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Background: With 10 million cases around the world, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) has been classified as a highly contagious disease and mostly affecting low and middle countries. Having the second highest incident cases in West Java of Indonesia, Cirebon becomes a challenging city in order to reduce the number of TB cases in the country. Aims: This study aims to identify the patients’ knowledge and treatment phases, and how the two factors encourage patients to comply with their medication. Methods : This cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 91 new pulmonary tuberculosis patients at the Cirebon City Community Lung Health Centre, selected using random sampling. Not only respondent characteristics, but also data on the patients' knowledge levels, treatment phases, and medication adherence were collected using a questionnaire and medical records. To assess the relationship between these variables, the collected data was then analyzed using the Spearman Correlation test. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Commission, and informed consent was gathered from all participants. Results: This study reveals the most updated characteristics of the Tuberculosis patients at the Cirebon City Community Lung Health Center aged 15-64 years old with treatment duration ranged 1-6 months. The majority have insufficient knowledge about tuberculosis (45.1%), and 75.8% of patients adhered to their prescribed medication regimen, regardless of their knowledge level. The data indicates a significant positive correlation between knowledge level and medication adherence (p = 0.015), with 95% of patients with good knowledge adhering to treatment compared to only 34% with poor knowledge. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between adherence and treatment duration (p = 0.002), as 85% of patients who adhered to treatment did so for more than two months. Conclusion: The study shows that patients with better knowledge of tuberculosis are more likely to stick to their medication, which also leads to longer treatment durations. Given the high incidence of TB in the region, these findings suggest the need for targeted educational programs to enhance patients' understanding of TB, thereby improving adherence to treatment protocols. Received: 20 May 2024, Reviewed: 09 June 2024, Revised: 26 August 2024, Accepted: 30 August 2024.

Background: Fish consumption preferences vary among communities. The issue of fish consumption achievement of East Kalimantan residents which has decreased compared to 2019 has encouraged the government to intensify programs, especially considering socio-economic factors for liking to consume fish. In this study, the issue of fish consumption is also associated with the residents’ knowledge of the benefits of fish nutritional content for health. Aims: This recent study aims to investigate the appreciation of East Kalimantan residents for the health of fish consumption benefits and to analyze factors which influence the fish consumption of East Kalimantan residents. Methods: Data collection was done through a questionnaire completed by 160 people in 10 regency and city sites in East Kalimantan with purposive random sampling method during January to March 2024. Also employing Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) is in data analysis. Results: Most of East Kalimantan residents (85%) appreciate the benefits of fish consumption for their health, even though there are still residents (15%) who lack information and knowledge about its benefits. The residents’ understanding and knowledge cover fish as a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality protein, and related with reducing risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. The most residents (90%) approve that the fish protein content is of high quality of protein and vitamins-mineral. In the analysis, all variables that build this model have amounting to 82% (R2) affected into fish consumption residents. Partially, age, income, fish price, ethnic, education, and fish substitute variables significantly influence the fish consumption of East Kalimantan residents at p

Background: As a modern communication medium, Facebook provides a new place to people who live far apart to interact and discuss on the same topic, such as football. This research examines how the nationalism is generated through Facebook. From the perspective of social realities, Facebook is observed as a channel of communication utilized by football lovers. However, communication through Facebook also causes conflicts among its users. Aims: This study aims to investigate how nationalism is expressed through communication on Facebook and how conflicts affect mental health but can also build and perpetuate a sense of nationalism and strengthen group identities. Methods: To achieve the objectives, content analysis is used to examine the manifestation with regard to the context of generating a spirit of nationalism through the communication interaction process of Facebook users. Data collection in this study was conducted through ASEAN football page on Facebook. Posts, images and comments left under the related posts were then selected when they are regarding only the spirit of nationalism. Results: Results show that Facebook is not only a social medium but also, a means of generating nationalism through conversations. As nationalism is expressed both in a positive and negative way on ASEAN football page, it, of course, leads to conflicts because of the differences in the orientation of values and interest when the conflicting sides hold different background. Conclusion: By exploring how nationalism is expressed through Facebook comments on ASEAN football page, the research provides insights into how digital platforms shape and amplify nationalistic sentiments. This understanding is crucial in an era where social media plays a significant role in public discourse and it also highlights the mental health impacts of online nationalistic comments. This is significant for developing strategies to address and mitigate the negative psychological effects that such interactions can have on individuals. Received: 31 July 2024, Reviewed: 4 August 2024, Revised: 22 August 2024, Accepted: 24 August 2024.

Background: There is a wide gap in healthcare access between the poor and the rich in South Africa. The government has implemented several policies to address this gap; nonetheless the complaints about poor healthcare delivery exist. Aims: The objective of this study is to examine the relative importance of healthcare service indicators in Tshwane Municipality, South Africa. Methods: This research uses a utility approach to analyse the relative importance of healthcare service indicators in the context of the Tshwane Municipality in South Africa. The study applies conjoint analysis to better understand healthcare users' preferences for several factors such as service range, waiting time for medications and consultations, waiting time for elective operations, and location. Questionnaire was administered on 280 respondents, comprising the following: Black – 130, Whites – 70, Indians – 40, and Coloured – 40. The data was collected from both public and private healthcare users, and the results were compared using an independent t-test. Results: The study found that there were no statistically significant variations in the mean utilities of public and private healthcare users. The finding suggests that healthcare users' preferences, whether they utilize public or private services, are largely comparable and can be addressed by utilizing unified techniques. The result also demonstrates the most favoured levels for each metric, providing insights into patient preferences and their social impacts. The study further highlights various healthcare preferences of users. Conclusion: This finding emphasises that healthcare users have unique expectations, requiring personalised healthcare delivery. The findings have several recommendations for policymakers and healthcare practitioners to improve service delivery and patient satisfaction. Received: 01 May 2024 | Reviewed: 03 June 2024 | Revised: 12 July 2024 | Accepted: 21 July 2024.

IntroductionMore than 40% of Iran's borders are situated on the sea and are considered desert areas. These coastal deserts are only located in three provinces: Hormozgan, Sistan, Baluchistan, and Khuzestan. There are a lot of geotourism attractions in these areas. The desert ecotourism industry, which is situated close to the ocean and open sea, has a significant impact on the economy of the local desert communities and increasing the gross domestic income of Iran. Qatar is known as the center of coastal desert tourism in the world. Although there is a lot of potential in these southern provinces, the coastal desert tourism industry in Iran remains undeveloped and neglected. The tourism industry accounts for more than 50% of the economy in developed countries with a sea border. Visiting the natural and visual attractions of the beaches, particularly the neighboring desert beaches, is a major source of income for both domestic and foreign tourists every year. The economic contribution of sea-related industries, particularly tourism, to Iran's economy is less than 0.01%. The tourism industry, particularly the desert tourism branch, has not been growing and developing despite the high capability of desert attractions and ecosystems, unfortunately. Assessing the ecological potential and merit of arid and semi-arid areas is a process that aims to promote appropriate and harmonious development. with nature, regulate the relationship between man and nature. This assessment is an effective way to get a plan for sustainable development. Development plans can be made in harmony with nature by identifying and evaluating the ecological characteristics in each region. This research aims to assess the suitability of land and its environmental capacity for optimal use, taking into account factors such as characteristics of vegetation and fauna, topography, soil science, climate, access to roads, cities, and water sources, etc. to examine their limitations for exploiting the desired deserts. Material and MethodsThe Hemag protected area is situated in Hormozgan province It is located in between the geographic coordinates of 25° 24 ʹ to 28° 57 ʹ north latitude and 53° 41 ʹ to 59° 15 ʹ east longitude from the Greenwich Meridian and can be found in the north of Bandar Abbas city and the southern part of Haji Abad city. This protected area with an area of 100,509 ha, consists of parts of the huge Hemag mountain range. The climate of this region is different from that of other parts of Hormozgan province due to its mountainous nature. To determine the suitability of desert tourism in the region, FAO's restrictive guidelines were used by using GIS. After determining the effective factors and ranking them, the most significant effective factors from FAO (1991) were added to the model. Six sub-models were established, with topography (height and slope), soil (soil texture), climate, water resources, vegetation, and natural attractions being the most important. Slope is an important parameter in determining the degree of sustainability. Makhdoom (2012)'s sustainability classes for extensive recreation indicated that the slope factor's sustainability classes were classified in the tourism model of the region. The elevation parameter plays a significant role in tourist use by affecting the characteristics of temperature, quality, density, and diversity of vegetation, leading to a beautiful landscape and pleasant climate. Results and DiscussionThe model results show that the S1 class covers 35,498.1 ha (39.39) while the S2 class covers 32097.35 ha (30.6). The S3 class received 18983 ha (20%), while the N class received 3821.05 ha (4.3%). The results of the sustainability classes of the height model show that 235.3 ha out of the area of 90400, have a height of more than 1800 m and in the sustainability class S1. About 424.2 ha (25.31%) ranked in the sustainability class S2 with an elevation between 1400 to 1800 m, and 5.27936 ha (90.30%) is put in the sustainability class S3 with an elevation between 1000 to 1400 m. There is approximately 841.1460 ha (61.1%) that falls under the N sustainability category and is located under 1000 m elevation. According to the suitability classes of the soil model, 13442.5 ha (14.8%) are classified as S1 class. The S2 competence class accounts for 74949 ha (82.91%), while the N sustainability class accounts for 2008 ha (22.2%). According to the final tourism sustainability model, 39,022 ha (43.17%) are classified as S1 sustainability class out of 90,400 ha. The S2 sustainability class holds 35,822 ha (39.63%), while S3 sustainability class holds 8.8 6236 ha (6.9%), and N sustainability class holds 9319.01 ha (10.3%). According to the final model's results, the region is in the medium sustainability category for desert tourism. The region's tourism and desert tourism are restricted by certain factors that increase and decrease. Many researchers have found that the slope is a significant factor in the capacity of an area for recreation and desert tourism. According to the habitat suitability map of the carnivore, the highest concentration is found in the low suitability category. In the region, there are also herbivores including Gasella benetti and Ovis orientalis, and the results indicate that these herbivores are very suitable for sustainability in the region. The more wildlife that is present, the more attractive these areas are to tourists. The most significant reason for the lack of suitability in terms of numbers was the lack of wildlife in the region, according to the results of the suitability test.

IntroductionNumerous studies on the chemical composition of Nepeta species essential oils in Iran show that changes in chemical composition are influenced by various factors including geographical location, weather conditions, plant growth stages, and analysis techniques. It is crucial to understand the variables that influence the effective substances of these medicinal plants. Nepetalactone is the first chemotype for the essential oils of plants in this genus. Nepetalactone can be divided into different isomers. For example, 4aα,7α,7aα-Nepetalactone found in Nepeta cephalotes Boiss., Nepeta crassifolia Boiss. & Buhse, Nepeta mirzayanii Rech.f. & Esfand. and Nepeta racemosa Lam.; 4aα,7α,7aβ-Nepetalactone in Nepeta cataria L., Nepeta meyeri Benth. and Nepeta pogonosperma Jamzad & Assadi; and 4aβ,7α,7aβ-Nepetalactone in Nepeta bornmuelleri Hausskn. & Bornm., Nepeta eremophila Hausskn. & Bornm. and Nepeta persica Boiss. are highly useful as biochemical markers for Nepeta essential oil in chemotaxonomic studies. The 1,8-Cineole chemotype or with Linalool makes up the second category. The first chemical is the most prevalent in a number of Nepeta species, including Nepeta binaloudensis Jamzad, Nepeta crispa Willd., Nepeta denudata Benth., Nepeta ispahanica Boiss. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse. The essential oils of Nepeta species in Iran contain 33 effective substances in a significant amount. These oils are comprised of monoterpenes and hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes. To date, research on the phytochemical variety of Nepeta species and how ecological conditions affect their morphological characteristics and secondary metabolites has only looked at Nepeta asterotricha Rech.f., Nepeta binaloudensis, Nepeta eremokosmos Rech.f. and Nepeta pogonosperma. In these studies, it has been frequently mentioned that altitude affects the quantity and quality of beneficial substances found in the species of this genus. There has been no exploration of other factors related to the species' habitat. The purpose of this research project was to conduct a thorough investigation of the effect of environmental parameters on the essential oil composition of medicinal species Nepeta eremokosmos. Material and MethodsIn Semnan province, three different habitats for Nepeta eremokosmos, each with distinct environmental conditions, were selected. A systematic random method was used to establish a series of plots in each habitat. Vegetative traits, such as plant height, canopy diameter, canopy cover, biomass, and leaf area, were meticulously measured in every plot. To prepare a herbarium sample, the flowering aerial parts of Nepeta eremokosmos were collected in June 2022 from three specific regions: Momenabad, Hajjaj, and Javin. Three replicates of the flowering branches of Nepeta eremokosmos were taken from each population. The samples were dried in both the open air and shade after being transferred to the laboratory. The Clevenger apparatus was used to extract the essential oils through hydrodistillation after grinding the dried samples. GC-FID and GC/MS were used to identify essential oil compounds. In each habitat, five soil samples were also collected, and important physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, OM, N, P, K, lime, gypsum, and soil texture were measured. Afterwards, the data were examined by conducting one-way variance analysis and comparing mean values using SPSS software. Correlation analysis was used to determine the most significant environmental factors that influenced vegetative traits and essential oil compounds. Moreover, principal component analysis was carried out using Minitab software. The conservation status of Nepeta eremokosmos was determined using the IUCN method and based on the criteria of EOO and AOO using GeoCAT software, as well as data related to population size and habitat quality. Results and DiscussionNepeta eremokosmos' vegetative traits varied significantly between the three regions in terms of plant height and leaf area, with a 0.1% difference, the canopy diameter and cover are at 1%, while the biomass is at 5%. The comparison of mean vegetative traits revealed that the highest values of height, canopy diameter, canopy cover, leaf area, and biomass, with 20.8 cm, 34.1cm, 2.3%, 4.1cm2, and 30.1g, respectively related to Momenabad habitat. The variance analysis of essential oil components in three populations of Nepeta eremokosmos revealed that their effective substances were significantly different at levels of 0.1, 1 and 5%. The Momenabad habitat contained 1,8-Cineole, 4a, 7a-Nepetalactone, and p-Cymene, with a respective concentration of 50.8, 7.2, and 6.5%. Hajjaj had the highest concentration of 1,8-Cineole, Myrtenal, and p-Cymene, while Javin had 20, 8.7, and 8.1%. According to the variance analysis of soil chemical parameters of Nepeta eremokosmos, the three habitats had a significant difference of 0.1%. By comparing the mean parameters, it was demonstrated that the soil in Momenabad habitat is more acidic and lighter. The concentrations of OM, N, SP, P, and gypsum were elevated with 0.24%, 4.4%, 65.1%, 5.4 mg/l, and 73.9%, in comparison to other habitats. Javin habitat had an EC, K, and lime level that was 1.5 ds/m higher than those in the other two habitats by 117.4 mg/l and 31.6%. Among the environmental factors, altitude, annual precipitation, annual temperature, maximum temperature of the hottest month, N, P, K, OM, gypsum, and lime showed the most significant correlations with the vegetative traits and essential oil compounds of Nepeta eremokosmos. The conservation status of Nepeta eremokosmos in Iran is Critically Endangered, based on its occupancy of 1.250km2 and the extent of its occurrence in 69,862km2. Plant species' essential oils have biological effects that are influenced by their effective substances, which can be affected by both genetic pathways and environmental factors. The plant's chemical performance can be maximized by selecting the most appropriate chemotype based on specific goals and providing optimal environmental conditions. According to the research findings, Nepeta eremokosmos prefers steppe habitats with higher essential oil content and compounds with higher antioxidant properties. Thus, this habitat is deemed suitable for conserving and cultivating Nepeta eremokosmos.

IntroductionThe integration of inter-sectoral policies is necessary for natural resource management. This is due to the fact that the scope of current environmental and sustainability issues goes beyond traditional sectoral boundaries. The water resources in Iran are facing a problem due to the excessive exploitation of underground water resources. The lack of cooperation and communication among institutions responsible for managing underground water resources is the root of this problem. Numerous studies have examined the use of social network analysis and its effect on natural resource management, addressing the complexity and unpredictability of social-ecological systems. Some researchers have examined the impact of social networks on each other, society, and social processes, while other researchers have explored organizational arrangements for better management. The objective of this study is to identify institutions, categorize them, and analyze the pattern of communication and cooperation between them, to collaborate together in a synergistic manner for collective action in the field of cooperative aquifer management in the Isin Plain. Material and MethodsThe social network analysis technique is employed in this study to determine the roles and positions of stakeholders, to establish a management system that is coherent and compatible to balance the Isin Plain Aquifer. The relationship between organizational activists involved in water was analyzed through a social network analysis questionnaire conducted after learning about them in a snowball way and completed by linking cooperative relations and information exchange through a complete network. In terms of water governance and their roles, organizations were classified into different groups. The ecological boundary of the current study of agricultural lands affected by the Isin Plain aquifer and its social boundary are 31 governmental and non-governmental organization related to the Isin Plain groundwater. For this purpose, the results of answering the questionnaires at the organization level were entered into Excel software in the form of a matrix. After adjusting the data, the data was transformed from the Likert spectrum mode into binary format using the UCINET 6 software, and the desired indicators were calculated. At the macro level, the indices of density, reciprocity, transitivity, degree, and geodesic distance were computed and examined the index of internal and external links at the intermediate level, and the indices of degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and closeness centrality at the micro level of the network. The groundwater governance regime in the study area was investigated using two indicators of density and degree centrality at the macro level. Two indicators of density and internal and external links at the macro level were used to investigate common imaging to achieve water governance. Results and DiscussionAccording to the results, the macro-level indicators in the studied network were not in a positive position, and the organization network of the studied region was found to have a low level of social capital. In addition, 38.71% of organizations related to the participatory governance of water resources were in the central subgroup, while 61.29% of the organizations were in the peripheral subgroup. Due to their role in providing services, government agencies have the greatest impact on water resources in the study area. Furthermore, there are no non-governmental organizations or production cooperatives in this area that play an active role in managing water resources. According to the E - I index, the exchange of information and cooperation in intermediary and protection subgroups is external, and intermediary institutions are willing to exchange information and cooperate with the actors of other subgroups to protect more natural areas. The results show that among the investigated actors, the Regional Water of Company Hormozgan and the police force are among the key political and organizational powers, as a center and source of advice and a communication bridge for other actors. These actors are instrumental in the process of information transfer and cooperation in the organizational network of the studied region. Thus, these two actors are considered flexible bodies that can be effective in the successful implementation of cooperative management of water resources to balance the aquifer of the Isin Plain with less time and cost. The social network analysis revealed that the actors have weak interactions for managing aquifers in the Isin Plain, and their influence and powers in the network are also different. The weak cooperation of different groups involved in the management of groundwater resources of the Isin Plain can reduce collaborative activities effectiveness, lead to conflicts in their actions, and prohibit the sustainable balancing of the aquifer. Non-governmental organizations and production cooperatives either do not exist or are not actively involved in aquifer management. In the implementation of participatory management programs, it is possible to utilize the capacity of influential and key actors to promote the integration of stakeholders and water policies. It increases their participation in relevant restoration and balancing projects, and improves the management of water resources. The governance system for managing groundwater resources is centralized and uncoordinated, depending on the network's centrality, which indicates low power distribution, coordination, and adaptive capacity. Furthermore, there is a lack of coherence in the structure of knowledge shared among stakeholders. The Isin Plain's water resources management depiction does not focus on negotiation, but rather on ambiguity. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve cooperative management of the aquifer in the studied area, increasing cooperation and two-way communication between organizations and more communication with less key actors, especially non-governmental organizations

IntroductionWater is the source of life and a strategic resource for human societies. The need for this vital resource is increasing exponentially due to the increase in population and the development of industry and agriculture. People are forced to use underground water because surface water is not generally and permanently responsive to diverse needs. A decrease in their volume and many problems have been caused by the excessive use of these resources. This crisis has caused regional crises caused by the imbalance of resources and consumption, along with climate changes, has raised the issue of integrated management of water resources more than ever. Agricultural land has been developed due to the increase in population and the need for more food. Programs without principles that rely solely on the quality and quantity of underground water resources have been harmful. Groundwater aquifers are transformed into sources of the country's needs due to the heterogeneous and untimely temporal and spatial distribution of discharges and surface water flows. In recent years, with the increase in water demand and the non-supply of a significant part of it by surface water sources, the extraction - permitted and unauthorized - of underground water sources has been given much attention; so that the level of underground aquifers has decreased dramatically across the country. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of the important variables of precipitation, inflation and annual population as a representative of climatic, economic and social factors on the fluctuations of the underground water level in Urmia region. Material and MethodsIn the present study, the impact of three factors, precipitation, population and inflation, on the subsidence of the Urmia Plain aquifer has been investigated. To do this, multiple linear regressions was performed between the data of the annual loss of the groundwater level during 38 years, 1981 to 2019 with three variables of precipitation, population and inflation index of the previous year. According to the previous researches, firstly, an index of inflation has been established by comparing the average loss of the piezometric level of the underground water in Urmia region as a dependent variable, with the three independent variables of the average rainfall of water year as the most important climatic factor, the annual population of the major centers of human concentration located in the Urmia plain of previous year, and the base coefficient of the annual monetary value of previous year compared to 1981 using a multivariable linear regression. Then, the outcome is compared to the outcomes of artificial neural networks such as four-layer perceptron, three-layer perceptron, and radial basis function. All three networks have an input layer with three neurons to receive the values of the three independent variables of precipitation, population and inflation. One or two hidden layers with a number of neurons, to perform calculations and process the relationship between independent and dependent variables; and an output layer with a neuron to provide the processing results i.e., the estimated aquifer subsidence rate. The data used in the present study were derived from the years 1981-2019. The reference of the aquifer level data is the hydrograph extracted from 67 piezometer wells in the area by the underground water unit of basic studies of the West Azerbaijan Regional Water Company. The annual rainfall data reference is of the Urmia camp evaporation station located in the company premises, which is well controlled and highly reliable as an indicator of rainfall changes in the region. Population data is sourced from the Iranian Statistics Center, while inflation data is sourced from the Central Bank of Iran. Results and DiscussionAccording to the results of the reviewed models, despite the differences in the values of the numerical results, in all four models: multivariate linear regression, perceptron artificial neural networks of the four layers MLP:3-2-2-1, and the three layers MLP:3-5-1 and the radial basis function RBF: 3-5-1, it can be seen that the importance of the independent variables under study are population, inflation and annual precipitation respectively. It is obvious that a larger population needs more food, clothing, housing, etc., which, according to the concept of virtual water, ultimately leads to more use of the limited available water and soil resources. Economic activity, particularly agriculture, is increased due to the depreciation of currency and decrease in people's purchasing power, which is a result of the decrease in purchasing power and the depreciation of currency. This problem has also led to the change of land use of natural resources to agricultural lands that are either rainfed or irrigated. Explaining that rain fed lands cause more rainwater loss through capture and then evaporation and transpiration by plants planted by farmers. Irrigation of agricultural plants or gardens of irrigated lands - mainly with unauthorized water harvesting - ultimately leads to more water consumption. Additionally, humans have exploited underground water resources due to the inappropriate and untimely distribution of rainfall and surface water resources. Although by adopting new management methods, both social and economic, and improving water productivity, despite the increase in demand for water, despite our efforts to protect this vital, sensitive, and strategic resource, statistical studies, including the current results, demonstrate that we have not chosen the correct solutions. Considering some irreparable effects of the aquifer level drop, including irreversible changes in the mechanical characteristics of the soil, which lead to more vulnerability of infrastructures and facilities; the emphasis is placed on comprehensive water resource management and the concept of virtual water and its trade.

IntroductionIn most arid and semi-arid areas, the soils have a compact surface layer that is denser and less permeable than the underlying layers. These layers are referred to as surface coating when they are wet, and when they dry, they are referred to as surface crust. Surface crust can be divided into physical, chemical, and biological crusts depending on the nature of formation. Physical and biological soil crusts are the most significant types of soil crusts in arid and semi-arid regions. Two types of the physical crust are structural and depositional. Natural events, such as raindrops and the drying process, are the primary causes of the formation of surface crust. The process involves the creation of hard, thin layers on the surface of the soil. The thickness of the surface crusts is typically between 1 mm and 5 cm. Many researches have described different theoretical mechanisms for the formation of surface crusts in soil and reported their effective role in controlling wind erosion. The formation of crust in soil involves multiple stages, and the reaction of the soil surface to raindrop energy is divided into two main parts, as it was demonstrated. The first part involves the splashing of soil particles by raindrops' impact. A layer with a thickness of approximately 0. 1 mm is produced in this instance. The second component is composed of fine soil particles that penetrate the soil pores with water and cause the formation of a layer that is 2 mm thick. According to a study, soil loss control is not affected by the crust cover beyond 30%. There is a linear relationship between soil loss and surface crust coverage, as the surface crust cover develops gradually, soil loss differs between soil types. Material and MethodsDuring field surveys of dust storm sources in Khuzestan, it was observed that there are surface crusts that are strong enough to act as a barrier against wind erosion in certain locations. The suggestion was made to investigate the type and general characteristics of these surface crusts. The purpose of this study is to examine the general characteristics of these surface crusts and their effect on wind erosion control. The study was conducted by randomly obtaining 18 surface crust samples, each containing three sub-samples from a depth of 0 to 5 cm from the dust storm sources of Khuzestan province. After being air dried, they were then passed through a sieve of 2 mm. The factors of pH, EC, CaCo3, CEC, ESP, Ca, Mg, Po3-4 texture, initial moisture, and apparent density of the surface crusts were measured. The soil's sensitivity to crust formation was assessed by using soil stability index, Crusting Index, pressure resistance, and shear resistance. The stability of soil aggregates was assessed using the mean weight diameter and geometric mean diameter indices. Soil samples were collected and tested in a wind tunnel to examine the impact of these surface crusts on wind erosion control and the amount of soil loss and the speed of wind erosion were assessed. An orbital wind tunnel device was utilized for this purpose. Trays with soil were placed on the bottom of the tunnel in this manner. After the wind blew (speeds of 15, 10, 25 m/s) by measuring the difference in the weight of the tray before and after the wind blowing, the amount of erosion was calculated from a certain surface. Then, the threshold speed for wind erosion was determined. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 26 software. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to verify data normality. Then, the data sets were entered into a step-by-step regression as independent components to determine their relationship with the index of crust formation and stability of soil aggregates, as well as the effect of crusts and stability of soil aggregates on the amount of wind erosion. The accuracy of the regression models was verified by using RMSE, RSE, MAE, and R2 statistics. The morphology of the crusts was finally determined by using a scanning electron microscope. Results and DiscussionThe results showed that the lowest amount of RMSE, and RSE statistics, and the lowest absolute error for evaluating the sensitivity of soil to crust formation in the dust storm sources of East Ahvaz, Southeast Ahvaz and Omidieh, Mahshahr and Hendijan, respectively belong to the index of compressive strength, soil stability and shear resistance. The scanning electron microscope images taken of the crusts of three dust storm sources indicated that small foreign matter is present in the soil's pores. The features of the sedimentary crust are displayed in all the images. The external materials in the crust structure reflect the different washing processes in soil particles, which cause adhesion and connection between the soil particles and make the crusts resistant to wind erosion. Based on the given explanations, it is possible that the crusts found in Khuzestan's dust storm sources are usually sedimentary crusts. Results also showed that the wind erosion threshold speed in the dust storm sources of East Ahvaz, South East Ahvaz and the sources of Mahshahr, Omidiye and Hendijan are 1. 44, 1. 62 and 2. 1 time their powdered state, respectively. These sources experience a soil loss of 3. 55, 2. 09, and 3. 01 times the intact crusts, respectively.

IntroductionSport tourism is a type of recreational trip where tourists temporarily leave their home to participate in sports activities, watch sports events or go to places that are related to sports activities. In other words, sports tourism is a phenomenon that is socially, economically, and culturally significant because of the unique interaction between an activity, people, and place. Many residents of Europe, who are deprived of this natural blessing of the world, consider desertification to be an attractive field of tourism. Domestic and foreign tourists can be attracted to Yazd province by its traditional, historical, cultural, geographical, and climatic architecture, handicrafts, and desert attractions. One of the most important features of the Yazd desert is its suitable space for activities and entertainment for different age groups, from children and babies to adventurous young people and middle-aged people. They can engage in various activities such as walking on sand dunes, watching the surfaces of salt marshes, salty rivers, seeing the clear sky and stars at night and the sunrise. The literature and research background indicate that the majority of research has concentrated on the factors or obstacles that contribute to the development of tourism in the desert, or the motivations of tourists. There is no research on sports tourism in the desert. Considering the high reception of foreign tourists from the city of Yazd and the variety of tourists who travel to Yazd from different parts of the world, solutions have been provided for the prosperity of the tourism industry in the city of Yazd as well as the country's tourism. It is important to consider the possibility of resolving tourism problems and increasing the number of foreign tourists in the regions. Nevertheless, the standard of living is slowly rising, and physical and mental health, recreation, and free time have become necessary for everyday life. It is crucial to address this issue by meeting people's diverse sports needs and improving their healthy living standards. Sports tourism as a means of maintaining physical and mental health and spending leisure time has many advantages. Promoting and developing tourism and economic prosperity can be achieved by developing sports tourism in the deserts of Yazd. Thus, the researcher decided to determine the factors that affect the acceptance of sports tourism in the desert by students at Yazd University. Material and MethodsThe current research was applied for specific purposes and used descriptive-correlational data collection methods. The statistical population of this research was the students of Yazd University, of whom 375 were selected as a sample according to Morgan's table using a simple random method. The research tool was the Alam Talab questionnaire (2014), whose validity was obtained by asking the opinions of experts in the field of sports tourism, and its reliability was obtained through Cronbach's alpha of 0.89. During descriptive analysis, SPSS version 26 software was employed, and Smart PLS version 4 software was utilized for structural equation modeling. Results and DiscussionIt was discovered that among the individual factor variables, the factor of obtaining pleasure and relaxation, which has a factor load of 1.199, is the most significant factor than physical fitness with a factor loads of 1.040. Among the variables of social factors, the mass media factor with a factor load of 0.929 is the most important item and the peer factor with a factor load of 0.724 is the least important item. The positive and significant effect of enjoyment and relaxation on the acceptance of sports tourism in the desert was confirmed, but the effect of fitness, mass media, family and peers on the acceptance of sports tourism in the desert was rejected. According to the coefficient of determination value of 0.124, the model does not fit well. According to the obtained results, it is suggested to have group tours with trained tour leaders during the competition season, preferably in autumn and winter, and with discounts or free sports insurance for emerging desert disciplines such as camel riding, sand riding, off-road, paragliding and Shooting with flying targets should be held in the deserts near and far of Yazd city. It is appropriate to provide extensive information about these events through mass media and national and local social networks. It is essential to prepare and make available to tourists complete and detailed maps of the routes, attractions, sports tourism facilities, and information in the desert camps of Yazd city. Finally, a specific trustee body in the tourism industry should be accountable for overseeing the activities of sports tourism tours.

Background: The paper seeks to provide evidence on the government policy’s moderating role in donor-funded procurement in the laboratory services of Zimbabwe. Procurement is a key component for any organizations to function optimally and the medical laboratory service is no exception considering that the donors are the major funders of the department hence the need for this study to examine the government policy as the moderating variable for this research. Medical laboratory services plays a very important role in the functioning of any health sector as every disease have to be tested to ascertain the actual disease a person suffering from before any treatment can be commenced. Aims: The aim of the paper was to examine the moderating role of government policy on donor-funded procurement in Zimbabwe’s laboratory services. Methods: The paper made use of a quantitative method research method. Data was collected from 260 respondents sampled from a total population of 795 using RaoSoftware but only 214 respondents successfully returned the questionnaire from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe and the analysis was done using STATA to run the structural equation modeling. Results: The study found out that government policy (GP) moderates the pre-donation preparation process (PDPP) (β=0.15, p-value = 0.038) donation requirement process (DRP) (β=0.24, p-value =0.000), donation recipient planning process (DRPP) (β=0.22, p-value = 0.001) and donation implementation process (DIP) (β=0.18, p-value = 0.004) and the effectiveness of donor-funded procurement. Conclusion: Based on the results, the study concluded that government policy has a role to play to support donor-funded procurement in the laboratory services in Zimbabwe and the world over and the study recommended that policy maker should take into consideration the important role as government policy plays as it support key health outcomes considering the crucial role the medical laboratory also plays. Received: 16 April 2024 | Reviewed: 22 April 2024 | Revised: 6 May 2024 | Accepted: 11 June 2024.

Background: A recent survey conducted in 2021 noted a high stunting incident was found in Cirebon, West Java of Indonesia, reached to 30.6%, even higher compare to the provincial rate (24.5%). It has been known that parenting patterns and nutritional status are greatly influenced by the mother's understanding of managing health and nutrition for their baby in order to lower the stunting case. Aims: This study is to analyze the association between mother's parenting patterns and stunting in toddlers age 24-48 month in Cirebon Municipality. Methods: A total of 68 mothers have been selected using the consecutive sampling from a health facility in Cirebon City, Indonesia. This research uses survey and descriptive methods with a quantitative approach to examine the impact of mother's parenting patterns on stunting incidence in toddlers aged 24-48 months. This research also uses secondary data in the form of KIA (Mother and Child Health) records to identify the stunting cases among the respondents. Statistical analysis was employed to find how significant the variables affecting to the others. Results: From the questionnaire, it was found that the majority of participants were mothers aged 26-35 years old, and only graduated from high school or lower, and most of them were not working mothers. The stunting incidence found in this health center reached to 58.8 %. While only 36.8% of mothers exhibits well parenting pattern, the majority may show sufficient level (52.9%). Even only 10.3% of respondents correspond with low parenting pattern, however all of them found with stunting incidence. From statistical analysis, it is noted that mothers’ parenting pattern significantly affecting stunting cases in toddlers (p value = 0.001). Conclusion: This recent study concludes that parenting pattern significantly contributes to the number of stunting cases in toddler aged 24-48 months. The statistical analysis found mothers with well parenting pattern lower chance of having a stunted child. The data highlights the importance of knowledge and attitude will benefit in reducing the total number of stunted children in Cirebon city, Indonesia. Keywords: Parenting pattern; Stunting; Mothers; Toddlers; Indonesia. Received: 09 November 2023, Reviewed: 19 November 2023, Revised: 06 January 2024, Accepted: 03 June 2024.

Con el presente estudio se busca identificar si las características del director y su comportamiento directivo presentan relación con el tiempo de permanencia en el mercado de las mypes de Mineral de la Reforma, México. Con un enfoque cuantitativo correlacional transeccional, se aplicó de manera aleatoria a 871 directores de mypes de Mineral de la Reforma un cuestionario combinado con escala Likert de cinco puntos, que forma parte de los instrumentos de recopilación de datos diseñados para las investigaciones de la RELAYN 2023 (Peña y Aguilar, 2023). Se realizó una regresión multivariada para detectar la relación de los factores: (X1) comportamiento directivo, (X2) nivel de estudio, (X3) responsabilidad familiar y (X4) edad, con la variable (Y) de tiempo de vida de la empresa. Los resultados indican que esta relación en conjunto es débil; aunque las variables edad y nivel de estudios influyen pero de forma limitada. Como conclusión se evidencia la complejidad implícita para la permanencia de una empresa en el mercado y la necesidad de abordar otros múltiples factores no controlables. La insuficiencia de la teoría sobre gestión estratégica precisa mayor exploración sobre el perfil del director como factor de competitividad de su empresa.

Los resultados y las conclusiones de este estudio aportan información valiosa para los directores de las micro y pequeñas empresas (mypes) de San Juan del Río, Querétaro. El objetivo del presente estudio es analizar hasta qué grado la innovación representa una ventaja competitiva en las mypes del municipio de San Juan del Río, Querétaro. Se aplicaron de manera aleatoria 582 cuestionarios a los directivos de las mypes. Los hallazgos revelan que la capacidad de innovar no sólo mejora el desempeño de estas empresas, sino que también les otorga una ventaja competitiva en un entorno empresarial cada vez más desafiante. Abstract Results and conclusions of this study contribute valuable information to micro and small enterprise (MSE) directors in San Juan del Río, Querétaro. The aim of this research is to analyze to what degree innovation represents a competitive advantage in MSEs within the municipality of San Juan del Rio, Queretaro. 582 questionnaires were applied randomly to MSE directors. Findings revealed that the capacity for innovation not only improved these companies’ performance, but also gave them a competitive advantage in an increasingly challenging business environment.

El objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar el impacto del COVID-19 en la liquidez de las mipymes del sector restaurantero ubicadas en el primer cuadro de la ciudad de Cancún, clasificándolas según su tamaño. El enfoque del estudio fue cuantitativo, de alcance descriptivo y correlacional con diseño no experimental de tipo transeccional. La muestra se integró por 260 directivos. Los datos se recolectaron de marzo a abril de 2021 mediante un cuestionario. La prueba ácida reportó que sólo 6.5 % de empresas tuvieron problemas de liquidez. Se concluye que existe una relación negativa baja entre la liquidez de las mipymes y su tamaño durante la pandemia. Abstract The aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the cash flow of the MSME restaurant sector located in the central area of the city of Cancún. These restaurants were classified by their size. The study’s approach was quantitative, with a descriptive and correlational scope, using a non-experimental cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 260 directors. With the use of a questionnaire, data were collected from March through April 2021. The acid test reported that only 6.5% of the companies had cash flow issues. It is concluded that there is a low negative relationship between MSMEs and their size during the pandemic.

El clima laboral se considera uno de los factores más importantes para lograr el crecimiento de la empresa, ya que el mejorar el ambiente de trabajo le permitirá elevar su productividad y rentabilidad, sin perder de vista el recurso humano. En este sentido, el presente estudio cuantitativo, con una muestra de 439 directivos, tiene como objetivo conocer el impacto de las prestaciones laborales en el clima organizacional de las mypes de Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato, México. Los resultados muestran que las prestaciones laborales otorgadas por las mypes no impactan en el clima organizacional y sólo 20 % de éstas ofrecen seguridad social, vacaciones y participación en las utilidades a sus trabajadores. Abstract Organizational climate is considered as one of the most important factors needed to achieve growth within a company because a better work climate will allow an increase in productivity and profitability without leaving out its human resources. In this regard, this quantitative research, using a sample of 439 managers, aims to understand how employee benefits impact MSEs’ organizational climate in the Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato, Mexico. Results show that employee benefits provided by MSEs do not impact their organizational climate and that only 20% of these companies offer health care, vacations, and employee profit sharing.

Background: On an annual basis, young boys lose their lives due to circumcisions performed at initiation schools across South Africa. Some of the initiates lose their manhood as a result of amputations and all these acts are done in the name of culture. Over the last few years, there have been more media reports in South Africa about improper traditional circumcisions coupled with poor health outcomes causing deaths of children admitted at initiation schools. Aims: This article explores the health impacts of traditional initiation schools in South Africa. Methods: This review followed desktop approach through utilization of secondary data. Systematic quantitative review technique was used to collect data. To get a better understanding of the context under investigation, desktop analysis was employed using the five steps of the data analysis process. Results: The themes identified in this study include challenges associated with the practice in relation to children’s rights, ethical conflicts between traditional initiation practices and public health, commercialization of initiation schools, and complications associated with circumcision at initiation schools. Conclusion: There is insufficient enforcement of the laws and a lack of public knowledge regarding the impact of initiation on children. Even though South Africa's national and local governments have made significant attempts to control the initiation practices and uphold children's rights, significant law enforcement is still required to shield children from unsafe cultural customs. In addition to the ineffective execution of existing rules and regulations, the traditional initiation sector is burdened by a lack of direct, continuous, and efficient supervision of the operations of initiation schools. Received: 7 February 2024, Reviewed: 11 March 2024, Revised: 29 March 2024, Accepted: 16 April 2024.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, pose significant health challenges globally. Physical activity has long been recognized as a modifiable factor that can influence various aspects of cardiovascular health, including blood pressure. However, the relationship between physical activity and blood pressure is complex and can be influenced by various factors such as cultural and regional differences. Aims: The primary objective of this research was to examine the association between physical activity and blood pressure using a quasi-experimental design. Methods: This study utilized a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pre-test post-test approach. The sample was selected using a total sampling technique. The independent and dependent variables in this research were physical activity and blood pressure. Data collection instruments employed in this study consisted of observation sheets, an aneroid sphygmomanometer, and a stethoscope. Data analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon test. Results: This study showed that there was an association between physical activity and blood pressure. Conclusion: this research sheds light on the relationship between physical activity and blood pressure. The findings underscore the importance of considering cultural and regional factors in designing health interventions. Received: 20 November 2023, Reviewed: 21 November 2023, Revised: 14 March 2024, Accepted: 03 April 2024.

El propósito de este trabajo fue identificar diferencias en la percepción de la responsabilidad social empresarial (RSE) en colaboradores de tres pequeñas empresas de manufactura, comercialización y servicios de la zona oriente del Estado de México. Se aplicó una escala de percepción de la RSE en una muestra de 90 sujetos. Los resultados indican que la percepción de las prácticas de RSEes adecuada y que existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas dependiendo del tipo de organización, siendo la empresa de servicios en la que se presenta la mejor percepción. Abstract The purpose of this research was to identify differences in the perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in employees of three small manufacturing, marketing and services companies in the eastern area of ​​the State of Mexico. A CSR perception scale was applied to a sample of 90 subjects. The results indicate that the perception of CSR practices is adequate and that there are statistically significant differences depending on the type of organization, with the service company having the best perception.

Esta investigación busca conocer la aplicación de los factores que fomentan la calidad de vida en el trabajo y que generan un clima organizacional óptimo en las micro y pequeñas empresas de Ocosingo, Chiapas. Para la recolección de la información, se utilizó un cuestionario que mide la organización como un sistema. Hallazgos importantes son el desconocimiento o poca aplicación del cumplimiento de factores como pago de un sueldo y salario justo, compensaciones por el logro de metas, y reconocimientos y elogios. Abstract This research seeks to know the application of the factors that promote the quality of life at work and that generate an optimal organizational climate in micro and small enterprises in Ocosingo, Chiapas. To collect the information, a questionnaire was used that measures the organization as a system. Important findings are the lack of knowledge or little application of compliance with factors such as payment of a fair salary and wage, compensation for the achievement of goals, and recognition and praise.

El objetivo del presente artículo es comprender cómo los empresarios de pequeñas y medianas empresas (pyme) perciben el conocimiento financiero por medio de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (tic) para que de esta forma tomen decisiones que beneficien a sus compañías. Mediante encuestas, se estudió, en materia de sus conocimientos, sobre la inversión y el crédito. Entre los hallazgos, se detectó que los empresarios creen que este conocimiento financiero les ha ayudado a acceder y utilizar los servicios financieros; sin embargo, se encontró que existe una relación compleja entre la percepción del conocimiento financiero y el acceso y uso de los servicios financieros. Se concluye que la complejidad se debe a factores como la educación financiera, la experiencia empresarial y el contexto económico. Abstract The objective of this article is to understand how entrepreneurs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) perceive financial knowledge through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) so that they can make decisions that benefit their companies. Surveys were used to study their knowledge of investment and credit. Among the findings, it was detected that entrepreneurs believe that this financial knowledge has helped them to access and use financial services; however, it was found that there is a complex relationship between the perception of financial knowledge and the access and use of financial services. It is concluded that the complexity is due to factors such as financial education, business experience and economic context.

El objetivo de este artículo es medir la capacidad de predicción del conocimiento organizacional en procesos de innovación no tecnológica en las pymes de la mixteca baja en el estado mexicano de Puebla. Para medir la validez de constructo y corroborar que los reactivos del instrumento de medición tienen sentido conceptual y pertinencia teórica se realizaron un análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y un análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC). En el análisis de datos se utilizaron modelos de ecuaciones estructurales, modelos de regresión y correlación lineal múltiple mediante el método de dos etapas. En las estimaciones se utilizó un software estadístico para las ciencias sociales y el análisis de estructuras. Al nivel de significancia del 10.0%, las variables experiencia compartida (beta = .225, p.001). Se concluye que la experiencia compartida es un buen predictor de nuevas prácticas (16.7%) y también de mercadotecnia (20.8%). Mientras que el intercambio de información es un buen predictor de nuevas prácticas (2.0%), pero no de mercadotecnia. Conocimiento integrado no es un predictor de nuevas prácticas ni de mercadotecnia. Abstract The aim of this article is to measure the predictive capacity of organizational knowledge inNon-technological innovation processes in SMEs in the Mixteca Baja region in the Mexican state of Puebla. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to measure construct validity and confirm that the items of the measurement instrument make conceptual sense and theoretical relevance. Structural equation models, regression models, and multiple linear correlation using the two-stage method were used in data analysis. Statistical software for social sciences and structural analysis was used in the estimates.At the significance level of 10.0%, the variables shared experience (beta = .225, p.001).It is concluded that shared experience is a good predictor of new practices (16.7%) and also marketing (20.8%). While information sharing is a good predictor of new practices (2.0%), but not of marketing. Integrated knowledge is not a predictor of new practices or marketing.

La sostenibilidad empresarial es un concepto que recientemente ha cobrado importancia, más aún con los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible y sus metas específicas. El propósito de esta investigación es analizar la gestión global como indicador de la dimensión económica de la sostenibilidad empresarial de las microempresas del sector comercio. La metodología utilizada incluye un diseño no experimental, de corte transeccional descriptivo, mediante el método deductivo y el uso de un instrumento de 20 preguntas iniciales para medir los cinco indicadores de la gestión global. Los resultados muestran una serie de hallazgos sobre el nivel de ejecución de las prácticas administrativas de la gestión global, la equidad de género y el nivel de estudio de los administradores. Abstract Business sustainability is a concept that has recently gained importance, even more so with the Sustainable Development Goals and their specific targets. The purpose of this research is to analyze global management as an indicator of the economic dimension of business sustainability of microenterprises in the trade sector. The methodology used includes a non-experimental, descriptive cross-sectional design, using the deductive method and the use of an instrument of 20 initial questions to measure the five indicators of global management. The results show a series of findings on the level of execution of the administrative practices of global management, gender equity and the level of education of the administrators.

IntroductionExtreme precipitation has a significant impact on the frequency, severity, and duration of natural hazards, such as floods, droughts, and landslides. This has a significant impact on human life, the economy, natural ecosystems, and agriculture (Song et al, 2015: 34). Between 1880 and 2012, there was a 0.85 °C increase in the average global temperature, with a general increase in precipitation in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (IPCC, 2013: 2; Lio et al, 2017: 822). In addition, there is a possibility of a rise in extreme precipitation in the future (Klein Tank et al, 2006: 1), and so far, the reason for these changes and their relationship with the general circulation of the atmosphere have not been considered. The aim of this study is to analyze the trend of changes in extreme precipitation indices in northwestern Iran and its association with the general circulation of the atmosphere. Material and MethodsIn order to analyze the changes in extreme precipitation events in northwestern Iran, daily precipitation data was collected from 20 synoptic stations in the region between 1986 and 2010. The region that is being studied encompasses West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan, and Kurdistan. In assessing limit events, high quality and reliable long-term climate data with daily (or higher) resolution is required (Clintanak et al., 2009: 9). The first step was to examine the quality control and homogeneity of data. The RClimDex software package, introduced as a standard tool by ETCCDI, was used to perform quality control and evaluate data homogeneity in this research. The Expert Team on Climate Change Detection, Monitoring and Indices (ETCCDMI) introduced 11 indexes to examine changes in precipitation level indices in northwest Iran. RClimDex software calculates these indicators with a significance level of 0.05. This process seeks to establish a standard set of indicators to examine and compare the characteristics of different regions. The software was used to calculate precipitation indices and display the trend and rate of change on a map. Results and DiscussionThe extreme precipitation indices were calculated to determine the regional trend and percentage of stations with positive and negative trends for the studied stations in northwestern Iran. Afterward, a map was created showing the spatial distribution of the slope for each of the indices. All precipitation indexes, except for the maximum growth period index (CDD), are declining according to the results. The probability of precipitation has decreased due to the more stable winter atmosphere in the region from the point of view of general atmospheric circulation. The region's spring atmosphere, similar to that of winter, shows an increase in stability, which will result in less rainfall. In summer, except for the coastal provinces of the Caspian Sea and the coasts of the Oman Sea, the rest of the country has recorded a decrease in rainfall of 1 mm per day. Most parts of the country experienced an increase in atmosphere thickness to 6 meters in autumn in the study area. Autumn in the region is typically stable and barotropic, but the study area is experiencing less rainfall. This study examines the trend of changes in extreme precipitation indices in northwestern Iran and its relation to a large-scale general circulation of the atmosphere. According to the results, 75% of stations in the region are experiencing a decrease in the maximum daily rainfall (RX1day) and 80% are experiencing a decrease in the maximum five-day rainfall (RX5day). While both the very wet (R95P) and ultra-wet (R99P) day indices are experiencing a downward trend, the R95P index is experiencing a more pronounced downward trend. All three indices R10, R20, and R25 have been declining for the past 25 years, but the R10 index has fallen more rapidly than the other two indices. Sarab station has a positive CWD trend alone, while other stations have a negative and decreasing trend of this index. In most stations throughout the region, the CDD index is increasing. In 85% of stations in the region, the PRCPTOT index is decreasing and there is a noticeable increase in rainfall. The SDII index is experiencing a decrease in 60% of the stations in northwestern Iran, while an increase is being observed in 40%. All precipitation indices, except for the CDD index, have a decreasing trend in general. Drawing and analyzing combined difference maps for geopotential height parameters of 500 hPa, relative rotation of 500 hPa, vertical velocity (omega), rainwater and precipitation rate to study the general atmospheric circulation of the region indicates an increase in altitude has led to a 500 hPa increase in climate stability in the study area (northwest of Iran). The study of omega and relative rotation shows that the region is experiencing a decrease in upward currents and positive rotation. The lack of atmospheric moisture load and rainfall in all seasons can be seen in rainfall water difference maps and rates. Precipitation indices and the general circulation model of the region's atmosphere are compared, indicating that the moisture load of the region's atmosphere has decreased, resulting in drought.

IntroductionThe temperature of the earth has been rising by about 0.74 degrees Celsius over the past century. A gradual increase in the average annual temperature has been reported by many researchers worldwide, while other reports suggest a decrease in this parameter. The assumption is that there will be more areas of the world experiencing higher temperatures. The climate changes are effectively represented by temperature changes, which is considered one of the main indicators in climate studies. The chemical composition of the atmosphere has changed because of the increase in human industrial activities, so it is responsible for unprecedented changes in the global climate in the past century. The increase in greenhouse gas concentration is the cause of this change. The evidence indicates that the increase in atmospheric gas concentration has caused a significant increase in global temperature. The use of thermal data from sensors is widely used in the study of terrestrial phenomena, as indicated by many studies. The temperature of the earth's surface is directly and indirectly linked to all human activities. It is still not possible to calculate the temperature of the earth's surface with perfect and accurate methods, but some sensors with suitable temporal, spectral, and spatial performance are able to take photos of the entire surface of the Earth. The study is more important due to the fact that various species of animals, such as Jebeer (belonging to the Bovidae), are exposed to climate changes in arid and desert areas. Due to its impact on humans, other creatures, and the entire environment, it is imperative to pay attention to climate change nowadays. In this regard, the main aim of the current study is to evaluate the LST (Land Surface Temperature) trends, changes, and temperature threats of the land surface in the Central Plateau of Iran. Time series remote sensing data of the MODIS (MOD11A2) sensor and Terra satellite, in 8 days with spatial resolution of 1km from 2002 to 2018 have been used. Material and Methods The current study has been focused on the central plateau of Iran. The central plateau of Iran lies within the arid lands belt of the northern hemisphere. The current study has been attempting to extract exact information from the images by employing specific techniques. To achieve this goal, the MOD11A2 product of Terra satellite MODIS sensor, the trend of temperature changes and time series construction of the significance of Man Kendall methods and linear correlation parameters such as maximum monthly temperature, maximum annually temperature based on maximum monthly temperature, median monthly temperature, maximum annually temperature based on median monthly temperature, minimum monthly temperature, minimum annually temperature for daily and nightly temperature were used in TerrSet software and Earth Trends Modeler section to extract significant increasing and decreasing areas. After identifying some parts of provinces with significant temperatures based on analysis and results, we can identify the vital numerical value of the temperature in each pixel of those significant parts in the next stage. This can be achieved by utilizing the difference between the final temperature and the initial temperature. Trend analysis was used to simulate daily and nightly temperature changes for parameters of maximum monthly temperature, maximum annually temperature based on maximum monthly temperature, median monthly temperature, maximum annually temperature based on median monthly temperature, minimum monthly temperature and minimum annual temperature. Results and DiscussionDaily temperature data in the Central Plateau of Iran, which includes monthly minimum temperature, annual minimum temperature, monthly maximum temperature, annual maximum temperature based on monthly maximum temperature, monthly median temperature and annual maximum temperature based on monthly median temperature, common in Semnan and Isfahan provinces, showed a significant increase in linear correlation according to the results. In Isfahan province, the linear correlation decreased significantly between the maximum annual temperature based on the maximum monthly temperature and the median monthly temperature. There was no significant trend in other provinces. The linear correlation between temperature data in Isfahan and Semnan provinces, including the minimum monthly, minimum annual, maximum annual, and median monthly temperature, decreased significantly. The linear correlation between average annual temperature, average monthly temperature, maximum annual temperature determined by maximum monthly temperature, average monthly temperature, and maximum annual temperature determined by median monthly temperature increased significantly in Yazd and Isfahan provinces. No significant trends were observed in other provinces. To estimate the amount and approximate number of significant increases and decreases, simulations of temperature changes were conducted. The range and approximate range of numbers for significant increase and decrease in temperature were calculated in degrees Celsius. In all analyses, the parts with higher temperatures had a reddish color. The intensity of the red color increased as the temperature increased, and as the temperature decreased, the red color became fainter and turned blue. The central plateau of Iran recorded a maximum temperature of 44C°and a minimum temperature of -7C°according to this study. The central plateau of Iran has three main provinces, which include Isfahan, Semnan, and Yazd. Considering the temperatures mentioned for these three provinces, the temperatures obtained from this study are very similar, which means that the conducted study is approved to a large extent. Animals are considered to be at risk due to temperature changes. Future research should emphasize the impact of climate change and temperature increase on the living conditions of various animals, particularly those found on the central plateau of Iran.

IntroductionDust is a phenomenon that mainly occurs in arid and semi-arid areas as a result of high wind speed and turbulence on the surface of the soil without vegetation and prone to erosion. Various factors such as wind speed, vegetation cover, soil characteristics, climatic factors, etc. are involved in the creation of wind erosion and the resulting dust, all of which are related to each other and lead to an increase or decrease in wind erosion and dust storms. The problems caused by dust storms are due to the lack of sufficient information about the prevailing conditions in the region, the way these conditions change, and the lack of knowledge of sensitive and prone areas to dust storms. To deal with this phenomenon and provide appropriate management solutions, it is necessary to know the areas prone to dust and the effective factors in the occurrence of this phenomenon. In this regard, remote sensing and modeling can be very effective in investigating the dust phenomenon. Numerous studies have also been conducted to investigate dust storms and dust sources and to model areas sensitive to this phenomenon using remote sensing data and machine learning.Isfahan province is considered one of the most important geographical regions of the country, which is susceptible to successive drought, desertification, and dust storms due to its special geographical location, low rainfall, and proximity to the desert. So, it is necessary to carry out studies that will lead us to a correct understanding of dust-prone areas in this province. Therefore, In the current research, zoning of dust-prone areas in Isfahan province was done using meteorological codes related to dust, Aerosol optical depth values of MODIS sensor of Terra satellite (2001-2022), and machine learning algorithms including RF, BRT, SVM, and CART.Materials and methodsStudy areaIsfahan Province with an area of nearly 107017 km2 (6.4% of Iran area) is located between 30° 43′ to 34° 30′ N and 49° 38′ to 55° 31′ E in central Iran (Fig. 1). The mean annual precipitation of this province is between 40 mm and more than 800 mm and its mean annual temperature varies from 10 °C to 20 °C (Iran Meteorological Organization). According to the Torrent White method, the climate of Isfahan province is dry in 58.73% of its area (eastern, northeastern, and sub-central parts of the province), semi-arid in 28% of its area (central and northern parts of the province), and humid and semi-humid in 13.27% of its area (western and southern parts of the province). MethodologyFirst, using AOD values, the occurrence and non-occurrence points of dust were determined. Ten various factors including land use, temperature, rainfall, erosive wind speed, slope, altitude, albedo, EVI, NDSI, and NDMI were determined as predictive factors. n the next step, the correlation between the predictive factors was calculated using the variance inflation factor (VIF). Using machine learning algorithms, spatial modeling of susceptible areas to dust was done and the importance of predictive factors in zoning was determined using the jackknife test. Finally, using the value of the area under the ROC curve (ROC-AUC), the validation of the model was done.ResultsThe zoning map of dust-prone areas in Isfahan province showed that the low-altitude and flat parts of the north, parts of the northeast, southeast of the province, and the central areas towards the southwest and west of Isfahan province are vulnerable areas against the occurrence of dust.The highest percentage of areas prone to dust in the RF model was in the very low class with a value of 21.36%, in the BRT model was in the medium class with a value of 22.66%, and in the SVM and CART models, it was in very high and low classes with values of 23.92% and 37.6%, respectively. The results of validation illustrated that the RF model with AUC = 0.86 was the most efficient, followed by BRT, CART, and SVM models with AUC values of 0.82, 0.79, and 0.77 respectively. According to the results of the Jackknife test, in RF, BRT, and CART models, rainfall had the most effect in modeling while in the SVM model, temperature and then rainfall had the most effect in the modeling.Discussion and conclusionBased on the results, the most vulnerable areas to dust are assigned to salt land, barren lands, and rangeland with poor quality. These areas, which are mainly located in the northern, central, and parts of the eastern sides of the province, have the lowest amount of surface soil moisture, the lowest amount of rainfall, and the highest temperature, and as a result, they face the lack of vegetation or weak vegetation. Therefore, these areas are exposed to the occurrence of dust, and with winds blowing at a speed exceeding the threshold speed of wind erosion, dust storms will happen. According to the validation results, the RF model has the best performance among the applied models, followed by the BRT, CART, and SVM models. Random forest algorithm is one of the advanced decision tree models used for classification and regression. This algorithm has a much more accurate performance compared to other simple regression trees or parametric statistical methods and is defined based on a large number of decision trees. The results of the jackknife test introduced rainfall as the most important factor in RF, BRT, and CART models. In the RF model, as the best model, after the rainfall factor, the temperature and altitude factors are more important than other factors. Considering the low amount of rainfall in dust-prone areas, it can be said that low rainfall, soil dryness, and, as a result, the reduction of vegetation, increase the conditions for creating wind erosion and dust.

IntroductionWith the increasing world's population, the need for food and medicine, and their continuous supply, are essential for mankind. Medicinal plants are one of the important factors for human life, as they can be used both as food and medicine. The ancients had a long history of using medicinal plants, and they used their many properties extensively. The scientific name for Caper plant is Capparis spinosa L. Due to its resistance to environmental stress and its ability to act as a protector against soil destruction, this valuable medicinal plant is suitable for growing in arid and desert areas. Commercial cultivation of this plant is very valuable because it is rich in bioactive compounds. This plant's compounds can be extremely useful and effective in protecting humans from various diseases or enhancing the treatment of diseases. This study aimed to examine the total phenol and flavonoid composition, antioxidant activity, and extraction efficacy of various parts of this plant in two desert locations in Yazd and Isfahan to select the best cultivation region from these two sites for expanding cultivation. To determine the most effective compounds and the optimal extraction method, various organs of the plant were examined separately in this research. The best extraction efficiency can be achieved by growing the plant in the region and harvesting the desired organ, and the extracted materials can be used to prevent and treat diseases. Material and Methods The caper plant was collected from desert sites in Yazd and Isfahan in different parts, which included leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruits, and roots. Plants were collected from four different locations on the site, and finally, the plants from four different locations were combined. After the botany expert's approval, extraction was done from different parts of the plant with hydroalcoholic solvent (80% ethanol) by the Soxhlet method. In this research, different experiments of total phenol, total flavonoid, antioxidant content, and extraction efficiency were performed using standard methods. Different dilutions of extract and standard material were made for all experiments. Folin Ciocalto's reagent was used to measure the total phenol, and it was reported according to the Gallic Acid standard per gram dry weight of the plant. Different tests like ABTS, DPPH, CUPRAC, and FRAP were employed to measure the plant's antioxidant content. The standard for milligrams of Trolox per gram of dried plant weight was used to calculate all of them. The number of flavonoids was measured based on the Aluminium Chloride colorimetry method and was expressed in the standard form of milligrams of Quercetin per gram of weight of the dried plant. To determine the extraction efficiency, the weight of the powder extract obtained from the extraction of different organs was calculated with a scale, and then the ratio of the weight of the powder extract of the weight of dried plant was reported as extraction method efficiency. For each of the experiments, 3 repetitions were performed. A two-way analysis of variance was utilized to examine the data's normality, and finally, IBM SPSS Statistics 26 software was utilized to analyse them. Results and DiscussionThe findings demonstrated that phenolic and flavonoid compounds were abundant in various parts of the caper plant from both locations. The leaves demonstrated a higher concentration of phenolic and flavonol compounds, with 48.611 mgGA/gDW and 19.842 mgQE/gDW, respectively. The antioxidant activity of roots was the highest among all parts of the plant. The Yazd site's caper plants were found to have a higher total phenolic and flavonoid content, with 35.572 mgGA/gDW and 14.14.164 mgQE/gDW, when compared to the other regions. The highest antioxidant activity was found in the fruit and root of the caper plant using the DPPH method. The ABTS method's measurement of antioxidant activity resulted in the same results and indicated that fruits had the highest activity. A positive correlation was observed between the amount of phenol and flavonoids. Furthermore, the Yazd site had a higher extraction efficiency than the Isfahan site, measuring 16.754%. The best region between two desert sites is also the best organ for extraction, as per the results of the current investigation. These results can be utilized to cultivate caper plants that contain more effective substances. These findings emphasize the status of the Caper plant as a rich source of secondary metabolites and show its potential as a potent healing agent with highly beneficial compounds, the site of Yazd is a suitable site for the cultivation of this plant. By cultivating this plant, in addition to helping to reduce desertification and prevent soil erosion, it is possible to have a source of secondary metabolites, especially phenol and flavonoid compounds, and use them in many medicinal applications.

IntroductionPopulation growth and the excessive use of natural resources have caused significant changes in natural ecosystems, including a decrease in rainfall and an increase in temperature. The potential exists for them to decrease vegetation and increase barren areas. Serious economic, social, and environmental damage can occur in natural ecosystems due to the destruction of land cover and other damages, such as dust storms. Therefore, ecosystem changes are taking place worldwide, both at the temporal and spatial scale, due to human activities and natural factors. So, investigating the amount of land use/cover changes, their effect on dust storms, and predicting these changes for the coming years can be an important step in reducing and controlling unprincipled changes, planning, and optimizing resource. Climate change and human activities, such as drought, human activities, and non-compliance with water rights, have a significant impact on the Hamon wetland area, so that the dry bed of the wetland has become the main sources of dust. This research is focused on investigating the impact of land use changes on dust storms and forecasting land use changes in the Sistan region for the next 20 years. Material and MethodsThe impact of land use changes on dust storms in the Sistan region was examined using Markov chain forecasting methods. For this purpose, first of all, the land use maps of 2002, 2011 and 2022 were prepared using satellite images. An anomalous method was used to investigate climatic parameters, including temperature, rainfall, and the number of days with dust, in the next step. To evaluate climatic changes, it is necessary to use a method that shows long-term changes. The anomaly method was employed for this purpose. The values of this index can be either positiveor negative. In order to predict land use changes for the next 20 years, the combination of the maps of 2002 and 2022 for severe drought conditions were used by using Markov chain and Cell models. The Markov model was predicted to generate multiple images. The transfer probability matrix allows for the expression of the probability that any type of land cover will be found in any location in the future. Despite the accuracy of transmission probabilities for each user is unknown, due to the lack of information on the spatial distribution of users, the Markov model does not have any spatial dependence information. In contrast, to the automatic network, it is an agent that has the ability to change its state based on the application of the law that shows the new state in accordance with the previous state and the state of its neighbors. Results and DiscussionThis study examined the impact of land use change on dust in the Sistan region. At first, climatic changes of temperature, rainfall and number of dusty days were investigated and the results showed that the temperature has increased and rainfall has decreased in the Sistan region during the last two decades. The land use maps also showed that in the years when the Hamon wetland has been drained, pastures and dense vegetation have increased and barren lands and salt marshes have decreased. But due to the recent droughts like the year 2022, when a drought has occurred in the region, the use of vegetation and pasture has decreased and barren and salt marshes have increased. These conditions cause an increase in the level of dust in the region. The land use map for severe drought conditions in the next 20 years was predicted using the Markov model. It showed that in the future, pastures and dense vegetation will decrease, but barren lands and salt marsh areas will increase dramatically. As desertification and wind erosion increase, dust storms will also increase as a result of these conditions. The economic, social, environmental, and health conditions of residents in the region are adversely affected by dust storms. Therefore, proper planning and management can reduce the damages caused by dust storms in the Sistan region.

IntroductionSoil erosion is a serious threat to human well-being and life, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, and is one of the important issues in land management. Rill erosion is one of the most significant events in water erosion that affect soil loss, landscape, water resources, and land degradation can cause significant loss of soil in different climates. Identifying the effective processes that lead to the creation and expansion of rill erosion is necessary, and finding effective solutions to prevent rills is essential. In the meantime, one of the management solutions is determining the prone area to rill erosion. The high sensitivity of the lands of Nehbandan city (Kaji wetland watershed) to erosion is the reason for determining the prone areas to rill erosion. The maximum entropy method was used to identify the area that is susceptible to rill erosion. Material and MethodsThe modeling process used 9 effective factors, including height, slope steepness, slope direction, rainfall, land use, land cover, soil texture, geomorphology, and geology, based on similar research. Factors affecting the occurrence of rill erosion were analyzed as independent variables. The first step in preparing a rill erosion sensitivity map was to determine the location of rill erosions in the Kaji wetland watershed using Google Earth and then to conduct field surveys. The basin was monitored in the field using GPS and 138 cases of rill erosion were recorded. The occurrence points were divided into two groups: training and validation, with a 70:30 ratio. The total occurrence points were divided into 97 incident points that were randomly selected for model training (validation stage) and 41 incident points that were used for validation purposes. The MaxEnt model relied on the data set used for training as independent variables. In order to use the maximum entropy model to determine rill erosion, first the independent variables (factors affecting the occurrence of rill erosion) and the dependent variable (identification of points with rill erosion) was converted to the required format and introduced to MaxEnt software. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model in detecting occurrence points (rill erosion) from pseudo-non- occurrence points, the area under the ROC curve was used. The Jack Knife test was utilized to investigate the identification and prioritization of 9 influential factors (independent variables) that influence the results. The model was implemented using the remaining variables as input factors after removing the independent variables separately for this purpose. The efficiency of the model built using all independent variables was measured in comparison to the case where the model was built based on other variables. To determine its effect on the output, the contribution of the omitted independent variable was examined. Results and DiscussionAccording to the validation results, the sensitivity map for rill erosion has a high efficiency. The test stage should have a ROC curve of 0.859 (very good) and the test stage should have an average curve of 0.6 (moderate). The Jack Knife test revealed that the slope's steepness was the most significant environmental factor in the predicted sensitivity map for rill erosion in the study area. Geology and land cover were also recognized as other important factors. The MaxEnt model was found to be an effective model for preparing the rill erosion susceptibility map, according to the results. According to the findings, the slope steepness factor, which is 25%, is the main factor that affects the rill erosion of the Kaji wetland watershed. The high frequency of the slope class with a slope class below 20% suggests that this slope class is a significant factor in the development of rill erosion. The geological map of the region indicates that the majority of the region is dedicated to Quaternary formations, which is crucial for the development and creation of erosion in the region. The watershed's proneness to rill erosion is caused by poor rangeland usage. Management of vegetation and rangeland is necessary to reduce the potential for soil erosion in the region. According to the results, the soil texture of the region had less effect on the development of rill erosion; because most of the soil in the area is related to sand-gravel texture, which has a low effect on rill erosion. The MaxEnt model's high accuracy in modeling the sensitivity of rill erosion is evidenced by the results of the present study.

Background: The cause of obesity is an imbalance between the number of calories taken and the amount burned. Obesity is a complex disease. The FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism is one of the genetic factors that contribute to obesity in addition to environmental factors. Numerous researches have suggested a connection between the prevalence of obesity and the FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism Aims: The purpose of this study is to ascertain how the FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism relates to the prevalence of adult obesity. Methods: At the Biomolecular and Genetics Laboratory of the UGJ Faculty of Medicine, an analytical observational study using a case-control design was carried out with 84 participants, 42 subjects in case group, and 42 subjects in control groups. Data were collected utilizing DNA from blood collection, PCR-RFLP for genotyping, and 2.5% electrophoretic gel for visualization. Chi-square was used for data analysis. Results: Findings showed that there is no link between the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism and the prevalence of obesity (p>0.05, OR=0.710). Conclusion: In the Indonesian population, the FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism is not associated with an increased risk of obesity.

Background: A sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is an illness that is primarily transmitted through sexual contact. There are around 30 different species of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites, that can be transmitted through sexual activity without protection. The most prevalent conditions include gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes, HIV, and hepatitis B. Within society, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the most prevalent form of infection. Aims: The objective of this study is to ascertain the direct and indirect impact on the prevention of sexually transmitted illnesses in the city of Makassar. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. The study collected samples from 45 consenting individuals who agreed to participate. This study used a structure equation model as an analysis method using Smart PLS 2.0. Results: The findings demonstrated a significant correlation between the support of fellow female sex workers (FSWs) and the practice of STDs prevention, with a direct impact of 10.26%. Additionally, there was a direct influence of STDs prevention behavior on motivation, accounting for 10.84%. Furthermore, the support of fellow FSWs had a substantial impact on motivation, with a direct influence of 29.16%. The overall direct effects have increased by 50.26%. The support of fellow FSWs has an indirect influence on STDs prevention behavior, increasing motivation by 5.77%. The cumulative impact, both direct and indirect, amounts to 56.03%. The Q-Square analysis model accounts for 44.1% of the variability in the data and specifically investigates the phenomenon studied. The remaining 55.9% of variability is attributed to other variables that were not addressed in this study. Conclusion: Hence, the research findings indicate that various factors, including the assistance from fellow female sex workers and motivation, contribute to the promotion of STDs prevention behavior. Received: 14 December 2023, Reviewed: 25 December 2023, Revised: 06 January 2024, Accepted: 16 January 2024.

Health promotion is the process we employ as health care providers and policy makers to enable people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. Effective health promotion includes several major components, and while policies must be made to promote health, much can be also done by small multidisciplinary teams working with local communities. Importantly such teams are most effective where they include members of the target audience for the health promotion initiative. Consequently where the health of mothers and children is the priority, to engage the target audience effectively, parents and family members including children should contribute as members of the team. Worldwide, education of girls is known to generate multiple health and economic benefits; measures to counter misinformation and use of education programs such as the WHO health promotion model to provide knowledge accompanied by practical health-related skills are of proven value. Effective teams incorporate cultural traits and gender equity into strategies that build resilience and self-regulatory efficacy over social determinants of health. Strategies that help individuals and communities to advance towards the UN sustainable development goals have obvious merit. Health knowledge can be conveyed readily, for example in relation to childhood vaccination, but achieving changes in values, attitudes, and health habits requires effort and innovation by multidisciplinary teams that work synergistically to promote health in an innovative and inclusive manner. The more this is done, the greater the beneficial changes we are likely to achieve.

Background: Gender aspects hold an important role in forming strategies for teenagers to get their acceptance in the neighborhood, especially at the beginning of teenage life development. One of the negative conditions if the development cannot be well developed is violence in dating. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the direct and indirect effects, as well as the amounts of resources, role of family, knowledge, and self-concept, against the prevention of violence in dating at SMK Wijaya Kusuma in South Jakarta in 2016. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. The population consisted of students in the 9th and 10th grades, and 65 students were selected as respondents. This study used a structure equation model as an analysis method using Smart PLS 2.0 and SPSS 18.0. Results: The hypothesis testing produced findings that all independent variables have an effect on dependent variables: resources by 16.14%, role of family by 11.38%, knowledge by 15.95%, and self-concept by 20,38%. The self-concept variable was the dominant factor in influencing the preventive behavior of violence in dating. Model analysis results can explain 95% of the diversity of this research and the ability to assess the phenomenon, while 5% are described by other components that do not exist in this study. Conclusion: In sum, there was an influence-relationship between resources, the role of family, knowledge, and self-concept in preventing violence in dating. We suggest that schools should provide education about violence prevention strategies so that they are well-informed about violence in dating. Received: 07 December 2023, Reviewed: 12 December 2023, Revised: 06 January 2024, Accepted: 14 January 2024.

Nowadays, the impacts of tourism are one of the academic topics and concerns of experts in this field, and they are trying to increase its positive effects through network and cluster activity and find solutions to reduce the negative effects of tourism. Sustainable tourism requires the active performance of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and museums can also play an axial role as educational institutions. Unfortunately, there is no close relationship between museums and NGOs in Iran, and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) is the only active NGO in this field. In contrast, the collaboration of NGOs and museums can be a step towards popularising the challenges facing sustainable tourism development. The objectives of the present research are: 1) to identify the factors affecting the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. 2) to explore the collaborative opportunities of NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. In this regard, the qualitative method (thematic analysis) was used with the help of MAXQDA software. The statistical population of the research was the active members of NGO experts in the fields of tourism, culture, museum, environment, and geography. The data was collected using a semi-structured interview form. It is worth mentioning that the data reached saturation point in the 20th interview. The data coding results illustrated that moral and professional codes and policymaking influence NGOs’ participation in the development of museums and tourism. In addition, the five main themes of cooperative education, collaborative and interactive thinking, participatory advertising, holding joint events and exhibitions, and social participation were identified as collaborative opportunities for NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. It should be pointed out that cooperation and partnership relations are a suitable alternative to competition in sustainable tourism, and this partnership facilitates the achievement of sustainable tourism goals, which have been at the forefront of central policy of global tourism development for more than two decades.IntroductionIn 1995, a charter with 18 principles was drawn up to implement sustainable tourism in Lanzarote Island, Spain. The ninth, thirteenth, and fifteenth principles emphasize the participation and role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in developing sustainable tourism. Today, NGOs play an essential role in the local communities' involvement, local empowerment, education, economic-social development, preservation of cultural and natural heritage, etc., as far as they can be called the public’s voice. NGOs play an essential role in education and culturalizing.Smithsonian; European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT); World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH); International et al. (TIES); The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO); International Council of Museums (ICOM) are examples of active international NGOs in tourism and museums.Currently, many NGOs are registered in Iran, and among them, ICOM of Iran is active in the field of cultural heritage and tourism and is the most well-known NGO in the field of museums. Addressing the discussion of NGOs in museums and sustainable tourism will increase the participation between NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism. The role of NGOs as a speaker is to convey the museum’s voice. In addition, this research is an initial attempt to introduce the importance of NGOs and museums’ participation in sustainable tourism. Also, due to rising NGOs from the community and having voluntary human resources, they can create a closer relationship between the public and the museum through participating in sustainable activities.Literature ReviewSingh (1999: 92-94) argued that NGOs strive to develop sustainable tourism. Data analysis in the Goa, India case study illustrated that NGOs can also develop local socio-economic activities and play an essential role in community awareness. Liburd (2004: 105-109) stated that NGOs influence political processes and outcomes. Some authors (Butcher, 2006, pp. 307-310; Wearing et al., 2005: 424-439) noted that NGOs are trying to create a de-commoditized model of tourism that seeks sustainable tourism.Materials and MethodsThe present study includes two main objectives: 1) to identify the factors affecting the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. 2) to explore the collaborative opportunities of NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. This research is exploratory, and a qualitative method (Thematic analysis) was applied. MAXQDA software was used as a tool for data analysis. The study’s statistical population consists of active NGO members, experts, and elites in geography, tourism, museums, environment, and culture. Data was gathered through the snowball sampling method. After each interview, the data was coded until the codes reached saturation point in the 21st interview, and no new codes were added to the previous codes. ResultsThe first goal of the research is to identify the factors influencing the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. The results of data analysis using a qualitative method (thematic analysis) demonstrated that policymaking (national and local) and moral and professional codes (external and internal) are two vital and effective components of the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. National policymaking includes eight sub-themes, which are: moral and financial support of the upstream institutions from NGOs, removal of difficult legal obstacles towards establishing NGOs, monitoring of organizations and the activities of NGOs, removal of legal obstacles when NGOs strive for implanting their ideas (another organization such as the police should not prevent them), creating a legal platform that recognizes the activities of the institutions, involving the supervision of NGOs in the government's decisions, creating a bottom-up approach to museum planning and development of tourism, not looking at NGOs politically. In addition to local policymaking, there are three sub-themes of participation of NGOs in local tourism development and planning projects: the cooperation of NGOs with gild merchant and local communities and the cooperation of NGOs with the diversity of social and age groups in order to communicate with the community visiting the museum. Also, the results of open and axial coding indicated that extra-institutional moral and professional codes are classified into four sub-themes, which include participation in international scientific and executive assemblies of museum science in order to announce sustainability conditions and activities; stakeholders' acceptance of the organization's participation; acquaintance of people with citizenship duties and issues of environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation; organized cooperation with other national and international organizations in order to share experiences towards promoting sustainable tourism and museums. It is worth noting that the togetherness and convergence of NGO members and the priority of collective interests; continuity in the systematic cooperation between the association and museums towards sustainable development of tourism; education and promotion of specialized knowledge in line with collaborative decision-making; developing the mission and vision of NGOs towards promoting sustainable tourism were identified as sub-themes of moral and professional codes.Furthermore, the five main themes of cooperative education, collaborative and interactive thinking, participatory advertising, holding joint events and exhibitions, and social participation were identified as collaborative opportunities for NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. DiscussionNowadays, NGOs play a significant role in education, culturalizing, identity-building, and participation (Nouei & Saje, 2011) and can act as a collective voice for sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism is a method of tourism that tries to minimize the adverse effects of travel and increase its positive effects by implementing the 18 principles. Meanwhile, as educational institutions, museums can achieve sustainable tourism goals with greater convergence and be the collective voice of sustainability in tourism destinations and museums. The results of data analysis with the help of software illustrated that moral and professional codes and policymaking are the factors influencing the participation of NGOs in the prosperity of museums and the promotion of tourism. Nouei and Saje (2011) also emphasize the cooperative role of the NGOs, but the innovation of the current research has been in identifying the collaborative opportunities of NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism (cooperative education; collaborative and interactive thinking; participatory advertising; holding joint events and exhibitions and social participation). Training of tourism human resources and hosts; empowering local communities towards sustainable tourism; the use of museum space in sustainability education for the public; holding theoretical training workshops about sustainable tourism; providing consulting services to museums; acquaintance of people with citizenship duties and issues of environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation; holding a skill-based training workshop in about sustainable tourism and teaching intangible cultural traditions concerning historical assets through museum objects, including opportunities for cooperative education, have been identified. Other extractive open codes have yet to be considered in the literature review and are the new findings of the present research. Among the opportunities for cooperative and interactive thinking extracted from coding are the opportunities to collect financial aid for NGOs, participation in the establishment of museums, increase the power of access and interpretation of NGO's activities by the museum, creative participation towards sustainable tourism and the place to carry out the dialogues of NGOs. These current research results confirm other research (Kannike et al., 2021; Ouessar & Belhedi, 1999; Wilson, 2003). Creating employment and income for local people by attracting tourists and visitors to museums and tourist destinations; collecting intangible and tangible heritage towards sustainable tourism and museum management, and participating in strengthening pride and cultural identity are opportunities for social partnerships that experts have pointed out to promote sustainable tourism. It is worth mentioning that some researchers (Wilson, 2003) also emphasize creating employment and income for local people and strengthening pride and cultural identity in their research. Holding joint events and exhibitions regarding sustainability issues are not only the findings of the present study but also mentioned by Kannike et al., 2021. ConclusionLastly, NGOs are the representatives and voices of museums and sustainable tourism, and the production of content marketing by NGOs for museums and sustainable tourism increases the opportunity for cooperative advertising.

Rural tourism is a part of the tourism market and a source of employment and income, and it can be considered an essential tool for the economic, social, and ecological development of rural communities. The leading research based on the need for long-term planning in the field of rural tourism in Heris City, which is one of the most susceptible regions in the country in attracting rural tourism with various factors, is trying to reach a convincing answer to the question that the key and influencing factors on the future development of rural tourism in the city. Where is Heris? Based on the purpose, this is an applied study, and in terms of its nature and method, it is a descriptive-analytical study based on a prospective approach. Data collection tools included the use of (library) documents and interviews. To calculate validity, content and form validity methods and techniques were used. The reliability rate for "structural effects analysis" was 0.82. The panel of respondents consisted of 30 university professors and planning and development experts. This study identified 21 variables as primary factors and analyzed them with MicMac software. To determine the key drivers effective on the rural tourism approach of Heris City, based on the results of two methods, including "rank of variables in each mode" and "the total effect of variables in all modes," the key and effective factors were selected, which are "use of culture and rural art in presenting designs" and "paying attention to all levels and strata of society in presenting designs." Introduction Many development planners and policymakers refer to the tourism industry as the central pillar of sustainable development. Rural tourism is also considered a part of the tourism industry, which can play an influential role in developing these areas. As a result, proper planning and identifying the advantages and limitations of rural tourism, will achieve national development and diversification of the national economy. Leading research based on the need for long-term planning in the field of rural tourism in Heris City, which, with various factors, is one of the most susceptible regions in the country in attracting rural tourism, and due to its brilliant historical background and the presence of diverse weather, the scenic attractions have the ability to develop rural tourism. However, due to incorrect planning, it has yet to be successful in this field. According to the stated contents, the present research is trying to reach a convincing answer to the question of the key and influencing factors on the future development of rural tourism in Heris County. Materials and Methods In terms of the purpose, this is applied research, and in terms of the nature and method, it is of descriptive-analytical type, based on the prospective approach from the time dimension. According to the existing studies, the methods of obtaining information in the field of economic-social studies can be categorized in different ways. Based on the research objectives, data collection methods, and tools, including using documents, library documents, and interviews. To calculate validity, content and form validity methods and techniques were used so that it was accompanied by the guidance of scholars in this field to determine how well the questions represent the content and objectives of the research. Cronbach's alpha method was used to measure the reliability of the research questionnaire. According to each section, the questionnaire was provided to professors and experts in the mentioned field, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated in SPSS software. The reliability level for "structural effects analysis" is 0.82. The panel of respondents consists of 30 university professors in the fields of rural and urban planning, regional planning and tourism, social sciences, and economics, as well as planning and development experts, including experts from the Nomadic Affairs Organization, Sports and Youth Administration, Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, East Azarbaijan province, and Heris city. The present study identified 21 variables as primary factors and analyzed data with MicMac software. In the cross matrix, the sum of the row numbers of each factor, the amount of influence, and the column sums of each factor shows the influence from other factors. Discussion and Results The number of 21 influencing variables on rural tourism development in Heris County was selected using the panel interview session. Then, by forming a 21 x 21 matrix, the effects of each index on the other were identified with the number zero to three using the mutual effects analysis method. Then, the matrix results were entered into MicMac software and analyzed to extract the drivers. To structurally analyze the mutual effects of factors on each other, a 21x21 matrix was formed. The filling degree of the matrix is 92.063%, which shows that the selected factors had a large and scattered effect on each other, and in fact, the system was in an unstable state. Out of 385 relationships that can be evaluated in this matrix, 35 relationships are zero, meaning that the factors did not influence on or were not influenced by each other. Eighty-seven relationships have been established on number one, 157 on number two, and 162 on number three. Conclusions What can be understood from the state of the dispersion plane of the effective variables is the state of instability of the system. Most of the variables are scattered around the diagonal axis of the plane. Except for a few limited factors that show that they have a high impact on the system, the rest of the variables have almost the same status. To determine the key drivers effective on the rural tourism approach of Heris City, based on the results of two methods including "rank of variables in each of the states" and "total impact of variables in all states," the key and effective factors have been selected as follows. Utilizing rural culture and art in presenting plans; Attention to all levels and strata of society in presenting plans; Emphasizing intellectual independence and not imitating foreign models in the design of rural tourism projects; Looking at rural tourists as cultural ambassadors; Designing suitable spaces for holding ceremonies and traditional rituals using cultural symbols (designing cultural routes for tourists); and introducing the projects done on different sites in different languages. Therefore, the vital and effective drivers that can be pointed out in this research for the planning approach of rural tourism development in Heris are the factors that emphasize all the studied aspects of the subject.

Although the research on religious tourism experiences has increased in recent years, and given that most of the studies have been focused on the spiritual aspect of these experiences, there still needs to be more knowledge about the multiple attributes of religious tourists’ experiences. Therefore, the current study aims to provide an “integrated and multifaceted conceptual framework of religious tourists’ experiences” using a systematic literature review and deductive thematic analysis. The search was conducted on June 12, 2023. The PRISMA procedure identified fifty-three relevant articles ranging from 2006 to 2022. Based on the findings, the multifaceted religious tourists’ experiences can include cognitive, emotional, physical, relational, recovery, spiritual, transformative, and behavioral facets. The findings can extend the literature and benefit managers, planners, and destination marketing organizations in designing religious tourism experiences to enhance visitors’ satisfaction and destination competitiveness. Introduction In the 21st century, religious tourism and pilgrimages are critical components of the travel and tourism market (Albayrak et al., 2018). Bibliometric studies reveal the exponential growth of religious tourism studies in the last decade. Due to religious tourism’s benefits, destinations need to understand religious tourists' experiences to enhance destination competitiveness and attract these tourists. However, religious tourism experience is an emerging topic in the literature (Collins-Kreiner, 2020), and scant studies have been conducted on this topic (Bond et al., 2015). Also, most of the research has focused on the spiritual aspect and ignored other aspects to a large extent. Meanwhile, managers of religious sites should offer a holistic experience that embraces spiritual and non-spiritual complementary aspects (Durán-Sánchez et al., 2018). Considering the importance of understanding the religious tourists' experience and the inadequate studies in this field, especially the lack of comprehensive frameworks that include multiple aspects of the religious tourists’ experiences (Kim et al., 2020), the present study has systematically reviewed the literature to provide an “integrated, multifaceted religious tourism experience conceptual framework” and extends literature in this field. Materials nd Methods The present research employed a systematic literature review. Scopus was chosen as the database as it is the largest multidisciplinary database in social sciences (Aria et al., 2020). Also, compared to the Web of Science, it has a broader coverage of tourism journals (Lin & Rasoolimanesh, 2022). The search was conducted on June 12, 2023. The PRISMA procedure identified fifty-three relevant articles ranging from 2006 to 2022. The deductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was done to determine the aspects and components of the religious tourists’ experience based on the “orchestra model” (Pearce & Mohammadi, 2021) and the “multifaceted conceptual framework of tourist experience” (Packer & Ballantyne, 2016). Discussion and Results Based on the findings, the “integrated, multifaceted framework of religious tourists’ experiences” includes cognitive, affective, physical, relational, restorative, spiritual, transformative, and behavioral facets, each includes the following aspects: Cognitive: reflection, learning or discovering, perceived authenticity, perception of setting attributes, mental engagement, and remembering Affective: joy, awe or wonder, attachment, hope, pride, discontent Physical: sensory engagement, bodily engagement, or challenge Relational: social interaction and sharing, communitas Restorative: peacefulness or relaxation, escape, nourishment, freedom Spiritual: spiritual connection, religiousness or closeness to God or sacred people, communion with nature, purification Transformative: self-growth or fulfillment, liminality or flow, identity construction Behavioral: religious site or ritual-specific (religious), non-religious (touristic) Conclusions Theoretically, this research attempted to provide a multifaceted perspective of the religious tourists’ experience, employing a systematic literature review. Therefore, it has presented the most recent overview of the topic and identified the theories used, methodologies, study context, and experience attributes. By providing an “integrated, multifaceted conceptual framework of the religious tourist experience,” the present study contributes to extending the literature. This research used the existing frameworks to categorize the attributes of experience. It also added new facets and components. Three facets, namely restorative, spiritual, and transformative, can be added to the “orchestra model of tourist experience” (Pearce & Mohammadi, 2021). Also, the religious tourism-related components of communitas (relational), hope (affective), religiousness or closeness to God or sacred people, communion with nature, purification (spiritual), and liminality or flow (transformative) were added. Other components were also included that may be helpful to describe more general tourism experiences: perceived authenticity and mental engagement (cognitive), self-expression and social acceptance (relational), and identity construction (transformative). This framework needs to be more comprehensive, and future research may add other facets and components. The findings can extend the literature and benefit managers, planners, and destination marketing organizations in designing religious tourism experiences to enhance visitors' satisfaction and destination competitiveness. Finally, study limitations and future research directions are proposed, including cross-cultural studies to compare results and enhance the generalizability of the findings, examining the proposed framework in various religious destinations contexts, paying more attention to Muslim religious tourists’ experiences, considering the role of information and communication technologies, and investigating the interactions of the framework components.

Religious tourism, a branch of cultural tourism, can stimulate development, especially in rural areas. This research was conducted to conceptualize a religious tourism development model emphasizing the holy sites of Kermanshah province. The research approach was of qualitative and Grounded Theory type; the research sample comprised experts in the field of religious tourism. Accordingly, 16 semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants using the purposeful sampling method. The four criteria of Lincoln and Guba, including credibility, transferability, reliability, and verifiability, were used to measure the validity and comply with the qualitative research features, validation, accuracy, and robustness of the data. The reliability of the research was also assessed using the test-retest reliability method, with 77% reliability. Strauss and Corbin’s systematic approach analyzed data. Through three open, central, and selective coding procedures, the content analysis results yielded 71 concepts, 14 sub-categories, and six main categories. Finally, the paradigmatic religious tourism development model was presented, in which the development of religious tourism was chosen as the central phenomenon affected by the causal conditions of the research. Contextual and intervening conditions and the central phenomenon formed religious tourism development strategies, and economic, cultural, and social development outcomes were obtained. In the end, practical suggestions were presented for developing religious tourism in Kermanshah province.Introduction"Religious tourism" is one of the oldest forms of tourism and plays an important role in the history of tourism development. Religious tourism includes people who travel for religious or spiritual purposes and visit religious places or participate in religious activities and festivals. In other words, religious tourism refers to all types of trips made with voluntary religious motivation, without pay, and for a limited period.Kermanshah province, with 16,550 sacred places and monuments, is one of the provinces with the potential to attract religious tourists. Despite the potential and attractions that Kermanshah province has in the field of tourism in general and religious tourism in particular, the category of religious tourism in this province should be addressed more. This matter has been neglected from the point of view of the trustees and planners of the matter.This research aims to develop a religious tourism development model with an emphasis on blessed and religious places and locations in Kermanshah province to creat employment and reduce the unemployment rate. So, the current study seeks to answer this question, what kind of model does Kermanshah province has for the development of religious tourism with an emphasis on blessed and religious places?Materials and MethodsThe current research is qualitative in terms of paradigm, developmental-applicative in terms of purpose, and exploratory and ground-theoretical in terms of method. The studied community of the research was made up of experts in the field of religious tourism. Based on this, 16 semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants using the purposeful sampling method. The data were analyzed using the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin. In order to analyze the data, three types of coding were used, which include open coding (creating concepts and categories), axial coding (identifying the core category, causal conditions, contextual and environmental conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences) and selective coding (creation of theory). In order to measure the validity and comply with the qualitative features of the research, validation, accuracy, and robustness of the data, the four criteria of Lincoln and Goba, such as reliability, transferability and appropriateness, reliability and stability, and verifiability, were used. The reliability of the research was also calculated using the test-retest reliability method, and 77% was obtained.ResultsConclusions The resulting Paradigm Model identified welfare and religious attractions as "causal conditions." The mentioned factors are the factors that make the development of religious tourism necessary and inevitable. Religious tourism development strategies include promotional strategies, infrastructural strategies, collaborative strategies, and human resource strategies that are affected by factors such as advertising management and integrated tourism management as "intervening conditions" And "background conditions" such as residents' attitude about the consequences of tourism and residents' attitude towards religious and cultural responsibilities towards pilgrims and tourists. Finally, the development of religious tourism leads to the emergence of "consequences of the development of religious tourism," such as "economic development," such as an increase in rial and foreign exchange income and the prosperity of the tax system, creating job opportunities for the local people of the province, expanding commercial and welfare centers around religious attractions. The province, the prosperity of local industries and products of the province, the employment of women and students on a part-time basis, and the attraction of domestic and foreign capital to the province; and "cultural and social development" such as cultural interaction and expansion of cultural exchanges of the province, strengthening of religious thinking among the local community of the province, awareness of the local community of cultural-religious assets, sense of pride of the local community in cultural-religious assets, strengthening of cultural character and increasing respect pilgrims are given the opportunity to strengthen religious and Islamic culture and rites between guilds and trades, and to revive local-religious traditions and manners. Based on the research findings, somepractical suggestions are presented to develop religious tourism in Kermanshah province

This research aims to assess the benefits of gamification and its impact on tourism development at the historical site of Persepolis. The research methodology employed in this study is descriptive-analytical and is based on documentary studies, field investigations, and researcher-designed questionnaires. The target population for this research consists of active individuals in the tourism industry, with a sample size of 354 participants selected. Data analysis was conducted using tests such as average variance extracted (AVE), Fornell-Larcker, factor loading coefficients, Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and structural equation modeling, utilizing SPSS and Smart PLS software. The results of this study indicate that gamification exhibits a positive and significant relationship with all four dimensions under investigation: education, branding, loyalty, employment, and income generation. Gamification at Persepolis provides a recreational and educational experience and enables tourists to engage with the culture and history of the country they are visiting in a novel and interactive manner. With an enhanced tourist experience through gamification, Persepolis is poised to become a unique and captivating tourist destination.IntroductionThe text discusses the concept of "Gamification," which involves integrating game elements into non-game contexts. It was first introduced in 2008 and has since been applied in various fields, including tourism. However, its use in the tourism industry is still early. Gamification in tourism can enhance tourist interactions, satisfaction, brand awareness, and loyalty. It offers both external benefits, such as trip planning, and internal benefits, providing virtual travel experiences. Location-based and online games are vital in engaging tourists during their journeys. Gamification can be applied in organizational training programs to boost employee participation and skill acquisition. Overall, gamification is an innovative approach with the potential to transform how tourists engage with destinations, creating more exciting and interactive travel experiences. This article explores its application in the historical context of Persepolis, emphasizing its impact on branding, education, loyalty, and marketing in tourism. This article represents one of the initial academic endeavors in Iran to explore the significance and advantages of gamification in the historical and cultural context of Persepolis, shedding light on its potential impact on branding, education, loyalty, marketing, and the overall development of tourism at this historical site.Materials and methodsThis study aimed to evaluate the benefits of gamification and its impact on the tourism development of the historic Persepolis area. This study is of descriptive-analytical practical purposes, and the sampling method was simple randomization, with the study population including professors and tourism activists, 354 sampled according to Cochran's formula.Discussion and ResultsThe findings indicate that all hypotheses achieved statistical significance, thereby confirming the primary hypothesis of this investigation. Consequently, substantial associations exist among destination marketing, tourism education, and loyal tourists. It is evident that gamification positively influences tourism development in the Persepolis region.ConclusionsTravel should offer tourists a meaningful and engaging experience, and gamification is pivotal in achieving this objective within the tourism industry. The primary goal of implementing a gamification system is to induce a cognitive and emotional impact on users. In this context, it is essential to consider individuals’ intrinsic motivations, which revolve around engaging in an activity solely for its inherent enjoyment rather than being driven by external rewards, pressures, or stimuli.This research has unveiled further insights across various domains, including marketing, economic prosperity, and employment generation. By incorporating games that revolve around Persepolis’s rich history and culture, tourists are encouraged to spend extended periods in Marvdasht, subsequently fostering job creation and local community engagement. The gamification framework in tourism also contributes to developing sustainable tourism practices.Furthermore, brand attraction is deemed a crucial aspect of capital in the tourism sector, prompting extensive efforts in marketing to allure and retain tourists. Gamification significantly enhances the overall tourist experience, instrumental in retaining existing customers and enticing new visitors.

Local event tourism is one of the types of tourism that can play an essential role in the sustainable economic and social development of communities. However, this issue has received less attention. Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival is one of these events held every year in the spring season. This study aims to identify the factors that attract tourists to this event. For this purpose, the factors attracting tourists to the events were extracted by qualitative content analysis and then the tourists' opinions. Finally, a conceptual framework of influencing factors on customers' tendencies, including 50 indicators in 15 components, was presented. Also, the quantitative analysis of Q data shows that accessibility, hospitality, and spending time with friends were essential for the first group of tourists, social interactions and event quality were necessary for the second group, patriotic and learning motives were important for the third group, and experience and enjoyment of the event were necessary for the fourth group. At the same time, natural attractions and enjoyment of the festival environment have been essential for all tourists, and these results can be a basis for formulating marketing strategies for local tourism events. Introduction During the last two decades, the tourism industry has increasingly strengthened the local economy due to its high diversity and convenient access. In addition, the development of the tourism industry causes benefits such as increasing the employment and income of residents, improving transportation, and, most importantly, protecting the cultural heritage of local communities. One of the types of tourism is event tourism, which has grown significantly in recent years. Event tourism is a form of travel with special interests in which people visit a special event to attend or along with their trip. One of the important products in tourism development has been an event in the form of cultural festivals. In this regard, local festivals as a branch of cultural events are considered one of travelers’ actions in rural areas. On the other hand, due to its various natural, historical, and cultural attractions, Iran is considered one of the most capable countries in the world for organizing such events. For this reason, practical steps can be taken toward the successful development of this type of tourism by more closely examining the events and festivals held in the country. One of these local festivals is the Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival, held every year at the beginning of the rose-picking season for one month in the Meymand Fars region. In this regard, it will be beneficial to identify the effective factors in attracting tourists to this annual local event, to get a more detailed understanding of the affairs and a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, and economic realities of the region and to plan for the sustainable development of this region. However, this issue has received less attention despite its clarity and necessity. On this subject, the current research seeks to identify the indicators and components influencing the tendency of tourists to visit rural events by using the qualitative content analysis method and providing a conceptual framework of these factors. Then, by analyzing the data of Meymand Flower and Rose Festival tourists based on the conceptual model, the types of tourists of this local event were identified. Materials and Methods This research aims to identify the factors that attract event tourists to local festivals using the Q method in Meymand Flower and Rose Festival, Fars. In terms of purpose, this research is practical, and according to the approach and type of data, it can be categorized as mixed research. The current research was carried out in 2023 in Fars province regarding time and place. In this research, first, the qualitative content analysis method with a directional approach has been used to identify and determine the existing indicators. Then, to know the mentality of participants in the Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival and collect data (using the Q method), all the customers who participated in this festival in 2023 were studied. Discussion and Results In the first step, based on the content analysis of the screened studies, the researchers reviewed the final studies several times to determine titles or themes. At this stage, the researchers identified the factors affecting tourists' tendency towards events. Since some words had the same meaning, the necessary overlaps were made, and some indicators were removed. In the next step, the content validity ratio of Lawshe was used to check the validity of indicators in rural tourism. After this step, the number of 50 indicators was finalized and categorized into 15 concepts. Then, in the quantitative part, the data obtained from the Q factor analysis methodology was used to identify and extract the mentality of tourists. For this purpose, the tourists' opinions about the factors affecting their attendance at the Meymand Flower and Rose Festival 2023 were collected. With exploratory factor analysis, the participants were selected based on the shared values and the role of the data in explaining the total explanatory variance, and finally, the Varimax rotation divided the rest into four groups after removing 30 of them. Conclusions In this research, an attempt was made to use a mixed approach; firstly, with the help of qualitative content analysis, the indicators and components of local festivals were identified, and then the mentality of the tourists of Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival was extracted as a study. Finally, a conceptual framework of influencing factors on customers' tendencies, including 50 indicators in 15 components, was presented. Then, based on the results of the quantitative method, four groups of customers were identified in Meymand Rose and Rose Festival. Enjoying nature, weather, and flowers and plants are among the motivations that are common among all four groups; in other words, it was the common feature of all visitors to this festival. However, in the separated groups, the factors have a significant dispersion. In the first group, the three factors of accessibility, hospitality of the destination, and spending time with friends are among the unique factors that have attracted them to this festival. This group constituted almost 37 percent of the participants in the research. The second group, which included almost 27 percent of the sample of festival tourists, with a sense of loyalty to the event and satisfaction, considers this festival a platform for social interactions and feels a sense of national pride by attending it. The third group is attracted to this festival with patriotic motives and the aim of learning, excitement, and making memories, and the festival’s popularity has been one of the main reasons for them. Finally, the fourth group of this festival has chosen a suitable place for photography and a space to enjoy holidays and relaxation with the intention of diversity in experience. In this context, the most significant difference between the present research and the previous studies is related to the classification of factors affecting the tendency of tourists, so that in none of the mentioned researches, the factors influencing the attraction of event tourists to local festivals have not been reported in a comprehensive category. Therefore, it is recommended to relevant provincial and national policymakers and patriot service providers to pay attention to the extracted effective indicators as the most key factors in their service strategy by recognizing the important characteristics of each category of tourists.

In recent years, the economic potential of the tourism industry has attracted the attention of economic players. Studying the performance of active businesses in this industry and identifying effective factors in it has become more important. One of the variables that have been studied in this regard has been entrepreneurial orientation. Most studies have shown that entrepreneurial orientation positively affects performance as a unidimensional construct. However, scholars have urged to investigate the effects of the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation on performance separately due to the existence of contradictory results and different conceptualizations. Moreover, adding other variables as moderators or mediators of this relationship has been helpful. In the present research, the effects of innovativeness, proactiveness, and riskiness on the performance of Iran's tourism sector firms, considering the mediating effect of marketing capabilities and the moderating effect of learning culture, have been studied. Introduction Despite the vast potential of tourism in Iran, this industry has yet to grow enough. One of the reasons for this is the conditions of the enterprises working in this sector. Growth occurs when companies make a profit and capital increase becomes possible. The profits of travel agencies in Iran are usually low, and their managers need help to grow their businesses. Managing these firms is a critical factor in their success, and understanding how travel agencies in Iran can perform better than their competitors is of major importance. The strategic management domain is concerned with studying how organizations grow. Various factors can have an impact on the performance of firms. Among them, strategic orientations can be named. Entrepreneurial orientation is one of the major strategic orientations. Many empirical studies have shown that firms with entrepreneurial orientation have high-performance levels. The question is how entrepreneurial orientation can affect performance. Drawing on the capability theory of the firm, we study how the entrepreneurial orientation strengthens organizational capabilities, including marketing capabilities, and these capabilities affect performance. Marketing capabilities are organizational capabilities that target current and potential customers of the firm and encompass functions such as pricing, promotion, distribution, product/service development, communications, and marketing planning. Contextual factors such as organizational culture should also be taken into account. Companies have different characteristics that reflect their culture. This research studied the effects of entrepreneurial orientation and learning culture on business performance with the mediating effect of marketing capabilities. Methods This study looks at travel agencies in Teheran and uses a questionnaire to gather data. The survey has been piloted to ensure the questions are clear and comprehensible. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized for data analysis. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) method was used because its characteristics have led to its increasing application in strategy and entrepreneurship research. One hundred three surveys were collected from travel agency managers in Teheran. Results The survey results indicate that proactiveness and innovativeness significantly impact and marketing capabilities mediate this relationship. The impact of riskiness on performance is not significant. In addition, although the moderating effect of the learning culture is not confirmed, its positive effect, as an independent variable on marketing capacities, is significant. Conclusion This study aims to evaluate the connection between research variables in the tourism sector of Iran through the use of the capability theory of the firm. The results indicate that the performance of travel agency firms is influenced by the resources and capabilities of firms. The managers of these firms are involved with the day-to-day administration of their firms’ issues. They need to pay more attention to their business’s innovative, proactive, and risky nature, which may impact their performance. This research emphasizes the role of strategic orientation, capabilities, and cultural dimensions in improving business performance. The sample of this research is limited to the managers of the travel agencies and the geographical area of Tehran in Iran. Therefore, prospective researchers may conduct studies in other industries and geographic areas. They may also utilize larger samples. Future research may explore the role of other cultural dimensions in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Prospective researchers may also study the role of several marketing capabilities separately in mediating the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on performance.

IntroductionMarl formations are one of the most important sources of sediment production in arid and semi-arid regions. Marl lands are highly susceptible to erosion, causing an increase in drinking water treatment costs, reducing the useful life of dams, and significantly decreasing the permeability of floodwater spreading areas. Different forms of erosion have been shown to have a relationship with the geological characteristics of marls, as evidenced by research. The results of the study of the effect of the physical and chemical properties of marl sediments on erosion in Latshore-Pakdasht showed that the amount of Na+, SO4-2 and silt in the marl lands increased, while the percentage of clay decreased from surface to gully erosion. The form and intensity of water erosion are greatly influenced by changes in soil texture. Gully erosion can be developed by increasing the amount of sand compared to the finer particles of silt and clay. Despite the difficulty of vegetation establishment on marl lands, in some areas, surprisingly, a relatively dense cover of rangeland species can be observed, which can cause erosion control and soil stability. The results of the systematic survey of plant species and their protective role in the marl lands of Ilam, Yazd and Gilan provinces all indicate that rangeland species are one of the most effective and suitable methods to prevent soil erosion by creating a stable vegetation cover on marl formations. The relationship between the physical and chemical properties of the soil with vegetation characteristics including distribution, canopy cover and density is inevitable. In the marl lands of Borujen, the research revealed that vegetation type named Astragalus brachycalyx-Daphne mucronata-Cirsium bracteosum can be established in neutral marl lands, with medium CaCO3 content and minimal presence of Na+ and Cl-. On the other hand, the vegetation type named Astragalus susianus-Daphne mucronata-Amygdalus elaeagnifolia can be established in alkaline and calcareous marl lands with very high amounts of Cl- and can be effective in controlling water erosion in marl lands. Considering arid and desert climate and the occurrence of surface, rill and gully erosions in the marl lands of Kashan region, as well as the importance of protecting and controlling erosion in the marl formations of the region and the lack of detailed vegetation studies in this region, accurate identification of the vegetation of the marl lands and prioritizing native and resistant plant species is necessary for the rehabilitation management of vegetation and biological protection of soil in these areas. Therefore, the aim of the current research is to identify rangeland species and investigate their role in erosion control in the selected marl formations in Kashan. In addition, the physical and chemical soil parameters of marl lands and the vegetation characteristics of plant species in different types of erosion are investigated. Material and MethodsKashan is one of the marl regions chosen for the current study on the classification and determination of marl erodibility indices in Isfahan province. Two vegetation types named Anabasis setifera-Artemisia sieberi-Salsola tomentosa and Pteropyrum aucheri-Pteropyrum olivieri-Artemisia sieberi have been identified in the selected Marl lands of Kashan. In order to evaluate the erosion condition in three erosion forms of surface, rill and gully, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) form was completed in the same marl units and control areas without vegetation cover. In the next step, three soil samples were collected from 0-20 cm depth in three repetitions in marl units including three forms of erosion. The physical and chemical soil properties including texture, EC, N, P, SAR, OC, CEC, CaSO4 and CaCO3 were measured. For vegetation studies in the study area, after preparing the floristic list of plant species, three 100 m transects were established in a random-systematic method. In each transect 10 plots of 2 m2 were placed and vegetation characteristics including canopy cover percentage and density per plant species, as well as the percentage of gravel and litter were measured and recorded. The statistical analysis of the data was done as a completely random design using SAS software, and the averages of soil properties were compared according to the Least Significant Difference (LSD). Correlation analysis between soil and vegetation characteristics was done by SPSS statistical software. Results and DiscussionThe results showed that in terms of erodibility, Marl lands with vegetation cover had a better condition than those without vegetation. Based on analysis of variance, the physical and chemical parameters of soil and vegetation characteristics in three types of erosion had significant differences at level of 1% and 5%. In gully erosion, the amount of N, P, SAR, OC, litter and canopy cover were in better conditions compared to other types of erosion. The results of correlation between soil properties and vegetation characteristics showed that the canopy cover had significant correlation with the percentage of sand (r=0.92) and a negative correlation with the amount of CaCO3 at (r=0.97). In terms of the type of dominant plant species, in surface erosion Ephedra strobilacea Bunge. with canopy cover of 1.71%, in rill erosion Anabaisis setifera Moq. with canopy cover of 1.24% and in gully erosion Artemisia sieberi Besser. with canopy cover of 12.3% were identified as the most suitable species for soil protection. In all three types of erosion, bushes had the highest percentage of density in terms of growth form. In surface erosion and gully erosion, shrubs occupied the highest percentage of canopy cover. In gully erosion, due to better conditions of soil moisture and organic matter, bushes and shrubs were successful in competition with annual and herbaceous plants. They established well due to deep and extensive root system. The results of current research could be considered as a novel achievement in order to prevent soil erosion through establish appropriate species in marl lands with similar climatic conditions.

IntroductionOne of the environmental challenges in the world is desertification. Desertification is land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid caused by several factors such as climate change and human activities. Desertification is a significant phenomenon, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In many instances, it is seen as a serious threat to human societies. The desertification process in developing countries is very intense, and this issue can have a significant impact on the future of these countries. Iran is a country that is exposed to the phenomenon of desertification. Due to the geographical location, arid and semi-arid areas cover approximately two-thirds of Iran. The desertification phenomenon is present in Yazd province. Due to its climate and hydrogeomorphology, this province, which is located in the central regions of Iran, has a high vulnerability potential against land use changes and desertification. Considering the importance of the topic, this research has identified the vulnerable areas of Yazd province against desertification using the DVI index. Material and MethodsIn this research, library information, statistical data related to the population of Yazd province, climatic data of Yazd province, as well as the 30-meter SRTM DEM as the most important research data were used. The model used in this research was based on DVI vulnerability index. The DVI vulnerability index was the basis for the model used in this research. The time-spatial changes of vulnerability to desertification in the Banas River basin in India have been investigated using the DVI model. The DVI model uses 9 indicators, which are grouped into 4 groups: demographic indicators, weather indicators, topographic indicators, and soil indicators. Results and DiscussionIn this research, in order to identify the vulnerable areas of Yazd province to desertification from demographic indicators (population density, population growth and illiteracy percentage), weather indicators (precipitation rate, average temperature, and evaporation rate and dryness index), topographic indices (slope percentage) and soil science indices (soil type) have been used. The slope index indicates that the western parts of Yazd province are more vulnerable. According to the geological index, the northern and eastern parts of this province are highly vulnerable. The northern, central, and eastern regions of Yazd province are highly vulnerable in terms of precipitation, average temperature, evaporation, and dryness indicators. Yazd city has a high vulnerability potential in terms of population density index. In terms of population growth index, Ardakan city has a high vulnerability potential and also in terms of illiteracy index, Taft city has a high vulnerability potential. The location of Yazd province has resulted in a large portion of its area being covered in arid and hyper-arid areas. Due to their high vulnerability to erosion, destruction, and vulnerability, many parts of this province are prone to desertification. The DVI model was used to evaluate the vulnerability potential of Yazd province against desertification in this research. The DVI model results are divided into 4 vulnerability potential classes: low, medium, high, and very high. The results indicate that the class with a high vulnerability potential covers 42.9% of the area, which is primarily concentrated in the northern and central areas of Yazd province. The class with high vulnerability potential covers 41/4 of the area, which primarily encompasses the western regions of Yazd province. The classes with medium and low vulnerability potential are distributed in the central, southeastern, and southern parts of Yazd province, with 14.3 and 1.4 percent of the area, respectively. The vulnerability status of cities in Yazd province has been assessed in this research. Khatam and Bahabad cities have the lowest vulnerability percentage, while Yazd, Meibod, and Ardakan cities have the highest vulnerability potential, according to the results. Many parts of Yazd province, including its northern and central regions, have a high vulnerability potential, which requires special attention and the implementation of long-term programs to prevent vulnerability and increase desertification.

IntroductionThe growth of plants is affected by environmental stresses, particularly drought and salinity, which are the main problems of arid and semi-arid lands. Germination is a crucial stage in the life of most plants. Plant establishment in arid and semi-arid regions requires special tolerance to stresses like salinity and drought during the germination stage. In most plants, increasing salinity and drought stress during the germination stage prevents the plant from germinate. Therefore, knowing the resistance to salinity and drought in different plants can be used in the management of natural environments. Considering the increase in global temperature and the decrease in rainfall in Iran, as well as the soil salinization, it is very important to choose plants with high tolerance to salinity and drought in rangeland. In the southern rangeland of Kohgiluyeh Va Boyer Ahmad province, which are located in arid and semi-arid climates, non-native species such as Atriplex spp. and Prosopis spp. have been used for improvement and restoration in the past decades. The soil and native vegetation of the region are negatively impacted by non-native plants, which have problems like lack of natural regeneration. Identifying suitable native plants that can grow in specific ecological conditions of arid and semi-arid areas, such as drought and salinity, is necessary. The current research aims to identify native resistant species to the mentioned stresses for vegetation restoration in biological and bio-mechanical projects. Material and MethodsIn order to identify the species tolerant to environmental stress in the rangeland of Kohgiluyeh Va Boyer Ahmad province, three native species including Zygophyllum eurypterum Boiss. & Buhse, Sanguisorba minor L. and Salsola orientalis S. G. Gmelin (Salsola rigida) were selected. The habitats of the species were identified through field surveys and the cooperation of experts from the General Department of Natural Resources and Watershed Management of Kohgiluyeh Va Boyer Ahmad province. Sampling of plant seeds for experiments was done in range habitats. Seed germination reaction of three species Z. eurypterum, S. minor. and S. orientalis were studied in the laboratory with respect to different levels of salinity and drought stress. The drought stress test included six levels (0, -0.3, -0.6, -0.9, -1.2, and -1.5 MP) which were prepared using polyethylene glycol 6000. The second experiment included 6 salinity levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mM). Sodium chloride was used to create salinity stress. Before conducting the salinity and drought tests, treatments were applied to break the seed dormancy of different species, and after identifying the best treatment for each species, dormancy tests were performed. Germination was done as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with 4 replications (20 seeds per replication) in a germinator at a temperature of 25°C. During a period of 20 days, every day the germinated seeds whose root length was more than 2 mm were counted and their germination percentage, germination rate, length of root, stem and seedling and their seed germination index were measured. Using SPSSVer.23 software, analysis of variance and comparison of average data was done. Results and DiscussionVariance analysis shows that there is a significant difference between drought and salinity levels in the traits measured in plants (p

IntroductionWidespread lands in arid, semi-arid, or dry sub-humid areas of the world have been influenced by the consequences of the land degradation resulting from natural factors and human activities like agriculture, changes in the land use. A large part of Iran is located in arid and semi-arid regions. The degradation of soil can be greatly impacted by agricultural activities, incorrect management, and improper land management. The most suitable solution to reduce the negative effects of land use change on the desert is to choose the best type of land management with the least degradation. The fragile nature of these ecosystems and the large area of arid and semi-arid areas of the country require proper and accurate management. Soil is an important and valuable terrestrial source of OC storage, which plays a significant role in the global C cycle by storing about 1500 billion tons of C. The total C in microbial biomass is 1.4% of the total SOC. demonstrating the significant contribution of this sector to the global C cycle. Land use change can be one of the most important factors of land degradation that affects the quality and quantity of soil organic C, and soil characteristics. The present study was done to investigate the role of different land uses including rangeland as control, abandoned land, Triticum aestivum L. cultivation, Hordeum vulgare L. cultivated lands and Medicago sativa L. cultivation, on some soil microbial indices such as basal soil respiration, substrate induced respiration, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, microbial quotient, metabolic coefficient and carbon access index, in Lasjerd , Semnan province in two depths of 0 to 10 cm and 10 to 30 cm. Material and MethodsThe initial step was to select various treatments that included rangeland as control treatment, abandoned land, Triticum aestivum cultivation, Hordeum vulgare cultivated lands and Medicago sativa cultivation. In the second step, soil sampling was performed at two depths of 0-10 and 10-30 cm in five replications. In this regard, one soil profile in the center and four other profiles were dug in the form of a cross, considering the marginal effect. The samples needed for soil biological tests were carried and stored in the refrigerator containing dry ice and biological tests were performed later. The considered factors were measured by valid scientific guidelines and methods. Data related to soil microbial properties were analyzed by a factorial test in the form of a completely random design with five repetitions. All statistical computing was done using SPSS 19 software and the mean comparison tests were performed by Duncan test. Results and DiscussionThe results of the present study indicated that there is significant impact of the treatments on the properties studied at the two depths, at the first soil layer equals to the depth of 0 to 10 cm, basal soil respiration, substrate induced respiration, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, microbial quotient, and metabolic coefficient have been affected by different land uses, as the highest level of basal soil respiration in the abandoned land equals to 0.424 mgCO2g-1dm24h-1 and the lowest in Triticum aestivum cultivation 0.006 mgCO2g-1dm24h-1, as well as the second depth- 10 to 30 cm- basal soil respiration, microbial quotient, metabolic coefficient are affected by different types of land uses. The highest amount of metabolic coefficient was observed in abandoned lands as 0.068 mgCO2-Cg-1MBCday-1 and the lowest was found in Medicago sativa cultivation lands equals to 0.013 mgCO2-Cg-1MBCday-1. Soil microbial indices are sensitive to land use changes. The first top 10 cm of the soil studied, has been most affected by these indices.Due to the failure of soil pedons, the change in land use from rangeland to agricultural lands increases the speed of litter decomposition and decreases the storage of soil nutrients, the microbial population, composition and activity of the soil as an indicator of soil quality, health and fertility. But techniques of no-tillage or minimal-tillage, as well as the principles of sustainable agriculture (such as returning the residues to the soil, proper use of chemical fertilizers, using biological fertilizers, and biological control of pests) cause the destructive process of the biological indices to be adjusted and get balanced in a shorter time period with environment. Considering the changes in the biological indicators of the soil, which have caused the destruction of the cultivated lands in the studied area, it is suggested to rehabilitate the bare lands with native rangeland species of the region, such as Artemisia sieberi Besser, Zygophyllum eurypterum Boiss. & Buhse, and Astragalus tribuloides Delile. Range management plans are the only way to allocate rangelands in the region, and a detailed survey of rangelands in the region is necessary. To prevent land use change, it is important to address the multi-purpose uses of rangelands and the determination of economic units to support the lives of beneficiary households.

IntroductionSand covers around 20% of the world's drylands, and 97% of it is found in the sandy land of the arid region of the earth. Different landforms are created by the wind in these regions. Sand dunes are a landform that is mentioned in arid lands. Knowing the distribution of sand in these areas is crucial because wind erosion can cause a lot of damage. The significance of studying sand dunes lies in its impact on water and soil resources, plants and animals, human infrastructure, and roads. In Iran, various researchers and related organizations have reported various areas of the sand dunes. Different tools and methods have been utilized by these researchers, including aerial photos, topographic maps, satellite images, and field visits. This study was conducted to improve accuracy and update the existing maps due to the differences between the maps provided by previous researchers. By providing a new map of sand dunes distribution in Iran, more precise information can be obtained. Precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, and UNEP aridity index were used to calculate climate characteristics for Iran's sand dunes. Material and MethodsRemote sensing was used to export the sand dunes distribution map in this research using the Google earth engine system. The image collection of the OLI sensor of the Landsat 8 satellite was used. The process of image classification involved introducing 4000 points as training points. The land use map of Iran was exported after verifying and calculating the overall accuracy and kappa coefficient, which were 0.91 and 0.89, respectively. The map's sand dune class was imported into ArcMap. The maps of the distribution of sand dunes obtained from previous researchers were compared with the obtained map. The boundary of sand dunes was modified by drawing 1020 polygons using vision recognition. We aim was always to utilize the most up-to-date satellite images for visual interpretation. Due to differences in tools and study time, and the prepared maps based on different criteria, there are numerous differences between the maps in practice. The research utilized up-to-date satellite images and geological maps, topography, hand-planted forests, residential lands, agricultural lands, and land use as auxiliary maps. In the next step, the long-term climate maps prepared by Jamab's consulting engineers for the period of 1350 to 1390 were used to investigate climate characteristics such as temperature, precipitation, evaporation and transpiration and UNEP aridity index. The mentioned maps were interpolated and classified in ArcMap for this purpose. The distribution of the country's sand dunes was examined in each of the categories mentioned in the climatic indicators. Results and DiscussionBased on the result, the updated area of Iran's sand dunes is 5.15 mha which includes the sand sheets and different forms of sand dunes such as barchans, star dunes and nebkas. Based on this, the provinces of Kerman, Sistan and Baluchistan, Isfahan, South Khorasan and Yazd respectively, with an area of about 1000000, 700000 and 590000 ha, have allocated the largest area of sand dunes in the country. There are some differences in the obtained results compared to the previous maps of sand dunes. In Dehlran city in Ilam province, some regions that were previously considered sand dunes have now become agricultural lands, for instance. The border modification resulted in a 366% increase in the area of Qaen city in South Khorasan province. According to climate data, sand dunes are distributed in three climates that are hyper- arid, arid, and semi-arid. The highest and lowest amount of precipitation can be found in Farashband city in Fars province and Hirmand city in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, respectively. The range of precipitation changes is ranging from 6 to 312 mm. The hottest sand dunes are located in Shahrud city in Semnan province and the coldest sand dunes are located in Buin Zahra city in Qazvin Province. The temperature of sand dunes is in the ranges of 10 to 28.5 °C. the dominant thermal regime of sand dunes is thermic, which covers about 68% of the sand dunes in 8 provinces. Hyperthermic thermal regime dominates 31% of sand dunes in 7 provinces. Only about 1% of sand dunes have mesic thermal regime which are scattered in 3 provinces. The range of changes in evapotranspiration in the sand dunes of Iran is between 1500 to 4000 mm per year. Evaluating the UNEP aridity index showed that 89% of the sand seas are classified as hyper arid and 11% of them is in arid class. The result of this research by determining the location of sand seas and their climate classification, will help the administrators to locate appropriate areas for reclamation and wind erosion control projects, especially the biological project.

This is developmental research, with a qualitative method. The statistical population in the qualitative phase includes the managers of medical tourism facility companies and the managers of the department of international patients in Tehran hospitals, including Farabi Khatem Al-Anbia (pbuh) and Shahid Rajaei Heart hospitals, of which 15 people were selected purposefully and non-randomly. The main tool of data collection is semi-structured in-depth interviews. Qualitative data analysis was done using the database theory method and MAXQDA software. In the quantitative section, the statistical population includes all patients who refer to hospitals in Tehran (unlimited population), based on which a sample of 384 people was selected using Morgan's table. Data collection was done in the quantitative section using a questionnaire and data analysis was done with the partial least squares method.Based on the obtained paradigm model, the components related to digital marketing in the medical tourism industry in six categories of causal factors (application marketing, social media marketing, digital advertising, display advertising, facilitating communication, and providing the information), background conditions (social media technology, social media environment, interactivity, comprehensibility), central phenomenon (human-centered digital marketing, customer data analysis, and market development), strategies (b short-term and long-term strategies, functional value and expected value), intervening conditions (software and hardware indicators) and outcomes (tourist loyalty, tourist satisfaction, service quality, and social media content) were identified.IntroductionMedical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling outside the country of residence in order to receive medical care. The growing popularity of medical tourism has attracted the attention of policymakers, researchers, and the media. In the past, the term often referred to the travel of patients from less developed countries to pursue treatments unavailable in their country. At the same time, we are experiencing quantitative and qualitative changes in patient mobility as people travel from wealthier to less developed countries to access health services. Such a change is mainly due to the relatively low cost of treatments in less developed countries, the availability of low-cost flights, and increased online marketing and consumer information about the availability of medical services. Medical tourism represents a multi-billion-dollar worldwide phenomenon expected to grow significantly over the next decade. For those interested in health care, cost is a key factor in receiving medical care abroad.With the development of mobile applications and increasing digital literacy, digital marketing is becoming the dominant paradigm in the service industries today, and this is also true in medical tourism. In order to create trust and awareness in medical tourism, offices and centers providing such services must provide timely and reliable information to patients worldwide. Therefore, in the past few years, social media has been used as a medical tourism tool for advertising and information. Some countries' experience shows that social media use and investment in this field have played a significant role in the development of medical tourism. Iran - at least at the regional level - has high capacities for developing medical tourism; a large part of this capacity has yet to be realized.If a targeted and appropriate program is made for digital marketing, the necessary platform for developing medical tourism in the country will be provided. However, despite some medical tourism agencies' occasional use of social media, there needs to be a codified and coherent program in this field inside the country. Part of this shortcoming may be that managers and decision-makers in the medical tourism sector need to be better aware of the importance and effectiveness of social media in attracting tourists and patients. In this regard, the first step will be to prove the effectiveness of social media for marketing medical tourism destinations by conducting field studies. Such studies will increase senior managers' insight and awareness of the high potential of social media. On the other hand, the review of the research literature shows that despite conducting numerous studies in medical tourism marketing, there needs to be more research in presenting a model in this field. Especially In domestic studies, more effort must be made to present the digital marketing model of medical tourism. These studies need to indicate a research gap in medical tourism destination marketing. With these explanations, the current research aims to provide a marketing model for medical tourism destinations in Iran using digital media.Materials and MethodsThe current research is developmental research. Qualitative data analysis was done with exploratory and interview-based data theory, and quantitative data analysis was based on the nature and method of descriptive-survey research, which was a questionnaire for data collection. Also, the current research was conducted with a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) approach.The statistical population in the qualitative phase includes managers of companies that facilitate medical tourism and managers of international patients' departments in Tehran hospitals, including Farabi Hospital, Shahid Rajaee's Heart Hospital, and Khatem Al_Anbia Hospital, of which 15 people were selected in a non-random way. In the quantitative section, the statistical population includes all patients who refer to hospitals in Tehran (infinite population), based on which a sample of 384 people was selected using Morgan's table.The main data collection tool in the qualitative part is the semi-structured in-depth interview. In the quantitative part, to test these research hypotheses, a questionnaire tool was used to collect information. In order to evaluate the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated, and two methods of form-content validity and divergent validity were used to check the validity.Qualitative data analysis was done using the database theory method and MAXQDA software. In order to analyze the data and test the research hypotheses, inferential statistics, partial least squares technique (PLS), and Smart PLS software were used. Discussion and ResultsThe indicators of application marketing, social media marketing, digital advertising, display advertising, facilitating communication and providing information were selected as categories of causal conditions in developing the research model. Social media marketing is important because it not only creates a relationship between the organization and customers, but also provides a network of internal relationships between customers to talk about the brand; so, it forms an ecosystem of mutual relations that provides the basis for promoting a product or brand as much as possible.Social media technology, environment, interactivity, and comprehensibility indicators were selected as background categories in developing the research model. Over time, a social media marketing strategy reinforces a company's brand and message in customers' minds. That is important because consistent branding tells consumers what to expect from a company, leading to reputation. If a business can continue to meet these expectations and improve its reputation, it can build trust among loyal customers and increase its brand value in the eyes of consumers. Strategic use of social media has become essential for marketers to achieve competitive advantage and superior performance.Human-centered digital marketing indicators, customer data analysis, and market development were selected as central categories in developing the research model. Customer-oriented marketing is an approach in which the business identifies customers' needs, problems, and challenges by conducting market research, collecting and categorizing data, and creating value by providing solutions. This approach focuses on maximizing customer lifetime value (CLV) and converting potential customers into loyal customers. Today's model for building a company's brand differs from the past. Thanks to the rise of social media and the increasing number of ways we can communicate with each other, branding has become less about traditional PR and marketing campaigns and more about organic growth. In social media, an organic relationship is created with the permanent presence of humans (users), which leads to the promotion and introduction of the brand in the best way. Previous studies have shown that the strength of human ties is an important determinant of customer behavior in social networks.Software and hardware indicators were selected as intervention categories in developing the research model. This finding shows that success in digital marketing requires a new combination of hardware and software. With the advent of widespread social networking platforms, customers are no longer limited to a passive role in their relationship with a company. In addition to having more information about competitive products available anywhere on mobile devices, customers can easily express their opinions and distribute them to a large audience. Companies are likely to manage customers' messages about their products/services. They find it difficult. The net effect of the rise of social media-based technologies has been to increase the power of consumers. Instead of CRM, companies should focus on understanding vendor relationship management (VRM), where consumers manage their vendor relationships. These developments are potentially harmful to companies: customers spreading negative messages about a company can damage its reputation. However, the rise of social media offers companies opportunities to listen and engage with their customers and potentially encourage them to become advocates for their products. The challenge for companies is identifying and using such opportunities and avoiding the following traps.Indicators of short-term and long-term strategies, functional value, and expected value were selected as strategic categories in developing the research model. The customer spends money to buy the product or service he receives. What does he want in return? Of course, he wants value that justifies or exceeds his price. Customers today have several options and alternatives. So, the question is, how can a company please and retain its customers? The answer is simple; customers' money should be valued. Customer value is a measure to determine the value of a product or service and compare it with its alternatives. It is a tool that determines whether the customer feels they are getting enough value for the money they have spent. So, technically, value serves as an insight into preventing customer regret.The indicators of tourist loyalty, satisfaction, service quality, and social media content were selected as outcome categories in developing the research model. Studies show that loyal customers spend 67% more on products and services than new customers. So, even if most loyal customers make up only 20% of the audience, they provide up to 80% of revenue. When it is 5x easier to retain a customer than to acquire a new one, numbers like these are hard to ignore. Loyal customers are more likely than new customers to buy products and services from the same brand or store again.

This research has been achieved to recognize the type of dominant rationality in the Vision Plan of Heritage and Tourism Development in Iran. The tourism planning system in the world has experienced noticeable changes under the influence of transformations that took place in the philosophical and social paradigms in recent decades. The present research is based on interpretive epistemology and, regarding the methodological aspect, has been considered qualitative research. Archival studies and thematic analysis with explorative purpose were used for data gathering and analysis. Base on this study’s findings, instrumental rationality, with 48 themes out of 71 and its correspondent planning theory, rational planning, has been dominant in formulating the Vision Plan of Heritage and Tourism Development in Iran. Also, we observed a small share of other types of rationality among the themes recognized in the Vision Plan. Analysis and comparison of the share for each type of rationality made it clear that coordinative rationality has been ignored. Therefore, revising the Vision Plan regarding new approaches to tourism planning is inevitable. The research results indicated that applying coordinative rationality as a combination of various rationality types could pave the way for achieving tourism development objectives in Iran.Introduction Tourism planning has been transformed by theories such as communicative and participative approaches and paradigms dominating urban, rural, and regional planning. The emergence of alternative and sustainable tourism can signify these changes. This research aimed to recognize the type of dominant rationality on the Vision Plan-2025 for Heritage and Tourism Development in Iran endorsed by the Cabinet in 2004. The concept of rationality in this research is considered in the Alexander Model (2000) framework and based on new planning theories and contemporary tourism planning approaches. In the new age, called the post-rationality era, rationality in planning was redefined so that its meaning extended from instrumental rationality to include communicative, strategic, and coordinative rationality. Dominant planning approaches in the 1950s were physical and sectoral planning based on the traditional rational planning approach. Since the 1960s, the domain of planning extended to social-cultural areas and the concept of space, including human beings, their living environment, and economic, social, and cultural activities taken into account in planning. In the 1980s, a new approach to planning appeared that did not believe in top-down planning but believed in the host community's participation in planning and implementation.Materials and MethodsThe philosophical aspect of this research regarding epistemology was based on an interpretive approach. Understanding tourism and planning for tourism development requires understanding the multiple dimensions of tourism regarding social-cultural and economic aspects and interpreting the concept of the system for tourism stakeholders as well as policymakers. Considering the users, the research is applied and developmental research. The findings of this study can be used by tourism policymakers, planners, stakeholders, the scientific society, and researchers. The research area is cross-sectional, and the scale is national. This qualitative research's statistical population and data sources are the documents of mentioned Vision Plan. Data gathering and analysis were conducted following the qualitative research. This study used the Astrid-Sterling model of themes networks for thematic analysis. The researchers took five steps for coding and recognized basic themes, main themes, organizing themes, and global themes. Finally, a map of themes in the format of themes network of rationality in the Vision Plan was presented.Discussion and ResultsThe results of the literature review clarified two issues. Firstly, under the influence of planning theory and dominant paradigms on urban, rural, and regional planning, tourism development planning has changed in recent decades, leading to the emergence of alternative tourism approaches like responsible tourism, eco-tourism, community-based tourism, and sustainable tourism. Secondly, reconsidering the concept and dimensions of rationality in the recent century has a vital role in planning theory in such a way that the type of rationality in each era has been determinative of identifying the type of planning theory. For further explanation, we can refer to communicative rationality recognized in the 1980s by Habermas, considered the foundation of communicative planning theory. This approach was the reaction against instrumental rationality that was the basis for traditional rational planning theory. Therefore, the type of rationality is the determinant for the corresponding planning theory. Analysis of a total of 71 themes in the Vision Plan for Tourism Development in Iran indicated the share for each type of rationality, which included 48 themes (the maximum) related to instrumental rationality, ten themes to communicative rationality, nine themes to strategic rationality, and finally, four themes (the minimum) to coordinative rationality.ConclusionsWith the analysis and comparison of the share of various types of rationality in the Vision Plan of cultural heritage and tourism in Iran, we concluded that the dominant rationality for formulating the Plan had been instrumental. Regarding the lack of consideration for all types of rationality, particularly coordinative rationality in the Plan on the one hand, and the fact that more than 18 years have passed since the compilation of the Plan on the other hand, it is necessary to revise the Vision Plan, taking into accounts the coordinative planning theory in the following areas:- Establishment of a powerful coordinating institution with sufficient authority for making the related organizations cooperate in revising, formulating, implementing, supervising, and evaluating the Plan.- Integration of tourism policies and plans and linkage with the macro policies. Formulation and endorsement of tourism macro policies through the Supreme Council for Cultural Heritage and Tourism. -Formulation of a network for public-private participation and related stakeholders for developing tourism in Iran.

In today's competitive environment the use of intelligence in various aspects of business, including branding, allows organizations to achieve a high competitive position. The purpose of this research was to present the brand intelligence model in tourism start-ups and test the validity of the model. This research was exploratory mixed research. The grounded theory approach was used in the qualitative part. Six university professors and 18 tourism startup brand managers were interviewed through snowball sampling. The statistical population included managers and employees of tourism start-ups in the quantitative part. Finally, 384 questionnaires were collected using a convenience sampling method. A questionnaire based on the Likert scale was used to collect data and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the research data. According to the results, structural factors, management factors, internal content factors and external content factors as causal conditions can influence the intelligence of the tourism brand. Also, economic, socio-cultural, and political awareness as contextual factors and cultural factors, human resources, financial resources, and technological resources as intervening factors have a significant impact on brand intelligence strategies. These strategies include major change, partial change, and no change in the brand. Finally, brand intelligence strategies also have a significant impact on brand intelligence consequences. The results of this research have significantly helped to make the brand management process of organizations intelligent and provide a useful research tool for future studies.IntroductionIn order to get the best results from their brands, organizations should audit their brand capabilities, evaluate external issues affecting their brand, and then create a brand plan that defines the brand's actual goals and the strategy to achieve them. Researchers have developed a new method to analyze brand importance, called the Brand Intelligence Brand Semantic Score program. They have introduced brand intelligence as a method for brand analysis and brand positioning evaluation. However, according to the searches, a model for brand intelligence has yet to be provided. A strong brand is essential for tourism start-ups; it simplifies customers' decisions and creates a competitive advantage. The start-up brand is a very influential incentive in the consumer's purchasing decision when choosing a destination. Therefore, tourism start-ups should strengthen branding concepts and create a positive image in the minds of current and future tourists. To achieve this, brands must continuously manage, enhance and evaluate brand equity and other essential brand metrics. This is possible through "brand intelligence." However, according to the surveys, there needs to be more literature on brand management and intelligence in tourism start-ups, especially in Iran. Therefore, to fill the research gaps, researchers intend to provide a comprehensive model for brand intelligence and identify and test the factors related to brand intelligence with a mixed approach.MethodologyThis research is of mixed exploratory type. The grounded theory approach has been used in the qualitative part, and in the quantitative part, structural equation modeling has been used. In the first stage, a model for brand intelligence was designed, and in the second stage, the validity of the presented model was tested. In the qualitative part, six university professors and 18 marketing and brand managers of tourism start-ups were interviewed using snowball sampling. The statistical population in the quantitative part includes managers and employees of tourism start-ups. The sample size was determined using Cochran's formula of 384 people. A simple cluster sampling method was used for sampling. A questionnaire based on a Likert scale was used to collect data, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.Discussion and ResultsQualitative data analysis showed that structural factors (existing organizational structure, flexibility of organizational structure, vital role of brand manager in organizational decisions), managerial factors (support and skill of top manager, resistance to change, manager's understanding of the benefits of brand intelligence, up-to-date view of top manager), internal content factors (understanding data and information, understanding the brand and understanding the product), and external content factors (understanding the market, competitors, and tourists) are causal factors that directly affect brand intelligence. Fundamental brand changes (brand name change, brand slogan change, brand promise change, brand identity change), minor brand changes (changing some brand elements, changing some brand management measures, continuing to move toward brand identity), and no change of brand (continuing to move towards brand identity, strengthening brand position by overseeing brand actions and tracking the factors affecting brand) were identified as brand intelligence strategies, According to the results, brand intelligence can have consequences for the brand and, consequently, the whole organization. The consequences of brand intelligence for the brand are brand agility, brand health, brand equity, brand performance, and brand position. Organizational consequences of brand intelligence include organizational agility, organizational performance, satisfaction/loyalty, and sustainable and temporary competitive advantage. In this research, cultural, human, financial, and technological resources are intervening factors. Economic, sociocultural, and political awareness were also identified as contextual factors. According to quantitative findings, structural, managerial, and content factors (causal conditions) can influence brand intelligence. The findings confirmed the effect of brand intelligence, contextual factors, and intervening factors on strategies and the effect of these strategies on the consequences of brand intelligence.ConclusionIn response to new-age brand management trends, this study aims to increase our understanding of brand intelligence and provide a valid model for brand intelligence of tourism start-ups. The findings of this study pave the way to creating an intelligent brand because in this model, using the grounded theory method, all aspects of making a brand intelligence have been considered and confirmed using SEM. Now, marketing and brand researchers have a comprehensive model of brand intelligence from an organizational point of view, which significantly helps to make the brand management process of intelligence and provides a valuable research tool for future studies. Brand Intelligence is the future of brand management, arming companies with an ongoing diagnostic tool to track and evaluate their brand performance more accurately. In this way, brand managers can first consider a standard for the essential criteria of the brand, monitor the criteria continuously, and make new decisions to take corrective measures if each criterion deviates from its standard value. Intelligence in various aspects of business, including branding, allows organizations to achieve a competitive position in today's turbulent environment

Today, customer orientation is one of the most important marketing indicators in the tourism system. On the other hand, one of the most up-to-date and efficient programs or strategies for attracting, retaining and satisfying customers is managing electronic communication with the customer. In this regards, understanding the role of electronic customer relationship management in facilitating destination selection from the perspective of managers and senior marketing experts of active travel and tourism agencies in Tehran, is the main purpose of this study. Regarding the tourism system, ignoring the ECRM can be considered as one of the main weaknesses of tourism in Iran, especially in tourism and travel agencies. The present study has been conducted through qualitative method with the aim of providing a model explaining the role of ECRM in facilitating destination selection. Therefore, grounded theory method and a non-probabilistic purposive sampling was used in to determine sample of study. In current study, use of grounded theory method tools such as data fragmentation, open coding and axial coding led to the identification of six main categories of causal conditions, subject-oriented, contextual or environmental conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences. Causal conditions affecting decision-making and facilitating the choice of tourist destination include six psychological components (emotional and personality), ECRM, financial and economic, advertising, security and environmental, each of which has several sub-categories and concepts.Introduction:With the beginning of the 21st century and at the same time with the improvement of the living standards and livelihood of people all over the world, as well as rapid increase in the proportion of tourism expenses in the consumption basket of leisure time of families and the development of information technology, traditional tourism is more and more connected with the Internet and new technologies (Linking Lane, 2020). This combination of tourism and new communication technologies led to the emergence of Electronic Customer Relationship Management (ECRM), which in simple words is the practical use of Internet-based technologies including email, website, chat rooms, forums and other e-channels for achieving the goals of customer relationship management is done in a more efficient way using IT. Interacting, maintaining and creating customer loyalty is one of the basic steps of managing electronic communication with customers, which includes all the processes of marketing, sales and customer service in a psychological way (Mirf Kharaldini, Hatami Nasab and Talei Far, 2009).Today, organizations are widely looking for ways to interact and communicate effectively with customers in order to influence them. Internet technology enables organizations to attract new customers, track their online behavior and performance, and personalize communications, products, services, and prices (Zamani Babgehari et al., 2023). ECRM was first proposed in 1999 in the seminar of the Tourism Association of Customer Relationship Management in England (Ivanuska, 2008). This new technology grew and expanded at such a speed that only after two decades of its emergence, many conquered the touristic countries of the world. Now, the question is, to what extent has the development of ECRM technology spread to Iran's tourism industry, and the owners of tourist service offices active in Tehran use this technology to facilitate the choice of tourists' destinations? Also, what role does it play in facilitating the destination selection process by tourists? In order to answer the questions raised, the method of grounded theory has been used. Materials and Methods:This research was designed and conducted based on the methodology of grounded theory regarding its theoretical foundations, research method, data collection method, data analysis, and data validation. The population and statistical sample in this survey are made up of 10 managers and experts of travel service offices active in Tehran. According to the steps of the research strategy, the researchers referred to relevant experts to collect information to obtain first-hand data. Therefore, the sample of research in the database method is directed under the influence of each case (specialized semi-structured interviews or referred texts). In this way, the analysis of each interview will be the guide for the next interview. Sampling process continued until the theoretical adequacy was achieved, and for this reason, a total of 10 specialized semi-structured interviews were conducted considering the above criteria. The interviews were conducted and recorded between 30 and 60 minutes, so that by reviewing the conversations several times, a more accurate analysis and examination of the views of the participants could be done. Findings:The main question revolves around the issue of "What role does the management of electronic communication with customers in active travel service offices in Tehran play in facilitating the process of choosing a destination for tourists?" Obtaining the answer to this question required the implementation of the central coding stage of the grounded theory method in order to establish a network between all discovered categories. Based on this, the categories extracted in the previous step (total of 6 categories) were cast in the form of core coding classes and arranged around the core category of "travel destination selection" as described in Figure 1.Discussion and Results:The primary goal of the current research was to investigate the role of ECRM in facilitating the process of destination selection by tourists. The achievement of conducting this research for the researcher and based on the interviews that were conducted was the understanding that not only the ECRM as a successful marketing technique, but also its components, in Iran, for offices Travel services - even with a long history of activity - are not very well known, but in practice, the managers of these offices prefer to attract and retain tourists using the same traditional methods such as telephone communication, verbal communication and face-to-face interactions. This study can have useful results for managers and planners in the related agencies. Nowadays, Managers will face challenges in the way of implementing programs related to ECRM. Communicating remotely and offline and impersonally through the Internet is a challenge to attract and gain trust. Trust can be basically an important obstacle in the way of implementing ECRM. In addition, the increased risk of data manipulation or loss of information can be another factor that slows down the management of ECRM. The lack of face-to-face contact play a big challenge in the implementation of ECRM. In addition, in an effort to quickly implement the ECRM, a large number of companies start implementing it before formulating a strategy, but many of them are dissatisfied with this system. The prolongation of the implementation process can be a sign of weakness in the establishment of ECRM. On the other hand, since the current research has examined and analyzed the issue from the point of view of managers and experts, it is suggested that in future researches, the demand side- the tourists' point of view-should also be in the center of attention for more precise dimensions of the subject to be determined.

While traveling, tourists are looking for memorable experiences, and often, their decisions are influenced by the experiences they have gained from the destination. ZMET cognitive approach was used to extract memorable experiences of tourists from rural destinations. Based on theoretical saturation, an interview was conducted with 35 tourists who had traveled to the villages of Mashhad, Neyshabur, and Torghabe - Shandiz counties and had more than 83 mental involvements with these destinations. Nine originator constructs and 11 destination constructs were extracted; the most frequent originator construct was the "natural landscape of the village," which created memorable experiences like "silence and peace," "feeling of freshness and liberation," and "pleasantness" in tourists. The theoretical literature on memorable experiences from rural destinations is very limited, so this study provides a new understanding regarding the formation of memorable experiences from rural destinations, which managers of rural destinations use to attract more tourists and loyalty.IntroductionTourists are looking for different tourism experiences by presence in rural areas. Experiences are not like products and services that are produced and distributed in the outside world, but are created individually. They are simultaneously created in the depths of the mind as a result of interaction with the surrounding environment. Since the existence of rural tourism destinations depends on the presence of tourists. Therefore, if rural tourism destinations can design and provide memorable and attractive experiences for them through identifying and understanding their customers' needs, they will achieve development. In general, understanding and enhancing the positive and memorable experiences of tourists is considered as a competitive advantage in the contemporary tourism market. For this reason, memorable tourism experiences are necessary for the sustainability and competitiveness of rural destinations. Also, experiences affect tourists' future decisions. If rural tourism destinations can offer memorable tourism experiences to visitors, it will significantly influence the consumer's behavioral intention to revisit or recommend the destination to others.Materials and MethodsThe research method of this study is a set of descriptive-analytical methods. In terms of purpose, it is practical and a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. In order to identify the memorable experiences of tourists in the studied rural areas, Zaikovsky's questionnaire and then the ZMET method were used. For this purpose, 35 tourists who traveled to the tourist villages of Mashhad, Neyshabur and Torghabe- Shandiz cities and had more than 83 mental involvements with these destinations based on the Zaykovsky questionnaire, were interviewed by the ZMET method.Discussion and ResultsIn general, 7 basic structures were identified in tourist villages, which can be effective in creating memorable experiences among tourists. These 7 structures include the natural landscape of the village, healthy products, local culture, traditional architecture, adventure and physical activity, interaction and cooperation, and deficiencies and damages. Each of these basic structures has several connecting structures that ultimately lead to final structures or memorable experiences. Finally, 11 memorable experiences that include silence and peace, fresh and liberated feeling, enjoyable, new flavors, unique lifestyle, exploration and learning, nostalgic feeling, exciting, being unique, involving and participation, and being uncomfortable is extracted. All sample tourists pointed to the basic structure of the natural and pristine landscape of the villages and mentioned 6 connecting structures for this structure, which ultimately led to 3 memorable experiences, namely silence and peace, freshness and liberation feeling, and enjoyable. The basic structure of traditional architecture with a frequency of 32 is another frequent structure that is led by 6 connecting structures to a nostalgic feeling as another memorable experience for tourists from rural destinations. The third most frequent construct with a frequency of 18 is local culture. This structure includes 12 connecting structures that ultimately lead to a unique lifestyle experience and exploration and learning in them.ConclusionsExperiences are the main product of tourism, which are formed individually and in the tourist's mind, which cannot be interfered with and are specific to each person. But it is possible to influence the formation of these experiences through basic actions and planning in tourism destinations. In fact, providing attractive, diverse and memorable experiences makes a rural destination have the ability to compete in the tourism market and is considered as a fundamental factor that can lead to the success and innovation of this industry. The experiences that tourists gain from rural tourism destinations have a great impact on their future behavioral intentions and, as a result, on the development of rural tourism destinations. Based on this, in the present study, 10 positive memorable experiences were extracted through interviews with 35 tourists who had traveled to the studied rural tourism areas, which include peace and silence, freshness and liberation feeling, pleasantness, new flavors, unique lifestyle, exploring and learning, nostalgic feeling, excitement, uniqueness and involvement and participation. In addition to these experiences, negative memorable experiences have also been mentioned by tourists, which include discomfort and sadness as a result of shortages and damages in rural areas. Considering the many capabilities that rural areas have in the field of tourism, they can offer many experiences to tourists. The results and findings of the present research can have a significant impact on the expansion of literature in the field of memorable experiences of tourists from rural tourism destinations. Also, the findings of the research can be used by managers and planners of rural tourism in knowing the experiences and views of tourists from rural destinations, who can provide a suitable environment for tourists to have memorable and attractive experiences when traveling to rural destinations.