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Abstract Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) accounts as a crucial health concern with a huge burden on health and economic systems. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of soy isoflavones supplementation on metabolic status in patients with NAFLD. Methods In this randomized clinical trial, 50 patients with NAFLD were randomly allocated to either soy isoflavone or placebo groups for 12 weeks. The soy isoflavone group took 100 mg/d soy isoflavone and the placebo group took the similar tablets containing starch. Anthropometric indices, blood lipids, glycemic parameters and blood pressure were measured at the beginning and at the end of the study. Results At the end of week 12 the level of serum triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol (TC) was significantly decreased only in soy isoflavone group compared to baseline (P 0.05). Conclusions This study revealed that soy isoflavones could significantly reduce TG, LDL TC, WC and HC in NAFLD patients. Trial registration The Ethics committee of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences approved the protocol of the present clinical research (IR.AJUMS.REC.1401.155). The study was in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. This study’s registered number and date are IRCT20220801055597N1 and 20.09.2022, respectively at https://fa.irct.ir .

Abstract A two-arm randomized open labeled controlled clinical trial was conducted on 50 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Subjects were randomized to either receive two tablets of soy isoflavone (100 mg/day) or placebo. At week 12, the serum levels of alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) score were significantly decreased only in the soy isoflavone group (P

Introduction and Objective The participation of villagers in watershed management activities has been paid attention to by the country's planners. Surveys have shown that the amount of people's participation was not as expected. This research is aimed at identifying the socio-economic characteristics of local communities, identifying indicators that are effective in reducing barriers and increasing public participation in the implementation of natural resources and watershed projects, understanding the expectations and needs of the local community, and finally providing scientific and technical solutions with the aim Increasing the amount of public participation was done in Asman Abad area of Cherdavel city.Materials and MethodsIn this research, the indicators influencing the non-participation of villagers in watershed management activities were determined and categorized based on four economic, social, design-executive and educational-promotional indicators and with 12 sub-indices. The necessary information in this research was collected in the form of a survey and using questionnaires, interviews and numerous meetings with community members and local experts. To determine the sample size from Cochran's correlation, SPSS software was used for data analysis and Cronbach's alpha was used to check the validity of the questionnaire. Results and Discussion The results obtained from this research showed that in the Asman-Abad watershed, economic, design and implementation indicators played a greater role in people's non-participation than educational-promotional and social indicators. From the perspective of experts, the sub-index of ignoring people's income as a direct economic incentive and not paying attention to non-governmental organizations were the most and least important in people's non-participation, respectively, with an average rating of 9.35 and 3.69. From the point of view of the local communities, the sub-indices of ignoring the people's income as a direct economic incentive and not trusting the results and effectiveness of the projects are the most and the least important, respectively, with an average rating of 8.16 and 5.23 in the non-participation of the people. they had. The general result of the survey of local communities indicated that the factors of implementing multi-purpose projects and considering the interests of watershed residents can be the basis for trust and attracting active participation of people in watershed management projects.Conclusion and SuggestionsIn Asman Abad watershed, the prioritization of indicators affecting people's non-participation in watershed projects showed that economic and design-executive indicators played a greater role compared to educational-promotional and social indicators. Also, the results of the weights obtained from the Friedman test for ranking the sub-indices affecting people's non-participation showed that two sub-indices - ignoring the people's income as a direct economic incentive and not paying attention to the opinions and suggestions of the watershed residents in the different stages of needs assessment, design and the implementation of watershed projects, from the point of view of both groups, were in the first four priorities and were relatively more important in the non-participation of rural communities. Therefore, according to the findings of the research in order to create or improve people's participation in watershed management projects in the studied area, it is suggested that before the implementation of natural resources and watershed management projects, in relation to the existing problems, the conditions of the region and even the necessity of implementing the project Collect the points of view of the local community. Attracting the opinion of the residents of the watershed with the aim of cooperation in the implementation, protection, restoration and maintenance of projects, balanced and equal use of natural resources by the beneficiaries, appropriate use of the economic, social and technical abilities and capacities of the residents and the local community in creating and strengthening the participation of the local community is very effective Is.

Abstract Background Liver cirrhosis is a worldwide burden and is associated with poor clinical outcomes, including increased mortality. The beneficial effects of dietary modifications in reducing morbidity and mortality are inevitable. Aim The current study aimed to evaluate the potential association of dietary protein intake with the cirrhosis-related mortality. Methods In this cohort study, 121 ambulatory cirrhotic patients with at least 6 months of cirrhosis diagnosis were followed-up for 48 months. A 168-item validated food frequency questionnaire was used for dietary intake assessment. Total dietary protein was classified as dairy, vegetable and animal protein. We estimated crude and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), applying Cox proportional hazard analyses. Results After full adjustment for confounders, analyses showed that total (HR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.2–1.1, p trend = 0.045) and dairy (HR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.13–1.1, p trend = 0.046) protein intake was associated with a 62% lower risk of cirrhosis-related mortality. While a higher intake of animal protein was associated with a 3.8-fold increase in the risk of mortality in patients (HR = 3.8, 95% CI = 1.7–8.2, p trend = 0.035). Higher intake of vegetable protein was inversely but not significantly associated with mortality risk. Conclusion A comprehensive evaluation of the associations of dietary protein intake with cirrhosis-related mortality indicated that a higher intakes of total and dairy protein and a lower intakes of animal protein are associated with a reduced risk of mortality in cirrhotic patients.

Abstract Background Gallstone disease (GSD) and its complications are major public health issues globally. Although many community-based studies had addressed the risk factors for GSD, little is known about the associations between dietary factors and risk of disease. The present study aimed to investigate the potential associations between dietary fibers with the risk of gallstone disease. Methods In this case–control study, 189 GSD patients with less than one month of diagnosis and 342 age‑matched controls were enrolled. Dietary intakes were assessed using a 168-item semi-quantitative validated food frequency questionnaire. Crude and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through cox proportional hazards regression models. Results Comparing the highest versus the lowest tertile, significant reverse associations were observed between odds of GSD and each category of dietary fiber intake including total (OR T3 vs. T1 = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.37–0.7, P for trend = 0.015), soluble (OR T3 vs. T1 = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.3–0.8, P for trend = 0.048) and insoluble (OR T3 vs. T1 = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.3–0.9, P for trend

Introduction and Objective One of the important natural hazards is land subsidence. This phenomenon has also been observed in Iran due to the indiscriminate extraction of underground water resources, and unfortunately, more areas are exposed to it. The DPSIR tool or Driving Force, Pressure, State, Impact, Response framework is a tool that describes environmental problems through cause and effect relationships between human activities and the environment. This framework provides a background to combine different types of indicators and considers not only the environmental effects but also the economic and social effects resulting from changes in the status of ecosystems. The purpose of this research is to present the cause and effect relationships for the most important issues and problems of the risk of land subsidence in one of the important and critical plains of Fars province (Seydan-Farooq) and the most appropriate management responses using the DPSIR tool. and provide non-management to improve the current situation.Materials and Methods First, the problems of Seydan-Farooq Plain were determined based on library studies, asking experts and referring to the region, and based on this, possible strategies were determined. Then, the DPSIR tool was used to identify the cause and effect relationship analysis between the factors that determine the characteristics affecting land subsidence in the plain, and the DPSIR table was prepared for the risk of land subsidence in this plain. In order to prioritize and determine the importance of the problems, pressures and management strategies of the plain, a Likert scale questionnaire was used as a measurement tool and 40 experts were surveyed. Friedman's test was used to rank the items and Cronbach's alpha method was used to check the reliability of the questionnaire using SPSS version 22 software. Then Friedman's test was used for two-way analysis of variance by ranking and also comparing the average ranking of different groups using SPSS software.Results and Discussion The ranking of the items of the driving force component in Seydan-Farooq plain of Fars province showed that the range of the average values of the ratings varies from 1.86 to 4.45. The ranking of the items shows a significant difference in the items of the driving force component, so that the item "Population" with an average rating of 4.45 and also the item "Development of Industries" with an average rating of 1/86, it has been ranked first and fifth respectively. Therefore, in the "driving force" component, according to the factors: population, agricultural development, garden development, climate change and industrial development, the highest priority in intensifying the risk of land subsidence in this plain. assigned Regarding the ranking of the pressure component items, the range of the difference in the average values of the ratings in the pressure component varies from 1.25 to 5.40. The ranking of the items showed a significant difference in the items of the pressure component, so that the item "withdrawal from the underground water table in the agricultural sector" with an average rating of 5.40 and also the item "withdrawal from "Underground water table in the domestic sector" with an average rating of 1.25 has been ranked first and sixth respectively. Therefore, in the "pressure" component, according to the factors: withdrawal from the underground water table in the agricultural sector, failure to comply with the environmental rights of the aquifer, decrease in rainfall, withdrawal from the underground water table in the garden sector, From the underground water table in the industrial sector and the withdrawal from the underground water table in the domestic sector, they have assigned the highest priority in intensifying the risk of land subsidence in this plain. The average values of the ranks in the response component vary from 2.35 to 5.75. The ranking in the items of the response component also shows a significant difference, so that the item "increasing irrigation efficiency" with an average rating of 5.75 and also the item "nutrition" Point of water in the plain" with an average rating of 2.35 has taken the first and sixth place, respectively. Therefore, in the "response" component, in the order of the factors: increasing irrigation efficiency, changing the cultivation pattern, controlling the harvesting of authorized wells, aquifer operations, blocking unauthorized wells, cultural measures and spot nutrition. Water in the plain has the highest priority in reducing the risk of land subsidence in this plain.Conclusion and Suggestions Five driving forces (D) have caused six pressures (P) on the water resources of this plain, the most important of which are "withdrawal from the underground water table in the agricultural sector" and "not respecting the environmental rights of the aquifer". are The pressures, in turn, have created a disordered (S) situation (dropping of the water table) in this plain. This situation has two adverse effects (I) "land destruction" and "aquifer destruction". In order to improve the situation, seven management responses (R) were presented, the most important of which are "increasing irrigation efficiency" and "changing the cultivation pattern". In the current situation, it is not possible to stop the pressures; However, their adjustment and modification should be specially considered by planners and managers. It is worth mentioning that if these cases are not corrected, there will still be pressures (P) and will lead to more critical conditions than the existing situation (S) and finally, its effect (I), destruction of lands, aquifers. and the destruction of water and soil resources of this plain will be more. Due to the fact that the executive structure of the country's natural resources management is more in line with the components of pressure (P) and situation (S); It is suggested to develop suitable, practical and operational answers (R). It is also necessary to pay serious attention to the preventive approach in reducing the risk of land subsidence; Because, unfortunately, this matter has not been paid attention to in the country. Therefore, it is suggested to consider and implement a preventive approach that both understands the driving forces (D) and prevents the implementation of policies that cause pressure.

People's Participation (PP) in watershed management and development projects in the Iran, in addition to reducing implementation costs, can lead to the success and more effective implementation of projects. Several factors can cause People's Non-Participation (PNP) in Watershed Management Projects (WMPs), and the purpose of this research is to identify, classify and prioritize these factors in the Siyahposh basin in Ardabil province from the point of view of watershed residents and experts. After determining the sample size and completing the questionnaires, by applying the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) model and the Friedman test, the main component and sub-component affecting the non-sustainable participation of the people in the WMPs of the Siyahposh basin were prioritized. The results showed that from the point of view of experts, economic, legal and educational and extension components have a greater role in PNP than social and planning and implementation components. From the people's point of view, economic and educational-promotional components are the first and second priorities in the Siyahposh basin. From the point of view of experts, the sub-component of "ignoring people's income as a direct economic incentive (X1)" and "non-continuity of WMPs in the basin (X13)" have the maximum and minimum importance, respectively. From the point of view of local communities, the sub-component of "ignoring people's income as a direct economic incentive (X1)" and "low level of literacy and awareness (X4)" have the highest and lowest levels of importance in PNP, respectively. Two sub-components "ignoring people's income as a direct economic incentive (X1)" and "defects in the laws of natural resources exploitation by people (X16)" are placed in the first six priorities from the point of view of both groups. Considering the interests of the watershed residents, decentralizing the decision-making power, increasing the Non-Governmental Organizations and training the users, and changing the rules for the exploitation of natural resources and the rules for the allocation of water rights can create the basis for trust and attracting the active participation of people in projects.

This study examined the attitude of watershed stakeholders to watershed management plans in the Rimleh watershed from the perspective of residents. Rimleh is one of the watersheds of the Kashkan river basin. All heads of rural households in the basin were selected as the statistical population. Practical indicators for measuring the attitude of users towards watershed management measures were prepared from related scientific articles and books. The validity and reliability of the questionnaires were tested (Cronbach's alpha = 0.827). On the basis of the Cochran formula, 135 respondents were chosen in a stratified sampling scheme among the local communities of the watershed. The effects of watershed management measures on economic and social criteria were classified and evaluated using the Friedman test. Among the indicators of improving the economic income level of watershed residents, the index of converting low-yielding meadows into sloping land gardens (rank 16.44) had the highest score. Also, among the indicators of improving the level of knowledge and awareness and economic power of watershed households, the index of proper use of the capacity of other institutions had the highest score (7.9 mean rank). The results of this research can be used by managers and decision-makers to promote soil and water resources protection as well as to promote the adoption of management actions at the watershed scale.

Landslide is one of the most destructive types of erosion on slopes, which causes a lot of financial and human losses. Identifying the effective factors in landslide occurrence and preparing a landslide hazard zonation map is one of the basic tools to manage and reduce potential damage. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of fuzzy gamma operators and landslide hazard zonation in the Qezelozan watershed of Qazvin province. The landslide inventory map and also 11 effective factors including slope, slope direction, altitude, land use, lithology, distance to road, distance to stream, distance to fault, earthquake acceleration, precipitation, and maximum daily precipitation were first prepared. Then, the values of frequency ratio and fuzzy membership were calculated for each class of effective factors. In the next step, the landslide susceptibility maps were produced using fuzzy gamma operators. A total of 17 landslides were identified, 70% (11 landslides with an area of 153 hectares) of which were used to model and 30% (6 landslides with an area of 60 hectares) of which were used to evaluate the results of the models. The evaluation process using Density Ratio and Sum of Quality indices showed that the gamma of 0.96 has higher accuracy than other gamma values in the study area. The landslide hazard zoning map of the superior model will be useful in land use planning and reducing the landslide risk of the region.

Understanding the barriers in achieving people¢s persistent participation, resolving problems and participating in watershed management plans have an important role to play in increasing the effectiveness of the watershed management plans and reducing the related costs. Arad district is located in Ray County, the Province of Tehran, and is one of such areas where has been implemented the operational proposals from detailed studies of watershed management implemented. Several factors may contribute to a lack of people¢s participation in watershed management plans. These factors were identified by experts based on desk studies, queries from experts, as well as face-to-face interviews with residents of the area as four indicators and 11 sub-indicators, whereby their validity were confirmed by experts. These indicators were prioritized based on the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process method as well as the Friedman nonparametric test based on the expert group (28 experts) and the residents based on the sample size derived from Cochrane's formula (220 locals). The two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was also used to examine the agreement of the two views on the importance of the items. The range of consistency ratio of judgments and Cronbach's alpha varied from 0.035 to 0.079 and 0.710 to 0.815, respectively. Accordingly, the priority of effective indicators and sub-indicators on a lack of people participation from the viewpoint of expert and residents from the importance of high to low were determined and an agreement of the views was established. It is suggested that the solutions to remove the barriers of participation, be considered in the future detailed studies of watershed management in the study area based on the priorities presented in this investigation.

Abstract Background Obesity is considered a major health concern and mounting evidence suggests that the exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors, including Bisphenol-A (BPA), may enhance the risk to develop the disease. Moreover, growing documents propose that the vitamin D may contribute to adipogenic signaling and lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation. We focused on the molecular mechanism of vitamin D and BPA in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) which vitamin D and BPA may influence adipose tissue development and function. Methods Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were cultured for 14 days in lipogenic differentiation media containing continuous concentrations of vitamin D plus BPA (0.1 nM or 10 nM). The expression of adipogenic markers including the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBP α) CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBP β), fatty acid synthase (FASN), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP1c), insulin-induced gene-2 (INSIG2), vitamin D receptor (VDR), estrogen receptor-beta (ER-β), fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4), and glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) was measured using Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lipid accumulation was visualized with staining with Oil Red O. Results In the morphological assessment of mesenchymal stem cells treated with a concentration of 10 nM vitamin D plus BPA, more lipid accumulations were observed in comparison with the group with 0.1 nM concentration. Treatment of hADMSCs with vitamin D plus BPA (0.1 nM) significantly inhibited the induction of PPARγ, C/EBP β, C/EBP α, and FASN related to adipocyte differentiation and development. However, the exposure of cells to the concentration of 10 nM vitamin D plus BPA induced the expression of these genes associated to the adipogenesis. The remarkable increase in the level of SREBP1c was associated to the suppression of INSIG2 in treated preadipocytes with 10 nM vitamin D plus BPA. Our findings showed that the expression of VDR, ERβ, GLUT4, and FABP4 were upregulated through differentiation with the highest concentrations in 0.1 nM vitamin D plus BPA group for VDR, ERβ, and GLUT4. Conclusions Vitamin D plus BPA at concentration of 10 nM boosted the adipogenesis during the critical stages of adipocytes development, whereas it seems to inhibit this process at concentration of 0.1 nM.

Recognizing watershed problems and investigating the causes which arose them is the most fundamental step in watershed management plans, which results in identifying key management responses in each watershed. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly analyze the problems and determine management strategies before developing operational plans to solve them. The aim of this study was to analyze the environmental problems of the Gorganrood Basin to determine the main managerial responses. Identifying and analyzing the main environmental problems resulted in developing management responses for the region. To prioritize different components of the DPSIR, a Likert questionnaire filled with expert opinions and the Friedman test were used. The results indicated that four driving forces, namely climate change, population growth, management structure, and rules have caused 25 pressures on the Gorganrood Basin resources. The most important pressures were part-thinking organizations, incorrect agricultural expansion and excessive exploitation of water resources. These pressures, in turn, have caused 10 disturbed states, the most important of which are water resources depletion, flooding and soil erosion. These situations have 13 adverse impacts, the most important of which are flood damages, reduced downstream water rights and reduced public confidence in the government agencies. To improve the situation, 28 management responses were presented, of which the most important are integrated watershed management, land use planning and proper organizational structure. The overall result is that cause and effect analysis using the DPSIR framework provides an appropriate conceptual infrastructure, which is a prerequisite for developing the Basin's operational management plan. Therefore, it is suggested that executive organizations identify suitable responses by using this approach before developing operational plans for each watershed.

Abstract Purpose 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 may regulate adipogenesis in adipocytes in-vitro, but little is known about possible molecular mechanisms related to the inhibitory effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on adipogenesis in humans҆ adipose tissue. Methodology In this study, human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) were cultured for 14 days in adipogenic differentiation media containing concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (10−10–10−8 M). The extent of adipogenic differentiation in ASCs was assessed by Oil Red O staining and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine expression levels of key adipogenic markers. Results Our results showed that vitamin D receptor (VDR), as a mediator of most actions of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, glucose trasporter-4 (GLUT4),and fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) was expressed in vitamin D-treated hASCs. However, the protein level of these markers was lower than the control group. Treatment of human preadipocytes with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 significantly altered expression of adipogenic markers and triglyceride accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 at concentration of 10−8 M enhanced expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP1c), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein-β (C/EBPβ), a mitotic clonal expansion, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), fatty acid synthase (FASN), a marker of de novo lipogenesis,and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Conclusion Our findings revealed that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 may provoke adipocyte development in critical periods of adipogenesis at concentration of 10−8 M, thereby leading to a greater risk of obesity in adulthood and an augmented risk of obesity-related diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers.

Abstract Background The endocrine disruptor Bisphenol-A (BPA), has been involved in dysregulating adipose tissue development and increasing the risk of obesity. The objective of this experiment was to investigate whether treatment of human mesenchymal stem cells with BPA could modulate adipogenesis and adipocyte differentiation. Methods In this experimental study, the human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) were cultured for 2 weeks with continuous exposure to 10− 10 M or 10− 8 M concentrations of BPA. The extent of triglyceride accumulation was visualized by Oil Red O staining. To evaluate BPA effect on the expression levels of key adipogenic trascripotion factors and proteins, we used Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and ELISA. Results The results presented a dose-dependent triglyceride accumulation in treated cells with BPA. Additionally, we observed that BPA induced transcription of the Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein-alpha (C/EBPα), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein-beta (C/EBPβ), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP1c), Fatty acid synthase (FASN), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL); BPA suppressed the expression of Fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) and Estrogen receptor-beta (ERβ). Conclusions Our findings supported the hypothesis that BPA enhances adipogenic differentiation thereby may play a role in development of obesity and dysregulation of metabolic homoeostasis.

Land degradation in different climates drastically disturbs natural ecosystems and reduces the biological production potential of the resources. To investigate the role of geological criteria on land degradation in rangelands surrounding Eshtehard, the map of units was prepared by overlaying and crossing maps of slope classes, land uses, and geological formations using the ArcGIS 10.3 software. Three indices of erodibility, salinity and permeability for each unit were considered and classified. The weights of criteria and consistency ratios were calculated by the AHP method. The TOPSIS method was used to prioritize the alternatives. The weighted normalized values, Euclidean distances, and the relative closeness to the ideal solution were calculated and top priority was given to the land degradation potential (DP) of the units. The results indicated that the relative closeness to the ideal solution obtained from the AHP-TOPSIS technique ranged from 0.002 to 0.991. Accordingly, the study area contains four categories of potential or severity of land degradation, namely: 20872.709 ha (37.97%) of the area with low DP, 1470.297 ha (2.67%) of the area with moderate DP, 1844.861 ha (3.36%) of the area with high DP, and 30788.02 ha (56.00%) of the area with high DP.

A lack of sustained enthusiasm for participation in watershed management by the rural communities constitute a deterrent for rehabilitation of our drastically disturbed watersheds. Therefore, it is necessary to find the reasons if the concerned authorities to encourage them to share the burden of conservation activities on the catchments they live on, or benefit from. To this end in this research was done the priority of the factors affecting the preventing sustainable participation of rural societies in watershed management projects from experts' viewpoints in Moradabad watershed of Meymand, in southwest of Fars province. The method of preparing and completing 57 questionnaires was analyzed by T test, Analytical Hierarchy Process and Friedman nonparametric test. The results showed that from the viewpoint of experts in the Moradabad watershed of Fars province, the "economic", "educational-extension", "design-executive" and "social" indicators, respectively, have the maximum and minimum priority of non-participation sustainable rural communities are in watershed management projects. Also, the most important sub-indicators on the lack of sustainable rural societies participation in the watershed management projects in this watershed are: "low income residents of the basin", "ignoring income for the people as a direct incentive to implement plans Watershed management", "lack of training residents of the basin regarding the plans and objectives" and "low level of literacy and awareness". The range of average ratings varies from 4.85 to 8.25, so that the sub-indicator "low income residents of the watershed" with an average rating of 8.25 has the highest relative priority and "late return of watershed projects" with an average of 4.85 had the least relative priority in the lack of sustainable participation of rural societies in the watershed management plans in this watershed. This results could be used by the watershed projects planners for achieving the optimum results. It is suggested that the "activities of NGOs" and "training of exploiters", along with factors such as "implementation of multipurpose projects", taking in to account the interests of watershed dwellers in order to improve the economic conditions, to create the basis for trust and should be taken attract to active participation in the watershed management projects.

Awareness of suspended sediment load (SSL) and its continuous monitoring plays an important role in soil erosion studies and watershed management. Despite the common use of the conventional model of the sediment rating curve (SRC) and the methods proposed to correct it, the results of this model are still not sufficiently accurate. In this study, in order to increase the efficiency of SRC model, a multi-objective optimization approach is proposed using the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) algorithm. The instantaneous flow discharge and SSL data from the Ramian hydrometric station on the Ghorichay River, Iran are used as a case study. In the first part of the study, using self-organizing map (SOM), an unsupervised artificial neural network, the data were clustered and classified as two homogeneous groups as 70% and 30% for use in calibration and evaluation of SRC models, respectively. In the second part of the study, two different groups of SRC model comprised of conventional SRC models and optimized models (single and multi-objective optimization algorithms) were extracted from calibration data set and their performance was evaluated. The comparative analysis of the results revealed that the optimal SRC model achieved through NSGA-II algorithm was superior to the SRC models in the daily SSL estimation for the data used in this study. Given that the use of the SRC model is common, the proposed model in this study can increase the efficiency of this regression model. Keywords: Clustering, Neural network, Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II), Sediment rating curve, Self-organizing map

Soil erosion and its consequences are the major obstacles for development of country. Understanding the erosion dynamics and recognizing sensitive times and places to erosion within the catchment are very important for erosion control. This study attempts to investigate the dynamic process of soil erosion in terms of temporal (seasonal) and spatial (geological rock units) changes, via direct measurement of erosion in Vartavan catchment. For this purpose, after mapping the precise lithological units, sediment trappers were placed on the slopes of each unit and the sediments of trappers were collected and after drying were weighted at the end of each season. The study confirmed the dynamic nature of erosion in this watershed and results showed that erosion has great temporal and spatial variations. Seasonal variation of erosion revealed that autumn has the maximum rate of erosion (71%) and then decreases respectively during the spring (19%) and winter (10%), until reaches the minimum rate at summer. The mean weight of accumulated sediment is also reduced respectively in units of plagioclase tuff (178.2 gr), black shale (34.4 gr), red mudstone (29.9 gr), andesine (21.7 gr), tuff (16.7 gr), sandstone (14.9 gr), red sandstone (9.8 gr), shale limestone (9.5 gr) and eventually orbitolina limestone (6.5 gr). These results can be applied for watershed management programs and the amount of erosion can be reduced using temporal (preservation of vegetation and control of plowing at critical seasons) or spatial (focus on erosion control measures in sensitive places) management.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

People's Participation (PP) in watershed management and development projects in the Iran, in addition to reducing implementation costs, can lead to the success and more effective implementation of projects. Several factors can cause People's Non-Participation (PNP) in Watershed Management Projects (WMPs), and the purpose of this research is to identify, classify and prioritize these factors in the Siyahposh basin in Ardabil province from the point of view of watershed residents and experts. After determining the sample size and completing the questionnaires, by applying the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) model and the Friedman test, the main component and sub-component affecting the non-sustainable participation of the people in the WMPs of the Siyahposh basin were prioritized. The results showed that from the point of view of experts, economic, legal and educational and extension components have a greater role in PNP than social and planning and implementation components. From the people's point of view, economic and educational-promotional components are the first and second priorities in the Siyahposh basin. From the point of view of experts, the subcomponent of "ignoring people's income as a direct economic incentive (X1)" and "non-continuity of WMPs in the basin (X13)" have the maximum and minimum importance, respectively. From the point of view of local communities, the sub-component of "ignoring people's income as a direct economic incentive (X1)" and "low level of literacy and awareness (X4)" have the highest and lowest levels of importance in PNP, respectively. Two sub-components "ignoring people's income as a direct economic incentive (X1)" and "defects in the laws of natural resources exploitation by people (X16)" are placed in the first six priorities from the point of view of both groups. Considering the interests of the watershed residents, decentralizing the decision-making power, increasing the Non-Governmental Organizations and training the users, and changing the rules for the exploitation of natural resources and the rules for the allocation of water rights can create the basis for trust and attracting the active participation of people in projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desertification event by eliminating plant cover leads to the unfavorable effects such as erosion, land degradation, accelerated floods and also unfavorable environmental outputs. In the investigation of pedological criterion affecting on land degradation in alluvial fans Surrounding Halghe Dareh and Jaroo Mountains, Eshtehard, Karaj, first, maps of slope classes, land use, and geology were created, then a map of units was founded by overlaying and crossing these maps and grid layer created by extension of ET GeoWizards in ArcGIS 10.3 software. In this research three indices of erodibility, salinity and permeability of soil were considered, finally, each of them was shown in the shape of the classified map. In this study, soil sampling was carried out to create maps of salinity, 159 samples, and permeability, 174 samples. Then, weights of criteria and consistency ratio were calculated by AHP method. In this research, FUZZY SAW method was used to prioritize the options, in the manner that after defining the triangular fuzzy numbers in four and seven level scales, the preferred index was calculated. The results show that the preferred index obtained from AHP-FUZZY SAW technique alters from 0.254 to 0.889 and 0.236 to 0.903 for four and seven level scales, respectively. According to the four levels of linguistic variables, 74/18% (4245/77 ha) and 25/82% (1477/67 ha) of the area were classified into two classes of low and very high desertification potential, respectively. The results also showed that in the seven levels of linguistic variables, 74/18% (4245/77 ha), 9/78% (559/53 ha), and 16/04% (918/14 ha) of the area were classified into three classes of low, high, and very high desertification potential, respectively.