Kurdistan Region Research Articles

Relationship between Diabetes and Hyperuricemia in Zakho city – Kurdistan region of Iraq: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to explore the prevalence of hyperuricemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and identify associated factors. Methods: A total of 228 adult patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in this study. Data including demographic characteristics, clinical parameters, and serum uric acid levels were collected from medical records. Patients were categorized into two groups based on uric acid levels: hyperuricemia (≥7 mg/dL for males, ≥6 mg/dL for females) and non-hyperuricemic. Descriptive statistics and unpaired t-tests were utilized for analysis. Results: A total of 228 patient were included (60.53% of them were female), according to standard guidelines hyperuricemia was defined as (≥ 7 mg/dl for male and ≤ 6 mg/dl for female) among them, 39.47% exhibited hyperuricemia. Mean uric acid level was 5.84±2.03. Significant associations were observed between uric acid levels and age (p = 0.0003), marital status (p = 0.0358), duration of diabetes (p = 0.0013), and HbA1c levels (p < 0.0001). However, other factors such as gender, smoking status, family history of diabetes, body mass index, and waist circumference did not show significant associations with uric acid levels. Conclusion: This study highlights a notable prevalence of hyperuricemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Factors such as older age, longer duration of diabetes, and poorer glycemic control were associated with higher uric acid levels. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and managing uric acid levels in diabetic patients to mitigate potential metabolic complications. Further prospective studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and clinical implications of this relationship.

Influence of Inadequate Sleep on Blood Pressure among the Population in Zakho District

Objective: This study explores the impact of inadequate sleep on blood pressure levels among the population of Zakho district's, Kurdistan Region, highlighting the unique cultural, economic, and geographical factors contributing to these conditions. Methods: This case-control study involved 1038 participants aged 18-65 years, divided into two groups. 527 cases, who have inadequate sleep <7 hours(n=262), <6 hours (n=194), <5 hours(n=71). and 511 control who have an adequate amount of sleep of 7-9 hours. The study assessed sleep quantity through self-reported sleep duration using an interview questionnaire. Blood pressure was measured three times (with at least a one-minute interval between each reading) using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer and a properly sized cuff. The American Heart Association defines healthy and unhealthy blood pressure ranges. Chi-square and t-tests were used to examine the relationship between sleep duration and hypertension. Results: The prevalence of all stages of hypertension was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (p=0.0001) (Table 5). Stage I: 151(58.3% case), 108(41.7% control). Stage II: 106 (60.92% case), 68(39.08% control). Hypertensive crisis: 5 (100% case), 0(0% control). With the Exception of elevated blood pressure which was more prevalent among the control group:129 (60), than case group 86 (40%). Among those with normal blood pressure, the prevalence was also higher in the control group; 206 (53.51% control), 179 (46.49% case). Conclusion: The study indicates that inadequate sleep durations increase the risk of hypertension. Improving sleep habits could prevent hypertension. Further research is needed in Zakho district to establish the relationship between sleep duration and hypertension. Addressing sleep disturbances can improve public health, especially among high-risk populations.

Navigating Informal Peace Education Programs in Iraq: Challenges, Progress, and Pathways Forward

Iraq has a long history of social unrest, sectarian violence, and ethnic conflict. Various Iraqi governments have used the education system to push their political goals, worsening these internal conflicts. After these difficult times, there is a strong need to create real peace through major changes in education. However, because of Iraq’s violent and divided past, achieving lasting peace through education is a tough challenge. This study looks at Iraq, including the Kurdistan Regional Government, and their efforts to reform the education system since 2003. Despite these efforts, one crucial element is missing: the deliberate inclusion of peace studies in the curriculum. Using a qualitative approach, this research explores Iraq’s attempts to integrate peace education programs into the higher education system. It explains both the strategies used and the challenges faced in implementing peace education. Additionally, this paper highlights possible ways for Iraq to advance peace education at all levels, from primary schools to universities.

Motivation for the development of China-Kurdistan relations

The relationship between China and the Kurdistan Region is relatively new, as it started after the fall of the Ba'ath regime in post-2003 Iraq. The main question of this study is, what are the main motivations of China in its relations with the Kurdistan Region? For the sake of answering this question through a theoretical approach, this paper relies on the concepts of soft power and development. Both concepts are argued to guide and construct the Chinese foreign policy in the Middle East. Methodologically, this research is a qualitative one, benefitting from qualitative data and analysis. This research puts forward the argument that China's relations with the Kurdistan Region are based on soft power calculations relying on economic and commercial means. China refrains from political interference as it perceives and handles the relations with the Kurdistan Region from the perspective of China’s Iraq policy. This study has concluded that trade and economic factors are steering the China-Kurdistan Region’s relationship, and so far relations have not reached the political or strategic level. Two factors are hindering the development of relations into the political sphere. First, China prefers establishing relations with states, rather than non-state entities like Kurdistan Region, as it struggles with a similar problem at home. Second, the Kurdistan Region is politically and militarily affiliated with the United States, which makes China-Kurdistan's relations stop on economic and trade levels and do not proceed to the political level.

Psychosocial and Sexual Aspects of Female Genital Circumcision in a Sample of Kurdish Women in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Female genital circumcision (FGC), a prevalent practice in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, has significant psychosocial and sexual implications for affected women. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate these impacts among circumcised and non-circumcised Kurdish women. This comparative study was conducted from January 2 to June 27, 2023, at the Al Mesalla for Human Rights Improvement organization in Erbil, Iraq. Purposive sampling was used to collect data using a comprehensive questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic information, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), and the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale-Short Form (NSSS-S). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), with frequency and percentage used for categorical variables and mean and standard deviation for quantitative variables. Independent sample t-tests and Chi-square tests were conducted to compare groups. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 772 participants were enrolled in the study, including 382 circumcised and 390 non-circumcised women. The study found significant differences between the two groups in terms of depression, self-esteem, and sexual satisfaction. Circumcised women had higher mean scores for depression (12.19 ± 5.6 vs. 10.68 ± 5.3), lower mean scores for self-esteem (24.4 ± 12.1 vs. 30.3 ± 10.1), and lower mean scores for sexual satisfaction (52.4 ± 24.6 vs. 67.6 ± 20.4) compared to non-circumcised women (all p < 0.001). The study demonstrated that FGC is associated with higher levels of depression, lower self-esteem, and lower sexual satisfaction among Kurdish women. It is recommended for policymakers and healthcare providers to develop targeted interventions to address the psychosocial and sexual health needs of circumcised women in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Perceptions of Surgeons in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Regarding the Use of Artificial Intelligence.

Artificil intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing healthcare by seamlessly integrating into various aspects of human life. From robotic surgery to virtual nursing assistants and image analysis applications, AI is transforming the way we approach and deliver healthcare. By leveraging AI, patients can gain a deeper understanding of their symptoms, empowering them to make informed decisions about their health and ultimately improving their quality of life. Methods: An online survey collected data from social media platforms regarding the surgeon society in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. All statistical analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25(Released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York). A total of 316 surgeons responded to the survey. A significant majority believed that using artificial intelligence benefits patients, and a substantial number advocated for its avoidance as a matter of principle. More than half said that AI would always impact education, and half of the participants said that AI would always affect complication prediction. This is the first study investigating surgeon attitudes and perceptions regarding the use of AI in the Kurdistan region. The surgeons who responded generally appreciated AI's use in their practice. Notably, general surgeons showed greater openness to integrating AI into their daily practices compared to those in other surgical specialties.

The Role of Organizational Innovative Capabilities in Achieving Strategic Agility: An analytical study of the opinions of administrative leaders in private universities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The changes in the business environment have caused organizations to focus a lot on improving their organizational innovative capabilities to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage by keeping pace with these changes and developing their strategic agility to meet the demands of their customers. This research investigates the role of organizational innovative capabilities in achieving strategic agility among administrative leaders in private universities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Based on the nature of the research and the objectives it seeks to achieve, a descriptive-analytical approach has been relied upon. In this research quantitative method was used through questionnaires to collect data and the target samples were 238 administrative leaders, including deans of faculties/colleges, vice deans, heads of departments, coordinators of departments, and unit administrators who were selected through simple random sampling as academic and administrative leaders in private universities in all the cities in the Kurdistan region. The data has been analyzed with the help of several statistical methods, the correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regressions as a measure of the strength of the linear relationship and impact between the two variables of organizational innovative capabilities and strategic agility. Statistical data were analyzed and hypotheses were tested using the SPSS program. The results of the research showed that organizational innovative capabilities have a strong relationship with strategic agility.

Exploring Social Welfare Regimes in the Context of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Social policy derives from the welfare regime which is embraced in the political structure. Starting from this argument, this article provides an overview of social service provisions, and in light of major welfare regimes, it examines the adopted social welfare system in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). In this article, social welfare is defined as a systematic attempt to provide the well-being of the population. Four social welfare approaches (Esping-Andersen’s three typologies of welfare regime plus socialism) are critically examined. Additionally, taking into account the politico-administrative structure, the ambiguity in the social welfare system of the KRG is explored. The article argues that the social welfare system of the KRG, after three decades of self-administration, cannot deviate from the socialist perspective inherited from the former Baathist regime, while a diversion in the KRG’s social welfare approach towards neo-liberalism is highlighted

Students’ Attitudes of Motivational Strategies in EFL Secondary School Contexts in Iraqi Kurdistan

Motivation plays a vital role in the second language learning process (Gardner, 1985), urging many researchers to look into strategies for generating and maintaining students' motivation in language teaching classes. The current study aims to investigate students' attitudes towards motivational strategies in EFL secondary school contexts in Iraqi Kurdistan. The design of the study followed a quantitative approach. The study's primary tool for collecting data was a questionnaire. Three hundred and ninety-one students (221 females and 170 males) from eleven public secondary schools in Shaqlawa district participated in the study. The data was analyzed through SPSS. The study's results demonstrated that Iraqi-Kurdistan secondary school students have positive attitudes towards the motivational strategies employed by their teachers. Moreover, the findings revealed that the teacher's behaviour scale is the motivational scale with the highest level of agreement among students, followed by the goals scale. In contrast, second language-related values and group work emerged as the motivational scales with the lowest level of agreement.

A first revision of the Andrena of Iraq (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae), with the description of two new species from Iraqi Kurdistan and additional records from surrounding countries.

Iraq is a large country in the Middle East region that borders both Turkey and Iran, countries known to host two of the largest bee faunas globally, as expected for a group of insects that favour dry to Mediterranean climates. Despite this huge regional species richness, the bee fauna of Iraq is chronically understudied and poorly known, both in relative and absolute terms. This is true for the hyper-speciose bee genus Andrena, for which only 17 species have been previously published for Iraq. This work is the first modern contribution to the revision of the Andrena fauna of Iraq. Based on new specimen collections in Duhok Governorate (Iraqi Kurdistan) during 2023, a revised total of 59 Andrena species for Iraq (42 species recorded for the first time) is presented, including the description of two new species: Andrena (Aciandrena) duhokensis Wood, sp. nov. and Andrena (Notandrena) baiocchii Wood, sp. nov. The unknown males of A. (Micrandrena) elam Wood, 2022, A. (Micrandrena) obsidiana Wood, 2022, and A. (Notandrena) ayna Wood, 2023 are described. Andrenabakrajoensis Amin & Mawlood, 2019, syn. nov. is synonymised with A. (Holandrena) variabilis Smith, 1853. Additional records are presented from nearby Middle Eastern countries, particularly Lebanon. These results highlight the fundamentally understudied nature of the Iraqi Andrena fauna.

Investigation into the Feasibility of Using Solar-Powered Household Air Conditioner in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Investigation into the Feasibility of Using Solar-Powered Household Air Conditioner in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Importance of social media marketing and electronic word of mouth on brand and customer loyalty

Social media marketing is a powerful tool used across popular social media networks and businesses to achieve their branding and marketing goals. This study explored the role of social media on customer loyalty and brand loyalty. Data was collected from 107 students studying at various universities and high schools in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. SPSS software was used to analyze the data and find out the effects of social media and electronic word of mouth on customer loyalty and brand loyalty. The study findings indicate that the social media market and electronic word of mouth have a positive significant effect on customer loyalty. For brand loyalty, the findings indicate that customer loyalty and social media marketing have positive significant effects, while electronic word of mouth has no effects on it.

School of Law and its Role in Training Lawyers in the South of Kurdistan (1908-1945)

As a scientific foundation, the school of law in Bagdad played a significant role in the Ottoman era. The role of this school became more considerable after establishing the new Iraqi government in 1921. This was basically because the Iraqi government was taking steps towards institutionalizing the governmental institutions. With the advancement of people's daily life, new social issues emerged and all of which needed the enactment of new laws. This school was a great opportunity to educate and train a group of selected jurists who played a significant role in political events and developments. They additionally served the political and cultural movements. Taking part in political activities through political associations and parties have had a considerable influence on the political state of the country, as well as the education of the people. Furthermore, publishing newspapers and magazines was another accessible channel of them to promote cultural and intellectual aspects of Kurdish people’s life in Kurdistan of Iraq. In this study, we have employed the historical research method for recording events, and also objective review and analysis. Based on the analysis of this method, the role and impact of the school in training and educating Kurdish lawyers in the South of Kurdistan in the domains of political, cultural and administrative between the years (1908-1945) has been presented.

Critical Pedagogy in Curriculum Decision Making

Critical pedagogy has recently started to have an impact on the field of TESOL—teaching English to speakers of other languages—by introducing some new socio-political views of language teaching and linguistics. In this research, two main aims are set forward. The first aim is to explain the new concept of critical pedagogy and make suggestions for how it can be incorporated into the TESOL profession. The second is to investigate students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the concept and fundamental tenets of critical pedagogy, as well as the extent to which these tenets are utilised in formulating curricula in the context of Kurdistan. This study adopted a mixed-methods research design to employ instruments for gathering and analysing data from numerous sources. The sample for the study was 120 students who completed a questionnaire. Fourteen students from the same sample participated in focus groups and, seven teachers took part in semi-structured interviews. All participants voluntarily agreed to participate in the research and were affiliated with Soran University in Iraq's Kurdistan region. The findings of this empirical study demonstrate that the stakeholders make the curricular decisions using a monologic approach rather than a dialogic one and that students and lecturers are not engaged in the decision-making process. The results also show that both teachers and learners are not very satisfied with the banking model of education and would like to be allowed to actively participate in the design and development of teaching curricula from a critical perspective.

Histopathologic Changes and Molecular Characterization of Fascioliasis (a Zoonotic Disease) among Slaughtered Livestock in Erbil and Halabja Abattoirs, Kurdistan Region-Iraq

داء حلزون كبد الاغنام (المتورقات) الناجم عن Fasciola (F.) hepatica وF. gigantica مرض معد يصيب الإنسان والحيوانات المجترة في العديد من دول العالم، بما في ذلك العراق. إن دراسة هذه الطفيليات، وتأثيراتها الضارة على مختلف المضائف، شكليًا ، نسيجيا ، وبائيًا وجزيئيًا مهمة جدًا. لهذا السبب تم تصميم البحث الحالي للتحقق من المثقوبة الكبدية في الماشية التي تم ذبحها في مسالخ مدينة أربيل وحلبجة من شهر اب إلى شهر تشرين الاول ٢٠٢٢. حيث تم جمع ٣٣ مثقوبة كبدية من القنوات الصفراوية للحيوانات. نقلت العينات إلى مختبر أبحاث علم الحيوان، جامعة صلاح الدين- أربيل. تم استخدام بعض العينات لتحديد العينة مظهريا، في حين تم حفظ بعضها في ٩٦ ٪ من الإيثانول وتخزينها عند -20 م. °ثم تم استخلاص الحمض النووي لتحديد العينة جزيئيا. من ناحية أخرى، تم تثبيت قطع من كبد المجترات المصابة في ٩٩٪ إيثانول و ١٠٪ فورمالين قبل استخدامها في فحص الأنسجة. تم التعرف على أنواع هذه الطفيليات باستخدام الوحدة الفرعية28SrDNA ، وتفاعل البوليميراز المتسلسل التقليدي (PCR)، وطرق التسلسل. بالفحص المجهري كان تضخم الكبد هو النتيجة الرئيسية للاصابات. کانت أعلى نسبة للالصابة بين الأبقار ٥،٦٪ ، يليها الماعز ٥،٠٪ ، والأغنام ٢،٠٪. بينت النتائج وجود تطابقا بنسبة ٩٨-٩٩٪ مطابقة لسلسلةمن بنك الجينات ل F. hepatica وF. gigantica . ثبت أيضًا أن تسلسل 28SrDNA-PCR جنبًا إلى جنب مع الخصائص الشكلية لأنواع Fasciola يمكن تطبيقه كمؤشر بارز في تحديد هذة المثقوبات. تعتبر الدراسة الحالية بمثابة تحقيق شامل لداء المتورقات في إقليم كردستان.

Federal principles in constitutional organization for the unorganized provinces in Iraq

In the constitutional organization of the provinces in Iraq within the framework of the current constitution (2005) and considering them as a constituent unit of the federal system in Iraq, this is clearly emphasized in the constitutional text in Article (116) K.C Federal oppression in Iraq consists of the capital, regions and provinces Decentralization and local administrations thus reflect the principles and phenomena of a different constitutional organization. Therefore, the constitutional status of the provinces and the consequences of implementing the system differ from the legal nature and interpretation within the local governance process. In this study, we will examine the position of the unorganized provinces in the Kurdistan Region within the framework of the constitutional organization in force in Iraq for the year (2005) and highlight the provision of the principles of the federal system in this period.

The petrochemical industry in the energy policy of the Kurdistan Region (A Study in Political Geography)

Petrochemical industries have a special importance in the development of the country, because their products are used as raw materials in most other industries. Therefore, in this study, we focused on the petrochemical industry in the energy policy of the Kurdistan Region. In this study, both force analysis and analytical methods were used, and to reach the scientific responses, we divided the research into three main axes. The first topic analyzes the framework of the research and the second deals with the petrochemical industry and its importance, while the third topic deals with the energy policy and petrochemical industry in the region, as a result we concluded that despite the importance of this type of industry, but so far this type of industry has not been taken care of in the Kurdistan Region.

Effectiveness of Regional Nerve Blocks Versus Local Anesthetic Infiltration for Elective Hand and Wrist Surgery.

Pain relief by different methods in elective hand and wrist surgery is pivotal for patients undergoing elective wrist and hand surgery. To evaluate the effectiveness and duration of peripheral nerve block versus local surgical site anesthetic infiltration among patients undergoing elective wrist and hand surgery. This study was carried out in the Orthopaedic Department of Duhok Emergency Teaching Hospital, Duhok, Kurdistan region, Iraq. All patients who attended the Orthopaedic Department (total number=496) for elective hand and wrist surgery between November 2021 and November 2022 were included in the study, but only 300 patients completed the study protocol after the exclusion of 196 patients. Three methods of nerve block were used for postoperative pain relief.The degree and duration of pain relief were assessed. Patients who underwent ultrasound-guided nerve block had more duration of pain relief when compared to those patients who underwent local surgical site anesthetic infiltration and anatomical landmark nerve block (p<0.01), while patients who underwent local surgical site anesthetic infiltration had better pain relief when compared to those patients who underwent ultrasound-guided nerve block and anatomical landmark nerve block (p<0.01 for the group experiencing mild pain and p=0.12 for the group experiencing moderate pain and p<0.01 for the group experiencing severe pain). Ultrasound-guided nerve block is better for a longer duration of pain relief postoperatively than local surgical site anesthetic infiltration, while local surgical site anesthetic infiltration more effectively controls the severity of pain following elective hand and wrist surgery.

Trichomoniasis Detection Rate Among Female Patients Consulting Different Clinics in Duhok City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Background: Trichomoniasis is a highly prevalent sexually transmitted infection which leads to several public health risks such as urethritis, vaginitis, eventually abortion and sterility and it has been associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Aim of the study: The current cross-sectional study was conducted to measure the rate of Trichomoniasis among female patients consulting different clinics based on direct examination of vaginal swabs, urine samples and cervical discharges specimens.Materials and method: A total of 276 specimens (106 vaginal, 169 urine and 9 cervical) were collected from females aged 18 -45 years consulting four clinics from November, 2022 to May, 2023. The desired patient information was obtained through a designed questionnaire sheet. All specimens processed and examined by direct microscopy following standard protocols. Results were analyzed statistically by Chi-square test and a p value ≥ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The overall rate of positivity was 9.78% (27 out 276). The detection rates by examining vaginal swab wet mount, urine wet mount and cervical wet mount methods were 14.15% (15 out of 106), 6.21% (10 out of 161) and 22.22% (2 out of 9) respectively. There were almost no significant differences between the infection and socio-demographic variables and methods used.Conclusion: The direct microscopy of vaginal swab or urine specimens still has a useful ability to discover positive cases. In order to increase positivity rates additional more sensitive diagnostic techniques such as regular polymerase chain reaction methods for suspected cases are recommended.

Serum Afamin in Prediabetic Individuals in Association with Insulin Resistance and Glycemic Indices: A Case-Control Study

Background: Prediabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by higher serum glucose levels than normal and below the diagnostic threshold for diabetes mellitus. Afamin is a glycoprotein mainly excreted from the liver and facilitates vitamin E transport. Afamin is one of the albumin gene family that includes albumin, α-Fetoprotein, and vitamin D-binding protein. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate serum afamin levels in prediabetic individuals and ascertain the association of serum afamin with insulin resistance and glycemic indices. Material and Methods: A case-control study was performed at Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, consisted of 88 participants, 44 prediabetic individuals and 44 apparently healthy individuals as a control group. Prediabetic individuals were obtained from relatives of patients with diabetes mellitus visiting Azadi Teaching Hospital, whereas, healthy individuals were chosen from the medical staff and college employees. The diagnosis of prediabetes was made according to the American Diabetes Association criteria. Serum afamin were assessed by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, while other biochemical parameters such as HbA1c, glucose and insulin were analyzed by Cobas 6000 (Roche, Hitachi/ Germany). Results: Mean level of serum afamin was higher in prediabetic individuals (115.31±62.74) compared to their level in the control group (91.57±43.46), with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.042). The mean age of prediabetics was (44.05±10.56) with males predominant (63.6%) and 70.5% of them were more than 40 years and 88.6% were obese. Conclusion: The study concluded the presence of higher mean serum afamin levels among prediabetic individuals compared to the healthy control.