Kirkuk Journal of Science

The Ashdagh anticline, located in the Low Folded-Thrust Zone of the northwestern Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, exhibits complex structural geometry influenced by thrust-related deformations. This study uses detailed surface geological observations, manually constructed geological sections, and stereographic projections. Furthermore, the interpreted subsurface seismic data has been utilized to build eight structural cross-sections that traverse the anticline strike. The anticline displays asymmetry, characterized by a steeper forelimb, a narrow crestal area, and a hinge line with convex curvature oriented to the northwest toward the hinterland and southeast toward the foreland depocenter. The main result shows that the variations in fold geometry along the strike are caused by structural segmentation resulting from the Strike-slip and thrust faulting. It also enhances the Comprehension of the folding style and structural framework of the studied area, offering valuable insights into the Tectonic developments of the Low Fold Thrust Zone, within the Western Zagros Fold Thrust Belt.

This study was done during the dry and wet seasons of 2024, which included water chemical analysis for 36 wells in Makhmur province is located between the longitude (43° 58’34” E and 43°37, 82” E latitude 35°26’70” N and 35° 15’ 56” N), then classified depending on some international classification systems before and after correcting ion pairs and activity. The main results were as follow:
Depending on Electrical conductivity and sodium adsorption ratio values of water samples the water for (9 ,1,22 and 4) wells had (C3S1, C3S2, C4S1and C4S2)) classes before correcting ion pairs and activity respectively; while after correction, the water for (9,1,16, 8, 1 and1) wells had (C3S1, C3S2, C4S1, C4S2, C4S3 and C4S4) classes. Relying on water salinity potential (SP) values, before correcting ion pair and activity the water for (9,3and 24) wells had good, moderate, and bad category. It means correcting ion pairs and activity caused conversion the water for (4) wells from bad to moderate class. On the other hand, relying on sodium adsorption ratio values water for (14,17 and 5) wells had non-restriction, slight to moderate and severe restriction of use respectively before correction. While after correcting ion pair and activity the water for (12,19 and 5) wells had non-restriction, slight to moderate and severe restriction of use respectively that caused change the water for two wells from class one to class two. While depending on bicarbonate concentration the water for two wells changed from slightly-moderate class to non-severe restriction of use after correcting ion pairs plus activity. In general, in most cases correcting ion pair and activity causes decrease in risk of saline water for irrigation due to conversion the water classes towards the better classes. The main results explained the role of ion pairs and activity in conversion the water from class to another then decrease the salinity risk for irrigation use in most cases.

Between February 2023 and January 2024, a study was conducted to investigate the types and prevalence rates of intestinal parasites among children with type 1 diabetes who visited the Children\'s Hospital and Azadi General Hospital in Kirkuk. A total of 315 stool samples were examined from sick children aged between 1 and 15 years using three diagnostic methods: the direct smear method, the Immunochromatographic (IC) method, and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method. The study identified three types of intestinal parasites: Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Giardia lamblia. According to the IC test, the infection rate for Cryptosporidium parvum was 9.75%, while Entamoeba histolytica recorded an infection rate of 17.9%. Microscopic examination showed an infection rate of 14.54% for E. histolytica, while C. parvum had an infection rate of 5% based on PCR testing. The overall infection rate of intestinal parasites included in the study was 77.77%. No significant differences were observed between male and female infection rates, with 54.28% of infections occurring in males and 45.71% in females. The highest infection rate was recorded in the 10-15 years age group. Additionally, the highest monthly infection rate was observed in January at 18.5%, while the lowest rate was recorded in June at 2.4%.

Head lice are a type of external parasitic insect belonging to the order Phthriaptera. These insects are characterized by their small size and flattened shape. Head lice do not have simple eyes, but the eyes are reduced or completely absent. They also have piercing-sucking mouthparts. These insects live on mammals and feed on their blood, potentially transmitting diseases to humans. Samples were taken from different areas in Kirkuk Governorate. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on five DNA samples extracted from head lice parasites to detect the presence of the COX1 gene using primers designed for this purpose. Agarose gel electrophoresis of the PCR products showed the appearance of bands of 720 base pairs in all amplified samples, representing 100% of the studied samples.

Enzymatic antioxidants glutathione peroxidase (GPX1) and catalase (CAT) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) reduce the effects of oxidative agents by converting them into water molecules, this study aims to evaluate the accuracy and sensitivity of the analytical method in detecting very low concentrations of GPX1 and CAT and the relationship to NAFLD. The study included males and females with a ratio of 44:46 and after examining them with ultrasound, they were divided into three groups, including the healthy group, the group of patients with light accumulated fat, and the group of patients with medium to severe accumulated. GPX1 and CAT were evaluated by the immunoassay method, lipid levels, fasting sugar, liver enzymes were measured with Cubas 6000 technology. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by the ratio of weight (kg) to height square in meter (m2). Quantitative results for the lowest concentrations of GPX1 and CAT showed that they were highly accurate, sensitive and repeatable. The statistical significance was high and acceptable for high concentrations in patients for fasting sugar, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and BMI especially in women, either GPX, CAT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides (TG) especially in males, but CAT was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). The results confirmed that the analytical method was highly accurate, and the biomarkers were relevant and influential in NAFLD, the effect of the enzymatic antioxidants GPX1 was more than the CAT that did not show it.