of technical and accurate engineering. The only water pumping station which is ready to operate is in Ghomsheh Village, but many problems occurring from the time of its approval to implementation have led to the villagers’ distrust and pessimism towards the implementation of the project. After taking some steps, the villagers have refused to participate in the project and have not accepted it. However, based on the available evidence, construction of a water pumping station can have positive benefits for stakeholders. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to perform a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) of the factors limiting the success of the project of water pumping station in the village of Ghomsheh Faraman and provide solutions to overcome the mentioned problems. 2- MethodologyThis study was a qualitative research and a case study in terms of obtaining facts and data processing. The study population included the beneficiaries covering the water pumping station of Ghomsheh Village, 15 people in Darood Faraman and 11 officials, who were involved in the implementation of this project. The sampling method was purposeful based on semi-structured interviews and the focus groups were used to collect the data. Fifteen and 11 individual interviews with the villagers and the officials involved in the water pumping station were done, respectively. The average time of the interviews was 40-50 min. The researcher also conducted 2 and 2 focus group interviews with the community of beneficiaries (6-8 people) and the project-related officials (6-7 people), respectively. To analyze the data, the RCA technique was utilized. Root analysis is the process of a structured investigation that aims to identify the real cause of a problem. It is a multi-stage process that includes: 1) problem identification; 2) information gathering; 3) information analysis; and 4) cause-and-effect analysis. To identify the main problem, the interviews were conducted with the project beneficiaries and officials. Then, each of the relevant interviews was transcribed and the key concepts and root causes were extracted after summarizing them. Upon identifying the problem, cause, and root cause during a re-interview with the project beneficiaries and officials, the revitalization strategies of the project implementation were extracted. 3- DiscussionA necessary condition for the growth and development of any community, including the village of Ghomsheh Faraman, is creating jobs, which, despite its high importance, has poorly and negatively been done in the mentioned village, thus resulting in increased unemployment and the villagers’ decreased incomes. Construction of this station has not only led to the villagers’ unemployment, but also enhanced their migration and addiction, as well as divorce in some cases. Researchers’ findings in this regard have shown that the project incompatibility with the beneficiaries’ main profession has extended its duration, labors’ abandonment from the village, and lack of diversity of activities in the village as the root of the problems reducing rural incomes and augmenting unemployment. Another major problem for the project of water pumping station in Ghomsheh Faraman Village has been the villagers’ unwillingness to cooperate with the authorities, which was found to be the dominant and main problem contributing to the project inefficiency in this study. The people’s reluctance towards the project implementation, the beneficiaries’ indecision for accomplishing it, the profiteering views of some of them, their pessimism and distrust towards the officials, as well as the officials’ empty promises and ignorance towards the beneficiaries’ protests and demands were the roots of the problem. Nonetheless, this had not prevented the project construction and implementation, despite the users’ reluctance towards horticulture and even the existence of inadequate feasibility studies, which had temporarily resulted in the waste of resources, stagnation of the station, increased unemployment and migration, return to the primary cultivation method, and the beneficiaries’ pessimism and distrust towards the project. After 8 years from the construction of the project, still, no gardens have been constructed and the agricultural lands have been stagnated, while the beneficiaries have remained undecided whether to continue the path and construct the gardens or return to the primary cultivation method. They are still reluctant to cooperate with the authorities. Another issue was the uncertainty of land ownership. In the lands covered by the station, the issue of ownership was very important with some needs to be considered. Huge investments had been made to control, regulate, transfer, and distribute water by water pumping stations.The beneficiaries’ participation in the station-related planning was one of the joint strategies expressed by the two groups, which, if implemented, could have a very positive effect on the beneficiaries’ participation, which could then increase their desire for gardening, accepting the station costs, reducing the project time and cost, creating the villagers’ sense of ownership and responsibility so as to take care of the tools and facilities required for the project. Farmers' involvement in irrigation projects is essential since it can enhance their abilities to plan, reduce operating and maintenance costs, and increase their sense of responsibility. To solve the main problems, i.e., lack of diversity of activities in the village and the officials and farmers’ involvement in the project,  a joint strategy of the Agricultural Jihad Organization to assist the villagers in the construction of a cattle ranch, as well as growing mushrooms and bees is needed. If such businesses are launched, the villagers’ income would increase and the economic pressures could decrease. In addition, creating jobs in the village could reduce unemployment and poverty, improve life quality, and ultimately lower rural migration. A legal solution to the problem of land ownership was another joint strategy proposed by the officials and beneficiaries of the project to address the root of the problem resulting from lack of attention to the customary-property laws. Implementation of this strategy would give hope to the villagers to realize their rights with the help of the authorities, better accept legal votes by the relevant institutions in this area, and have less opposition in launching and reviving the project. The legal solution to the problem of land ownership would make them feel secure about their properties. Another joint strategy presented by the beneficiaries and officials involved in the project was to solve the root of the problem of management instability. Hiring a professional and consistent manager for the mentioned station would shorten the time of garden construction and implementation of the second phase, while solving the challenges and problems of the project more easily because of the manager's familiarity with the project implementation process. 4- ConclusionTo identify the root causes of inefficiency of the water pumping station in Ghomsheh Village and provide a strategy for solving them, the RCA technique was employed. Following the interviews with the beneficiaries and officials involved in the project, 7 problems of the station inefficiency were identified: lack of the villagers’ willingness to cooperate with the authorities, farmers’ decreased incomes and increased unemployment, lack of land ownership, repetitions of the process and past mistakes, loss of the beneficiaries’ economic livelihood, and imposition of part of the costs on them. Also, such executive strategies as involving the operators in the planning of the station, determining the amount of land covered by the station in the second phase, helping the villagers to establish agricultural projects, finding a legal solution to the problem of agricultural land ownership, beginning and ending the second phase at the announced deadline, using a professional and consistent manager until the end of the project, etc. were proposed.Keywords: water pumping station, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), irrigation scheme, farmer’s participation References:- Abdollah Zadeh, G. H., Ranjbari Shareh, S., & Rahimi, R. A. (2017). Investigating the impact of watershed management projects on quality of life in rural areas of Babol county. Quarterly Journal of Geographical Space, 17(59), 121-142.- Adib Haj Bagheri, M., Parvizi, S., & Salsali, M. (2011). Qualitative research methods. Tehran: Boshra Publication.- Adimi, M. J. (2006). 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Investigation of Sociological Factors on the Reading Habits of Undergraduate Students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

Objective: The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of sociological factors (including age, gender, cultural capital and economic capital) on the reading habits of undergraduate students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. Methods: The current research is a descriptive-correlation survey. The research population is the undergraduate students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in the academic year 1401-1402, whose number is estimated to be 7495. According to the table of Karjesi and Morgan, the sample size of the research is 384 people. Also, the proportional stratified sampling method was used to select the subjects. The research tools are Bourdieu's cultural capital questionnaire, economic capital questionnaire and Abdul Karim and Hassan's reading habit questionnaire. In order to analyze the data from S. P. S. S. Version 25 and Pearson's correlation coefficient, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and two-string point tests were used. Results: The research findings have shown that except for age, other research variables including gender, cultural capital and economic capital affect the components of reading habit and have a positive and significant relationship with each other. Conclusions: This study proved that sociological factors such as gender, cultural capital and economic capital have an effect on students' reading habits. As a result, in order to develop the habit of reading in students, first of all, in addition to paying attention to gender, we should pay attention to students cultural and economic conditions, such as allocating a part of the income to buy cultural tools, the family's attitude towards reading, and educational methods in order to be able to achieve one of the important tasks in reforming educational programs with the aim of strengthening students' skills in a suitable cultural and economic situation by developing the habit of reading

The effect of Professional Ethics on Job Performance Mediated by the Ethical climate in Ahvaz University Libraries

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of professional ethics on job performance by the mediation of the ethical climate in university libraries in Ahvaz. Method: The present study was applied research in terms of purpose and a quantitative study in terms of method, which has been done by the descriptive-correlation method. The statistical population of the study was librarians of university libraries in Ahvaz, 87 of whom participated in the research by census method. In this study, questionnaires on ethical climate, job performance, and professional ethics have been used. Analyses of instrument reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the ethical atmosphere questionnaire (0.86); the job performance questionnaire (0.80), and the professional ethics questionnaire (0.95) were calculated. To analyze the data, tests such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and structural equation modeling (SEM) using the partial least squares method have been used. Results: The results showed that professional ethics has a significant effect on the job performance of librarians of university libraries in Ahvaz and the ethical atmosphere of libraries. On the other hand, the moral atmosphere has a significant effect on the professional performance of librarians in university libraries in Ahvaz. The results also indicated that professional ethics through the ethical atmosphere has a significant indirect effect on the job performance of librarians in academic libraries. According to the results, all four research hypotheses have been confirmed. Conclusions: The existence of ethical frameworks and guidelines in academic libraries can provide the basis for the emergence and consolidation of the ethical atmosphere in these libraries. A librarian can only perform well if he or she can demonstrate his or her moral and behavioral abilities in a favorable ethical environment and thus, can reach a wide range of clients tailored to their needs and characteristics

بیماری طاعون، پیشگیری و درمان (بررسی نسخه خطی «حفظ‌الصحه؛ نصیحت‌نامه سلیمانی»)

Background and Aim: The present study is based on a manuscript called "Maintaining health or Soleimani's Letter of advice" written by an Iranian medical named Mohammad Hakim ibn Mubarak in the Ottoman court in the Sixteenth century. The main mission of this book is solutions for the prevention and treatment of plague, which has included it in the collection of cholera diseases. Methods: To examine this manuscript, the library method and the content analysis method have been used. In this method, fidelity is observed in citing the content and Lack of bias. Ethical Considerations: In the review of the said manuscript, it has been tried to be faithful in citing its contents and other researches used and to avoid partiality in expressing the contents. Results: To prevent the plague, the presence of air flow in the living space, avoiding contact with others and strengthening the body physically and mentally is very useful. Conclusion: The main goal of the physician in writing the book was strategies for the prevention and treatment of plague. The infection of this disease was spread through the air and not being exposed to the flow of polluted air and maintaining the cleanliness of the living place by incense of some fragrant plants is effective in softening the air in preventing the occurrence of the disease. Maintaining the health of the body with foods, beverages and herbal medicines is also useful in repelling the disease, and calmness and avoiding delusions and fears are very helpful in strengthening the patient's psychology in the face of the disease. Please cite this article as: Dadfar S, Rostami P. Plague Disease, Prevention and Treatment (Manuscript Review "Maintaining Health or Letter of advice Solaimani"). Tārīkh-i pizishkī, i.e., Medical History. 2022; 14(47): e31.زمینه و هدف: پژوهش حاضر مبتنی بر نسخه خطی به نام «حفظ‌الصحه یا نصیحت‌نامه سلیمانی» نگارش طبیبی ایرانی به نام محمد حکیم بن مبارک در دربار عثمانی در قرن دهم قمری است. رسالت اصلی این کتاب راهکارهایی برای پیشگیری و درمان بیماری طاعون است که آن را جزء مجموعه بیماری‌های وبایی قرار داده است. روش: برای بررسی این نسخه خطی شیوه کتابخانه‌ای و روش تحلیل محتوا به کار رفته است. در این مسیر امانتداری در استناد به مطالب ارجاع داده شده و عدم جانبداری رعایت شده است. ملاحظات اخلاقی: در بررسی نسخه خطی مزبور سعی شده است امانتداری در استناد به مطالب آن و سایر پژوهش‌های دیگر مورد استفاده رعایت شود و از جانبداری در بیان مطالب پرهیز شود. یافته‌ها: برای جلوگیری از ابتلا به بیماری طاعون، وجود جریان هوا در محیط زندگی، پرهیز از تماس با دیگران و تقویت بدن از نظر جسمی و روانی بسیار مفید است. نتیجه‌گیری: هدف اصلی طبیب در نگارش کتاب، راهکارهایی برای پیشگیری و درمان بیماری طاعون بود. بر اساس کتاب، عفونت این بیماری از طریق هوا گسترش می‌یافت و قرارنگرفتن در معرض جریان هوای آلوده و حفظ نظافت مکان زندگی با بخور برخی گیاهان خوشبو در تلطیف هوا در پیشگیری از بروز بیماری مؤثر بود. حفظ سلامتی بدن نیز با خوراک‌ها و آشامیدنی‌ها و داروهای گیاهی در دفع بیماری مفید واقع می‌شد و آرامش و دوری از وهم و ترس در تقویت روانی بیمار در مقابله با بیماری بسیار راهگشا بود

The possible interaction of dopamine system in nucleus accumbens shell and glutamate system of prelimbic region on locomotor activity in rat

Background: Nucleus accumbens (NAc) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems are involved in regulating of locomotor activity behaviors. This study has investigated the interaction of NAc shell dopaminergic system and prelimbic glutamatergic systems in regulating locomotor activity and related parameters. Methods: The aim of this study was the effect the drugs injection interaction in the brain of male Wistar rats on locomotor activity and related parameters, in the order of this purpose, open field apparatus that automatically recorded locomotor activity was employed. Unilateral intra-cerebral injection of drugs was done. Results: Unilateral intra-prelimbic injection of D-AP7 (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid= NMDA receptor antagonist; 0.25, 0.5 and 1μg/μl) did not alter locomotor activity behaviors. However, infusion of NMDA (0.9μg/μl) in this region increased locomotor activity (P<0.01), whereas decreased rearing (P<0.01) and grooming (P<0.01) which was blocked by D-AP7 (0.25μg/μl) (P<0.01). Moreover, unilateral infusion of SCH23390 (dopamine D1 receptor antagonist; 0.25, 0.5 and 1μg/μl) into the left NAc shell did not alter locomotor activity. However, injection of SKF38393 (dopamine D1 receptor agonist; 4μg/μl) into the left NAc shell increased locomotor activity (P<0.05) which was blocked by SCH23390 (0.25μg/μl) (P<0.01). Furthermore, the subthreshold dose infusion of SCH23390 (0.25μg/μl) into the left NAc shell reduced the effect of intra- prelimbic NMDA on locomotor activity (P<0.01). In addition, intra-NAc shell administration of the subthreshold dose of SKF38393 (1μg/μl) potentiated the middle dose (P<0.05), whereas decreased the higher dose of intra-left prelimbic NMDA response (P<0.05) on locomotor activity. Conclusion: The results suggested a modulatory effect of the NAc shell dopaminergic system on increased locomotor activity by activating glutamate system in prelimbic

Habitual dietary lactose and galactose intakes in association with age at menopause in non-galactosemic women.

IntroductionRodent models and studies on women with galactosemia suggest the ovo-toxicity effect of galactose. However, the association between galactose intake from dietary sources and the ovarian function in women without galactosemia has not yet been described. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations between both dietary galactose and lactose intake, and ovarian dysfunction as the odds of early menopause in women without galactosemia.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 821 women without galactosemia, participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), who experienced natural menopause. Habitual dietary intakes of lactose and galactose during the past 12 month were assessed, using a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). In this study, early menopause was defined as natural menopause before the age of 45 years.ResultsMean- and menopausal age of women were reported as 59.3±7.94 and 48.6±4.81 years, respectively. No statistically significant linear association was observed between the daily intakes of lactose and galactose and the odds of early menopause. After adjusting for age, energy intake, and age at menarche, women in the middle tertiles of lactose (62%, 95%CI: 1.07, 2.46) and galactose (58%, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.39) intake had significantly higher odds of early menopause, than those in the first tertile. When the daily intake of lactose and galactose were expressed as the percentage of energy intake, the higher odds of early menopause among women in the middle tertile compared to those with the first tertile were reduced and became non-significant.ConclusionNo statistically significant linear associations were reported between the intake of lactose and galactose and age of menopause. However, the odds of early menopause in those women with the middle tertile of lactose and galactose intake were significantly higher than those women in the first tertile

Analyses of sustainable indicators of water resources for redesigning the health promoting water delivery networks: A case study in Sahneh, Iran

Healthy water is our prime demand however population explosion and industrialization have threatened the quality of water. Consequently, about a billion people in developing countries including Iran are struggling for a safe and sustainable water supply. Timely water sampling and analyses are critical to access and maintain healthy status. The current study investigates the state of water supply in 29 villages of Sahneh town and provides recommendations for maintaining good health. Water samples were extensively analyzed for the physical and chemical indexes using the EPA standards and the Iran national water standards (Table S1). The mean of pH, total dissolve solid, electrical conductivity, chloride concentration, sulfate, temperature, bicarbonate, total alkalinity, calcium hardness was 8.2, 326.5 mg/L, 422.4 mS/cm, 203 mg/L, 6.4 mg/L, 24.7 °C, 257.2 mg/L, 210.9 mg/L as CaCO3, 233.8 mg/L CaCO3, respectively that are within the permitted limit. Interactions between these factors were statistically analyzed to characterize the water samples. All sampled waters were probable to sediment according to the Langelier index (0.67 ± 0.20), corrosive according to aggressiveness (10.74 ± 0.40) and Puckhorius indexes (6.96 ± 0.63). Water samples also exhibited scaling therefore it is recommended to use cemented pipes for dispensing networks. Moreover, balancing pH, alkalinity, calcium levels and annual testing by the government should be considered to promote good health