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The present study aimed to estimate the quantity and composition of discarded fish species in bottom trawl in the Lifeh area of the coastal waters of Khuzestan. Data were collected based on samples obtained from commercial fishing the autumn of 2017 and the summer of 2018. The results of this study indicated that the discarded samples included 21 species from 16 families. Hamilton's thryssa, Sharhosehammer croaker and Orange-fin pony fish species were predominant. Moreover, the results demonstrated that the average length of most discarded species was below 30 centimeters, with the highest average length belonging to the large scale tongues at 3.8±3.23 centimeters and the lowest for the large scale tongues at 8.5±8.10 centimeters. The findings revealed the discard rate per fishing effort unit in autumn as 4.0±6.8 kilograms per hour and in summer as 8.7±2.7 kilograms per hour. The catch per unit area was also calculated at 24.0±16.0 and 7.15±0.0 kilograms per square mile during autumn and summer, respectively. Furthermore, the percentage frequency of commercial and non-commercial discarded species in autumn was calculated as 22.74 and 77.26, respectively, and in summer as 7.7 and 3.92, respectively. Considering the obtained results and the elevated discard rate in this area, it can evidently have negative impacts on fish stocks, potentially posing risks to the fishing industry in the region in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real water saving is a important concept in water resources management, which can express previous failures in reducing agricultural water consumption, despite increasing irrigation efficiency. In the present research, while calculating the water requirement for the cultivation of the cropping pattern document in Khuzestan province of Iran and harvesting the intended yield, the crop substitution and changing the planting date method (in four scenarios) has been considered as a sustainable solution to reduce the actual agricultural water consumption. Scenarios 1 to 4, respectively, included replacing part of the cultivated area of sugarcane, fodder corn, and rice with sugar beet, fodder sorghum, and sesame, in 3 consecutive years, and changing the planting date of watermelon and tomato from summer to winter in 1 year. For this purpose, the actual evapotranspiration was determined using FAO-56 Penman–Monteith equations and the expected crop yield at the county scale. Then, using the history of cultivation of different crops in each county and the subwatershed map of the Khuzestan province, the actual evapotranspiration, net irrigation requirement, and water withdrawal from rivers in each subwatershed of Khuzestan province were determined. Results showed that implementation of scenarios 1, 2, 3, and 4 can reduce 551, 25, 194, and 79 hm3 of actual water consumption and decreases 2,160, 104, 775, and 303 hm3 of water withdrawal, respectively. If all the scenarios are implemented together, it can be expected that the reduction in actual agricultural water consumption and its water withdrawal will be equivalent to 5% and 20% of the rivers discharge in Khuzestan province, with a probability of 80%. By considering the real water saving, economic, and social criteria, it can be concluded that replacing sugarcane with sugar beet is the first priority of implementation, whereas changing rice with sesame is the last priority of implementation. Practical Applications: Water reduction consumption is one the most challenging issues in agricultural water management. We know that agriculture consumes mostly fresh water to produce all kinds of agricultural products. The water is converted from liquid to vapor and removed from the target catchment area by atmospheric currents. Therefore, one of the most useful ways to reduce actual water consumption in agriculture is to improve the cropping pattern. Modifying the cropping pattern can challenge the indigenous knowledge of farmers and affect their habits as well as reduce the income of local communities in some cases. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the profit of the replaced crop and the level of familiarity of the farmer with how to cultivate it in determining the cropping pattern. This research examines the modification of the cropping pattern in Khuzestan province of Iran, which includes replacement of sugarcane, fodder corn, and rice with sugar beet, sorghum, and sesame, respectively, to reduce agricultural water consumption. For this purpose, the reduction of water consumption, reduction of farmer's income, and social tendencies have been seen in the defined scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the significance of popular religious agents in Iran, focusing on the maddāḥān (eulogists) and their role in the Ashura processions, in the context of Iran's ethnic minorities, looking into the unique case-study of Khuzestan. To comprehend the contemporary relevance of Ashura, this study utilizes social media, employing a hermeneutical approach to videography. The maddāḥān played a pivotal role in promoting a unifying Shiʿi and revolutionary ethos through their meticulously crafted videos and their widespread dissemination, fostering a sense of solidarity with the Islamic republic and its message of resilience. Their contribution was significant among ethnic minorities, given their numerous grievances toward the regime. The maddāḥān also played a vital role in creating space for local expressions of mourning, enhancing a unique Khuzestani identity deeply tied to its Arab tradition, but also open to multiple influences. Their emotionally charged sessions and direct engagement with the people contributed to a strong sense of connections between the maddāḥān and their extensive online audience. This popular appeal complements the established clerical authority structure but also poses a significant challenge to the formal religious hierarchy, as the maddāḥān's approach resonates more closely with the lived experiences and cultural realities of their followers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Exercise and physical activity as an essential factor and an integral part in the prevention of standard management of diabetes, however, most people with diabetes are not active enough. The objective of this research was to identify the obstacles hindering the participation of diabetic patients in sports activities in Khuzestan province. Materials and Methods: The study followed an exploratory-applicative approach, utilizing a mixed qualitative-quantitative methodology. The qualitative section involved 18 knowledgeable experts, while the quantitative section included all diabetes patients in Khuzestan province. The sample size for the quantitative section was determined to be 384 patients, based on Morgan's table. Data collection in the qualitative part was conducted through semi-structured interviews, resulting in the extraction of 46 concepts, 19 sub-categories, and 8 main categories over three stages. In the quantitative part, a researcher-designed questionnaire was used, based on the interview findings. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which yielded a value of 0.90. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and Smart PLS software. Results: The findings indicated that various factors act as barriers to the participation of diabetic patients in sports activities, including self-actualization (7.79), environmental (6.10), educational and research (5.83), managerial (5.72), cultural (2.85), physical and supportive (2.8), time (2.62), and economic (2.15) factors. Conclusion: Therefore, it is recommended that sports and health officials in the province take measures to alleviate these obstacles and improve the quality of life for diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions induced environmental hazards is one of the most important goals of future research the energy economy and the environment. This challenge is becoming more important in developing countries, including Iran, with high energy intensity and is one of the leading countries in GHG emissions. This study aims to visualize emissions from electricity generation in Khuzestan province, southern Iran. Khuzestan is the largest producer of electricity and the country's energy capital. Khuzestan's electricity supply and demand system was simulated and examined under green scenarios till 2050 by assessing the existing situation and choosing a suitable low-carbon energy system for the future. One of the results of this research is to reduce emissions in terms of energy management strategies in the short term and the ineffectiveness of development strategies regardless of consumption management strategies. Electricity supply optimization scenarios are attractive in the long term, which indicates the costly implementation of development strategies. Combining solutions to balance the energy economy and environment is more effective. The OKEP scenario as a combination of consumption management and development strategies showed that it would maintain its positive impact in the short and long term and successfully reduce emissions. In this scenario, the net present value (NPV) attractiveness is over $ 6706 million and saves the emission of 179 MtCO2e. Compared to the business as usual (BAU) scenario, more than 90 Bm3NGe savings and a 3.62% increase in renewables share are other benefits of this scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify factors of employer brand in Sugarcane Industries in Khuzestan province and proposing its model via thematic analysis. In this regard, the present study has been conducted through qualitative approach via Braun & Clarke's thematic analysis. It is applicable from objective aspect. For data collection, 18 experts including professors, senior managers and faculty professors were being interviewed using semi-structured interview through purposive sampling. Then, the information extracted from the texts and interviews were classified and analyzed using thematic analysis. Reliability was examined and confirmed by means of two methods, i.e. inter-coder agreement procedure and test-retest reliability. To calculate degree of agreement, Cohen's kappa coefficient in SPSS software was employed that was obtained equal to 0.75 and showed acceptable reliability. Also, to ensure validity of the research, the findings were confirmed by three academic experts besides the use of sensitivity strategy of the researcher in the research process. The results revealed classification of one global theme including employer brand, six organized themes including economic, functional, social, developmental, psychological and political factors, and 18 basic themes. It can be stated that employer brand is a key success factor in the current world. Sugarcane Industries in Khuzestan province has enhanced its employer brand through eliminating the existing challenges and implementing the suggested strategies and has become an ideal employer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is one of the most important factors influencing the economic growth and the development of contemporary societies. It is defined as a tool for stimulating marginal economies, promoting and developing through the creation of employment and income, which has expanded significantly over the past few decades. One of the most attractive branches of the tourism industry that has received more attention in recent years is water tourism. Water tourism, especially when the profitability of other economic sectors is declining, is a suitable alternative and a strategic approach for development. This study aimed to provide macro strategies and identify the potential of hydraulic structures for the development of water tourism. This research was a fundamental study in terms of its objective and a survey in its nature and method. The research population included 376 tourists, experts, and residents (in the study area) selected using a random sampling method. The necessary data were collected through questionnaires, and the output was modeled using the Minitab statistical software and structural equations (EQS). Finally, the proposed strategies were extracted in the form of the SOAR strategic model. The results of the data analysis showed that in the current situation, the greatest feasibility pertained to the economic and managerial-infrastructural indicators. The findings also indicated that the impact of independent variables on the dependent variable can be predicted up to 51%, and the significance between independent and dependent variables is evident up to 95%. Among the components related to the development of water tourism, economic components, with a beta coefficient of 363%, and managerial-infrastructural factors, with a beta coefficient of 206%, have the most significant impact on attracting tourists and developing water tourism in the region. Furthermore, the output of SOAR indicated that the most important executive strategy according to stakeholders and experts was the readiness of citizens to host the tourists, the presence of a tourist attraction spirit, the abundance of tourist-historical facilities, and the commitment and importance placed by relevant managers on developing tourism in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research has been conducted in Khuzestan Province covering an area of approximately 64057 square kilometers, over a 28 year time (1995- 2022) period and with the aim of evaluating the spatiotemporal pattern of risk and generating a risk map for dust storms. The utilized data includes hourly measurements from the ground stations (8 time slots within 24 hours). Different models were fitted to the empirical change patterns for spatial variations, and the model with minimum RMSE was selected. Subsequently, using this selected model, interpolation was performed with various neighborhood approaches, resulting in a large number of maps. These maps were converted into a cellular grid network within a GIS environment. Each cell was considered as a zone for calculating the computations related to the risk map. Then the information related to the class of exposed elements, the vulnerability class of elements, and the hazard class were separately applied in each cell. Finally, by calculating the risk equation, a cell-based risk map was obtained. The significant difference in areas was tested using the Chi-squared test. The results of the annual study on the phenomenon of dust storms have shown that the Abadan region has the highest average frequency of 18 days per year, this is the highest number of days observed in the entire study area. 61.11% of regional dust events occur between 9:30 am and 6:30 pm local time, and 81.35% of localized dust storm events occur at 3:30 am. Furthermore, the percentage distribution of regional and extraregional dust storms during the statistical period indicates that 78.81% of dust storm days originated from extra- regional sources, while 21.19% originated from regional sources. The spatial distribution pattern of the dust storm intensity hazard map exhibits a “moderate clustering” and follows a specific order. The area percentage of risk classes shows that more than 88% of the area in Khuzestan province is in high and very high risk classes, which is one of the reasons related to the larger population in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In many organizations, gender biases and stereotypes often occur, consciously or unconsciously, regardless of whether women assume leadership roles. In addition, women must overcome various challenges when assuming leadership roles or aspiring to be leaders. The present research has examined the management challenges of women managers in Khuzestan province from the perspective of experts. Materials and methods: The research is qualitative in terms of development results, in terms of practical goals and in terms of data. The approach of the present study was mixed. Based on this, the present study in two levels includes the identification of concepts that were extracted by interviewing 17 women managers of Khuzestan province using the phenomenological method and also grading the concepts using the fuzzy Delphi method, with 10 experts and experts in political fields. Social, cultural, economic of Khuzestan province, an in-depth interview was conducted. Findings: The prioritization of women's management challenges based on the lived experience of the participants are: lack of protective laws, allocation of the lowest management level to women, traditional view of women, attendance at non-working hours of the office, ineffective management training courses. pay discrimination between male and female managers, emotional mood, lack of family cooperation, patriarchal view in organizations, low self-confidence, unwillingness to go on work missions, interference of family life with work, confronting female colleagues. which was categorized into 5 main concepts of glass ceiling, historical dominance of men over women, low self-confidence of women, incompatibility of customary and religious frameworks for the presence of women, disobedience of female colleagues. Conclusion: The structural space and organizational culture with the influence of the dominance and influence of the cultural system of the society as the most important, the most effective and the closest interactive environment of the world of work and employment of women is effective in their reaching managerial levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is widely distributed in Iran and around the world. Also, Khuzestan Province is an endemic focus of ZCL. This study aims to investigate the natural infection of sand flies with the Leishmania parasite in Karun County. Methods: Sand flies were collected from Jangiyeh, Qaleh Chanan, Kut-e-Navaser, and Ghazavieh in the spring and summer in the year of 2019, by installing 60 sticky paper traps each time (30 traps outdoors and 30 traps indoors). Two hundred female sand flies with different abdominal conditions (empty, blood-fed, semi-gravid, and gravid) were examined for infection rate using the Nested-PCR method. Results: In this study, seven species of sand flies including Phlebotomus papatasi, Ph. alexandri, Ph. sergenti, Ph. caucasicus, Sergentomyia tiberiadis, Se. sintoni, and Se. antennata were reported from Karun County, with a frequency of 79.64%, 16.96%, 1.07%, 0.18%, 0.36%, 1.61%, and 0.18%, respectively. Only eleven specimens of Ph. papatasi were found to be positive for Leishmania major, with an overall infection rate of 7.8%. The infection of Ph. papatasi was specifically reported in blood-fed, gravid, and semi-gravid specimens, with infection rates of 17.02%, 4.35%, and 14.29%, respectively. Conclusion: In this study, the infection of L. major from Ph. papatasi was reported. The results can be used in planning the control of ZCL in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Considering that the compost of sugarcane residues softens the soil texture and the use of plant growth stimulating bacteria increases the plant's tolerance against abiotic stress, including heat stress. To assess the combined effect of nitrogen fertilizer with sugarcane residue and growth-promoting bacteria on the qualitative traits and yield of wheat grain under terminal heat stress conditions, an experiment was carried out as split-split plots in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications in the cropping season of 2021-2022 at the research farm of Khuzestan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Methods: The experimental factors included three sowing dates: 22 November, 11 December, and 31 December in the main plots; six combination of nitrogen with compost including control, 100% nitrogen, 75% nitrogen+ 25% compost, 50% nitrogen+ 50% compost, 25% nitrogen+ 75% compost, and 100% compost in sub-plots, as well as two levels of application and without application of bacteria in the sub sub-plots. Results: Mean comparisons showed that the combined use of 50% nitrogen + 50% compost with bacterial application increased the characteristics of grain filling duration and grain filling rate, grain protein percentage, and wet gluten. Also, the highest seed yield (5864 kg/ha) was obtained on the first planting date and combined consumption of 50% nitrogen + 50% compost and the lowest amount (1115 kg/ha) was obtained on the third planting date and the control treatment. Conclusion: In general, the combined use of nitrogen fertilizer and compost with growth-promoting bacteria could reduce the negative effect of terminal heat stress on the measured plant traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the efficiency of irrigation networks is one of the most crucial factors in providing the information needed to improve the efficiency of these systems. Due to the recent water crisis in Iran, it should be considered by managers and planners in this area. Therefore, in this study, the linear robust data envelopment analysis (LRDEA) method, which has the potential to apply uncertain conditions for the model data, is used to evaluate the efficiency of four irrigation networks in the Karun catchment located in Khuzestan province, Iran. The use of this model depends on determining the appropriate input and output data that were examined. On the other hand, to study the effect of water and soil resources' quality on the efficiency of these networks, two scenarios with and without considering the quality of these resources in the input data are considered. The results show that the addition of water and soil quality input data causes some networks to experience a significant increase in efficiency score, resulting in a significant difference between the rankings in the two scenarios; so that the average efficiency of networks in the first scenario was 0.8 and in the second scenario is 0.97. It is also found that there is a significant difference between actual and desirable use for both input data of maintenance costs and personnel, which has led to inefficiencies in networks. This difference is less in the second scenario and is calculated as 41% and 34% for maintenance costs and personnel, respectively. Examining the Monte Carlo simulation results shows that LRDEA is reliable in terms of applying uncertain conditions and using its results to improve the efficiency of networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the last decade, resilience has found a special place in the literature related to risk and hazard management. This issue is very important in the balanced, flexible and wise use of these infrastructures, especially in the areas that are exposed to climate change and the damages caused by it. In this regard, the present research has studied the resilience capacity of critical infrastructures in areas vulnerable to climate change, focusing on Khuzestan province, and for this purpose, the analytical framework of the resilience adaptation cycle model has been used. The data collection was done using the targeted Delphi method and from the perspective of 30 experts and experts, and the similarity model to the fuzzy ideal option was used to analyze the data. The findings of the research indicate that the critical infrastructure of the electricity network in Khuzestan province has the weakest conditions in all four stages of the four stages of the resilience adaptation cycle model and requires the creation of appropriate resilience capacities. This issue is more noticeable in the form of indicators of creativity in times of crisis, saved capital, positive changes and qualitative surplus. The final analysis of the resilience quality of critical infrastructures also shows the priority of the reorganization stage in improving the recovery capacity for the resilience of these infrastructures in Khuzestan province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the factors influencing product performance is dust storms. Accordingly, it has been attempted to evaluate the economic assessment of dust storm damage on the performance of agricultural products in Khuzestan province, the effective factors and the amount of tendency to pay using the conditional valuation method were calculated, up to the extent and role of any effective factor. Be determined on the likelihood of a willingness to pay. Finally, using estimated models, approximate damage was determined for various agricultural groups. Information about the variables of the research was completed by referring to cities and different seasons in Khuzestan province and for 1397-98 from farmers who had independent incomes. To determine the sample, Michael and Carson formula (1989) was used, with a sample of 372 subjects. Sampling was used by cluster sampling method. To calculate the total damage of the dust, first, using the results of the Logit model, the tendency to pay monthly people was obtained to improve damage. Then the tendency to pay annually of each farmers and the entire province was calculated. The results of the conditional valuation method were obtained as approximate damage of different groups of products, which had the highest and garden products with 330250 rials with 330250 rials, and the rest of the products included vegetables with 583200, cereals with 534400, legumes with 483520, forage with 353240, rials, the tendency to pay for a month. Also, the amount of damage to cereal, finance, vegetables, legumes, forage and garden was obtained 6412, 7395, 6998, 5802, 4238 and 3963 thousand rials per year for each exploitation, and ultimately estimated damages for the entire province for the groups of products Grain, grain, vegetables, legumes, forage and garden respectively 387, 384, 275, 127, 126 and 98 billion rials. In total, total damage was estimated to be 1397 billion annual rials for the entire province, compared with the value of agricultural production for 1396, as much as 1.2%, and it can be said that the amount of damage is a significant amount that requires control of control policies to control dust storms Appropriate international and domestic necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In February 2016 in Khuzestan province, dust in combination with air humidity affecting the province's electricity grid and widespread blackouts. As a consequence of the power outage, other infrastructure in the province also suffered, causing widespread public reactions. Thus, a technological disaster that affected the region's environmental conditions brought with it widespread social consequences. Accordingly, this article identifies and analyzes the social dimensions and consequences of the disaster and understanding the causes of the reactions. In this regard, by analyzing the literature on disaster analysis, Lindell's disaster assessment framework was chosen as the basic conceptual framework. Based on this framework and performing qualitative and quantitative analysis, the data obtained from interviews with different authorities and groups of people were analyzed and based on the results, a survey was conducted throughout Ahvaz. The findings of the study showed that there is a wide perceptual gap between the authorities and different groups of people in Khuzestan regarding different concepts related to the disaster and this causes widespread social consequences such as increased concern about recurrence of the disaster, increased tendency to migrate from the province, dissatisfaction with performance about disaster management, Increasing the awareness of the people about the problems of the province, .... Based on the obtained analysis, Solutions have been proposed to effect community resilience policies against possible future events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Among the most common problems and stress in the conditions of Khuzestan province, heat stress at the end of the season and the deficiency of nutrients, which occurs in different periods of rapeseed growth, depending on their severity, causes physiological and metabolic disorders and ultimately reduces the yield of rapeseed plants with different intensity depending on the type of plant genotype, they affect Materials and Methods With the aim of evaluating the growth and yield response of rapeseed cultivars (Brassica napus) to boron element levels in late season heat stress conditions caused by late sowings dates, this study was carried out in a split-split plot arrangement in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications. The expeiment was carried out in the crop year of 2021-2022 in the research farm of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan. Sowings dates (November 21, December 11, and December 31) in the main plots, four levels of boron (zero, 4, 8, and 12 kg/ha) in the subplots and rapeseed cultivars (RGS, Zafar, and Saffar) in the sub-sub-plots were investigated. Results and Discussion The results of the research showed that sowing date and end of season heat stress in Khuzestan conditions had a significant effect on most of the studied physiological traits, seed yield and biological yield. In addition, the effect of boron on traits such as leaf area index, leaf area ratio, and relative moisture content of leaf water, leakage of electrolytes, grain yield and biological performance was significant. The triple interaction effect of planting date, boron and variety was also significant on traits such as relative moisture content of leaf water, leakage of electrolytes, grain yield, and biological performance. So that with the delay in planting and the consequent increase in temperature and heat stress at the end of the season in the period of growth of the rapeseed plant, it causes a decrease in traits such as leaf area index, relative moisture content of leaf water, leaf area ratio, leaf specific area, seed yield and biological yield. And conversely, due to the heat stress at the end of the season, the leakage of electrolytes and the canopy temperature increased significantly. In general, the highest seed yield was obtained in Safar variety on the sowing date of December 11 and the boron level was 4 kg/ha with an average of 4590 kg/ha. Also, the highest average leaf area index was observed on the first sowing date and Safar variety with an average of 5.43 and the lowest value was observed on the third sowing date and Safar variety with an average of 2.11. It was also observed that the application of boron caused a significant decrease in the leaf area index in all three studied cultivars. This issue can indicate the lower need of boron consumption of the studied cultivars in this experiment. Conclusion In general, the heat stress at the end of the season, which occurs in different periods of rapeseed growth, especially the seed filling period, depending on its intensity, causes physiological disorders in the plant and finally affects the grain yield with different intensity and depending on the genotype of the plant. The analyzed rapeseed genotypes also showed tolerance to different levels of boron element in the heat stress conditions of the end of the season and showed different reactions with different amounts of boron consumption per hectare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southeastern section of Iran, especially the province of Khuzestan, experience severe air pollution levels, such as high values of surface dust mass concentration (SDMC). The province lacks accurate and well-placed ground observational stations, therefore the only viable approach for evaluating SDMC is via remote sensing. In this study, meteorological, hydrological and geological data on 11 input variables from Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Version 2 (MERRA-2), global precipitation measurement (GPM) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) for the year 2018 are used for prediction of the SDMC values, also obtained from another MERRA-2 mission. For real-time prediction, Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) analysis shows that wind-related variables—surface wind speed, surface aerodynamic conductance and surface pressure—are those with the highest correlation with SDMC. Using the gradient boosting regression (GBR) algorithm, these three variables can simulate SDMC with good accuracy (R 2 = 0.76 , N S E = 0.76 , N - R M S E = 0.48 a n d N - M A E = 0.34) . Furthermore, near-future SDMC forecasting down to 8 days prior of SMDC occurrence is also carried out. A sequential forward feature selection of the input variables, based on PCC, is used for four lead times and results show that surface pressure and heat flux govern near-future predictions. With R 2 = 0.46 and N - R M S E = 0.74 , GBR shows good potential for forecasting SDMC 8 days in advance. Real-time and near-future simulation results generally show that robust SDMC prediction can be obtained using exclusively remote sensing data, without ground-based observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the social study of the meaning of flood and coping strategies among the flood victims of Khuzestan province (Bander Imam Khomeini and Jarahee areas) have been addressed. The method used in this research was Grounded Theory. The data for this research was collected through in-depth interviews and theoretical sampling of 20 people consisting of the flood victims and injured, and reached complete theoretical saturation. For data analysis, three stages of open coding, central coding and selective coding have been used. After the coding stage, 7 main categories and 1 core category were extracted from the data. The results of this research are presented in the form of a paradigm model and a theoretical schema. The results showed that the meaning of the flood among the flood victims is mainly created through factors such as neglect, feeling of rejection and reproduction of negative mentality towards the actions of the officials as well as synergy of the problems. Of course, it goes without saying that the flood victims also chose a "fragile combined strategy" against the flood. Finally, the theory of the research showed that the flood has led to the "spatial and identity displacement of the flood victims". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides information on the identification and classification of genome variants in Khuzestan River Buffalos through sequencing technology. The study conducted at Sari Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources University in Iran used Illumina technology for whole genome sequencing and identified over 76 million variants across the buffalo's chromosomes. The research highlights the genetic diversity in Iranian buffalos and suggests that this information can be used for breeding programs. The document also discusses the importance of water buffalo in rural economies, particularly in Asia, and the genetic diversity of water buffalo populations. Additionally, it mentions a research project that analyzed the genetic diversity of buffalo populations worldwide and found high-quality sequencing data and a high level of genetic diversity. The study identified various types of genetic variants, including microscopic chromosome inversions, single nucleotide mutations, and insertions and deletions in coding regions. The findings provide valuable insights into the genetic diversity and potential economic traits of buffalo populations, which can be utilized for breeding programs and genome studies. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction The relationship between economic development and the environment is known as one of the most important issues facing societies. If in the context of sustainable development, economic and environmental activities are considered together, the environment and economic development are two complementary factors and, as a result, it will lead to ecological balance. In this case, economic activities will not disturb this balance. Presently, the imperative of safeguarding the environment and attaining sustainable development has ascended to a prominent position on the agendas of diverse societies, Iran included. This commitment is underscored by the execution of comprehensive economic, social, and cultural initiatives aimed at fostering long-term ecological resilience and balanced societal progress. Therefore, to preserve the environment and meet the goals of sustainable development, as well as to guide and rationally manage plans and projects, especially in the agricultural sector, serious measures should be taken. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the operational, environmental, and ecoefficiency of the major agricultural products of the irrigation and drainage networks of Gotvand. The irrigation and drainage network of Gotvand is located in the southwest of Iran in Khuzestan province. This network is designed to irrigate lands located in three regions of Gotvand, Aghili, and Dimcheh, enclosed between two rivers, Karun and Lor. According to the official statistics of government organizations, the consumption of fertilizers and chemical poisons in the lands covered by this network is 3.6 times the average limit in Iran. The excess irrigation water in this network is returned to the rivers by the built-in drains and causes water pollution downstream of the network. Therefore, considering that environmental protection is one of the most important aspects of sustainable development, it is very important to investigate the effects of the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agriculture and to introduce solutions to improve the efficiency of the environment in the study area. Materials and Methods Eco-efficiency includes operational and environmental impacts, which are presented as the ratio of the weighted sum of outputs to the weighted sum of inputs (operational inputs + environmental inputs). However, since agricultural activities are carried out in uncertain environmental conditions, there is uncertainty regarding inputs and outputs. The uncertainty in some of the effective input and output parameters in the ranking of networks, and as a result, the inaccuracy of the model calculation results, and the need to pay attention to the use of uncertainty models, make it more obvious. Therefore, in the present study, to include the conditions of uncertainty and risk, the robust data envelopment analysis (RDEA) model was used, which is one of the most powerful and useful models in conditions of uncertainty. The required data were collected by completing a questionnaire of the Gotvand, Aghili, and Dimche regions using a simple random sampling method in 2019. Results and Discussion The alfalfa producers in the Gotvand region assigned the highest environmental and Eco-efficiency by obtaining points in the range of 81 to 89 percent and 90 to 96 percent, respectively. The rice crop in the Aghili region had the highest types of operational efficiency based on different levels of deviation probability in the range of 77-87%, environmental efficiency in the range of 80-90%, and environmental-economic efficiency in the range of 87-95%. Dimanche sugarcane region has the highest average of efficiency types for different levels of deviation probability by obtaining points in the range of 78 to 90, 80 to 89, and 87 to 95 respectively for operational, environmental, and Eco-efficiency. Comparing the results of technical efficiency with environmental efficiency shows the lack of attention and skill of farmers in the correct and optimal use of production inputs. Therefore, it is necessary to hold educational and promotional classes to empower farmers to improve production methods and optimal consumption of inputs to improve farmers' income and increase their profits. Given that a substantial portion of energy consumption within the agricultural sector is attributed to fuels and diesel, optimizing energy usage and promoting the adoption of newer, less polluting energy sources emerge as crucial imperatives. Enhancing environmental efficiency in this context involves a strategic focus on reducing reliance on traditional, environmentally taxing energy forms in favor of more sustainable alternatives. Conclusion The average operating efficiency in all different probability levels for the studied products in Goutvand, Aghili, and Dimche areas, except for beans in the Gatund area, was estimated to be lower than the average environmental efficiency. This shows the lack of ability and skill of farmers to produce a certain product with the lowest amount of input, while the farmers of these areas pay great attention and care to environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the excessive and unreasonable use of chemicals, the occasional use of water, and the use of improper irrigation methods have created a worrying and unstable situation in developing countries' agricultural activities. In the present study, the robust multi-objective fractional linear programming model (RMOLFP) was introduced to determine the sustainable optimal cropping pattern. This model was presented in the Gotvand irrigation and drainage network located in Khuzestan province, southern Iran, under two scenarios with and without considering the uncertainty to evaluate the ability of the model. The results showed that in the first scenario, the consumption of critical disruptive inputs of sustainable agriculture such as fertilizers and chemical pesticides decreased by 5.9% and 8.19%, respectively. On the other hand, the model's uncertainty condition was applied in the second scenario in which the increase in gross margin was reduced. There is a trade-off between protecting the optimization model against system uncertainty and gross margin. Finally, the ability of the proposed model to apply uncertainty conditions was verified by the Monte Carlo simulation method. The results of this simulation confirmed the use of the RMOLFP method in determining the sustainable optimal cropping pattern for the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ramhormoz Plain and large portions of its northern piedmont are part of modern-day Khuzestan province. A season-long survey was conducted in this region in 2020. During this survey, cultural artifacts were identified and recorded at 36 sites from the Achaemenid period. This identification was based on the pottery seen on the surface. The identification of Achaemenid settlements in the Ramhormoz plain was made possible by taking into account the local pottery of Khuzistan reported from the Tappeh Darough. This study both describes the types of pottery from the Achaemenid period as well as introduces various settlements of this period. Two of the most diagnostic vessel forms of the Achaemenid period in the Ramhormoz collection are carinated bowls and jars with everted rims. Most of the pottery discovered is local, but the overall study of the Achaemenid pottery of the Ramhormoz Plain shows the limited influence of the pottery tradition of the Persians and of northwestern Iran. Pottery traditions of eastern Anatolia and southern Mesopotamia can only be identified to a limited extent in the Ramhormoz Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equine Herpesvirus type 1 is a DNA virus with worldwide distribution which can cause noticeable economic loss. Although this virus is moderately contagious, after shedding, latent infection in the host can be considered as a potential risk for the other horses in the herd. The most important clinical syndromes caused by this virus are respiratory involvment, abortion, myeloencephalopathy and neonatal disease. The current study, using a PCR test on 150 horses in five cities in Khuzestan province (Ahvaz, Shooshtar, Shoosh, Ramhormoz and Mahshahr), reported no positive case about the presence of a DNA virus in the blood of the studied horses. This finding has shown that the presence of this virus in the horses from this region, at the time of performing the test, is justifiable. The results of this study vis-à-vis those of other studies show that the presence of EHV-1 among horses in different studies is very dissimilar. Regardless of the difference between the actual infection rate in different regions and herds, the reason for this disparity is possibly related to the sample type, presence or absence of clinical signs (related to the virus) in the sampled horse, and the laboratory method used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are parasitic and bloodthirsty arthropods. Different species of ticks are important carriers of animal and human pathogens. Accurate identification and diagnosis as well as their continuous monitoring can be effective in reducing animal diseases, especially in the transmission of some protozoa. As an efficient tool in morphological studies and accurate identification of ticks electron microscopy is very useful. In the present study, using this tool, accurate identification of ticks collected from Khuzestan and Mazandaran regions in 4 consecutive seasons has been done. From a total of 6954 ticks collected from the body surface of cattle, sheep and goats in the two mentioned provinces, 13 species were detected. They include: Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus (boophilus) annulatus, Rhipicephalus bursa. Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, Hyalomma asiaticum asiaticum Hyalomma excavatum, Hyalomma marginatum, Dermacentor marginatus, Haemaphysalis parva, Haemaphysalis punctate, Haemaphysalis inermis and ixodes ricinus. Based on the results, Factors such as temperature and sampling season are directly related to the isolated ticks. The results of the present study showed that the frequency ratio of Rhipicephalus ticks in different seasons in Khuzestan and Mazandaran provinces has followed a relatively similar pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: In order to improve soil fertility, increase the capacity to hold water and nutrients in the soil, as well as improve the growth and yield of plants, the use of different organic fertilizers in the soil has great importance due to the problem of lack of organic matter in most soils of Iran. However, organic fertilizers alone are not able to meet the needs of plants and are not sufficiently available to farmers. On the other hand, the high consumption of chemical fertilizers causes environmental pollution and increases production costs. Therefore, in order to efficiently and effectively use organic and chemical fertilizers and achieve sustainable agriculture, combined use of organic and chemical fertilizers is recommended. Using the biological potential of the soil or beneficial microbial community, including bacteria and fungi, is considered as a promising solution in sustainable agriculture. Considering the effect of heat stress at the end of the season on the reduction of wheat production in Khuzestan, as well as the effect of reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and increasing the use of organic and biological fertilizers on the health of agricultural ecosystems, this experiment was designed and implemented with aim to investigate the effect of combined use of nitrogen chemical fertilizer with sugarcane residue compost and the application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in late season heat stress conditions on the growth and yield of wheat (cv. ‘Chmaran 2’). Materials and methods: The experiment was carried out in the form of split-split plots in the form of a basic design of randomized complete blocks with three replications in the crop year of 2021-2022 in the research farm of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan. The experimental factors include three planting dates on November 1, December 11 and December 31 in the main plots; Six levels of combined use of nitrogen chemical fertilizer (urea) with organic fertilizer, sugarcane residue compost, including control (without nitrogen and organic fertilizer), 100% nitrogen fertilizer, 75% nitrogen fertilizer+ 25% organic fertilizer, 50% nitrogen fertilizer+ 50% organic fertilizer, 25% nitrogen fertilizer+ 75% organic fertilizer and 100% organic fertilizer in sub-plots and two levels of application and non-application of biofertilizers in sub-plots. Each subplot was 3 meters long and 2 meters wide (with an area of 6 square meters) and included 10 crop lines at a distance of 20 cm from each other. The distance between the main and sub plots was half a meter and the distance between the blocks was considered to be two meters. After harvest maturity, the plants were harvested and grain yield and yield components were measured. Results: Analysis of variance showed that the effect of sowing date and the combined use of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer of sugarcane residue compost were significant on all measured traits. Also, the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria was significant on all the measured traits except harvest index. The mean comparisons showed that on the first planting date (December 1), the highest grain yield (5663 Kg ha-1 ) was in the combined use of 50% nitrogen+ 50% compost and the lowest amount (2821 Kg ha-1 ) was in the control. On the second planting date (December 20), the highest grain yield (4874 Kg ha-1 ) was in the combined use of 50% nitrogen+ 50% compost, and the lowest grain yield (2179 Kg ha-1 ) was in the condition of not using nitrogen fertilizer and compost. Also, on the third planting date (December 10), the highest grain yield (3622 Kg ha-1 ) was in the combined use of 50% nitrogen+ 50% compost and the lowest amount (1155 Kg ha-1 ) was in the control. In general, the delay in planting and the occurrence of heat stress at the end of the season caused a decrease in grain yield, but in different planting dates, the combined use of 50% nitrogen fertilizer+ 50% organic fertilizer compared to the treatment of 100% nitrogen chemical fertilizer, increased the yield by 9 to 18 percentage of wheat grain yield. Conclusion: According to the results, in areas with heat stress at the end of the season, it is possible to consider the combined use of 50% nitrogen chemical fertilizer+ 50% organic fertilizer of sugarcane residue compost and plant growth promoting bacteria to increase the growth and yield of wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are one of the most frequent and destructive natural events which lead to lots of human and financial losses with damage to the houses, farms, roads, and other buildings. Intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves are the main and practical tools that have been used for flood control studies, including the design of the water structures. In many cases, there is no measuring device at the desired place, or their information is not helpful if there is any available. In this case, it is not possible to extract these curves through conventional methods. Regionalizing the IDF curves is a method that has solved the issues mentioned in the common methods. In this research, the regionalized IDF curves are extracted in Khuzestan province, Iran using 21 rain gauge stations through L-moments and neural gas networks. Clustering is one of the most effective steps and a prerequisite for regional frequency analysis (RFA) that divides the region and existing stations into hydrologically homogenous regions. In this study, clustering is done using two new models named neural gas (NG) and growing neural gas (GNG) network. Comparing the regional IDF curves with at-site curves, it was found that neural gas network models had a more accurate performance and higher efficiency, so they had the lowest estimate error amount among other models. Also, due to the acceptable difference between regional and at-site curves, the efficiency of L-moments in RFA was evaluated as appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Faculty of Letters / Trakya Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Trakya University, Faculty of Letters and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Storia Urbana is the property of FrancoAngeli srl and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study for identification of internal and external origins of dust events in the southwest of Iran, for the first time, a comprehensive dust sampling was performed in nine regions of Khuzestan over the four seasons. The dust samples were analyzed using INAA nuclear technique. Factors obtained from applying the PMF Modeling indicated five kinds of pollutant sources which include 1) Sedimentary surface soil/dried bed of wetlands, 2) steel and metalworking industries, 3) refineries, 4) waste, and 5) solid fuel as well as oil fuel power plants. These identified sources were used as the tracers to identify the internal dust sources. Investigation of NASA AOT images and the synoptic data at the event dates showed that in the period of mid-autumn up to the early winter, dust events had external origins, that are mainly situated in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, while in the period of mid-summer to early autumn and mid-winter up to the early spring, the internal sources such as mud-salt zones or areas with fine sediments with evaporitic deposits and puffy grounds in the regions between Omidieh - Mahshahr, south, and southeast of Ahvaz, “Dasht-E-Azadegan,” and dried bed of Hoor-Al-Azim are more dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Malnutrition is one of the most important public health problems worldwide and has adverse effects on the physical as well as mental capacities of individuals, especially school-age children. This descriptive-analytical study aimed to investigate the nutritional status of primary-school students in urban and rural areas of Abadan. Methods: Multi-stage stratified-cluster and simple random sampling was performed on urban and rural primary school students in Abadan with the demographic information, height, and weight of 1133 students measured. Furthermore, the indices of short stature for age (stunting), low weight for age (underweight), and low weight for height (wasting) in children were calculated and compared with the National Center for Health Statistics standard. Results: The results revealed that the average age of malnourished children was 9.56 years and the average age of normal children was 8.97 years. The malnutrition prevalence among primary school children of Abadan was 8%, and there was a poor correlation between factors such as sex (P = 0/8), place of residence (P = 0/4), plus school place (P = 0/9), and malnutrition, while there was a positive relationship between with the parents' level of education and malnutrition (P = 0/02). Thus, the most influential factor seems to be the parents' level of education and awareness. Conclusion: Steps can be taken to promote the social and cultural level of families and prevent malnutrition as well as improve the nutritional status of society through collaboration among various institutions, holding educational classes with the presence of education departments, and encouraging families. The household economic status is also one of the important factors in the implementation of these educational classes that must be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the nineteenth century, Qajar Iran was beset by both internal and external threats to its cohesion. In considering Qajar responses to this condition of threat, scholars have largely emphasized the rise of nationalism and a traumatic encounter with Europe. In this article, instead, I use the two Khuzestan travel narratives of royal engineer Najm al-Molk to draw out an alternative thread of reform discourse based on comparisons and connections with the Ottoman Empire. In his safarnamehs, Najm al-Molk joined the style and preoccupations of modern engineering to existing Persianate discourses on rule to elaborate the concept of abadi, a social, political, and material condition encompassing land, people, and state. His advocacy for making Khuzestan abadan was aimed at integrating the region more fully into the Qajar domains. In thinking about what constituted abadi and why it was missing in Khuzestan, the engineer's major reference point was Ottoman Basra. Traveling around the Basra-Khuzestan borderlands helped Najm al-Molk frame the Ottoman Empire as an example for the Qajar future and a factor in producing the Qajar present. The article both analyzes and follows Najm al-Molk's use of comparison in order to draw out a broader imperial comparison between late imperial rule in the Ottoman and Qajar lands. I argue that taking seriously Najm al-Molk's view that the Qajars and Ottomans were comparable can help us use their peripheries to understand late Qajar history outside the national frame of "Iran." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land cover change has become one of the main challenges as a result of synergistic interaction between negative effects of climate change and human activities. In this study, land cover changes in the Hendijan Basin with a focus on the impact on dust sources located in Khuzestan province were investigated. Areas of forests, rangelands, woodlands, water, agricultural lands, residential and barren lands were extracted during 30 years at 1987 and 2017 using Landsat image processing. Dust sources located in Khuzestan have been monitored from past to present and their land cover changes have been evaluated. The results showed that the trend of land cover changes inside and outside Khuzestan province is different from each other. In fact, the highest rate of change compared to beginning of study was occurred in mountainous part of the Hindijan Basin due to increasing areas of dam lakes (9.7 times) and in the downstream plains due to the expansion of residential lands and also increasing cultivated area (8 and 4.9 times). Also, 936.31 square kilometers, has been added to barren lands, at the same time, the area of rangelands and forests has decreased 367.60 and 2633.40 square kilometers, respectively. Detection of changes in Khuzestan dust sources showed that the east and southeast area of Ahvaz, which was covered with vegetation and water (seasonal floods and flood plains) in winter of 1366, has become barren land in 1396. Monitoring land cover changes and reporting results to decision makers enables more informed decisions regarding future changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equine Herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) is one of the most important world-wide distributions of equine herpes viruses. This virus mainly causes respiratory diseases in this animal. The present study attempted to determine the existence of this virus among the horse population of Khuzestan province. One hundred fifty-one horses kept in a number of clubs in different cities of the province were sampled and they were tested by applying PCR. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 to administer the Chi-square test, logistic regression, Mann-Whitney test and Fisher's Exact test and the degree of freedom was set on α = 0.05. The results of the study showed that the overall rate of infection with EHV-4 in horses was 16/56% disregarding the host and environmental factors. The results also indicated that age, gender, pregnancy status, history of respiratory diseases, and the history of displacement between the cities of Khuzestan province and the exit from the province did not have a significant effect on the amount of infection (P>0.05). At the same time, the rate of infection of horses in Ahvaz was higher than that of other cities (Shooshtar, Shoosh, Ramhormoz and Mahshahr), but this difference turned out to be significant only in relation to Ramhormoz (lowest infection rate) (P<0.05). The results of the study showed that although the positive cases reported in this study were far lower compared to the previous studies using the ELISA method, the existence of the virus in the horses of the province remained significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report for the first time the long-tailed nesokia rat, Nesokia bunnii, in Iran. A single female of this rodent killed by a stray dog in the Hoveyzeh marshes was identified as Nesokia bunnii according to its external and craniodental characteristics. With its four pairs of nipples, the collected specimen did not deviate from the condition is seen in Nesokia indica and the genus Bandicota. Here, we provide the first observations on the natural history of this elusive animal. Examination of the stomach contents of the specimen retrieved green plant material. The animal was killed in a marshy site with small pools scattered all around. The entrance to a burrow which was found on the spot was sheltered by dense reed Phragmites australis. We could not confirm an earlier report that N. bunnii constructs floating nests. This record extends the known distribution range of N. bunnii eastwards into the Khuzestan Province, Southwest of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to find the best methods of using remote sensing and supervised classification algorithms in long-term salinity monitoring of salinity changes in the Atabieh area with an area of 5000 hectares in the west of Khuzestan province. The procedure is based on the separation of different levels of saline soils utilizing information obtained from Landsat 7 and 8 satellite images (2001 to 2015) along with salinity data taken from the study area, and salinity indices including SI1, SI2, SI3, NDSI, IPVI, and VSSI. The results show the expansion of the saline zone trend in the soils of the study area, among which, soils with EC of more than 16 dS m-1 (very saline) have the highest frequency. The area of saline soils has increased significantly over the past 15 years, with a saline land area increasing by more than 90%. The percentage of salinity class is low (S1). According to this study, the only significant index in soil salinity at a 95% confidence level is the SI3 index, which has been able to have a good estimate of the increasing changes in soils in the region. The results of the supervised classification showed that the support vector machine (with an overall accuracy of 95.78 and a kappa coefficient of 0.89) is more accurate. After the vector machine method, the methods of minimum distance, maximum likelihood, and distance of Mahalanobis have the highest accuracy, respectively. Based on salinity maps obtained in years in 2001, 2005, 2010, and 2015, it can be said that the salinity rate in the whole of the study area was progressing and at the same time the salinity area in the middle and high classes increased decreased and on the other hand, the salinity area in the high class in 2001 gradually increased and distributed in 2015 throughout the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triticale is a commercial cereal with a vast potential to feed human and animal. This plant can be cultivated in poor soils that are not suitable for wheat production. In irrigation cutoff stress conditions, reduces growth and yield and yield components of triticale. One of the most important ways to reduce the negative effect of drought stress on plant is using compost fertilizer in the soil. Using compost fertilizer in agricultural soils lead to increase nutrient elements and conserving the soil water. Generally, compost fertilizer of sugarcane residues, improves moisture storage and physical and chemical conditions of the soil. So that sugarcane residue compost fertilizer contributes to preserving the moisture storage of the soil and to supply the nutrients required by the plant. In this study, the most important aim is to study the effect of sugarcane residue compost fertilizer on triticale yield and yield components under irrigation cutoff stress condition in Mollasani region, Ahwaz, Kuzestan province. Materials and Methods In order to investigate the effect of sugarcane residue compost fertilizer on growth, yield and yield components of triticale under drought stress conditions, a field experiment using a splitplot arrangement accomplished in a randomized complete block design with four replicates in the research farm of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan (in 31٥ N, 48٥ E, 35 Km north-east of Ahwaz, and 20 m above the sea level) during 2018-2019 growing season. Experimental factors include four levels of drought stress (complete irrigation, irrigation cutoff from spike emergence to physiological maturity, irrigation cutoff from pollination stage to physiological maturity and irrigation cutoff from milky-dough stage to physiological maturity) as a main factor in main plots and five amounts of sugarcane residues compost (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t ha) as a sub factor in sub-plots. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance showed that the effect of drought stress, sugarcane residue compost and their interaction on the measured traits were significant. Mean comparison showed that the maximum amount of triticale traits was obtained in full irrigation and the lowest amount was observed in drought stress from spike emergence to physiological maturity. Also, with increasing the amount of sugarcane residue compost, the amount of traits increased and reached a maximum at the level of 40 t ha Mean comparison of grain yield under the interaction of drought stress and sugarcane residue compost showed that the highest grain yield (4288 kg ha) was under full irrigation and 40 t.ha٠i of sugarcane residue compost and the lowest grain yield (1134 kg ha) was obtained in drought stress from spike emergence to physiological maturity and non-use of sugarcane residue compost. In the conditions of drought stress caused by the interruption of irrigation, the vegetative and reproductive growth of the plant is reduced, which causes a decrease in yield components and ultimately leads to a decrease in seed yield. On the other hand, the use of compost fertilizer reduces the effect of stress by preserving water and providing nutrients needed for plant growth and leads to an increase in seed yield. Conclusion Generally, the results showed that drought stress conditions decreased growth, grain yield and yield components of triticale but using sugarcane residues compost fertilizer decreased the negative impact of drought stress conditions on measured traits. Also, in areas with irrigation shortage or lack of rainfall at the beginning of flowering stage, 40 tons per hectare of sugarcane residues compost fertilizer is recommended for maintaining grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses a plausible correlation between a dust intrusion episode and a daily increase in COVID-19 cases. A surge in COVID-19 cases was observed a few days after a Middle East Dust (MED) event that peaked on 25th April 2020 in southwest Iran. To investigate potential causal factors for the spike in number of cases, cross-correlations between daily combined aerosol optical depths (AODs) and confirmed cases were computed for Khuzestan, Iran. Additionally, atmospheric stability data time series were assessed by covering before, during, and after dust intrusion, producing four statistically clustered distinct city groups. Groups 1 and 2 had different peak lag times of 10 and 4-5 days, respectively. Since there were statistically significant associations between AOD levels and confirmed cases in both groups, dust incursion may have increased population susceptibility to COVID-19 disease. Group 3 was utilized as a control group with neither a significant level of dust incursion during the episodic period nor any significant associations. Group 4 cities, which experienced high dust incursion levels, showed no significant correlation with confirmed case count increases. Random Forest Analysis assessed the influence of wind speed and AOD, showing relative importance of 0.31 and 0.23 on the daily increase percent of confirmed cases, respectively. This study may serve as a reference for better understanding and predicting factors affecting COVID-19 transmission and diffusion routes, focusing on the role of MED intrusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Crop Production & Processing is the property of Isfahan University of Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, using suitable probiotic bacteria is one of the big concerns in aquaculture industry. For each species presence of lactic acid bacteria in the gut of that species, makes them a suitable probiotic candidate as food additive. In this study, lactic acid bacteria of intestine of common carp from captured fish ponds of Khuzestan province were examined. For this purpose 30 fish from several ponds were sampled. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated using specific culture media and identified by biochemical and molecular tests. Definite identification was performed by the PCR method and sequencing. The isolated probiotic bacteria identified as Enterococcus gallinarum, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Lactococcus lactis, and Staphylococcus hominis. The bacteria isolated in this study were able to grow in the temperature range of 25-45 ° C, pH renge of 3 to 9, media salinity containing 1-4% NaCl, and most of them in different bile doses of 7.5-2.5%. Assessing the antagonistic activity of these isolates showed that they have a relative ability when compared with a model bacteria (Aeromonas hydrophila). However, the results showed that the isolated bacteria were sensitive to the commonly used antibiotics in aquatic animals. The bacteria were appeared genetically similar to the bacteria that isolated from commercial products and aquatic organisms of Indonesia, China, Japan, The United States and India. This study is the first report of isolation and identification of Enterococcus spp with probiotic capabilities in common carp in Iran as Iranian strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to evaluate and present a model of competitiveness o f agricultural products and rank the select cities and products based on the competitiveness advantages in Khuzestan. The study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive correlation in terms of nature. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview whose reliability was confirmed using the test-retest method. Besides content validity, convergent validity and factor validity were used in the study, where the results confirmed the validity. The population was 15 managers and employees of agricultural departments and managements in Khuzestan selected using the purposive (judgmental) sampling method. The theme method was used to answer the question and analyze the collected results. According to the results, economic factors, cultural, infrastructure, institutional and political factors, rainfall and geographical factors of agriculture, threatening new the new competitors, bargaining power of suppliers, competition between current competitors, and bargaining power of buyers were identified as the aspects of the evaluation model of the competitiveness of agricultural products. The findings indicate that the most competitive cities in terms of the products are Dezful, Shoush, Andimesh, Ahwaz, Shoushtar, Behbahan, and Ramhormoz, respectively. One of the important advantages of the current study is the identification, omission, or replacement of plants with a lower competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In areas with relatively warm and dry climates, dust and sandstorms are important problems influencing the health of people and daily activities. In this study, biological stabilization is investigated as a method to prevent erosion of fine soil particles by the wind as a fine dust that is widely distributed in the atmosphere. For this purpose, 3 volumes of bacterial and cementation solutions, 10, 15, and 20 ml, were sprayed on the surface of soil samples. Treated samples were cured for 1, 4, 7, 14, and 28 days in the laboratory. In this study, Sporosarcina pasteurii bacteria formerly known as Bacillus pasteurii was used as the bio-agent. A wind tunnel was then used as apparatus to measure the resistance of the stabilized samples compared to untreated soil. Results showed an increase from roughly 350% on the first day to 2400% on the 28th day, in resistance against wind erosion for the stabilized samples compared to untreated samples, and therefore, biological stabilization is an appropriate alternative to improve soil resistance against wind erosion and reduce dust. The soil used in this study was sampled from Khuzestan province, which is the most important province involved in the issue of fine dust in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anatolian Research / Anadolu Araştırmaları is the property of Anatolian Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Iranian Journal of Health & Environment is the property of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Objective: Considering the fact that Iran is located in semiarid climate and the harmful effects of dust storms on different ecosystems, this study aimed to identify and locate dust storms using fungal bio-aerosols (spores) and HYSPLIT model in southwestern region of Iran. Materials and Methods: MODIS satellite images and HYSPLIT model were used to investigate the temporal changes of dust masses entering the Khuzestan province. Sampling was carried out from dust storms in Abadan and Khorramshahr cities and from the soil of the dried parts of Hur al-Azim and Shadegan wetlands in a two-month period (from May to July 2019). Results: The results of numerical modeling show that Abadan and Khorramshahr cities were affected by dust storms of internal origin (from Hur-al-Azim wetland). After isolation of bioaerosols from air and soil samples, a total of 6 fungal genera were identified in soil samples and 6 genera in dust samples of internal origin by PCR-Sequencing method. Talaromyces, Alternaria, Penicillium and Aspergillus were identified as the predominant genera fungi in soil and air samples. Conclusion: With 70% similarity of fungi found in soil and air samples, it can be concluded that the main source of fungi in Abadan and Khorramshahr is Hur al-Azim wetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Beta-thalassemia are among the most common autosomal recessive genetic disorders in Iran, especially in Khuzestan province. Beta-thalassemia exhibits significant phenotype heterogeneity and there are currently more than 200 known mutations in this region. Oxidative stress exacerbates multiple disorders, including thalassemia, an inherited hemolytic anemia caused by globin gene mutations. We aim to characterize significant mutations of widespread β-thalassemia in south-western Iran with respect to biochemical parameters, oxidative status and complications of diseases. Material & method: Forty-five patients, aged between 15-35 years with β-thalassemia major were selected. The patients were receiving regular blood transfusion and chelation therapy and have been previously characterized to bear beta globin gene mutations. The subjects’ medical histories were documented by review of previous medical records. We also determined biochemical parameters including glycemic and iron indices, hepatic and renal function tests, oxidative stress markers and levels of advanced glycation end product species (Carboxy methyl lysine and Pentosidin). Results: The most common mutation was found to be CD36/37(28.9%) followed by IVSII-1, and IVSI-110. Values of iron indices were significantly different in various mutation groups. Carboxy methyl lysine and pentosidine were found to be higher in the β-thalassemia patients with IVSII-1 and IVSI-110, respectively. Also sLOX-1 was found to be significantly higher in IVSI-110 group. Complications of the disease were differently presented in mutation groups and hemochromatosis, hepatomegaly, and diabetes were among the most common problems. Conclusion: About 72 % of β-thalassemia major cases in southwest Iran result form 3 common mutations with different clinical and laboratory presentations. Molecular genetic testing can be helpful to evaluate the patients’ situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the past years, Khuzestan province which is located in the southwest of Iran has experienced severe droughts. Drought can be explained by its characteristics known as duration or severity. However, combination of the two features by probabilistic approach is appeared to be a well improved method to describe the phenomena. The aim of this study is to provide a more accurate statistical method of determining drought based on simultaneous analysis of two drought characteristics. Here, precipitation data from twenty stations were used to determine drought characteristics, by Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). Joint probability function of two variables were built via copula functions. The drought return period was calculated in the form of two scenarios. The first scenario is, based on an assumption that drought is recognized by at least one of the two specific characteristics. Drought in the second scenario is distinguished by the two characteristics in a joint probabilistic form. According to research results, there was no significant difference between the north and south of Khuzestan in the study of single characteristics of drought. While analyzing two characteristics of the drought, the return period in the north was shorter than the south. The return period of droughts in the east was always shorter than in the west. The drought return period varies from 30 to 52 months and 50 to 87 months for the first and second scenarios, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective disputes in the community are one of the issues that could jeopardize peace and security and as a result, the quality of life of people. In this study, the main purpose of researchers was to study the origins of the conflict. The rural village under study was Emamzadeh Abdullah (AS) in the central part of Hendinjan City, Khuzestan. Researchers used data collection techniques such as interviews and observations. Data analysis was performed using the thematic analysis technique. Using snowball sampling, 10 people have been identified and studied. The author also conducted two group interviews with a 6-member group and a 3-member group. Results were collected in three economic, social and cultural aspects. The roots of the conflict in different sections were: the economic section (limited resources, property rights), cultural section (ignoring convention, ethnicity), and social section, which were iden- tified as additional factors aggravating the conflict including weakness of social capital outside group, stimulation of the youth by the elders, and social unawareness. The findings also showed that the consequences of conflict in this study include: the reduction of social cohesion, social breakdown, damage to life and property, lack of tendency to investment, growth malice, increase in court cases, and lack of progress in the village. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of the oil industry's labor movement during the 1940s has often focused on the Tudeh's ability to act overtly and rally the masses of workers. Thus, more often than not, the importance of union underground activity and the role played by the masses of ordinary oil workers during times of political and military repression, is overlooked. This article examines how the particular setting of the oil town of Abadan influenced motivations of oil workers and the dynamics between them and the Tudeh. As the article aims to show, these elements were an essential part in the ability of the labor movement in Abadan to remain viable and reemerge in force in the early 1950s as part of the oil nationalization movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]