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

Moisture damage is one of the most significant troubles that destroy asphaltic pavement and reduces road serviceability. Recently, academics have noticed a trend to utilize fibers to enhance the efficiency of asphalt pavement. This research explores the effect of low-cost ceramic fiber, which has high tensile strength and a very high thermal insulation coefficient, on the asphalt mixture's characteristics by adding three different proportions (0.75%, 1.5%, and 2.25%). The Marshall test and the Tensile Strength Ratio Test (TSR) were utilized to describe the impact of ceramic fiber on the characteristics of Marshall and the moisture susceptibility of the hot mix asphalt mixture. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microsc

Alginate is one of the natural biopolymers that is widely used for drug formulations, combination of alginate with other polymers, such as gum acacia, pectin, and carrageenan can increase mechanical strength, therefore, can reduce leakage of the encapsulated active pharmaceutical ingredient from the polymer matrix. Interaction of alginate and these polymers can occur via intermolecular hydrogen bonds causing synergism, which is determined from the viscosity of polymer mixture.

Alginate was combined with gum acacia/pectin/carrageenan in different blending ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) with and without addition of CaCl₂. The synergism effect is obtained from the design of experimental (DoE), and calculati

In addition to the primary treatment, biological treatment is used to reduce inorganic and organic components in the wastewater. The separation of biomass from treated wastewater is usually important to meet the effluent disposal requirements, so the MBBR system has been one of the most important modern technologies that use plastic tankers to transport biomass with wastewater, which works in pure biofilm, at low concentrations of suspended solids. However, biological treatment has been developed using the active sludge mixing process with MBBR. Turbo4bio was established as a sustainable and cost-effective solution for wastewater treatment plants in the early 1990s and ran on minimal sludge, and is easy to maintain. This

Background:  Ultrasound provides a powerful tool for assessing early pregnancy and detecting pregnancy failure at first trimester and promoting rapid effective management. Several  criteria have been established  to predict  the pregnancy outcome particularly in symptomatic women .

Aim: To evaluate  asymptomatic women at the first trimester of pregnancy , to assess the efficacy of certain ratios as mid sac diameter (MSD)  / yolk sac ratio & crown rump length (CRL)/mid sac diameter (as indicator  of early first trimester oligohydramnios)  in predicting poor 1^st   trimester outcome

Type of the study: A cross-s

Encryption of data is translating data to another shape or symbol which enables people only with an access to the secret key or a password that can read it. The data which are encrypted are generally referred to as cipher text, while data which are unencrypted are known plain text. Entropy can be used as a measure which gives the number of bits that are needed for coding the data of an image. As the values of pixel within an image are dispensed through further gray-levels, the entropy increases. The aim of this research is to compare between CAST-128 with proposed adaptive key and RSA encryption methods for video frames to determine the more accurate method with highest entropy. The first method is achieved by applying the "CAST-128" and

This research includes the study of dual data models with mixed random parameters, which contain two types of parameters, the first is random and the other is fixed. For the random parameter, it is obtained as a result of differences in the marginal tendencies of the cross sections, and for the fixed parameter, it is obtained as a result of differences in fixed limits, and random errors for each section. Accidental bearing the characteristic of heterogeneity of variance in addition to the presence of serial correlation of the first degree, and the main objective in this research is the use of efficient methods commensurate with the paired data in the case of small samples, and to achieve this goal, the feasible general least squa

In this review, previous studies on the synthesis and characterization of the metal Complexes with paracetamol by elemental analysis, thermal analysis, (IR, NMR and UV-Vis (spectroscopy and conductivity. In reviewing these studies, the authors found that paracetamol can be coordinated through the pair of electrons on the hydroxyl O-atom, carbonyl O-atom, and N-atom of the amide group. If the paracetamol was a monodentate ligand, it will be coordinated by one of the following atoms O-hydroxyl, O-carbonyl or N-amide. But if the paracetamol was bidentate, it is coordinated by atoms (O-carbonyl and N-amide), (O-hydroxyl and N-amide) or (O-carbonyl and O-hydroxyl). The authors also found that free paracetamol and its complexes have antimicrobial

Leigh's syndrome, or sub acute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy, is a rare inherited neurometabolic disease of infancy and early childhood with variable course and prognosis. Rarely, it occurs in juveniles and adults. The diagnosis is difficult and still remains to challenge the clinicians on the basis of history; hence the role of imaging is very essential. It is the neuroimaging, chiefly the Magnetic Resonance Imaging showing characteristic symmetrical necrotic lesions in the basal ganglia and/or brain stem that leads to the diagnosis. Late-onset varieties are rare and only few cases were reported all over the world. Here, I report a case of late onset (juvenile) Leigh syndrome presenting with an acute polyneuropathy. Neuroimaging confi

In recent decades, drug modification is no longer unusual in the pharmaceutical world as living things are evolving in response to environmental changes. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin is a common over-the-counter drug that can be purchased without medical prescription. Aspirin can inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandin by blocking the cyclooxygenase (COX) which contributes to its properties such as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiplatelet and etc. It is also being considered as a chemopreventive agent due to its antithrombotic actions through the COX’s inhibition. However, the prolonged use of aspirin can cause heartburn, ulceration, and gastro-toxicity in children and adults. This review article hi