A B S T R A C T Transformations such as globalization, THE contiguity of geographical spaces, as well as developments in THE field of military technologies have transformed THE issue of defense as THE main factor for THE survival of COUNTRIES. Because THE transformation from hard to soft war and THEn THE smart war in recent decades has changed THE approaches to defense. THEse transformations have led to THE development of discussions about defense purposes. Meanwhile, MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES have a prominent position and importance in terms of defense due to THEir special conditions. This article has tried to investigate THE basic dimensions affecting THE defense of foreign COUNTRIES with descriptive and analytical methods, using library and field findings and Smart-PLS software. THE results of THE current research show that THE effective components in THE current research include 130 items that are placed in THE form of 15 dimensions. THE importance of THEse dimensions in defense of THE MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES is, respectively, geopolitical dimension with a 0.43 score, military dimension with a 0.41 score, economic dimension with a 0.41 score, political dimension with a 0.39 score, hydrology dimension with a 0.34 score, security dimension with a 0.32 score, social dimension with a 0.29 score, demographic dimension with a 0.28 score, cultural dimension with a 0.26 score, scientific-health dimension with a 0.25 score, geomorphological dimension with a 0.25 score, maTHEmatical dimension with a 0.2 score, climatic dimension with a 0.2 score, biological dimension with a 0.2 score and soil dimension with a 0.18 score. Extended Abstract Introduction Security and defense are among THE most vital issues for THE preservation and survival of COUNTRIES. In fact, defense and military affairs are necessary for COUNTRIES' independence and political, cultural and economic development. Among THEm, geography and political geography are prominent fields that directly affect defense issues. Actions taken by a country in dimensions (political, military, economic, etc.) in order to maintain security and territorial integrity, guarantee independence and protection of its people against any enemy attack, will organize THE geographical (spatial) environment, wise and appropriate distribution of critical places and sensitive centers and infrastructures are identified by taking into account THE threats and THE correct use of environmental capacities in political, economic, social, cultural, etc. dimensions, and as a result, it can lead to stability and stability in THE country's geographical space. THE design of defense planning model according to THE economic, cultural, political and environmental features in THE new era when COUNTRIES are facing external and internal threats as a sub-branch of territorial planning has received THE attention and importance of officials and governance systems in order to be able to reduce THEse threats with accurate and systematic planning in THE geographical space, defense planning is not separate from THE flow of national and regional planning. It is important to pay attention to it based on THE type and amount of external and internal threats to governance. Due to THE expansion of THE security circle, THE government is not only responsible for creating military security. However, it must also exercise part of its authority in THE direction of territorial management. On THE oTHEr hand, THEre has been a transformation in THE form of threats and wars based on changes and THE movement from hard to soft war and finally, smart war is THE basis for reviewing and recognizing THE components that can be used in defense of COUNTRIES, including THE MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES, have a prominent position and importance. Despite THE internal differences between COUNTRIES, THE MIDDLE EAST has commonalities and connections that can directly affect THE overall defense of this geographical space.   Methodology In terms of type and purpose, THE current research is fundamentally applied. Also, it is descriptive and analytical in terms of nature. This research, in addition to THE correct and realistic depiction of THE defense situation of THE MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES, it is tried to provide a suitable model for THE defense of THE COUNTRIES. THE sources used in THE current research are library and field sources (questionnaires). According to THE subject of THE current research, THE statistical population of this research is a collection of people, experts and elites who have sufficient knowledge, experience and expertise regarding THE research topic, which is THE design of THE defense model, according to THE nature of THE Delphi pattern model, at lEAST THE statistical population based on THE sources should be between twenty and fifty people to reach statistical saturation. THE number of selected samples included 51 people who were identified in THE form of a non-random sampling pattern and introduced as a statistical sample in THE framework of THE Delphi model. Due to THE qualitative nature of this research, it has been tried to use THE Delphi model in THE framework of THE targeted non-random model. THErefore, based on THEse cases, THE current research has selected THE maximum statistical population of 51 elites, experts, and opinionated people in this field. In this research, to evaluate THE research hypoTHEses in THE form of THE hardness equations model, THE partial lEAST squares method and THE SMART-PLS software, which is a variance-based path modeling technique and provides THE possibility of checking THE THEory and metrics simultaneously, have been exerted.   Results and discussion In this research, approaches such as political, military, cultural, etc., in THE field of land use have been discussed. In THE meantime, THE defense of COUNTRIES as an emerging approach is significant. According to THE developments in geographical spaces, such as THE evolution of military-defense technologies, THE connection of geographical spaces to each oTHEr and most importantly, THE movement from hard and soft war to smart war has witnessed a transformation and wide attention in a way that COUNTRIES are suited to THEse developments are trying to prepare THE geographical space of THEir country in terms of defense. THErefore, THE defense planning of THE MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES as a geographical region has great importance from a geopolitical and strategic point of view, which indicates that THE COUNTRIES of this region face threats and complex defense-security issues in different ways.   Conclusion THE results of THE present research show that THE defense planning in developing COUNTRIES should be considered according to THEir characteristics, considering all 15 dimensions, which include 130 components. In THE design of THE defense planning of THEse COUNTRIES, attention should be paid to THE weight and importance of THE shaping dimensions. In general, it can be said that THE defense planning of THE MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES is proportional to THE geographical features of THEse COUNTRIES and on THE oTHEr hand, considering THE developments in THE field of threats and moving from hard to smart war, 15 dimensions should be considered for THE defense of THEse COUNTRIES.   Funding THEre is no funding support.   Authors’ Contribution Authors contributed equally to THE conceptualization and writing of THE article. All of THE authors approved THEcontent of THE manuscript and agreed on all aspects of THE work declaration of competing interest none.   Conflict of Interest Authors declared no conflict of interest.   Acknowledgments  We are grateful to all THE scientific consultants of this paper.

THE purpose of this paper is to examine THE relationship between crude oil demand and economic growth in MIDDLE EAST by panel unit root and co-integration developed techniques during 1980-2007. By developing a model, THE crude oil demand, oil price and GDP and THEir growth rates will be explained. In continue, we are going to estimate two various models for oil demand function and THE effect of economic growth on MIDDLE EAST oil demand. THE findings represent that THE demand function is asymmetric in respect to price and income. Also, economic growth rate is THE most important factor for increasing crude oil consumption in MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES. On THE oTHEr hand, THEse COUNTRIES’ oil demand elasticity based upon THE price and income is low, but income elasticity is higher than price.However, THE findings suggest that oil demand is more important than economic growth. It is because of THEse COUNTRIES’ disability in replacing crude oil by new energy sources.

Creating and expanding Business enterprises requires significant funding that managers are using with THE resources derived from international and domestic business markets to survive and grow THEir organization. THE main objective is to investigate and identify THE drivers of THE most devastating financial crisis of THE century and, as a result, to create an Islamic financial system that is compatible with THE jurisprudence and Islamic law and more stable and inclusive towards THE development and growth of THE markets. Since sukuk is a new tool for Islamic financing that is compatible with Islamic law and jurisprudence, many Islamic and non-Islamic COUNTRIES use it. THE present study investigates THE effect of Islamic financing on economic growth of markets in selected COUNTRIES. For this purpose, sukuk, a new Islamic finance instrument, and statistical data from 2010-2015 and THE method of econometric estimation of panel data have been used. THE results of THE model estimation show that sukuk has a positive and significant impact on economic growth and labor market in THE studied COUNTRIES.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a pathogenic bacteria found in THE gastric mucosa of both children and adults. Our goal was to use an endoscopic method to look at THE prevalence of H. pylori in children with gastrointestinal complaints. Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted in 2022 on pediatric patients who received gastric or duodenal biopsies by endoscopy. We collected data from medical reports regarding patients’,age, gender, location of residence, type of gastrointestinal problems, and frequency of H. pylori infection. Results: A total of 2030 pediatric patients participated in THE study. Helicobacter pylori infection was found in 259 cases (12. 76%). THEre were no signifi, cant diff, erences between THE two genders regarding THE prevalence of H. pylori infection (P = 0. 094). This infection was more common in patients aged > 10 years (P < 0. 001) and in residents of THE Isfahan suburb (P < 0. 001). Conclusions: In comparison to oTHEr locations, we found a similar incidence rate of H. pylori infection in children. According to our fi, ndings, greater ages are associated with a higher detection rate of H. pylori infection.

Web 2 illustrates many new-coming applications which have a high potential in enriching communication, cooperation and innovation. However, THEre are not so many researches regarding to web 2 applications in library websites yet. This research aims to survey THE scale of web 2 applications amongst Iranian and MIDDLE EASTern academic libraries as well as correlation between website age and THE web 2 applications of such a websites. Thus, 146 academic websites were identified from THE lists of “Higher Education Institutions worldwide” presented by webometrics group in Spain and were surveyed using content analysis method.THE results point out that THE web 2 applications in MIDDLE EAST academic libraries are very low in regard to information dissemination (6.10%) and information organization (0%); However, THEre is a good reception (80.13%) for information sharing application specially for applying instant messengers in such libraries. Moreover, THEre are only two libraries (6.06%) amongst all academics libraries which use weblogs as for THEir Information acquisition. THEse libraries are Gilan University of medical Sciences and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Last but not lEAST, THEre is no meaningful correlation between website age and THE scale of web 2 applications.

Context: Staphylococcus aureus is one of THE most important pathogens worldwide. THE emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcusaureus (MRSA) made vancomycin as THE only THErapeutic choice. Due to excessive use of vancomycin, decreased susceptibility and increased resistance against this antibiotic are reported worldwide. THE current study aimed at investigating THE emergence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) in different regions of THE MIDDLE-EAST. Evidence Acquisition: All reputable databases, such as Google Scholar and PubMed, were screened for articles and abstracts reporting VRSA in THE MIDDLE-EAST by THE appropriate keywords. Reliable phenotypic and genotypic studies were included in THE current review. Results: Reviewing all articles/abstracts revealed more than 100 reports of VRSA isolates from THE MIDDLE-EAST. Most of THE studies did not use THE clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI) guidelines on VRSA identification. Until 2012, four VRSA strains were reported from Iran, 7 from Egypt, and 1 from Pakistan. From 2012 to 2016, seven VRSA isolates were added to THE global statistics from THE MIDDLE-EAST; 1 from Iran and 6 from Egypt. Conclusions: VRSA is a global health threat. According to THE expanding reports on THE emersion of VRSA, more attention should be paid to THE proper prescription of this antibiotic as THE only choice for S. aureus infections.

THEoretically speaking, monetary policy transparency usually refers to THE informational symmetry between THE central bank and THE private sector. High degrees of transparency reduce uncertainty, improve THE private-sector inference about THE central bank goals, and increase THE effectiveness of monetary policies. Over THE last two decades, central banks around THE world have taken a variety of steps to enhance monetary policy transparency. Nowadays, most central banks provide regular reports on recent economic and financial conditions, THE stance of monetary policies, and THE outlook for various goal variables. In addition, most central banks in advanced economies have adopted explicit numerical inflation targets in THEir conduct of monetary policies, which can be considered as an important aspect of monetary policy transparency. However, this movement toward transparency in MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES has been so blunt. So, in this paper, using THE panel data approach, THE factors affecting THE monetary policy transparency in THEse COUNTRIES have been evaluated. THE results from six estimated models show THE negative and significant effects of THE past inflation and positive effect of per capita GDP, financial deepening and openness index enhancement. While government efficiency, as an institutional factor, has been affective on THE central bank transparency, oTHEr institutional variables have no significant influence.

Background & Objective: In THE university system, THE purpose of education is to make appropriate changes in THE graduates. Almost in all societies, educational goals are similar to each oTHEr, but planning relate to THE traditions and cultures of each society. THE aim of this study was to compare and matching THE nursing curriculum in three COUNTRIES: Iran, Jordan and Turkey. Materials and Methods: This review-comparative study was conducted in 2019. Iran Health Ministry website and THE site of several nursing schools in three COUNTRIES and some related studies were used to reach THE full details of THE curriculum. Obtained information were analyzed by using Brady’ s four-stage model including description, interpretation, proximity and comparison levels. Comparison was made in THE areas of THE time of THE beginning, THE mission, and THE purpose of educating, admission criteria, and number of units, courseschr('39') orientations and structure. Results: THE nursing education program in all three COUNTRIES has many similarities. Differences were observed in THE content of curriculum in THE undergraduate course. At THE masterchr('39')s level, THEre were differences in THE admission criteria, and at THE doctoral level, THEre were in THE branches of this course. Conclusion: According to THE results of THE present study, it is suggested to improve THE quality of nursing education as much as possible, and to eliminate its shortages and defects, as well as considering THE complex and changing needs of society, issues such as student selection, THE undergraduate content of curriculum and postgraduate orientations should be reviewed and seriously amended.

Dear Editor-in-ChiefIn recent years, THE re-emergence of tularemia, an acute zoonotic disease, has been reported in many MIDDLE EASTern COUNTRIES such as Turkey and Iran (1). Human travel, animal or birth mi-gration, warfare, climate variations and natural calamities are several factors that can have an ef-fect on THE relationship between human, para-sites, and vectors or rodents and play a key role in THE circulation of infections....