Bashdar I. Meena, Hawbash H. Karim, Kurdistan F. Aziz, F. Chaqmaqchee, Dashne M. Kokhasmail, K. N. Hussein
{"title":"Structural Characterization of Salts Using X-ray Fluorescence Technique","authors":"Bashdar I. Meena, Hawbash H. Karim, Kurdistan F. Aziz, F. Chaqmaqchee, Dashne M. Kokhasmail, K. N. Hussein","doi":"10.14500/aro.11418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11418","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the structure of 21 table salts that were collected from different local markets in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The major trace elements and iodine concentrations in tablesalt are analyzed through the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique and the titration method, respectively. The study shows that using XRF spectral analysis, the collected table salt samples are rich in chlorine, sodium, and contain a lower percentage of bromine, strontium, tin, tellurium, and iodine. Moreover, these samples have a high percentage of sulfur and sirconium, where the molybdenum is >0.2%. Other elements such as zinc and copper are essential and found in low concentrations <0.0086% and 0.001%. Iodine is a trace element that is necessary nutrients for human life, and it is naturally present in some foods. Iodine deficiency is brought on by a lack of iodine consumption. Iodized salt is highly recommended as a source of iodine to prevent iodine deficiency disease. Iodine is added to table salt in two different ways, either through iodate or through iodine. The results show that only 25% of the salt samples have an adequate level of iodine, while the other samples have low or no iodine content. According to the World Health Organization, quality of salt depends on iodine concentration and other trace elements, which are necessary for human health.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"58 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2024-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139449384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mohsen Alirezapoori, Mohsen Hayati, M. A. Imani, F. Shama, Pouria Almasi
{"title":"An Ultra-wideband Low-power Low-noise Amplifier Linearized by Adjusted Derivative Superposition and Feedback Techniques","authors":"Mohsen Alirezapoori, Mohsen Hayati, M. A. Imani, F. Shama, Pouria Almasi","doi":"10.14500/aro.11267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11267","url":null,"abstract":"Ultra-wideband (UWB) applications require low-power and low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) that can operate over a wide frequency range. However, conventional LNAs often suffer from poor linearity and high-power consumption. This research work proposes a novel LNA design that uses the adjusted derivative superposition (DS) technique and feedback to improve the linearity and reduce the power consumption of UWB LNAs. The DS technique enhances the third-order intermodulation (IM3) cancellation by adjusting the bias currents of the transistors, whereas the feedback improves the stability and input matching of the LNA. The LNA is implemented using a degenerated common source topology in a 180 nm standard CMOS technology. The simulation results show that the LNA achieves a power gain of 10–12.2 dB, an input third-order intercept point (IIP3) of about 12 dBm, and a noise figure of less than 2.5 dB over the UWB frequency band of 3.1–10.6 GHz. The input reflection coefficient is less than -10 dB, and the power consumption is 11.6 mW with a 1.5 V power supply. The designed LNA offers a novel and innovative solution for UWB applications that significantly improve the performance and efficiency of UWB LNAs whereas reducing the cost and complexity of implementation.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"181 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139161126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Magnetic and Electrical Properties of Electrodeposited Nickel Films","authors":"M. Sultan","doi":"10.14500/aro.11211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11211","url":null,"abstract":"Magnetic and electrical properties of nickel (Ni) thin films produced by the electrodeposition technique under a range of growth times (30, 40, and 60 s) are investigated thoroughly using Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect (MOKE) magnetometry and Magneto-Resistance setup, respectively. To deeply understand these properties, the elemental composition, surface morphology, and bulk crystalline structure are analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) with high-resolution scanning electronmicroscopy (HRSEM), grazing incidence X-ra y reflectivity(GIXR), and X-ray diffraction measurements, respectively. EDSanalysis confirms that these samples are free from impurities andcontamination. An increase in coercive fields (~67 Oe) with widedistribution (58–85 Oe) across the film area and a slight variationin the shape of the loops are noticed by decreasing the film growthtime (30 s). This is attributed to the deviations in the film surfacemorphology (defects), as confirmed by HRSEM and GIXRmeasurements. The angular dependence of the coercivity is nearlyconstant for each sample and most angles, indicating the similarityin the reversal behavior in such films.The sample resistance is foundto be ~20.3 Ω and ~2.8 Ω for films with growth times of 40 s and 60 s,respectively. The co ercivity of the AMR profiles and MOKE loops isconsistent with each other, indicating that the magnetization at thesurface performs similarly to that of their bulks. This article givesan indication that Ni films produced by this technique under suchconditions are soft at longer deposition times and largely isotropic,which is more preferable in some magnetic applications.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"57 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138588055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of Waste Glass on Properties of Treated Problematic Soils","authors":"Jaylan H. Sherwany, Jamal I. Kakrasul, Jie Han","doi":"10.14500/aro.11284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11284","url":null,"abstract":"Soils are the most commonly used construction material in engineering projects. Fine-grained soils especially clayey soil may expand and lose strength when wet and shrink when dry, resulting in a significant volume change. Construction on weak soils has created challenges for various civil engineering projects worldwide, including roadways, embankments, and foundations. As a result, improving weak soil is vital, particularly for highway construction. The properties of this type of soil can be improved by waste-recycled materials such as waste glass (WG). The WG must be crushed and ground to a fine powder first and then can be mixed in various proportions with the soil. The primary objective of this study is to review the effect of WG on geotechnical properties of fine-grained soils treated by WG. To demonstrate the effects, the treated fine-grained soils at varying percentages of WG are compared with untreated soils. Physical properties (e.g., Atterberg limits, swelling, and maximum dry density), mechanical properties (e.g., California bearing ratio, and unconfined compressive strength) are evaluated. The test results from the literature show that adding a certain percentage of WG leads to a substantial effect on the properties of fine-grained soils; hence, using WG could reduce the required thickness of subbases in the construction of driveways and roads.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"122 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139011227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Peperites","authors":"Jabbar M. A. Qaradaghi, Tola A. Merza","doi":"10.14500/aro.11363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11363","url":null,"abstract":"Peperites are volcanosedimentary materials generated by the mingling of magma and unconsolidated wet sediments. They have unique insights into submarine volcanisms and the tectonic environments where they form. For the 1st time, the authors identified two types of peperites (blocky and fluidal) hosted by micritic limestone rocks in the Walash Volcanosedimentary Group of the Mawat area, Kurdistan Region-Iraq. They are designated as peperitic facies one and two (PF1 and PF2) and consist of black basaltic rocks mixed with chocolate-brown micritic limestone rocks. Their abundance demonstrates the contemporaneity of deep marine sediment deposition and submarine volcanism during Walash’s nascent arc. Despite hydrothermal alteration, the basaltic rocks retained their magmatic textures. Basaltic rocks comprise mainly albite, anorthite, diopside, hematite, and alkali-feldspar. Calcite dominates micritic limestone rocks, while quartz is minor. Based on geochemical data, igneous sections are basaltic rocks with tholeiitic series that are strongly enriched in Light Rare Earth Elements with low concentration ratios of (La/Yb) and (Sr/Y), indicating geochemical affinity to normal island arc basalt with a primitive arc signature. Furthermore, their formation is thought to be caused by partial melting of subducted slabs deep within 30 km and the associated derived fluids above the subducted slab. Thirteen species of planktonic foraminifera (Morozovella) are identified through paleontological research and biostratigraphy. Using these various tools lead the authors to illustrate the tectonic setting of the formation of peperitic rocks in arc fronts of the subducted Walash arc during the Middle to Late Paleocene (60 Ma).","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139250551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Atherogenic Index of Plasma in the Three Trimesters of Pregnancy","authors":"Bana K. Hamadameen, Sara S. Hamad","doi":"10.14500/aro.11337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11337","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the change that occurs for atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) which is a very good marker for the evaluation of the risk of atherogenicity and cardiometabolic health. This study indicates the logarithm of the triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (log [TG/HDL-c]). The parameters of triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) are estimated and compared with the control cases. The AIP is calculated for each case during pregnancy in first, second, and third trimesters separately and each is compared with control cases. The study population comprised (80) women aged between (20–40) years distributed to (20) healthy non-pregnant women, (20) in the first trimester, (20) in the second trimester, and (20) in the third trimester in Koya health centers. The results of this study showed a significant increase in the TG level in both the second and third trimesters of pregnancy compared to the control cases. Whereas, in the first trimester of pregnancy, it can be assumed that there is a non-significant decrease of TG level rather than control cases. As well as the serum levels of HDL for all three trimesters of pregnancy displayed non-significant changes when compared to non-pregnant cases. These data illustrate that the AIP levels during both the second and third trimesters of pregnancy are significantly higher, as compared to control cases, whereas the AIP levels in the first trimester are non-significantly elevated, as compared with control cases","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139253485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Real-time Traffic Monitoring System Based on Deep Learning and YOLOv8","authors":"Saif B. Neamah, Abdulamir A. Karim","doi":"10.14500/aro.11327","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11327","url":null,"abstract":"Computer vision applications are important nowadays because they provide solutions to critical problems that relate to traffic in a cost-effective manner to reduce accidents and preserve lives. This paper proposes a system for real-time traffic monitoring based on cutting-edge deep learning techniques through the state-of-the-art you-only-look-once v8 algorithm, benefiting from its functionalities to provide vehicle detection, classification, and segmentation. The proposed work provides various important traffic information, including vehicle counting, classification, speed estimation, and size estimation. This information helps enforce traffic laws. The proposed system consists of five stages: The preprocessing stage, which includes camera calibration, ROI calculation, and preparing the source video input; the vehicle detection stage, which uses the convolutional neural network model to localize vehicles in the video frames; the tracking stage, which uses the ByteTrack algorithm to track the detected vehicles; the speed estimation stage, which estimates the speed for the tracked vehicles; and the size estimation stage, which estimates the vehicle size. The results of the proposed system running on the Nvidia GTX 1070 GPU show that the detection and tracking stages have an average accuracy of 96.58% with an average error of 3.42%, the vehicle counting stage has an average accuracy of 97.54% with a 2.46% average error, the speed estimation stage has an average accuracy of 96.75% with a 3.25% average error, and the size estimation stage has an average accuracy of 87.28% with a 12.72% average error.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"22 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139266813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) Fruit Extract Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Properties, Column Chromatographic Fractionation, and High-performance Liquid Chromatography Analysis of Phenolic Compounds","authors":"Aryan F. Qader, M. Yaman","doi":"10.14500/aro.11189","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11189","url":null,"abstract":"This groundbreaking study explores the untapped potential of blackberries, a member of the Rubus genus in the Rosaceae family, and sheds light on their remarkable health and medicinal properties. Unlike previous research conducted in other regions, this investigation focuses specifically on the blackberry fruit’s phytochemical constituents, chromatographic fractionations, and antioxidant activities in the Koisinjaq and Erbil villages of Northern Iraq. The research unveils seven distinct fractions obtained through column chromatography, with Fractions 2 and 3,5 found to contain p-coumaric acid and rutin, respectively, while Fraction 2 also houses chlorogenic acid. The analysis reveals the impressive richness of the methanolic blackberry extract in phenolic content (38.08 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight [DW]), flavonoids (14.58 mg quercetin equivalent/g DW), flavonols (6.95 mg rutin equivalent/g DW), and anthocyanins (7.73 mg/kg DW), underlining the fruit’s potent antioxidant activity. Furthermore, blackberries display exceptional ferric-reduction and metal-chelating capabilities, with 20.53 mg FeSO4/g and 182.12 mg Fe2+/g DW, respectively. Remarkably, blackberries also exhibit a remarkable ability to inhibit amylase activity (76.01%). These findings open up exciting prospects for utilizing blackberry fruit as a natural and potent source of phytochemicals and antioxidants in the food and pharmaceutical industries, promising transformative applications in health and well-being.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87538053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Leila Nouri, S. Yahya, A. Rezaei, F. Hazzazi, B.N. Nhu
{"title":"A Compact Negative Group Delay Microstrip Diplexer with Low Losses for 5G Applications","authors":"Leila Nouri, S. Yahya, A. Rezaei, F. Hazzazi, B.N. Nhu","doi":"10.14500/aro.11237","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11237","url":null,"abstract":"Microstrip Diplexers play an important role in modern wireless communication systems. In this paper, a novel compact microstrip diplexer based on spiral cells is presented. The proposed resonator primarily consists of two spiral thin lines connected to a pair of coupled lines. This novel resonator is analyzed mathematically to find its behavior and tune the dimensions of the final layout easily. Using the analyzed resonator, two bandpass filters (BPFs) are designed. Then, a novel high-performance microstrip diplexer is obtained by designing and integrating these two BPFs. The center frequencies of the first and second channels of the proposed diplexer are 1.86 GHz and 4.62 GHz, respectively. The proposed diplexer boasts a remarkably small size of 0.004 λg2 and features flat channels with low insertion losses of only 0.048 dB and 0.065 dB for the first and second channels, respectively. The maximum group delays of S21 and S31 are 0.31 ns, 0.86 ns, respectively, which are good values for a modern communication system. Meanwhile, inside its passbands for some frequency ranges, its group delays are negative. Thus, using this diplexer can decrease the signal dispersion. The 1st and 2nd passbands are wide with 47.3% and 47.1% fractional bandwidths (FBW), respectively. Therefore, this diplexer can be easily and successfully used in designing high-performance RF communication systems.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73654312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Screening of Aflatoxin Production by Aspergillus flavus Isolates from Petroleum-contaminated Soil","authors":"Sawan M. Mirkhan, T. Omar","doi":"10.14500/aro.11144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11144","url":null,"abstract":"Fungi are eukaryotic, heterogeneous, unicellular to filamentous, spore-bearing, and chemoorganotrophic organisms which lack chlorophyll. This present study was carried out to isolate and identify fungi from petroleum-contaminated soil. Several fungal genera which included Rhizopus spp., Mucor spp., Penicillium spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Aspergillus spp., Alternaria spp., and Cladosporiumspp. were isolated using potatoes dextrose agar, Czapek-Dox Agar, and Aspergillus flavus Differentiation Agar culture media that comparable with co-amoxiclav (1g) and chloramphenicol to prevent the growth of any bacteria. The direct plate and serial dilution agar plate methods were used for the isolation of fungi. Based on results, Aspergillusand Mucor spp. were the most predominant genera and had the highest number of colonies in the soil samples. In this investigation, seven out of 27 soil samples were morphologically (macroscopically and microscopically) identified, such as A. flavus. Aflatoxigenicity of A. flavus was detected using characteristics in Aspergillus differentiation agar and colony fluorescence on exposure to ultraviolet light. Moreover, molecular approaches were used for the detection of aflatoxigenic of the A. flavus isolates. Three structural (aflD, aflO, and aflP) and one regulatory (aflR) gene of the aflatoxin gene cluster of A. flavus were targeted for amplification by the polymerase chain reaction method. The aflatoxigenic of all six A. flavus isolates was detected molecularly which contained two structural (aflD, aflP)genes out of three structural genes, while there was no specific amplification of the aflO gene in the fourth, fifth, and sixth A. flavus which issimilar to the aflR gene in the first and second A. flavus.","PeriodicalId":8398,"journal":{"name":"ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85297103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}