The presence of water resources, particularly rivers, significantly influences site selection. Throughout history, settling near rivers has brought numerous advantages, but it has also posed certain risks. This study focuses on the sub-basins southeast of the Caspian Sea. Initially, we explore the connection between the layout of ancient settlements and the drainage networks. Additionally, we analyze the relationship between flood risk and the settlement patterns of these ancient SITES by estimating the flooding risk based on linear, areal, and relief aspects. This research marks the first time such an analysis has been conducted. The findings underscore the importance of proximity to rivers in site selection, with areas close to rivers with lower stream orders being the most favorable for settlements. The study reveals a decrease in the frequency of SITES near higher stream orders in relation to flooding risk. Conversely, there is an increase in the frequency and density of ancient SITES near the first stream orders and at greater distances from the rivers, coinciding with an elevated flooding risk in the sub-basins. These results indicate that the inhabitants of the southeastern areas of the Caspian Sea sub-basins were cognizant of the flooding danger and factored it into their decision-making when selecting settlement SITES

Background: The quality of services and customers satisfaction is the most controversial aspects of today’s management service organizations. Customer orientation is the core strategy of all the organizations in the world. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of the presented services in public and collaborative health SITES under the coverage of health network of Rey city, Iran in 2011-2012.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed randomly on 400 people who referred to public and collaborative health SITES. Data gathering was conducted with SERVQUAL questionnaire by face to face interview.Findings: There was a significant difference between the average gap of perception and service quality expectations of tangible and physical aspects (P=0.001), service guarantee commitments (P=0.009) and sympathy (P=0.007) among the two SITES. The gap between perception and expectations in the mentioned aspects was more in the public health SITES compared to the collaborative health SITES.Conclusion: Service quality gap in public health SITES was more compared to the collaborative health SITES. It is necessary to improve the public health services by applying interventions to improve the physical environment, ensure service commitments, increase sympathy with the clients, and receive feedback on issues and treatment results from the clients.

Petroleum hydrocarbons are important energy resources used by industry and in our daily life, whose production contributes highly to environmental pollution. To control such risk, bioremediation constitutes an environmentally friendly alternative technology that has been established and applied. It constitutes the primary mechanism for the elimination of hydrocarbons from contaminated SITES by natural existing populations of microorganisms. Petroleum (or crude oil) is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons. Annually, millions of tons of crude petroleum oil enter the marine environment from either natural or anthropogenic sources. Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria (HDB) are able to assimilate and metabolize hydrocarbons present in petroleum. Crude oil pollution constitutes a temporary condition of carbon excess coupled to a limited availability of nitrogen that prompts marine oil-degrading bacteria to accumulate storage compounds. This review focuses on the role and distribution in the environment of degradation bacteria and their (potential) applications in bioremediation and biocatalysis. Bacteria play an important role in the microbial degradation of oil, chlorinated hydrocarbons, fuel additives, and many other compounds. Environmental studies demonstrate the abundance of alkane degraders and have lead to the identification of many new species, including some that are (near) obligate alkanotrophs. Bioremediation is being increasingly seen as an affective, environmentally friendly treatment for contaminated shorelines from marine oil spills. Oil bioremediation is limited by the availability of nitrogen and phosphorous which are needed by the bacteria and are not present in sufficient amounts for the biodegradation of the spilled hydrocarbons.

In this paper a dynamic layout optimization of a construction site is performed using genetic algorithm (DSL-GA). In this method considering the time table and the possibility of replacing the facilities in different time periods, layout design is performed. The formation of a proper and logical chromosome matrix in relation with dynamic layout is one of the main characteristics of the present model.For comparison of the performance of the present model, the problem of the dynamic site layout of the Rosenblatt which is a special case of the DSL-GA is considered. The results of the present method are compared to those of the Rosenblatt model. These results show that the high capability of the present model in performing the dynamic layout optimization.

The communities of the Kura- Araxes cultural complex with their highly distinctive cultural and economic features represent the occupation of some parts of the Near East and Caucasia during the Bronze Age.  Generally, the origin of this culture is sought in the Southern Caucasus. In Iran, the spread of this cultural tradition represents not only a rupture in the cultural development of the Mesopotamian traditions. Environmental changes linked to Rapid Climate Change (RCC) also forced the population to develop new economic strategies. Until about two decades ago, knowledge of the flourishing Kura Araxes occupation was limited to the north-west of the country and to some parts of the Central Zagros, but recent research in the zones south and north of the Alborz Mountain Range, on the northern edge of the Central Plateau allows by now to present a more detailed picture of the Kura Araxes occupation in both diachronic and synchronic perspective. Recent archaeological excavations in the two SITES of Qaleh Tepe and Ali Yourd Tepe revealed some important new data from Kura-Araxes settlements in the corridor of the north Central Plateau and northwestern Iran. The two SITES are located in the eastern Zanjan Province in the Abhar Rood Basin. This paper aims to update the chronology of the Kura-Araxes culture based on the radiocarbon dates from the two SITES of Qaleh Tepe and Ali Yourd Tepe. The stratigraphy and radiocarbon dates of the two SITES reveal the beginning of the Kura-Araxes culture in the region from c. 2900 BCE, followed by a quick extension into the northern Central Plateau, where it is represented by SITES such as Shizar, Doranabad, Ostur, and Barlekin. Similarity and diversity characterize the Kura-Araxes cultural complex.  However, based on the current data, the ceramic style represents a common feature, but also the architectural remains indicate a common cultural tradition during the first quarter of the third millennium BCE in the Central Zagros, northwestern Iran, and on the Central Plateau

The Kerman region stands out as one of the most significant mining areas globally, owing to its extensive and abundant mineral resources. Bam County, situated in the southeastern part of Kerman, has historically served as a crucial hub connecting the southeast of Iran with Sistan and Afghanistan, attributed to its distinctive geological and geomorphological characteristics. Enjoying considerable commercial and military importance since the Sassanid era, Bam County has garnered attention in archaeological research as a strategically vital region. The exploration of Bam's archaeological SITES becomes imperative for historical governments, highlighting the need to investigate and comprehend ancient centers engaged in metal smelting and mining activities. Consequently, an archaeological survey of the central part of Bam County was initiated in 2018-2019 with the specific objective of identifying metal smelting workshops and ancient mines. This article presents the outcomes of a field survey conducted in the central part of Bam County, shedding light on evidence of metal smelting centers, furnaces, and historical mining activities. The primary research inquiries center around the chronology of mining evidence in the central part of Bam County, the types of metals extracted, and the processes involved in metal mining and metallurgy within this region. Employing field and documentary methods, the research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. The study identified and examined eight SITES showcasing evidence of smelting and slag, one ancient mine, and two active mines. These SITES have been associated with the extraction and processing of metals and elements such as tin, zinc, lead, silver, iron, and, to a lesser extent, gold. Notably, the substantial volume of zinc and zinc oxide processing in seven SITES holds significance. Although cultural materials for chronological dating were absent in the investigated SITES, historical sources indicate that the extraction and smelting of these metals in the region date back to at least the 3rd century AH (9th century AD) and persisted until the Qajar period

Phytoremediation is an emerging green technology that uses plants and their associated microbes to remediate different environments contaminated with various pollutants. Phytoremediation, as an effective soil remediation technology, has gained popularity in the past ten years both in developed and developing countries. The main goal of the current article is to improve the understanding of phytoremediation of organic pollutants with emphasis on hydrocarbons. To design phytoremediation systems and also enhancement of their efficiency, either in laboratory or in field experiments, there is a serious need for better knowledge of phytoremediation mechanisms and also of factors affecting phytoremediation. In addition to phytoremediation applications, advantages, and limitations, its mechanisms and related new developments have been discussed in this article.