Showing 29 results for Shafiei
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted at the time of publication 2024)
Abstract
As a trigger to communication, motivation still includes undiscovered aspects which require further investigation. Hence, considering the newly proposed dual continuum model of motivation, this study investigated the relationships among willingness to communicate (WTC), active/passive motivation, and foreign language achievement (FLA) among 216 high school English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. The modified version of the active/passive motivation scale (APMS) was revalidated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed significant relationships among active/passive motivation, L2WTC, and FLA. Additionally, six models were proposed for the prediction of learners’ L2WTC and FLA. The findings indicated that socio-cultural and sensory-perceptual active motivation as well as cognitive and sensory-perceptual passive motivation significantly predict learners’ L2WTC, while only cognitive active motivation predicts FLA. Furthermore, passive motivation predicts FLA in all sub-constructs. Finally, active motivation is a negative predictor of FLA if mediated by L2WTC. Overall, the study highlights the importance of passive as well as active motivation in promoting WTC and improving FLA among EFL learners.
Volume 2, Issue 4 (12-2014)
Abstract
Aim: Insufficient physical activity in women exposes them to problems such as overweight, diabetes, depression and cardiovascular diseases on top. In between, employees have minimum physical activity due to type of their job. The goal of this study was determining psychological factors effective on the physical activity of women working in University of Tehran based on the theory of planned behavior.
Methods: The research population included female office workers from the University of Tehran, who were selected through a call at this university in 2014 for this descriptive analytical cross-sectional study. For data gathering, a questionnaire was used with acceptable validity and reliability including demographic information and constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as well as International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Data were analyzed using SPSS21. The statistical bivariate correlation test and stepwise regression test were employed at the significance level of 0.05.
Findings: In this study, behavioral intention had a positive and significant relation with perceived behavioral control (P=0.000) and attitude (P=0.042). Also behavioral intention had a positive and significant relation with physical activity (P=0.000). Stepwise regression analysis was used to evaluate important factors effective on prediction of behavior and intention; it determined 40% of intention variance (R2= 0.408).
Conclusion: The results of the study showed that constructs such as attitude and perceived behavioral control can be effective on the behavioral intention and physical behavior of female employees; therefore, these factors must be seriously considered in educational planning for this group of the society.
Volume 3, Issue 1 (3-2014)
Abstract
Microcerotermes diversus Silvestri (Isoptera: Termitidae) is the most economically destructive wood pest in structures in Khuzestan province (Iran). Chemicals such as essential oils and plant extracts that are compatible with the environment and have high potential to be used in integrated pest management programs are extremely important resources. This study evaluated contact and digestive toxicity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehneh. (Myrtaceae)essential oil in no-choice and choice bioassays and feeding inhibition trials on M. diversus. Concentrations of the essential oil ranged from 0.3 to 1.6%. The results of the choice tests and feeding inhibition trial showed that the essential oil could act as a repellent at 0.7% concentration. Concentrations used in these tests resulted in mortality of termites, and a direct relationship between concentration and mortality was observed. The essential oil also increased the mortality of termites at concentrations higher than 0.7%. Termite feeding decreased with increase in concentration. Due to the ability of termites to choose the untreated filter-paper in the choice trial, values of LT and LC, were higher than in no-choice trials. The highest effects of Eucalyptus essential oil (≈100% mortality) was obtained by the concentration 1.6%. Overall, this study reveals that Eucalyptus essential oil may be suggested as an effective toxicant with suitable contact and digestive toxicity on M. diversus.
Volume 3, Issue 2 (9-2014)
Abstract
The effect of pistachio green hull (PGH) at 0, 1.5, 4.5, 13.5 and 27% of the diet on the growth, blood biochemical and hematological parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) of 27.03±0.58 g was investigated in a completely randomized design and in three replications with 14 fish individuals in each. At the end of 8 weeks feeding trial, blood samples were randomly taken from 4 individulas in each replication. Results showed significant differences (p<0.05) in SGR and FCR between 27% treatment and other treatments. No significant differences in Alb, Glo, Tg, GOT (p>0.05) were observed among treatments. Tp (2.76±0.15 g/dl), LDH (2139±44.26 IU/l), ALP (331.9±21.4 IU/l), GPT (407±17.82 IU/l), Hb (8.73±0.7 g/dl) and Hct (33.33±2.28%) had significant differences in group receiving 27% PGH compared with other group (p<0.05). Results showed that high levels of PGH in the diet of rainbow trout had adverse effects on health and growth factors.
Volume 4, Issue 15 (Fall 2011)
Abstract
Parody is one of the literary sub-genres which mocks its main genre. On the basis of value and significance of the main genre and also the structure and nature of parody, it can be considered as an independent genre. Since meaning in literature is one of the main elements and it has a central role in both language and imagination, it is of considerable importance in literary works. Therefore, one of the most important kinds of parody which is called tazriq in Persian literature has been formed in this field. In fact, one of the goals of parody is to entertain the audience and make them laugh, and tazriq satisfies this goal very well. Though there are a few differences, this kind of parody can be found in western literature where it is called nonsense verse. This article tries to compare the main aspects of these two kinds of parody.
Volume 5, Issue 2 (9-2016)
Abstract
The effects of alcoholic extract from pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel on some hematological and biochemical parameters, including RBC, Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, WBC, TP, CHO, GLU, LDL, HDL, Glb, TG, GOT, GPT, Alb, ALK, LDH, and lysozyme activity of common carp )Cyprinus carpio( fingerlings (11.73 ± 1.81g) were studied for a period of 75 days. Treatments included different concentrations of ethanol extract of pomegranate peel (Zero: control, 50, 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg of diet). At the end of experiment, all fish were sedated for morphometric measurement and blood sampling. Significant increases in Hb, Hct and RBC in groups 300 and 600 mg/kg of diet were observed (P<0.05). Total protein in groups 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg of diet showed a significant difference with other groups (P<0.05). Lysozyme activity was significantly enhanced in all diet containing pomegranate peel extract compared to the control group (P<0.05). In brief, the present study revealed an overall improvement in hematological parameters and lysozyme activities and total protein when 300 mg pomegranate peel extract was used in the diet.
Volume 8, Issue 4 (Fall 2020)
Abstract
Aims: Recognizing the environmental factors affecting plants structural trials and biomass is important to conserve plants as well as their ecosystem function, and services. Onobrychis aurea is a valuable forage that is distributed in the marl lands and is considered as an endangered plant species in Iran. In the present study, the ecological characteristics (plant traits) of this species has been investigated in detail.
Materials & Methods: For this purpose, structural traits and biomass of O. aurea were investigated in 12 ecological units with different topographical and soil conditions. Three soil samples were taken to 15cm depth, (0-15cm) in each ecological unit. The relationship between structural traits and species biomass with environmental factors was tested by redundancy analysis (RDA) method in 2016.
Findings: The results indicated that the soil characteristics including clay, lime and silt content play a more important role in the structural and biomass traits of O. aurea evidence show. Spatial and topographical factors, especially elevation and geographical aspects, had a smaller contribution in structural traits and species biomass in comparison with soil factors. Higher structural values were recorded in heavy textured alkaline soils. The slope percentages also have no significant effect on plant characteristics.
Conclusion: The present study indicated that the soil and topographic factors are very important for management of O. aurea. In general, it should also be emphasized that having good knowledge related to plant ecology as well as environmental condition could help managers to conserve and rehabilitate endangered plants.
Volume 8, Issue 30 (Summer 2015)
Abstract
Karnameh, Shahrashub, Senfi (guild)poetry, and Shahrangiz are the names that are used often interchangeably in the sources due to some similarities and the fact that they share the same root. However, these genres have enough nuances that can distinguish them into four separate genres. Of course, it is more difficult to consider karnameh as a genre since there are few and sometimes incomplete examples of it and that, practically, karnameh is transformed into shahrashub at last. The same is true about senfi poetry in which the professions are described poetically and the craftsman is portrayed as the beloved but, later, they were entered into shahrangiz genre and sometimes became extended and coherent works instead of scattered poems. Identifying the delicate features of these genres requires a lot of precision and, indeed, the inaccuracies have caused some of the experts and scholars to confuse these genres. However, it should be noted that, even at the time of their currency, poets and literary figures considered them as not following any norm and convention. Drawing on original sources and taxonomical studies, this research aims to identify and represent the nuances of each of these genres.
Volume 9, Issue 4 (Fall 2023)
Abstract
Aims: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered as an important opportunistic bacterial pathogen associated with nosocomial infections. Therefore, it is important to identify this bacterium in clinical samples and report the results to health authorities. The aim of this study was the molecular identification of some virulence factors and fosfomycin resistance genes in P. aeruginosa strains.
Materials & Methods: A total of 100 P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from clinical samples of patients with eye infections in three distinct laboratories in Tehran hospitals (Pars, Milad, and Motahari). The antibiogram of all isolates against eight antibiotics was determined by standard Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Then DNA was extracted from the isolates, and the frequency of exoY, exoT, exoU, exoS, fosC, fosB, and fosA genes was evaluated by multiplex PCR (polymerase chain reaction).
Findings: The highest resistance was observed to cotrimoxazole (85%), ceftazidime (83%), cefotaxime (79%), and cefepime (72%), and the highest sensitivity was observed to ciprofloxacin (55%), gentamicin (52%), and piperacillin (41%), respectively. Out of 60 investigated isolates, 58 isolates were positive for exoY, exoT, and exoU, while only four isolates were exoS positive. In addition, one strain (1.66%) had the fosC gene, two strains (3.33%) had the fosB gene, and 12 strains (20.02%) had the fosA gene.
Conclusion: The results showed that the frequency of fosfomycin resistance genes, whose protein product modifies the epoxide group of fosfomycin and reduces the effectiveness of this antibiotic, was significantly low in the investigated strains.
Volume 9, Issue 38 (5-2021)
Abstract
Despite the differences that recently have arisen in determining the meters of the folk poetry, it can be said with confidence that the meters of the folk poems follow the rules of syllabic accentual meters. Work songs (work poetry) is a branch of folk poetry which is read in harmony with the rhythm of the work and it has work-related content. Workers recited these poems in groups or individually to refresh themselves, making work easy and faster. In this article, at first, we have defined the work songs and its types and characteristics, and then analyzed the meters of these poems from two perspectives: the quantitative meters, and the syllabic accentual meters. We have found that the work songs follow the syllabic accentual meters and there is a significant relationship between the meters of work songs in a specific branch. The work songs also match the rhythm of the work. Also, by changing the work rhythm, it takes on different rhythms as well.
Volume 10, Issue 4 (Fall 2022)
Abstract
Aims: Colorectal cancer is a global health problem, but most of these patients are curable through early diagnosis. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of an educational intervention through a campaign on health anxiety and participation of middle-aged people (ages 50-70 years) in CRC screening based on the Health Belief Model in urban areas.
Materials & Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 390 people in age range 50-70 years in Parsian in 2021. The participants were selected using convenience sampling. Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale and Health Anxiety Questionnaire were used to collect data. The educational intervention was carried out in the form of a campaign through educational video clips and a banner for four weeks. Data analysis was done in SPSS 26 software using descriptive statistics and univariate analysis of covariance.
Findings: There was a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of the mean scores of the Health Belief Model scale (knowledge, perceived severity, perceived sensitivity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, and action guide) and the health anxiety questionnaire (consequences of disease and probability of disease) after the intervention (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The constructs of the Health Belief Model are good determinants of the action of high-risk individuals to undergo fecal occult blood testing. This highlights the necessity of implementing comprehensive educational programs focusing on the constructs of the Health Belief Model in this population.
Volume 11, Issue 2 (Vol. 11, No. 2 (Tome 56), (Articles in Persian) 2020)
Abstract
The nature of metaphor, metaphoric understanding, and its functions have been recognized as three main issues in research and theoretical formulations on metaphor and metaphor processing. In general, metaphor is defined as understanding and experiencing one thing based on another. Metaphor can also be considered as an expression that has two conceptual domains in which one of the domains is experienced and understood according to the other. These two conceptual domains are known as target domain and source domain. In this study, we examine the relationship between conceptual metaphor and formation of a schema in short texts regarding target and source domains.
The main tools of the study were the texts written in fluent Persian and divided into two categories of metaphorical texts and their equivalent non-metaphorical versions. Both texts have had a shared schema. Furthermore, the number of words were equal in both texts. For this purpose, 3 metaphorical and 3 equivalent non-metaphorical short texts were designed in Psychopy software in 2 visual and auditory versions and 47 people were exposed to the short-term recognition after reading/listening to it. There were eight texts including 3 metaphorical and 3 non-metaphorical ones plus 2 texts that were used as filler texts which were excluded from the final analyses. The texts were organized in such a manner that the metaphorical text played before its corresponding non-metaphorical text with an interval. At the next round, the non-metaphorical text was played before its metaphorical version.
The sample was selected through convenience sampling which included 80 twenty to twenty-five-year-old students of Foreign Languages School and Management School of Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran. Since variations in memory capacity can affect the test results, they were given a Persian word recognition test to ensure relative consistency among all participants' memory capacity.
The test processes in the visual and auditory tests were the same except in the method of presenting the texts on the screen or playing through the headphone.
In this study, descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used for analyzing the data and providing tentative answers to the research questions. All the analyses were implemented SPSS V.23 software. To analyse the data in each of the visual and auditory tasks separately, Friedman non-parameter test was used. For comparing the data of the visual and auditory tasks, Mann-Whitney test was used.
Results indicated that in metaphorical texts, there are traces of the non-metaphorical text`s main schema. This finding brings us closer to the assumption that it is source domain`s schema that projects on target domain in metaphors and makes it more understandable.
Volume 13, Issue 2 (summer 2013 2013)
Abstract
One of the most important institutions and the special gift of divine religions including Islam is charity institution. Charity may overcome many social problems like poverty and disarray of the income and expenditure. This research is intended to investigate the factors influencing charity and the charity function behavior according to the teachings of Islam and to estimate empirically charity function in Iran. Regarding theoretical and empirical studies on religious expenditure and Islamic taxes; and considering Islamic rules and statistical limitations, the selected explanatory variables are income, wealth, age of householder and religious capital. The charity function is estimated using a panel data consisting of provincial data during the years 2000-2007. The estimation of an exponential charity function shows that charity is an increasing function of provincial per capita income, wealth and religious capital. Using direct data on charity and entering religious capital and wealth as effective factors on charity are of innovations of the paper which differentiates current research from the other studies.
Volume 13, Issue 49 (Spring 2020)
Abstract
Cultural Semiotics, concerned with revealing the processes of meaning formation and identifying inherent values and norms in texts, was established by Yuri Lotman (1922-1993). This approach to text analysis, by focusing on the interrelation of different semiospheres, provides a new possibility to analyze cultural events to identify the means of text production in a specific semiosphere. Mythological-theological texts appear to be significant cultural sources for such an analysis and therefore Avesta, as a mythological-theological text, was selected for the current study. This paper has focused on Jamshid and attempted to study the delegitimization process of Mithraism and legitimization process of Zoroastrianism. Jamshid was studied in the binary of Self and Other and he was viewed as a god in Mithraism who, by the depreciation of vedic ideas and the influence of Zoroastrian semiosphere, had obtained a sinful character. Sinfulness of Jamshid was explored here by analyzing his introduction to the new semiosphere, the rejection of Other and the emphasis of Self culture (Zoroastrianism).
Kurosh Hasanpour, Ali Shafiei,
Volume 15, Issue 4 (6-2015)
Abstract
Increasing usage of metals in engineering structures has made the metal forming process become superior in the solid mechanic researches. Meanwhile, the physical theories are of high significance due to the individual features. The crystal plasticity theory is one of these theories. This theory predicts the texture evolution and deformation of these materials by modeling the plastic deformation mechanisms of crystal material’s micro-structure (such as metals). Connecting with micro-structure enables this theory to predict the anisotropy of single crystals, and also the prediction of some phenomena in polycrystals which are aggregate of single crystals, is possible. Presenting a suitable work hardening model which contains the anisotropy behaviors of single-crystals is very important. In this paper, at first, the principles of crystal plasticity are explained, and then by evaluating several experimental results and the most commonly used work hardening models, a new work hardening model will be presented. This model adapts better with experimental results, compared to the previous models. The scope of this research is specifically for crystal materials with FCC structure, nevertheless, some part of this research is applicable to the other structures.
Hamed Haghiri, Ali Reza Fotuhi, Alireza Shafiei,
Volume 15, Issue 4 (6-2015)
Abstract
In a structural analysis, dynamic response of a crack is of significant importance as well as the impacts of elastic waves on stress intensity factors (SIF). In this paper, dynamic analyses of multiple cracks on a half-plane subjected to anti-plane shear stresses are presented. Stress intensity factors are calculated and the interaction of elastic waves with the boundary of plane and the cracks' tips is investigated at different locations. The distribution discontinuous displacement techniques are used, enabling us to solve the crack problems in dynamic fracture mechanics. Integral transformations (Laplace and Fourier) are applied to elastodynamics equations and by using a set of appropriate boundary conditions solved discontinuous displacement and the crack problem is solved through discontinuous displacement method. As a result, the stress equations with hypersingularity terms are obtained. Using Chebyshev series expansion and collocation points in Laplace domain, the crack solution is achieved. Finally, different algorithms of numerical Laplace inversion are presented and the stress intensity factors (SIF) are obtained. The presented results are compared with published data and a good agreement is observed. Moreover, it is also demonstrated that the present theoretical study is capable of modelling multiple cracks with different arrangements.
Volume 16, Issue 2 (6-2016)
Abstract
This paper addresses the problem of inter-flow network coding for unicast sessions in lossy channel wireless networks. In spite of decreasing the number of transmissions, network coding intuitively increases the sensitivity of nodes to lost packets. First of all, coded packets carry more information than native packets and thus losing a coded packet prohibits a series of dependent nodes from decoding their intended packets. Secondly, for the scheme with opportunistic listening, it is necessary for some of the nodes to overhear the transmission of their neighbors. Thus, successful decoding requires overhearing of the corresponding packet(s) in addition to correct reception of unicast and broadcast transmissions.
In this paper, we study the effect of lossy channel on the aggregate network throughput in the presence of network coding. We provided a linear programming formulation to compute the throughput performance of network coding for a general lossy wireless network. Further, we consider a retransmission mechanism for both unicast and broadcast. Our LP system supports both COPE and Star coding schemes. The advantages of the proposed NC schemes over the non-NC ones are shown through simulations and theoretical analysis. Results show that network coding can boost the capacity of wireless network up to 40% under lossy channel condition.
Payam Shafiei Gohari, Sajad Taghvaei, Hossein Mohammadi,
Volume 16, Issue 11 (1-2017)
Abstract
One of the most important factors in surveillance systems using robots, is the complexity and unpredictability of the robot trajectories. This becomes more vital in hostile conditions where the robot trajectory is being followed by another agent. Therefore, random or chaotic sequences can be used in motion planning of surveillant robots. However chaotic sequences would be more effective due to their deterministic nature. Moreover the intrinsic robustness and ergodicity of chaotic systems, compared to random functions, would be another advantage to be considered in surveillance systems which require comprehensive coverage. In this paper, a method is proposed for chaotic motion planning for boundary surveillance and implemented to a quadrotor robot. Quadrotor robot is introduced as an appropriate choice for boundary surveillance application due to high maneuverability and aerial functions. The chaotic trajectory is produced using Henon map. Then the dynamics of the system is derived and a sliding mode controller is designed for such chaotic motion. Finally the dynamics of the robot and the proposed controller are simulated to generate the chaotic trajectories for two cases. The performance of the proposed algorithm is discussed according to unpredictability and staying in the allowable region. A circular path and a non-smooth path are considered for simulation examples.
Amin Allah Veisi, Mohammad Hossein Shafiei Mayam,
Volume 16, Issue 12 (2-2017)
Abstract
In this study Large Eddy Simulation method has been employed in order to investigate the effects of blade rotation direction of downstream turbine in two co-rotating and counter-rotating configurations. The acquired results are in good agreement with presented experimental data in literatures. Counter-rotating configuration is used in order to investigate the effect of blade rotation on the efficiency of downstream wind turbine. The results show that the efficiency of downstream wind turbine is increased about 4 percent without any change in wind farm layout and type of wind turbines. The upstream wind turbine absorbed a portion of wind energy. Hence stream wise velocity is decreased and lateral velocities are increased in downstream direction. The flow behind the upstream turbine is rotated in same direction with downstream turbine in a counter-rotating configuration. This is why the efficiency of downstream turbine is increased in a counter-rotating configuration. The results of the present study show that streamwise velocity profile is almost identical in both configurations, while, lateral velocities are changed considerably. In other words, a better efficiency of wind farm could be due to the lateral velocities. Hence, the efficiency of wind farm could be increased by decreasing the distance between two consecutive wind turbines in a counter-rotating configuration.
Volume 17, Issue 2 (Summer 2017 2017)
Abstract
Economic theories suggest that increasing uncertainty induces households to reduce the growth of their consumption expenditure. This study aims to examine how to change the consumption expenditure of Iranian households due to uncertainty in government expenditure. To do this, using annual data for 1978-2012, first, a measure for government expenditure uncertainty was introduced, and then its effects on household consumption behavior were analyzed. The results indicate that uncertainty in government expenditure has a negative and significant effect on growth of household consumption expenditure. On the other hand, the effect of government spending uncertainty on consumption expenditure of durable goods is positive. In other words, Iranian households in increasing uncertainty settings face with the growth of consumption spending on durable goods. Thus, the government needs to create transparency in fiscal policy, to reduce policy uncertainty for households as far as possible.