117 research outputs found

    Structural-functional development policies for converted villages to cities for ordering urban network. Case of East Azerbaijan Province/Iran

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    In IRAN Converting villages to new city centers is realized for the purpose of ordering urban networks via establishing new cities to service rural jurisdictions. But after converting to city, they have no special development plan and their authorities actually do not know about the problems to face with. This research has been done on 12 converted villages to cities in East Azerbaijan province (IRAN) by determining 100 indices in 9 main groups and using questionnaire, official data as well as geographical maps. After scoring each item and placing in a SWOT matrix it could be possible to propose special policies and plans for each settlements. The method can be easily applied in rural centers and small cities to help local authorities to make proper developmental decisions.Keywords: Converted villages to city centers, urban network, SWOT analysis, East Azerbaijan province in IRA

    Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Floor Dust of Yazd Mechanical Workplaces

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    Background: Workplaces have increased the risk of environmental pollutions. The aim of this study was to evaluate heavy metal pollution in the floor dust of mechanical workplaces in Yazd city. Methods: This cross-sectional analytic study was conducted in 2014. Through stratified random sampling, 30 mechanical workplaces in Yazd, Iran were selected. After sampling, the concentration of heavy metals in samples was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The potential environmental risk index (RI), integrated pollution index (IPI), contamination factor (Cf), the modified degree of Contamination (mCd) and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS v.23 were used for data analyses. Results: The trend of concentration of heavy metals in the floor dust particles of mechanical workplaces was Fe>Zn>Cu>Pb>Mn>Cr>Cd. Hence, mean concentration of Fe in the samples was 27095 mg kg-1 and that of Cd was 31 mg kg-1. According to Pearson correlation test, Mn had a significant correlation with Cr, Fe, and Cu at the 0.01 significance level. Also, RI showed that Yazd mechanical workplaces have a considerable degree of risk. Conclusion: The results showed very high levels of pollution by cadmium, lead and copper in mechanical workshops that can be due to the interaction of heavy metals in workplace scraps with dust from man-made origin

    Designing a Structural Model of Psychological Factors Affecting the Development of Motivation towards Participation in Sports among Children

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    Background: Identifying the factors motivating children to participate in sport activities, such as football, is of great importance. That mentioned, the present study aimed to investigate the internal and external psychological factors affecting the development of childrenā€™s motivation to participate in football activities.Method: In this study, we used descriptive-correlation method via structural equation modelling. We recruited 129 male children aged 11 to 14 years old who attended football schools of Tehran, Iran, in 2022. Moreover, the research variables were measured with a self-made questionnaire, including 32 items for assessing eight factors (four internal and four external factors). We also utilized structural equation method via Lisrel for examining the structural relationships among the research variables.Results: The participantsā€™ body mass index (BMI) was in a normal range {median of 16.50(1.45)]. The results showed that both internal factors (attractiveness of sports, T=4.828; sense of responsibility, T=5.618; challenge spirit, T=3.117; sense of advancement, T=4.909) and external ones (team climate, T=2.847; social encouragement and support, T=5.108; content of practice, T=4.010; coach support, T=5.552) had significant and direct effects on childrenā€™s motivation to participate in football. Furthermore, the results of model fit revealed the good fit (RMSEA=0.05) of our model.Conclusion: It was found to be necessary that coaches make efforts to meet childrenā€™s basic psychological needs (including autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in order to increase intrinsic motivation in children

    Vector coding reveals the underlying balance control strategies used by humans during translational perturbation (article)

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    This is the final version. Available on open access from Nature Research via the DOI in this recordThe dataset associated with this article is available in ORE at https://doi.org/10.24378/exe.4345Postural control research has focused on standing balance experiments on platforms moving with relatively large amplitudes (0.1-0.2 m). This study investigated balance strategies while standing on a platform moving 4Ā mm in anterior-posterior direction with frequency scaled linearly from 0.4 to 6 Hz. Platform motion and kinematic and kinetic information for nine healthy participants were recorded using motion capture and force plate systems. Coordination between hip, knee and ankle joint torque, and centre of mass (COM) and centre of pressure (COP) motion was quantified by vector coding. Significant main effect of platform frequency for knee-ankle and COP-COM phase relationship was observed (p = 0.023, p = 0.016). At frequencies below 2.11 and 2.34 Hz, ankle strategy was recruited. With ankle strategy, in-phase COP-COM motion with COP dominancy occurred at frequencies below 2.19 and 2.23 Hz during scaling up and down, respectively. As platform frequency passed these values, COM dominated over COP which was followed by anti-phase knee-ankle torque, called a knee strategy, and anti-phase motion between the COP and COM that allowed COP to regain dominance over COM. Collectively, we reveal knee strategy as a new and relevant strategy in real-life settings, and transition between ankle and knee strategies that underpinned transition between COP-COM relative motion.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)University of Exete

    Measurement of the lethal concentration of thyme essential oils in rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss)

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    The importance of the use of medicinal plants against infectious and non-infectious diseases is completely obvious. The replacement of synthetic drugs due to their multiple properties in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, particularly in the aquaculture industry seems to be very important. This study was performed with the aim of assessing the acute toxicity (LC_50-96) of thyme essential oil on rainbow trout. To study the effect of the essential oils, 80 premature rainbow trout with an average weight of 10Ā±0.5 in 9-liter tanks were exposed to different concentrations of essential oils of thyme and daily losses based on OECD protocol were calculated during 96 hours. All the physical and chemical factors such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium levels, electrical conductivity and water hardness were measured in different treatments. The acute toxicity of the essential oil of thyme was calculated using probit analysis and a concentration of 4.4 ppm was determined

    Voltammetric Determination of Homocysteine Using Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Paste Electrode in the Presence of Chlorpromazine as a Mediator

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    We propose chlorpromazine (CHP) as a new mediator for the rapid, sensitive, and highly selective voltammetric determination of homocysteine (Hcy) using multiwall carbon nanotube paste electrode (MWCNTPE). The experimental results showed that the carbon nanotube paste electrode has a highly electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of Hcy in the presence of CHP as a mediator. Cyclic voltammetry, double potential step chronoamperometry, and square wave voltammetry (SWV) are used to investigate the suitability of CHP at the surface of MWCNTPE as a mediator for the electrocatalytic oxidation of Hcy in aqueous solutions. The kinetic parameters of the system, including electron transfer coefficient, and catalytic rate constant were also determined using the electrochemical approaches. In addition, SWV was used for quantitative analysis. SWV showed wide linear dynamic range (0.1ā€“210.0ā€‰Ī¼M Hcy) with a detection limit of 0.08ā€‰Ī¼M Hcy. Finally, this method was also examined as a selective, simple, and precise electrochemical sensor for the determination of Hcy in real samples

    Comparison of morphological variations and some biological features of brown trout Salmo trutta fario resident in Chesli and Khorma rivers in Guilan

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    The morphological variations and sexual dimorphism of brown trout Salmo trutta morpha fario residual were studied in two rivers, Chesli and Khorma, in western and eastern of Guilan province using 39 morphometric and 13 meristic characteristics. Univariate analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) revealed significant differences of varying degrees between the means of the two samples for 25 standardized morphometric measurements and six meristic counts, showing relatively high phenotypic variations between the two populations. No significant differences were observed between males and females, indicating that no sexual dimorphism exists in the studied fish. Plotting of discriminant functions, 1 and 2, for morphometric and meristic characteristics revealed completely obvious separation with 100% divergence between the species of the two areas. Only in Chesli River some differences were observed between males and females according to the meristicā€™ second function, while there were no morphological differences between males and females in Khorma River. On the average, the correctness of assignment of individuals into their original populations based on their morphometric and meristic characteristics was 87.4% and 70.1 %, respectively

    Comparison of morphological variations and some biological features of brown trout Salmo trutta fario resident in Chesli and Khorma Rivers in Guilan

    Get PDF
    The morphological variations and sexual dimorphism of brown trout Salmo trutta morpha fario residual were studied in two rivers, Chesli and Khorma, in western and eastern of Guilan province using 39 morphometric and 13 meristic characteristics. Univariate analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) revealed significant differences of varying degrees between the means of the two samples for 25 standardized morphometric measurements and six meristic counts, showing relatively high phenotypic variations between the two populations. No significant differences were observed between males and females, indicating that no sexual dimorphism exists in the studied fish. Plotting of discriminant functions, 1 and 2, for morphometric and meristic characteristics revealed completely obvious separation with 100% divergence between the species of the two areas. Only in Chesli River some differences were observed between males and females according to the meristicā€™ second function, while there were no morphological differences between males and females in Khorma River. On the average, the correctness of assignment of individuals into their original populations based on their morphometric and meristic characteristics was 87.4% and 70.1%, respectively
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