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Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate pragmatic skill of adult right and left hemispheres damaged Persian speaking patients using the Persian version of the Montreal Protocol for the Evaluation of Communication (M.E.C.). The statistical populations of the study were 10 adults, right and left hemispheres damaged Persian speaking patients due to cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Two sets of tests were used in the present study. The first ones were screening tests included Lateral Preference Inventory (Corn test), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Persian Diagnostic Aphasia Battery (EQ1). The Performance of patients in protocol subtests were evaluated and compared with each other individually, intragroup and intergroup. Data were analyzed using inferential statistical methods and no meaningful relations were found between them. These findings indicated that damage to the right and left hemispheres of the brain leads to pragmatic impairments. However, damages to the right hemisphere increases the severity of pragmatic impairments more than damages to the left hemisphere.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
The present research investigates the conceptualization of the metaphors of “fear” in the Quran. Conceptual metaphors are an important discourse in cognitive linguistics. In this approach, metaphors are believed to be a cognitive phenomenon which manifests in language. This research aims to identify the initial spheres based on which fear has been conceptualized in the Quran and endeavors to attain the stance of the Quran on this emotion. To this end, a body of 607 verses containing the concept of fear was collected. In the next stage, 18 concepts were identified using cognitive analysis. The two schemas of force and movement as the initial spheres play a major role in the conceptualization of “fear” in the Quran. In conceptualization based on movement, behavioral and physiological actions of people facing external forces indicate their lack of control and defeat by external forces, with a virtual basis in most cases. In return, in conceptualizing fear based on the schema of force, the presence of a range of forces such as pressure, blocking, and redirection in facing external forces express the voluntary reaction of people in overcoming the external forces. Hence, in line with its guiding purposes, the Quran has missioned the prophets, in many cases as a divine command, to ask His audience to confront the non-divine external forces with the force arising from – the fear – of divine majesty.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
In this article, “reduplication” is studied in Hawrami language. The data of the research is obtained in a fieldwork and in conversation with the speakers of a variety of Hawrami called "Hawrami-e Takht" (Hawrami of Takht), which is spoken in a number of villages in Sarvabad county of Kurdistan province in Iran. The main goal of the research is understanding functions of reduplication in Hawrami, and also to know the differences of functions of this phenomenon in that language in comparison to other Iranian languages, namely Persian. The analyses and studies of the research indicate that “complete” and “incomplete” reduplication in Hawrami have various manifestations, but complete reduplication of verbs seems special to Hawrami, and no parallel can be found for it in Persian. In addition, examination of some constructions resulting from incomplete reduplication in Hawrami, shows that inflectional sign of grammatical gender, which in its absolute form, appears in feminine gender, is lost or appears in a different way in the construction resulting from reduplication. Regarding some parts of the data and analyses of the research, it is possible to say that this research also confirms that reduplication has similar functions and mechanisms in human languages.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
This research examines the lexical processing of head-first endocentric compounds in Persian based on semantic transparency. This study shows whether the processing is related to the morpheme-based, whole-word, or dual-root models. Moreover, this research concludes whether the processing is associated with sublexical or supralexical models. Two separate masked priming tasks are conducted. In the first experiment, the compound word is the primed word and the modifier is the target. In the second experiment, the prime is the compound word and the target is the head. Three conditions are considered: transparent, opaque, and orthographic-overlap. In order to analyze the result, mixed models are used. The results show significant priming effects for transparent and opaque conditions. While no priming effect is shown for the orthographic-overlap condition. It can be concluded that the lexical processing of head-first endocentric compounds is independent of semantic transparency. The processing is morpheme-based and it is on the basis of the sublexical model. Furthermore, the semantic processing of these words is supralexical. Moreover, the lack of priming effect for the orthographic conditions is seemingly associated with orthographic complexity in the Persian writing system.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
The intricate connection between teacher support, academic burnout, grit, and psychological wellbeing is a compelling area of research that has recently garnered second language (L2) education researchers' attention. This study aims to investigate such complex relationships with undergraduate English-major students in Iran. To this end, a sample of 318 undergraduate English-major students from various universities in Iran was selected through convenience sampling. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, while LISREL software was employed for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to validate the measurement models. The findings revealed that teacher support showed a positive and significant correlation with students' L2 grit and L2 psychological wellbeing while demonstrating a negative and significant correlation with students' L2 academic burnout. Furthermore, the simple linear regression analysis indicated that teacher support significantly predicted a 13% increase in students' grit and psychological wellbeing and a 0.03% in academic burnout. This suggests that measures to reduce the academic burnout of students in higher education should be prioritized in second language education through positive teacher support and positive psychology. The study provides valuable insights and recommendations for English language teachers, students, and policymakers and outlines future research directions.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
This article explores the effect of iconicity and textual cohesion on processing causal relations in Persian discourse using an experimental method. A reading-time task with a within-subject design was set up. Twelve 3-sentence experimental scenarios and 12 filler scenarios were constructed. Iconicity and cohesion were the independent variables and participants’ reaction time (RT) was the dependent variable. The cohesion variable manipulated the degree of cohesion between the first and second sentences of scenarios. The iconicity variable manipulated the order of the second and third (cause and effect) sentences of scenarios. Forty-eight participants read the scenarios and verified if the target sentence, which asserted the implicit causal relation between the second and third sentences of scenarios, was correct. The RTs of the participants were collected using DMDX program. The data were then submitted to a mixed-model analysis in R. The main effect of iconicity and cohesion on participants’ RTs was found. There was no interaction effect between iconicity and cohesion. The target sentence had the shortest RT in the condition with iconic and high-cohesion scenarios. Also, the target sentence in the condition with iconic but low-cohesion scenarios was processed as fast as the target sentence in the condition with non-iconic but high-cohesion scenarios. The findings confirm the facilitatory effect of iconicity on understanding causal sequences. The results also show that if, for discourse reasons, information is provided non-iconically, the existence of highly cohesive relations between the causal sequences and the previous context can compensate the non-facilitatory effect of non-iconic sequences.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
Cet article examine l'approche de la mise en œuvre des compétences de compréhension de l'écrit dans les cours de langue française en Iran. Les données étudiées dans cette recherche ont été recueillies par le biais de questionnaires, d'entretiens et d'observations en classe. Les objectifs de cette étude sont de comprendre les perspectives et les opinions des apprenants et des enseignants concernant les compétences de compréhension de l'écrit, d'examiner les approches pédagogiques utilisées et d'identifier les obstacles existants dans ce domaine. En conséquence, des suggestions spécifiques pour améliorer l'approche pédagogique de la compréhension de l'écrit sont fournies. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent que les apprenants ont des compréhensions différentes de divers éléments liés à la compréhension de l'écrit, y compris la nécessité de lire rapidement pour accomplir les exercices, de passer du temps pour une compréhension approfondie des textes, etc. De plus, les réponses des enseignants soulignent l'importance de la flexibilité, de l'utilisation de ressources diversifiées et de l'implication active des apprenants. Les résultats obtenus de ces conclusions sont discutés pour l'enseignement de la langue française, mettant en évidence la nécessité de sensibiliser les apprenants et les enseignants à l'importance de la mise en œuvre de stratégies efficaces de compréhension de l'écrit.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (ARTICLES IN PRESS 2024)
Abstract
The growing global consumption of non-alcoholic drinks has brought attention to the characterization and quality control of popular beverages such as malt beverages. Organic acids remarkably impact on the microbial control, stability and organoleptic characteristics (flavor, color and aroma) of beverages. This study focuses on the determination of organic acids, including oxalic, citric, tartaric, malic, succinic, lactic, fumaric, acetic, propionic, and gallic acid, in 100 commercial malt beverages from different brands (five Iranian and five various imported brands) and flavored variants (classic, pomegranate, peach, tropical and lemon). In addition, the contents of total phenols, total flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and free amino acids were measured to assess the overall composition. Liquid chromatography (LC) was employed to develop a method for analyzing the organic acids, while spectrophotometric techniques were used for quantifying other bioactive compounds. The results revealed significant variations in the organic acid profiles, with succinic acid being the most abundant, while tartaric acid was absent in all samples. For better data analysis, chemometrics technique (PCA method) was applied to classify achieved results. The results show that PCA can classify the malt drinks based on the additive values with a very high precision. In order to improve the quality control of malt beverages, it is recommended that some extra assessments like organic acids and free amino nitrogen determination tests would better to be considered at Iranian national standard.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (ARTICLES IN PRESS 2024)
Abstract
This study aimed to increase the vase life of cut rose flowers by improving the regulation of Programmed Cell Death (PCD). Experiments were carried out on cut rose (Rosa hybrida cv. Dolce vita+) flowers under either physical treatment of Static Magnetic Field (SMF; 15 and 25 mT) for 3 hours, or chemical treatments of silver nano particle (Nano-Ag; 5 and 10 ppm), 6-Benzyladenine (BA; 25 and 50 mg L-1), 1% sucrose, and combinations of 5 and 10 ppm nano-Ag with 3 and 6% sucrose. Results showed that a 15 mT-SMF significantly increased vase life up to 25 days, compared to the controls and to all chemical treatments. Among the chemicals, 5 ppm Nano-Ag and 1% (w/v) sucrose increased vase life to 23 and 18 days, respectively. The smallest decline in fresh weight was observed in the 15 mT-SMF physical treatment. Markedly, the 15 mT-SMF treatment led to the least reduction in Chlorophyll (Chl) content. On the 17th day of the applied different treatments, both Water Uptake (WU) and Relative Fresh Weight (RFW) showed an inverse significant relationship with PCD in cut rose flowers, verifying there markable delayed PCD which is favored the market. As a whole, the most effective induced treatments (15 mT-SMF, 5 ppm Nano-Ag, and 1% Sucrose) are suggested to be promising for enhancing postharvest quality and prolonged vase life of cut rose flowers.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (ARTICLES IN PRESS 2024)
Abstract
Volume 0, Issue 0 (in press 2024)
Abstract
The effective design of structures resistant to seismic vibrations is one of the main concerns of structural engineers to deal with damages caused by earthquakes, which can withstand more earthquake forces with methods such as energy dissipation. Recent earthquake records show that the earthquake record characteristic of the near area differs from the earthquake records of the far area. Among these characteristics, it can be mentioned that the pulse-type state of these records, as well as the high maximum speed and ground displacements. For this reason, these types of records increase the seismic requirements of the structure compared to normal earthquakes. The map of faults and seismic zoning of Iran shows that important urban points such as Tehran, Tabriz, etc. have high seismicity and are located near the fault. Therefore, it is necessary to design and build structures that can properly withstand the features of near-fault earthquakes, this issue reveals the understanding and recognition of the behavior of structural systems and the structure's response to the special features of near-fault earthquakes. This article first investigated the seismic evaluation of three existing 4, 8, and 12-story steel structures with lateral load-resisting systems. Then the desired structure was strengthened using a friction damper, and finally, the acceleration recorder was applied to the structure in the near- and far-fault earthquake zone case study. The seismic demand of the retrofitted structure was investigated in ANSYS Workbench finite element software, which was done in the form of modal analysis, floor drift displacement, structure acceleration response, and von Mises stress. For seismic validation, a two-story, single-span steel frame has been used. The dynamic load used was 0.5g based on the north-south component of the El Centro earthquake (1940) with a maximum acceleration scaled to 50 cm/s. To validate the numerical results, the horizontal displacement of two points on the first and second floor was compared with experimental data, and an acceptable accuracy was obtained. The results of the maximum acceleration at the highest point of the building showed that in a far-fault earthquake zone, the best effect of dampers was on 8-story buildings with a 77% decrease, and in a near-fault earthquake zone, it was related to a 4-story building with a 66.4% decrease in acceleration. Stress in near- and far-fault earthquake zones, the best effect of dampers was on 4-story buildings with 83% and 84% reduction, respectively. In a far-fault earthquake zone, the best effect of dampers was on 8-story buildings with a 44% reduction in maximum displacement, and in a near-fault earthquake zone, it was related to a 4-story building with a 61% reduction in acceleration.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (in press 2024)
Abstract
Concrete slabs subjected to near-field explosion loading often fail in a brittle manner. Common failure types include spalling and scabbing. Brittle failure leads to an inflexible and brittle structural response, producing small and large fragments that can be extremely dangerous due to their high velocities. Therefore, designing concrete slabs for explosive loading requires methods that either prevent or mitigate brittle failures or transform them into ductile failures. This study validates numerical models using LS-DYNA finite element software and compares them with reputable research. Simulations of concrete slabs were conducted using conventional methods, reinforced concrete slabs with steel plates, reinforced concrete slabs with wire mesh, and ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) slabs. The analysis of five slab types under similar explosion loading reveals that UHPC slabs exhibit less deflection and damage compared to other types, while conventional concrete slabs experience greater deflection and damage. The optimal reduction in damage for reinforced concrete slabs occurs when a steel plate measuring 2 by 4.2 meters and 0.5 centimeters thick is applied to the backside. Additionally, using wire mesh dimensions 25% larger than the initial slab damage yields the best performance. A comparative analysis of explosion-induced damage across different slab types indicates that reinforced concrete slabs with a 0.5-centimeter thick steel plate exhibit the largest damage area (8m2); whereas UHPC slabs show no damage, resulting in the smallest damage area. Further investigations into the dynamic response of these slabs demonstrate that advanced materials and reinforcement techniques significantly enhance their resilience against explosive forces. This study emphasizes the importance of innovative design strategies in civil engineering, highlighting that the adoption of UHPC slab minimizes structural damage and improves safety in high-risk environments. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating modern materials and methodologies in protective structure design, ensuring better performance and longevity under extreme loading conditions. A comparative analysis of various methods for strengthening concrete slabs using identical materials shows that UHPC slabs outperform others in reducing deflection and failure. This illustrates their exceptional ability to withstand explosive dynamic loads. However, the primary limitation of UHPC slabs is their high cost and complexity of implementation. Reinforcement with steel sheets has proven more effective than wire mesh in minimizing deflection. In models reinforced with 0.5 cm steel sheets, deflection was reduced by 50% compared to conventional concrete slabs. The slabs reinforced with wire mesh demonstrated a significant decrease in failure rates compared to conventional slabs, with reductions ranging from 75% to 80% across various reinforcement methods using the same materials. Conversely, some models reinforced with steel sheets exhibited increased failure rates. The findings indicate that, in most cases, slabs with greater flexibility, such as those reinforced with wire mesh, sustained less damage. This can be attributed to the enhanced flexibility and ductility of wire mesh-reinforced slabs compared to those reinforced with steel sheets.
Concrete slabs subjected to near-field explosion loading often fail in a brittle manner. Common failure types include spalling and scabbing. Brittle failure leads to an inflexible and brittle structural response, producing small and large fragments that can be extremely dangerous due to their high velocities. Therefore, designing concrete slabs for explosive loading requires methods that either prevent or mitigate brittle failures or transform them into ductile failures. This study validates numerical models using LS-DYNA finite element software and compares them with reputable research. Simulations of concrete slabs were conducted using conventional methods, reinforced concrete slabs with steel plates, reinforced concrete slabs with wire mesh, and ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) slabs. The analysis of five slab types under similar explosion loading reveals that UHPC slabs exhibit less deflection and damage compared to other types, while conventional concrete slabs experience greater deflection and damage. The optimal reduction in damage for reinforced concrete slabs occurs when a steel plate measuring 2 by 4.2 meters and 0.5 centimeters thick is applied to the backside. Additionally, using wire mesh dimensions 25% larger than the initial slab damage yields the best performance. A comparative analysis of explosion-induced damage across different slab types indicates that reinforced concrete slabs with a 0.5-centimeter thick steel plate exhibit the largest damage area (8m2); whereas UHPC slabs show no damage, resulting in the smallest damage area. Further investigations into the dynamic response of these slabs demonstrate that advanced materials and reinforcement techniques significantly enhance their resilience against explosive forces. This study emphasizes the importance of innovative design strategies in civil engineering, highlighting that the adoption of UHPC slab minimizes structural damage and improves safety in high-risk environments. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating modern materials and methodologies in protective structure design, ensuring better performance and longevity under extreme loading conditions. A comparative analysis of various methods for strengthening concrete slabs using identical materials shows that UHPC slabs outperform others in reducing deflection and failure. This illustrates their exceptional ability to withstand explosive dynamic loads. However, the primary limitation of UHPC slabs is their high cost and complexity of implementation. Reinforcement with steel sheets has proven more effective than wire mesh in minimizing deflection. In models reinforced with 0.5 cm steel sheets, deflection was reduced by 50% compared to conventional concrete slabs. The slabs reinforced with wire mesh demonstrated a significant decrease in failure rates compared to conventional slabs, with reductions ranging from 75% to 80% across various reinforcement methods using the same materials. Conversely, some models reinforced with steel sheets exhibited increased failure rates. The findings indicate that, in most cases, slabs with greater flexibility, such as those reinforced with wire mesh, sustained less damage. This can be attributed to the enhanced flexibility and ductility of wire mesh-reinforced slabs compared to those reinforced with steel sheets.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted for Publication 2024)
Abstract
Aim and Introduction
Measurement and examination of unobservable variables directly such as inflation expectations or potential output, is really challenging. Inflation expectations have been considered a key variable in many macroeconomic models, particularly in the realm of monetary economics. Macroeconomic models assume that economic agents make consumption, savings, and labor market decisions based on their perception of future inflation levels, and these decisions play a great role in realizing economic variables, including inflation. The role of inflation expectations differs from other inflation-generating factors. While factors such as money supply, budget deficit, exchange rate, and to some extent, economic sanctions can be considered as policy tools. Inflation expectations normally result from the interaction of other factors and may potentially predict future inflation. For example, an increase in the budget deficit, if not addressed independently by the Central Bank, can lead to an increase in money supply, inflation, and intensification of inflation expectations. Thus, inflation expectations can be considered as a variable that evolves within society and changes due to other inflation-generating factors. However, once formed, these expectations themselves become significant factors in inflation and other economic variables. Unlike many countries, in Iran, despite the importance of inflation due to decades of double-digit inflation, no action has been taken to produce and provide survey data related to this variable. However, according to existing literature, comparing the results of alternative methods incorporating inflation expectations with survey data can provide valuable insights. In practice, incorporating inflation expectations can improve the performance of inflation prediction models.
Methodology
Empirical research indicates that methods that consider inflation expectations along with its fluctuations and dynamics outperform models that do not consider these dynamics. Therefore, paying proper attention to how inflation expectations form and fluctuate, as well as avoiding simple methods, is necessary in calculating inflation expectations. In this research, an attempt was made to calculate and present data related to this variable in the framework of rational expectations for the period of 1996 to 2021 using the random forest regression method, considering the strengths and weaknesses of each method of mapping inflation expectations. Subsequently, after learning the random forest-based model, by conducting an in-sample prediction, the data were extracted and the features related to rational expectations regarding these data were examined.
Findings
The coefficient of determination value for the test data was found to be 80%, indicating that, on average, 80% of inflation variations are correctly predicted by economic factors using the model inputs or features. Based on this and by examining the features related to estimation residuals, it was determined that economic factors in predicting inflation do not exhibit systematic errors and, with a sufficiently large time interval and having an adequate information set, can have a proper understanding of inflation behavior. Moreover, the results of comparing inflation expectations based on random forest regression-based predictions show superiority of this approach compared to competing methods such as the Hodrick-Prescott filter. After that, the importance of each of the factors in the basket of information related to inflation expectations was ranked. It should be noted that the selection of features for predicting inflation expectations was not based on the direct attention of households and economic factors to these features. Rather, economic factors and households may find the effect of these features in other evidence. For example, the effect of an increase in the exchange rate on the prices of goods that are somehow related to this variable may be apparent to households, and fundamentally, the prevalent interpretation of rational expectations in the literature of this field is based on this approach. The results of this ranking indicate that among the entire information set, factors such as inflation breaks, exchange rates, and economic sanctions had the highest importance in shaping inflation expectations.
Discussion and Conclusion
It is worth mentioning that inflation breaks have been identified as the most important factor among the entire information set as a manifestation of the adaptive section of inflation expectations. However, this does not mean that expectations are entirely adaptive. Based on the research findings, it is clear that if economic factors rely solely on the adaptive section to predict inflation, zero estimation error, unpredictability of errors, and consequently the formation of rational expectations will not be achieved. Using a combination of three approaches: gradient boosting algorithm, random forest algorithm, and linear regression, a voting regression was also performed, showing a 3% improvement in determination coefficient compared to random forest (83%). Moreover, other results, such as the order and intensity of feature importance, and predicted inflation values, are similar to the random forest method with slight variations which means, estimating rational expectations is reliable
Measurement and examination of unobservable variables directly such as inflation expectations or potential output, is really challenging. Inflation expectations have been considered a key variable in many macroeconomic models, particularly in the realm of monetary economics. Macroeconomic models assume that economic agents make consumption, savings, and labor market decisions based on their perception of future inflation levels, and these decisions play a great role in realizing economic variables, including inflation. The role of inflation expectations differs from other inflation-generating factors. While factors such as money supply, budget deficit, exchange rate, and to some extent, economic sanctions can be considered as policy tools. Inflation expectations normally result from the interaction of other factors and may potentially predict future inflation. For example, an increase in the budget deficit, if not addressed independently by the Central Bank, can lead to an increase in money supply, inflation, and intensification of inflation expectations. Thus, inflation expectations can be considered as a variable that evolves within society and changes due to other inflation-generating factors. However, once formed, these expectations themselves become significant factors in inflation and other economic variables. Unlike many countries, in Iran, despite the importance of inflation due to decades of double-digit inflation, no action has been taken to produce and provide survey data related to this variable. However, according to existing literature, comparing the results of alternative methods incorporating inflation expectations with survey data can provide valuable insights. In practice, incorporating inflation expectations can improve the performance of inflation prediction models.
Methodology
Empirical research indicates that methods that consider inflation expectations along with its fluctuations and dynamics outperform models that do not consider these dynamics. Therefore, paying proper attention to how inflation expectations form and fluctuate, as well as avoiding simple methods, is necessary in calculating inflation expectations. In this research, an attempt was made to calculate and present data related to this variable in the framework of rational expectations for the period of 1996 to 2021 using the random forest regression method, considering the strengths and weaknesses of each method of mapping inflation expectations. Subsequently, after learning the random forest-based model, by conducting an in-sample prediction, the data were extracted and the features related to rational expectations regarding these data were examined.
Findings
The coefficient of determination value for the test data was found to be 80%, indicating that, on average, 80% of inflation variations are correctly predicted by economic factors using the model inputs or features. Based on this and by examining the features related to estimation residuals, it was determined that economic factors in predicting inflation do not exhibit systematic errors and, with a sufficiently large time interval and having an adequate information set, can have a proper understanding of inflation behavior. Moreover, the results of comparing inflation expectations based on random forest regression-based predictions show superiority of this approach compared to competing methods such as the Hodrick-Prescott filter. After that, the importance of each of the factors in the basket of information related to inflation expectations was ranked. It should be noted that the selection of features for predicting inflation expectations was not based on the direct attention of households and economic factors to these features. Rather, economic factors and households may find the effect of these features in other evidence. For example, the effect of an increase in the exchange rate on the prices of goods that are somehow related to this variable may be apparent to households, and fundamentally, the prevalent interpretation of rational expectations in the literature of this field is based on this approach. The results of this ranking indicate that among the entire information set, factors such as inflation breaks, exchange rates, and economic sanctions had the highest importance in shaping inflation expectations.
Discussion and Conclusion
It is worth mentioning that inflation breaks have been identified as the most important factor among the entire information set as a manifestation of the adaptive section of inflation expectations. However, this does not mean that expectations are entirely adaptive. Based on the research findings, it is clear that if economic factors rely solely on the adaptive section to predict inflation, zero estimation error, unpredictability of errors, and consequently the formation of rational expectations will not be achieved. Using a combination of three approaches: gradient boosting algorithm, random forest algorithm, and linear regression, a voting regression was also performed, showing a 3% improvement in determination coefficient compared to random forest (83%). Moreover, other results, such as the order and intensity of feature importance, and predicted inflation values, are similar to the random forest method with slight variations which means, estimating rational expectations is reliable
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted for Publication 2024)
Abstract
Aim and Introduction
Economic globalization has many economic benefits, but it has also been accompanied by environmental challenges that have increased concern about the impact of these trends on the environment. Environmental welfare plays a key role in the organization of societies and drawing attention to environmental issues as one of the main dimensions of sustainability. This is also true for the development structures and decisions related to the environment. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of economic globalization on environmental well-being in developed and developing countries during the years 2000 to 2020 using soft panel regression. The results show the existence of a non-linear relationship between the research variables. For developed and developing countries, a transfer function and two threshold limits, representing a two-regime model, were also chosen as the optimal model. The slope factor for developed and developing countries was equal to 1.28 and 159.78 respectively. The results of the model estimation indicate that in developed countries, the variable of economic globalization has a negative effect on environmental welfare in the first extreme regime and a positive and significant effect in the second extreme regime. In developing countries, the variable of economic globalization has also a negative and significant effect on environmental well-being in both regimes. On the other hand, in developed countries, for the first limit regime, economic globalization may lead to an increase in unsustainable use of resources and environmental pollution. But in the second extreme regime, it can promote the improvement of international cooperation in the field of environmental protection and the development of clean and green technologies. In developing countries, increased economic globalization may lead to increased industrial pressures and inappropriate use of natural resources, which causes damages to the environment and rampant pollution. Due to technical, financial, and regulatory constraints, these countries may not be able to take advantage of the benefits of globalization in a positive way for the environment and thus have a negative impact on environmental well-being. According to the research results, with the development of technology and industrial control, along with sustainable policies, it is possible to ensure the improvement of environmental well-being and strengthen the positive effect of economic globalization on environmental well-being.
Methodology
This study examines the impact of globalization on environmental well-being in developed and developing countries (133 countries) for the period 2000-2020 using the panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) model. Statistical tables, global databases, data from the Swiss Economic Institute KOF, and the Social Science Institute (SSI) - TH Köln website were used to collect statistics and quantitative information. The environmental welfare variable in this research as a dependent variable is the geometric mean of seven indicators of biodiversity, renewable water resources, energy consumption, energy efficiency, energy reserves, greenhouse gases and renewable energy. Economic globalization is considered as a transition variable, and to better explain the issues of GDP per capita growth (percentage per annum), general government final consumption expenditure (percentage of GDP), foreign direct investment, net inflows (percentage of GDP) and population growth (percentage per annum) were selected as influential factors. PSTR as a statistical model is usually used to analyze non-linear relationships between economic variables, especially to investigate non-linear patterns or changes in the behavior of variables over time. This flexible model can depict complex relationships between different variables and is known as a popular choice in various fields such as economics, finance and social science. The model is an extension of the smooth transition regression (STR) that allows the determination of the transition function between two different regimes. With PSTR, the transfer function is extended for panel data, which allows the analysis of nonlinear relationships between variables in multiple units, such as countries or firms, over time. PSTR is a powerful tool for analyzing the impact of various economic factors on different regions or countries and can be used to examine the impact of a specific economic policy or event on different regions. PSTR can also be used for different types of data such as cross-sectional, time series and panel data, which makes it a versatile tool for analyzing various economic phenomena.
Findings
The research shows the estimated results of the model upon which the slope parameter, which expresses the speed of adjustment from one regime to another, is equal to 1.28 and 159.78 for developed and developing countries, respectively, i.e, the transition from linear regime to non-linear regime in developed countries is done at a much lower speed than in developing countries. The estimation of the model shows the nonlinear relationship in two threshold points for developed countries c_1=79.5617 and c_2=85.0326 and c = (79.56+85.03)/2 = 82.29 also for developing countries c_1= 50.6518 and c_2 = 62.4416 and c = (50.65+62.44) /2 = 56.54 and the transfer function is in two regimes. If the economic globalization exceeds 82.29 in developed countries and 56.54 in developing countries, the behavior of the variables will be according to the second regime, and if it is less than the above threshold, they will be in the first regime.
In developed countries, the coefficients are such that the variable of economic globalization has a negative and significant effect on environmental welfare in the first limit regime and a positive and significant effect in the second limit regime. GDP per capita growth has a positive and non-significant effect on environmental well-being in the first limit regime and a significant negative effect in the second limit regime. Government size and population growth have also a positive effect in the first limit regime and a negative and significant effect in the second limit regime. Foreign direct investment in both regimes has a negative and insignificant effect on environmental well-being.
In developing countries, the coefficients are such that the variable of economic globalization, the growth of GDP per capita in both marginal regimes has a negative and significant effect, as well as the size of the government and population growth in both marginal regimes have a negative and insignificant effect on the dependent variable (welfare). Foreign direct investment has also a positive and insignificant effect in the first limit regime and a negative and significant effect in the second limit regime on environmental well-being.
Discussion and Conclusion
The results of the research show that the impact of various factors on environmental well-being in developed and developing countries is different from each other. These differences may be due to different economic, social, and cultural conditions in these countries.
In developed countries in the first limit regime, economic globalization leads to an increase in economic pressures and international competition, which can cause more use of natural resources, increase the production of pollutants, and decrease the quality of the environment. Moreover, in the second extreme regime, the Economic globalization variable has a positive and significant effect on environmental well-being. This may be due to increased access to advanced technologies, higher environmental standards, and increased international cooperation in environmental protection.
In developing countries, economic globalization variables have a negative effect on environmental well-being in both regimes. In other words, the increase of these variables in both limit regimes leads to a decrease in the quality of the environment and environmental well-being. In other words, economic globalization leads to an increase in the per capita production and consumption of energy and natural resources, which can lead to air and water pollution, a decrease in biodiversity, and a reduction in air and water quality.
In general, it can be concluded that in developed countries, increasing economic growth, government size, and population growth lead to improved environmental conditions, but in developing countries, these factors usually cause a decrease in environmental quality and environmental well-being. For the optimal management of environmental welfare in any country, it is necessary to pay attention to the economic, social and cultural conditions of that country. It is also vitally important to formulate appropriate policies and strategies to deal with environmental challenges
Economic globalization has many economic benefits, but it has also been accompanied by environmental challenges that have increased concern about the impact of these trends on the environment. Environmental welfare plays a key role in the organization of societies and drawing attention to environmental issues as one of the main dimensions of sustainability. This is also true for the development structures and decisions related to the environment. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the impact of economic globalization on environmental well-being in developed and developing countries during the years 2000 to 2020 using soft panel regression. The results show the existence of a non-linear relationship between the research variables. For developed and developing countries, a transfer function and two threshold limits, representing a two-regime model, were also chosen as the optimal model. The slope factor for developed and developing countries was equal to 1.28 and 159.78 respectively. The results of the model estimation indicate that in developed countries, the variable of economic globalization has a negative effect on environmental welfare in the first extreme regime and a positive and significant effect in the second extreme regime. In developing countries, the variable of economic globalization has also a negative and significant effect on environmental well-being in both regimes. On the other hand, in developed countries, for the first limit regime, economic globalization may lead to an increase in unsustainable use of resources and environmental pollution. But in the second extreme regime, it can promote the improvement of international cooperation in the field of environmental protection and the development of clean and green technologies. In developing countries, increased economic globalization may lead to increased industrial pressures and inappropriate use of natural resources, which causes damages to the environment and rampant pollution. Due to technical, financial, and regulatory constraints, these countries may not be able to take advantage of the benefits of globalization in a positive way for the environment and thus have a negative impact on environmental well-being. According to the research results, with the development of technology and industrial control, along with sustainable policies, it is possible to ensure the improvement of environmental well-being and strengthen the positive effect of economic globalization on environmental well-being.
Methodology
This study examines the impact of globalization on environmental well-being in developed and developing countries (133 countries) for the period 2000-2020 using the panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) model. Statistical tables, global databases, data from the Swiss Economic Institute KOF, and the Social Science Institute (SSI) - TH Köln website were used to collect statistics and quantitative information. The environmental welfare variable in this research as a dependent variable is the geometric mean of seven indicators of biodiversity, renewable water resources, energy consumption, energy efficiency, energy reserves, greenhouse gases and renewable energy. Economic globalization is considered as a transition variable, and to better explain the issues of GDP per capita growth (percentage per annum), general government final consumption expenditure (percentage of GDP), foreign direct investment, net inflows (percentage of GDP) and population growth (percentage per annum) were selected as influential factors. PSTR as a statistical model is usually used to analyze non-linear relationships between economic variables, especially to investigate non-linear patterns or changes in the behavior of variables over time. This flexible model can depict complex relationships between different variables and is known as a popular choice in various fields such as economics, finance and social science. The model is an extension of the smooth transition regression (STR) that allows the determination of the transition function between two different regimes. With PSTR, the transfer function is extended for panel data, which allows the analysis of nonlinear relationships between variables in multiple units, such as countries or firms, over time. PSTR is a powerful tool for analyzing the impact of various economic factors on different regions or countries and can be used to examine the impact of a specific economic policy or event on different regions. PSTR can also be used for different types of data such as cross-sectional, time series and panel data, which makes it a versatile tool for analyzing various economic phenomena.
Findings
The research shows the estimated results of the model upon which the slope parameter, which expresses the speed of adjustment from one regime to another, is equal to 1.28 and 159.78 for developed and developing countries, respectively, i.e, the transition from linear regime to non-linear regime in developed countries is done at a much lower speed than in developing countries. The estimation of the model shows the nonlinear relationship in two threshold points for developed countries c_1=79.5617 and c_2=85.0326 and c = (79.56+85.03)/2 = 82.29 also for developing countries c_1= 50.6518 and c_2 = 62.4416 and c = (50.65+62.44) /2 = 56.54 and the transfer function is in two regimes. If the economic globalization exceeds 82.29 in developed countries and 56.54 in developing countries, the behavior of the variables will be according to the second regime, and if it is less than the above threshold, they will be in the first regime.
In developed countries, the coefficients are such that the variable of economic globalization has a negative and significant effect on environmental welfare in the first limit regime and a positive and significant effect in the second limit regime. GDP per capita growth has a positive and non-significant effect on environmental well-being in the first limit regime and a significant negative effect in the second limit regime. Government size and population growth have also a positive effect in the first limit regime and a negative and significant effect in the second limit regime. Foreign direct investment in both regimes has a negative and insignificant effect on environmental well-being.
In developing countries, the coefficients are such that the variable of economic globalization, the growth of GDP per capita in both marginal regimes has a negative and significant effect, as well as the size of the government and population growth in both marginal regimes have a negative and insignificant effect on the dependent variable (welfare). Foreign direct investment has also a positive and insignificant effect in the first limit regime and a negative and significant effect in the second limit regime on environmental well-being.
Discussion and Conclusion
The results of the research show that the impact of various factors on environmental well-being in developed and developing countries is different from each other. These differences may be due to different economic, social, and cultural conditions in these countries.
In developed countries in the first limit regime, economic globalization leads to an increase in economic pressures and international competition, which can cause more use of natural resources, increase the production of pollutants, and decrease the quality of the environment. Moreover, in the second extreme regime, the Economic globalization variable has a positive and significant effect on environmental well-being. This may be due to increased access to advanced technologies, higher environmental standards, and increased international cooperation in environmental protection.
In developing countries, economic globalization variables have a negative effect on environmental well-being in both regimes. In other words, the increase of these variables in both limit regimes leads to a decrease in the quality of the environment and environmental well-being. In other words, economic globalization leads to an increase in the per capita production and consumption of energy and natural resources, which can lead to air and water pollution, a decrease in biodiversity, and a reduction in air and water quality.
In general, it can be concluded that in developed countries, increasing economic growth, government size, and population growth lead to improved environmental conditions, but in developing countries, these factors usually cause a decrease in environmental quality and environmental well-being. For the optimal management of environmental welfare in any country, it is necessary to pay attention to the economic, social and cultural conditions of that country. It is also vitally important to formulate appropriate policies and strategies to deal with environmental challenges
Volume 1, Issue 1 (3-2012)
Abstract
Reproductive performance and life expectancy of the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch were determined on seven eggplant cultivars (Isfahan, Dezful, Shend-Abad, Neishabour, Bandar-Abbas, Jahrom and Borazjan) at 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% R.H. and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) hours. The results revealed that the TSSM gross hatch rate varied from 59% on Bandar-Abbas to 83% on Dezful. The gross fecundity rate was 59.726, 31.430, 31.443, 14.461, 19.328, 16.035 and 20.560 eggs/female and the net fecundity rate was 25.804, 17.496, 15.139, 7.620, 5.931, 7.526 and 11.947 eggs/female on the above-mentioned cultivars, respectively. The highest and lowest value of the net fertility rate was 20.735 eggs/female on Isfahan and 3.495 eggs/female on Bandar-Abbas, respectively. Also, the gross fertility rate was the highest on Isfahan (47.994 eggs/female) and the lowest on Bandar-Abbas (11.390 eggs/female). The values of the mean eggs per day varied from 2.040 to 6.560 eggs/female, which was minimum on Neishabour and maximum on Isfahan. The life expectancy of one-day-old adults of the TSSM was estimated to be 7.550, 8.380, 5.820, 4.850, 5.440, 5.330 and 3.950 days on the above-mentioned cultivars, respectively. Comparison of the reproductive parameters of the TSSM on the examined cultivars revealed that Isfahan was the most susceptible cultivar and Neishabour was the most resistant cultivar to this pest. Using resistant host plants is one of the most important components of an integrated pest management program.
Volume 1, Issue 1 (3-2012)
Abstract
The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), which is known as one of the most important economic pests, can cause severe damage to different crops in Iran and many countries of the world. The effect of five maize hybrids: SC260, SC500, SC700, SC704 and DC370 on lysozyme activity in the hemolymph of sixth instar of H. armigera using lytic zone assay and its association with some fitness parameters of this pest was studied in growth chamber (25 ± 1˚C, 65 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L : D) h). Our results indicated that except on SC260, the frequency of high immune-activated larvae on the other maize hybrids was lower than that of low immune-activated larvae. The mean lysozyme concentration in H. armigera larval hemolymph was the highest on SC260 (0.096 ± 0.01 mg/ml) and lowest on DC370 (0.060 ± 0.007 mg/ml). The longest pupal period was on SC500 (12.00 ± 0.49 days) and the shortest was on SC700 (10.37 ± 0.19 days). Daily and total fecundities of H. armigera were the highest on DC370 (61.68 ± 9.85 and 196.89 ± 49.30 eggs, respectively) and lowest on SC260 (20.60 ± 5.88 and 52.71 ± 18.80, respectively). The results of this study can provide fundamental information for management of H. armigera on maize hybrids.
Volume 1, Issue 1 (3-2013)
Abstract
Aims: Drug users form the main HIV-affected group in Iran. About two-third of all the individuals affected by HIV in Iran are those who use drug through injection. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of health belief model (HBM) on prevention of HIV transmission among the opiate-dependent population in Zarandieh. Methods and Materials: This is a quasi-experimental intervention study carried out on 49 addicted men in Zarandieh. was collected using a questionnaire, based on HBM and the group completed the questionnaire. According to the pre-test, the educational intervention was designed and implemented. Three months after the intervention, the post-test was performed and analyzed using the primary questionnaire and χ2, T-test. Findings: The findings indicated that the mean scores of HBM Model constructs (self-efficacy, susceptibility, severity and benefit) increased significantly after intervention and the perceived barriers decreased (p< 0.001). Also, the history of HIV testing reported 8%before intervention, while the rate increased to 48.6% after intervention. Conclusions: This finding provides initial support for designing and implementation of health education program, based on the HBM on Preventing HIV transmission among Opiate-dependent population.
Volume 1, Issue 1 (3-2013)
Abstract
Aims: Most of the world population who is at work and production age does not have appropriate and regular physical activity for various reasons. Accordingly, the researchers tried to evaluate the effect of physical activity predictors of employees through the path analysis based on the Pender's Health Promotion Model (HPM). Methods and Materials: We conducted this study on 359 employees of the milk and milk powder production factories in Mashhad. A questionnaire consisted of items related to the structure of the Pender's Health Promotion Model (Perceived Benefits, Perceived Barriers, Prior Related Behavior, Perceived Self-Efficacy, Activity Related Affect, Personal Factors, Interpersonal Influences and Situational Influences) and the IPAQ standard questionnaire related to the physical activity were designed and applied in interviews as data collection instruments. Findings: One fourth of the employees had proper physical activity. Generally, structures of the Pender's Health Promotion Model predicted 34.8 % of the physical activity behavior variance. Regression analysis has shown that the predictability of Prior Related Behavior, Perceived Self-Efficacy, Personal Factors, Activity Related Affect and Interpersonal Influences are significant and Situational Influences are nearly significant. Prior Related Behavior (β = 0.45, P < 0.000) and Self-Efficacy (β = 0.17, PConclusions: The findings of the study revealed that HPM is efficient in identifying and predicting the physical activity behavior. This pattern can be used as a framework for planning and implementing educational interventions in order to improve the physical activity of the adult employees.
Volume 1, Issue 1 (3-2013)
Abstract
Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl. (Umbelliferae family) is a dominant species in the some partial of habitats in Zagros Mountains. According to ethno-botanical studies, this plant is one of the best range plants of Iran. Local ranchers collect green Prangos while it is toxic. They then dry the plant and use it to feed their livestock, especially in winter season. This research done to analyse the changes in the chemical composition of Pr. ferulacea with the effects of time, location and type of secondary metabolisms. Therefore, the ingredients and amounts of the essential oils of Prangos were studied during the growing and flowering stages (in both green/fresh and dried forms) to track such changes. The results showed that the amounts of terpinolene, β-phellandrene and bornyl acetate were decreased in the dried form, and some of the harmful components, such as α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcen and delta-3-carene, were absent, rendering the plant non-toxic. These results confirm the opinion of the ranchers. In the growing stage, the amount of coumarin was significantly less than in the flowering stage, which also supports the conduct of the local ranchers who gather the plants at the most appropriate time.