Counter-urbanization has been defined with many definitions in research literature as increasing of the small town population in the process of urban expansion and development. This study investigates the counter-urbanization process in ISFAHAN metropolitan area based on an exploratory method using the population and immigration data, diurnal commuting, and the immigration motivators. The results show that, during different periods, population growth has been changed from the greater cities’ metropolitan area to the small towns. So that, there is less population growth near the main greater cities during the last decade. Regarding the immigration as well as migration effectiveness over the population, and immigration motivators, it can be said that the most important parameters of small towns’ expansion near the greater cities are better habitation opportunities, and finding better jobs. Furthermore, decreasing the diurnal commuting close to the greater cities shows that small towns, which are farther from the greater city, have more autonomy. In addition, based on polarization reversal model, and population development investigation in metropolitan areas, there are population development from the greater cities’ centre to the periphery area, which is leaded to decrease the population of the main greater city, and increase the population absorption in small towns. Consequently, the urbanization of ISFAHAN metropolitan area has entered to a counter-urbanization phase.

Purpose: The present study aims to identify and explain the futures of Iranian PROVINCEs in the competition for the development of NBIC technological convergence (synergy between nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive sciences) with a focus on Yazd PROVINCE. Method: This research, which has been conducted with a qualitative and descriptive approach, is classified as an exploratory futures-study. In this way, the relevant research records were first reviewed to compile a list of drivers in the development of convergent technologies. The list was then refined and prioritized to identify two key drivers, with the Delphi process attended by fourteen experts. By intersecting the uncertainties of these two drivers, four scenarios of the PROVINCE's future in technological convergence competition emerged. Findings: The two key drivers affecting the success of the PROVINCE in the competition for convergent technologies are: the rate of development of the innovation ecosystem and the amount of financial resources allocated to this process. Based on this, four scenarios of the future situation of the PROVINCE in this field were identified, which have been named as "Vanguard", "Buyer", "Remnant" and "Hired". Conclusion: In order for the PROVINCEs to be able to succeed in the forthcoming competitions in the production and operation of convergent technologies, it is necessary to plan for strengthening the ecosystem infrastructure from now; at the same time, it is necessary to make efficient efforts to provide sufficient financial resources for the research and commercialization of these technologies.

The central issue of the present paper is the study of the causes of the mother tongue decline in the Sahne city in Kermanshah PROVINCE. The issue of language is beyond the dialect of people and is refer to the form of life and the matter of macroeconomic and political relations. From this perspective, the form of life and the language associated with it explain the praxis of the members of the society. The appropriate method of examining the problem should be able to analyze the justification of agents to their situation, that is why Grounded Theory is chosen as the method of this research and data analysis is taken from abduction reasoning. The results of the analysis introduced the categories of globalizing, modernizing, de-use of language, economic necessity and the government as the most important factors of local language fading. In this essay the meaning of globalization is the globalizing of special type of economic relation that explain other categories role in the process of fading of languages.

Although a number of studies have been carried out around meteorological drought in ISFAHAN PROVINCE, there is no specific study about hydrologic drought. In this study, low flows trend was analysed for the first time as the most important indicator of hydrologic drought in ISFAHAN PROVINCE watersheds. Mean daily stream flow as a hydrologic indicator and 1-, 7-, 15-, 30- and 90-day low flows were estimated as hydrologic drought indicators for 22 gauging stations with at least 20 years of data record. Results of trend analysis using Mann-Kendall and Spearman correlation indicated that mean daily stream flow and low flows have negative trend at many gauging stations. Apart fromGhalehShahrokh station, low flow indices in Zayandehrud dam basin have negative trend so that Eskandari station shows the highest degree of negative trend. Daily stream flow and low flows reduction especially in recent years is kind of warning for water resources management in Zayandehrud basin.

The prevailing conditions in the industry sector of the country is indicative of the fact that the present structure of the sector is not capable of playing its rightful and expected key role in the process of the economic development of Iran. Therefore all efforts have to be made to make this sector more efficient, and this wouldnt be materialized unless, the industrial capabilities and potentials are known and identified at country level in general and at PROVINCEs level in particular. These efforts would undoubtedly provide proper and suitable grounds for the expansion of non-oil exports and hence would lead to economic growth and sustainable development of the country. In this paper the industrial potentials and capabilities in the ISFAHAN PROVINCE are determined and to this end by utilizing the multiple indexes the Factor Analysis and Numerical Taxonomy approach have been employed for the period 1373 to 1376. The results demonstrate that the structure of the industry in ISFAHAN PROVINCE is highly diversified. Furthermore in this structure emphasis and concentrations have been put on a vast range of consumption, capital intensive and intermediate industries, rather than on the priority industries and industries which enjoy comparative advantage. These results are also indicative of the fact that the industrial structure of the PROVINCE is not conducing to efficient allocation of resources and does not satisfy the economic efficiency requirements.

Today’ s situation in cities requires that planned parks be set up to create ecological equilibrium. The current study was aimed to identify suitable zones for establishing ecoparks in the central region of ISFAHAN PROVINCE; this was done using seven effective criteria including topography, landscape, climate, rock and soil, water resources, environmental sensitivity, and accessibility. The weights of the criteria and the subcriteria were obtained using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with expert opinions. All layers were combined using weighted linear combination (WLC) and the land suitability maps for ecoparks were produced. After evaluating and prioritizing suitable zones, finally, the zone with an area of 85. 2 hectares, which was located in the Bag Bahadoran district and adjacent to the Zayanderood River, was selected as the most suitable one due to its larger area, more access to the welfare facilities, and higher ecological potentials. Also, the results obtained from overlaying the ecopark’ s land suitability map and the map of existing parks in the region suggested that Sararud coastal park, in Mobarakeh, and the coastal park, in Zarrin Shahr, can be suitable places for establishing ecopark in the region.

In recent decades, the use of nitrogen fertilizers has increased irrespective of their effects on soil properties, agricultural products and, particularly, on environmental pollution. Nitrate easily leaches from soils into groundwater. The objective of this study was to determine temporal and spatial nitrate concentrations in groundwater in agricultural, industrial and urban regions in some parts of ISFAHAN PROVINCE. Water samples were collected monthly from 75 agricultural, industrial, and urban wells of ISFAHAN, Najaf-abad, Shahreza, Natanz and Kashan during January-May 2001.The results indicated that NO3-N concentrations in most of the regions studied were higher than the standard level (10 mg/l) and nitrate pollution must be reckoned among the most serious problems of sustainable agriculture and exploitation of groundwater resources. Average NO3-N concentration in different wells ranged from 1.03 to 50.78 mg/l (4.64 to 228.5 mg/l as nitrate). The average NO3-N concentration in groundwater of Najaf-abad, Shahreza, ISFAHAN and Natanz-Kashan was 17.56, 14.6, 16.04, and 8.24 mg/l and 95.5, 100, 84 and 33.3 % of total wells in these regions had nitrate concentrations above the standard level, respectively. Maximum NO3-N concentration was detected in the agricultural region south of Najaf-abad (64.6 mg/l). Nitrate pollution in most of the sampling areas was mainly linked to agricultural activities. The average NO3-N concentration in groundwater of all agricultural, industrial, and urban regions, except for urban regions of Natanz and Kashan, were above the standard level. Generally, nitrate concentration level in groundwater increased with time and was maximum in March and April.

In this study the time series of annual maximum dry spells and the number annual dry spells of ISFAHAN PROVINCE were analyzed in order to establish the existence of rainfall variability using Mann-Kendall test. The selected time series were first tested for homogeneity. Results indicated statistically homogeneity at 95% significant level. The results of trend analysis showed that only 2 stations have significant decreasing trend of the maximum annual dry spells at the significant level of 5%. The results also showed3 stations with increasing trend in the number of dry spells and 1 station with decreasing trend in the number of dry spells which are significant at 5% and 1% significant levels respectively.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess epidemiology of colorectal cancer (CRC) in ISFAHAN, Iran. Materials and Methods: Data were gathered from hospital documents of hospital admissions for colonoscopy, surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy due to colorectal cancer during 1996-2003. Results: 1100 cases with colorectal cancer in seven years were detected and reviewed. Our minimum incidence rate estimation was 1.3 per 100,000 in 1996, 3.7 /100,000 in 2001 and 3.1 / 100,000 in 2003. One third of CRC cases were diagnosed between thirties to fifties in both genders in our PROVINCE with a peak incidence in the fifties for females and in the sixties for males. CRC in more than 85% of the patients was left sided. The one, five and seven year's survival rates were 97%, 43% and 21% respectively. A significant lower survival rate was seen in right colon in oppose to the left colon (13% vs. 40%) (p<0.05) after five years of follow up.Conclusions: Incidence of CRC in ISFAHAN Proviene is increasing. Rectum is the most common site (61.6%) for CRC.Many of Iranians who have CRC are young Regarding to fact program, Screening is recommended earlier than Western countries.

As a part of the human society, children have formed the future generation of every country, and the child's interaction with the surrounding environment requires his physical and mental development. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the environment that promotes mental and physical development of the child. In order to check the suitable environment for children, the initiative of the child-friendly city has been taken into consideration. The general purpose of this research is to improve the status of two cities from the perspective of a child-friendly city and to identify the appropriate indicators of a child-friendly city and to make a comparative comparison in the two metropolises of Tehran and ISFAHAN. The current research is developmental in terms of the combined method and in terms of the goal, and it is based on library and documentary studies, field surveys and interviews. Yeoman-Whitney test was used to analyze the indicators. The results of the evaluation show that in the comparison of the two cities of Tehran and ISFAHAN in terms of the examined indicators (social and physical, economic, environmental, urban management and leisure), Tehran city in the variable of safety and protection with an average of 3.09 and ISFAHAN city in Participation and citizenship variables with an average of 3.22 have a favorable level. Although Tehran is in a better condition compared to ISFAHAN in other indicators, in general, both cities are far apart in terms of standard indicators, and suggestions have been made in this regard.