Palustrine carbonates are frequently found with active and dried karstic springs in the foothills of the mountains bordering the Persepolis Basin, southwest Iran. A combination of geological conditions favours their formation, including (i) the presence of karstic limestone aquifers in the limbs of anticlines cut through by fault systems; (ii) very gentle slopes from the spring resurgence point towards the centre of the alluvial plain, creating a flat waterlogged area; and (iii) a semiarid climate with marked precipitation seasonality or significant fluctuations in water discharge and wetland water table. We suggest the term “anastomosing wetlands” or “anastomosing palustrine environments” to denote the studied karstic spring–fed carbonate wetlands, because of similarities with anastomosing river systems in aerial view. The common presence of extended anastomosing wetland carbonates in the Persepolis Basin and adjacent basins in the central and southern Zagros suggests that they can play an important role in the geological records of collision-related basin-and-range settings dominated by karstic limestones. Karstic spring wetlands are a main source of fresh water hosting a rich biodiversity, which attracts human communities, whose impact is visible in the archaeological material imbedded in the wetland stratigraphy. Fresh water availability, through these spring wetlands, partly explains why the semiarid Persepolis region was selected by successive civilizations, from Elamites to Persians until early Islamic entities, to establish regional centres throughout the period from the third millennium B.C. to the first millennium A.D. Only a few of these ecosystems have survived the intensive human activities of recent decades.

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This study presents a new precise radiocarbon chronology for the World Heritage site of Sarvestan (SW Iran). The monument is a key construction in the history of architecture because it is a typical Sasanian construction built during the late Sasanian or early Islamic period. Previous attempts to date the monument have suggested the ages ranging from the middle Sasanian (fifth century CE) to early Abbasid (ninth century CE) era. These age estimations are based on the analysis of architectural plans and techniques, and a few radiocarbon dates with very large age uncertainties. This paper presents the results of a systematic radiocarbon dating of timbers in the walls and charcoals in plaster mortars used in the main dome of the monument. It further applies wiggle matching technique and R_Combine function to substantially reduce the age uncertainties in wood sections. The results indicate that a major construction work was undertakenWe proudly dedicate this study to Professor Touraj Daryaee (Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies & Culture, History School of Humanities, University of California, Irvine) in appreciation of his significant contribution to the history of the Iranian world during the Late Antiquity.

Introduction: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common lymphatic neoplasm, accounting for about 30–40% of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases. Objectives: DLBCL is a progressive disease with clinical, genetic and molecular heterogeneity. The prognostic value of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and Ki-67 in DLBCL patients has been controversial. Patients and Methods: In this study, we investigated the correlation of BCL2 and Ki-67 expression with clinical features such as age, gender, B symptoms and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, subtypes of DLBCL, its staging and prognosis in 36 cases of DLBCL. The expression of BCL2 and Ki-67 was measured by immunohistochemistry. Results: There was no significant correlation between BCL2 expression and staging (P=0.082), however Ki-67 expression had a significant correlation with staging (P=0.002). There was no statistically significant correlation between BCL2 and Ki-67 with prognosis of the disease. We found a significant correlation between the germinal center B-cell (GCB) and non- GCB subtypes with BCL2 expression (P=0.024), since patients with non- GCB subtype had a higher BCL2 expression. Our study also demonstrated a significant relationship between BCL2 and Ki-67 expression, therefore, with the increase of the expression of a marker, another increases (P=0.045). Conclusion: BCL2 and Ki-67 expressions were not associated with prognosis. Overexpression of Ki-67 was associated with higher clinical stages. BCL2 expression is higher in non-GCB subtype of DLBCL. Therefore, our study shows that the subsequent studies of BCL2 and other biomarkers in the DLBCL should be based on the DLBCL subtypes.

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