Mantra or sacred utterance enjoys particular significance in various Indian religions and schools, especially Hinduism. However, in some of these schools, Mantras are considered to have incredible powers, and some attribute its extraordinary power to God. Significance of Mantra in Hinduism is not just due to its spiritual and supernatural impacts, rather some Mantras prove to be effective in such worldly affairs as healing the sick, overcoming the death, obtaining wealth and also defeating the enemies in battles. To obtain the required spiritual as well as worldly results, the followers of Hinduism repeat various sacred Mantras for certain times under certain conditions. However, the ultimate function of Mantra for mystics and ascetics is to reach perfect spiritual insight or Brahma jñ ā na which culminates in mokś a or absolute freedom form endless cycle of birth and death, Samsara and leads to annihilation of soul in God.

The environmental terrorism in the sense of employing the environmental factors in terrorist attacks is recognized as the most complex types of terrorism. So far, no definite theory concerned with why there is a tendency towards utilizing these factors in the course of terrorist attacks has been supported. Mass casualties with epidemic effects and creating chaos plus unnatural conditions in the society, and even in the entire world appear to be the central nucleus of most of these attacks, something which has been realized in most of these attacks. The most important objective beyond these attacks is the sense of taking revenge produced by the inability to assert oneself in politics as well as helping realize a worldwide cause devoid of Satan and satanic forces, something that has been vaguely intermingled with a few apocalyptic ideas. An increase in the number of apocalyptic cults together with misunderstandings about various religions and their combinations, and promoting a rationally unacceptable version coupled with their intense tendency towards using environmental, especially biologic factors has led us to address one of the most important and complex dimensions of environmental terrorism. The main objective of this research is to explore the factors creating the tendency towards environmental terrorism, especially using biological factors as well as the identity of its perpetrators. In reality, this research plans to present a personality model of the perpetrators of environmental terrorism. The findings of this research indicate that there are psychological disorders, an apocalyptic and fundamentalist mindset as well as religious motivations for vindictiveness towards secular and non-religious governments on the part of the perpetrators of environmental terrorists.

Contemporary societies are inadvertently exposed to the conditions that have emerged through the complex process of globalization, and their various areas such as economics, culture and politics are influenced by it. As glocal phenomena, New Religious Movements (NRMs) use opportunities arising from globalization to advance their goals, and are subject to the transformation of their teachings through global interactions. Thus, there is no way to talk about NRMs without considering global perspective. Many of the NRMs in Japan, in the context of IT Revolution and exposure to global information exchanges in the globalized world, have adapted themselves to globalization requirements, and even if in some cases (such as Aum Shinrikyō ) have taken steps against it, they have used its capacities at the same time. Some of the emerging NRMs in the post-Aum era (such as Kagamikyō ), seeking a combination of the global identity and local identity, have emerged as global super-religions, adapted to the demands of globalization. They also have focused on both the religious and the secular in both local and global arenas.

Background: The impact of different physical and/or chemical treatments in cereal grains on starch morphology and ruminal digestibility has been evaluated. Aims: The effect of chemical and/or physical treatments on starch and protein molecular appearance and the ex-vivo digestibility of barley grain was studied. Methods: Treatments were: steam-flaked barley grain (SFB), SFB treated with ammonium bicarbonate (A), urea (U), and malic acid (M) (SFBAUM), SFB treated with A, U, and lactic acid (L) (SFBAUL), steam-infrared heated-flaked barley grain (SIFB), SIFB treated with A, U, and M (SIFBAUM), and SIFB treated with A, U, and L (SIFBAUL). Chemicals including A, U, M, and L were used as 56, 8, 10, and 10 g/kg dry matter (DM), respectively. Chemical composition and molecular morphology were determined using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In situ mobile bag technique and in vitro batch culture procedure were used to estimate ruminal and post-ruminal digestibility. Results: Crude protein (CP) and starch concentrations in SFBAUL were higher than the others (P<0.05). Starch granule morphology and protein structure were altered in the chemically treated samples. The potentially digestible fraction of DM was the highest in the SFBAUM (P<0.05). Ruminal disappearance of DM, CP, and starch was improved in SFBAUL and SIFBAUL compared with other groups (P<0.05). The highest post-ruminal digestibility of starch and CP was observed in SIFBAUL and SIFB (P<0.05). Conclusion: Present results indicate that chemical processing with L and applied steam-infrared heated-flaked in barley grain may improve in vitro digestibility of starch and CP and increase granule sizes.

Communications between the Shia and Sunni Muslims can be studied in the field of intercultural communication due to the differences between these two groups in various fields, including culture. The theory of Anxiety/Uncertainty Management (AUM) in effective communication is one of the new theories of intercultural communication aims at managing the anxiety and uncertainty in our interaction with a stranger (other) and keeping it at a desirable level-somewhere between the maximum and minimum threshold – so that a kind of effective communication with ‘ other’ can be established. Through investigating the Shiite narration sources and using the thematic analysis method in the framework of Anxiety/Uncertainty Management (AUM) theory of effective communication, this study has tried to examine the speech and conduct of the infallibles (Peace Be Upon Them) in their interactions with Sunnis in order to achieve a paradigm for the enhancement of the convergence and rapprochement between Shiites and Sunnis and reduction of the differences. As a result of the analysis of the collected narrations, 38 initial themes, 16 organizing themes, and five inclusive themes were identified. The identified inclusive themes, accordingly considered as the main pivots of anxiety management / uncertainty in intercultural communication with Sunnis, are: empathy with Sunnis, modesty of speech and avoiding any derogatory language and any insult towards their holy things, good companionship with them, attending their religious ceremonies, and avoiding any arrogance towards the Sunnis and avoiding acquitting them.

One of vital choices in rangeland planning is finding the most critical pastures set those places in priority. Thus for Hable Roud watershed was located east of Damavand (Iran), model of range spatial factors composition (slope, rainfall, AUM, range trend, range condition), spatial critical factors which domestic traffic is high near them and subsequently grazing pressure is high around those places (proximity to road, to village, to river, to well and to spring) and spatial constraints (slope, geomorphology, land use, road, river, village) was designed. Fuzzy standardization for factors and constraints in value range 0 to 1 by goal or maximum and linear benefit or cost functions was done. Normal weights of factors with pairwise with prefer values in 1 to 9 and inconsistency ratio less than 0.1 from analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was determined. Compositing of these layers was done by multi criteria analysis (MCA). Composite index map (CIM) in value range 0 to 1 was made. Considering this CIM and its pixel value histogram is determining the most critical rangelands in watershed with 150 ha area for priority plans accuracy. Using this model in other districts cause to optimum data exploitation and can saving time and money.

Objective: Iranian mutual funds’,average turnover rate stood at 330% in the years from 2001 to 2007. Such a high rate could lead to excessive trading costs for investors without necessarily bringing in high returns. The goal of this paper is to estimate transaction costs and examine their effect on the performance of the funds. Methods: In addition to the explicit costs of trading such as transaction taxes and commissions, there are other, implicit, components such as bid-ask spread and price impact which are harder to compute and less recognized by investors. This paper used high frequency (tick-by-tick) trade and limit order book data, as well as the hand-collected quarterly holding and trading data for a sample of Iranian equity mutual funds to estimate the aforementioned trading costs. Then, the effect of trading costs on the risk-adjusted fund returns was examined using the fourfactor alpha as our proxy. Results: Funds understudy spend on average 11% of their AUM annually on trading costs which is a considerable amount in comparison to their return (15. 6%), during the sample period. The present study found no significant effect of trading costs on the funds’,performance in the sample. However, during the subperiod of 2013-2014, a negative and significant relationship was discovered between them. Conclusion: As the obtained results of the present study proved, more trading activities of the Iranian fund managers’,do not lead to higher returns,accordingly a high trading volume generates only enough excess return to offset the associated transactions costs.

To find an accurate and rapid method of estimating herbage crop, Double Sampling (DS), Comparative Yield (CY), and clipping and weighing (CW) methods were applied to a summer rangeland in North-eastern Alborz Mountains, Iran. The method was called SMFY (Simulation Model of Forage Yield) to emphasize the statistical aspects of simulated model. In representative stands five 1-m2 reference plots were chosen to represent the ranges of standing crop. Using a systematic-random design, 180 1-m2 plots were ranked against the reference plots for CY, visually estimated for DS, and subsequently, all of them were Clipped and Weighed (CW). After clipping and weighing 5 reference plots with 6 replications for CY and estimating and clipping 37 plots for DS, regression lines were plotted between the estimated, ranked, and clipped plots. This study was conducted during 2011-13. There was high correlation (0. 90-0. 99) for DS and CY, so the estimated and ranked data were corrected based on the regression equations. There were strong linear relationships between the corrected and clipped data for the DS and CY methods which confirmed the suitability of both methods against the CW, so all of 180 estimated plots were corrected and were compared by ANOVA. The non-significant F for CY, DS, and CW confirmed the high efficiency of DS and CY, so based on the estimated production, grazing capacity of study area was calculated. Preferring one of these methods depends on further research in time and cost efficiency of DS and CY. Available DM of 389. 75 kg/ha support 6. 5 AUM per ha and for the grazing period of 4 months, each hectare of this rangeland can carry on 1. 62 AU per ha. The current stocking rate of study area is about 0. 82 AU per hectare which was suitable based on carrying capacity of study area.

Northern watershed of Kouhrang River with the area of 68437 hectares is located in northwestern Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiary province within 49o54" to 50o9"E longitude and 32o83" to 32o36"N latitude. Making a balance and equilibrium between the number of ranchers, the rangeland production potential and appropriate flock size in each utilization unit is a necessary task. It is a matter of importance to determine suitable ranch size based on pastoral household but suitable household livelihood as well. The main goal of this study is to determine utilization unit size based on ecologic and socioeconomic factors for each household. Along with detecting the ranch allotments, the range capacity and its productivity potential were studied. Then, based on expenses and the revenues resulting from herdship, (on ranges), the suitable flock size for fulfillment of the household expenses regarding the range utilization periods, the suitable range size per household was determined. 10 vegetation types with 0.91 AUM per hectares grazing capacity were detected in studied area. There are 46 range allotments and some parts of other 6 range allotments in studied area with average area at 1510 hectares. Average pastoral household is 36.8 per unit range allotments. Pastoral households share at rangelands is 41 hectares now. The minimum and suitable ranch area for each pastoral household which can provide annual needs and costs is 520 hectares and 142 animal unit at a mix flock at 3 to 2 ratio of sheep to goat for a 100 – dayes grazing season. The result of this study showed that production potential at each range unit is influenced by flock size, household share on farming lands, and the household numbers on each ranch unit. Ranch unit and the livelihood level, have significant influence at 5% level on suitable ranch size per household.

Undoubtedly, land degradation linked to desertification causes a decrease in qualitative and quantitative features of natural resources. This research aimed to assess land desertification by local residents and their role in controlling desertification in Isfahan province, Iran in 2016. The criteria were soil climate, vegetation, erosion, and demography. The indicators of soil texture, stone fragment, organic matter, soil depth, Electrical Conductivity (EC), soil drainage, soil slope, precipitation, evapotranspiration, aridity index, fire risk, erosion protection, drought resistance, plant cover percent, wind erosion, water erosion, land use, population density, grazing intensity, policy, and management. Some parameters include land use, DEM, NDVI, roads, springs, fire history data, stress intensity, tolerance, mean productivity, AUM index, lithology, morphology and relief, wind speed, soil characteristics, plant cover percent, wind erosion features, soil moisture, type and distribution of sand dunes, and land management. The assessment of desertification has been conducted by the Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use (MEDALUS) method in ArcGIS10 software. This research was based on the importance of socio-economic issues, establishing a realistic framework for qualitative indicators and indices adapted to Iran’ s situation. Those are population, poverty and economics, people rights and institutional regulations, and sociocultural criteria achieved by an interview with local communities and experts. A single desertification status map was generated based on all the quality maps. Finally, the generated map was compared with local settlements density map. Results showed that 91. 23% of the rangelands (with area 38203 km2) are classified as severe and moderate with low settlements density and 1. 83% of the rangelands (with area 766 km2) are lower in severity with high settlement density. This result illustrated that local settlements and nomadic have a positive role in combating the desertification. They are able to eliminate the desertification to minimum and vice versa. The desertification status and local settlements density maps are essential in management efforts to combat the desertification via local settlement abilities.