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Although faculty members’ job satisfaction has received remarkable attention over the last two decades, there has been a long-lasting lack of a questionnaire to measure it in the Iranian context. Thus, the present study purported to develop and validate a questionnaire with adequate psychometric properties to measure Iranian English faculty members’ job satisfaction. To this aim, two samples of faculty members for the first pilot study (n = 62) and the second pilot study (n = 254) were selected from Ayatollah Borujerdi University and Lorestan University through a random sampling method. Based on the past literature, a pool of items (n = 74) was extracted and subjected to an eleven-step systematic procedure: content analysis and sampling; creating an item bank; running the first pilot; creating item pool one; expert judgment to evaluate the sub-scales; running an interview and think-aloud protocol; running Cronbach’s alpha; running the second pilot; running exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach’s alpha; creating item pool two; and expert review. Results yielded a 60-item questionnaire with 6 sub-scales: 1. payment and rewards (10 items); promotion (7 items); supervision and interaction (17 items); job security (7 items); facilities of universities (7 items); and work nature (10 items). The hope is that the present questionnaire can be used for research and educational purposes in the future.

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The adsorption of polymeric systems onto reservoir rock through altering the wettability of rock surface improves oil recovery and reduces the unwanted water production. . In this study, the adsorption behavior of dilute polymeric systems based on sulfonated polyacrylamide  on the glass particles surfaces (representative of sandstone reservoirs) was investigated and the effect of this phenomenon on changing their surface properties was examined. Results show that crosslinked polymeric samples have lower adsorption on glassy surface comparing with uncrosslinked sulfonated polyacrylamide solution. Furthermore, the contact angle tests results showed that crosslinked samples change the surface property of glass particle less than sulfonated polyacrylamide solution. In addition the Langmuir isotherm model fitted the isotherm data better than the Freundlich model for these dilute polymeric systems. Furthermore, study of the thermodynamic of adsorption showed that their adsorption behavior on glassy surfaces is a spontaneous and exothermic process. 

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In this research, closed-cell natural rubber foams were produced using a single-step compression molding. The effect of carbon black content on morphology, physical and mechanical properties of the foams were examined. Results showed that in this methodology, the foam density was independent of reinforcement percentage, which is a unique characteristic of single-step foams that contrasts with other previous observations. The study of curing behavior of foam compounds showed that the carbon black increasing from 0 to 30 phr increased the crosslink density (CLD) from 6.5 to 8.3*10^-5 mol/cm³, the cure rate from 16.1 to 23.2 (%/min) and the ultimate torque from 5.8 to 10.4 Nm, while, reduced curing time from 9.2 to 5.8 min. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) results showed that the reinforcement acted as a nucleation agent increasing the cell density from 8 N/cm³ to 140 N/cm³ and reducing the cell size from 579µm to 255µm. The increase of reinforcing content in the produced foams reduced the cells size and enhanced the properties of the rubber matrix. Accordingly, the modulus and hardness of the foams were increased by  0.8MPa and 40 shore A, respectively. Results of sound absorption and reflection showed that the rubber foam reflects the sound waves more than 90% and absorbs waves about 10%.

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How to improve the performance of sports clubs

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The life table parameters of Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on four commercial cultivars of wheat (Kohdasht, Pastor, Tajan and Zagros) were determined in laboratory conditions. Fertility life table were constructed using age-specific survivorship (lx) and age-specific fecundity (mx) and subsequently analyzed using jackknife method and ANOVA. There were significant differences among pre-imaginal period and adult longevity of the aphid on the four wheat cultivars. The highest mortality occurred at first nymphal instar on all of wheat cultivars tested. The life expectancy (ex) of one-day-old adults was estimated to be 23.5, 24.6, 30.36 and 26.83 days on Kohdasht, Pastor, Tajan and Zagros, respectively. The gross reproductive rate was significantly higher on Tajan (102.39 ± 1.42 females/female/generation) compared with other three cultivars. The net reproductive rate (R­0) significantly differed on different wheat cultivars examined. The R0-value was highest on Tajan (82.21 ± 1.21) and lowest on Zagros (38.23 ± 0.63 females/female/generation). The highest and lowest values of the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) were 0.276 ± 0.002 (on Pastor) and 0.222 ± 0.001 day^-1 (on Zagros), respectively. The finite rate of increase (l) differed significantly among four wheat cultivars, ranging from 1.25 ± 0.00 (on Zagros) to 1.32 ± 0.00 days^-1 (on Pastor). Doubling time ranged from 2.51 ± 0.02 (on Pastor) to 3.12 ± 0.02 days (on Zagros). The longest mean generation time (T) of the aphid was obtained on Tajan cultivar. The results showed that the Zagros cultivar had the highest antibiotic effect on population growth of S. graminum.  

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The aphidiine parasitoids (Hym., Braconidae) attacking the pest aphids on various pome and stone fruit trees in different parts of Iranwere studied. A total of 13 species belonging to seven genera of aphid parasitoids were identified in association with 17 aphid species on 10 different species of fruit trees. Sixty nine tritrophic associations were detected from the studied area of which 25 associations are newly recorded from Iran. An illustrated key is prepared for identification of the species. The parasitoids were categorized based on their potential impacts in biocontrol of pest aphids into the less important species and the key-stones. The first group of parasitoids includes the broadly oligophagous species, and even an occasional opportunistic species, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall), while the second group includes the specific associations like Aphidius transcaspicus Telenga on Hyalopterus spp. and Pauesia antennata (Mukerji) on Pterochloroides persicae (Cholodkovsky). A probable occurrence of the univoltine aphid parasitoid, Pseudopauesia prunicola Halme in association with Ovatus insitus (Walker) is discussed.  

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A survey was conducted in fields of cucumber and watermelon in Bengaluru, India during April 2014 for dertermination of the common parasitoids (Hym.,Braconidae, Aphidiinae) attacking melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemi., Aphididae). Three species of Aphidiinae, including Aphidius platensis Brethes, 1913; Binodoxy sacalephae (Marshall, 1896) and Lipolexis oregmae(Gahan, 1931) were collected and identified, from which Aphidius platensis is newly recorded from India. The early evidence of Aphidius colemani in India can also be contributed to A. platensis. Diagnostic characters of three species with closely related species are briefly discussed.

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The subfamily Cremastinae Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) was studied in Fars and Hormozgan provinces (southern Iran). The specimens were collected using Malaise traps and sweeping nets. Nine species were identified of which two species including Temelucha afghana Šedivý, 1968 and Temelucha confluens (Gravenhorst, 1829) are new records for the fauna of Iran. With result of this study, the number of Cremastinae species known from Iran has increased to 24 species in six genera. An identification key to Iranian Cremastinae is provided, as well as a morphological diagnosis for the newly recorded species.

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This study was carried out to determine the species of the subfamily Hormiinae in Hormozgan province (Southern Iran), during February 2011–July 2013. Malaise traps, sweep nets and light traps were used to obtain adult specimens from various habitats in Hormozgan province. Five species were collected and identified of which Pseudohormius turkmenus Tobias & Alexeev, 1973 is newly recorded from Iran. The subfamily Hormiinae is reviewed and a key is provided for identification of Iranian species.

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Sports and sports businesses

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The genus Syntretus Foerster of the subfamily Euphorinae (Hym.: Braconidae) is recorded from Iran for the first time. The specimens were collected using malaise traps from different habitats of Northern provinces during 2010 and 2011. Two species, S. ocularis van Achterberg & Haeselbarth and S. xanthocephalus (Marshall) were collected and identified. A brief discussion about diagnostic characters, as well as comments on general distribution of both species are presented.

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This study was conducted to choose the best species for plantation on a poor drainage soil in southern coast of Caspian Sea, Iran. Nutrient concentrations in live and senescent leaves and soil properties were compared among Alnus subcordata C.A.Mey (N-fixing tree), Populus deltoides­ Marsh. (Non N-fixing tree)and Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. (Coniferous tree) plantations. In each of these plantations and an adjacent natural forest, six 20×20m plots have been selected according to a 100m × 100m randomly systematic grid. Leaf samples of green trees were collected from the bottom one-third of the tree crown by clipping two small twigs located on opposite sides of the crown (six representative trees were sampled in each plot). Senescence leaves have been collected inside wooden trap-based in each stand. Results revealed different effects of species on soil nutrients. Alnus subcordata increased soil N (%) whereas Populus deltoides­ and Taxodium distichum reduced it.The results of nutrition, litter quality, retranslocation and soil properties indicated that Alnus improve soil quality in comparison with the two others.

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Investigating barriers to entrepreneurship of graduates of physical education colleges

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 More than two-thirds of the world’s population is likely to reside in urban areas by 2050. Rapid urbanization contributes to many contemporary challenges that confront cities. Sustainable urban development (SUD) is a widespread area of investigation that can be considered from various attitudes, such as environment, economy, society, technology, culture, and so on. This paper aimed to perform a bibliometric analysis of “sustainable urban development” research during 2002-2021, considering source types, subject areas, document types, affiliations, journals, countries, authors, and keywords. Also, Social Network Anal­ysis was applied to recognize mapping trends, status, and hot spots in SUD research and to discover co-authorship relations and international collaborations among countries worldwide. The results of this study showed that the number of SUD-relat­ed publications has remarkably increased by more than sixteen times over the study period. Social sciences” (24.6%), “envi­ronmental science” (21.2%), and “engineering” (13.4%) were the three major subject areas. China, with 539 publications (20.3%), was the most productive country in terms of the num­ber of publications. The most independent rate of the publica­tions belonged to India (76.5%), while Hong Kong ranked 1st in cooperator publications (61.6%). The “Sustainability” pub­lished the most related articles, followed by “Journal of Cleaner Production” and “Sustainable Cities And Society.” Among the top ten productive institutes and organizations, five affiliations were from China. “Deep learning,” “circular economy,” “big data,” “air pollution,” “spatial analysis,” “urban resilience,” “urban heat island,” “system dynamics,” and “cultural heritage” were the most increasing keywords in recent years, based on the author keywords analysis.

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Essential oil extracted from the leaves of Lemon verbena, Lippia citriodora Kunth (Verbenaceae) was tested for fumigant toxicity in the laboratory against two stored-product insects Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val and Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). The chemical composition of the isolated oil was examined by GC-MS. The major compounds were citral (11.3%), limonene (10.6%), neral (7.9%), 4-phenyl undecan-4-ol (7.7%), α-curcumene (6.5%), α-cedrol (4.5%) and caryophyllene oxide (4.5%). Furthermore, lesser amounts of the other components include carveol (3.7%), linalool (3.5%), α-pinene (3.2%), caryophyllene (2.8%) and geranyl acetat (1.8%) were existed in the essential oil. In the fumigant toxicity set at 27 ± 1 °C and 65 ± 5% R. H., darkness condition and 24 h exposure time, considerable differences in mortality of insect to essential oil vapor were observed. C. maculatus  (LC50 = 10.2 µl/l air) was significantly more susceptible than T. confusum  (LC50 = 497.8 µl/l air). These results suggested that essential oil  of L. citriodora could be used as a potential control agent against stored-product insects.

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The role of participation in sports and socialization

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Lentiviruses are considered one of the most effective recombinant viruses for gene transfer to mammalian cells and tissues. This study comprises of two essential parts: (1) evaluation of efficiency of protein purification columns in concentration of recombinant lentiviruses, and (2) production of recombinant lentiviruses carrying GDNF coding sequences. In part (1) we co-transfected human embryonic kidney cell line HEK-293T with three lentivirus vectors called transfer (carrying either GFP or Jred), packaging and envelope vectors. After a filtration step, we applied the supernatant from transfected cells to Amicon protein columns for concentration purposes. Centrifugation removed 99% of the supernatant and left behind 500-µl-volume of solution full of virions. We thereby produced a of virus stock. Various dilutions of this stock were added to HEK-293T cells that produced up to 100% infected cells positively expressing transgenes. To examine whether the removed supernatant (overflow) has any trace of infective virus by chance, we also used dilutions of the overflow for infection and observed no sign of eGFP or Jred expression. Given the need for a high-titer virus stock for successful target cell transduction, our results indicate that our filtration method of virus concentration is able to produce high virus titer and is cost-effective and less time consuming than previous methods. In part (2), due to the importance of neurotrophic factor GDNF in differentiation and neuroprotection as well as in therapy of neurodegenerative disorders, we ligated GDNF coding sequence into the lentivirus backbone in the second phase of our study. We applied the same method outlined above to produce high-titer recombinant viruses. Following infection of human astrocytoma cells with this virus stock, we detected 3-fold increase in GDNF mRNA expression using RT-PCR. Lentiviruses carrying GDNF can therefore be generated at high titer using the column method and applied for differentiation and neuroprotection studies.

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To compare the seed characteristics in accessions of Atriplex canescens under exclosure and non-exclosure conditions, two even-aged sites were selected with an area of 400 ha as the exclosure and 1000 ha as non-exclosure area. To conduct the study, 30 species were randomly selected in autumn 2009 in reference area of the sites and seeds were collected. Some important seed characteristics were studied in the laboratory. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 17 software and mean comparisons were performed by Duncan's Multiple Range Tests. Results showed that the winged seeds did not germinate under all studied treatments in both sites. Moreover, maximum seed germination was recorded for the seeds soaked in cold water for 24 hours and placed in the shade for 48 hours. According to the results of the independent t-test, no significant differences were observed for germination percentage, germination rate, and vigor index in both sites at both 1 and 5% probability levels. In other words, the seeds collected from the exclosure and non-exclosure areas were similar in terms of the mentioned characteristics. However, seed yield, 1000-seed weight and seed moisture content showed significant differences at 1% probability level with higher amount in exclosure area.

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An annotated list for all species recorded from the territory of Iran during more than a hundred years (1901–2016) of research is given. A checklist of 780 species in 141 genera belonging to 26 subfamilies of Braconidae known from Iran is listed, among them 34 species are exclusive for the Iranian insect fauna. Host and distributional data in Iran are also provided.

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A faunistic survey was conducted in Ardabil province (North-western Iran), during spring 2013 to study the ichneumonids (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) associated with grasslands in this area. Samplings were carried out by the sweeping net in natural grasslands, neighboring fields and orchards. A total of twelve ichneumonid species belonging to nine genera and five subfamilies were collected and identified. The species were identified as follow: Collyria coxator (Villers, 1789), Diadromus collaris (Gravenhorst, 1829), Diplazon laetatorius (Fabricius, 1781), Diplazon pectoratorius (Gravenhorst, 1829), Homotropus crassicornis (Thomson, 1890), Homotropus elegans (Gravenhorst, 1829), Homotropus signatus (Gravenhorst, 1829), Lysibia nana (Gravenhorst, 1829), Orthocentrus castellanus (Ceballos, 1963), Picrostigeus setiger (Brischke, 1871), Promethes sulcator (Gravenhorst, 1829) and Syrphophilus bizonarius (Gravenhorst, 1829). Homotropus crassicornis is newly recorded for the fauna of Iran. An identification key to the known species of the genus Homotropus Foerster, 1869 from Iran is presented.