Alzahra University

Introduction Neighborhood halls as vital urban public spaces serve as key platforms for fostering social, cultural, and educational engagement among citizens. Designed to enhance the quality of urban life, these halls promote social interaction and strengthen citizens’ sense of participation. When their programs are effectively developed and implemented, they can significantly reinforce the connection between individuals and their living environment. A fundamental concept influenced by the activities of neighborhood halls is place attachment—an emotional, cognitive, and behavioral bond between individuals and their surroundings. This attachment plays a direct role in shaping personal and social identity, fostering social cohesion, and increasing civic responsibility. Strengthening this sense of belonging not only improves urban quality of life, but also contributes to social sustainability and greater citizen investment in their neighborhoods and the broader urban community. Despite the recognized importance of neighborhood halls in promoting social development and enhancing urban communication, the extent to which their programs effectively cultivate place attachment remains insufficiently understood. This question is particularly pertinent in a metropolis like Tehran, where rapid urbanization, demographic shifts, and growing cultural diversity pose significant challenges to social cohesion and neighborhood identity. Within this context, Districts 2 and 5 of Tehran—each characterized by distinct demographic, cultural, and structural features—offer valuable settings for examining this relationship. Accordingly, this study sought to address the following fundamental question: What are the key factors influencing place attachment? Materials & Methods To examine the relationships among the independent variable (neighborhood hall activities), the dependent variable (sense of place attachment), and the mediating factors—namely, diversity of activities, citizen participation, social capital, and urban policies and planning—an analytical model was developed. This model drew on classical theories of social capital, particularly the frameworks proposed by Altman and Low, as well as the theoretical contributions of Dewantara. The conceptualization of place attachment was informed by the work of Lewicka, McKinnon, Allen, and Briggs. Furthermore, the role of social participation in fostering place attachment was explored based on the insights of Clark et al., while the influence of urban policies and planning was examined through the lens of Lewicka’s theoretical perspectives. This study employed a survey research design, utilizing a researcher-developed questionnaire to collect empirical data. Given the active presence of neighborhood halls in Districts 2 and 5 of Tehran, the statistical population was defined as residents living in these areas. Discussion of Results & Conclusion Expanding the scope of activities offered by neighborhood halls can significantly enhance residents' sense of place attachment, strengthen social capital, and increase civic participation. The findings from the structural model corroborate this perspective, indicating that neighborhood hall performance exerts its strongest influence on the diversity of activities and social participation, which in turn positively affect place attachment. This dynamic lays the groundwork for the development of sustainable social networks, mutual trust, and active resident involvement in local affairs. These results are consistent with prior research and suggest that neighborhood halls serve not only as a resource for crisis management, but also as a vital mechanism for promoting social capital and reinforcing local ties. As communal spaces, these halls have proven effective in addressing a broad range of resident needs—spanning social interaction, cultural engagement, and participation in neighborhood governance. By creating structured opportunities for interpersonal contact, they have directly contributed to a deepened sense of belonging. A stronger sense of place attachment emerges when residents perceive their neighborhood not merely as a residential area, but as a setting conducive to social, cultural, and personal development. This is particularly critical in urban contexts, where complex and fast-paced lifestyles often constrain social connectivity. In such environments, neighborhood halls function as essential public arenas that mitigate social isolation and nurture interpersonal relationships. Through activities, such as educational workshops, cultural festivals, sports events, and community meetings, these halls facilitate meaningful engagement and foster a greater sense of collective responsibility and belonging among residents. Keywords: Neighborhood Halls, Social Interactions, Place Attachment, Structural Equation Modeling, Tehran. Acknowledgments The authors thank everyone who contributed to this article. Conflicts of Interest There is no conflict of interest. Funding The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Statement on the Use of AI No artificial intelligence tools were used in the writing, editing, or preparation of this manuscript

The instruction of prayer (Salat) and encouraging its performance among pre-adolescents is of significant importance from an educational perspective, as it is one of the key religious behaviors. The education for performing prayer encompasses cognitive, behavioral, and motivational dimensions that must be tailored to the age of the audience. The present study was conducted with the aim of developing an educational package for performing prayer based on a “Good-Choosing” approach, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods. In the qualitative phase, the process involved preparing age-appropriate propositions from the term ‘Salat’ in Quranic verses, conducting a content analysis of prayer-related texts to enrich the package’s content, and designing and compiling the educational package itself. This design was specifically tailored to the developmental process of ‘good-choosing’ in children aged 10 to 12. Ultimately, the package was reviewed and modified by a panel of five experts. In the quantitative phase, the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the Content Validity Index (CVI) were calculated to assess the protocol’s content. The content validity assessment by experts revealed that the total CVR for the protocol was 0.99 and the CVI for the sessions was 0.98, indicating that they meet the minimum acceptable threshold.This package, by fostering critical thinking and providing engaging strategies for instructors, aims to teach prayer as the ultimate good to girls aged 10 to 12.

Sexual education in Iranian society is a sensitive yet insufficiently organized area within the educational system, facing various cultural, social, and familial challenges. This study aimed to develop and validate a family-centered sexual education Curriculum. The research adopted a developmental–applied design with a qualitative approach. Participants included experts in education, psychology, counseling, educational sciences, Islamic jurisprudence, and Islamic law. Data were collected through document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and expert judgment questionnaires, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The guideline development process was conducted in four stages: extraction of theoretical foundations, consensus building, content validity assessment, and finalization of the Curriculum. Findings showed that the guideline was structured around four main components: objectives, principles, educational content, and target audiences. Objectives were defined at individual, familial, and social levels. The principles emphasized compatibility with Islamic-Iranian values, developmental appropriateness, and family-centeredness. Educational content included sexual identity, sexual health, parenting skills, prevention of sexual abuse and harm, and promotion of a healthy environment. Specialized educators and social facilitators were identified as the primary target groups. The findings suggest that implementation of this Curriculum can help standardize sexual education, enhance awareness and empowerment among parents and educators, reduce social harms, and strengthen family foundations by providing a coherent framework for culturally appropriate sexual education in the Islamic-Iranian context.

The present study aimed to explore the lived experiences of the families of martyrs from the Twelve-Day Sacred Defense between Iran and Israel regarding the concepts of resistance and martyrdom. The research employed an interpretative phenomenological approach. Using purposive sampling, interviews were conducted with 15 families of martyrs from the Twelve-Day War, and data were analyzed following the method proposed by Diekelmann, Tanner, and Allen (1989). The findings were organized into main and subthemes clustered around core thematic categories. The main themes derived from the concepts of resistance and self-sacrifice included: the philosophy of life centered on truth; insight and conscious choice; agency and the desire to establish justice; self-sacrifice and prioritizing the welfare of others; the origin and essence of martyrdom; living in a martyr-like manner; the martyr’s family as a school and nucleus of moral upbringing; complementary factors in the culture of martyrdom; and obstacles to self-sacrifice and martyrdom-seeking. These themes were integrated around the central core of a God-centered lifestyle based on divine ontology. Such studies can contribute to understanding the worldview and lifestyle of martyrs as enduring cultural archetypes and serve as a guide for structuring and implementing programs aimed at promoting the culture of self-sacrifice and martyrdom in revolutionary Iranian society.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are zinc metalloenzymes responsible for the catalysis of the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide and play pivotal roles in many physiological and pathological processes. The complexity of CA isoforms with distinct expression patterns and catalytic characteristics has aroused fierce interest in the development of isoform-selective inhibitors and activators for therapeutic purposes and diagnostics. In this review, a systematic overview of computational and theoretical methods utilized to determine the structure, mechanism, inhibition, and activation of CAs was given. It reviews the evolution and utilization of computational methods in deciphering catalytic and proton transfer mechanisms as well as active-site interactions into atomic resolution and also features recent developments in drug design and screening strategies engineered for CA isoforms, particularly those involved in cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. This study can be a reference for multidisciplinary researchers and inspire the future rational design of CA modulators. This review summarizes the literature that employed QM and QM/MM by using like B3LYP, BE0-D3BJ, and MD simulations, GROMACS and Desmond packages, and various force fields: OPLS-AA, AMBER14, and CHARMM36. Molecular docking was performed using such as Glide, AutoDock Vina, and GOLD. Machine learning and AI techniques including SVM, LightGBM, SHAP, and neural networks were also reviewed. This review addresses the limitations in these models as well as prospects with newly emerging instruments such as polarizable force fields and real-time DFT as well as explainable AI frameworks, too. Incorporating data-driven insights with physics-based simulations, the next era of work is primed to provide predictive, scalable platforms for rational design of next-generation CA modulators.