Kurdistan Region Research Articles

Uncovering Factors Contributing to Poor Asthma Control among Asthmatic Patients in Erbil City - Kurdistan Region

الكشف عن العوامل التي تساهم في ضعف السيطرة على الربو: مجموعة مستقبلية خلاصة الخلفية: الربو هو مرض غير متجانس، ويتميز عادة بالتهاب مجرى الهواء المزمن وتقييد تدفق الهواء الزفير المتغير الهدف: كان الهدف من هذه الدراسة هو الكشف عن العوامل التي تساهم في ضعف السيطرة على الربو في مدينة أربيل في العراق. طُرق: تم إجراء هذه الدراسة الرصدية المقطعية على 200 مريض مصاب بالربو في الفترة من 1 يونيو 2023 إلى 31 ديسمبر 2023 لتقييم السيطرة على الربو في مدينة أربيل. الخصائص الديموغرافية والسريرية والمحفزات والأمراض المصاحبة ومشاكل الاستنشاق وأسباب الزيارة وحالة السيطرة على الربو باستخدام استبيان أداة تقييم .GINA 2023 ينقسم مستوى التحكم في الربو إلى ثلاثة مستويات يمكن التحكم فيها، ومستوى يمكن التحكم فيه جزئيًا، وغير يمكن التحكم فيه. نتائج: تمت في هذه الدراسة دراسة 200 مريض مصاب بالربو (108 إناث و 92 ذكر(كان متوسط العمر ± SD للمرضى 35.61 ± 17.182 سنة (يتراوح من 15 إلى 81 سنة)، ونسبة الإناث إلى الذكور هي 1.17:1. السيطرة على الربو سيئة للغاية وتم التحكم في 24 مريضًا فقط (12٪.( ليس للجنس ولا للفئة العمرية علاقة ذات دلالة إحصائية مع السيطرة على الربو. تشمل العوامل ذات الأهمية الإحصائية المرتبطة بالسيطرة على الربو تقنية الاستنشاق غير الصحيحة (45.5%)، والخوف من الإدمان (29%)، ووصفات الاستنشاق غير الصحيحة (27.5%)، والساحل (23%)، ونوع الجهاز (22.5%)، والالتهابات (21 ( % ، والتعرض الداخلي والخارجي (18%)، ودخان التبغ (17%)، والتهاب الأنف التحسسي ((%28.5)، والارتجاع المعدي المريئي (21.5(% علاج SABA وحده 104 (52%)، في حين أن العوامل الأخرى المرتبطة بالسيطرة على الربو ولكنها ليست ذات دلالة إحصائية مثل الإجهاد العاطفي (9.5%) وحساسية الطعام (8.5%)، والسمنة (15%)، والتهاب الجلد التأتبي (6(% ، انقطاع التنفس الانسدادي أثناء النوم (15%)، والحمل (5.5 .(% خاتمة: من العوامل ذات الأهمية الإحصائية المرتبطة بسوء التحكم في الربو هي أن الربو الذي يتم التحكم فيه بشكل سيئ مرتبط بأجهزة الاستنشاق (تقنية الاستنشاق غير المناسبة، وصفة الاستنشاق غير المناسبة، وعدم الالتزام بجهاز الاستنشاق) والمحفزات (العدوى، والحساسية، والدخان، والتلوث) والأمراض المصاحبة (التهاب الجيوب الأنفية، والارتجاع المعدي المريئي.( الكلمات المفتاحية: ، المثيرات الربو، السيطرة، الاستنشاق ، الأمراض المصاحبة.

Evaluating the Adverse Effects and Associated Risk Factors of COVID-19 Vaccines Among Healthcare Workers: A Retrospective Study in the Duhok Province, Iraq.

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted global health, necessitating the rapid development of vaccines to reduce its effects. However, concerns among healthcare workers regarding vaccine safety and side effects have led to increased hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, this study aims to assess the severity of adverse effects and associated factors of three COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers in Iraqi Kurdistan. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers in Duhok province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, with 625 participants aged 18 to 65 years (mean age 38.42±13.96) from August to December 2022. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. The study questionnaire consisted of two parts: the first part collected demographic information about the participants, while the second part focused on their COVID-19 infection and vaccination status. Of the total participants, 52.8% were female, with a mean age of 38.42 years (±13.96 SD). Approximately 67.5% received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and 60.9% had a prior history of COVID-19 infection. A significant proportion (82.24%) reported side effects, which were mostly mild or moderate, with 13.6% experiencing severe symptoms. The most commonly reported side effects across all three vaccines were pain at the injection site, fever, headache, and fatigue. Participants aged 36-50 reported significantly higher rates of severe side effects (87.88%, p = 0.047). Individuals with a history of allergies experienced significantly fewer adverse effects (48.93%) (p = 0.001). Those with prior COVID-19 infection also reported more severe symptoms post-vaccination (p = 0.001) and vaccine type-influenced side effects (p < 0.001), with Oxford/AstraZeneca recipients more likely to experience severe reactions compared to Pfizer recipients. Fatigue, chills, tremors, and myalgia were significantly more common in females than males (p < 0.005). This study identified the most common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. AstraZeneca vaccine was associated with a higher prevalence of systemic effects, including fever, fatigue, headache and myalgia. These findings provide valuable insights into the safety and side effect profile of COVID-19 vaccines in the region.

Democratization, Foreign Military Intervention, and Rebel Fragmentation in Civil War: Evidence from the PKK Insurgency in Turkey

Abstract In this paper, by studying the fragmentation of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in 2004, I identify two distinct pathways to rebel fragmentation: one that is triggered by democratization in the home country (EU-anchored democratization in Turkey) and the other by the empowerment of a rival co-ethnic organization in a neighboring country through foreign military intervention (American invasion of Iraq and the empowerment of Iraqi Kurdish leadership). First, by expanding the room for nonviolent mobilization, democratization can result in an organizational fragmentation between soft-liners, who support laying down the arms, and hard-liners, who prefer the continuation of the armed insurgency under new circumstances. Second, foreign intervention in a neighboring country can radically change the distribution of power and empower an organization’s rival co-ethnic organization. This can lead some actors within the organization to rethink their alliances and advocate a better relationship with their rival co-ethnics and the intervening foreign power, resulting in organizational fragmentation over the organization’s external relationships. The paper broadly contributes to the literature on rebel fragmentation, the effects of democratization on civil war processes, international dynamics of civil wars, transborder ethnic-kin, and rebel alliances in civil wars.

Fixers, Fieldwork, and Precarity: The Postcoloniality of Western Fieldwork on ISIS in Kurdistan

After the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in 2014 and the fight of both Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces as well as the Syrian Kurdish forces of the People's Protection Units (YPG, Yekîneyên Parastina Gel) and the Women's Protection Units (YPJ, Yekîneyên Parastina Jin) against them, Western journalists tried to gather information quickly. Locals were happy to share as much as possible, as ISIS was a great danger. As an often forgotten population under permanent occupation seeking visibility, the Kurds allow Westerners unparalleled access to the field and provide unpaid or underpaid labor, hoping that the world will see their struggle. This deepened the disparity between Kurdish journalists, academics, and writers and their Western counterparts. Using postcolonial theory on the mindset of colonialized peoples, this article shows how the fear of being forgotten, the material disparity between colonizers and colonized, and the coloniality of local political actors are obstacles for Kurdish professionals. Looking at a focus-group discussion and two interviews with Kurdish journalists, fixers, and translators from Iraq and Syria, the comparison shows that both autonomous regions are projects that sought to end decades of occupation and now face challenges that show similarities and differences.

Transgenerational Traumatization in the Yazidi Community

In recent years Islamic terrorism has manifested itself with an unexpectedly destructive force. Even though in most cases it started locally, it has spread its terror over the whole world. In August 2014, when troops of the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” invaded areas of northern Iraq, they turned on the long-established religious minorities in the area with tremendous brutality, especially toward the Yazidi religious minority. Huge numbers of men were executed, and women and children were abducted and subjected to sexual violence. In an attempt at systematic destruction of the Yazidi community, the religious minority was to be eliminated and the will of the victims broken. The medical and mental health issues of the resulting from the combined subjective, collective, and cultural traumas, last not least followed by the migrant and refugee crisis, are extraordinary and need new and wise concepts of integrated medical care.

Geopolitics of Inter-subaltern Colonialism and Gender: Challenging Methodological Dualism through the “Woman, Life, Freedom” Journey from Kurdistan to Iran

By challenging postcolonial theory's “methodological dualism,” this article explores non-Western intersocietal encounters and interactions that facilitated the vanguard role of the Kurdish region of Iran (Rojhelat) in the country's “woman, life, freedom” revolutionary movement. The neglect of inter-subaltern interactions within the framework of methodological dualism has rendered it incapable of explaining the agential entanglement of “inter-subaltern colonialism” and gender in the non-Western nation-building process and its subsequent impact on the affected groups. Addressing this limitation, the author argues that Rojhelat's vanguard position arises from the strategic deployment of patriarchal gender norms in Iran's nation-building process characterized by “inter-subaltern colonialism” before and after the 1979 revolution. Anti-patriarchal tendencies within the left faction of the Kurdish national movement in Rojhelat emerged in response to this context, rendering it receptive to the slogan “woman, life, freedom,” which originally emerged through the Kurdish freedom movement in Turkey and Syria. Furthermore, the centrality of gender in the Islamic Republic of Iran's exceptionalist geopolitical discourses has made the slogan a powerful tool for expressing opposition to the state and mobilizing multiple oppressed groups.

The possibility of adopting a centralized electronic invoice system and its impact in determining the tax base: An analytical study of the opinions of a sample of academics, professionals and employees of income tax departments - Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Erbil city)

This research aims to demonstrate the extent to which tax departments (income tax) can adopt the central electronic invoice system as one of the modern technological systems that can be used by the tax authority in order to reach a fair tax base for taxpayers. To achieve the research objective, an electronic questionnaire was distributed to a sample of (104) individuals from accounting academics in universities and institutes in Erbil city and professionals and employees of income tax departments. The results were analyzed using the statistical program (SPSS). The research reached several conclusions, including that the central electronic invoice system is an effective tool to enhance transparency and efficiency in the tax system despite potential challenges. In addition, adopting this system will lead to improving the determination of the tax base, reducing tax evasion and stimulating the formal economy. Success in this field requires close cooperation between the government and companies to provide the appropriate technical and legal environment. There is a possibility for tax departments to adopt the electronic invoice system and work on it to develop the process of determining the tax base for taxpayers. The study recommended the necessity of spreading the culture of voluntary commitment to join the electronic invoice system and including the electronic invoice and other accounting programs in the curricula of accounting departments in colleges and institutes and conducting training courses and seminars for the tax community and technical workers on dealing with the electronic invoice system in tax departments.

Evaluation of Cretaceous-Tertiary Limestones and Clay for Portland Cement in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Due to the high demand for construction in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, it is economically natural resources used to minimize importing from other countries, and to increase working hands. Since, limestone is one of the basic raw materials in the cement industry, for this purpose, in the Harir anticline limestone of the Shiranish Formation was mixed with clay of Fatha Formation, in the Shakrok anticline limestone of the Shiranish Formation mixed with clay of Injana Formation, and in the Binabawi anticline limestone of the Shiranish Formation in mixed with clay of the Mukdadiya Formation, dependent on their suitable nearby site locations for factories from each other. The chemical analysis observed by XRF for specifying the major oxides content of CaO, MgO, SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3. three theoretical mixtures of the cement raw materials showed that they have lower liquid content and higher minimum burning temperature in the burning zone, this problem was solved by adding 0.5% iron ore. The Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy-Dispersive by X-Ray spectroscopy carried out for better observation of clinker phase formation showed that the major phases are alite and belite, which indicates suitable burning conditions. Presence of free lime after burning as shown in SEM is due to high CaO content in the limestone raw material.

Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first appeared in Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan region governorates, in March 2020. 48,494 samples were collected from public hospitals in the Kurdish governates from February 2021 to May 2022. Viral RNA was extracted, and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the COVID-19 variants. Statistical analysis of patients' clinical data was performed. The RT-PCR results identified the Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants in the Kurdistan governorates. Young adults (20-39 years) had significantly higher rate of infection than children (1-11 months) and older adults (80-89 years). The Delta wave was more contiguous, spread more easily, and more fatal than the Alpha and Omicron waves. The highest number of COVID-19 cases was reported in Sulaymaniyah and Duhok; and the highest death rate was reported in Sulaymaniyah. The death rate in males was higher than in females, especially among older people. Fatigue, cough, and fever were common symptoms among the three variants. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the L-type of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was a descendant of the S-type at an early stage of evolution. The L-type could spread faster in Kurdistan. Multiple sequence alignment (MSA) confirmed that all L-type variants in different countries were 100% similar in sequence, and all were mutated in the regions 8782: ORF1ab and 28144: ORF8 703. This study described the COVID-19 waves, pathogenesis, and evolution of the virus in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

MEDIA REPRESENTATION OF THE IRAQI KURDISTAN REGION DURING THE REFERENDUM: A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS

This study conducted a linguistic analysis of the media representation of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region during the Kurdistan Referendum on September 25, 2017. The research aimed to bridge two methodologies: corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. By examining how the media portrayed the Iraqi Kurdistan Region during the referendum, this study shed light on the linguistic dimensions of media coverage and the issues surrounding the referendum. Data were collected from six different news sites worldwide and analysed using corpus tools through AntConc. The findings showed that Western media outlets in the United Kingdom and the United States, including BBC News, CNN, Fox News, and Sky News, represented the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Referendum negatively. In contrast, Rudaw, a local media channel in Iraqs Kurdistan Region, provided a completely positive portrayal, while Al Jazeera maintained an unbiased attitude.

Medical Students' Perception Toward Using AI in Medical Education in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and aim AIis revolutionizing medical education by offering innovative tools and simulations that augment traditional teaching methods. This study explored the perceptions and expectations of medical students in the Kurdistan region, Iraq, regarding AI integration in medical education. Methods A cross-sectional online survey collected data from 224 medical students over four months. A descriptive analysis was conducted to present the student's attitudes. Results In total, 224 medical students responded to the online survey. The majority of them were female (n=129; 57.6%), while 95 were male (42.4%). Additionally, most of the participants were in stage 4 (54 (24.1%); stage 1, 48 (21.4%); and stage 2, 43 (19.2%). In terms of measuring students' perceptions of AI integration in medical education, 186 (83%) of the students wanted to use smartphones and tablets, and 38 (17%)of them reported wanting hard copies. In addition, 112 (50%) of the medical students considered themselves experts in using AI and 98 (43.8%) did not know exactly what AI was used; however, only a few of them (6.3%) did not use AI. Few patients reported using Manikins instead of real patients (42 (18.8%)), while 140 (62.5%) reported that they could be used but not an alternative. Conclusion While many agree that digital tools and simulations are useful teaching tools, they are frequently viewed as adjunctive approaches. Better integration and training are required for the infrequent use of AI tools in medical education.

Undergraduate nursing student's perception toward the nursing profession in Iraqi-Kurdistan. An exploratory study

Nursing students' perception towards the nursing profession is vital and has a positive impact on the successful recruitment, retention, and attrition of staff from the health care agencies. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of undergraduate nursing students toward the nursing profession in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan region. The study was conducted at the University of Duhok, a college of nursing in the Kurdistan Region. The researcher of the current study used Nursing Image as a Profession Questionnaire (NIPQ) for the purpose of data collection. Based on the analysis of the participant's responses, the results revealed that in general students have positive perceptions towards the nursing profession. The early twentieth age group students were more satisfied in nursing than the late twentieth age group. High school grades were regarded as the main reason for joining the faculty of nursing. Having a nurse friend or relative and a positive family reaction was perceived as positive influential factors for student enrollment in the nursing program. Few students had a very negative attitude and they attacked the nursing profession when talking with others. The current study concluded that students have positive perceptions towards the nursing profession in the four aspects of the description of the profession, social view perspectives, benefits of the nursing profession, and students' satisfaction in nursing.

Assessing COVID-19 outcomes among healthcare workers: a retrospective study.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in healthcare workers, assess the incidence of infection among them, and identify factors linked to the severity of the disease. This cross-sectional study was conducted retrospectively in Duhok city, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, from September 2021 to January 2023. The study included 1,958 participants, of whom 1,338 (68.33%) contracted the infection. Among them, 830 (62.03%) and 372 (27.81%) patients experienced mild and moderate infections, respectively, while 136 (10.1%) had severe infections. The results indicated that several factors, including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding obesity, having a chronic condition, working consecutive hours, and being in an overwhelmed work environment were significantly associated with a higher severity of infection (p < 0.05). However, factors such as smoking habits, adherence to preventive health guidelines, direct exposure to COVID-19 patients, work days and patterns, family members with COVID-19, and hand/glove sterilization did not appear to have a significant effect on the severity of infection (p > 0.05). These findings may offer valuable insights for clinicians and public health officials, and aid in the development of effective strategies to manage COVID-19 patients based on their risk factors for infection severity.

Tectonic framework of Iraq. A critical review and discussion

The Iraqi territory forms the northeastern part of the Arabian Plate, which is in collision with the Eurasian Plate. The collision of the plates has formed the Zagros Foreland Basin, which includes the Zagros Fold–Thrust Belt. The belt covers the majority of the northern part of Iraq (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) and parts of the central part of Iraq. South of the belt, the Mesopotamian Foredeep is developed. All these parts of Iraq are considered tectonically unstable. To the west and south of the Mesopotamian Foredeep, the tectonically stable part is developed that has been affected by a lesser amount of deformation as compared to the remaining unstable parts by the exerted forces related to the collision of both plates. All researchers have divided tectonically Iraq into two main tectonic domains; called Stable and Unstable shelves, which are further divided into zones and sub-zones. However, different terms and names were used by different researchers, which has confused readers and workers who have dealt with the tectonics of the Iraqi territory. We have reviewed and discussed all existing divisions by different researchers and have suggested new terminology using the existing maps, reports, scientific published articles, and interpreting satellite images, besides field observations. Moreover, we presented a tectonic map with the suggested new terminology.

GIS Application for Creating Potential Flood Map Using AHP: A Case Study in Chaq-Chaq Valley, Sulaymaniyah City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

This study aims to analyze and classify the hazards of flooding within the Chaq-Chaq sub-basin, the Sharazoor-Piramagroon basin, Sulaymaniyah City, Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The selected area is exposed to flooding from time to time. The study adopted many thematic maps, namely the topographic wetness index (TWI), elevation, slope, precipitation, land use–land cover (LULC), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), distance from the river, distance from the road, and drainage density. Modern technologies like remote sensing, GIS, ENVI, and AHP programs are used to obtain a digital map showing the classification of the flooding hazard within the sub-basin area. The results showed that large parts, about 50% of the basin area, are exposed to high and very high classes of flood risk. In comparison, areas of medium risk constituted about 27% of the total area of the sub-basin. Parts with low and very low risk recorded a percentage estimated at 22% of the total area. Large parts of the city of Sulaymaniyah face a high and very high risk of flooding, significantly impacting the tourist areas and economic facilities situated in the valley basin.

Transactional leadership and intellectual capital, the mediating role of knowledge sharing: The study of customs employees in Sulaymaniyah governorate

This study aims to examine the impact of transactional leadership style on intellectual capital, and knowledge sharing as a mediator between transactional leadership and each of the intellectual capital components (human capital, structural capital, and relational capital) in the public sector, in Sulaymaniyah governorate in north of Iraq. The research model was settled based on the previous investigations on transactional leadership, knowledge sharing, and intellectual capital. To collect the data, convenience sampling was utilized, questionnaires were sent to employees in five customs directorates, and 355 responses were received. The research model analytical estimation was conducted through the employment of (SEM) Structural Equation Modeling by using Partial Least Square (PLS). The findings of the research show that transactional leadership has a significant relationship with knowledge sharing as well as with all three components of intellectual capital. Knowledge sharing also has a significant correlation with the components of intellectual capital. Moreover, the study's results show that knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between transactional leadership with human capital, structural capital, and relational capital.

The Effect of the Topolitosequnces on The Mineral Properties of Some Soils of Sulaymaniyah Governorate / Kurdistan Region

This study was conducted to determine the effect of different parent materials and topography on the mineral composition Sulaymaniyah Governorate was chosen as a site for its conduct. Select transact of study within the Bazian Plain extending from the Bazian Heights in the west to the Taslujah Heights in the east. The results were: The predominance of clay minerals is chlorite &gt; smectite &gt; mica &gt; Interstratified minerals &gt; kaolinites. The predominance of the minerals chlorite, smectite, and mica in the clays of these soils is mainly due to the influence of their parent material (limestone, limestone, Maral), especially within Pedons, the high areas at both ends of the aforementioned study transect (Taslujah, Bazian), whose parent material consisted of rocks. (Limestone and limestone-Maral) respectively. While the dominance of mica minerals within the soils of the plains of the plain region is due to the influence of the source material, slope, topography, and distance from high ends.

Identification of Flood-Prone Areas Using Geo-Informatics: A Case Study of Erbil City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Global flood events, intensified by an intricate interplay of natural dynamics and human activities, pose severe environmental and safety threats, driving the demand for advanced vulnerability assessments. This research innovates with a holistic geo-informatics methodology, pinpointing flood-prone regions in Erbil City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. It harnesses the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Geographic Information System synergies, enriched with insights from multispectral satellite observations, to conduct an exhaustive analysis of key flood susceptibility indicators. These encompass geological, hydrological, meteorological, and anthropogenic parameters, integrated into a robust Geographic Information System analytical matrix. Through strategic factor analysis and prioritization, the study distills a detailed flood susceptibility cartogram, classifying regional vulnerabilities into distinct risk echelons: high (encompassing 25%), moderate (38.1%), low (28.4%), and very low (8.5%). The final flood map highlights an acute susceptibility epicenter in the northeast, contrasting with the minimal threat southwest. This demarcation reaffirms the Analytic Hierarchy Process-Geographic Information System fusion's precision in translating multifaceted data into strategic intelligence, proving instrumental for scholars, administrative frameworks, and developmental strategists. The insights garnered are pivotal in sculpting informed urban development and flood counteractive blueprints, instrumental in mitigating flood repercussions and preserving ecological and human integrities.

The Paleogene Forebulge Carbonate Banks, Zagros Foreland Basin, Northern Iraq: their Paleogeography, Basin Evolution, and Economic Implications

The Paleogene sequence of Zagros foreland basin NE Iraq during the Late Paleocene- Middle Eocene is punctuated by linear and disconnected chains of carbonate bank-ramp associations. These carbonate units had developed over the NW-SE trending Paleogene basin forebuldge. Discussion of origin, facies type, and stratigraphic architecture of these banks and associated facies was fully covered by the first part of this research project. In this part the chronostratigraphic synthases of the sequence, the paleogeography, and basin evolution is examined as an integral part of the investigation of the evolution of the Paleogene Zagros foreland basin. Research methods include regional stratigraphic correlation, and biostratigraphic data compilation to infer the chronostratigraphic sequence of the events. The paleogeographic facies mapping and basin history are reviewed accordingly. Research data are collected from 15 master surface sections. In addition to the re-examination and re-interpretation of 40 previously studied surface and subsurface well logs, which are compiled for basin-wide study and regional paleogeographic mapping. The analysis of the compiled biostratigraphic data shows that the inferred age of the associated stratigraphic units is as follows: Sinjar Formation. (E. Thanetian – L. Ypresian), Khurmala Formation (Ypresian - E. Lutetian), Kolosh Formation (Daian -Thanetian), and Aaliji Formation (Danian - Ypresian). Based on this chronostratigraphic synthesis, the basin forebulge history during the Paleogene period is divided into 5 stages: the Pre-bank, Early Bank Development, Bank-ramp Development, Back-bank Lagoon, and Lagoonal dolomitization stage. The paleogeography and paleofacies maps of each stage is discussed in terms of the basin forebulge evolution. An alternative hydrocarbon play of the forebulge-controlled Paleogene sequence is discussed, with a case study from the Sufaiyah oil field of northwest Iraq.

Detection of The Presence of Aflatoxin, Cyclopiazonic Acid and Other Alkaloids in Raisin Juice in Mosul City and its Suburbs

28 samples of fresh raisin juice were collected randomly from the city of Mosul, the right and left sides, and its suburbs. The samples were collected from the areas of Bashiqa, Hamdaniya, Bartella, Aqra, and Dohuk. The presence of Aflatoxine by the ELISA method and Cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and other alkaloids by the modified Ehrlich reagent method, where there was a variation in the extent of contamination of the samples with Aflatoxine, ranging from 0.0235 ng/L, the highest concentration in the R1 sample, the sample was from the Bashiqa region, and the source of the raisins was from Mosul herbalists, to the lowest concentration 0.002 ng/L in the two R31 samples. This sample was collected from Mosul, left side, Al-Majmoua Al-Thaqafiya neighborhood, the sample R37 is also from Mosul, left side, Al-Masarif neighborhood. As for the other samples, the concentrations ranged from (0.007, 0.005, 0.013, 0.0135, 0.009, 0.0075, 0.01, and 0.0205, 0.012, 0.003, 0.005, 0.008, 0.017, and 0.002) ng/L. As for Cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), there were samples contaminated with this poison, and there were samples with a small percentage of contamination, as the highest concentration was in samples R2, R3, R5, R7, R8, R9, R12, R13, R15, R19, R20, R34, R35, R37, and R38. The lowest concentration is in samples R1, R6, R17, R22, R23, R39, and R40. There are samples that contain other alkaloids, as in samples R16, R21, R24, and R30. All of these samples were the source of raisins. It is either from Attarin, Mosul or northern Iraq.