Among the metaheuristic algorithms, population-based algorithms are an explorative search algorithm superior to the local search algorithm in terms of exploring the search space to find globally optimal solutions. However, the primary downside of such algorithms is their low exploitative capability, which prevents the expansion of the search space neighborhood for more optimal solutions. The firefly algorithm (FA) is a population-based algorithm that has been widely used in clustering problems. However, FA is limited in terms of its premature convergence when no neighborhood search strategies are employed to improve the quality of clustering solutions in the neighborhood region and exploring the global regions in the search space. On the

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer affecting women worldwide. Different studies have dealt with the etiological factors of that cancer aiming to find a way for early diagnosis and satisfactory therapy. The present study clarified the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of BRCA1 & BRCA2 genes and some etiological risk factors among breast cancer patients in Iraq. This investigation was carried out on 25 patients (all were females) who were diagnosed as breast cancer patients attended AL-Kadhemya Teaching Hospital in Baghdad and 10 apparently healthy women were used as a control, all women (patients and control) aged above 40 years. The Wizard Promega kit was used for DNA isolation from breast patients and normal individuals. B

Evaporation is one of the major components of the hydrological cycle in the nature, thus its accurate estimation is so important in the planning and management of the irrigation practices and to assess water availability and requirements. The aim of this study is to investigate the ability of fuzzy inference system for estimating monthly pan evaporation form meteorological data. The study has been carried out depending on 261 monthly measurements of each of temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and wind speed (W) which have been available in Emara meteorological station, southern Iraq. Three different fuzzy models comprising various combinations of monthly climatic variables (temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity) were developed

In the modern world, wind turbine (WT) has become the largest source of renewable energy. The horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) has higher efficiency than the vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT). The blade pitch angle (BPA) of WT is controlled to increase output power generation over the rated wind speed. This paper proposes an accurate controller for BPA in a 500-kw HAWT. Three types of controllers have been applied and compared to find the best controller: PID controller (PIDC), fuzzy logic type-2 controller (T2FLC), and hybrid type-2 fuzzy-PID controller (T2FPIDC). This paper has been used Mamdani and Sugeno fuzzy inference systems (FIS) to find the best inference system for WT controllers. Furthermore, genetic algorithm (GA) and particl

This paper introduces a non-conventional approach with multi-dimensional random sampling to solve a cocaine abuse model with statistical probability. The mean Latin hypercube finite difference (MLHFD) method is proposed for the first time via hybrid integration of the classical numerical finite difference (FD) formula with Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique to create a random distribution for the model parameters which are dependent on time [Formula: see text]. The LHS technique gives advantage to MLHFD method to produce fast variation of the parameters’ values via number of multidimensional simulations (100, 1000 and 5000). The generated Latin hypercube sample which is random or non-deterministic in nature is further integ

Flexible job-shop scheduling problem (FJSP) is one of the instances in flexible manufacturing systems. It is considered as a very complex to control. Hence generating a control system for this problem domain is difficult. FJSP inherits the job-shop scheduling problem characteristics. It has an additional decision level to the sequencing one which allows the operations to be processed on any machine among a set of available machines at a facility. In this article, we present Artificial Fish Swarm Algorithm with Harmony Search for solving the flexible job shop scheduling problem. It is based on the new harmony improvised from results obtained by artificial fish swarm algorithm. This improvised solution is sent to comparison to an overall best

It is well known that the rate of penetration is a key function for drilling engineers since it is directly related to the final well cost, thus reducing the non-productive time is a target of interest for all oil companies by optimizing the drilling processes or drilling parameters. These drilling parameters include mechanical (RPM, WOB, flow rate, SPP, torque and hook load) and travel transit time. The big challenge prediction is the complex interconnection between the drilling parameters so artificial intelligence techniques have been conducted in this study to predict ROP using operational drilling parameters and formation characteristics. In the current study, three AI techniques have been used which are neural network, fuzzy i

In this work a study and calculation of the normal approach between two bodies, spherical and rough flat surface, had been conducted by the aid of image processing technique. Four kinds of metals of different work hardening index had been used as a surface specimens and by capturing images of resolution of 0.006565 mm/pixel a good estimate of the normal approach may be obtained the compression tests had been done in strength of material laboratory in mechanical engineering department, a Monsanto tensometer had been used to conduct the indentation tests.
A light section measuring equipment microscope BK 70x50 was used to calculate the surface parameters of the texture profile like standard deviation of asperity peak heights, centre lin