Improving participation in voluntary activities in Iran is important because increasing productivity among young people, given the country's young population, contributes to community sustainability. Therefore, a better understanding of volunteer motivation in Iranian youth is needed. The Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) for assessing volunteer motivations has good psychometric properties and is adapted to several languages, but no validated Iranian translation yet exists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric characteristics of voluntary functions inventory in members of Iranian Red Crescent Society. Sample size was 595 members of Youth Organization of Iranian Red Crescent Society from 31 provinces and 175 cities of Iran that were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method and responded to voluntary functions inventory. Data were collected using a demographic sample and voluntary functions inventory (VFI). Confirmatory factor analysis using principal components method was used for data analysis. The results of the present study showed that the voluntary functions inventory had validity and reliability. Also, the factor structure showed that 29 items and 6 factors well assess people's attitudes to volunteering, and the structure of this inventory was well-fitted and confirmed all goodness of fit models. The present study provides the use of the Iranian translation of the Voluntary Functions Inventory (6 scales and 29 items) to assess volunteer motivation among young Iranian volunteers.

Background and Aim: Job enrichment is a method that has been used to increase employee satisfaction and work motivation. The Hackman and Oldham job characteristics model (1976) has served as the foundation for many job enrichment efforts. In particular, a considerable amount of research has been devoted to the study of the job characteristics-job satisfaction relations. Te purpose of this study was to statistically determine the relation between job characteristics and job satisfaction among employees of hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in 2007. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional one, including 6 TUMS-affiliated hospitals-Emam, Shariati, Baharlo, Ziaeian, Madaen and Azadi. The sample size was 400, consisting of 200 administrative employees (50%), 151 nurses (38%) and 49 physicians (12%). The random sampling and stratified proportional sampling methods were used to select the hospitals and interviewees, respectively. Two questionnaires were developed and used to identify job characteristics and job satisfaction: 1) job diagnostics surveys (JDS) and 2) Hertzberg's job satisfaction questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaires was ascertained by test-retest using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.88). Linear-by-linear association and ordinal logistics regression analysis were used for analyzing the data gathered.Results:The relations between the Motivational Potential Score (MPS) and job characteristics (except for feedback) with job satisfaction were statistically significant (p<0.05). Task identity was the most effective determinant of job satisfaction. Conclusion: It appears that all the job characteristics (except feedback) are important determinants of job satisfaction of the hospital employees. Although the work environment is in need of restructuring, it is important to note, from a positive perspective, that the job characteristics discussed in this study are readily amenable to change job satisfaction at the organizational level.

Accounting standards are the principal factors in business environment affecting different areas, including accounting profession and auditors. In this study, the role of approaches to accounting standards Setting (rule-based and principle-based standards) in the psychological characteristics of auditors has been investigated, using structural equation modeling, The data collection takes into account an accounting pseudo-experimental scenario that are accounting standards manipulation at two levels, rule-based and principle-based. The results showed that principle-based standards, compared to the rule-based standards, lead to higher levels of epistemic motivation and process accountability for auditors. Also, the results indicated that types of accounting standards have no significant effects on the evidence level requested by auditors, but, the principle-based standards increase the level of evidence indirectly through mediation of process accountability. Another findings showed that the process accountability directly affects the level of evidence requested by auditors. But, the results indicated that epistemic motivation has no significant effect on the request of level of evidence. In general, findings represented positive impacts of principle-based accounting standards on the process accountability and epistemic motivation for auditors. These confirm that principle-based approach should be considered more by standard-setters and policy makers in the fields of accounting and auditing.

Evaluating the cutting rate (CR) of stones is important in the cost estimation and the planning of the stone processing plants. This research used regression models to estimate the stones’ CR based on their physico-mechanical characteristics. Stone processing factories in Mahallat City (Markazi province, Iran) were visited, and the CR of diamond circular saws was recorded on six different travertine stones. Next, the stone block samples were collected from the quarries for laboratory tests. Stones’ porosity (n), uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), and Schmidt hammer hardness (SH) were determined in the laboratory as their physico-mechanical characteristics. Correlation relationships of CR with physico-mechanical characteristics were evaluated using simple and multiple regression analyses, and estimator models were developed. Results showed that multiple regression models are more reliable than simple regression for estimating the stones’ CR. The validity of the developed multiple regression models was verified with the published data of one researcher. The findings indicated that these models are accurate enough for estimating the CR of stones. Consequently, the multiple regression models provide practical advantages for estimating the CR and save time and cost during the planning and design of the stone processing factories.

The mantle sequence of the Kuh-Siah ophiolitic suite is located in N Sabzevar, Central Iran structural zone and consists mainly of harzburgite, dunite, lherzolite, pyroxenite, and chromitite lenses.  The Fo% of olivines in peridotites ranges between 91-96%, and plotting them in the Ezubonin-Mariana peridotites. The Al2O3 content of orthopyroxene in harzburgites and lherzolites is relatively low, showing a tendency towards orthopyroxenes of forearc-abyssal peridotites. The clinopyroxene in the pyroxenites also has low Al2O3 and TiO2 content and placing it in the forearc peridotite field. While this mineral in harzburgite and lherzolites have a higher content of Al2O3 and TiO2 and plots in the abyssal peridotites field. The spinel in lherzolites resemble oceanic peridotites, while in harzburgites, it shows a tendency towards forearc and oceanic peridotites. The spinels in dunites exhibit high Cr# and appear to be derived from a boninitic melt in high degrees of partial melting from a depleted mantle source under hydrous conditions. Based on minerals chemistry characteristics (indicating the dual nature of the MORB_IAT_BONINITIC), the evolution of this mantle sequence has been involved in a supra-subduction zone, resulting from the northward subduction of the sub-branch of Neotethys Ocean (Sabzevar suture) beneath the Alborz during the Cretaceous.

The aim of the current research was to identify the characteristics of the four elements in order to provide a problem-oriented curriculum model in the elementary school mathematics course. There were 19 participants and the sampling was done purposefully. The data collection tools are semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The problem-oriented curriculum template was designed using the characteristics of the elements and with the method of qualitative content analysis in the elementary school mathematics course. The identified features were validated by fuzzy Delphi method and Shannon's entropy method was used for data processing. Based on the results of the analysis, 7 main categories including the characteristics of goals at three levels of cognitive, attitudinal, skill, content, evaluation, teaching-learning strategy and 46 sub-categories were identified.                                                                                                                                                                In the fuzzy Delphi section, all features were confirmed by obtaining a de-fuzzified value greater than 0.7. The results of Shannon's entropy determined that the characteristics of starting teaching with a challenging question, creating a suitable educational environment, continuously monitoring the quality of learning strategies and communicating with students' talents have attracted the most attention and obtained the highest ranks and had a higher importance factor than other characteristics